Juggling cats?

So  since  the clinic  wrapped up , I have  been  a bit  busy, we  had  a few  things to get  done around  here on  the weekend, then out  for  dinner  Saturday  night  with Martin,  Marc and Heather, and  friends  Deb and Brian , for a  late  celebration of  Martin's birthday . Sunday  went into  town to help Heather  with a  few things, then  Martin picked  me up and  we  went to visit  his  dad at the  long  term  care  center. Finally  attended a Colt  starting  demo with Dan  James  of  Double  Dan  horsemanship (the  fellow  who   ran  the  clinic  I attended . It  was a pretty impressive show, worked the colt who was halter broke and essentially unhandled beyond that. Nice quiet sensible approach overall, with the best interest of the horse foremost .

 He  finished in  style  with  some  fancy work, Aussie  style 

Cracking  his  whips. 

The  colt  took it all very  well, I commented on  the  way home  he  could  have juggled cats at that point and  the colt would  have  stood.

And  juggling cats is  what  I  felt like I was doing  today! 

Up  and  did  what few  chores  we  have these  days  then into  town to sign the  final  paperwork on my  new  purchase  at Martin  farm  Equipment (west  end of  Edmonton, then north to Morinville  for a  dental appt  for Martin , then  back to West  Edmonton(grabbing lunch on  the  way) for  Martin  to  stop and see his dad, I ran over to see  my mom and  dad. The  back  across  town to the  bus station (north East  side  ) with about a minute to spare  for  Martin to  get on the  bust  to head  back to work! But  we made it . I  then  grabbed a  few  groceries  on my  way home and made it here in time  to visit the ponies, and  feed  before  my new  toy  arrived! 

A nice  new  gator (way  easier  on my shoulder than  the  quad  for  hauling salt ,hay, etc! )

A few   discussions  on  who  was  calling  "shotgun" 

So  as   you see it  was a  pretty  busy  Monday,  but there is  always  time to spend with the  little  ones ! 

Stay  safe  everyone , and  have a  great week!

A little bit different

I have  not  posted any poems in some  time, and this  one is  not  really horse related, but here it  is,

For  those  who  suffer pain, emotional and or physical;

 On a  good day I can do anything

Just like I could before

On other days I try and fail,

As pain begins to soar

It comes and goes, from time to time

For no rhyme or any reason

Not from overwork or stress,

The weather or the season

Not from something I have done wrong

I did not rest too little

 Or too long

Day to day I walk a line

But if you ask me, I am just fine

Because I am overall,

The pain is a part of me that’s small

It does not change my heart or mind

It is simply not how I am defined

I am not alone, nor first to feel

This pain that is so very real

Judgement comes now and again

From those who cannot see

What is going on inside or

 How those words hurt me

Yet on a good day I can do anything

Just like I could before…

Stay  safe, and  be kind

We did it, and we actually did it pretty well

So  I am home  form the Double  Dan  Horsemanship  clinic (Ground  control 101) 

I quite  enjoyed  myself, met some great  folks and visited  with a friend , Linda ,of Starmryi Appaloosas  Who kindly ,not only agreed to take  the following photos  for me , but also "horse  sat " Cat so I could go  home and sleep in  my own  bed, AND  invited  me to join her and a  friend  for  lunch! The  horse industry is full of good  folks, great ones and well the not so  good. Linda? she is a one of the great ones. I also  have to give a  nod to the gentleman  parked beside , Steve, he and  Rosie (his  lovely  little welsh  mare  were  great  company, and he  stayed  with a  couple others  the first evening to help set up panels  for  Cats  pen. So nice for my  first  foray  back into clinics  after so  long  away to have  such a great group around .

The  clinic itself was  very interesting, Dan  James is a  pleasant and personable  fellow , with a great  base of knowledge and a  practical  approach.This  clinic  seems geared  mostly  towards creating  softness and  responsiveness  in hand  to progress towards softness and  responsiveness in  the  next levels , whether  that be under  saddle or at liberty . He  broke each exercise down  to simple and  sensible  parts to gradually  build  towards the end  result. I  was a  little  concerned that because  Cat had been  mostly untouched this  spring  she  might  bring out her well ,less than  soft  side (hence the  nick name  Whoa  Dammit) But  I was  pleasantly  surprised! She  was a  little  worried  the first part of the  day on Thursday but she  was  listening and  soft, not challenging the  lead  or  pressure. As the time  went on she  continued to be  a  good  girl living  up to her  actual name  (FV Catch  A Dream! ) 

It was  a long  couple of  days, and my back  does not  love me  right  now, but it was so  worth it ! 

Even  without  the  knowledge  gained , I got  to spend  2 whole  days  with my horse, doing  fun  stuff and enjoying  her company as well as  the  company  of  some  great people!!!

I call that a WIN! 

 A little  bonding time  over  lunch

 We  finished  the clinic  by  putting our skills to work  going  through and over a  few obstacles 

 Side  passing  over a rail 

 crossing over a tarp and  rails 

 And finally   our  little  jump , one  way  we   jumped  down off the  bank, then back and  jumped up . 

If nothing  else , Cat and I could  rock an "in  hand "  trail  class! 

Anyhow, I am, as I said  glad I went,I may have  more to say about it , but as  CutnJump  said  in  the comments on  the last post. I am  tired and have a  lot of info to sort through .

Have a  great weekend , and as always , stay  safe!  

Wish me luck

Wish me luck! the trailer is hooked on, and packed. Crawling into bed for an early start for the Dan James Clinic . All I have to do in the morning is catch Little Miss "whoa Dammit" and find the place !
Unfortunatley  with  all that  has  been going  on  this spring , I have  not had  much really  any time  with  Cat,I did  finally  brijng  her in  yesterday for a  little while.And I honestly  considered  cancelling  on this  clinic. Biut it is a  ground  handling clinic, and if I cannot  handle a  horse on a  lead... well I better rethink my game plan here. So  we  are  going,a little country  bumpkin ish (Cat  could  stand  to be  more  fit and  needs a  trim) but then  so do I . But  going all the same . 
Wouldnt be  the  first time I showed up at an  event a  little out of  the  crowd, and it likely  wont be  the last. I survived having  the only Appy at a few  clinics in  the past and one  particularly  memorable  horse  show (right  smack in the middle  of  Paint and  Quarter horse  central. Where Chips  walked away with Reserve  Champion )
And  I havent  always  had  the  fanciest  truck  trailer  unit, or the "in  vogue"  clothes . But I have  always had  a  horse, and pretty often a fairly  good one, so as I said  wish me luck! 
There is a  saying I  like that  goes
"you  can  try  and  fail, just  don't  fail  to try"
See you  soon and  as  always my  friends,stay  safe! 

The pics without the photo bomber!

took  these  while out and  about yesterday,you  saw  the  photo bomber  in my last post,  now here  are  the rest

 Stay  safe folks

Blog awards

Thank you very  much Kalin, and  American  Girl,  for  the  gift  of the

Liebster  Award  

"Liebster" is a German word meaning "beloved" and "valued,"

Rules:

• Thank the person who nominated you
• List eleven random facts about yourself
• Answer the eleven questions given to by the person who nominated you
• Post eleven  questions  for  your  nominees

Well I  have  been  blogging for  quite  some  time, and I have  shared a  lot
 about me  over t he  years  so its  hard to say if I have  eleven random  facts
 yet to share , so I  may  default  here for  now  but  reserve the  right to come
 back...And since I am  answering  two  awards, maybe  that counts?

The  questions  asked  by  Kalin  are these

Favorite horse breed? um  well Appaloosa
What would be your dream horse? (Include personality, color, breed, all
 of that)Tough  question, many horses I have  known might not have been
  my  dream horse to start, but they are in  my  dreams  forever for who 
they each were 
Favorite movie?The  Last of  the Mohicans 
What do you hope for-horse related-for the next few years? what I am  doing,
  raising  quality  horses 
Private or public barn?Home farm 
Do you board your horse?no
Lease or own?own
Biggest pet peeve in your barn, show ring, or just horse related in general?
The  sad  lack  of common  sense  that can  be seen in the world at large,
 including the  horse industry, carelessness, leads  to accidents

Western or English? western, I have ridden  English  and  enjoyed it but 

still like the old  standby 

Favorite piece of tack you own? (Feel free to post a picture as well)
Custom Les Ertman  saddle

(a  good  friend and a  wonderful  craftsman  and he  made it  for me 
Last one!! Bit or no bit? Whatever  works  best  for the individual  horse 
American Girl, asks ;

What is reaction if you run into a bear in the woods, far away from any 
civilization(imagine you're within ten feet of him and he starts coming at you). 
I am  46(random  fact) and  overweight , I am 
 thinking  run or  have a  heart  attack or both LOL

What would you rather do: Spend time with your horse or go to a party?
Why?
, again  age is a  factor
  now, but always I  preferred to spend  time  with my  horses,
 and when it  goes  well, it  is a party itself! 

 You go to a theme park and take a kid with you. He/ She begs
 to go on a ride involving putting people
 in a giant ball and dropping them from fifty feet
( its on a cord, of course, so its like bungee jumping
, except your in a ball). Would you go on it or not?NO

 If you could have any super power, what would it be and why?

 If you could have a conversation with any famous person(rock star
, movie star, sports star,
 et cetera) who would it be? Why?Johnny Depp.why? why  not ?

 If you could live another person's life for one day(lets say everyone 
treats you like that person
 and you live where he/she lives), who would you choose and why?
No  one, I like  my  life  just  fine 

 What would be your reaction if you were abducted by aliens?
Surprise

 If you could travel back in time, what time period would you travel to? 
Why?
Saturday, I would  move  the board  I tripped over and  wrecked my  good 
jeans 

9 If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be and why?
I would  remove hate

If you could have career in the world, what would it be and why?
Lottery  winner , again,  why  not?

Alright  that  was interesting ( for me  at least ) bu here is where I am  going to
 be a  bit  of  a renegade again. I am awarding this  to all and  any who  chose
  to take it , and  you are all  special and beloved to me .
 As  for the  rules; wing it, these  gals both posed  so me 
 good  questions, I think it  would  be  fine to answer them ! 

in  the meanwhile stay safe everyone, and I leave  you with  this
  picture of   our  resident  photo bomber!

Because I can

Fern  Valley   proudly  welcomes  our  final  foal of  the  season.

Oakley's  Arctic  Heather

This  foal  is  owned  by Deb  of  Never  too  old , but  she lives here and I get to take pics  too! 

Going to  enjoy  watching  the  little Peanut  grow  with  the  rest of  my  beautiful  babies!
Stay  safe  everyone

Contest # 4 is complete

Head  on over  to Never too Old to see  who  won! I would  say Deb(the owner of  the  new)  baby won for  sure , and I  am hanging my head in shame, well I need  to listen  to my instincts, and thank  my sister  and  my lucky  stars  for  avoiding  what  could  certainly  have  been  an unmitigated  disaster.

Picture this

Just pictures  for now, been  stinkin' hot and busy  lately. falling behind posting and  reading , but I will catch up!Meanwhile...

Do  you  find  my  smile endearing? as  cute as  all the babies???

no? oh  well here  they  are 

 Now that  the  cute  overload is  complete,  

 the  boys  want to say  hello

and  see  you  soon.

And , as always,

stay  safe!