Summer Heat

Almost August in OK so it should be hot.  I still can whine and then have some wine in the AC.

Friend Chelsea L visited Tuesday evening to try western on Sunny.  She is a serious jumper and has never ridden western but had a tryout today for a college equestrian team at NEO - western - so wanted a little experience in a western saddle on a western pony.  Alaina enjoyed giving advice to such an accomplished rider and Chelsea followed up with a lesson at Dawn D on Friday.  She is a good rider so cross fingers and toes for her.

The girls and I took some horses to the Hays Homestead to play on Friday morning.  Ivy and Abbi jumped while Alaina, Lara, and Annabelle worked on their western.  Meanwhile, I worked Sister in the round pen and Alaina followed up by riding her - walk/trot/canter - no kick-out so I took heart.

So, since Splash is still at Dawn D's, I took Sister to the party lesson.  Started out with some Clinton Anderson exercises before mounting up for the lesson.  Sister was very forward but fussy in the bridle and falling left/right.  So we worked on circular connection keeping leg and hand on to maintain straightness or bend.  We made some progress but I didn't feel confident enough to ask for canter.

The girls and I rode on Sunday morning - I worked Sister on bend after starting out with CA groundwork.  After I was finished working Sister, Alaina got on to try canter both directions.  Things went well.  Then, Ivy worked a bit of trot work over crossbars.  Sister was pretty good.

The temperatures are in the triple digits with 114 forecast later this week.  At this rate, YaYa rides are months away.

Vacation in Wyoming with the Raven Lunatics

Wild - Wonderful - Wyoming (Wyoming Pictures)

... not sure where the summer has gone. Fast and Furious so I missed a few weeks of blogging. Sorry 'bout that.

Eight Raven Lunatics (ravenlunaticsofwy) enjoyed a week in Dubois, Yellowstone, and Jackson Hole as well as friendship, food, and fun. Grace's beautiful place in Upper Little Warm Springs was home base. The Raven Lunatics evolved from the Dangerous Hot Flashs' (wydangeroushotflashes) trip to Turpin Meadow's three years ago - Grace R, Marcia G, Tami C, Denise R, Carla R, Charlotte H, Donna O and me.

After Grace collected travelers in Jackson Hole from various flights on Saturday, the lunatics headed across the mountains to Dubois for dinner and visiting. Hiking in the BLM wilderness outside Grace's back gate was on the agenda for Sunday and we finished the day at the local Chamber BBQ fundraiser and a lovely visit with Nancy at her place on the Wind River (Nancy is an original Hot Flash!).

Early Monday and we were OFF (our rockers) to Yellowstone!  Charlotte, Donna, and I were in the rental car - no power on steep, mountain grades, so we named her Bitsy.  Our evening destination was Mammoth to soak in the public hot springs.  We took Bitsy to the west gate and got stuck in a Buffalo road block for FOUR LONG HOURS - but, Donna and I went hiking in Yellowstone (up the line of cars a couple of times) while Charlotte manned Bitsy.

Yellowstone is magnificent!  Wildlife (including those pesky buffalo) everywhere you look.  We saw mule and whitetail deer, elk, grizzly and brown (or black?) bears, squirrels, ground squirrels, rabbits, coyote, snakes, bald eagles, osprey, and MORE buffalo!  And, there are geothermal features everywhere too - Old Faithful, Steady and unsteady geysers, hot springs, steam vents, the Firehole River, and mud holes.  And Mammoth!  And more Buffalo.  And Geyser Gators! We spent the night in adorable Mammoth cabins and headed back to home base the following day.

 

Riding was on the agenda for Wednesday afternoon so Donna, Charlotte and I headed to Union Pass and the Crooked Creek Guest Ranch.  Sad Faces when we had to reschedule because of a serious storm.  But we checked out beautiful lodges, looked for Lucy the Moose, and experienced hail-splat from that wild Wyoming Storm.  So, more hiking after the storm moved through and discovery of the Horse Face tree, Bark Mask, and the the Raven....

  

Thursday's plan was for White Water Rafting on the Snake River so we headed to Jackson and Barker Ewing Rafting Co. Class 3 rapids - 72 degree air temperature - 56 degree water temperature. Refreshing!

Charlotte, Donna, and I teamed up with Valentine, Freckles, and Rocky to follow our leader Michelle up into the mountains of Union Pass.  Beautiful Ride!  We went OFF-ROAD.

We Work-OUT.... SIDE....

 

And we saw Lucy! We capped-offed our day at the Dubois Rodeo - Breast Cancer Awareness Special. Mutton Busting with full grown RAMS. Ribbon Wrestling with the Calcutta Auction (I still need a full explaination, but it was fun). And all the other usual rodeo stuff.

  

Charlotte headed home on Saturday and took Bitsy back to her barn while the rest of the Lunatics relaxed and shopped downtown or at the Opportunity Shop Auction.  Moosalicous! 

 

Back in OK, its still hot! Ester came for a visit to have her picture made with Diez and Ivy showed off with Pico jumping bareback and Alaina showed off standing on Diez.

I am ready to continue the fun with my YaYa Sisters. 

Independence - Day

I work out ... side....  Check out this video when you have a moment.

I'm Farming and I Grow It

So, late June and early July were a bust for riding.  The last weekend of June was full of hay hauling so missed both drill and the party lesson.

Then off to Nowata for the annual 4th festivities.  Then swapped Sister for TC at Mallory's so that the girls could work Sister this summer and perhaps make some training progress.  And, Splash went off to Dawn's for lessons in neck-reining (I hope to ride Trail at the Rogers County Fair in September).

And, I escaped OK Heat to Wyoming in Mid-July.  Fun.  Perhaps the weather will cool soon and our YaYa rides can resume.  I am ready for fall.