Have you ever seen a zorse???

While visiting my cousin over near the Missouri state line, I snapped a picture of her zorse. She is about the size of a shetland pony and reportedly quite mean. I'm planning a trip up there to ride soon so I'll scout out the 120 acres only 1 hour and 15 minutes from here and let you all know if a larger trail ride is planned.
Gone ridin! ( who am I kidding, it's 39 degrees outside... but if it gets warmer this week you can bet I'll be riding!)
Marsha

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope everyone is stuffed.

Brandied Cranberries - Happy Thanksgiving

I got this recipe from my friend Lisa in Houston last week and just made them this morning. Yummy!

2-12 oz packages fresh/washed cranberries

2 C sugar (a bit more if you want it sweeter)

1/4 to ½ C Brandy

Place berries in a single layer on a slightly greased 15x10x1 jelly roll pan

Pour sugar over berries and cover tightly with foil

Bake at 350 for 1 hour

Spoon berries into a large serving bowl and gently stir in brandy

Cool. Serve chilled or at room temp

It is also great as an appetizer pour over cream cheese with crackers.

Pampered YaYa's

Seven YaYa sisters - rode on a Sunday afternoon;

Paula rode along on a sorrel horse named Moon.
Marsha and Pico, Cathy and Splash...
Christiana and Ardie, Sherry and Jazz....
Nancy and Wisdom, Rita and Reese...
Rode into the sunset - into the breeze.

Over the culvert and up through the pasture.
The group road through the woods and splashed through the water.

Then to the back-40 down 'College' they rode.
And visited lambs wearing white winter robes.

Then finished the day with their friends, food and wine -
All back to their homes having had a great time.

PS - Thanks Rita for hosting us all and Arica for pampering us with great pasta. mmmmm.

One Week After the BIG Show

Well, the Schooling show championships are past, but, with great pictures on Jeanie's website, we can relive the glory and the frozen fingers and toes ( http://www.onetulsa.ifp3.com/ ). My T4 had some rough spots near the start with some resistance to C. During our warm-up, while Pico was sniffing fake flowers at C, someone on the judges stand dropped a clipboard with papers making a flapping racket. Pico spooked of course and then we started our test. So.... good scores thru X and the one-loop trot serpentine and then. "not thru corner" at H and "not on track" after C.... he was trying to spook along the end and our 'discussions' looked disorganized as well as being off-track. Even so, our score for the test was 62.4 for a 3rd of 4 entries. Elizabeth had a lovely ride for her T4 and then Pico and I went in for the last test of the day. Both Patty/Dante and Nicole/Elvis stayed in the arena area so that Pico would stay calm - a really big help. Our F4 was a 60.0% and I was very happy with the Pico boy. No 8's in this test but 6 7's including the first halt at X, 2nd 10m circle, the walk and walk transitions, the first canter serpentine and the second extended canter (after a 5 for the first lengthen canter). Best of all, he showed some stretch at the walk and in the chewy circle thanks to Elizabeth's recent work on stretch.

So, today I picked up Pico from Beth's and took the boy to a lesson with Patty. Kathy was in Utah, Marsha near MO, Sherry on a Hunter Pace and Carol not feeling well so it was just me and Pico for the party lesson. We worked on simple canter changes and canter serpentines and then shoulder in along the long sides. Then, shoulder in along the short side, through the corner and then straightening across the diagonal (so far so good) then collecting before the rail and attempting to leg yield along the rail keeping the diagonal angle. Additional work needed for that last part, but we got it once so eventually, we can get it - someday. Over all, a great lesson and Pico was a really good boy. Tomorrow, to Rita's and Marsha will give Pico a try.

Then, after lunch at Simple Simon's Ivy and Alaina had a lesson, Alaina's first on Sunny. The girls made some progress with their mounts and will start coming every Sat. possible to get some regular lessons.

One more try for the picture!

A wonderful day for a ride at Mohawk!

It was good to see everyone who made it to Mohawk today. What an awesome day for a ride. There were seven of us that made it, including Christiana, Rita, Anita, Paula, Leila, Marion and myself. Lil was her usual self at Mohawk. She didn't care for the water crossings but she was obedient. About half way through the two hour ride she thought we should turn back and go to the trailer... :) but once again she was obedient. Rita rode Winstan, Leila was riding Reeses, Marion rode Comet, Christiana rode Ardie, and Paula and Anita rode a couple of Paula's horses. Sorry their names escape me right now but they were very awesome guys on the trail.
If it works I'm including a picture. Hope the rest of the week goes by fast so we can all hit the trail again as soon as possible.
Happy trails!
Marsha

The Dilutes

Kale was home for a really short visit this weekend and he made it to the Dressage Schooling Show Championships yesterday afternoon in time to see my second ride. Then he watched football with Steve last night and this afternoon he rode Sister while Alaina rode Sunny and I rode Splash before he headed back to Stillwater. You know Sunny is a palomino (single dilute of a sorrel/chestnut) and Sister a perleno (double dilute of a bay). I thought they looked good together in the winter grass on this lovely Sunday afternoon. Sister did pretty well at the walk/trot and on the trail.... But, cantering was not. Lots of kick-outs, crow-hops and other expressions of filly irritation. It was a fun ride anyway. Since I was riding the range at the Wild Orban Ranch, I missed the YaYa ride at Rita's but managed to sneak in a little social/snacking time with the gang for an hour or so... YaYa!

Schooling Show Championships EVE!

Marsha and Miss. Tender Lil – Lilly

Paula and Ferguson – Fergie

Denise and Jurgen fan Bluffview – Jurgen

Elizabeth and Pico

Patty and Dante

Cathy and Pico

We are all showing at the schooling show championships tomorrow. A whole day of fun with our horsey friends. Yippeee. Good luck everyone. YaYa!

Nov 1 Group Lesson

November 1st started off with a very foggy morning. It totally changed the view to the south of Patty's arena. For me, it proved to be a disappointing morning with Shiloh being off when I lounged him. On a positive note, it's only a stone bruise. On a negative note, it put paid to my getting to ride. Got a few pictures of the other riders since I was grounded. Photos can be seen at the following link.

http://appy2.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=20081101_group_lesson

October 25 Show Photos Posted

I finally got the photos from the October 25 schooling show posted. I didn't get any photos while I was riding Shiloh and just being an exhibitor. Paul did get some of the costume class for us and some of me and Shiloh for me. Once my last class was done, out came the camera. I got some photos that I really liked. Can't wait to see the photos from the camera club that was there shooting. I'm sure those will be great. The following link should take you directly to the October 25 show photos.

http://appy2.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=october_25,_2008_schooling_show

Teeth Floating and the Old Grey Mare

Why is the process of grinding hooks off teeth and grinding high spots off the horses bite called 'Floating?' If anyone knows, fill me in.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, Diez quit eating her daily ration. She is an easy keeper but not eating her food is NOT like her. Because I knew she was overdue for tooth care, I hoped that floating would bring back her appetite. Since she is 27-years old, I worried that something else could be amiss. I had a ridiculous work schedule with no room for vet appointments during office hours. So, I called Mika Ford who has a small animal clinic in BA but I had heard has a passion for horse dental care. Mika agreed to let me bring Diez to his place north of Collinsville last Tuesday night. He has mobil stocks and a driveway to work in as well as a headlamp attached to his forhead. I brought TC as well because I thought he could use a float too. Mika was wonderful! After Diez was sedated, he showed me some ulcers on the inside of her checks, described the condition of her teeth and explained what he would do. Then, he floated, telling me all the while what he was doing and why. Very educational. Then, the same drill with TC. Although not rainy, it was blustery and Mika took his time and did a great job. Then, the acid test. Would Diez eat again or was there a bigger problem. I am happy to say that Diez started eating immediately and has regained her normal appetite. So, if your horse needs tooth care, Mika is Great!

www.indianspringsanimal.com
918-455-4144
405-612-7223

4 Days in a Row

Splash says he is really tired after working 4 days in a row. Thursday night - Ride Night and 4 little girls took turns riding him; Friday afternoon and Ivy took a ride; Sat. and I rode Splash in the lesson at Patty's; and Sun. Ivy rode again. Splash says "enough already!"
Really, Splash is slowly (very slowly) making progress. He also was worked at Patty's Monday night while Ivy and Alaina had a lesson. His steering is much improved and I think I will ride him next year for ODS schooling shows.

The lesson yesterday was shorter than normal because Marsha and I worked so hard as did our mounts. After warm up for horses and People, Marsha and I worked on a large circle together spiraling in and out trying to stay on opposite sides of the circle. Not as easy as it sounds. Splash moves off my leg fairly well, but slows to slug-speed whenever he can and a circle gives him his big chance to fizzle all energy. After the circles, we tried for extension along the long side and collection along the short. Although not really extended, Splash did give me some lovely trot work and was more consistant than he has been. We are getting more moments with give to the bit but still need a bit more work there - haha. Then, canter work which went without a buck and only a couple of dropped gaits. After that, we both got tired and the impulsion left the building with Elvis.

Today, Mallory and Roxanne come over with Raffles and Trouper. My arena is a little small for 5 riders working at once, so we took turns cantering. Mallory and Raffles looked lovely together and all 3 junior riders were looking good too. Ivy worked Splash and Alaina rode Diez in Jaime's old saddle (so her feet don't fit the stirrups yet). I worked Sunny and all I can say is Yikkes - rough canter especially since Sunny would like to express himself with bucks or crowhops at the canter. But he settled down and we ended with a very nice trail ride around the Wild Orban Ranch. The day was beautiful - cool but no wind. I would like to order up weekend days just like this one until spring springs. YaYa for now. c

Fall Colors

I took off a little early today so that I could get home before dark and work Sister in the round pen. The girls 'helped' from the sidelines trying to distract Sister from her work. Considering her long break since real work, I was happy with the round pen work. After we were finished with a brief session of lounging with reins tied to the stirrups, each girl sat in the saddle while I lead them around the pen twice. Then we stopped so we could end on several good notes. I don't know when I will have the courage to get on myself. Elizabeth worked with her some last summer... but....

Anyway, when we had let Sister graze a little, the girls wanted to ride Sunny and Splash. We took Splash to ride night this week and several girls rode him - Zoe, Ivy, Lara and Abby. All did very well with direction and walk/trot. All even managed to canter both ways briefly. Splash got a workout and the kids enjoyed him. So, i was hopeful when Ivy mounted this afternoon. Alaina and Sunny had some good work - particularly with jog work. They will be quite a pair someday. Ivy and Splash did well too. Ivy took Splash over cavaletti and a v. small x-bar at the trot and had very short canters both directions. I guess we will have to get them to a lesson or two very soon. Then, we ended with a little trail ride in the evening light. Lovely.

Book Tag - Borrowed from Nuzzling Muzzels

*Here are the rules:
1) Grab the nearest book.
2) Open the book to page 56.
3) Find the fifth sentence.
4) Post the text of the next two to five sentences.
5) Don't dig for your favorite book, the cool book or the intellectual one --
pick the closest.
6) Comment with your book info. and
7) Optional Tag five more none yaya people to do the same.

So, by virtue of my blogsend feature (emails to YaYa's when I post) I have sent this to more than 5 people.

Here is my Tag Results - kind of in line with my Galloping Gourmet persona:

OK, Steve made Pancakes from scratch this morning (we are out of bisquick) and left the Betty Crocker's Cookbook (1979 Edition) by my computer. Soooo, Page 56 has Curried Bratwurst at the top/left. 5th 'sentence' is: Place each bratwurst on 1 slice bread. spoon about 2 Tablespoons sauce onto each bratwurst..... (Sauce is: 3/4 c catsup, 1 T Worcestershire sauce, 1 1/4 t curry powder, 3/4 t paprika). Sounds yummy and supposed to be "hearty and homestyle with chilled Potato Salad or (yuck!) Hot Fried Hominy.... Very Interesting and fun game... c

Shiloh at Show

Shiloh had a great start going as a four-year old, and then came an injury. It's taken quite a while to recover from the physical and emotional aspects of that. He was convinced it would hurt!

We were ready to go this year. First he banged a back leg and added a puncture wound to the mix a month later. Our plans to make most of the schooling shows this year were out the window as we went back into recovery and rehab mode. On October 25, we made our first show of the season! My guy did really well, even in the costume class. It occurred to me after the fact that I might not ought to have done that with a relatively green horse [grin]. We did an Intro class. He was cooperative, forward and listening to my seat. I couldn't have asked for a better day or a better horse!

Costume Class Montage

The day dawned bright and beautiful. Combine that with time with your horse and horsey friends and you have a nearly perfect day.

The costume class had many great entries; I've included a montage of shots of these. I think everyone is in this group except the chef. Cathy posted a shot of her and Splash in costume earlier.

Splash of Fall

We have had a fun weekend with beautiful weather. Trick or treating on a warm October evening. The girls and their cousins went house to house in a nearby subdivision and made a haul of candy - I went along dressed in my chef outfit without the horse but with a mouse in my necktie. Sunday we had company from far away - David and Jetta stopped by with Jan this afternoon and Steve smoked some ribs... yummmy.
We had an early lesson on Sat. with Splash, Krystal and Breezy, and Kathy and Caspar. Carol was gracious enough to let us crash her lesson but Shiloh was off on his front right. Hopefully, he will be on the mend and Carol back in the saddle soon.
Splash was sluggish during the lesson and Patty used the lunge whip to help his impulsion so that I could work on getting some give to the bit. He is so difficult to move-out and it is hard to make progress. He is getting a little better with taking direction but still dips his head to the inside to avoid the bit. I love him on the ground but he is very hard to ride. He sure is pretty though....
I am about to commit to riding Pico in the Schooling Show Championships. He is camping at Elizabeth Eaton's pasture and she is planning to ride him at the SSCs also. I am a little worried about the big indoor arena but it might be fun.
So, yaya for now....