Missy getting ready to ride.....

Showing Off!

Yesterday, I had a very nice ride on Kitty. She behaved like her age which is almost 14 in June! My girl is growing up! She usually acts like a two year old with tons of energy, but I guess she thought she could lean towards her Quarter horse side rather than her Arab side. She's fun!

In the past 2 weeks I have been "getting my act together" so to speak for my official "On tour" showing this summer. I'm trying to teach myself a few new tricks as well as my horses. For one thing, I'm getting my horses use to being stood on. One may never guess just how hard it is to train yourself to do this especially since all the horse has to do is move a step and you could go ker-plop to the ground. In addition to that, saddles are not large enough for cowboy boots, (I've discovered) and narrow horses are hard to balance on-a fat horse would be more suitable for this trick....but my horse are NOT ALLOWED to get fat!

The above picture is one of my favorite Senior pics of Dustin. Great Job, Monica! I want one! Below is Kitty during the senior pics. She supported Colty so he would stand nicely for pics. I laugh at this pic because my dog, Maggie, is UNDER Kitty. Kitty didn't mind the extra shadow, I guess.

This pic below is of Ted riding Chica all by himself over our "bridge."

He even trotted!!! Yes, ALL by Himself! Yehaw! Ride 'em, partner!

"Do something crazy and dumb, while your still young!"

Those are actually words to a country song. The song states that hey, life is short so do something you love while you still can! For some reason this song has been in my head this week....sorta can't get it out! It reminds me of the Biblical principle of redeeming our time because our time here on this earth IS short! So, what on earth are we doing for Heaven's sake?! Sometimes, I wonder if I'm doing enough for God.....other times I look at others and what they are doing for Him and wonder why God isn't using me more?! Am I not good enough? Why is everyone so talented but me? Hey, God, remember me? Do we have a plan here or what? About the time I'm done with asking all these questions, I begin to feel frustrated and God knows this. For example, the last 2 weeks He has shown me my talents, His love and why He made me and put me on this earth. No, I may not be a superior preacher.....I may not be a missionary who goes through torture for Jesus.....But this I will tell you, I was made by Jesus to be used by Him and I am doing exactly what He says to me. It may not seem like much at times, but it is where He has placed me. Until He says move, I stay where I am.

Well, the new filly at Alamar Acres is turning out to be a project. She doesn't know how to suck off of her mother. We have been giving her a milk mix called mares milk which she will drink out of a bucket. She also seems a bit slow in the brain-poor little girl-It takes her forever to realize where her mom is and it takes her forever to follow her mom which makes it difficult to get her in and out of the pasture. Hoping she comes around-she is very pretty.....

I had a long day at work working from 7:20 t0 4:45ish, but it was ok...as long as I don't have to work that long every day, I'll be happy! I rode Kitty when I got home, but lightning and rain cut our rider shorter than I wanted. However, I still got in a workout! Looking forward to riding more this weekend!

I'm also exciting/nervous about going to His Ranch in Taylor, Missouri this summer with my horses to show off their tricks and demonstrate some riding skills-so I've been practicing a bunch-just need that sand arena....: )

1st Trail Ride at Jubilee this year!!!

Today at Alamar Acres, one of their mares, (Mary B) had a very tall, pretty filly out of their "new" stallion Hercules. I got my workout with helping the filly stand and find moms milk. However, by the time I left work, she was finding it on her own-shew, cuz I was tired! : ) I came home to happy, sleepy horses soaking in the sun. I walked into the pasture to tell everyone hello, but Missy decided to greet me with a loud nicker and perked ears. Seeing her walk towards me so excitedly made me feel very loved and I couldn't disappoint her so I grabbed some tic tacs out of my purse and soon had all the horses up by me wanting tic tacs! Who can blame them? Candy is good!

Monica and I got to ride at Jubilee State Park yesterday since it was so beautiful and the trails were actually open on a Monday! We usually go there on Mondays when the weather is warm and dry. Colty did great and seemed almost normal since diagnosed with navicular disease. I took Kitty (much to her delight, but to Missy's dismay) and she was super excited-jumping most of the creek crossings and ditches. The horses LOVE their job of trail riding so they are always really ready to go on their first couple trail rides, but I'm always REALLY ready to go too! : )

Below are some old pictures of Monica and I at Jubilee. However, we always seem to enjoy running through the creek bed below since there are no rocks. I had fun on Monday running Kitty in the water past Monica and Colty getting them (mostly me) wet. It was funny, although, Monica would probable tell you otherwise......hey, it was nice to be the one making the splash instead of the one being splashed! heheha!! Colty and Monica usually get me soaked, but Monday, we got them wet!

Riding buddies-the four amigos! :)

Gone Horse Crazy

Here's my Pretty Kitty-all groomed and ready to ride! Pic taken about 2 weeks ago. Maggie (dog), Monica and Colty in background

Missy as a 3 year old at her first show!!

With this beautiful, DRY!!! weather, I have been on my horses everyday this week! To me, this is kinda like experiencing Heaven on earth! I've been able to trail ride, AND use our yard as an "arena" again....it's so nice.....

This week, Ida Hammer, (natural hoof care trimmer/my teacher) came to trim Colty's (Monica's horse) feet since he needs trimmed a little different cause he has a hoof disease called navicular disease. While she was here, I decided to have her take a look at one of my horses (Missy) as well. Missy had had her heals chopped off when she was young (BAD thing to do) and my previous farrier just wasn't making it easier for her to walk-her feet were always sore-especially on rocks! I took a one-day farrier class from Ida Hammer last year and have been trimming Missy ever since...and guess what!? Missy is SOOOO much better she can even run on rocks! Ida told me I did a good job on her and I did the right thing with her feet-she also gave me a couple other pointers to help her out even more! YES!! This moment was a "highlight moment" in my week! She wants me back to take more classes! haha! : )

Today I worked Kitty on her tricks. She did a huge beautiful rear! She is so majestic! I also tried to get her to bow on one knee while I was aboard without my help....she really wanted to do this for me and got really close a few times so I rewarded her for that. It is REALLY HARD to teach a horse a tough trick like bow without a dry, soft place 24/7. I have no sand arena-I have no dirt arena-I have nowhere, but grass to work in...So, I usually train stuff like this in the Knobloch's arena (did I mention I love their arena?) and I don't go there as often because of gas prices...so what I'm trying to say is Kitty does a very good job at this trick for what little time and inconsistent training I do with her. I can teach them the basics of a trick, but expanding...that's where the arena comes into play...Anyone wanna donate sand and lime? : ) Kitty also did great on the pedestal and was eager, as usual, to push me around tonight and smile (that's one of our new ones). She really is a joy and a blessing to be around/work with and I thank God for letting me own her (and Missy) everyday! : )

I realized I haven't said much about Missy, but she is doing wonderful in her training as well. She LOVES to Spanish walk! She's not super good at walking and marching at the same time, but give her her cue and she is a HUGE marcher! Missy is also learning tidbits of dressage. She can do the diagonal trot pretty well now-I've only been really working on it this week so I'm very proud of her fast progress! I guess I'll have to find something else to work on soon....oh well, bring it on! ; )