Solo Trail Ride

I didn't have any plans this morning, so I slept in til 8, then as I was out feeding the girls, decided to go ahead and load Stylin up for a short trail ride. Not many of my friends want to ride right now in the heat and I didn't call the girls that might have braved the heat and bugs because it was so last minute.

We just went to a local ranch that is about 15 minutes away and rode the trails in and around the ranch. I didn't go into Jennings State Forest very far as the bugs seemed to be bad in there. I picked a switch to keep the bugs off Style's head and ears.

I shadowed a group that was riding rental horses for about 15 minutes then branched off on the trails to enjoy the solitude and a little shade. We stayed out for just over an hour then loaded up and went home. Another successful solo ride - I could really start enjoying this.

35 Years and Counting

 

I was recognized today for 35 years of service with W&O Supply, Inc.! We had a nice luncheon to recognize about 15 different service awards, but I am the longest tenured employee in the whole company. Who woulda thunk it? This picture is of me and our President & CEO, Jack Guidry. I got flowers, a certificate and a fat check! I even got to make an impromtu speech in front of our whole Jacksonville location of about 65 employees and didn't stutter once.

Bareback

Rode Stylin bareback tonight in the back yard.....didn't get a video, but this is what we were doing a lot of....cantering, cantering, cantering.....she's getting slower and smoother every time. (this is from last summer)

javascript:void(0)

D'oh!

I was just sitting here at my computer after a belly full of steamed broccoli, snow peas and chicken, reading through my blog buddies posts for today. I started thinking about whether I'd let the horses out of their stalls after feeding them and it occurred to me that I didn't feed them at all! Duh ! I had let them out in the yard to eat grass while I took Sarah for a walk at 7 pm and forgot to put them up. So out I go at 10:15 pm to put them in their paddock and feed them. They didn't mind - they got 2 bonus hours on grass! I hope I'm not the only one who has "moments" like that.

I guess we're born this way....

Somebody sent this to me and it made me giggle.......

14 Babies Get a New Home

I found a home for the 14 chickies that hatched last Monday. A girl at work was going to buy some chickens so I gave all of the peepers to her. Her husband had just built a mack daddy coop so they are going to a good place. Bobby got two of our hens cooped up now and we have 3 more hens to catch along with the 6 rowdy roosters. Hard to believe that my chickens are only 7 months old and already hatching their own chicks.

I didn't get to ride this weekend because the rain never stopped long enough to get out for a couple of hours. Hopefully I'll get to ride on the beach with a couple of friends next Saturday afternoon.

Morning Ride

Chele joined me for a couple hour ride at the Ravines this morning. The State forests have been closed because of flooding, so our options were limited. Plus, the bugs have been AWFUL lately. I was hoping that if we got an early enough start, we could beat the bugs and get back before it got too hot.Chele and Dawn

We took off at 8:00 am and stayed on the trails that did not lead down to the creek but still provided some shade and were rewarded with the sight of a couple of deer feeding along the forest's edge. We only hit a couple of patches of yellow flies and a light breeze kept us from overheating.

Me and Style (I look like a turtle head or something!)

I've been riding Stylin in her "big girl" bit, a medium port short shanked curb, and she has been very quiet with it . I'm learning to stay out of her face, use one hand, and let her carry herself. All in all, a wonderful ride and I got my trail fix.