Return to Work-Eve

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Exechorseluver

My time off work has come to pass. I have fed the horses the last two mornings on my own. However, Lauren and I moved the feeding schedule forward (something about her not wanting to feed at 4:45, I don’t know!). I have to admit that this morning’s feed was closer to 7am than 5 am.

I can walk unassisted (no cane, no crutches) but it is a staggering, shuffling walk, not one that provides much locomotion. I have walked steadily all week in preparation for my return. My drive is almost a half mile up and back. It has been cold, wet and windy. I got over 4000 steps most days, so I am getting stronger. Lauren makes me clean stalls and water, too! She is a wicked taskmaster. I wish that was true. I am so slow she does three times the work I do in the same time. We have not had many riders out this week, but it doesn’t change what work we have.

We have had multiple other things going on as well, including:

Lauren has been working on a project to open an additional boarding facility about 20 miles south of here. She and her friend Libby having been drawing up plans, working financials and talking to potential boarders. They are learning a lot about real world economics and business planning. We will see if the project advances later this week.

In the same vein as my story with OTTB Bruno, one of our boarders obtained her dream horse a couple of years ago. And just like with Bruno, their path has been a hard one. How many of us have bought THAT horse that was the most beautiful, the most talented, perfect, but not necessarily the one for us? What a lesson we learn and what a tumble our heart takes. After two years of trying to make this horse be the RIGHT one for her, the boarder decided that she wanted this horse to find a new home pronto. I got busy with my contacts. It took longer than I would have thought to find this Prince the right kingdom. In the new year, everyone is struggling with finances, space, the weather or is off to Florida for the winter season.

I think we found a perfect home with Natalie. She rides the stallion Flagmount’s Freedom, whom we plan to breed to TeeDee and Fargo come spring. The family came down from Bryan/College Station on Saturday, but before they even glanced at the new horse, they wanted to see Feather who had been born and bred on their farm. I think they were pretty pleased to see the well-built mare who has taken Lauren so far.

As they drove away, my boarder and I discussed the excitement in Natalie’s eyes as she viewed the handsome black gelding for the first time. While giving up a dream, tears at one’s heart, I know my friend will be thrilled to see Natalie in the dressage ring showing off her fine boy! Bittersweet for sure.

I also have to mention that it was with great sorrow that I saw this post on Facebook. Stephanie, the breeder of my pretty filly Betty Sue, announced the passing of the filly’s sire, Special Edition GES, a junior GOV stallion (Sempatico x Nfinity). I do not know the details of his passing but at his young age it must have been something tragic and sudden. I know Stephanie must be reeling as this fine stallion was just starting a promising career. So many hopes and dreams gone in an instant. Sending out love and prayers to Stephanie and all at Golden Edge Sporthorses.

All the Pretty Horses

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Exechorseluver

Baby Betty as the leader of the pack. (LOVE this shot)

It occurred to me yesterday when Mickey was off at a show and Feather had been moved to join the mare pasture with Kalani, Fargo and baby Betty Sue,that I had quite a diverse band of mares, at least from a color perspective. Most English horses are grey or bay with an occasional chestnut to liven things up. My grey, blue roan, Palomino and buckskin pinto look way beyond the norm.

So I set out this morning to catch some photos in the soft morning light. It is going to be about the pictures tonight and a welcome to my new boarder, Jo Ann as well.

First, Betty Sue, a little over six months old and standing 13.3 hands high. She is
“butt high” as we say when babies grow taller in the back before the front catches up.

Betty shining in the morning sun. Clearly, butt high.

What a face!

Trotting with Fargo.

Fargo becoming a beauty in her right with a little daily attention.

Pretty mare Feather, startlingly against the sunlight.

Pretty mare Feather, startling against the sunlight.

Finally my favorite girl, Kalani also a study of contrast in the morning light.

Kalani, blue roan quarter horse.

And finally some of them all.

Finally, 31-year-old OTTB Hershey joined our barn yesterday and was getting to know pasture mate Prosecco. This is exactly how OTTBs are supposed to end up, old, healthy and happy running with new friends. Thanks and welcome to Jo Ann.

Hershey meeting Prosecco for the first time.

Prosecco questions if this was a good idea.

This will be Hershey’s last home and I hope everyday is as good as today.

Thanks for riding along. Let me know which one was your favorite picture.

October is here (seems obvious, huh?)

Posted on October 7, 2014 by Exechorseluver

Photo from the inspection of Special Occasion GES (Betty Sue).

It seems that one minute ago it was summer and now we headed into October in a rush. Of course, when you live in the southseason’s don’t come with distinction and often not in sequence. We had a lovely fall like weekend with some low temperatures in the high 50’s. It was amazing. Today it is totally summer again topping out at 91 degrees. It tends to confuse my brain which grew up with distinct seasons, and my childhood memories do not include 90 degrees in October.

I headed into Wal-Mart for my weekly shopping. I wandered back to the gardening area to look for a new hose, new cushions for my outdoor furniture (the neighbor’s dog ate those as well as eating Sneaky) and some grass seed. You won’t be surprised to learn it was Christmas time in the garden center, but I was. I stood there lost. For a moment, I was completely confused. You know some of those little stores keep “special” holiday items at all times-but no, it is October and apparently time to think about the holidays.

I did find a hose and one bag of grass seed but no way was I finding patio furniture cushions. It may be 90 degrees but Snowmen have replaced lawn furniture here.

I got the news today that Amber, Ryan and my Colorado grandkids will be coming to Texas for Thanksgiving. We will actually get to spend four whole days together. It will be the first time that Ryan has been back to see our new house and farm. I cannot wait! I am happiest when the house is full and the kids are at the barn or riding in the arena. Thanksgiving day itself will include Luke’s family as well-they are pretty much our family, too!

My barn is looking like a pretty eclectic group as new ponies have moved in. Now we have three ponies (one Pony of America-Snowboy, one Welsh type-Avery and one quarter pony-Owen) along with one OTTB-TeeDee, one Irish Sport Horse-Feather, one paint-Mickey, two quarter horses-Cody and Kalani and one German warmblood-Prosecco. Betty Sue, hopefully arriving in the next couple weeks, will up the German warmblood count, but still what a conglomeration of horse (and pony) flesh. Maybe one day soon we will get everyone out for a group picture.

Lauren and I are both riding again which is nice. She is riding Feather and many of the others. I am getting my old Lauren back. She jumped Mickey around last night and remarked, “he doesn’t scare me any more”. Well, he used to, but with Feather jumping so much higher now, Mickey looks (and feels) tame by comparison. I guess if this whole Feather and Betty Sue jumping thing doesn’t work for Lauren, she can go back and spend several more wonderful years riding Mickey in the Greater Houston shows.

Jordyn, also riding Mickey, just trots away in the arena, often on her own for hours at a time (don’t worry, I am keeping my eyes on her at all times). I suspect a canter is coming soon. I am happy to see her confident and thrilled to be riding. She and Kendyll come to visit several days a week. Two year old, Kendyll, wakes up asking her momma if they are going to granny’s to clean poopoo today. Wow, the key to your grandchild’s heart, horses (and their excretions).

Jordyn showing Kendyll how to jump off the slide.

No Fear Kendyll doing exactly what her sister says.

And they scramble back up!

The horses have been enjoying long days in the pasture and my boarders are all pretty good amateur photographers. The horses all have fly masks on to keep pesky bugs away from their eyes. These pictures are by Mia Kuchner.

OTTB TeeDee out for a stroll with QH Kalani-gotta love those quarter horse butts!

Feather and Mickey grooming one another-#Lovetermloveaffair

Feather and Mickey grooming one another-#Longtermloveaffair

Signing off for today-thanks for riding along.

The end-Feather, Kalani and TeeDee. Is Kalani the tallest?

Finally Fall

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Exechorseluver

The dawn’s early light on a much cooler morn Photo by Kristie Nichols.

The last few days have ushered in new cooler temperatures in the pre-dawn hours where I do not come in from feeding the animals sweat drenched. Today, I could even get dressed for work, go back to the barn, get horses out and not smell like I had hung out all night in the boy’s locker room. I feel this is an improvement not only for me personally, but for the my work colleagues. However, it may be a little too late as my cubicle at work has abandoned.

My desk-the messy one and then my co-workers-GONE.

Anyway, I am sure if they return they will be happy the weather is cooler and I smell better. Life continues at the farm. Pecans are falling in record amounts as this year has been one of the best pecan season’s in years. They are good-sized and I have many pecan trees. Please let me know if you want to come pick some for your very own.

Lauren is back on Feather although full use of her hand and arm has not been restored. She is working with a neurosurgeon to create a path forward that hopefully does not include further surgery. The riding on the flat is going pretty well although she has found it is way harder to get back in condition to ride than it is to stay in condition to ride. Her entire body is weakened from weeks of inactivity. Yesterday was her first full lesson back on Feather. After working leg yields and long posting trots, it wasn’t just her hand and arm that was complaining today!

Lauren back on Feather and she actually did some low jumps.

Dev continued his work with my mare Kalani. Snowboy did not even gaze up as the two worked around the arena. He was pretty busy with the new green grass brought on by the early fall rains.

Dev and Kalani with Snowboy grazing on the hill

I am still working to conclude the details of my mother’s life. I have a few jewelry boxes filled pink necklaces and trendy bracelets. I want to consolidate the stuff the girls or I may ever use and get rid of the rest. I still find myself leaving work headed in the direction of her place. Habits die-hard and I miss her dearly.

Ally and her kids have been horribly sick with ear infections, fever and vomiting. Ally actually has an ear infection as well and is totally miserable. I suspect the drugs will start kicking in today but sometimes I think we need a little reminder what our children go through. At this point, Ally wouldn’t wish an ear infection on her worst enemy. Hope it is better soon.

The days are getting shorter, dark is coming sooner. We are settling into new routines and looking forward to the fall shows. This maybe the first fall since 2004 that Lauren will not be riding boldly into the ring. But when she is ready, I will be there to support her.

That’s all folks! Photo by Mia Kuchner

A Bright Spot

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Exechorseluver

My first time to see and touch my new filly. A big smile in the midst of some dark days.

It has been a rough couple of weeks, starting off with Lauren’s horrific broken arm, then days of death watch with my mom, to putting her in the ground next to my father and sister today.

By far the high point in our trip to Denver, in addition to being able to hug and share stories with those I love, was the chance to see my already purchased, but never seen filly, Betty Sue.

I had hoped to get out to Denver this summer to meet the now four-month old Warmblood filly but with my mom so sick, I didn’t dare travel. But with coming to Denver for her burial there was no reason not to sneak a trip in to meet and finally run my hands along the golden, painted coat of my newest horse. She will not come to Texas until late October after she is weaned and RPSI inspected.

A quick request to Stephanie landed Lauren, my oldest friend on earth, Camille and two of my grandchildren, Riley and Jordyn, at RoanOake Farm in Longmont, Colorado.

I am not sure who was more excited out of all of us but can assure you that nothing about the filly disappointed me and her sweet disposition gave me back some faith in a world that had gone a little dark for me.

Lauren who has felt nothing but pain physically and emotionally at the death of her grandma, brightened up extensively as well. The grand kids easily walked about with baby Betty Sue and Riley even got to pet her large stallion grandpa.

Probably the best news was that Betty Sue’s maternal grand sire was quite a jumper back in Germany. We hope she carries a lot of those genes!

Fun turns to Fractures

Posted on July 27, 2014 by Exechorseluver

Continuing onto our weekend, the girls decided to up the fun factor at the farm. Our pasture heads down into the woods and ends in a lovely park like area. As we have walked the dogs each evening we have talked about how fun it would be to add some simple little log jumps. We have looked enviously at the fallen logs in the pasture next to us.

Yesterday afternoon, Lauren and her friends decided to create their own little cross country course in the park. To the extent possible with the talents of three young girls, old granny and six miscellaneous pooches we dragged logs, bushes and other objects to make a series of small jumps.

The girls went and got Snow, Mickey and Feather and started jumping the course, adding a jump at a time. One of us, got the brilliant idea to see if we could tandem jump the widest log. It might have been me with that idea, but either way I went along with it, snapping away furiously on my camera to create the most awesome photo.

Its all fun and games until someone has to wear a cast on their arm.

I think everyone was about ready to go in then. But everyone wanted to try one last jump. All the horses had been jumping easily and well. Mickey, perhaps, was a little hyped up. He had been serving as Jordyn’s walk trot pony and was pretty excited to be back jumping, turning and racing along. But both Snow and Feather were doing their usual style of jumping. That meant Snow was jumping just enough to safely clear the obstacle while Feather was being an over-achiever, soaring to new heights over one foot high logs.

Lauren’s last jump was like all the others except perhaps Feather flew a little higher and landed a little harder. Jumping a log my Yorkie could have scrambled over, in a fashion meant for Olympics jump off rounds, Feather went high and then smashed to the ground causing Lauren to smack down hard on the mare’s back. Somewhere in her past, I feel a lion jumped on Feather’s back, bringing back that instinctual but usually well buried, fight or flight response. A while back when Jordyn landed hard on Feather’s back she bolted forward much like last night. When she bolted forward, Lauren was already spiraling to the ground like perfect football toss.

Immediately, Laure wailed in pain. “Call 911, my arm is broken!” She cried. Okay, honestly, Lauren has a lot of falls, we all do. Most are much better moments later. Not this time. Then I spotted the weird alignment of Lauren’s forearm. I knew it was broken and was dislocated.

Things happened quickly here, Keith brought the truck down and we got the cussing, screaming Lauren up in the seat. I almost forgot I had my granddaughter, Jo, with me until I was reminded coming out of the drive (I know, bad granny!).

Having moved we were at a Houston area ER and they did an adequate job of getting X-rays and managing pain meds. When surgery became the obvious next step, I tried to get any of the orthopedic guys we had used in the past (and that is a pretty long list). None of them were either in town or taking this case.

The ER doc let me know me who was on-call for their hospital. I had known that doctor for a long time, had credentialed him as part of my job at the time and did not think he would serve as a good surgeon in this complicated case. The ER doc made many calls and finally Methodist hospital agreed to take Lauren and her badly broken arm. She was transferred by ambulance near midnight.

This morning Lauren went into surgery to correct a fracture and dislocation of both the ulna and the radius bones in her forearm. The fractures were open and protruding from her skin. Lauren has been in much pain and had moments of sleep over the last 36 hours. The doctor says no riding for three months.

I appreciate greatly all your prayers, offers of help, messages to my family and just your love and support. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as the next few days hopefully brings some pain relief and no infections to battle.

Jordyn Leases Mickey

Posted on July 11, 2014 by Exechorseluver

Jordyn taking a ride after she announced she wanted to lease Mickey.

My grandchildren are all smart, of course they are, they are my grandchildren. Each of them possesses some unique traits, is clever and intelligent. Jordyn as the oldest has been called smart the longest, Riley and Lexi clearly are as well and little Kendyll is definitely hearing it a lot these days.

Based on that, it didn’t take Jordyn long, hanging out at Granny’s farm and around the new riders there to figure out something was new wit the horses. Both riders, Isabel and Mia, lease their horses, they do not own them. In a situation much like a long-term rental agreement, people with a horse they are not currently riding or using, look for a rider with the right skills, to lease the horse for a period of time. I know long-time riders who have never owned a horse. When the lease ends, they re-new it or walk away, none of that pesky have to sell the horse problem.

Likewise, leasing offers a specific type of horse to do exactly what level of riding is desired at that point in time. Mostly, horses do one or two things well. People, especially children, increase their knowledge, skills and abilities. Easier to lease horses with varying abilities than have one unable to do what you want or try to buy and sell the right one at the right time.

Anyway, Jordyn figured out these two riders were leasing their horses and learning to ride. Jordyn has been stymied with the horse riding process. All of us, Lauren, Jordyn’s parents and myself, have alternately encouraged her and admonished her and her riding abilities (or lack thereof). It had gotten to the point she didn’t want to ride at all (which was sad indeed).

Jordyn figured out in her head that if you lease a horse the following happens:

you get to ride a lot and no one yells at you
you get to hang out with the other girls at the barn on horseback
you get to take lessons with Uncle Dev (who has never told you that you must trot)
it must be better than buying a horse because all the girls are doing it

The other night, Lauren was going out to ride Feather. Jordyn, as always prepared to ride, dressed in her pink breeches, Zoc socks, and paddock boots, even though it was over 90 degrees in the dark of night during summer in Texas, asked if she could ride Mickey. I helped her saddle up. Then she asked if Lauren would help her put a hair-net on and put her hair up in her helmet (that was when I knew she was seriously mimicking the older riders).

As we walked to arena, she announced to Lauren and I that she wanted to lease Mickey. I caught Lauren’s eye and silently begged her not to laugh. Jordyn was dead serious. Of course, the idea makes no sense in our situation. We own Mickey. Jordyn is family. We are not going to make her pay a lease payment for the use of our family horse.

But, Jordyn had thought it all out. She would talk to her parents and they would help her work out a way to pay the monthly amount. Then she told us that if she leased Mickey she could ride all the time with the girls and just get used to being in the saddle (with no pressure was left unsaid). She could take some lessons with Dev and get better at riding. Then she could start doing shows.

Lauren and I jumped on the ‘lease Mickey bandwagon’ quickly. We agreed it was a great plan and would have a good outcome. Jordyn insisted we print out the lease agreement so that she could sign it. She had a good ride with Lauren and Feather. Instead of working on lesson things, I did “Simon Says” and some “Red Light, Green Light” to help her develop skills without stress. I have to say Mickey was an all-star.

That night Lauren dropped Jo off at home and Jordyn immediately went in to tell her mom that they needed $1500 a month (not the real price-not sure where this number came from) to lease Mickey. Ally choked back a gag and inquired as to why they would lease Mickey. Jordyn sold her plan again.

Mickey is now officially being leased by Jordyn. I know many of you wanted him in your own programs but really, family does come first. Since this night when her lease plan was hatched, Jordyn has ridden every day (still wearing the pink breeches-Ally must wash them every night). We have gone down the driveway and down the road. She has ridden with the older kids. She has trotted Mickey on her own. She is working up to her first official lesson.

Kids, especially high achieving kids, have so many demands on them. It is difficult to meet the expectations of parents, grandparents and teachers. Jordyn found her own way to make sense out of the horse world. She saw happy kids riding fun horses and thought she could do what they did. In Jordyn’s brain leasing is a non-stressful approach to riding and I am so happy she initiated it and we took it seriously!

Off the track to Six Meadow Farm

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Exechorseluver

OTTB TryDelta, just barely three years old came home today off the track forever.

Showing that thoroughbred speed as she easily out runs the white pony.

In an absolute contrast to her A. P. Indy cousin, Bruno, TryDelta, by A.P. Delta, out of Native Penny by Saxton, is petite, refined and race track lean. Barely three years old, she has not finished growing or filling out. She might be 900 pounds after a particularly large meal and stands about 16 hands. Bruno is almost double her weight at 1650 pounds and sticks at 17.2 and some hands high. Bruno sports lots of white “chrome” as we call it and this mare does not have a spot of white.

Moving pretty cute for the first time in a pasture in months.

So how in the world when I have every stall accounted for and finally had given up on the whole let’s breed a mare to Feather’s sire Flagmount’s Freedom, did this new A.P. Indy mare show up here?

Well, let’s back up a bit for those of you who maybe don’t manage to catch every word of “Exechorseluver”. Feather, a Flagmount Freedom mare had been sent to my friends in Florida. She was young, apparently had some major trust and training issues and wasn’t near the size her half sibling, Prince had been. She was in fact a disappointment to this solid eventing group. She was offered on Facebook for a very reasonable price. I jumped at the chance to pick her up, hoping some part of the Flagmount jump, determination and personality lived within her.

Watching her unload with a group of top-notch horses from Irish Day Farm and the Bruheim’s Nordic Lights Farm was a little like watching you country cousin come off a bus in bustling New York. All the parts were the same but Feather was not looking very special.

Dr. Lynn Criner has cared for her since the first days. She has followed my stories about Feather’s rise in jumping, higher and higher, as she keeps accomplishing more. And even a quick look at Flagmount’s Freedom Facebook page, will show you various youngsters he has sired. What do they have in common? Boy, can they jump.

But Lynn had never seen Feather actually compete. The slightly neurotic and often frightened mare, becomes super mare when she heads in the jumper ring. She jumps anything and everything and only stops in Lauren makes a mistake. I guess it impressed Lynn. Saturday at the show we talked a lot about a mare to breed to Flag as he is getting older and time (for this year anyway) is getting short. And, yes, I do remember clearly in the post on Betty Sue that I swore off mare hunting and breeding.

But then things changed. We had a friend who volunteered her warmblood mare for breeding services. We were excited about this. Seemed perfect! The next day, they backed out saying they didn’t want to risk the mare in childbirth. I get it-but I had already contacted the Flag people saying we were ready to breed.

Unbeknownst to me, Lynn had contacted the trainer of the A.P. Indy mare to see if she was still available. On Father’s day, Lynn suggested to her husband, an avid pilot, that they fly to San Antonio. It couldn’t have been greater! Her husband got to fly and they went off to the track to see the mare. Lynn didn’t mention she was a vet. Why complicate things.

Just as I was contacting Lynn to tell her we lost the services of our friend’s mare, she was reaching out to me, to sing the praises of TryDelta, soon to be an OTTB. Dr. Marden, owner of Flag (the sire) told us to find a smaller, refined thoroughbred to offset the Irish bulk that comes with Flag babies. We love Bruno and his A.P. Indy lines and we couldn’t have drawn a more perfect match to what Dr. Marden requested.

Sometimes things just happen and you trip along stupidly until you see the solution that has been under your nose for some time. Lynn loved the way the mare moved, she is exceptionally thin and just barely three years old. She will grow some. It felt exceptionally good to take her away from the track and head her home to my meadows of green. Another rescue gone right!

Yesterday in the trip from hell, (which I will write about later when time soothes some wounds) we drove the trailer down and picked up the little mare. Essentially for many months now, she has stood in her stall except when out to exercise or race. She seemed to know instinctively that we were there to save her. The trainer warned us she didn’t like people much, but she dropped her head into Lynn’s arms as we arrived. I took her halter and she slowly licked my hand. Sweetest mare ever. I swear they know.

She loaded easily and quietly into the trailer. We headed home. After dinner I took her out to graze and learn about the pasture. She could not have been happier about the beautiful green grass-it was gold to her.

I started her out this morning in a paddock on her own, afraid she would run a lot and be a little silly. But she quietly inspected things and talked with cousin Bruno over the fence. She and Bruno bonded over the fence and later I moved him in the pasture with her. They were inseparable the rest of the day.

Jordyn’s cousin is here for the summer and she just met her for the first time. But as time has passed, they have found many like traits, similar expressions and hair spun the same golden brown. It was much like that with Bruno and TeeDee today. They are absolutely the same color. TeeDee is missing her cousin’s white chrome but is just seems elegant-like she has on a simple black dress.

We will try to breed her this season if we can. Hopefully, next year at this time an A.P. Indy/Flagmount Freedom baby will be making their way out into the world. What a horse that will be!

As always, thanks for riding along!!

A working Farm

Posted on June 15, 2014 by Exechorseluver

Lauren, Kona and Feather riding the endless meadows of Wharton.

We named our little six acre farm in Wharton, Six Meadow Farm. At the time we had six horses, five of our own and one boarder. We had six dogs and we looked out upon our six acres of land as it blended into the acres and acres of farm land beyond us.

Bruno running free.

At new Six Meadow Farm, we actually own five acres, but are leasing three more. The pastures are park like with giant Pecan trees shading our days. The catch pen is actually Bermuda grass and I am working to get looking like the finest hole of a golf course. The flowers we planted just 60 days ago are maturing. There is none of the feel of open land that we had at our last SMF. But it is magical to me as the pastures roll like rivers amongst the trees, from the top pasture to the very bottom, where when it is wet, a little creek flows. Also, it is common now to see deer in the cool of the shaded evening in the protected bottom pasture.

This new place is infinitely more work. Maybe because of the boarders, the leasers or Dev bringing his lesson folks here it is like we never stop working. Plus our tremendous contractors have yet to finish all the work we have asked them to do, probably because, each day we have a new brilliant idea.

Kona and Kendyll in front of the newly made feed room door.

This new side of the barn (we have fit more into a 1550 sq. foot barn than I thought possible) will include two new stalls. One for Mickey and one for Betty Sue when she arrives. They will have their own entrance with a cool Eastern exposure. That should be finished this week.

We had a show yesterday in Katy. Lauren’s division didn’t make so she rode against the girls in the division below hers. Remember this is a timed event. Lauren had to jump the same courses as the girls before her only jump six inches higher. I would call that a little bit of a handicap. But Feather was on and they attacked the courses. They earned two second place ribbons with times just a fraction off the winning horse, but oh, yea, she had to jump higher. My friend and vet, Lynn Criner was there. She hadn’t seen the Flag horse jump before. By the end of the evening we had settled on a mare to breed Flagmount to. So, we will have a baby next year. How exciting!

Jordyn and Kona sharing the shade with Feather and the boys.

Although it was Father’s Day, Luke was shredding pastures most of the day. Ally weed eated and mowed the people places. Lauren and I readied the new stalls and re-did the existing ones with an entire pallet of shavings. I mowed (with the old push mower) around flowers, troughs and construction spots.

I am feeling it deeply in my hip. I won’t be able to hold off this hip replacement much longer. It has been ten years since the first one was done, and both needed surgery then. Maybe over the holidays! Huh, maybe.

Jordyn and Kendyll had good rides on Mickey. Jordyn trotted away and Kendyll refused to take off her helmet the rest of the day.

Bruno watching the lessons!

Oh, Kendyll!

Betty Sue

Posted on June 8, 2014 by Exechorseluver

There are those things in your life that you just do. Something comes over you or you just spot something across the room (or pasture as the case may be) and that moment is pivotal in your life. My first horse that was my very own was golden buckskin (for you non-horse people that is a horse with the gold color of a palomino but with a black mane and tail). I named him Brandy and he was the thing I loved most for many, many years.

I was just scrolling away one evening and spotted this foal. I have been obsessed with finding a horse for me since Kid’s last days. Since our jump back into the horse business in 2003 with purchase of Kid and Mickey from the rescue, I have ridden Kid. As he got older and less able to do all the things I wanted I have settled with riding whomever needed to be worked. I broke our mare Mariah but she was to be Lauren’s horse. I have ridden ponies which we went on to sell and spent a lot of time riding Snow and Mick.

I have been looking for sometime for a mare so I could breed it to Feather’s sire. Not a one of them seemed right. Then I glimpsed this days old filly and knew immediately this was what I had waited over ten years to find.

Special Occasion GES, just a few days old here.

This filly is by an Oldenburg stallion out of a Czech Warmblood mare. I don’t think she could be more perfect. I get my buckskin coloring, Ally gets her paint markings and Lauren gets a horse breed for movement, athletic ability and jumping prowess ( assuming I ever let Lauren ride her).

Showing how she floats along.

The baby is in my home state of Colorado and will not be ready to go until October. We are still trying to figure out exactly how that will work. If I trailer her home you can bet on snow storms, road closures due to ice, a tropical storm or a broken down truck. Might be better to find someone to go get her.

Trying to bend those little knees to get to the fresh spring grass.

Here is a video of her and I think she is darling!

We are adding a stall to our barn so it will be ready when she comes. Her registered name will be Special Occasion GES. She was born on April 1st, which is same birthday as the girl’s other grandma. Her barn name will be Betty Sue after both grandma Betty and my sister Betty. With my new place, my beautiful foal and my happy family, I will certainly have all I have ever wanted.

Sorry for all the gushing but I am SO excited.

Thanks for riding along, you can bet you will be seeing lots of pictures of lil’ Betty Sue.

Exechorseluver

The life and times of modern day horse woman

Category Archives: Horses