Good, Bad, Worse

Good news is that Stylin's pretty much back to normal. Bad news is I tried to video myself, and the worse news is that I did in in bad pants and without a sports bra. I set my camera up on the side of my truck, but then neglected to stay where you could see me and I really need to learn how to edit and shorten the video. Live and learn, right?

Recon Mission

I had some good quality Mom time this weekend. Spent Friday taking my mom to the hair-do place...(where they actual roll, set , tease and spray), had some good ole sausage gravy and biscuits at the Country Cabin then made a trip to Wal-Mart. I hate the parking and the lines at Wally, but it's hard to justify spending so much more at our Publix store.

On Saturday Bobby's mom, sister and brother in law all came up for a visit and lunch. We had a great time; I brought my mom over to hang out as well.

Stylin has been gimpy since I rode her on Labor Day and I've been doing all the things you do when you can't find anything obvious.... checking her digital pulses and temp, (she foundered once almost 2 years ago) soaking, painting her soles with venice turpentine, giving her bute and keeping in contact with our vet. Well it's been two weeks and hasn't resolved, so Dr. Tammy is coming out tomorrow at lunch time for an exam. If it was an abcess, you'd think it would have worked it's way out by now.

Sunday, my sister went on a recon mission with me to Ocala to check out the camping situation at the Florida Horse Park and the various trailheads nearby on the Cross Florida Greenway. She brought Diet Coke and popcorn and kept me company on my quest. I've ridden the Landbridge Trail and beyond, but there are so many more trails out there including one called Shangri La. Two other friends and I have made reservations now to head down to the FHP for 3 days in October....I am so-o-o-o looking foward to the fall camping season! Here's where we'll park our trailers at FHP.

2008 Miracle Trail Ride - Nov 1st

Stylin and I are participating in the 2008 Miracle Trail Ride benefiting Children's Miracle Network on November 1st. I am required to collect pledges to participate in the Trail Ride and I would appreciate your help. Your support benefits Shands Children's Hospital at the University of Florida and Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.
If you are interested in my campaign please click below to see my personal page. Making a contribution online is secure and easy.

My Personal Donation Page

Saturday Morning Ride

My pals and I had a really enjoyable ride this morning. Stylin was a little gimpy last night so I took Dixie today. Cathy decided to borrow a friend's Tennessee Walker because her guy has been off for 3 months and needs a tune up before she takes him out in the woods. After a little rough start, she and Layla clicked and she really enjoyed her first TWH glide ride. We rode out in Jennings State Forest and combined some trails we know well with a few newer ones. ( at least newer to me:) Some other ladies joined us when we were on our way back to the trailers....their horses were not used to riding in a group and I was afraid the ladies might get hurt by their jumpy horses. They mentioned they are going on the big Withlacoochie Ride in October.....goodluck to them - we mentioned they may want to work with their horses some more before they throw themselves in with 300 other horses. Here's some more photos and a video of Cathy and Layla. PHOTOS

Oops, Owwww, and Bow Wow !

With a nice 4 day weekend ahead for me, ( I don't have to work on Fridays) I spent Friday hanging out with my Mom some. On Saturday I decided to get some yellow sand and build up Stylin's stall. I didn't want the next storm to flood her stall again. So, I go to the local rock and sand place and have them dump a yard of good sand in the back of my Ford F250. I drive home and into the horse pen, which is still a little wet and slick from Tropical Storm Fay, and back up to Stylin's stall so I can shovel the sand directly from the truck into the stall. Of course, we're a little heavy with the wet sand in the truck and we sink a little into the mud. Oh well....I go ahead and unload what I can, pull up with a little difficulty and try to reposition the truck and then get REALLY stuck. Dang it! I have to leave it right there for two days until the mud finishes drying up. Oops !

After that, Bobby and I got dolled up a little and headed out to a wedding for one of my riding buddy's daughter. It was a beautiful service and the bride and groom served Holy Communion as their first act as man and wife....how cool ! Bobby commented that he had never seen our friend Marilyn in anything other and denim and leather before. :) Then we slipped out during the reception and went over to my former in-laws house for a Labor Day get together. My former sisters-in-law still treat me like family and I love them for it. They treat Bobby like one of the family as well.

Sunday morning brings church service and then a trip to Newberry to visit Bobby's mom and sister. I always love the drive down, especially when we take the back roads.

I got up early Monday morning to start cooking a meal to take to another good friend whose father passed away. Very sad, but it felt good to be able to help in a little way. Bobby and I worked together to put together a down home, southern meal. Ham, black eye peas, rice, sliced tomatoes, some diced onions, deviled eggs and Jiffy cornbread. (I'm not good at making old-fashioned cornbread.) Then, late afternoon, I joined my daughter Jenny to ride at Ms. Jane's arena to work our ponies some. After we worked them for a while, we all traded horses. I rode Jen's horse for a little while and then decided to trade off with another girl named Lori. Of course I was too lazy to adjust her stirrups and rode her horse without any. BIG mistake ! We walked, trotted and then decided to canter...... to the left was uncomfortable, but OK....then when I cantered her to the right, she cut a little quicker than I expected, I got off balance, she broke to a big trot, I insisted on a continuation of our right lead canter and she said NO...humped and bucked and off I went. :) Did a very ungraceful tuck and semi roll; my butt hit pretty hard and I even peed a little. Owwww! Got up, brushed myself off, and decided to get back on my own horse with my own saddle. A little toddy and 2 Aleves and I felt much better.

OH yeah, we also dog sat for my sister, so with her 2 , we had 4 dogs in the house Sunday and Monday. They were very well behaved and I even got to practice my best Cesar Milan imitation. (In my favorite man boxers that my sister says she's going to burn one day) :-) FYI - all 4 dogs are rescues or adopted from local shelters.

Keep the Hurricane Gustav victims in your prayers this week.

After the Storm

Tropical Storm Fay has finally left us and moved on. She dumped LOTS of rain in our area and took our power for a day and 1/2. No damage, just a few small limbs down on our propety. The back yard and horse pen are flooded. The girls just have about 1/3 of their pen high and semi dry. If the rain quits for good, we should see the water dry up in about 3 or 4 days.

I let the girls out of their messy pen into the back yard to graze for a while. The yard has standing water, but is better than the mucky pen. They seemed pleased to be out.

On a very sad note, my friend Charlotte lost her horse Tinker today. Tinker was a good horse and always took good care of Charlotte. I was with her the day she bought him at the auction...she told me to stop her at a certain amount and then when I reminded her, she ignored me and continued to bid. She never regretted spending the extra money on him. Rest in peace Tinker's Jewel.

Young, Dumb but Havin' Fun

Connie, me on the bottom, Cheryl on top

I was digging through some old photos and found some really old ones from 1973 and 74 of me and my first horse, Cognac. (Connie). That was an awful fancy name I chose for the $150 grade mare of my dreams. My parents purchased her as a Christmas present when I was 16 from my uncle who was a horse trader at the time. What a kind soul she was........ I knew NOTHING about actually keeping horses except what I had read in horse adventure stories such as Fury, The Black Stallion series and C.W. Anderson stories. I had loved horses since I could remember, but I was ignorant on the proper care and feeding of them. I don't remember ever worming her, having her feet done, or any vet calls for shots, etc. I'm sure some of it was done, but it's a miracle she did as well as she did. I'm embarassed now, but my current mares get all the extra care Connie never did. My cousins and I raced besides busy streets, crossed over expressways, swam in borrow pits, rode shoeless, bareback, double, double backwards....all the things I dreaded when my daughter got her first horse. Thank goodness I know better now and thank goodness for horses that put up with crazy kids!

This is my best friend Cheryl and Connie- check out that bit !

This next one is me on a fuzzy, winter coated, rather slim Connie - I feel happy and sad looking back at these photos.