Nebraska Horse Trails Game Day. Decided to bring the Gelding and ride the horse that showed up. So glad we went ! How much fun to participate in games of patience, trail skills and a "little" speed thrown in. The Rescue Race was our favorite, a gorilla patient pulled on a stretcher was no match for Chief. He handled everything with a calm, steady attitude, even the cows & bonfire.

Thanks NHTC for putting on a great day !

Late November Indian Summer

This was a fun riding day, horses were up for anything I suggested and what great weather !

Saw a few geese flying, and the deer were everywhere. A buck with a full rack got our attention when he came bounding out of no-where and came straight thru the yard ! Looking forward to the Game Day and the Gelding taking it all in stride.

Beautiful Fall Day

I'll remember today's ride when it's cold & sleety out. Gorgeous weather and a smile on my face from riding Wednesday's good horse with a go-forward attitude. No spooks, no spins, just walking down the trail on a loose rein and a confidence in him that is just now showing. Visited the pear tree again and found a hold out hanging up high that I hid in my pocket. A couple deer jumped up, but it was in the underbrush of the pond, and the Gelding was too busy eating grass to notice. We worked our way down to the creek and went further than ever before. Forecast says 4 more warm days and we intend to ride ! Oh, and he found that pear !

Fall Riding Days

Nothing better than Fall Riding. All it includes, changing of the seasons, crisp colorful leaves, cool afternoons, layers of clothes, misty moist fields, pheasants jumping up, visiting the pear tree, horses getting thick hair, the dog following, trying to made each ride last longer. Memories.

Country Lane Dinosaur

Spent Saturday hauling home 3000 lbs of concrete blocks for the bird building and 60 bags of concrete. Mixed it up last night and the dog kennel is closer to being done. After coffee this morning, Scott & I unloaded the blocks and found this huge guy was sunning in the warmth and safety of the holes. He flew to the Sedum, we grow em bigger in the country !

Platte River Pelican

Safe Haven was asked to help with an American White Pelican, summering on the Platte River and unable to migrate out, due to a wing injury. After a flurry of phone calles, a concerned couple in their airboat secured him and delivery to our compound involved an evening meeting in a Meade gravel parking lot. He has taken over Chiefs stall and is eating his weight in minnows. He leaves soon in a coordinated effort with the local wildlife group to his new home in a western Nebraska Zoo.

09 Summer Winding Down

Fall is my favorite riding time, cooler weather and changing colors, migrating birds and autumn blooms. The Mare, China, has become my go-to-girl, we've had some fun times this summer. Logged 60 miles in August behind the boat in Branson, a new record ! The garden has some monster pumpkins, and making salsa with the tomatoes and hot peppers. If the snow & cold will just hold off till December I'll be happy.

The Dog is Out

Spring Has Arrived ! March 29, 2009

What a difference a couple weeks make, in the weather & in your mood ! Attended Expo 09 at the Lancaster Event Center and Ella loved the Youth Rodeo, she was so impressed with the rodeo queen & her tiara. The day after, she called me to say she wanted to come out to ride FRISCO and didn't want me to lead-line her, thank you very much !...:)

The chives, chocolate mint & rhubarb are up in the garden, and poppies, daylillies & sedum in the flower bed. The horses are shedding like crazy, the ponies holding onto their coat a little longer, hmmm, maybe they know something.

Work continues on the bird building now that it's warmer out. The cracked cement floor needs to be removed and a new one poured. We are keeping the chain saw busy taking down the stumps from last Junes storm. We are either out of firewood or drowning in it !

After a few setbacks healthwise, I am raring to go as soon as the BFLdr (a friend correctly named him !) give's me the go-ahead. The scheduled PRR at Two Rivers is a few days shy of my release, so I may have to sit it out, but I'm figuring in my head & juggling the days in hopes !

"Someday" I'll be old enough to go swimming.

I caught Chief day dreaming in this shot. He seems to be contemplating the idea of actually getting in the water. It can't be that bad, the other horses do it !

Friday the 13th delivers a winter storm on the Platte River Valley. The 2 dozen long-stemmed yellow & coral roses are helping to keep spirits up. Thanks Scott !

Heading out to shovel for the 3rd time, the horses are busy eating and I'm thinking of planting some pea's. Never to early to plant pea's !

January 31st 09 Ride - 2R

Who knew a perfect ride could be had the last day of January ? It pays, I guess to listen to the weatherman...sometimes. I arrived at Two Rivers at 12:00 with an extra coat & gloves but left them in the truck, the sun was shining and warm rays worked up a sweat on Chief in no time.

A three hour ride with 15 other adventurous horsewomen (and men) included sandy trails, water stops, road riding, slippery slopes, renegade deer and well behaved horses. Some left while others marched on towards additional trail hours. I don't keep records all that carefully, but I was one of those who stayed for the extra hour & 15....:)

A friend snapped and shared this pic with me. It looks like my gelding and I are having fun in this picture, and that was true. Hope to get more days in like this.

January 09 Deep Freeze

Chief and I braved the temps last week and walked the snowy fields. Bundling up kept me toasty and we both enjoyed the view. Now it's mid January and I miss the warm evenings of last summer when I could walk out in t-shirt and shorts to make evening rounds.

Quite a difference now ! -0 Windchills, blankets on, tank heaters working overtime and living close to the wood stove ! I keep counting down the days till Spring but it's still a 4 dog night. Hope to sneak a ride in next Monday, the BFLWM predicts 40' and that will be a heat wave !

Cold weather has me on the treadmill and reading Borders X-Mas books.

"Of Women and Horses, Essays by Horsewomen" (GaWaNi Pony Boy) is especially good, Heidenreich's "Parrot Problem Solver" and the Horsekeeping Acreage books, all good.

Scott also got me several books on horse behavior issues and how to solve problems.

'What Your Horse Wants You to Know" G. Bucklin and "Breaking Bad Habits in Horses, OverComing Faults & Vices in Both Horse & Rider, J. Bird.

At first I took a little offense at the idea of my horses having "behavior" problems, but once again Scott provided good books with insights to behavior ingrained in the horse and also better ways for me to deal with situations. And humbly I realize a horse doesn't "STAY" trained, but all through his life behaviors will emerge that I need to know how to deal with. I need to be just as much as a team member as I expect Chief & China to be.

The Ponies ??? that's a whole nuther journey.