Thursday, May 28, 2009

Congrats to Curtis!


Marsha and her two-legged guys. Very handsome. We are all proud of Curt and his military career to come.

Monday, May 25, 2009

23rd


We remember Jaime on Memorial Day, 2 days after her 23rd birthday on May 23rd. Back in 1986, Jaime was born late on the Friday night of Memorial Day weekend.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

The Birthday Boy


Kale is 20! Sure was cute wasn't he?



Sunday, May 17, 2009

Lessons and Shows

Alaina and Sunny - Ivy and Pico - practice in the finally dry enough outdoor arena after they finished their show classes at the 4-H point show on May 17

On Saturday morning I worked Slug-Splash in the party lesson with Marsha and Lil and Carol and Snip. Splash started the lesson with the look of a recalcitrant school boy but, with the help of "der German Neck Stretcher," became resigned to flat work. We got right lead canter after a couple of rough starts and left lead canter first try. No bucks or head shake. Progress when you consider the lack of regular work at the sloppy Wild Orban Ranch (WOR) arena.





The girls and their horses started off their weekend horse activities with a lesson Sat. afternoon after a long practice hiatus because of a water logged arena at the WOR. Both girls worked their horses on transitions and rider position. Then Alaina worked Sunny backing around barrels while Ivy worked Pico over crossbars working up from trot-overs to canter segments. Both felt ready for the show.

The show day dawned bright and cool with no hint of cloud or rain - Finally. Hopefully, we won't start full-fledged drought mode immediately.

The girls had a mostly successful show with Ivy placing in halter showing Splash and Alaina placing in Showmanship with Sunny. Then, on to the the riding classes. Both girls did well in the English classes placing 1 and 2 in Hunter Under Saddle. Equitation was rough with a difficult pattern including counter canter. After much success on Sat. with Pico over crossbars, Ivy was very dissapointed when Pico refused the crossbars, probably because the ground poles were set 18 inches or so in front of the crossbars.

Then, in Western, both girls rode fairly well although Ivy and Pico had some lead issues and Alaina and Sunny had slow canter tranisitons. Alaina placed 2nd in Trail and was thrilled. Alaina skipped the speed events but Ivy and Pico had some lovely canters around the barrels and stakes. Pico swung wide around the first pole and they DQed when Pico crossed the timer line before finishing the pattern.
The girls had fun riding and playing with their friends.... and, found a dog friend as usual.
YaYa rides will start again this week ! But I will have to miss out and will try to survive until next week. YAYA and feed your mounts a horse treat for me.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Carol and Snip share their Birthday TODAY!



Finally, we wrested the information out. Carol admitted that Snip's birthday was today but tried to hide the fact that her birthday is the same date! So, once armed with the info, we shared birthday cake at Graham's after our usual lunching fare. Have a wonderful birthday month Carol!
The Birthday Girl and her Birthday Horse on their B day!

Friday, May 15, 2009

They came a long way!


Look what I found in 2002 pix.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Show Girls Transformed

Sunny and Splash are watching the events with some confusion....shouldn't those girls be on horses to jump?








Ivy rode Pico in the Hunter Hack class at the Disrict show and qualified for the state horse show. She set the jump up and started practicing today with her sister but without her horse. She will be practicing Halter with Splash and Hunter Under Saddle, Hunt Seat Equitation, and Western Horsemanship with Pico for State as well. Alaina and Sunny will compete in Showmanship at Halter, Hunter Under Saddle, Hunt Seat Eq, and Western Pleasure and Western Horsemanship.











Kale was home and worked the District Horse Show as Barn guy - sold shavings, checked coggins, opened stalls on Friday and all around help on Sat including working gate and trail course. He even posed for a picture with his sisters!



Also, Judy and John stopped by the show to say hi and watch the girls. I think John could be great show help if boredom didn't drive him from the scene. Steve can relate, he dropped by breifly as well.

Meanwhile, I didn't have any saddle time although I did hang around barns, arenas and horse trailers. I will be in Kansas this week so even if the mud dries out, I still won't be able to ride until our party lesson next Sat. I can hardly wait! YaYa!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Riding between mud flows

Ivy and Alaina are modeling their new show shirts decorated with rhinstones in time for the District Show at the Claremore Expo this weekend - Thanks Kathy! Come on down Sat. and visit us at the show. The girls have not had much chance to ride in our mucky arena and Patty has been at the show in Shawnee. The girls finally had a chance to ride in the covered arena at expo at the 4-H ride night and the arena was wet along the east, north and even a big area on the west side because of run on. YUCK! MUCK!

So, practice time has been slim but hopefully, Pico and Sunny will behave. Wish we could yaya ride this week. YUCK! MUCK!

Sunday, May 3, 2009

May Showers bring May Flowers?


RAIN and MORE RAIN finally ended mid-day Sunday but lots of water and mega-mud was left. So, the girls and I visited Kathy B to work on some show cloths on Sat and then had a fitting on Sunday. They will be looking fine in the show-ring.

Almost Shut Out - Almost. The weekend was missing a very important activity... no equine therapy and mud in the arena. So, very quietly, we took a little trip to expo and practiced a little. After riding, the girls worked showmanship and made some progress with walking and trotting; still need work in pivot and standing for inspection. Sunny is a major nibbler and Splash spreads slime while the judge is looking.

District is next weekend and I will be in Kansas mid-week. We have a ride night on Tuesday so they can ride in the covered arena and then the girls are to practice showmanship while I am gone.

Friday, May 1, 2009

May Day! Rain Day!

Serious rain today and flooding in downtown Claremore and Pryor and elsewhere. The horses were locked up most of the day and got out into the mud for a couple of hours. Peaches was hoping to become a house cat. Yayas are out of luck for the weekend.