Sunday, February 28, 2010
Home, Home on the Range
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Chaos, but in a good way!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Another Feather in his Cap
Another solid, but big, beautiful filly!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Cop-Out
So, without further ado, here are your gratuitous Sophie pictures of the day:
I always thought she looked a little preppy in this sweater. Perhaps even a little studious. Proof positive that looks can be deceiving!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Goals
In other words, I've got to get my butt into gear!
So, just in case any of my readers are interested, I'm going to shamelessly put on my salesman hat and give ya the schpiel! If you see anything you're interested in, give me a shout! (And I promise that the sales posts will be few and far between).
First up, I need to sell this barrel saddle. I've found a show saddle suitable for open shows, so this must go. 15" Corriente Trophy Barrel Saddle, roughout seat and fenders, custom stirrups and brand new backcinch. I'm being absolutely honest when I say if it wasn't for my big butt this saddle would be going absolutely no where. I'm very impressed with the quality of this Corriente saddle and would definitely consider owning another (one that fit, anyway). This saddle would be perfect for training with its deep seat and roughout fenders. Asking $550 obo, will take paypal and consider trade for a 16" work saddle of equal quality.
Second (and third and fourth) I need to sell some horses. With Eddie being home and starting Paula under saddle, I just don't have the time OR money to promote everyone as much as I'd like. All horses are easy to catch and work with, load into a trailer, stand tied forever (regular or cross-ties), stand great for the farrier, clip, bathe, used to being blanketed, UTD on all care, and will be used to the vacuum by sale time. I will trade one of these horses for the right broodmare or broodmare prospect, but can only trade one. I can only train one foal at a time (I will never have 5 yearlings again!).
I've selected Dakota to put on the sales list simply because she doesn't fit into my double-registry breeding program and she's also Eddie's foal, so I obviously can't breed her to him (well, I technically could, but SO not a good idea!!). You may recall that Dakota had some epiphisitis issues but they've cleared up so well that if I hadn't mentioned them no one would ever have known. She's sound, healthy, and ready to start a career! She's also about the sweetest horse EVER, which is why it's so hard to sell her. Asking only $1000 obo.
She makes me so happy with her adorableness.
Is that a word, "adorableness?" Well, if not, it should be one. Just for Dakota.
Then I've decided just over the last couple of days to put Laramie up for sale. I've been really tore as she's really going to be a great show horse. She fits up so easily for halter yet she has good enough movement to show under saddle as well. She really is the whole enchilada. The reason I have decided to sell her is that she was my one broodmare prospect to cross with Eddie and her test came back OLWS positive and so is Eddie, so it's a no-go. I just can't properly take care of a large number of horses at the level that I like to, so Laramie needs to go to make room for a filly that I can show AND eventually breed to Eddie. Asking $1500 since she's in pasture shape--definitely not a reflection of her worth!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Dogs
Saturday, February 20, 2010
The Horse's Last Laugh
Friday, February 19, 2010
Evolution
Even more so when it pertains to personal growth!
I've been asked by friends in the past if I could put together ads for them. I sheepishly admit I don't have the talent or skill to complete such a task. Over the years I've made some attempts. Warning: don't drink anything when you scroll down for the first one. You've been warned.
I cannot be held responsible for any damaged keyboards resulting from Dr Pepper spewing from your nostrils.
Swallow your drink...now scroll down.
This is Bear, a colt I purchased as a weanling a few years ago. This was also a very sad attempt at altering a photograph for purposes of promoting a horse.
It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic. Did I think horses really floated in space with a weird radioactive glow to them? I really have no idea what I was thinking....
A few years later I managed this:
Well, better.... Not great, but better. At least Eddie doesn't glow in the dark or look like he's been cut out by a kindergarden class with safty scissors and pasted onto a background. Still leaves much to be desired, though.
Which leads me into this evening. I've stayed up entirely way too late working on this one, but once I got started, I couldn't stop!
In case you're wondering--yes, I did shamelessly steal the layout.
Edward / Eddie--get it?
I know, I know. I plead an insanity defense: it's well past my bedtime.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Dogs are Gross
Yes, that's a dead mole she's having a blast with. Ewwwwwwwww....
Let's just say an evening bathtime for Sophie just became mandatory.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Shave and a hair cut....two bits!
They all looked at me longingly. Oh please, ma--pay some attention to us! We look so forgotten with our wooliness!
Unfortunately today was a work day, though. I have to feed the monkeys, so I didn't get outside until late in the afternoon. Eddie was first up for his shave and a hair cut...or hoof trim!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
The Mighty and the Fabulous
Now for the fabulous: Benz (aka Lookin Fabulous Inabenz) is up for sale again, through absolutely no fault of his own. This 2008 Sorrel Overo Colt is by Eddie and out of a HYPP N/N granddaughter of Impressive. He was sold but the new owner just couldn't keep him, so he's back with my friend Sandra. She has too many prospects so Benz is in need of a good home.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Art and the Gray Horse
I loved her mother, too. She was gray. I miss her.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Happy S.A.D.
I hope yours was great because mine was! And I'm not just saying that to compensate for some wretched feeling of longing or loneliness or some other stereotypical, tragic spinster media portrayal of single women everywhere who don't have a significant other on a day originally meant to pay homage to several martyred saints of ancient Rome. No home skillet, it really was a groovy day!
I woke up early. Sophie refused.
It was time to go to Equifest. Sophie wasn't invited so she slept in, but for me, it was worth getting out of bed early on a cold day!
I was especially excited to go because (insert drumroll here).....
I got my new show shirt!!!!
Unfortunately I don't have a picture, but you can see a picture--you just have to work for it. Go to the Hobby Horse Clothing website HERE. Scroll down down to the 4th shirt pictured--the black and white Marissa tunic. That's it--that's the one! I think (hope, believe) it will look pretty derned spiffy with Paula. We're closer than we've ever been to showing. I can feel butterflies already.
Oh boy.
By noon we were on our way back and I met Dad in Pratt for lunch then we dropped the Camry off for a tune-up. I got my truck back from him (he had borrowed it while his own truck was getting its own tune-up) and drove home, rested and played around a bit and then had a nice meal with Dar's family.
Now I ask you, what person would ever need to languish in self-pity for being single during a day like this? I may be hard-headed about some things, but this one is a no-brainer. I am one lucky gal, especially considering the first story in 1493 that describes the martyrdom of St. Valentine: he was beaten with clubs, stoned, and then when that didn't work he was finally beheaded.
Thank goodness life is a little easier for us single people nowadays. Whew!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
A Lovely February Day
Dakota got to stand tied to the patience tree for a while this morning. She learned to be patient, like the good girl that she is :)
I got to ride Paula, too. If you're counting, we're at about every 2 to 3 weeks now. Not exactly a good strategy for horse training, but eh, whatcha gonna do? Unfortunately there just aren't enough hours in the week sometimes, but maybe when the weather gets better, I can maybe move her up to at least once a week. Here's hoping!
I did promise some video a long time ago and I'm afraid that the following doesn't fulfill that promise whatsoever. Note to self: do not attempt to lunge a horse and take video at the same time. It doesn't work. Here's why.
I hope you can see in between me moving all over the place that Paula really is doing well. I'm very happy with her, anyhow. Maybe sometime soon I can enlist Sarah to help me out, as she so often does with my little projects (oh whatever am I going to do without her when I move? I wonder if her mother would miss her? Ha!)
Friday, February 12, 2010
More Fun with Photoshop!
This is a picture I took of Colton when Sandra brought him out for a visit. This is the raw photo, no changes made.
Below I removed the leadrope, the birdhouse, and his tail wrap, extended his tail (which took me forever but I sure learned a lot) and ran the automatic noise reduction and smart photo fix.
Then in the photo below I took a sample of the halter color, added his registered name then took a complimentary color and added his info. Then I used the "buttonize" feature and framed out the picture.
Last night a did a couple more similar photo clean-ups:
Everything I've done has been self-taught and I certainly have quite a bit to learn. It's a fun process, though, and Photoshop can certainly add a lot to an otherwise ok photograph. If you have any tips I'd love to hear them!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
JJ's Video!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Dakota's Video!
I will post JJ's as soon as it loads, but for now, here is Dakota's (please excuse the mud, fuzz, and hay belly :).
Check out her bunny-hop stop! It cracks me up every time :)
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Resolutions: Update
CHECK!
(8) Lose weight, eat more veggies and get healthier (and of course to look better while riding Paula)!
Well, I've lost more than I expected--twenty pounds! I'm the lightest I've been in well over a year and a half!! I haven't really had much of a chance to exercise with all the work I've been doing and my eating habits aren't great, so the only thing I can credit this to is the HUGE reduction in stress I've had. Now if I just get my britches in gear I might be able to make some real headway!
(9) Sadly the White Horse Resource is still a terribly neglected website. Well, it's only February, right?
(10) I left open for future resolutions and here they are. Yes, "they." It's a two-parter.
10a--I will be more optimistic. I was thinking about this while feeding this evening (admiring Eddie and thinking how much I missed him). I've been through a lot the last couple of years. It would be very easy for me to assume that another huge loss is right around the corner--to live each day expecting the next tragedy in what has become a laundry list of heartbreak.
But then I ask myself "What good does that do?" Shit happens, whether we expect it or not, whether we fear it or not, and whether we look around every corner for it or not. I need to take my own advice I gave to someone struggling years ago: the only way I can be happy is if I choose to be happy. No one/nothing else is going to make me happy.
Although the horses sure make me happy :)
Which brings me to 10b: Practicality leads to horse harmony!