A Photography Contest MUST VOTE BY 31st!

Take a look at these nice pictures I entered in a photo contest to win $100 at Dover Saddlery

BUT... as it turns out the photography is not judged on what or how the photo was taken, nor colors or feeling that the photo created within.

Instead it is based on votes within the equestrian club members so...

PLEASE VOTE FOR ME!

link is:

http://www.clubequestrian.com/photos/gallery/best_horse_portrait_supported_by_dover_saddlery/1/3.aspx

bottom row across from left to right

you can vote once for each pic if you so desire ... its easy enough

ENJOY!

Charlie Charlie Charlie

... well.... I wish I could geld you again! You are such a jerk and such a love ... what is it?

I mean really what is your deal? I cannot figure you out. We are always at odds until we finally get to some kind of agreement prior to mounting. Havent you realized yet that I just want to ride? Get you out of the house for a bit and enjoy the scenery? Dont you like that? I mean ... your not like Angel, you dont have seperation anxiety! But the rearing, striking, kicking, fighting, thrashing head has GOT TO STOP!

Teeth are coming in and those gums looked rank for while. I wonder if the feed bothers your guts and your pissed off about that. Are you just an Alpha because Misty has allowed you to get away with it and you think it applies to all areas? Or is it "D" all of the above? I could be just making excuses for you being that I want to "label" it maybe? I dont know but I am sweating and physically exhausted after riding today.

Beautiful day and great idea... lets trail ride up the road. OK ... except its dump day. A short stretch before the pavement ends and cars etc. Good to expose him to and was ok on the way up but did jump down and walk him to the dump. Got back on and rode fine. Way home... MR Dink arrived again... and rearing and traffic... I had already jumped down to get him over... but he wouldnt... luckily I had the rope halter on under his bridle and gave him some of that but he was throwing himself into me as he didnt want to walk on the shoulder.... I mean HE KNOWS what he is going to get when he messes with me... I make no qualms but he just didnt care... so then... unfortunately I had to resort to banging on the bit to get his attention... and I got it! I was mean ... but it worked... he walked ever so carefully home, without running me over and staying on the shoulder... I mounted up at my driveway and rode up the hill. I was huffing and puffing... and cars are going by ... some people wait... others impatient and I was thinking he was going to kick them for sure... as he does have heels that fly quickly out the back.

Somehow way down inside I would have wanted it to happen just to say "well WTF folks... you see me having trouble with my horse on some back road and you have to crawl up my ass? Well that is what you get!" But I dont need the drama in my life either! Been there done that ... years ago!

A SMART ride in Berwick years ago we had to turn around and head back due to an injury and only 3 of us on the side of the road... around this time of the year.... ice puddles... dirt dead end and some lady is coming for us... crazy lady... I was 2nd rider back... a beginner rider in front and behind... and this lady is veering for us... and gooses it to spook our horses as she mashes thru the ice puddles and sends shit all over us... hollering something as she flew by....

WELL>>> YOU KNOW she didnt expect me to haul ass after her either! GOOD ol Spicie up for a fight! We tear assed down the road after her... she cant go faster than a horse on a pot hole infested road... her car is shuttering left and right and she is trying to get away....she didnt take into consideration I would catch up! I came up on her and she smashed on the brakes and I see reverse lights come on! She was trying to run me over too! I cant use the kind of profanity that came out of our mouths at each other on here... but you cant bet I told her she was going to jail for this in so many words. I called the cops when we got back to the trailer an reported her ass.... come to find out ... the license plate didnt match the car description... NO REALLY? HUGH... no kidding that is the kind of people that would do that you know! She lives at the end of that road FIND HER OR I WILL! Apparetly it wasnt the first time! The person putting on the ride has had to deal with her before on several occassions... but not horse riding related. Anyway I had 3 written statements from us explaining what happened... and when it got to court the DA called me prior to, saying it more than likely would be thrown out and that I should vouge for a written copy in her file and somin' or other.... by then months had gone by and I was happy to not have witnessed an accident with any horse or rider. So I let it go. I shouldnt have but I did... WACKO!!!!!

AnYHOO>... didnt expect that story to come out ... but there she be.

On a good note... Charlie is bending beautifully... unexpectedly advancing quickly with that knowledge... HE IS going to be handsome when he fills in and grows up! Might want to check back then!

Last Minute Trail Ride

We decided after we were all done with giving lunch and throwing hay and shedding horses in the sunshine... "wanna go for a trail ride?"

WELL YAH!

So we tacked up and headed up the road. It WAS nice when the idea was agreed upon... then it got cloudy and blustery and started to spit snow! I mean C'mon! We want to get out of the indoor and just breath fresh air for a change you know? A change of scenery for the horses... I am sure they appreciate that right? So off we went anyway... and the spitting snow was really coming at that point... we didnt care... we were out... and it stopped, then started, then stopped, then sun ....

...then came the cars, truck, and dump runners, the soft shoulders, & the mud puddles. Further on up the road, came the ciaotic dump on the left, pavement ended, a dead porcipine and more mud. SOMEBODY... I wont say who... wanted to turn around before we even hit the 10 minute mark... SALLY SISSY WOOOSY!

We pressed on beyond the big culvert with major water to the right and left close to the dirt road... EEEK they said in unison... TUFF I said louder! Then crap... truck coming and snowbanks framed us in ... but a turn around up on the left meant... UGH... crossing that intsy weensie... water run off... Angel the brat... I had to jump down or the truck would never be able to pass... OH GOSH... ya thanks your welcome... now to mount up on the 17H fancy footer.... a rock? Nope not that one... too close to trees that like your knees! Ooooo how about that one... right beside that big mud hole hugh? Great idea... ya... it actually worked and he crossed back over the run off with the girls without question.

Pressing on led us to a deer carcus..... more mud... heavy sleet... deep mud ruts.... and finally our destination atop the big hill overlooking the power lines and mountains.... we made it PHEW!

Oh and looky here... the sun came out and shined down from heaven on our dear Missy Boo.

Then we turned around and Ahole By Night... decided to rear and whip around... making everyone else uneasy and then JIGGED the whole way home.... which is why the picture taking ceased :) :(

Using that opportunity to bend and collect and sidepass... left n right ... left n right.... we marched all the way home....

And that return home reminded me of all the trail riding I used to with Spicie and how tired I was after riding.... and here we are! I have come so far yet... I have so far to go! But below is are darling Baby - Wapsinyowallet... trotting delightfully along with Haley - collected and happy... why cant we all be so lucky.... ??????

You want a piece of me? YOU GOT IT!

I try to get my monies worth when training my two youngsters, which is why I usually bring them both. I can tie one & work the other. OHHHHH but my darling Charlie had something else in mind when we had taken his "girls" to the beach for a ride, making sure to solidify his chances of being the next to be ridden. I had left him with Angel only to come back to find Angel with injury. Charlie of course with the "I didnt do it" look and "But I'm your Angel momma" ~

OH really... well seems like you want my undivided attention hugh? You got it big boy.

But not before he gave me the RANKEST protest by rearing, striking, bucking, pawing & trying to lay down and roll after saddled! I am so onto his ways... and so we just lounged until lathered, then I mounted up the head hanging sod and we worked some more on BENDING -

"oh Charlie did you say you wanted my undivided attention? Oh ok... well then this is what we do ... we entertain momma by bending and bending and more bending... head set... NOPE ... sorry no play time... disengage the hind... NOPE ... some more... awwwwwwwwwww lookie that head come around... tired ???? So sorry Charlie.. that is what you get when your a dinkISSSS.... WORK... work work work... "

Usually I am tired after riding ... but I have been gym-in' it... so my legs are strong... "hey Charlie how are those ribs doing? GOOOOD!" I finally felt confident in my horsemanship EVEN AFTER all his antics which constantly questions my authority. I am tired of it... and its time to LET'ER RIP - LET'ER FLY! He is going to be 3 at the end of this month and I cannot wait until my arena is thawed.

WEEEEZ GONNA HAVE SUM FUN aint we Charlie!!!!!

I hope by then we will work out the "antics" prior to our sessions as they just BORE me now :) & get onto progress in the saddle!

I feel he gave me as much as he could being that its really the first time I have ASKED for inside rein inside leg and trying to maintain that inside eye and headset. I came away with a smile after today. I appreciated Mindy taking vids to allow me to show others! Believe me ... next time we ride... he will have digested all of that so I BETTER have a whole new bag of tricks for him or he will find ME to be a BORE and will liken to make up his own agenda!

Another Day At The Beach

Well today was a beautiful day to ride at the beach and we enjoyed the weather and the sounds of the seagulls and smells of the ocean surf. A birds eye view to see all the sand dollars, 3 total but only two survived the trek back to the trailer - a HUGE snail shell... I guess you would call it... VERY unusual for the Maine coast - the size is more likely for Florida but hey 6" snail shell is awesome!

The Tom Davis Clinic at Linden Woods Farm

What a beautiful day on Sunday. Sunny, melting temperatures. A short 45 minute drive, with Mindy and the girls. Notice I didnt say snot pickers? Well that is because they were such a big help to me. They got us all situated with tack and the chairs and were always there waiting for anything. I appreciated it. I also didnt realize the farm was that close! Monthly clinics to get Angel out and about would be a good thing. Angel was good ONCE he got warmed up. I was trying not to wake the giant upon mounting, but Angel was gettin' jiggy wit it, and that is all Tom focused on... getting his attention and keeping him quiet. As with all riders that Tom works with during a clinic, there was a major change in horse and rider before exiting the arena, INCLUDING myself. I was appreciative to his insight but dissappointed in my first session ride time because Tom had to spend the whole time instructing me on how to divert Angels attention. IF my first ride was AFTER lunch, that would have given me an opportunity to ride it out before the start of our session.... giving me an advantage to gain more knowledge... NOTE TAKEN! NOT saying I didnt get anything out of what he instructed me to do with him. I gained a new understanding of inside rein, inside leg to push into outside rein that maintains bend and outside leg to push him through. Finding rythm and cadence giving lift to his rib cage and maintaining this structure during our ride. It was hard! That is FOUR seperate instructions at the same time with 4 different limbs. Can YOU rub your belly and pat your head? I CAnT! I was tired after that! I wish I was able to go to the back of the arena and work on it while he worked with another student, then come back to fine tune, but our time was up. I think he knew the other students and therefore was able to do more, than with us, and played it safe not asking too much of us before understanding our riding capabilities. Notice how he breaks down the instruction, but giving tons of detail, and rewarding alot. This video shows what we worked on on the flat in the morning.



By the beginning of next video you can see the end of morning session accomplishments... then the jumping instruction. The jumping session brought more bending and aids but adding a few jumps in between, and maintaining rythm. The first thing he did was stop me after my first jump as I had it all wrong. NO excuse except nerves...I dumped on Angel over the first cross rail and Tom let me know it... he stopped me abrutptly and explained what I had done. One must be ON-time or a little behind the motion over the jump. I KNEW THAT! Why then did I do it? My mind and body are not ONE yet... but I am working on it! 3/4 of the way through that he stopped me again and fixed my frame over the jump. Again... I KNEW THAT! But... nobody is beating me up every day to tell me so I THINK I know but I DONT. DONT I hate that! So he gave me insight of the many things that need fixing from years of bad habits and I sure hope they are fixable! I wonder how much that will cost me? Time and consistancy I hope is the answer. He told me riding an experienced & consistant horse over rails would benefit me in learning the jumping frame and being strong in my jumping frame while getting a good feel. Then I would know what I had to do on a horse that is in training. That makes sense too... I may have to do some research on where and when to try that. I did mention that I would like to attend the Tammarack Farm Eventing Camp and he said that would be a perfect start for us. I was happy to hear that I was qualified enough to go for it... because at this point I feel I KNOW NOTHING! Listen to his instruction as he tries to ride with me every moment before and after the jump.



Great advise over and over again. I hope to sign up for April clinc with him too. What patience he has to work with us all! Thank YOU TOM! Thank you Mom and Vi for supporting me, and feeding me. Thank you Mindy and the girls for coming with me and helping with Angel.

Found More Rolex Info

Updated Pics of remodel going on at the park - New grandstands!

Bronze at gate....

Man O War statue below....

who is buried at the park I believe...

and BTW is Hot And Spicies great great grandfather....

as she comes from long lines of racing blood in Oaklahoma :)

then there is this Youtube video of eventing with actual video coverage :)

Enjoy!

Rode Today..... but tomorrow more snow!

Candace rode Angel today so she could get an idea as to what I am working with. Its nice to get the feedback and confirmation as to what I have felt all this time. She worked with him 1/2 hr and then I got on and rode for 1/2 hr and he went well. I wish that I could have recorded me with my lesson but there is no time to mess with Cameras when its time to ride! I just took video of her riding him.

After I got on him and softened him up we went well. Did alot of figure eights and changing direction and transitioned a few times. We did canter on his good side as she had already worked both a couple of times.... we agreed that he is definately off. That is the consensus from Jaimie and Vi too. I have zero cash for chiropractic work so I have been googling "lumbo sacral stretches" that I can do with him hoping to ease any discomfort. It is a noticeable difference in height of his Lumbo Sacral. His right is higher... what that means I dont know. He hops out behind when cantering in either direction when he wants to change leads or bucks. I will do what I can this week before our clinic and then ask yet ANOTHER person what they think. I hate asking everyone but I have never had to deal with this before and gathering all information before making a change is ideal.

Really looking forward to Sunday, as it stands 6 people may be coming to support me and that is nice! I hope they learn something too, I know I will be! I wish Angel could find more comfort in his canter as that will be the pivotal point in the session I dare say. I dont want my whole session to be focused on what he cant do at the canter and therefore not progress to other things I would like to touch on... but I will have to wait and see!

The video is several minutes long and you can hear Candace talking about what she is doing in the first half.

Mother Nature Loosing Her Grip

After a VERY mild weekend, we are back to a Happy Monday of SNOW.

Snow snow snow...

I had plans to ride today and try out my new tack.... but having the possibility of not returning home I decided to not venture out and leaving the truck n trailer hooked up for tomorrow! I am heading out to clean out for a second time today and allow them an hour to roll in the fresh snow...

It wont be long now where the only complaint will be horses rolling in mud and hair EVERYWHERE! So looking forward to it! NOT!

We did ride at the indoor yesterday.... but the vids are not worth posting, same ride different day.

On the upside, I get to stay in catch n up on laundry, clean the house, wash the dogs and blog!

WOOT WOOT! :(

Very Busy Day....

I was thankfully able to attend Hope Brook Farms http://www.betterriding.com/

Open Barn - Bottle Drive today.

SPICIE would like to thank the following peeps for their support with their donated bottles:

Pete n Maria

Joyce n Elkenah

Dotti n Millie Girl

Craig n Debbie

Mindy n' Misty

Jasons Garage

It was great to be able to do what we could to support our next generation of riders in a great program to teach them not only to ride but how to take care of equines which is the most important aspect of owning horses. We all know from our blog visits to Fugly Horse Of The Day that there are WAY TOO MANY people who actually DONT know and dont mind not knowing. Thank you Melissa for taking up the torch and providing that knowledge to all your students!

Foremost.... I had a great time seeing SPICIE! It had been over two years! Can you believe it... time flies! She doesnt change a wink! I forgot how nice it is to recieve kisses as nobody in MY barn wants to learn to! :(

I spent lovie time with Spicie... I enjoyed holding her head in my arms and kissing her eyelids... her head became heavy and it brought me joy. She was very VERY relaxed in her NEW barn! I am so happy for her and her NEW BEGINNING to a very fruitful summer of teaching kids not only riding but how to keep the paint on the open canvas at summer camps!

Spicie wasnt the only one hogging my time.... ALARIC! What a big boy he is turning out to be for 2 yrs old! He is going to make a great dressage prospect! Nice neck and those "so totally dressage horse" coat colors... he is going to be some eye candy out there whether it be tacked out or harnessed up! Cant wait!

I wanted to get a picture of Melissa and Me with Spicie but I FORGOT! ERRR! I got all carried away with playing picture time with Spicie it slipped my mind....

NEXT TIME THOUGH!.... because HOOF PICS is just down the road and I have a feeling I will be making some hauls North on Rt 1 this Summer!

C'mon SPRING! Things to do ... people to see... cross country courses to jump!~

OMG .... Its Not A Dream....!!!!!!

WELL....

I was pinching myself this evening when I stopped by my friend Joycies house...

I couldnt believe what happened....

& So SOON...

I mean I thought another 5 weeks at least!~

But NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....

Sooooooooooooo

Guess what happened....

OUR ROLEX TIXX ARRIVED!

I KNOW !!!! I KNOW!!!!

ITS ACTUALLY GOING TO HAPPEN!

WOOOOOT!!!! WOOOOOT!!!!

We are totally elated! IF you couldnt guess!

SO READ em N WEAP HOSS LUVAHS!

HOTEL ..... $155

ROUND TRIP AIRLINES ....$310

ROLEX TIXX .... PRICELESS!!!!

Oh well and ....

the look on RONNIES FACE in first pic!!!!

HA!