Test, testing, testing

What breed of horse are you? Find out!

Test, testing, testing - song: Baby Grace, a horrid cassette (David Bowie) album: Outside

Under the moonlight, this serious moonlight

The moonrise tonight was stunning! It was a full red moon! My poor camera just doesn't do it justice.

So, I decided to ride Scout.

I set up four upright poles about 12 feet apart and rode him in circles, serpentines and weaving tightly in and out like the "pole bending" pattern. He did really well. I also jumped an old log that I have in the arena and he gave a couple of wild bucks after we landed. Whooeee! Then he settled down to business and we loped, jogged, and walked around in the dark. It was actually too dark to ride outside but there's nothing to bump into in the arena and I know that the horses can see quite well in the dark. I do have a dim light on one end of the arena. I have two other poles set up waiting for lights to be installed. I just need someone to climb the poles and stick on the lights and get them wired properly.

The "girls" were very interested in the poles I set up. Annie gave a few bucks herself and jogged over to them to stand in between them as if to say, "See, I can do it too." And when I moved two barrels over to the log as bookends they had to come check that out too.

It's already getting chilly out. I noticed all three horses are growing fuzz now. But, I'm not ready for winter yet.

Under the moonlight, this serious moonlight - song: Let's Dance (David Bowie) album: Let's Dance

It's not really work

Oh yeah???

Every summer I need to fill my barn with hay and my woodpile with wood. Well, this year I really fell behind. My barn was getting empty. On Saturday I was down to 11 bales and I use a bale a day feeding my three horses.


So, I figured that instead of 5 trips with the truck and trailer @ 75 bales a trip, I would buy a truckload and get the barn filled in one shot. This would also cut out the wear and tear on my poor truck. Besides, with the price of gas, it averages out to about the same cost as the delivery charges. For the last several weeks, because of all the rain, everyone I called told me they had rained-on hay or that they would have hay in "two weeks". I was starting to get worried. Finally, Friday night, I spoke with Paul and bought a truckload of hay: 200 bales of grass and 100 bales of alfalfa.

It was to be delivered Saturday afternoon. Then I got a call from Paul saying they had loaded 200 bales of the wrong hay and had to unload and reload it, so they would be coming by on Sunday morning instead. Well, around 12:30, I called Paul and this time he told me that the guys delivering the hay had turned a corner too sharply and dumped the load. They were reloading the hay as we spoke and would get to my place as soon as they could.

When they finally arrived with their semi rig and 40 foot trailer around 2:30 or so, I quickly realized that they weren't going to get very close to the barn. My barn has a high, wide doorway and my husband could back our long bed pickup and 8 foot trailer up and into the barn but there was no way any rig this big and long was going to make it in.


As a result, they unloaded the hay in the arena in two stacks. This meant my two sons and I had to bring it all into the barn ourselves. We used a wheelbarrow to carry a bale or two at a time and also my son's little pickup to take 20 - 25 bales at a time into the barn. Jeez- almost like going to get it ourselves, huh?




It took several hours but we finally got it all inside the barn. WHEW!!! At least I think we got 300 bales. Because the truck came with the stack jumbled and we loaded it into the barn in staggered rows, there is no possible way I can actually count them. I guess I'll just have to trust that they're all there. One thing's for sure- that hay has been around!


Oh, did I mention the poor hay guys also got a flat tire on one of their trailer tires? Good thing they had dual tires. Jeez, what a day!

Now, for the wood...

It's not really work - song: Modern Love (David Bowie) album: Let's Dance

I'm okay, you're so-so

What personality type am I?
I took an online test and I'm a B+. This is my description.

You Have A Type B+ Personality

You're a pro at going with the flow You love to kick back and take in everything life has to offer A total joy to be around, people crave your stability. While you're totally laid back, you can have bouts of hyperactivity. Get into a project you love, and you won't stop until it's done You're passionate - just selective about your passions. Try it What type of personality are you?

Like some cat from Japan

Most Japanese breeds of dogs are called inu which translates into the word "dog". They include the Akita inu, Tosa inu, Hokkaido inu, Kishu inu,Kai inu, and Shikoku inu. There is also the Shiba inu ("Shiba" means "brushwood" (kindling) in Japanese, and probably refers to the small size of the breed which is considered the smallest of the Japanese dog breeds. Then, what about the Japanese Chin? They are only 4 - 11 pounds in size, soaking wet. Well, they are not called inus because they are not like other dogs. They are even said to be half cat!

Japanese Chin history dates back to China and the Emperor Ming Ti in the first century AD. They are believed to have descended from the same ancestors as the Pug and the Tibetan Spaniels. Chin used to be called Japanese Spaniels. Their name may have come from the Japanese translation of "order to sit down" or "do tricks" or maybe even Makura Tsin=cushion, suggesing a pampered life sitting on a tassled cushion. They have been called "Lion Dogs", "Sun Dogs", or children of royalty. The Japanese Chin arrived in Japan in about the 10th century and were kept only by Japanese royals. They were greatly prized and carefully guarded. Tortuous deaths were given to those who attempted to steal them from the palaces. They were fed dainty foods: fish and rice, and were pampered, often carried about in silk baskets or hidden in kimono sleeves. They were given as ceremonial gifts to dignitaries and royalty. Commodore Perry brought a pair of them back to Europe as a royal gift to Queen Alexandria of England. Here's a photo of her with a couple of Chin (on the ground) and a Chow puppy.
Chin were developed for their beauty, intelligence and affection. They average 4 to 11 pounds and are built squarely with longer legs than the Pekingese. They have long, silky hair and their tails curl up over their backs. They are generally white with black patches, but can also be white with red or lemon patches. Although they have such long, fine hair, they stay extraordinarily clean. They give themselves baths by licking their front feet and wiping their own faces. They have many cat-like traits. They scoop food and other objects up with their paws. They are dainty high steppers and often climb heights. Buddha loves to lay on the backs and arms of chairs and in window sills.

Chin love snuggling. After all, their sole purpose in life is to be a companion to humans. Chin love to sit quietly at one's side although they have bouts of frantic activity, quick and active romps through the house, including the infamous "chin-spins", and then they happily settle down again.

They are courageous and fearless, or stupid!! (Kenji used to run over to the neighbor's house and bark at the two big dogs in their pen, standing with his two front feet on the chain link fence. Then one day, huge Zoe was free and grabbed him by the neck and shook him. My Mom's Standard Poodle, Pippin, intervened and saved Kenji's life.

Chin are sensitive to their owner's moods. They even cry real tears. When I pack for a trip, my Buddha will climb on top of the bag as if to say, "Take me too". Did you notice that the bag is sitting on an end table? They are very mischievious. Kenji's favorite trick was to quietly watch a game of Monopoly or Scrabble and then, after an hour or so, pounce into the middle of it, scattering pieces everywhere, as if to tell us, "Time's up, game's over!"

Sometimes, if I walk Buddha without a leash, he will wait for the opportunity to run off. He waits until the moment he is out of sight and then he will beeline it through the trees and open fields to the neighbor's house behind us. I'm always worried about coyotes and hawks grabbing him along the way. When I go get him, he hangs his head and tail down and follows me back home as if to say, "I'm sorry!" When I carry him, he will often paddle the air with his front feet as if he were swimming.

Chin are very good with other dog breeds. Nine pound Kiku loved to play with our Great Dane, Max, just as four and a half pound Buddha plays with Gunnar, my seventy pound German Shorthaired Pointer, nowadays. Here is a picture of myself as a teenager with Max, Kiku, and Chen. Kiku is the smaller one of the two. She was such a sweetheart! She used to say "Ow, ow, ow", when we cut her toenails.
It seems like I have always had a Chin or two along with other dog breeds. As a teenager, we had Kiku, Chen, and Takashi. Then I had Kenji until he died at eleven a few years ago. I believe the neighbor's cat got fed up with him and killed him. My current Chin, Buddha, is five years old and at only four and a half pounds, is the smallest Chin I've ever had. He has a faint black smudge on his white forehead which is said to be the kiss of Buddha, hence the name.

My family has nicknamed the breed, "mug-uglies". They have smashed-in faces similar to the other oriental dog breeds like the Pekingese or Pug, but they have a little more nose bridge. As a result, they never snore or snuffle although they do occasionally struggle for air like an asthmatic in what is called a reverse sneeze. To stop this "attack" one should cover the nose holes so they are forced to breathe through their mouth.

Until we got Buddha, my two cats would run from all dogs. Then they realized they are bigger than he is and have totally changed their attitude around the dogs. They no longer run unless they want to be chased. They strut and stroll and Terra even bullies Buddha. She often pushes him away from my lap although they sometimes lay side by side.

Chin are a rather uncommon breed and, except for my own, I have very rarely seen them. They say that rather than owning Chins, they own you. That is so true!

in leather boots...

I took this quiz from LaughingOrcaRanch who got it from soneone else who...

You Are Cowboy Boots

This doesn't mean you're country, just funky. You've got a ton of attitude and confidence. You're unique, expressive, and even a little bit wacky. You wear whatever you feel like – and you have your own sense of style. You are straight shooting and honest. You tell people how it is. Low maintenance and free wheeling, you're always up for an adventure. You should live: Where you can at least get to wide open spaces You should work: In a job that allows you to take change

Yes, I am rather basic and low maintenance in most things. I'm painfully critical and I don't care much about what anyone else thinks about me and how I dress. I was a wallflower in high school and one day I just decided to be ME! Now I'll talk to anyone about anything and sometimes I get the impression people think I'm kooky. I'm also the kind of person that likes a little bit of everything on my Subway sandwich. Definitely always up for an adventure!

Now, you try it! What Kind of Shoe Are You?

Love me, fear me, do as I say, and I will be your slave

I have been helping Lisa at LaughingOrcaRanch with her horse, Baby Doll for the last several months. Horse training is one of the things I enjoy the most.

My first horse was Alfie. He was a palomino POA. When we bought him, he was used for gymkhana (horse show featuring game events). Although he was only 13.3 hands, he ran barrels and poles with the big boys, the quarter horses. He didn't know how to take up the correct lead or set his head properly until I trained him to go "pleasure". He was ridden in a tom thumb bit and used to stop with his head up and mouth open before I retrained him. At one gymkhana, my brother rode him in the senior gaming events and I rode him in the junior gaming events and all the pleasure and equitation classes and we took the high point trophy home. It was so fun! I especially loved the keyhole race. This is where they draw a chalk outline of a keyhole (think lightbulb) at the far end of the arena. You race up to it, turn around in it without going over the lines, and race back. The fastest time wins. Alfie could do a rollback without even knowing what one was.

Another "reining" game is pole bending. There are six poles set up in a line with about 20 feet between them. You race the horse up to the end of the line, weave in and out of the poles towards the starting gate, turn around at the other end, weave back through them, and then race back to the finish line. Alfie could do flying changes every stride or so without even know what he was doing. Alfie was a perfect beginner's horse. You could do anything with him. He would fall asleep between races and then run his heart out. The stable I was boarding at had a group of crazy teenagers. We used to race trains and have water balloon fights on horseback!

I trained Shannon, our green broke western trained five year old thoroughbred mare to go hunter and jump a little. My hero, at the time, was an enlish riding college student who was rehabbing an ex racehorse. She helped me work through Shannon's out of control cantering problems by riding the mare in a canter and a hand gallup, circling, and going both directions, nonstop, for about an hour. I have never seen a horse so worked over. Poor Shannon was dripping with sweat and shaking afterwards. But it changed her. Always after that she had the smoothest, softest canter and the proper leads. She "crossed the line" that day. I loved that mare! I cannot remember the girl's name but I always thank her in my heart for that turning point day.

I "broke" my first horse at fifteen, Sandee. I bought her as a yearling and started riding her when she was two. Well, I was small and didn't really know any better. She was a sweetie, like a dog, really. I even taught her to kneel. I think she may have bucked a few times but nothing much. I used to always "pony" her with my gelding, Alfie, on the trails when she was little, so she was completely bomb proofed by the time I started riding her.

When we had to move across the United States, we had to sell the three horses. In my new home in Utah, I immediately went horse hunting. After looking at a few prospects: a drill team horse that was worn out, a lame horse, a registered 2 year old paint gelding, and other duds, I chose the Paint. However, he was unridden. So, I trained my next horse, Denver Dude, from the ground up. I was sixteen. He was challenging but I enjoyed it. Unfortunately, we moved again so I had to sell him too.

Years later I bought Barry, a four year old green broke Arabian gelding. I've always read that sorrels are hot and he certainly was. Everyone thought he was a stud colt. I soon found out that I was pregnant too, but I rode and trained him until two weeks before my delivery date. My fabulous OB doctor always said to continue doing whatever was comfortable while pregnant. Of course, he didn't realize I was breaking an Arab at the time.

I have bought many other young, unbroke horses and trained them to different levels. I have also acquired older horses that needed to be retrained. I prefer the young unmarked ones because you never know the older one's history and what will set them off. My sweet Nadia was very soured when I bought her. The people had bought her for their grandkids and they gave up riding her. She got hugely fat in knee deep pasture. I spent quite some time working with her. She spooked and threw my then nine year old daughter. She ran away with me. Then she settled down to business, "crossed the line", and has been a gem ever since. She will prance and dance occasionally but she IS worth her weight in gold now!

I acquired a rescue horse several years back. Time for a Lady was Secretariat's grandaughter. She had been raced but she didn't inherit the family speed so she was quickly retired from racing. She was ridden western afterwards and then eventually ignored. When I acquired her she was several hundred pounds underweight. I had to build her up before I even considered riding her. Knowing the history she had, I was very intimidated when I began riding her. She was like a freight train and leaned on the bit, often exploding into bucking fits. I could feel them coming on but I couldn't stop them from happening. I decided to ride her in a "halfbreed" bit. It is a ringed snaffle with a built in rawhide nosepiece for extra control. I put a fleece cover on the noseband and gave it a try.



It worked wonders! I felt that I had control over her and began the process of retraining her. After several months of arena work: turns, circles, and varying speeds, she finally crossed the line and I found her canter to be one of the smoothest I've ever ridden. I really enjoyed her but because of her history my daughter didn't want to ride her. I really didn't NEED another horse so I had to sell her.

I know I rambled on here but the point of this post is that horses CAN be such terrors and then turn into the best mounts in the world. They just need to cross the line. I don't know where the line is but I usually find it somewhere. This past summer Annie crossed the line. She is such a hyper Arab in the arena but on the trails she is a different horse. She is calm and interested and even when she is afraid she trusts in me.

Maybe that "line" is where the horse gives up and allows the rider to take COMPLETE control. There are still rough times afterwards but the worst is over and you can see it in their eyes. Their eyes soften up. They have allowed the rider to become the "alpha" and chosen to "follow" to the best of their ability. This is when you can feel a partnership with your horse. Sometimes there will be disagreements but you get the upper hand. They respect you. They love you and fear you and do as you say. You only have to be their slave!

So Lisa, since you are already Baby Doll's slave, the rest will fall into place too. Just be patient and never give up. Let's try that halfbreed bit. All my horses have soft mouths and I use it on Scout all the time. Besides, I can feel her changing already. She will cross the line and you will know it.

Forget that I'm Fifty

What a surprise I had this morning! I awoke at 5:05 and quickly got dressed and walked the dogs. Then my daughter and I drove to the other side of town (across the river) to Starbucks.

We watched a group of young men with cameras around their necks get coffee and then get into the limousine that was parked out front.

We got our coffee and then we drove up the road to a dirt lot where there were several trucks and trailers parked. One of the trucks belonged to my daughter's boyfriend, Matt, a newly licensed balloon pilot. How exciting! I was going for a balloon ride for my birthday!!!

Matt and Sheila proceeded to open the trailer and take out the basket, a great big heavy bag, and a huge portable fan.

First they hooked up all the parts of the basket and the propane tanks. I watched them closely to make sure that everything was hooked together tightly. ;) Then they opened the bag and stretched the envelope out to it's full length.

The envelope was filled up with air from the fan. Then the air was heated up from the burners being turned on in blasts and the basket was righted.

There were at least eight other balloons going up, all from the Rainbow Ryders Company. There were people from all around the world. One group even had several "Ozzies". We didn't see the Limo boys but they probably had been dropped off already, somewhere nearby.
Soon it was fully inflated and ready to rise, so Matt and I jumped in.

Unfortunately, Sheila couldn't go because there were only the three of us and someone needed to stay on the ground to drive the truck to the landing site. You just never know where you'll end up when you fly in a balloon!

And away we went! We cruised over the bosque (wooded area) to the Rio Grande River.

We hung around the river a bit and then rose up over the housing developments. After about an hour, we landed in a big dirt lot. The weather was perfect! We went up to about 7000 feet (started at 4900) and there was a very gentle breeze so we covered quite a bit of ground. Because we were a little ahead of the Rainbow Ryders group, I got some awesome photos.

Sheila was waiting for us at the landing site.

Then we had breakfast at Weck's. I had an adovada and egg breakfast burrito smothered in red and green chili with a side of hash browns. There was enough food on my plate for two hungry people! It was mmmmm good!

Part of the initiation with a first balloon ride is drinking champagne and getting pinned. I did have a previous ride many, many years ago during a Balloon Fiesta. I even got to ride in the first wave off the field on a weekend mass ascension day. That's an honor! But, it was a quick ride; they immediately landed and took up more passengers. On that day, I got a pin and champagne after the balloon landed and was packed away. So, this time we skipped that part.

It was an incredibly awesome morning!

Thanks Sheila and Matt!!

Forget that I'm Fifty - song: Crack Baby Crack, artist: David Bowie, album: Aladdin Sane

And as the sparrow sings dawn chorus

Pictures just don't do it justice. Sunrises and sunsets have been BEAUTIFUL lately. These were taken this morning.

























Here's Buddha admiring the view.

Time is waiting in the wings

I have been so bad about blogging I've even considered closing the webpage. I decided to wait a bit and maybe I can become a "good" blogger.

I FINALLY got my computer working again. Since early spring of this year I have sent back four (or FIVE?) power cords on my extended warranty. The problem with laptops is that when the battery runs out and the cord doesn't work properly, the computer is a black box of nothing! I have even sent the laptop back to be checked over. This (Toshiba Satellite) laptop computer worked fine for about a year and then this... Obviously it is only meant to last a year. Well, I intend to make it last a lot longer. Maybe.

For nine days in August I took an extensive road trip of over 4500 miles seeing the heartland of America. When I get the 100's of photos sorted I will post some entries about it. What a trip! I spent about a week recovering afterwards...

LaughingOrcaRanch's post has cheered me. That is one awesome photo she captured of my Annie's foal in the oven. I love that you can see the little lips and nostrils in the head and the legs sticking up. Now I just have to wait nine more months. Sigh! What a day that was! Bittersweet! Instead of trailering along Nadia as companion like I always have, I intended to bring Scout to the vet's office for a teeth float. Unfortunately, he decided not to load. When you have a scheduled appointment is not a good time for trailer training so I gave up after about 15 frustrating minutes or what felt like forever. Now I have to train HIM to load! (See prior posts on loading Annie) Then, because I was short on time, I decided to just take Annie. She loaded well enough. At the vet's office however we had problems. First, she was leaning on the door when I tried to open it so I reached in and pushed on her butt. Bad idea. She leaned back more and caught my hand between her rump and the bars of the trailer door. OUCH!!! Nothing broke, thank goodness.
Then twice, while backing her s-l-o-w-l-y into the stocks the vet's assistant stepped in and tried to help by guiding her too because she was going to bump her rear end and she plunged forward in a panic. The second time she really scraped her face on the top bar of the stocks. Luckily, the vet decided to check her in the open because she has always stood very well for the procedures.

We got to see the heartbeat moving!

Finally, when it was time to go home she refused to step into the trailer. I was on the verge of a breakdown by this time. Lisa and I stood there with Annie wondering how we were going to get her home. After a few minutes I tried her again. She loaded! Good girl!

I need a car! Last month my daughter was driving my Ford Explorer when it broke an axle. I am so glad she was able to drive it to safety from the freeway without an accident. She wasn't so lucky in June when she fell asleep and totalled my Izuzu Rodeo. However, fortunately, she didn't get badly hurt, just facial lacerations and burns from the airbag opening up and they've healed nicely with no scarring.

I passed my Algebra class from Hell, barely, and started a new Algebra class from the same place. Stoopid me! In the last class the grade came from 5 quizzes, 3 tests and a final. In this class, the grade is taken only from 3 tests and a final. I truly detest math tests! Please pray for me!

The Secret Life of Arabia (part 2- Arabian Youth Nationals)

I love this time of year. Every July for six years now, Albuquerque has been hosting the Arabian Horse Youth Nationals. For eight glorious days (and nights) one can see full and part-bred Arabian horses performing in all different events. There are several divisions of youth all the way up to 18 years of age (they must only be 17 on September 1st to quualify for the upcoming year but may continue to compete for the remainder of the year).

There are so many classes! Arabians can be shown at halter, driven, western, and english. In the english division there are both hunt and saddle seat classes.

There are halter classes where the horse is shown in a beautiful fine show halter with a chain throatlatch thin as a necklace. The halter is only half a halter. The back is a thick chain drawn through the underside of the jaw and ending in a long lead strap. Each horse is presented one at a time to the three judges for evaluation. The exhibitor works to get the horse showing at his best, using a whip as a prop to stretch the long swanlike necks. The horses are trotted on a very loose lead so one can see them almost running free (think Black Stallion). Some of the horses have such beautiful animated or floating strides! And they are are so well groomed and conditioned! The horse is judged on conformation (correct body), although presence and spirit are extremely important. It's interesting to watch the exhibitors try to set up their horses when presenting them. I notice different training methods but the general result is that the horse puts ihis front feet together a few inches apart and stretches forward snaking his nose into the air. The hind legs are either together or one foot more forward than the other. The tails fan out naturally. Some of the horses are fidgity and restless. I have seen horses rear and buck and even break away from their handlers and still win!

There are lots of western classes. They use western saddles adorned with lots of silver. The blankets and pads are often flashy and colorful. The junior horses (under 6) can be shown in a rawhide bosal and horsehair reins but most horses are shown in beautiful engraved silver curb or shank bits and romal reins weighted with large silver beads. The ladies wear western hats, fancy jackets or outfits with lots of glitter and glam, chaps and cowboy boots. The men are much more subdued and usually wear plain solid colors along with their chaps, western boots and hats.

There are trail classes, reining classes, and cow classes such as working cow and cutting horse.

In the hunt seat division, there are jumping and flat classes, some judging the rider (equitation) and some judging the horse (pleasure). The horses are shown with hunt seat saddles and the riders wear hard hats or helmets and hunt coats, britches and knee high boots.

There are dressage classses, up to fourth level. They use dressage saddles and wear knee high boots over britches with riding coats and hard hats. The horse and rider perform tests and are scored. When they pass the required tests at a certain level, they can work on moving up to the next level.

In the saddle seat division, there are three types of classes all ridden with a double bridle and a cutback saddle. The riders wear saddle suits and derby hats.

• Country Pleasure (easygoing)
• English Pleasure (high action)
• Park (EXTREME high action. These horses are fiery and the audience whoops and hollers to make them even more hot and animated. This is the last class of the show and definitely one of the favorites.) Arabian shows always end with a BANG!!!

And there are costume classes

• Native Costume - horse and rider dress in outlandish Arabian fashion, some with authentic saddles. There are lots of tassles, sequins, velvets, and silks. Lavish and beautiful, the horses are shown at a walk, trot, canter and hand gallup. This is a crowd favorite and the audience loudly cheers as they run around the arena in their flowing robes.
• Freestlye Reining -horse, rider, and, sometimes, ground crew dress up with a theme and ride a reining pattern they've created to music of their choosing. They must include several slide stops, rollbacks in both directions, lope and gallup a figure eight with flying lead changes, and back up.
• Western Sidesaddle -The ladies (sorry, guys) don beautiful long dresses and sit balanced with both legs on the left side of the horse. They must ride at the walk, jog, and lope. They wear beautiful long western skirts and cowboy hats.
• English Sidesaddle - Again, this class is for ladies only. The saddles are plain leather, usually hunter style, and the clothes are beautiful, often Victorian.

An Arabian show is never boring!

to be continued...