Having a bad day?

I seem to be living in the Twilight Zone" today. Actually these past few weeks have been pretty interesting. I've met new friends, played with a two year old, and somehow committed myself to run yet another half marathon. The only thing that I didn't get to do was hang out with my horses. Given the challenging times that I seem to be having of late, I think I would prefer to bond with my horses and dogs rather than engaging the human race. Sometimes I don't get people.

To make matters even more challenging, my 16 year old dog (who I have had since he was 4 weeks old) needs to go to a more peaceful place. The last couple of years have been a great challenge for him. He can no longer gracefully walk up and down stairs and he is having "accidents" on a regular basis (2 or 3 times a day). On occasion, he has had "accidents" while he is asleep.

I love him with all my heart. Up until this point in my life, this is the hardest decision that I have had to make. It is a heart-wrenching decision and it is a decision that pains me to no end; however, I cannot be selfish. I am sure he will make many friends in doggie heaven.




Until we meet again.....play safe with your new friends. I love you Mookie!

I love my little guy!

Ok so I don't have kids...whatelse do you want me to go ga-ga over?

Darn Cold Out There....at least in the country it is.

Looking out my window I see a beautiful day however being outdoors on a day like today is somewhat refreshing. I suppose I will have to pull out my winter "barn-horse " clothes and acknowledged to the fact that winter is fast approaching. This means that I will only have a month or so of riding. I am not one for winters. I sometimes wonder why I live here however given the recent events in the News lately, I should not complain. If weather is all that I have to complain about then life is pretty darn good.

I am not one to tack up my horse on a windy winter day and go for a ride. I don't call that fun. Especially if the footing is hard and icy. Those that do are not die-hard horse lovers, they are just plain crazy or have falling one too many times on their head!

Not to mention when you have a barn full of horses, you have to go out in -20 degree weather to feed them, put their blankets on, walk them across the field to the pasture, put out the hay (which BTW blows away in about 5 minutes), then fill their water buckets, and then head back to the barn so you can spend the next hour or so freezing your hands off while you muck out the barn. Have you ever tried to push a wheel barrel across the field when the snow is 10 inch deep? If you haven't then I suggest that you continue to board your horse somewhere off your property. Having your own horse on your property is lovely in the summer however our harsh winter can physically exhaust the best of us.

Speaking of physical exhaustion, I suppose now that winter is on its way, I will have to turn my focus once again to training (indoors on my treadmill!) for yet another half marathon (21.1 KM) in the Spring. Don't be sad, I will still have some exciting horse stories for all of you over the winter. I am sure there will be the odd horse that will take down the hot-wire, or destroy a fence or two or maybe ever decide to wander off the property looking for greener pastures. Although given that Peyton is no longer at our barn and Cody went to Boot Camp and now has manners, I am sure Sophie will keep us on our toes this winter.

Remind me to never quit my day job (unless I win the lottery). At times I prefer the mental challenges that work brings compare to the physical demands of cleaning a barn in -20 degree weather. Gee which one would you pick?

Something to ponder - Horse hair dangerous to females

Horse Hair Dangerous to Females

In a press release today, the National Institute of Health has announced the discovery of a potentially dangerous substance in the hair of horses. This substance, called "amo-bacter equuii" has been linked with the following symptoms in female humans:
*reluctance to cook
*reluctance to perform housework
*reluctance to wear anything but boots
*reluctance to work except in support of a horse
*physical craving for contact with horses (may be an addiction)

Beware! If you come in contact with a female human affected by this substance be prepared to talk about horses for hours on end.
This is a public service announcement ... Surgeon General's Warning: Horses are expensive, addictive, and may impair the ability to use common sense.

Who am I really?

Last week not one, not two but three different people, one a stranger no less, at three different times told me that I was not an introvert. For 15 or more years I have been under the impression that I was. They all told me that I was not an intorvert but rather a person that is more or less mysterious and doesn't divulge alot of informaiton about my life. Mysterious!!! Got to love it!

So to those people that think I am not an intorvert but some what "mysterious", here is a little bit of me that I am willing to share!





This is a picture of the tattoo that I have on my lower back. It was designed by my good friend, Pete, as he knew that my passion for horses goes skin keep!

Stan the Man!

Here is a photo of Stan, Abby's offspring. Yes, this is the one that she beat up so badly as a baby that he had to be pulled away from her. I guess she didn't like Stan because she thought he looked a little different than the rest. Abby is a dark bay (dark brown/black) Thoroughbred and Stan is a brown and white Paint horse.

As you can see Stan has a loving owner who has nurtured him well. He is all grown up now! Good luck to horse and rider at the show this weekend at Dewmont!

Home Safe and Sound

Although it has been raining like "cats and dogs" all day, inside I have been radiating sunshine. Cody's days at boot camp are finally over. It is so nice to look out my window and see the little guy grazing like there is no tomorrow. It is interesting given that he has only been home for a few hours, I am noticing many changes in him already. For one, he looks like a hot-rod so he must be going through another growth spurt. Secondly, he really doesn't care that his buddy Andi is in the same pasture with him and thirdly, he seems all grown up! He seems much more mature. He is like a child to me. I helped his mom through eleven months of carrying him, I saw him being born and was witness to his Doric first two years. And now, to top it all off, I am able to ride him. It is quite amazing to say the least. Words cannot express the love I feel for this horse. He is all that I hoped and some!

I have to thank Bridewood Farms, especially Jenn, for her "tough love" and consistency with him. I have seen my share of trainers and coaches in the last ten years but never have I seen someone with so much passion and understanding. Not to mention her parents, Kathy and Alex, who run the stable and the rest of the business. It didn't matter what time of day you showed up, they always seemed to have the time and the ear to give to you. Perhaps it is because when it is all said and done in some small way we pay, in essence, a tenth of one of the many expenses they incur running a facility that big....but it was all worth it. To met a family with compassion and an open heart is rare in the world in which we live.