MANE EVENT 2014

Wow what a weekend!  It's so good to be home but I'm a little sad to be away from all of the incredible horse-enthused environment!

Jose Jalapeno and I headed down on Thursday and settled into the barn.  We had a nice ride in the arenas and ended up riding alone in both rings.  No horses anywhere, but a tractor came in.  Jose was great!  We walked through the parking lot and half way down the race track, no issues!  Jose was interested in looking around but had a loose rein and kept to a walk.  My best boy!!!!  He had a bath and snuggled into his stall while I went to see what the CSN team had done with the booth.  WOW!!!  Man alive are those girls talented!!!! 

Friday Jose and I performed a Standardbred demo solo in front of the crowd.  He was perfect!!!  We had rear, lay down, play dead, sit, everything!  Couldn't have been more proud.  Right after, we got tacked up and met Peggy Brown for the Balanced Rider clinic.  What a lovely lady!  It was likely the best clinic I could have picked for the boy and he was fantastic!!!  Energetic, like always, but focused and brave. 

Saturday was less busy for us, we got to do another solo Standardbred demo and Jose was certainly more ramped up with the packed stands and energy from the crowd.  He wanted to perform, for sure, but just a little too excited to stay in his lay down and play dead.  He was still so fun to perform with and the crowd seemed to really like him!  <3

Sunday we got to ride with Peggy again.  By his 4th day in the stall, Jose wanted to go OUT and PLAAAAY!!!  He had gotten a treatment and massage in the morning from the incredible Jody Schulze-McMann of Broken Spur Equine Therapy so he felt FANTASTIC.  Again, he was very energetic and wasn't very interested in standing still and relaxing.  I can't blame him.  Still, he was with me, trying to do what I was asking for, and being a joy to work with.  Peggy said she quite liked him too.  :)

My family had come down to spend Saturday evening and Sunday with me!  <3 It really meant the world to me to have their support. 

In two weeks I'll be back down to the grounds with Ritchie this time to ride in the AJYR dressage show.  Woo hooo!  Better get out to the barn and get on him now. 

Happy Horseing! 

A New Hole in My Head!

But sometimes the universe just tells you something needs to happen and so you throw your hands up, thank your lucky stars your family is so supportive and head off to Grand Prairie to pick up a colt and bring him home. 

Yep, we have a new addition.  Right now we will call him "Eddie" and see if something more permanent sticks.  Eddie came with the name "Sam" but I'm afraid I've already had one heart horse with that name, so it's effectively retired.  "Eddie" came from Pomeroy Arabians, what an INCREDIBLE facility.  It was a true pleasure to be out there. 

I got a call from the beautiful and very kind Jill Jardie about this colt being available to a good home.  He's sound, bred to the nines (seriously, OMG) and all sorts of eye catching.  He just hasn't been worked with and no one has the time to commit to him.  He just needs his own person.  I agreed to bring him home, for whatever purpose, and see what life would have in store for him.  When I met him, the strangest thing happened.  I really felt CHOSEN by this little fella.  I walked into his stall, he looked at me with both eyes and both ears and within 5 minutes, I had his face in my chest and we were hugging.  If I'm outside now, he watches me.  Not with suspicion, but with curiosity. 

I had taken Jose up with me as I knew he would be a very reliable and trustworthy travel buddy for the little fella to bond with.  By doing that, I was able to teach a mini trick clinic/demo with him to 5 wonderful people and their group of supporters.  The team at the Pomeroy barn is just wonderful.  Such an inviting and welcoming feeling. 

We made it home without incident, unloaded and fed up the fellas.  Today is farrier day but we will let the new guy settle in a few weeks before we talk about farrier work.  He'd never left the property before, this is a big deal for him.  Just lots of snuggles and being around him for now. 

Anyways, I am looking for any name suggestions as I will get to register him myself.  He is purebred Arab out of Insinuating HJE (Ffamess x Psyches Seduction and by Jiuliusz De Wiec (Debowiec x Jiullya el Jamaal).

Happy Horseing!

Hey! Remember Me?

Greetings virtual friends!  I recently had a very dear friend remind me that it's now been over a year since my last blog entry.  My goodness how time has flown!  Incidentally, this friend has not entered in her own blog  since before my own last post... just sayin is all! 

So!  How are ya?  What's new in your world?  Exciting plans for this year?  Yes, us too! 

This past weekend was a big one for us.  Two big events, two different horses and only one of me.  Man I wish I could clone myself BUT the second best thing is certainly to have a best friend who is enough like me to be able to take one of my horses to his very first show.  Let me back up and tell you about it. 

Northland's Farm and Ranch Show

Photo Credit: Natural Dynamic Photography

Jose Japaleno, my incredible Standardbred gelding, and I were invited to perform a mini clinic with Horseplay and Harmony at the 3-day trade show.  Caylyn and I had an incredible time with our boys and Riley and Jose performed like champs for the crowds.  I'm so fortunate to be part of such an incredible partnership, with my horse and with Caylyn in our venture. 
Northland's was a fantastic host and set things up for us to be incredibly convenient and safe.  The horses were stabled directly across from our booth, the round pen only 25 feet away, water station and rest rooms just at the end of the stall ally too!  My barn baby was incredible and played and amused herself for the duration of the show.  What a good kid! 
We were followed on the first day by a gentleman from Northland's with a video camera.  I would assume that somewhere we will appear in some promotional material for them in the future.  It will be cool to see!  On day 2, a reporter from the Western Producer came and spent time with us, talked about our horses, our clinics and what we do.  We'll have to keep an eye out for an article to show up there too!  All in all, one incredible opportunity and we're so proud to have been able to be part of the show. 

Maple Leaf Meadows Schooling Dressage Show

Have I mentioned I'm one of the most fortunate people in the world?  I have an INCREDIBLE and supportive husband, a WONDERFUL and beautiful daughter (who will be 5 in just over a week!!! OMG) and two SUPERB and AH-MAAAZING friends!   It just happened that Maple Leaf Meadows was hosting one of their fantastic schooling dressage shows on the same Saturday that Jose and I were at Northland's Farm and Ranch Show.  I couldn't resist the opportunity to get the Ritchie boy down centreline and Renate offered to take him for me!  YES!!!!  The boy is just coming 4 in June and we're aiming to show training and first level this summer and see if we can get his lifetime stallion scores. 
Renate had only been on Ritchie about 6 times before taking him down centreline for this show.  We put them in Training Level test D (CADORA) x 3.  First test, first thing in the morning and, he was tense, poor fella.  Certainly can't blame him.  He then had a rest while Renate and Sarah went to the Pony Club Tack Sale - another event I wish I could have attended, but forfeited.  Upon their return, Renate took Ritchie down centreline for 2 back-to-back tests and he relaxed considerably.  The judge's comments were on par and scores were fair - Thank you Sarah for taking pictures and videos of all the tests for me!  All  in all, I couldn't be more happy with the show, the horse and the whole experience!  Only thing that would have made me more happy would be to ride my horse at the show or, at the very least, be there to see it myself.  Regardless, I'm grateful to capable and skilled friends for helping me and my horse out! 

That's the biggest news.  Jose's been accepted to ride in the Balanced Rider clinic at Mane Event at the end of the month, I'm looking forward to that opportunity.  We have 3 mares currently in foal to Ritchie.  Both my Arab mares are in foal and Jose's half sister, Promise is carrying her maiden foal.  We are so excited to meet them all in the next few months!  In the mean time, HAPPY RIDING!  :)