Thursday, December 31, 2009

New Year's Eve Blue Moon

Thanks to my sweet YaYa Sisters who sent me these lovely flowers to help me recover from surgery this week. You all must know I am partial to purple. I look forward to many rides in 2010 and beyond. Love you guys. xxxooo c





PS - Got a shot of the Blue Moon as it came up tonight - this New Year's Eve 2009.

Friday, December 25, 2009

White Christmas Continued

I have the warm riding boots but it's still too cold to ride. So, I wandered around outside and took a few pictures. I had plotted to have the annual New Year's ride on the Sunday before New Year's but the snow has grounded my horse trailer and the roads are still to iffy to risk a drive anywhere - never mind with a trailer.
The Blizzard of aught nine kept equines in the barn for more than 36 hours. When they got a chance to get out, they seemed to enjoy the white stuff so long as they got back in the barn by sundown. Jet turns out to be a snow dog - but the chickens.... PS - Sister is on sabbatical (vacation from the vacation she has enjoyed the last couple of years) in Stillwater with Krystal.

Christmas is here


To all my yaya sisters.
Happy Trails and Merry Christmas!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Warm Riding Boots

Finally! Back in the Saddle this weekend. Splash and I picked up Sherry and Joker and headed to Inola for the party lesson on Sat. morning. It was 35 degrees when we left the house. I was wearing my fabulous Ariat Winter Riding Boots (my best present from Steve last Xmas), polar fleece pants, ear warmer band, and winter riding gloves. Nice and toasty.

So warm that I had to trade my gloves with Patty to avoid overheating. And that was just while we were warming up. We started off with some basic trot work and Splash was offended at the very thought of actual work. I was wearing SPURS because I anticipated this sort of attitude. Call wasn't thrilled with the end of her 2 month vacation either even if she wasn't the cause of Kathy's broken leg - but she adjusted her attitude on the lounge line. Lakota was a good boy, just a bit stiff. Joker was just a good boy.

After warm up, we worked on flex right/left and shoulder fore at the walk; after several Turns On the Forehand (both ways) and a couple of "one-step into TOF" and some work at haunches in - we struggled with attempts at half-pass. Splash did a decent job at all these exercises if you don't count the ususal problem of NO FORWARD. He even managed a couple of sluggish half-pass steps to the right but needed Patty along side with a whip to get any half-pass left. We ended the lesson with canter work and Splash took both leads correctly and, although he tried, no break of gait through canter circles and canter along the rail. A good note to end a lesson on.

Sunday turned out SUNNY! Sherry brought Westin over and the kids played on the ponies in the sunshine and it was almost to warm for jackets. After a bit of riding, the kids climbed in the hay, chased chickens, played with the dog, hit golf balls, and played a little base ball.
Plus! I have a new grand Nephew named Ethan Joseph Samulski born December 19, 2009 7:37am, 7lbs 15oz 20.5" - woo hoo!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Birthdays first - then Christmas

My little brother turned 40 this year. A scary thought since he is my baby brother. My sister Trisha spent weeks (really, months) sorting through and scanning my mother's slides, so I went searching for some pictures of Jason.

Jason looked so cute riding Chocolate with me, but he turned to the dark side, and now is Mopar obsessed.

Chocolate was my dream pony. A beautiful bayhorse - I believed the most beautiful horse in south FLA. We rode in a rural pasture (west of Miami along the Tamiami Trail) complete with black FLA mud-holes and FLA-Holly hammocks. http://sofia.usgs.gov/virtual_tour/enp/index.htmlenp/index.html

Knowing a little more about horses now, we were really lucky that Chocolate was a safe-enough horse. My grandfather bought him at an auction of horses confiscated from abusers for $50. My Dad bought a $75 (new) saddle and the horse lived out on property owned by my grandfather. Chololate was for all the grandkids to use, but he was MY horse since I was the oldest and really the only equine obsessed of the batch - Trisha wasn't interested in horses even then, Lil was to young to give me much competition in the horse crazed department, and my 3 cousins were boating boys.
After I went off to Furman, Lil took over and then took Chocolate to Texas when she went to Trinity for college where she rode him into his old age. And I moved to OK and eventually accumulated a small horse herd - no Bayhorse included.

And about those birthdays - Jason's was on the 8th and the girls will turn 11 on Dec. 17. So, today we will go to the movies for a girly birthday party (the Princess and the Frog) and then we can start to think about Christmas.

After that... perhaps a trail ride before the new year - although I am planning on a Party Lesson at Patty's next weekend. Splash is reveling in his early Xmas present - no riding this week because the 4-H Horse club had their banquet on Saturday including Pot Luck and the famous wooden nickle auction. Both girls won belt buckles for placing reserve in one or more classes in the 4-H show series.
And it's been VERY COLD. I will wear my winter riding boots next week. But we did get to do some horsey stuff - the GCC/ODS club had the annual Xmas Party/Dirty Santa/Awards banquet on Friday night. Splash and I did well in Intro Level but we still need PLENTY of work in Training Level - And I am vintage. Alaina didn't qualify because Diez foundered mid-year but Ivy was Champion Jr. Training Level 14 and Under with Pico. YAYA.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Julie's Poem on a Cold and Blustery Winter Day


On Comet,
On Jeurgen,
On Winston,

On Wiz,

Off to Rita's trail rides with the Ya-Ya's that is,
The laughter it floats through the cool Fall air,
As they once again ride to lose the day's care,
Over hills, through creeks, and around trees they weave,
A trail untraveled they never do leave,
After unsaddling they gather together,
To pause and refresh, and enjoy the weather,
They talk of the ride, of old friends and new,
'Til daylight is gone and the stars peek through,
Good nights and drive safes are heard as they part,
Each Ya-ya will treasure the moments in her heart.


Good poem Julie - untill we ride again it reminds us of fun times.


Sunday, December 6, 2009

Winter Blast and YaYa Dirty Santa

After some lovely indian summer weather - winter came in this week. Thursday evening, YaYa Sista's gathered at Sherry B's for the annual dirty Santa gift exchange, pot luck and wine tasting. Food fit for a king, lots of laughter, and very fun dirty santa stealing. Two dirty Santa's made their "presents" known to unsuspecting gift selectors. Very fun evening.




Friday night, the girls and I joined 4-H kids to decorate the float for the Christmas Parade and froze our feet off. Sat. morning we met the 4-H group at the Jim Carey Christmas Carol movie and then finished work on the float and paraded down mainstreet in Claremore. Hand warmers are a wonderful thing.

The good news is that my fab Ariat winter riding boots do keep feet warm (I wore them to the parade). The bad news is that I didn't get a chance to ride in them. Splash is ok with this but Next Week - I will wear them in the Sat. Party Lesson. The holiday frenzy has started.


Plan for a Yaya ride between Xmas and New Years on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Thanksgiving

I am thankful for all my family, friends, and horses...
We all got stuffed in Nowata at the annual Orban Thanksgiving Feast. Kale was home just long enough to go to Nowata since he was working Wed. and Friday - but it was great to see him. The weather was fine and we had loads of fun gabbing and watching the cousins play. After eating all the turkey and pot luck, Stephanie and I had our annual after-turkey walk to Gaylor with a stop for a quick visit to Jan and company. Stephanie and I plotted a ride on Friday...
So, Steff and I took Sunny and Splash to Claremore Lake and ran into Deb C on Truely - we had a lovely ride and checked out the powerline easement (some trail clearing needed), wandered along the shoreline, and let the horses have a bit of trail salad along the way.
Sherry B and Joker joined me for the trip to Inola on Sat. for the party lesson. Shirley was working Mystic and I used some spurs with Splash. Joker was really good but sure has grown since Sherry got him. Mystic gave Shirley some lovely trot work and Patty says they are ready for canter. We practiced lateral work including leg yeilds from quarterline and some shoulder-in. Splash is moving away from my leg with more impulsion than his foward! Again, Splash and I worked on maintaining the canter and although we dropped gait once to the right, all our leads were correct - yippee.
Graham's was closed and Patty was not able to lunch because of a baby shower for Rhonda (Rhonda and Eric are expecting a boy in Dec). So we met Marsha in Claremore at Ron's and feasted on SPANISH FRIES... mmmmm
The big news is that our YaYa Dirty Santa Xmas party is this week at Sherry's. So, the holiday eating season has started and we will fight over those dirty santa gifts. FUN!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Leg Yield as Resistance

The YaYa's sent a team to the annual fall hunter pace held at Flint Creek over toward Arkansas. Rita, Sherry, and Christiana took Reese, Jazz and Ardie (a walker equivalent at the pace but a dressage standout for GCC/ODS) and had a great time. Maybe next year I should gather a group of VERY SLOW quarter horse types and try for the worlds longest hunter pace pace (5 hours?). But, since I was worried about being left in the dust by those WILD WALKER WOMEN AND CHRISTIANA, I went to Patty's for the Sat. Party Lesson.

Cindy, Donna, Marsha and I worked our horses before heading to Graham's for lunch. Cindy is in Tulsa for most of the week and she needed some equine therapy. I took Sunny for Donna, Pico for Cindy, and Splash for me. Pico and Sunny really benefited from adult riders; Sunny especially has developed some pesky habits being riden by a 10-year old for the last year or 2.
So, we warmed up with leg stretches, arm circles, and heel extensions and then moved into trot work. I was using the GNS because I was feeling weak after a week of work in KS. We worked on leg yields from quarter line and Splash was pretty good to begin with going to the right. Then, we changed directions and Splash would fall fast to the rail. Patty had me leg yield in stair steps to control the headlong dive to the rail. Splash decided to RESIST. After leg yielding 2 or 3 steps I took left leg off and tried to drive him into my hands to straighten out. The RAT continued to leg yield all the way to the rail. Its always something. Last week we dropped gait several times during canter, so this week we worked to maintain impulsion - No canter circles for us. I worked on using seat/leg and tried to steady my upper body. We made some progress. Marsha and Lil used canter circles to slow the canter and gain some balance. Lil looked great in the lesson.

It was wonderful to have Cindy back on a horse and Pico was a semi-good boy and she was able to have a little of his lovely canter. Donna was in a western saddle on the Sunny-boy but I think next time will put some English on.


In other horsey news..... October was way muddy and Pico has developed some serious rain rot on his lower legs and stifle area. TC has some small areas on his rump and even Splash as a spot or two. So, I got out the vinegar and iodine and treated where needed. The Wild O Ranch is still to muddy from last weeks rain for riding in the arena - so we didn't have riding distractions from the grooming projects. X fingers for a mild winter and more yaya trail rides in the next few weeks.

Disclaimer: There is WINE in those water bottles.....

Sunday, November 15, 2009

The Party (lovely weather) is over....

Rain all day today and I almost forgot that I got to ride both Friday and Sat. But I did get to ride two days in a row which is a good thing since I will be headed to Kansas for the week on Tuesday.
Friday was sunny and WINDY but great riding in Rita's woods with my YaYa Sista's. We gathered around 10 am and warmed up together before we headed out back for some wooded trails with water crossings. Donna join in and rode Sunny and our group included Julie, Sherry, Nancy, Christiana, Rita, Richal, Paula and Paula's Sister Terry. The Walker Pack and the Big Boys set a brisk pace and the Quarter Horse/Appy Gang brought up the rear. Sunny, Holly, and Splash competed for last place and we let Holly have that honor most of the time. All the horses were mostly good and we had a bit of excitement when a deer tried to scare poor Sunny to death by waiting until Sunny was on top of her before she jumped up and raced away. Sunny managed a 180 in the blink of an eye only to find Splash in his face and no place to run. The whole herd was excited to get back to the trailers and eat a little hay while the riders went to El Azteca for a yummy lunch.
Saturday was warmer with hardly any wind until the front came through mid-afternoon. The girls and I had a lesson together and the horses all worked up good sweats (I was sweating too since Splash was pretty sluggish). Ivy complained about being tired - turns out that she was coming down with a cold. We worked leg yields down centerline weaving in and out of cones and Splash did a good job with that. Also did some shoulder-in along the long sides with a little success (Alaina and Sunny were the best at that). Canter work was very difficult for me since Splash dropped gait to the trot with the slightest provocation. Frustration tempered by the knowledge that as a Trail horse, Splash is pretty good.
Looks like we are done with lovely riding weather for a while but Cindy will be in town next weekend so we will party hardy in the Party Lesson on Sat.! YaYa!

Saturday, November 7, 2009

November but still Indian Summer

After all the rain of October, November has been beautiful so far. Monday morning when I was at work, the yayas had a lovely ride at Glenbrook.... So, after plotting most of the week, I took a day off and joined the Sista's at Rita's on Friday morning. Nine of us rode the trails in the woods and made multiple water crossings.


Splash was a good boy for the most part. During our arena warm up, Splash was taking in-correct leads into the canter; so we had to practice a bit more before we could hit the trails. We had a little trouble up the last slope which is very slippery with loose rocks. Splash tries to rush - charging up the hill. He has never liked that part of the trail and has fallen to his knees in the same place last year. But, we made it up and then back to the barn for a very successful and fun ride. Then, off to Chilli's for yummy lunch with the molten volcano chocolate thing for desert.


No party lesson on Sat. because Patty was demo rider for the 2nd annual Womans's expo in Guthrie. But not to worry! A riding plan was made and Sherry B, Nicole B, the girls and I had a lovely ride at Claremore Lake. Alaina took Diez out again for a walk only ride, Ivy rode Splash, I had Sunny, Sherry worked Joker for the first time in forever, and Nicole had her Elvis. We let several kids pat our mounts and Elvis, Sunny, and Joker even walked a few steps in the lake.

Sunday was dry but cloudy and windy. I worked on projects around the house and didn't get a chance to ride myself. Made a quick trip to Walmart and ran into Marsha and Melissa - sometimes you get lucky and get to see friends. I will plot all week and hope to manage a yaya ride next Friday!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Halloween Weekend Fun

Yaya sista's started the weekend early with a birthday dinner to celebrate the October Birthday Girls - Marsha, Sherry, and Kathy. Unfortunately, Kathy was working in Arkansas and missed our gathering at Olive Garden in Owasso Thursday evening. Tammy taught us the best verse of the Viking Birthday Song - "May the candles on your cake burn like cities in your wake," haha. The rest of the song isn't required to get the feeling.

Friday evening, the girls and I met Kathy B, Mallory S, and Roxanne B with her friend Mattie at the Arabian Show at Tulsa Expo. This show is several levels up from any horse show I have seen and we had good timing and got to watch finals for Open Country Pleasure and the Native Costume Class in the old Pavillion. Alaina was so impressed with the costumes and she kept saying that she was in HEAVEN. We even ran into Jean, Jessie, and Ruthie watching reining in the Mustang Arena. Kindred Spirits.

Sat. morning we rode in the party lesson at Patty's with Dennise S on Dee, and Tammi C on Murphy - the girls rode with us since Erica's birthday party was at 2:00pm. After Splash's good performance at the show last weekend, I was disapointed in our lesson work. We had some decent lateral movements but Splash seemed extra stiff bending to the right - he maintained lovely left bend when working left, but would slow to less than his normal slug spead when we worked right if there was any right bend at all. Also, our canter work to the right was very difficult to maintain. One step forward, 3 steps back in our training. The girls worked on canter departs and on staying on the rail through the corners.
After the lesson, I tried Murphy - he is very responsive to leg and seat cues and, after Splash, I had a little more power than I was after at both the trot and canter. He was very fun and we could imagine some nice dressage scores with those forward trot moves.

The girls dressed up in their costumes (sans horses) for a Halloween Party on Sat. evening and warmed up nicely for the Halloween Fun Show at Glenbrook hosted by Rita G at her beautiful spread in Claremore. The weather was perfect and the horses and costumes looked fantastic! We played games on and off horseback including: Bat Relay, Bat Dropping, Ride a Ghost, Boot Race, Pumpcan Race, Egg and Spoon Race and paraded all the costumes. Alaina was thrilled to bring Diez to the event dressed in her native costume in purple and turquoise - even though she was limited to walk/trot since Diez is recovering from founder earlier this year. Ivy the elf rode Pico the Christmas Reindeer (with Moose antlers). At times Pico looked a bit embarassed by his get-up.


YaYa Sister Tammy brought an Owl to add ambiance to the day - he was soooo cool. We finished the evening with a spooky Hay Ride and Wienie-Marshmallow Roast. Way fun.

PS - check out those Tats!

Monday, October 26, 2009

Rocking C / ODS-GCC Halloween Show Report















Rain again mid-week soaked the Wild Orban Arena before it dried out from the last rain. I shopped the Walmart in McPherson, KS for the halloween costume supplies and the girls and I worked dilegently to make dozens of tassels to decorate horse blankets, bridles, manes and tails. Meanwhile, the arena stayed WET!
Even so, Ruthie came out Friday evening and tried to work Pico between the mud puddles. No canter since it was pretty slippery but she still dominated as required. Sat. morning I took Splash to Patty's for the weekly lesson and we struggled with impulsion. We were preparing for the show with Roberta Clark as judge and Louise Waring as 2nd judge. And of course, mighty preparations for the costume class.




The predicted rain held off while we showed at the Rocking C on Sunday. Alaina and Sunny had good Intro A (57.0) and Intro B (59.5)tests. Alaina has been tentative with Sunny since he bucked her off at the summer Rocking C show. They had nice rides, if a little lacking in impulsion, but I think they will be prepared to canter come spring. Pico was a good boy for both Ivy and Ruthie although he thought 4 tests was 4 to many. Ruthie had nice rides and Ivy did a good job with consistancy and obedience but lacked impusion especially at the canter in T2 (60.714 from RC 62.857 from LW) and T4 (54.80).

Both girls needed the last show for year-end award qualification since both had to change horses mid-year.

Alaina started off the year with Diez who, even at the advanced equine age of 28, was still going strong and looked great. Then, the week before the show in July at the Rocking C, Diez got serious laminitis and foundered in all 4 hooves with 4 to 5 degrees of rotation in the front feet. So, Alaina had to ride Sunny in the summer show and he bucked her off before her fist test and she was so injured/scared that she couldn't ride either test. So, Lily Pond was her 1st show with her replacement mount where she recieved 2 scores from Louise Waring. With the cancellation of the Parie Lane show, she needed 2 judges at the Rocking C but with any judge except Louise W - since Louise was the 2nd judge, she is out of luck for year-end.

Ivy was a little luckier. She started the year with TC who is 23. After the first couple of shows, TC developed wheezing during canter work, so we decided Ivy would just show TC in Intro Walk/Trot for the rest of the year. Shannean decided to concentrate on Paige Marie rather than Pico, so Ivy planned to ride Pico in Training Level in the remaining shows. She got one TL score at the Rocking C summer show and then another at the Lily Pond show. At Lily Pond, TC had a breathing problem that resulted in the decision to retire him from the dressage show ring. That left Ivy with only Pico and Training Level possiblities. So, at the Rocking C Halloween show, she rode Pico in TL2 and Ts 4 using TL2 as the double judged test - squeeking by with just enough scores to qualify for year-end. And, since she was the only junior under 13 in TL - she won HighPoint and was thrilled.

Splash was fairly well behaved - although I resorted to a new set of very short/mild spurs so I wouldn't hurt him. We scored 69.0 in Intro B and 60.0 in TL 4. Fantastic! The best scores ever with the slugmaster. So, I can't complain since I placed first in intro - woo hoo....

About the costume class - it was impressive! As usual, the dressage riders and their mounts outdid themselves. Patty and Silka were "the Scream," Miranda and Cindy were big cats, we had Alice and a huge white rabbit, a hippy and her hippy horse, an indian pony and indian princess, Zoe and Jasmine were a gypsy on a gypsy vanner, Kathy and Call were M&Ms, Ivy and Pico were an elf on his reindeer and Alaina and Sunny were an Arabian Rider on an Arabian Horse (Sunny thinks the costume suited him and it is not a stretch) and, last but not least, Jessie, Andy, Denali and the wiener dog were Woody, Jessie, Andy and the wiener dog from Toy Story. Great costums and Jessie, Gypsy, Alice, and the Elf were declared the winners.

Ah, the excitement. The good news is that Diez seems to have recovered enough for light riding which makes Alaina very happy. And TC is looking great as the resident pasture pet. I think both will still be ridable for small children and we will limit TC's trips to minimize any breathing attacks.
With darkness falling earlier all the time, weekday yaya rides are over for the year. However, this week yayas will meet for dinner and celebrate the October birthdays (Sherry, Marsha, and in absentia, Kathy). YAYA

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Fall Colors at Morning Star Ranch


For a moment last friday evening there was sunshine at Morning Star Ranch. I just had to post this picture. Don't the trees look like they are on fire with fall colors???

Sunday, October 18, 2009

No Party Lesson

Even though the rain has finally stopped, we didn't get sunshine until Friday and it was a lovely day. The WOR arena was pretty muddy in several places but the girls and I rode a bit in the afternoon. Alaina rode Diez around bareback and Ivy wanted to work Splash so I rode Sunny in der German Neck Stretcher. It was fun to ride a horse who really does leg yeilds when asked and Sunny was so good that Alaina decided to ride him too. Ivy did a good job with Splash but it was to muddy everywhere to do any canter work - so we took a mini-trail ride around the front side of the property.

On Sat., Patty, Rita and Denise were all down in Guthrie for the recognized show so there was no party lesson in Inola. Ivy wanted to work Sister so we did a little round pen work and then some showmanship while Alaina rode Diez a little bareback. It was colder than Friday so we went inside for hot chololate. Then in the late afternoon, we got Splash, Sunny, and Pico out for a little work. Alaina rode Sunny in the American Neck Stretcher (i.e., a training fork) while I used the GNS on Splash. With mud still pretty deep in several places, Ivy worked on some canter departs while Alaina did some trail (gate and box) practice. I got a couple of very short canters out of Splash - all correct to the left and the 3rd and 4th correct to the right. Progress - sort of since a year ago there would have been NO canter in such tight quarters and 6 months ago, they would all have been on the wrong lead.

Sunday morning Ivy wanted to work Sister again so we did a little lounging in the round pen with saddle and bridle followed by more showmanship out in the arena. Alaina walked around on Diez and the neighbor horses supervised. Then Christina H and I went up to Foyil to test an appendix Qrt Horse as a possible mount for Christina at next years' schooling shows. Rocket's owner is in her second year at Arkansas and Rocket is not getting used - he has lots of experience - 4-H, pony club, jumping and dressage in his background. Christina walked and trotted him after Sara warmed him up with walk/trot/canter. He is a good mover, a people horse with a lovely, calm disposition. I hope the match works out because Christina could have lots of fun on a horse like him.

Then, back to the wild O ranch and the girls and I rode Sunny, Pico, and Splash in the arena. Still muddy in both ends, but slowly drying out. The horses were pretty good and the girls finished with a mini trailride in halters with Sunny and Splash. Pico showed great bravery passing the new graveyard the mysteriouly appeared. What a good boy. Just a warm up for the halloween events coming in the next couple of weeks. yaya!

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Mud-OUT

Well, another show was cancelled due to excessive rain. The Prairie Lane show scheduled for today was a no-go because the mud generated by last week's rain couldn't dry out in time. However, we still managed to do a bit of horsey stuff.

Kathy, Marsha, Shannean and I rode with Patty for the party lesson yesterday morning. The girls missed out on their lesson because we had to work the Cowboy Mounted Shooting at the Tulsa State Fair - arrival needed by 4:00pm. But I did manage lunch with the riding club at Graham's in Inola.

The lesson was a mix of good and not - that's what I get for saying Good and Splash in the same sentence last week. We started a bit stiff but it was a chilly morning. After warming up, Splash gave me some good trot work and fairly decent leg yields from quarter line and center line. Canter departs were decent as well but canters were difficult to keep when going from straightline to bend. The bad was our work on shoulder-in. We would try a small circle in the corner after going across the short end with the idea of keeping the bend into the straight away along the long side. But Splash would loose ALL of his forward movement in the circle and we would come to a real standstill instead of any shoulder in. Very frustrating. When we skipped the circle, we got a couple of slight shoulder in's - so quit while were were not behind. I think I strained several muscles in the attempts. So, more work needed.

Home to drop Splash and pickup the girls to go to the Cowboy Mounted Shooting (CMS). Fair traffic was awful and we started out trying to park near Gate 7, were sent to the track infield and then to the other side of the fairgrounds by the Golden Driller. Even though we should have been an hour early, we were at the wrong gate 5 min. until our scheduled start time. So, a fair angel rode us in a golf cart around the grounds and delivered us the the Mustang Arena a 4 sharp - we rode the cart without helmets and survived.

If you haven't seen CMS you are missing an exciting sport. The riders run a pattern of poles/barrels and shoot balloons as they go. A missed balloon adds 5 seconds to the time and gun issues sometimes cause missed balloons along the whole line. The shooter takes aim at 5 one color balloons, changes guns and then goes for the remaining 5 different color balloons. Ear plugs would be a good idea if you go see this event. Check out info at http://www.okgunslingers.org/

The cool thing is that one of our own YaYa Sista's was competing in the CMS - Julie G was looking glamerous as she hunted down those pesky balloons. And! Under all that western glamor, she was in breeches. I think a CMS yaya name is in order. Also competing were Lisa V, Brittton C (4H boy) and Tammy E and Abby E (former cloverbuddy).


The 4-H horse club worked the shooting by setting balloons for the shooters. Very hard work with lots of running in the worked arena. During a break in the shooting, Texas Thunder made an appearance in the Mustang Arena. They were fabulous. The picture is of Kong, the biggest of the Priefert Hitch called Texas Thunder (priefertpercherons.com). Kong is 19 hands tall, weighs 2370 pounds, and is a wheel horse on the hitch. The lovely Priefert staff (Rose and Jason Goodman and crew) showed the 4H kids some of their work un-tacking the hitch and then brought Kong out for a close up inspection. What a fabulous animal. Remined me of the Magical, Magnificent, Marvelous, Mystic, Midnight Thunder Mountain - my wonderful WY mount. YAYA!

A Riding Song...

Let us ride together,
Blowing mane and hair,
Careless of the weather,
Miles ahead of care,
Ring of hoof and snaffle,
Swing of waist and hip,
Trotting down the twisted road,
With the world let slip.

Anonymous - Storey's Horse-Lover's Encyclopedia

Sure missed our show today. HAGO! Marsha

Sunday, October 4, 2009

October


October is beautiful - crisp air, colorful leaves, blue-blue sky. But also, it is the month we lost Jaime. This first weekend of October, I planned to ride and ride some more.
Ivy and Alaina rode Pico and Sunny with Patty in the 9:00 am lesson. They started with elevated and angled caveletti and then worked on canter transitions including correct lead exercises. Both girls really made improvements. They ended their lesson with jumping for Ivy and gate/trail practice for Alaina.
Marsha and Lil, Kathy and Call, Shannean and Cappy (AKA Al Capone AKA LB) and Splash and I rode in the 11 oclock lesson. We started with trotwork and Splash was really good. We worked without the German Neck Stretcher and Splash was forward and mostly on the bit. If I didn't know better, I would think he is a good horse. Next, we did leg yeild exercises and canter followed by shoulder in and angled side-pass along the rail. Splash was very good overall, but our shoulder-in was difficult for both of us. Even though Splash was forward during trot, when we dropped to walk and tried to do 10 meter circles, our forward disappeared - I need to remember inside leg into outside hand and try to lessen pressure on inside hand as soon as we try to shoulder-in along the rail. That - and figure out how to keep forward at the walk....

Patty had to race to the Sara Martin Clinic, so we went to Ron's in Claremore for SPANISH FRIES..mmmmmm

Sunday was cool and cloudy but mostly rain-free. Alaina rode Diez around a little and then we got Sister out. We groomed her and worked a little showmanship in preparation for some additional training. The winter plan is to send her off for a month or two so that I can start to work her. Then, the 3 of us worked our usual mounts. Alaina got Diez out again and Splash and I joined them for a mini trail ride.
I used my day off on Friday to support the Veterinary Arts. In the morning, Jet took a little trip to visit Auntie Doctor Frantz for his life changing surgery. In the afternoon, Diez and TC went to Dr. Shipman's for a hoof update (Diez), a breathing evaluatation (TC), and tooth float (both). The good news is that Diez has no tenderness in any hoof - yippeee! Long term laminitis management will be required but Diez is released for light, wk/trot riding. We will keep shoes on her front feet and change her to a low starch feed. Alaina was thrilled to just sit on her first horse love.
TC got a lung check and then a scope to check out his breathing apparatus. We started with a big plastic bag over the nose (w/ stethescope for lung listening) to simulate the O2 reduction of hard work. TC's lungs work fine and there was no evidence of congestion. But the scope showed that there is no infection but that TC has partial paralysis of the left larynx. This is a condition common in race horses and could be the result of nerve damaged caused by injections often given by owners or by the intense race training in TC's youth. TC's problem is only now in evidence because of the weakening of his muscle tone due to advancing age and the increased alergies he has developed. This is the reason for TC's recent panic attacks. Because the left larynx is thinned, the airflow is reduced. When TC works, the airflow is restricted and, if he continues to breath hard, the airflow on the left side is reduced more. Then, poor TC thinks he is being strangled and panics. So, TC really is in retirement because he really can panic with just a little work when he has an allegic reaction at the same time.
I am sure that he won't mind staying home and eating regularly...

Friday, October 2, 2009

Sox is Growing!


Hello Yayas,

Just wanted to post a picture of Sox, our 5 1/2 month old red dun colt. Isn't he cute?

Hope you are all doing well and getting out riding in this lovely weather we have been getting.

Marsha

Monday, September 28, 2009

Deezie Update and the Tulsa State Fair


Hello my YaYa Sista's! My Kansas travel schedule has really kept my yaya rides limited this past summer but I keep hoping for good riding weather at the same time as my riding availabity.


Meanwhile, after several months of founder-recovery, Diez has been calling from the round pen for attention and moving around pretty well. So, Sunday afternoon, Alaina rode her at a walk around the arena and over some cavaletti poles for 10 or 15 minutes. Diez seemed to enjoy her outing and Alaina was happy even without trot or canter. Later this week, we will visit Doc Shipman for a laminitis checkup. I hope her reversed shoes will have done the trick and that Dr. S will release her for some more riding workouts.


The girls rode in the Tulsa State Fair Horseshow on Sat. so Splash and I didn't get our party lesson at Patty's. But Shannean rode Splash in both western and english classes - even placing 8th in Hunter Under Saddle - very impressive. However, Hunt Seat Eq didn't have the required canter - surprise-surprise. Ivy rode Pico well with her cast but the Judge didn't look twice at the arab cross with correct canter leads. Alaina and Sunny got placed in Showmanship, Hunter Under Saddle, Hunt Seat Eq, and Wst. Pleasure even with a couple of incorrect leads. Sunny's (OSU Taris Two Grand) half-bro Charlie (OSU Triple My Check) was there with Madison from Ponca City and it is always fun to have the palomino girls riding together. Charlie used to be Amanda B's mount in 4-H back in the day. We also got to see Ruthie and Istari and hang with Jean.
I worked Splash a little on Sunday afternoon, a little leg yielding and some turns on 4hand and haunches. Leftover puddles from last weeks 4-in rain hampered canter work. Ruthie dropped by and worked Pico, who was VERY good. Now, if we can get just plain Good at the next dressage show, Ruthie will be sitting pretty.
Looks like I will miss the ride this Wed. (Ks again) and that Patty will be at a clinic this weekend (so no party lesson) but I will work Splash SOMETIME.. So, until we ride again..... YaYa