Hot trainer, hot horses!

Wow!  Is anybody else not liking this heat and humidity?!  Tomorrow was my big day to travel to His Ranch, but the weather is calling for temps over 100 degrees which with this humidity will feel more like around 115 degrees!   Meaning I don't want to travel in the heat or wake up at 4:00 a.m. to beat the worst of the heat.  I decided to leave earlyish on Wednesday morning since it's only gonna be 99 degrees (cooler here) in Taylor, Missouri-why are you guys in the South of MS?  Don't you know North is cooler?  : ) Let's just say the whole week looks HOT!  Any of you who want too can CERTAINLY pray for me and my horses!  Pray that we can all stay healthy and happy in this weather and have safe travelling both ways.  Thanks!

Despite this loss, I think I should have loads of fun on my ONE WHOLE WEEK OFF!!! : )  Yep, I'm excited!  Mother and I are going horse supply shopping tomorrow since I don't want to travel to MS in the heat with a horse who has allergies and a girl who doesn't want to change any tires!

Monica had 2 work buddies come out to see her Friesian horse, Eisis, on Sunday.  I took this as a good opportunity to "show off" my horses tricks!  While Monica was getting Eisis ready to ride, I gave a little trick horse presentation!  Missy and Kitty did GREAT!   However, Mother dear was in the house with the camera so I have to pics of Kitty or Missy, but I can tell you that they are inspiring me to do His plan!  I was debating with God the other night as to am I good enough to be "showing off my horses." I haven't been able to practice much at all since it's HOT HOT HOT!  I don't want to show my horses to prove to everyone that I'm good with horses or have some special talent I want to do this to glorify my God and put a smile on people's faces.  I was beginning to think I was failing God somehow for trying to put off His Mission yet another year.  However, when I was doubting most, and ready to call it off yet another year, God taught me another lesson.  While I was horse training for going to His Ranch, I was getting discouraged with myself for not being able to better my horses-stupid weather!  I decided to see if my horses would remember a trick I had only worked on for a few scattered weeks.  Wow!  They more than knew it they almost overdid everything!  They inspired me to Press On towards the mark of my high calling!  So, here we go!  Ready or not here we come!

Rest in the Lord.

Our extended family on my mother's side always gets together once every year to spend some quality family time.  For the last 3 years, we have been going to Portage, IN to swim in Lake Michigan and run up and down the sand dunes-which is tiring, but fun!  One thing I really enjoy about the weekend is our womens Bible study.  The topic for this year was Psalm 37:1-7.  So if you haven't looked up those verses yet, I'll give you an overview.  This section talks about not worrying about anything!  That we need to commit everything to God and TRUST that He has everything in control so all we really have to do is rest and wait patiently for His instructions.  It is easy to rest in the Lord when life is going great and everything seems to be going our way, but when things get out of our control it can be hard to "let go and let God."  I found this topic very good for me this year.  If you haven't heard, my sister is engaged to a wonderful guy, Karl Kirsch.  I am really happy for her!  Really!  I am!  It's just that when your use to living with your sister your whole life, you get use to having her around!  So...yes, I'm a little scared of this new adjustment so what am I suppose to do? Let God know about it and be assured that He is with me and he'll help me with this new adjustment.  Another thing that just struck me with some more restlessness is that a good friend of mine is going to be music ministrying (if that's a word) in Haiti for a year.  So this weekend was turning out to be a restless/worrysome weekend until I let God take over.  The Bible study brought up some really good points for me to think about when I worry.  And if your like me, you always have something to worry about whether it's the everyday minor things or the occasional major things, however, it was brought up that worry is like rocking back and forth in a rocking chair-"it (worry) keeps you busy, but doesn't get you anywhere!"  So true!  When does worrying ever help a situation?  What we need to do when we worry is tell God the instant something worries us so he can fill us with His strength and peace.  No, I don't think you can expect to never worry about your problem once you hand it over to God-we are human, but you can know that the problem is now in God's hands and He will help you deal or overcome this problem if you let Him so just sit back, rest, and wait patiently for His healing power.  Piece of cake, right?  Ha!  I wish.  Worry is a life-long battle that happens everyday in your life, but wouldn't you rather let someone else worry about your worries?

Horse Showing at PRC-read my show story!

It's that time of year again!  It's horse show season!  Yehaw!  Monica, occasionally Ted, and I all love showing at the Pekin Riding Club (PRC).  This is a fun show for showing horses although it goes super late-till about 12:30 at night so I'm usually in bed by 2:00a.m. and barely awake next morning (my night owl friends should be proud!) for work, BUT it is sooo worth it!  My horses have been doing great and even being placed most of our classes!  I have never had so many 1st places as I am experiencing this year!  Maybe because there are fewer adults?  The show goes to late?  Well, whatever reason it is, I'd like to think that I indeed DO have the best horses in the whole wide world!  : )  Time for a little bragging on my girls.  Kitty NEVER practices for speed events because we have no where to practice, but she has consistently received at least 2 firsts every time we go to PRC.  We are certainly not the fastest, but we are the most consistent I'd say!  At PRC, they have a pleasure arena and a speed arena both going on at the same time.  It is frustrating for Kitty and I to do pleasure because she always gets overlooked by judges-why?  I have no idea?  She does everything!  Last time we finally placed in trail class but only because we were way to good to be overlooked that night, I guess!  I like to not be frustrated so I stick to speed with time being your only enemy! I have taken Kitty to 3 of the 4 shows this year and point wise we are tied for 4th overall in the speed arena!  Wow!

 Above: We were both so excited to be cantering at Jubilee without coughing I guess I got a little sloppy with my seat.  And she was really ready to run-because I haven't been able to do that with her. I should have tightened my reins more because I had them to loose-she wanted to go FAST!  : )

Below:  Kitty and I on a tail around our house in the fall of my senior year.

This last show, I took Missy, her first show of the year.  I really wasn't expecting much from her since I hadn't been riding her very hard since she has these terrible allergies.  However, she was doing well enough with her coughing I decided to take her since it was her 5th birthday!  I can't believe we've been together for 2 and 1/2  years!  : )   PRC always does a challenge class in each arena and they were both jumping classes.  I just started training Missy for jumping-Missy had maybe 4 lessons under her cinch so I wasn't expecting alot from her.  Plus, this is my still coughing horse!  Well, don't underestimate your horse was the first lesson I learned.  We had ONLY been practicing very low jumps at less than a foot or cross rails-which my home-made ones are about 3 or 4 inches off the ground if that....: )  The speed arena uses all cross rail jumps and the first one Missy walked over, but jumped the others with no problem!  Hunter Hack was certainly a surprise!  They had at least 2 foot wood jumps-no cross rails.  I had never asked Missy to jump this high yet I was a little unsure about this class to say the least.  We were all allowed one practice round. Missy's practice round consisted of cantering up to the jumps only to put on a screeching halt and seemed to ask me if this were possible.  I walked her over the first jump and the second jump-we looked quite out of form in fact she made it look more like we were in a trail class.  Well, I was pretty sure we wouldn't jump it (did I mention she had to do a double jump? we had NEVER practiced that either!), but I decided whatever it will be a good experience for her so I kicked her into the canter and headed for the first jump.....what happened next was quite inspiring and almost made me cry with delight!  Missy, knowing what I wanted of her was still slightly unsure at what to do with this jump, but at the last minute, I could feel her body strengthen and her hind feet push off the ground and muster up the power needed to clear the first jump.  My heart was racing...we just JUMPED a two foot jump!!!  Then I was thinking...Nuts! we still have to clear this second one!  With all her heart and feet too, Missy leaped over the second jump only reason being  was because she loved me and wanted to please me because I'm pretty sure she wanted to be done after that first huge jump!  This made me think of another lesson called love and perseverance!  She had just cleared a two foot jump...no, 2 two foot jumps for ME!!!  Needless to say I was overwhelmed with pride and appreciation for Missy.  It truly is amazing what  you can get your horse to do if you have that special bond with them!  We finished the pattern and the judge told me, "You just won the class!"  What?  Wow, I think I almost started crying--I know I was smiling!  Another highlight for Missy and I was placing 3rd in the trail class!  We had the best back through of the night and we did that scary rope gate with no problems tonight-the only thing that messed us up was the tarp, but we went over it after we looked at it for a bit! : )  One of the last year judges was watching Missy during this class and said that I had done a really nice job with Missy and she was impressed with how far she has come since last year.  It was a nice trail pattern!  I was sooo pleased.  Monica took Eisis for her first show and did amazing as well!  We had so many complements on our pretty-well-behaved horses it made my night!   What to know more just ask me about it!  : )  I love bragging about my horses!  Still praying for Missy, she did cough a bit, but not enough to keep her from cantering or jumping in determination to please me!  What an awesome experience!  Thanks, God!  : )

Poor Missy

I realize that as a Christian, one should look for the good in everything and believe that Jesus has everything under control even when it seems like everything is getting worse.  Sometimes it is very easy to trust Jesus when things are going OUR way, but so often (at least for me) when things don't go the way I think they should, I sometimes feel that God is making a mistake in my life-maybe I shouldn't trust Him?  During these times, God tests me and He tests me alot, but this is how I grow spiritually.  Right now, God is asking me to trust Him that Missy (my horse) is in good hands even though she is having trouble breathing properly as her at rest stage is fine, but if you run or trot her she coughs non-stop.  Last year the only thing that helped her problem (I think she has allergies, asthma, or something...) was putting her on a supplement everyday to help her breathe.  I thought I had found something to help her year round, but about two weeks ago she started coughing-bad.  So, I am discouraged.  This is one of my horses I was going to take to His Ranch-I hope I can still go with her.  Please pray for her.  I tried a drug and that made her worse. She was coughing bad at a stand still!  Now I'm gonna try more supplements.  Hope she eats them and we can find something to help ease her coughing.

There is always a bright side to things and if you remember my previous post entitled Mysterious Goings On, I mentioned Kitty being stiff and not being able to find a joint supplement she would eat.  Well, I found one she eats!!! (took us awhile) and she has not been stiff ever since.  However, she could have just sprained something in the pasture while playing.  Apparently, horses become stiff for a number of reasons.

As you have probably gathered from older posts, Kitty, Missy and I were in trick training together for going to His Ranch.  However, I haven't been able to ride Missy hard or well with her coughing just at the trot!  I feel very behind...go figure I get the round pen ground ready and my horse gets problems..such is life!

More Horse Stuff!

Just wanted to post a couple of cool/cute pics.  The first picture is of Jackson, one of the Clydes at Alamar acres.  However, he is kinda special since I was the only one there to help this now big boy into the world.  He is actually a show horse this year!  Woohoo!  The next picture is me showing off my cowgirl chaps which I got from a neighbor for doing his horse chores!  The other pic is also one of the Clydesdales.  A foal from this year at 3 weeks old.  He was having some problems so he had to become a gelding, but he is doing well now.  His name is Cletus.

Where do I start, Folks?

Perhaps a brief introduction is in order since I have not blogged in quite a long time!  It has been very busy and it's amazing that I have a couple minutes to type.  Let's see..what have I been doing since last post.....boy, don't know where to begin!?  Exciting news first?! Sure why, not?  Monica and I got to go horse camping at Jubilee on Mother's Day weekend! (Happy Mothers day in advance to my mother!)  Highlights of that trip was spending time with my sister and Miss Kitty. You could also add chasing a raccoon up a tree!  : )

Then it was time for hay.  This year the first cutting was unusually good so we decided to get a load of hay from our favorite supplier, Troy, (sorry no last names-he's all MINE!!) Then about two weeks after first cutting we filled up the rest of the barn with 2 second cutting racks which will hopefully last a   l   o   n   g  time!  Specially, since I worked too hard and too fast and ended up getting overheated-yuck!  Good thing for my RA (rheumatoid arthritis) it slows me down a little otherwise, I'd probably do 10 times more work!  Yes, I'm a hard worker and don't mind working hard as long as I got my Jesus, my family, my horses, and a big truck-haha!  Below: pictures from camping trip.

Jubilee has some very scenic views!

 Deep Spot!

Taking a needed leg stretch! Below is a delicious breakfast-love it when I can start fires!  

I'm also very sore from spreading ag lime in our little arena roundpen-next is sand-but my back says "forget it!" Yes, I have horses, but no tractor, no skid steer-nothing but my two hands and rakes and shovels.  I'm thankful that Monica was able to help me for almost an hour-it was about a 3 hour job and I should probably check it our again to make sure I've got it where I want it before the sand comes.  I think I'll ride today instead because I NEED to ride more as I am going for sure to His Ranch in Taylor, Missouri and I want my horse to be in top trick horse mode and good horse mode-which could prove to be hard, but I'm letting it up to God for how it all turns out.  Well, I gotta get a move on, but wanted to give a smidge update!  : )

Crazy Horses/Muddy weather

It's finally May and the rain keeps pouring down.  Once you think that the rain has FINALLY stopped, you find another rain shower headed your way.  I mean downpour-extreme wetness!  And people were thinking we  were going to have a drought.......Actually, I'd love some dry weather!  My horses went from 5 days of riding per week to maybe 1 or 2 this week thanks to the work arena.  I plan on taking them to work with me again on Thurs. or Fri since I have to go back both days and supervise/work plus when it keeps raining like this horses get hyper.

Speaking about hyper horses, horses get REALLY hyper when it is there first time on spring grass in a big pasture!  Let's see it's been over half a year since they were last on it....now it's work up time to eating 24/7.  We usually start our horses with 1 to 1 1/2 and then add 15 minutes a day until we get to 7 or 8 hours and then we leave them down there all day and bring them up at night until we get to July as long as it's dry and hot-then the grass isn't as juicy so they can safely eat as much grass as they desire.  I was actually surprised when I found it to not be as muddy in the pasture as I had thought.  Just stay out of it when you put the horses in for the first couple times!  They were running CRAZY and would not stop for anything!  Can't wait till pasture time is "boring" again!