I listen REAL loud.

My car is in the shop and I am driving a brand new Passat for a few days. I like this car. What it lacks in heated seats it makes up for in Satellite radio. The satellite radio has a "classic album cuts" station. It says that along with who the artist is well as the name of the song. right on the radio. And I swear it reads my mind. In a row, in this order. They played:
1. Jimi Hendrix- "Foxy Lady" - OH JESUS GOD!! THE BASS LINE!! I LOOOOVE IT.

2. Ram Jam - "Black Betty" - awh, c'mon you know it rocks.

3. Led Zepplin - "Kasmere" - which makes me think of the boy I gave my v card to, under the full moon.

4. Beatles - "Hey Jude" -which Paul wrote for Julian during the divorce of John and who? do you know? I love the interpretation of emotion in this song. Gives me chills

5. Blind Faith - "Can't Find My Way Home" ( I LOVE Claptons's playing on this recording) ....hmmm was he with Patti Boyd at this time? Do you know??

Well hello there old jodhpur boots that I still wear. I am sorry but I have to wear you until you can no longer function on your own. Not because I am so mean but because, you see, when I bought you, you weren't wanted by the whole family. The rest of the family thought the money would be better spent on some tuna casserole.

I snuck to the tackstore. I remember you sitting there, all stiff and shiny and your new laces, MY! how they really made you stand out! I know that there were more beautiful and more expensive choices, but boots- you were the apple of my eye. You and I would make quite a scene out in the arenas.

I took you home with me and I was a little timid at first to introduce you to the family but I was so excited that I swore you would do me right until the end. And you have boots...you have.

Except there will be no end. Not with us. We've gone to far. I will continue to re tie your laces onto themselves every time they snap and pull down the bunched up mass from the stripped part. Skipping the lace holes that have ripped through, we will walk across the grass and have soaking wet feet from the gaping holes before we even go riding. Your leather can peel all it wants and you'll always come through with another layer of protective fibers. Thats why I love you, jodhpur boots.

When I lived in Atlanta I was a riding instructor with the Girl Scouts at a summer camp outside of the city. I had just got a job doing this up in Ohio but since I was moving I straight-away looked into "transfering" to a camp down south, and it worked out! I snuck in last minute. I missed the two week instructor training at a camp nearby, so I had to jump right in. Lesson Plan?!
It worked out really well. I did lots of things with my girls. I had told one of the girls that I was an artist and the next day she handed me this leather punched bracelet. She was 10 years old. How awesome is that? I wear it often.



Handing them their earned "Horsemanship" badges was so FUN! It is one of the greatest experiences of my life. MY kind of jobie job.

very closely resembling a horse blog now.

March 1, 2008

He looks so much better than he did the first week that I had him. His mane and tail are even nicer now and his neck filled out a little. He's grown some also. He's a happy healthy young Thoroughbred. He gets plenty of green lush grass. He doesn't dislike Dressage. I'm proud of myself for this. This is huge.


May 4, 2007

We are at the plateau. A nice head carriage, good rhythm and beginning roundness Dusty is ready for the next level of training. The level in which I achieve collection. He will feel like riding on clouds when he is collected. Riding a horse that is using his hind end for impulsion is well, a horse of a different color. It's the difference between riding a a donkey in a full lope with a wooden leg and attaching giant soft fluffy balloons to your feet and floating across the countryside. Collection is RIDING a horse.

I believe that it's the basis ultimate communication of trainer, equine. It's like when you meet somebody for the first time. You chit chat for a while then if you have made a connection with them you get more in depth. For example, Dusty probably KNOWS that I am always late for everything because of the way I ride, and as we go along he will know how I make decisions, how I trust, how I sometimes flake and how I LOVE. So yah, riding horses gets pretty deep.

Here's where we're at. In order to progress, I have to develop a deeper seat, I have to be able to ride so that I am supple with my aids to teach him more advanced movements. That means that I have to pretty much dislocate my hips from the rest of my body. This is my problem as a rider. And I know that its mainly on my right side(the computer tablet pen holding side).

I had a lesson tonight and I was doing exercises with no stirrups. While trotting lift both knees and then push them out. Then back, THEN down. Each side then both together. Posting no stirrups. When I put my legs back down into position it was like a world of difference. My feet seemed to be able to touch the ground. Dusty tripped and I never even lost my seat. This is the Yoga part of riding in a way.

And the really good news is that I'm now riding with TALL BOOTS! I found a pair of Ariat tall dress boots (almost) my size on ebay for hundred bucks! (Tall Ariat dress boots are like four hunny.) They're the nice quality ones, made in Italy with the cool Ariat heels, ridden in MAYBE twice (!).



The auction also came with a pair of black breeches, but jack (hahaaa but jack) Boot jack, boots pulls, and a black velvet helmet. YAH, that's what I'm sayin- for A HUNDRED DOLLARS! When they arrived I was a little afraid to even try them on because I thought the calf might be too small...but they fit perfectly! YAY. I am SO EXCITED about this. I have never ridden in tall boots before, some riders will only ride in tall boots- they say its a world of difference.
It is! I'm loving it! Its going to be hard to keep them nice and not wear them constantly around the barn...because take a look at the boots I'm wearing now.

Overheard at hmmm...

"What's the name of that beer?...that Irish beer, the traditional one... that they always drink?..."

"O'dools?"

Why even answer if you've (obviously) NEVER been in a bAr? (cracking up)