SICK .... SICK... SICK

...ya thats me! I am Sick! Sick and tired of being sick. I got the Christmas gift that keeps on giving. I thought maybe a dry throat from the woodstove cranking. Not so lucky... lost my voice and that has turned into the achy, stuffy head, sinus clogged, headachy, body hurts all over, cant get out of my own way.... sickness. UGH... I barely have the energy to get out of bed and make it to the couch without getting disoriented and dizzy. I have been drinking a ton and had to invest in the puffs tissues as my nose is now raw. Cant blow anything but hey if I move it takes off running like the Kentucky Derby and I better have a tissue in reach!

Husband has had to do a.m. horse feeding and Bless Mindy as she is coming to take care of evening clean out and feed. Thank you LORD JESUS.

If I could just find some poor soul to give this shit to ....the demon would leave me!

KIDDING! ~ I am not that mean.... yet :)

So a day of 50 friggin degrees and melting and I am stuck on the couch! Enjoy that you snotpickers out there to pasture... because a new year is upon us and I am sure that my resolutions will have something to do with all of you!
Whatever ....Enjoy the down time!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

You look Sorry Charlie...

your lighted dingle berries are hanging low today!Ready for your smackarooo Missy Boo!

Pucker up Baby Cakes !!!!!!
You too Angel.... mmmmmmmmmmmua!
AWWWWWWWWWWWW.... thats not very nice!

Look at these poor poor pitiful pups! I am sure they are not spoiled at all hugh?

ALL WISHING YOU & YOUR FAMILY A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Around 24 Inches Of Snow

Well its here... the dreaded day of days....
It arrived just in time for Christmas.... I am so happy I am gushing sarcasm!
I shoveled, shoveled and shoveled some more... and still I have much more cleaning around and out and under to do. I brought the horses in yesterday around lunch when the snow was coming down hard I started to feel bad they were out there standing in it. But only after the plow to arrive to cut a path to the manure pile so that I could unload yesterdays tidings and get to cleaning stalls. So that happened around noon and I shoulda woulda coulda pushed the last wheel barrow to the pile but I said eh tomorrow is another day. That it is... and I would have been able to clean todays stalls if I didnt put off tomorrow what I could have done yesterday!

DONT WE LEARN ANYTHING!

Nothing more overwhelming that having 4 stalls to clean lingering over you while the wind is whipping outside and snow is piled up everwhere around you - you have now where to go.... I am tired just thinking about it.

Thank GOD both 100 gal water troughs are filled and hay is thrown down.... oh wait ... crap! I do have to go pick up grain today .... as I was two bags short at last delivery.... UGH!

OH how blessed I am to have time for the LIST OF TO DO's !!!!! :)
HAPPY MONDAY!

I Too Own Two Kinds Of Hosses .....

Bikes, Camera Action! Contest Winner: "Her Need For Speed"
by hdmoto

LIFE IS GOOD!
See you on the Road or on the Rail!

Time to Hook On ~ Load Up ~ & Get Going!

Well I have been off since the Cutter show... I was riding often and doing my best to prepare for the deadline. I guess that is the problem here.... I dont have a goal? Spring is my goal... but as far as riding, clinics, shows etc.... I dont currently have an ajenda. Usually New England has alot going on this time of year with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years which is probably why nothing is posted for dates at facilities offering Schooling Shows or Clinics?

The Cutter Farm was good for what it was. My expectations again were too high and all my anxieties were for not. It was for the experience, and it was a positive one for Angel. No wrecks, falls, injuries or hurt prides that day. On the other hand, coming from a Photographic background I was terribly dissappointed in the photography. After waiting over a week to just view my pics online - every one was blurry and or at the wrong angle. WHY? I am guessing it was due to an amateur photographer. If it were my business I wouldnt POST the blurry pictures of jumpers! BUT - if that were the case then it looks like she may have not had many to post? Regardless I HAD to buy ONE - because it documents from whence Angel and I have dredged from.

I can handle the critisms.... so please critique away!

There is NO WAY I can photoshop my legs to the proper position or give his front legs a nice tight tuck OR I WOULD!

But hey these are our meek beginnings that we will look fondly back on many years from now right?

Snow Is Falling....

Is there anything else to say?

HIGH HOPES FOR WED....

Well... its been C~O~L~D!

I am not into freezing my ars off just to say I rode. When the weather is like this your horse cant even get warmed up right to benefit from training for an hour. I can say that we will just set our sites on days that are above 40 and that will be WED. 45 fingers crossed.

So that is what I have been reduced to now that the ground is frozen and the air has become artic.

WOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOO - I am wishing Christmas & New Years away because lets just get onto having the days longer shall we! Once I get beyond the longest day of the season I have hope for Spring! Until then ... I just want to stoke the stove and sleep!

So nothing going on - check back WED I hope to have a positive report then.

Waiting to make progress on Angel - more suptle, consistancy, quiet - hands seat and leg.

YESA - I can and will.... in time!

AMEN

Trail Rode At Dusk...

At least I got a trail ride in today! Well WE - Mindy Misty Charlie and I. It was mild all day. After delivering a horse this morning we were off to a nice trail ride. He has been cranky this week... which means... He needs one on one time with his momma.

He was good on the trail... a few one rein circles and we were good... off we go... thru the back 40 - around the Bears Den and behind Dolbecs and to the power lines.

Do tee do dee do.... oh... mud hole... c'mon... nobody wants to get their hooves muddy - R U shitting me? What is that pasture you hold up in all day... dry as a bone? I think not! MOVE IT!

Well they did travel through... up and over the high knolls... views are amazing ... down and across another mud spot... the ATV club have done well to make a high road. ....

Ugh Oh... spoke too soon.... another wet spot... too wet to argue over... I know they wont go... the wheelers love it... but not the whinners.... so turn around... :(

Photo OP! Smile Mindy!

I was sooooo thinking that with crossing the running water to get to Mills place was eventfull enough..... argue poke prod thump.... NOPE... got off and walked thru... GOSH it wasnt deep you SALLY Charles! Yes Misty follow but dont lead you veteran of this water crossing... thank you very much!

Across we go... wait for the blood pressure to get back to normal then return across. Argue poke prod thum.... UGH... C'mon you liars! Geez - got off and led them both through again... Misery does enjoy company hugh?

Well... they always say that if your going to get in an accident its going to be 500 feet from your house... so true!....

Charles feet went out from under quicker dan shit.... and we went down... he was trying to get up with me still on him... poor little bugger... I did my most graceful rodeo dismount and he was fine... I was fine... all was well... then a gun was heard off in the distance and he gained traction on my big toe! WTF! Anyway... no worse for the wear...

What ever happened to those quiet therapeutic trail rides? Oh where oh where have they gone?

Another Day....

Its cold again - found time to get out Christmas stuff, decorate and put up a tree. Now that is all done its time to get back out there and ride.... Now that hunting season is over - I can go trail riding if I so choose without chancing the bullet!
Angel will certainly have separation anxiety with that. I have tried him 1/2 way down the driveway alone and he is a pistol. Add that to the list of corrections to make. All will be fine in time.... can we just remind ourselves at this juncture that its only been two months he is here!
I know!
I know... that is amazing when you think about it.... I should not be so harsh on us and our goals.
Tomorrow is another day ... like today. An opportunity to ride if the sun is out, and 4:30 is our indoor riding time - I may bring Baby also? - But Simplify is the key here. Angel seems to get more accomplished is alone and away from home.
Until then. Stay warm!

I SEE NO EVIL....

I can tell you that I am so depressed after watching those videos over and over....
STOP THE MADNESS!
GOD please help me get my seat and leg and hands in order sooner than later! AMEN!

Poor horse - I know he was cantering around faster and faster and faster - BUT how are you getting to the rolex if you cant do those itsy bitsy jumps darling?
Nose straight out,
hollow backed,
peppy le pewwing around the arena -
HOLY MOLY you have your winter work cut out for you .... better get to it there spanky -
2010 will be here before you know it!

OH and BTW - on days you dont ride -
get out your turbo jam and skip the snacks deary!

FINALLY THE JUMPER SHOW

OK>>>>>> we made it and I am still alive!

Angel was an Angel - he is so good when he is away from here. He likes the "goings on" and is always looking around. The standing around waiting for our number to be called after the sun went away was not fun. It was chilly - and he was already warmed up... you can only do so much of that in one setting. .... I mean for me! My thighs will feel that tomorrow.

It was a good day overall... HECK... what can you expect for a "first show" situation! I have mental notes on all the crap I need to work on... notice I said "I" because "I" get in HIS way, and I need to have a better seat, and I need to have better hands, and I need to maintain my balance for longer than a minute or two....

His strides are so big and tall and he can cover an indoor with 11 jumps set up in 2 seconds flat - I knew the pattern but all of a sudden ... I am at the other end of the arena and holy crap... what number am I on again? Shit ... #5 ... oh... where is that one now? UGH... over there.... did I miss #4? NO... I did one ... two... three... right? Crap...

At the end I said thank you to the judge ... but he said... "you have one more" and pointed at #11.... Oh? I do? Hugh ... thought I did that one ... :)

>>>>insert - sheepish smile and shrugged shoulders with OH MY FRIGGIN WORD - under my breath... then crawl under rock >>>>>>quickly!

BUT all in the scheme of DOING & LEARNING - which we BOTH are and having fun... because lets not forget THAT my friends is why we are doing this... because its fun.... but before we get to that.... lets look at the embarrassing part shall we?????>>>>>>>>

A big THANK YOU - goes out to Candace Frank - for having to deal with me all day - in so many ways!