It's been a while.....

            Well I have taken quite the break from blogging, I know BAD BAD ME! Over 2 whole weeks! It’s not for the fact that I have been too busy to write, just had not felt like it. No need to worry I am back on the writing wagon and will be filling everyone in on my exciting life. I know you can hardly wait to hear about what I have been up to!

            Exciting things that have happened in the last two weeks, well for starters I had another ER visit. However, this time it wasn’t for my back or heat stroke. I had a horrible migraine that I woke up at 5am with on a Sunday and tried to get it to go away all day, but finally at 6pm I went in to the ER and got some shots and it finally went away. Migraines are horrible and I would not wish them on anyone!

            I have also decided that it is time to get back in the saddle and do some riding. I have ridden a few different horses in the past few weeks (I refrained from riding Harley since his trot is like sitting on a jack hammer) and things have gone fairly well. I do have pain while riding and for a little while after but then it goes away. So things are looking a little hopeful at least in that area. The real test will be when I get on Harley and see how it goes. I always seem to tense up more when I get on him than other horses. We will just take it a day at a time and see what happens!

 

            Operation Skinny Bitch has been put into effect again, I was on a bit of a hiatus from it. I have been walking almost every day and been enjoying it so much. It is amazing how a little fresh air and exercise can help your mood! I have just mentally felt a lot better in the past week than I have for a while. So guess I should keep it up! Maybe that’s what people need to do is just get off their butts and go for a walk and then people would be more pleasant to be around…. Here’s to hoping!

            This week is the Reichert Celebration horse show down in Fort Worth, TX. A friend of mine is down there showing her new mare and doing AWESOME! I am SOOOO happy for her! I love it when friend’s dreams come true and that is what is happening for her! I am her biggest fan and supporter, just wish I could have been down there with her to share in the fun! But, I will be at the state futurity next weekend to celebrate my birthday and I am sure we will be doing some celebrating for her win down there too!

            This weekend I am heading to the Minnesota Paint futurity to watch friends show their horses and do some banding. I find that it is so much cheaper when you don’t take a horse and just socialize. I might just make that my new hobby….

            Till next time…. M

A Good Weekend...

What a week it has been! Finally the weather has decided to be nice and perfect for being outside. Most of the week was a nice 80 or so and sunny! Since I decided this was the week to get back in the swing of things with the horses I am glad the weather was on my side. 

So this week I rode a total of 3 times, go me! Granted they were only about 15 minutes each time, but have to start somewhere. I rode Harley one of the times, and another horse “Sunshine” that I and working with for a lady at the barn. It felt good to be in the saddle again and I tried to just work through the pain. While my back is sore I hope if I just start riding a little longer each time it will be bearable. We will see what happens. So hopefully next year I can maybe show in some riding classes! Keep your fingers and toes crossed! Will see what happens.

Minnie enjoying the horse show!

This week was the good ole county fair, while I haven’t gone to the fair for probably 8 years or more I decided to go up and see the sights. So Wednesday night I went up with a few friends and met up with another friend and her baby. Was so good to see some friends I haven’t seen in a while, funny how when you grow up life just gets so busy and it’s hard to find the time to get together like you used to. We enjoyed walking through the barns and seeing all the animals. Brought back many memories of my 4-H days and the camping out after the horse shows and running around. I went up on Friday night to watch the 4-H games show and ran into more old friends and their families I used to show 4-H with, so good to see everyone and funny how even though people haven’t shown at the fair for years and years they still come and watch the horse shows. Was fun to see the kids enjoying their horses and having fun. And as always it wouldn’t be the county fair if someone didn’t get hurt/fall off/horse get loose. Luckily both incidents that happened that night were nothing to serious. One girl when coming back from one of the events the horse turned very quickly before the gate and caught her off balance and she slammed into the railroad tie that was the rail, and thank goodness she had a helmet on, she wacked her head so hard it broke the helmet! A little later on someone was running back home and her horse didn’t stop or turn at the gate and the person holding the gate didn’t step away in time and the gate pushed open and slammed her in the head. She is ok, just had 10 stitches or so in her head. Just wouldn’t be the fair without some accidents. Thank goodness nothing to serious, but scary all the same. I went up again today to watch the open show they had with just games, most of the kids from the barn where I board at were showing so took Minnie and we went to show our support! It again was a great day to sit and watch a show. 

End to a great weekend!

So all in all it was a good weekend and had some fun! Hope everyone else enjoyed theirs and got out and enjoyed the weather! 

Till next time…. M

Pain... Pain.... Pain.....

Oh what a lovely day it was today. NOT! My day starts out with waking up and having a horrible headache, bordering on a migraine. SUPER! Can already tell it’s just going to be a fun day. I should have just stayed in bed. But being the good employee I am and knowing it was billing day at work I went in. Got what really needed to get done for the billing and I came home. I think I lasted a whole 2 hours at work. Better than nothing right?!?! So I come home and take a pain pill and try and sleep. Well I laid around for I think 2 hours before I could fall asleep, then I finally did but only ended up sleeping for a hour or so. And woke up with the headache still, ARGHHH I love my life.  So I stayed in bed and watched some TV trying to not focus on my head hurting. Then finally decide to get up and go to the barn maybe that will help not focus on my head and just be around my Harley. I took Minnie with because she just LOVES the barn. So I do all my chores and be the “stall fairy” and clean some other people’s stalls. And decide to ride and see if that helps. Figured hey if my back is hurting maybe that will take the focus off my head. I waited for Becky to get to the barn and we saddle up and go for a ride. Me and Becky being the daredevils we are, our riding never really goes further than in the arena. We both are not big “trail riders” while most other people at the barn like to go on them, we both share a common bond in that we would just rather stay in the arena. So I get up on my steed (while I don’t have much anxiety getting on from falling off, if he moves around when I am trying to get on it does get me a bit nervous) and away we go. I just love my horse, he has hardly been ridden in the past 2 years now a grand total of probably 20 times IF that. And he is just the same as the last day he was ridden, just goes along and nothing is lost. Gosh I just love him! So we work on some bending and such since he is a bit stiff, and just play around. Becky is always checking in on seeing if I am in pain, she is so enthusiastic about me riding I feel bad when I have to say that it is painful. But I just keep having fun, showing Becky how Harley can back up with no reins. Such a good boy he is to put up with all my little tricks. We ride for probably 15-20 minutes and decided that is enough, made the poor guy get a little sweaty. While it does feel good to get on and ride, I just wish it didn’t have to cause me pain. But that just might be my life and I am going to have to either accept it or not do it. Just going to have to see how it goes, but in the meantime my little Minnie gives me plenty of reasons to smile.

Til next time… M

Keeping my fingers crossed!

I know I have been so bad and not blogged in a week. BAD BAD BAD ME! I don’t know why I haven’t been writing, just to exhausted from doing nothing. Don’t you hate it when that happens? The last week hasn’t been too crazy, but just crazy enough.

View from the best horse ever!

Things that have been keeping me busy this week have been that I did try riding again last Tuesday. Whenever I do get brave and try to ride again everyone around me is excited to see me in the saddle and glad I am riding. While to them it is all fine and dandy, it’s hard for me to get excited when I know I will be in pain for days after. I want to be able to ride again and more than just 10 minutes and 5 of those 10 are in pain. It just totally stinks, and I don’t know what else to do about it. So my “bright” idea this week is I am just going to try and ride and work with the horses as if nothing is wrong. May be a bit easier said than done, but we will see. And I am sure next week I will be going to see the doctor. However, I want to just see what is going to happen. Will I be in horrible pain the next week, or will it be ok? While I know there is almost always going to be pain to some degree, it would be nice for it not to totally be controlling over what I can/want to do. So be prepared for the week’s progress. I will try and be good and post how it’s going. So for my Monday working with the ponies I lunged a friends horse, while that may sound like a simple task. It was far more complex than just lunging a horse. She has a bit of some issues so I got my good walk in getting pulled around the arena most of the time. As for my back, it’s not too bad. So day one is so far a success! WOO HOO! Tomorrow we might do some lunging and riding! I know I am living life on the edge! Stay tuned for the updates!

Our fire!

This weekend was a fun weekend, some family from Iowa came up to my cousins and we had a fun day. Sat around and ate and had fun conversations. It’s always fun when family gets together that you don’t see very often. We had a great lunch and then sat by the fire for a while. It was perfect weather for it! Much better than a month ago when it was 100+ degrees, a fire would not be much fun. Sunday we got together again for a bit and had fun too!

Stay tuned for fun updates on my horse adventures!

M

If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any... so they say

Some people say if it wasn’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all. And dang it I think people are right! For starters all of my issues I have had the last few weeks are just insane. Granted things can always be worse, but between heat stroke, getting another back injection, getting stepped on (which my foot is still bothering me) and burning my finger. Seems like something is after me, is it karma is it just good ole fashion bad luck I wonder. Then this past week Harley has been sore and I wanted to be going to a show. Well the positive side is that for the show yesterday he was not sore anymore! YIPPIE! Something went right! So here is a little story of my weekend…. ENJOY!

Friday

The weekend starts out with taking Harley to get his pedicure. Hoping this will help with him being sore, his feet have been growing abnormally fast this time. So thought that might be a little to do with him being sore. I get him all reset and crossing my fingers that he will be better by Sunday. And little miss Minnie gets to tag along to the farrier and she loves running around in the country. She loves to play with Lu. And my farrier’s Mini Aussie is so funny she tries to “mother” Minnie. It’s pretty funny to watch. So that was my crazy and wild Friday night. I know I am just a wild child.

Saturday

Harley gettin all pretty!

I decide that I am going to the show and hope that Harley won’t be sore on Sunday. And it is going to be Kristin and her pony “Murray’s” first show! So we plan a fun day at the barn to get the trailer ready and all the horses ready. This is an all day event! We work together to get Murray accustom to the show saddle, his tail extension and chaps. And Murray well being himself he could really care less. So that is a good thing, he is a pretty easygoing guy. We get the riding out of the way and get the trailer all clean and start loading up things. By this time it is around lunch time and we decided to head over to Kristin’s and grill some hamburgers for lunch and relax for a little bit before the beautification process of the horses begin. Now this part is my favorite part of all! I love getting them all pretty; maybe I need to go back to working at a barn instead of the office-working world. So Murray and Harley get all clipped up and get their baths and now onto banding (my favorite part of the process) and this being Kristin’s first attempt at banding I am always a bit worried how it will turn out. Because my type A control freak self wants to just do things for people because it’s faster for me to do it. Yea we all have issues don’t we. But I refrain and band 3 bands in his mane and show her how to do it, giving her my little tricks. So she sets off on her own and I go back to the other side of the barn and get to work on Harley’s mammoth mane. I finish with Harley and go over to check Kristin’s progress, and let me tell ya she is an awesome bander! Especially for her first time! Best first time banding I have seen! Way to go! So we get the horses all wrapped up in the sheets and sleazy’s and put them up for the night. We make sure we have everything packed and make our final plans for the next day. I go home exhausted for standing pretty much all day on the cement; my back is not being my best friend right then. But what can be expected, with my back just seems to be it is what it is.

 

Sunday

HAPPY HORSE SHOW DAY! I wake up 30 min late, as always, I did not hear my alarm going off for 30 min. I am surprised Minnie didn’t come wake me up. So I hurry and get dressed and get out the door. I stop and gas up the truck and get some breakfast. On to the barn I go! I get the trailer hooked up and feed the horses and Kristin gets to the barn and we wrap up Harley and Murray’s legs and away we go. Well Murray didn’t think going to a show was what he really wanted to do. He had to be a little bit of a stinker getting in the trailer, but he gets in. So I load up Harley and away we go. We make it about 15 miles or so and I hear a big “boom” and then the truck gets very loud. GREAT! PERFECT! Truck is breaking down and we are on the interstate! FABULOUS! So I pull over to the side and check the tires, etc and nothing. So we pull off the next exit, which is just ahead not very far. Call up my dad and tell him something is wrong with the truck and he needs to come check it out. Now mind you, where I pulled off it is only 4 miles from my parent’s house. And my father only has one speed, snail. So it takes him 30 minutes to get there, by this time my German temper is starting to fume. If it was just me no problem, but hate it when you are broken down and have horses in the trailer. So we call Kristin’s husband and he stops at the barn and gets the barn owners truck for us to borrow. So when my dad finally gets there, he checks under the truck and the muffler broke. He gives me the “you could keep driving it; it’s just going to be loud.” I calmly say well I didn’t know what was wrong with it and didn’t want to keep driving it with horses in the trailer. So after this brief lay-up we get the trucks switched and off we go to the horse show. There goes our getting to the show over and hour early to get the horses settled and get ready. We pull in just as the show is starting. So we get parked and get the horses unloaded and start getting ready for our classes. I am just doing showmanship and Kristin was going to be showing in a few walk/trot classes with Murray. As always with horse shows it is hurry up and wait. But I get Harley lunged a little bit and then start getting him beautified! So he is all ready and I get myself changed and we do a little practicing and we head up to the arena. We practice a little more before our classes and we are as ready as we are going to be (I haven’t practiced in a few weeks, bad me) We did our pattern and he was really good, we could have set up a little better but he did better than I thought he would for not being worked for a while. We end up 1^st and 2^nd! Not to shabby for our 2^nd show! Harley is a natural showmanshiper! So his work for the day is done.  Now he gets to the hard part of his day, standing at the trailer eating all day. Oh the life of Harley! So we get Kristin all ready for her classes and I was being her “show mom” since her family isn’t really into horses. Her husband and some of his family came to watch but they are not really into the horses. So we get her in her first class and they did great, Murray went around good and had no big bobbles. So she was happy with her ride, as was I. She went in 2 more walk/trot classes, which were a lot bigger than the first one, and she had good spots on the rail and Murray went through the classes like a pro. We finally pulled out of the show around 4 and they had quite a few classes left. So it was a good long show, we dropped Murray off at the trainers for some more education and then we were homeward bound!

All in all the weekend was a good one, tiring and a bit long. However, I had a lot of fun and got to spend time with my friends and my horse. What more can you ask for? Well maybe a million dollars I guess…..

Til next time…… M

I went a week without getting hurt... might be a new record!

Little bit of a blister from the burn..

Well I made it a week without hurting myself somehow! Way to go me! What I did now was burn my finger on hot glue while I was making a tail for my friend’s horse. A friend brought the point up to me that it seems like I am into being in pain lately. Hmmmm maybe there is some truth to that. But most likely is that pain just finds me whether it’s my back or headaches and now my foot and my finger. It’s always something isn’t it! And now my dang horse has been lame for a few days. Maybe we both like pain. I hope he is better by Sunday because I want to go to a show! So keep your fingers crossed!

Since this is a very short and sweet post I will add some lovely quotes to keep you entertained:

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. ~Winston Churchill

If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. ~Mary Engelbreit

Never ruin an apology with an excuse. ~Kimberly Johnson

Sometimes when I’m angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn’t give me the right to be cruel. ~Author Unknown

Always do sober what you said you’d do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut. ~Ernest Hemingway

I have found that if you love life, like will love you back. ~Arthur Rubinstein

Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude. ~Ralph Marston

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. ~Judy Garland

Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for the truth. ~Benjamin Disraeli

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. ~e.e. cummings

You were born an original. Don’t die a copy. ~John Mason

 Until next time... M