The Dogs

It snowed last night. On average we got probably 3" of snow. Some areas drifted in to maybe a foot. Not so bad really. The big dogs were blasting through it playing and scooping up bitefuls as they ran.

Shaddick, the Doberman, looooooooves to run. And for a short-haired dog, he loves the snow too. He was having a blast. Lou, the Mastiff/GSD, doesn't mind the snow at all. Shaddick tried to get him to play.

Chandler is my tiny Yorkie. He weighs about 4.5 pounds soaking wet. Ordinarily I don't let him out while I'm doing chores because his focus is being near me and he's not very smart about staying out of the way of hooves.

He had snuck out when I left the house. The snow kept him on the deck for quite a while. At least I knew where he was at all times because he was barking at me.

I was filling a water tank when I realized the barking had stopped. Hmmmm. I turned toward the house and found Chandler trying to get to me. LOLOLOL... I felt bad for him, but he was so determined he ran straight through a drift and got stuck! I couldn't help but laugh at him.

Finally he couldn't get any further so I scooped him up and set him on the ground next to me. He looked so pathetic and cold that I took pity and unzipped my coat. I stuffed him in between my outer coat and my bibbies. He rode there for the next hour as I finished chores.

By the time we finished, he had stopped shivering and had slid down far enough that I could barely see him.

Trolls

Most hardcore trolling is mocking people for being, well, human beings who dare to do things trolls find unacceptable, like be female, have hobbies, grieve dead loved ones, or have the audacity to have more fun in life than they do.

Yes, sometimes I'm ridiculous... and yes, sometimes I'm sad. Sometimes I'd even go so far as to say I'm ridiculously sad! But I'm certainly not sad enough to go around posting rude remarks about people while hiding behind an anonomyous moniker. Pot... kettle... black.

Why am I writing this, you ask? It seems I got my first fan mail yesterday on a post that was really designed from the realization that my three daughters have grown up in a blink of an eye. My two older daughters are in their 20s and have their own lives in which they prefer to remain private. My youngest daughter still lives at home and is a huge part of the horse-side of this family.

Nowwwwwwww... one may think "Hmmmmm this blog is all about horses!" Why yes, it is!! This blog was inspired by several hundred of my fellow horsewomen friends with the idea of posting my silly stories and adventures about horses in my life. It wasn't created to brag about how my oldest daughter is a successful architect, or that my middle daughter is in her third year of college majoring in actuarial science. No... it's about horses in our lives and how happy I am that my youngest daughter is able to share that passion with me.

Now, because someone who seeks out my blog in a lame attempt to find something to pick out as ammunition (for what.. I have yet to unveil), I suddenly have fan mail! WHOOPEEEEEEEE!

This is really quite flattering!

What I find most interesting is the fact that I would never even consider writing something rude like that to or about someone else. Yet, here we have someone who obviously can't read or interpret the English language. I put lots of pictures in there for people like that... but sometimes not even that helps.

Horses happen to be a bond that allows the three members of this household to do things they enjoy TOGETHER as a family. If that's so wrong, then yes.. I must be ridiculous and sad. I rather doubt it.

Growing and Growing Older

I just recently learned that my oldest daughter is getting hitched. She is in love with a very nice young man and I'm thrilled for her. It's bittersweet, however, because it made me think about how old I'm getting and how fast my girls have grown.

My youngest will be 12 years old next month and while I was looking at some old pictures today, it dawned on me just how much she's grown in just the last few years. I'm so very proud of her and she's growing into a beautiful young woman. But, again.. it's bittersweet because I know that "tomorrow" she'll be announcing that she's off to get hitched as well.

She and her closest friend are really turning in to beautiful young women and very capable young horsewomen. When they don't need us anymore what ever will I do with myself?????

I guess I'll wait for grandbabies to watch grow too.

In the meantime..... we will ride.

Herd Acclimation and Dynamics - Fun!

Oh yeah, Oh yeah... I am THE KING!

Hello? Who are you???


Oh yeah? C'mon Big Boy... LET'S DANCE!

I think I'll just stand over here.... by this tree. Yes, this is a very nice tree and I think I'll just stay RIGHT here!




Hey! Who's that grumpy old guy?



Listen here, boy... if you're smart, you'll stay RIGHT where you are.



Not a problem, sir Mr. Spike. I kinda like it waaaaaaay over here behind this feeder. It's a very nice feeder (munch munch).



Boys.. (sigh).... will you pleeeeease pet me now?



All this drama. I could really use a drink right about now.

C'mon Rojo! He's no fun, DANCE WITH ME!

Goat-Tying and Roping Girlies

Lancaster County is awesome that they offer clinics such as this. We didn't take one of our own horses, but there were some available for the girls to work on trotting dismounts for goat-tying. I would really like a more intermediate clinic for girls like Heather and Vanessa to attend, but this was FABULOUS for those just learning the tricks.

Jayda was travelling back from her great-grandfather's 95th b-day so she couldn't go, but Makena went with us! Last night Vanessa showed her the method of tying with the goat string. She picked it up in about two minutes. Last night they were practicing on their own feet, and today it was with an actual goat, but the goat Kena had was a dream. They used him just for the little girls because, although not a fainting goat.. he was a lazy goat and liked to just lay down for them lmao. Makena did a really good job today.

Ness and Heather were hitting their bales and dummyheads pretty consistently. One of the instructors (cute early 20s boy who sends them into blushes) spent time with them just on fine-tuning their throws. Jana's daughter, Ashley, had me laughing. She was sure trying hard, but she had a new and stiff rope that was difficult for her to coil. I didn't realize that was the lesson they were working on and I walked over and coiled her rope for her lmao! oops! So after I realized that, then I just tried to be helpful by making suggestions to her. She is so dang cute and she was so funny to watch and listen to. I have no idea why I didn't get pictures of Jana's other daughter, Allison. Allison is one who is so entertaining in what comes out of her face that I think I was just intent on listening to her while my camera sat idle in my hand.

I got a real cute picture of Heather today. She looks so grown up and pretty in cowgirl style. It's not easy to get pictures like that of her because once she knows you're taking a shot.. she'll make a doofy face. I really love this picture of her. Oh...! lol Last night when we were teaching Makena the tie we told her to throw her hands up as soon as she was done. We said "Show us your SUPER STAR!" and we'd all laugh as she would toss her hands in the air. In one shot I had my camera still in one spot and she jumped up when she was done. I hollared SUPERSTAR! and she started to lift her arms. Justy (one of the instructors and a very well-known barrel racer in these parts) was laughing (she kicks Buck's and my butts by seconds when we attempt to run with her). It was really cool.

Shelbert (aka Shelby) who is one of our junior 4-H leaders rode along. She is certainly one very entertaining teen girl. And she is also one girl who I wouldn't hesitate to say "Go pick the horse you want to ride" because I know that girl can ride ANYTHING! She went along and she rode Heather's Cherokee today. She gave Heather some pointers on how to hold her hands softly with slight cues to get him to side-pass for her. Heather listened, and boom... off Cherokee goes sidepassing. That was a really good feeling today too.

It's days like today when it doesn't matter if my own legs are on either side of a horse. The girls I adore were out there learning and having fun. It was great.

My Gawky Pre-Teens

Nice day. Pulled Wink out mostly because he was so annoyingly attentive and he slipped his head into the halter. I wanted to bring him outside the pen just to hang out with the peeps. Ness led him around a few obstacles in the yard. They went around the "still-not-finished" hitching post... wandered around the well-head past my concrete drunken-man who appears to be flipping people off (but really it's just his jug and cigar). They went across hoses and extension cords, and between vehicles.

Then Ness tossed the lead over his neck, tied it on, and asked for a leg up. Ummmm ok! She got on the off-side... stepped on my hand and got poop on it... and they puttered around the yard a bit with just halter and lead. They did that a couple times and then he decided to toss her a buck. She got through the first one as I shouted for her to just slide off. She got halfway through the 2nd buck as she was sliding off and landed on her feet. He stopped and stood. I walked over... saw he was settled just fine, and told her to get back on. She lifted her leg for me and I hefted her back on. He didn't try bucking again. I walked with them as we went the full way around the house and he was fine.

I took a few pictures. He is totally downhill because they ... well they were downhill. So here I got two tall lanky pre-teens working together lol.... but they did a really nice job.

I grabbed a bag of cotton-balls that were sitting there from some doctoring of warts (gross)... and started to wave them in front of him. He didn't care, but he was holding his breath. My arm about fell off before he FINALLY took a step toward me. He didn't sigh... but he came forward so I stopped and praised him. Then I got the lick and chew. Good boy.

He's going to be sweet.

At one point Ness said "He doesn't move very well off my legs"... but apparently he did because she got him to move quite fast at one point lol.... I told her really does move off your legs and to feel how sensitive he is at this stage. That's a lot easier than having to use a spur or to wear your leg out pounding a dead-side. Light legs, baby... light legs.

He'll get there. And then! he fell asleep while she was sitting on him. Good boy.