Why I luv riden :-)

In the distance derby 2013 I now have almost 600 miles.  Should get there after this weekend.  I am doing a "timing ride" for the Turkey Trot CTR coming up at the end of Sept.  All of my CTRs so far have been at the novice level which is about 30-35 miles for 2 days.  In May I did a LD Endurance ride where Jordan and I rode 25 miles in less then 6 hours, so I figured we should be able to do an Open CTR which is 30 miles on Sat. and 20 miles on Sunday (ave.) for a timing ride.  We will see.

Last Chance Dance LD Endurance Ride at Admire, KS

I sure "Luv Riden" oh so much and have been having a great time riding with wonderful friends.  Now I have 2 horses to ride regularly, Jordan and River.  So I "have" to ride more :-)  That's my story and I am sticking to it :-) We have been here almost a year.  I think one of the first rides I did was at Wilderness Park last Nov.  I know it was the first time I rode Jordan in the snow.

I also rode at Branched Oak in Dec. and it was pretty cold, but a wonderful ride.

                                

Since then I have ridden at Br.Oak many, many times and love riding there.  Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you got to do is just call and I will be there.....(name that tune)....to ride :-)

I have been riding River as much as possible too.  We rode at Rock Creek Station with friends and he did pretty good.  He took alot of things in stride, but doesn't know how to use his rear end going down hills so I still have to be careful where I ride him.  I really don't like flying down hills!  He seemed to like the Conestoga wagons though and we enjoyed riding where the wagon ruts are still on the prairie.

Did the timing ride at Turkey Creek and we didn't do as well as I wanted too...but that was OK :-)  We tried to do open on those long a** hills (to coin a often used phrase from that weekend) and Jordan is just not conditioned well enough for that, so we we stopped at 18.35 of the 29 miles that open would be doing for the first day and on Sunday we did the novice ride which was 13.56 miles and Jordan did it like a trooper!  We had a great time but it was very hot, hot, hot!  The views were breath-taking!

The Spring Creek Prairie Audubon is sponsoring a trail ride next weekend and I am now a volunteer to help with that ride.  I rode it last year for the first time and loved it and rode it again this year just for fun.  I am looking forward to showing the area and the history to others on another ride.

I have so much more riden to do this year!  I have almost as many miles this year as I did the past 2 years!  I'm sure it is because I have so many more places to ride and more wonderful friends to ride them with.  Being part of the Nebraska Horse Trails Committee (NHTC) , the Nebraska Endurance and Competitive Trail Riders Conference (NECTRA), Platte River Riders (PRR) and Distance Derby (DD2013) has given me so many more opportunities to ride that I am LUV RIDEN even more :-) 

Time to say a different kind of goodbye

It was time to say goodbye to Dancer.  We have had him for 8 years.  I got him as a 3 year old to be a 2nd horse so my husband could ride with me.  The seller told me he would only grow to be 14.3hh, well he grew to 15.3hh and a beautiful full-bodied Missouri Fox Trotter.

Over the years I have ridden him some, but we never really connected.  My husband loved him because he has such a fun personality and is a character.  He stomps in his waterer, throws his grain pan around the pasture, steals your hat, screwdrivers out of your pocket and unlatches the gates.  We finally had to put a lock on the gates to stop him :-)  This year my husband finally decided he is not going to ride and if he does ride it will be his motorcycle.  I am 5'2" tall on a good day and with a 15.3hh horse I decided he is way to tall for the type of riding I do, which is trail riding and CTRs.  Getting on and off him is difficult at best.

This is Dancer eating his last dinner here.  He and my mare were up the hill in our 1 acre pasture and when I whistled like I usually do, he came running.  He loves people and treats and always comes to visit and get treats if you have one.  

We decided it was time to let him go to someone who will ride him and love him and have fun with him, he is too great of a horse to be a pasture pet.  So I put him on the internet and got an email from a wonderful lady down in Kentucky who was looking for a big boy that was gaited and she loved the way he looked and moved after she saw the videos I posted on utube.  He is now in KY on a farm with 15 acres and 2 other horses on the edge of a national forest.  She is 5'6" tall, just the right height for Dancer :-) and an experienced rider.  I hope he will be happy there and that she and him become a great partnership.

Yes, I was a weather weenie :-(

Went to the Hill & Dale CTR ride on Friday and rode Saturday and decided with the severe weather warnings for KS and NE, I pulled and came home this morning.  It started to pour as I was putting up camp and watching everyone else getting ready to time out to ride for the day.  While I slowly drove out I heard very loud thunder and lightning very close and it rained all the way out of Kansas!  Haven't heard from Brenda, Shari or Robin yet so I hope they had a good ride.  

Saturday's ride was really fun Shari introduced me to a very nice So. Dakota lady who is starting CTR's and rides a gaited morgan and we decided to ride together.  Jordan and her horse Rambo were closely matched and we had an awesome ride together.  We did about 12 miles before lunch and then 8 miles after lunch.  The 2nd part there were alot of rocks and boggy areas.  So we couldn't make very good time and a about 10 of us (novice riders) got off trail (aka lost) and had to rush to make up time when we realized we had to backtrack.   Pat and I came in last, (she had a hold at the 2nd P&R), but not least, and had a great ride :-) 

This morning with the storms during the night which I couldn't sleep through, and the storm in the morning and knowing that the bogs would be even worse, I decided to use my "weather weenie" card and not ride :-)  Got home, watched Jordan roll and roll and roll, then unpacked when I heard thunder and saw lightning.  Ackkkkk the bad weather caught up with me!!  

After note:  A friend who was also at the CTR, said that yes it was raining when they started on Sunday morning, but after a big crack of lightening and thunder, it cleared up and was nice for the rest of the day....so there ya go....

Dogs: pets, 4 footed friends, beloved members of the family

No matter how you say it they have been a part of my life since my husband and I got married almost 30 years ago.  Our first dog was a Norwegian Elkhound we named Miscka.  She was the only dog we "bought".  She was the runt of the litter but soooo cute. We had her for 15 years.  We got her when she was 16 weeks old.  She was My dog.  I loved her very much and we lost her to congestive heart failure.

When she was about 1 year old, we adopted a mutt dog who was about 2 years old.  His name was Tripod because he only had 3 legs.  Somewhere as a pup he lost his right front leg to a lawn mower.  He was a Keyshound mixed with something :-)  He could dig long skinny trenches like a demon.  He loved my husband to no end.  We lost him to old age.  At 17 y/o he was deaf and blind and his left shoulder (which was over used) gave out on him and we had to let him go :-(

When Tripod was about 5 and Miscka was 4, we were given a cute bundle of white fluff of a pup that was part American Eskimo and Husky.  We named him Kannick.  He liked to lay on his back and hold up walls upside down :-).  He was our son's dog.  Our son loved to use him as a pillow when he was laying on the floor.  Our daughter  was born about a year after we had all 3 dogs and we attribute her walking early to needing to get off the floor
and away from the dogs.

One day when my husband was running early in the morning with Miska and Kannick around our neighborhood, he found another really cute bundle of white fluff who followed him home (much to Kannick's dislike).  He was our first Great Pyrenees whom we named Newton.  He grew and grew and grew and was the gentlest of dogs.  He loved to eat his food laying down and taught Kannick to do it too :-)  We lost him at 9 years of age from kidney failure due to medication to help with his cancer.

We lost Miscka first, then Tripod and then Newton.  After Miscka & Tripod passed, we rescued another dog named Leyla ( 14 months old) for our 10 y/o daughter. She is a flat-coated retriever/border collie mix.  Our daughter took her to puppy training and together they learned fun things, like crawling, rolling over and giving a high-five.  She is now 11 y/o and still getting around.  She hates being outside and cardboard boxes.  Oh and men with hats and boots. She loves laying on stairs and behind wood stoves.

So, we had 3 dogs, got 1 more, lost 2 dogs and got 2 more.  We then decided to adopt and older Australian Sheepdog named Shyanne.  She was already about 10 y/o but we wanted to get her a good life as long as we could.

We also adopted another Great Pyrenees male dog who was named Santa Paws which we renamed Santana. Santana loved to do circles in the Excursion when he saw bicycles.   Back to 4 dogs :-)  Now it was Kannick, Leyla, Shyanne and Santana.

                                                   

When we moved from the West Coast to the Midwest, we had a noah's ark.  Four dogs, 3 cats, 1 rabbit, 3 hermit crabs and 2 fish.  We moved them all in an Excursion and a Sable.  It was a sight to see when we had to check into a motel for the night :-)

We put up a 6 ft. high chainlink fence 500 sq. ft. backyard for the dogs when we moved to the country and they loved it.  They could bark to their hearts content....at the deer, geese, squirrals, grass blowing....anything and everything :-)

We lost Shyanne first at our new home, she had a stroke and couldn't recover.  Next we lost Kannick of old age, he was 16 y/o when he passed.  We now had Leyla and Santana and my husband wanted a female Pyr, so we adopted Cloe.  She was 11 months old and cute as a BIG bundle of white dog can be (Cloe on left).

 I remember when we went to pick her up from the rescue.  She met my hubby and it was love at first sight.  Her and I sat in the car while he and the rescue person did the paperwork and she never took her eyes off of husband.  Still like that to this day.  Cloe loves to bark and walk the perimeter of the fenceline :-)  That is her "job".  Back to 3 dogs.....

In December of 2009 there were some really bad snow storms and we had about 2-3 feet of snow in our back yard.  Santana was about 9 by then and loved to go out to "his" tree out by the far end of the yard.  His hips were getting worse all the time and we tried to keep him on the patio that winter so he wouldn't get in the deep snow.  One day, he was determined to get to his tree and off he went.  I went to check on him and saw him about 1/2 way back and he couldn't move.  Destroyed both his hips and we had to let him go :-(  We then had Cloe and Leyla and were content (or so I thought)...

Two years later husband was ready for another Pyr!  We adopted a male pyr that was 3 years old, Winston.  He loves to bark and chase the school buses as they pass the yard :-)  He also loves my husband (he has a way with dogs) and will sit next to him and put his paw on his knee to get him to pet him. Oh, he also "sings".

Back to 3 dogs......

I really am going somewhere with all this....I am waxing philosophically.....I guess..... Cloe is now 9 years old and it is our turn to make the hard decision for her.  Back in '09 when Santana destroyed his hips in the deep snow, Cloe hurt hers too.  She was young but hip damage in youth comes due in old age and now she is paying the price.  Her left hip doesn't work at all and her right one is close behind.  We have been trying to make this tuff decision for a month now and today I finally called and made the appointment that we dread to make.  Today we take her in and help her to the rainbow bridge with many, many tears and caresses of love to a wonderful companion and protector.

                          

There she will meet Miscka, Tripod, Newton, Shyanne, Kannick, & Santana.  All will be young and energetic and be able to run and bark at everything they see together.

I'm sure we will get another dog and when Leyla (11) and Winston (5) get to their end, we again will have to make this heart wrenching, mind stressing decision.  We will sadly but determinedly make it each as they come so we may have the unconditional love and joy of our beloved furry 4 legged family.

Kanopolis Weather Roulette CTR

I had a wonderful time.  Jordon too I think LOL.  I pulled in on Friday, just after Shari & Robin; and Brenda & Virginia.  I got a spot way out in the back forty where no one else was, so thankfully, some closer had canceled and I took their spot.  I am so very thankful I got that spot!  Hindsight says I should have asked what would be a camping spot near the other Nebraskans but I registered late so I didn't.  It was so windy I didn't even try to put up my handy-dandy canopy, but I really didn't need it.  I just went and bugged everyone else and sat in their trailers LOL.

Got Jordan checked in and then settled for the night.  Ride briefing was at 7ish  and we got nice maps (I sure could use a map reading class, but I am learning).  Slept well and wasn't cold so I didn't even turn on my little electric blanket!  Nice and cozy in my Excursion with all the windows covered.  I put Jordan's heavy duty winter blanket with a neck piece on Friday night.  That wind was really cold!  

Got up at 5:30am and said "am I really have fun getting up at O'dark thirty at 29* and 30mph winds to go riding?????   Yup, I am...so out the truck I went to feed Miss Jordan her morning grain and hay.  She was looking good, did her poop and pee thing just fine :-)  I know, TMI, <hehe>.  Ate my bar and drank my juice (just like every day) and got my tack ready to go.  

Shari & Robin graciously agreed to have me tag along with them for the days ride, but I almost was going to ride with two other novices when I remembered the last time I decided not to ride with them (2 years ago) and rode with someone else and did the thighmaster at Indian Cave twice (we weren't supposed to do it at ALL that day), I decided too be wise and stick with those two veterans :-)  I wore 3 layers of pants and 4 layers of shirts/jackets and heavy winter gloves so except for my face, I wasn't cold.   

We were supposed to open a gate as an novice obstacle, and I just passed on it.  Earlier I tried to open a gate just for fun and Jordan wouldn't even get close to it!  That is really something we need to work on!!!  The canyons were beautiful with either red dirt or golden yellow and so fun to climb up and down.  We did some great water crossings all of which Jordan did without any problem.  We even stood about 20 ft. from devil cows while Shari opened a gate and Jordan just looked at them :-)  I did have a unplanned dismount on Saturday.  There are deep ruts going down the canyons from all the riders on the trails that are upto 3 feet deep!  Jordan and I got off kilter and I was trying to get her on a safer path and my saddle started slipping!  I was trying to get it back up when Jordan jigged as I jagged and...dddoooowwwwnnn i slid off in slow motion down into one of the 3 ft. deep ruts!  My boot came off and like a dope I kept holding the reins, so Jordan was trying to get in and out of the ruts and almost stepped on me a few times.  I'm yelling at her and then went DUH!  let go of the reins dummy!  Then she could move herself away from me and I could get up.  I was all flustered and was not making sense.  Everyone was trying to help me and I wasn't thinking straight.  I finally found a big rock and finally got Jordan to stand still after I calmed down and I got back on and off we went.  So grateful to Robin and Shari for all their support!!!

Sunday a very nice 1st time B rider (which was just Sunday ride)   who rode a Rocky Mountain Horse, so Jordan & I hooked up with them and kind of either stayed a little behind Shari and Robin or even better, we stayed alittle ahead.  I really had to keep track of my time and map since I was with a newbie (even newer then me) so we could stay on track.  I was really, really glad that Shari & Robin were behind us to bail me out when I turned the wrong way on the trail!  Sunday turned out to be a beautiful day and I was over dressed but didn't take the time to pull off layers til we got back to camp.  I was sweating, soooo different then Sat. 

Mud Bath

Arggghhh!  Living in NW Iowa I didn't have to deal with mud like I do now that we are in NE.  The property we had had great drainage for the horses and was a high sand content so it dried quickly.  Sure I had a little mud, but not much and my horses didn't stand in it day after day like they do here.  This is what Jordan usually looked like, oh she got long hair in the winter and but shed out nicely in the spring.

Here is what she usually looks like now when we have had snow or rain and lays down in the mud.  I think she thinks a mud bath is good for her complexion or something.  Me, I really think she just likes to make my life more dirty :-)  Even Dancer doesn't get as muddy as she does.  I thought having a brown horse would be easier.....NOT!

I went on a camping trip this past weekend with friends and since Jordan looked like a 4 legged version of Pigpen, I gave her a bath and I am soooo glad I did.  She was all clean when we got there and I guess she likes the water too :-)

River (aka Kip) is home

Got River (aka Kip) home on Monday afternoon and he is settling in.  He goes into his new shed to eat just fine and he poops in the same little pile in one area.  How nice is that!  I went out late Monday nite to feed the horses as usual and he was a little freaky at the headlamp :-)  On Tuesday night he was fine with it.  

Was such a pretty day today, Got River out and we did some round pen work :-) Interestingly when I free lunged him he went like a banshee running and then would prance, then run again and then stop; turn in to me and try to walk into me. All without me doing any more then point my finger. Someone, somewhere really worked this poor guy :-( When he would stop and turn into me, he would be very nervously looking at me. On the lunge line, he was great and did most of what I asked. We then went out of the round pen and walked around and greeting the other 2 horses over the fence before I put him back in his paddock.  

In his paddock, he will follow me around, but if I go to just touch him, he will move away, not fast, just move away.  If I bring in a halter, he stands quietly and puts his nose out to take it nicely.  He loves to be rubbed when haltered, but doesn't want to be touched much when he is free, Except between the eyes.   I can see that he wants to trust me, but is just not sure yet :-)  

Oh, I also groomed him and brushed out his mane.  His mane splits about half way down and some goes on each side.  I am going to try and get his mane to all go on the same side.  He has a nice mane, a shorty tail and a really nice forelock.  He does like to be groomed on :-)

Colleen put a really nice start on him and he sure is a sweetie!

Getting a new horse so I needed more fencing

This River (aka Kip) he is going to be my new horse.  He has been at the Nebraska Humane Society for awhile now and a wonderful lady and trainer named Colleen has been working with him to make him a good trail horse.  He is about 6 years old and is a Spotted Saddle Horse (we think).  He has a wonderful running walk like Jordan does and is about 14.2-14.3hh and is shorter then both Jordan and Dancer.  I went to see him after Colleen and Tammy and Terri and other friends told me about him and suggested he might be just what I wanted...a nice short gaited horse.  He is everything they said and more.  I am so excited to get him.

I hadn't planned on getting another horse until I sold Dancer, but things happen and that was River.  So now I am going to have 3 horses and 2 run-ins.  Not good, so I needed to put up another paddock and a run-in shed.  I quickly bought a Wright Bros. shed and really like it.  I think it will work out fine for him.  Now I just needed fencing......

So...called the fencing guy.....never called back......called another fencing guy and he didn't call back, so I went and bought the fencing stuff and did it myself!  Not bad if I do say so myself :-)  

Now that the shed is in, the fence is up and River is trail ready, I am picking him up this coming Monday and bringing him home.  I am so excited and happy!  He is so sweet and really wants to please, I am hoping he is my forever horse!

Dancer now

Dancer is such a nice horse, here is what he looked like in 2010.  He is quite the character and loves people.  Unfortunately he is also 15.3hh tall and way to big for my small 5'2" frame on a good day.  I know small people ride tall horses, but the kind of riding I do....trail riding, CTR's it is not very handy for me.  I can't mount him from the ground even it there is a small rock or log, it has to be a BIG rock or log.  And dismounting is daunting also, when I throw my leg over to drop down, it seems like a 4 foot drop to me and at 61 y/o that is a long way down.

My hubby took lessons a few years ago on Dancer thinking he might ride, but he really doesn't want to even if he does encourage me to ride all I want.  We thought Dancer would be a good horse for him but if he isn't going to ride him and I won't ride him, it is time for him to find a new home.  So he is for sale on most of the decent sale sights like Dreamhorse, equine and horseclicks.  Hopefully we can find him a new forever home that will love him as much as we do and really give him a job that he will be good at.  He is too nice of a horse to be a pasture pet at 10 years old.  Here is a link to a video of him gaiting in the trees :-)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQVB99U3NAE

Clinic Time

I was blessed to be able to attend 2 of Kip Fladland's Horsemanship clinics in Jan. and Feb. with Jordan.  They were awesome clinics and both Jordan and I learned alot.  I think one of the main things I learned is that Jordan is better then I am and I am holding her back from being her best.  She is an awesome horse and I really, really love her.  

She tried so hard for me those two days even when the devil cows were on the other side of the brick wall LOL.  She did a beautiful side pass everytime we passed the opening to the cows, even without my asking LOL.  We need to work on that......

I was going to sign up for all three clinics back in January, but I hesitated and so I am going to miss the third one in March :-(  But I still have my homework and things Jordan and I can work on.  

Worn down hoofs or hooves??

I scheduled a hoof trim for my horses for today at 1:00 pm.  I really like the new farrier I started using at our new place.  He seems honest with lots of great information and really likes horses.

Turns out only Dancer my MFT needed a trim!  Jordon has self trimmed since last NOV. when I had her trimmed last.  Farrier said it was all the gravel riding I have been doing.  Wow!  He showed me her back feet and she is almost down to the sole.  He said I need to stay off the gravel or shoe or boot her backs.

I have boots for her fronts that I use when I know I will be riding gravel, but I didn't think I would need them already.  Since I don't usually trim in January, cuz I don't usually ride in Dec. Jan, Feb. or March, I never really worried about it.  But daauummm, I am blown away.  With all the riding I am planning on doing this year, I am have to change my way of thinking.

Why I love "ponies"

Horses.... or as I call them all whether 18hh drafts or tiny minis....ponies.  I have always called them that much to a friend's dismay.  She says "I don't have a pony I have a horse"  Too true, she rides a gaited horse that is 16.3hh!  But to me he is still a "pony", quotes needed.  My dictionary defines "Pony" (1) term of affection for all members of the equine family.  Comes with "I want a pony" when I was a child.  My sister and I used to have a herd of plastic horses that we played with like dolls.  They had names, houses, schools to go to, friends to play with.  Yes, they did to horsey things too, but they were PEOPLE :-)  

I rode my first horse when I was 12 y/o.  I was in heaven, granted it was a stable horse that even when you kicked it as hard as a short 12 year old girl can do, it would still only go at a walk away from the stable.  Ahhhhh, but going back to the stable was another story, we could get our ponies going at a very bouncy, giggly trot.  Again, heaven :-)  

Alas, high school came and horses took a back burner, then adult life and all that that has to offer.  Fast forward to my late 40's with an 8 y/o daughter who loves ponies.  Got her into the YMCA horse camp where she spent every summer till we moved to Iowa in 2004.  When we decided to move, I told my husband, I would go anywhere as long as I could have a horse!  Notice I said I could have a horse, not my daughter :-)  .  So 7 acres in Iowa and I got my horse.  I haven't looked back since.  I know I am truly Blessed that the past 8 1/2 years I have had the delightful adventure of learning to ride my OWN horse, take care of my OWN horse and make friends with other horse riders.  Truly a joy.

First Winter Ride

This is Jordan and my first time of riding in the snow.  I have had her over 8 years and we never ridden in the snow before.  I have ridden other horses in the snow, but never Jordan.  Mostly because my trailer was always snowed in when we lived in Iowa and my tack was put away in the garage since we didn't have a barn.


Now we live in Nebraska and I can keep my tack close to my horse in my trailer so I will be able to ride in winter now.  I am really looking forward to it.  I love the sound of hoof beats in the snow and as long as I can dress warm it is sure fun.

The trails all look different with all their spring and summer clothes on.  Funny humans put more clothes on as the trees and bushes take theirs off :-)

First of many steps

I am a member of the Horsetales email list and horsetrailriders.com facebook group and this was our first "photo challange" of 2013.  To take a picture of our boots to start the year.

So.....

This is my foot, my foot in my boot, my foot in my boot going out my door.  It will be followed by my other foot in my other boot.  Both feet and boots will take many, many steps every morning and night and lots of afternoons, to take care of and feed my two horses Jordan and Dancer.  For 12 months, or 52 weeks, or 365 days of year 2013 I will walk out to my barn and pastures to be with my horses.

I wonder how many times I will walk down our gravel driveway to the barn.  It's not a long driveway, but long enough to do a little thinking.  After the snow on New Year's Eve when I walked out to the barn I saw fresh cat prints and wondered where that kitty was going to sleep for the night.  I know it isn't one of my cats cuz they are all tucked in for the night.  So I followed the prints padding along the drive...down into the culvert....out of the culvert and out to where my truck is parked.  The paw prints stopped under my truck, I looked under the truck for him and didn't see anything but the prints so I figured he was up under my truck.  Sure hope he is gone by the time i need to drive anywhere.

See.... things to think about during the walk out to the barn.