Angels on Horseback

Checking out the canter


Trying a movement

We have had an influx of vaulters at the Meadow Lakes Equestrian Center, their "home" base here in Kentucky for the competitions at the Ky Horse Park this month. Tonight they had a couple of girls from Johannesburg, South Africa, trying out three horses to use for this weekends competition. I'm posting one girl, the coach of the younger girl. We shall see them this weekend in lower level competition. I also met this year's North American champion vaulter (second year to win) from California, Alicin Devita, a real sweetheart. The California team uses only Warmbloods to compete, it gives them an extra measure of difficulty. I'm looking forward to seeing them all compete this weekend, a test for the World Equestrian Games next year!

Second Day

Bear in his field. This is the field I ride him in. You can see the slope of the hill we ride up and down, trying to wear him out a bit, and get him stronger.



He should be tired now...


Eating to get his strength back...

Carrie Dances, Bear Prances

Too bad I can't carry a camera while on horseback...I rode Bear for the first time in over two weeks. Unfortunately, I decided to not tie Carrie up while riding, due to her extreme unhappiness in being so tied. So, I ride Bear out of the barn paddock and Carrie is doing the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy around and about the Nutcracker (Bear and Me). Jumping and twirling and leaping...Baryshnikov would have been jealous of this performance. I spoke sharply to her several times, to no avail. She was making Bear (who had not been around any dogs) a bit nervous, but it may have taken his mind off of me, HA! when Bud asked if I'd like him to tie her up, I agreed with alacrity. Then Bear and I got down to business, trying to ignore the dance of the mares, the digging of the water line, and any other distraction. He bucked twice, very shallow, very slowly, "Immmmm gooooing tooo buuuck nooow"! Ha ha! We ended on a good note after I rode him up and down the hill three times, and he was tired.

New attitude! After yesterday, we have a brand new attitude of obedience from Ellie. Still a lot of spunk, but no bucking and jumping today. Hooray.


New grass. The retired horses have been nibbling at the ground level in their field, so they have been let out into a new field where grass is up to their knees. Boy, do they nicker when I arrive so they can get into the new field every day. I can't leave them there overnight because there is no solid perimeter fence, just electric fence. They get to graze there a few hours every day, while I paint or do farm chores.


New sky. Gorgeous colors in the sky last night!!!!

I'm going to try to ride Bear tomorrow for the first time since he came home. He's been recuperating,putting on weight, settling down.

First Day of Re-training

Ahhh the joys of a good roll. But wait! Aren't we supposed to be in re-training? And who is that in the round pen with us? Mom? It is hard enough to re-start a career in riding with out your MOM horning in on all of the fun. In fact we can't do anything with out her sneaking in beside us and you CAN"T GET RID OF HER. so, here is the embarrassing documentation of my trainer's inability to train.



We are two of a kind. She just asked us to walk...




Leapin' Lizards!





This goes on for 15 minutes until trainer decides to give up and try another day. Maybe she'll be more sucessful in keeping MOM out of the round pen.

Too much work makes Jack a dull boy

OK,so it IS harder to do a blog when you've got farmin' to do! Namely, gardening, treating horses, harvesting and canning. Don't take that too seriously, though, I got all of 4 quarts of beans canned last night. It was my first time, and it may as well have been brain surgery for all of the instructions I had to follow. It took 3 hours to do from start to finish, 15 minutes of which was fighting the canner lid twice before figuring out that it has a front and back and the lid only fits on ONE way. I'd get it half way on and couldn't get the back to go down. Think computers are the only man-made marvel to go out the window? I truly thought about it, and if it wasn't borrowed, it may have ended up on the front lawn. So, every step documented...Then, when finally done, I lift out the 5 jars and one of them has broken out the bottom of the jar, leaving 4! Bud has gently suggested I go buy my cans of produce and not worry about canning. It looks a lot better all the time.

Homecoming

Don't I know you?


Hmmm


I DO Know You! Hi Sis!

After a 20 minute ride from the Meadow Lake Equestrian Center to home, Bear was apropriately greeted by his sis and her mother, with squeals of Delight? naa, squeals of who the heck are you? and this is our territory, Buster!
The electric fence I put up for a temporary boundary lasted about one hour, and noses were together pronto. They are still squealing today, but not as much, and there are some neighs when grazing, things are settling down, thankfully. Homecoming was great, we are all glad to be together again, and Bear seems to be able to hold a slow trot long enough for me to post. His canter is getting better, too, but I don't know where I'll be able to canter around here. He still needs strengthening in his back and our hills are perfect for that. I can't wait to ride him here.

Carrie(on)

Just look at her. Innocent looking, huh? Good thing there is no smell-a-blog. Carrie has taken to running off with a very gleeful expression, as if to say, "aren't you comin? There's a picnic just over the hill!'"


Unfortunately, the picnic consists of a dead calf hide, which she is making use of, as an eu de parfum, or eu de gross. Try taking a 45 minute ride in the car with that! Still, she looks innocent in the photo. Looks are deceiving.


The sunsets have been spectacular lately, this is just a couple of the many taken this week. I haven't the time to get them all resized for posting, so enjoy the few, if you didn't get out to see them.