Here and There

Tonight I am not sure what I will write my blog about. I don't even have a subject title. ( I just thought of one) I do know this has been another busy week. I can't remember when I haven't had a busy week.

Even with all the work around here, we always manage to have a lot of fun. I have enjoyed the two weanlings so much. They have now learned to lead some. They walk along pretty good most of the time but then they will get all wired up over something and will get feisty. The colt Braze does it much worse than Celine. Today I took each out of the stall separately so they could get some fresh air and I could clean stalls without them in the way.

The colt walked beside me in a very nice way until I got him a little too far from the barn and his stall mate. Then he got a little antsy. He reared up and pawed the air a couple of times but each time I pulled him back down and showed him this was not the proper way to act. He settled down. Then I went back for the filly and she led very nicely to where I had him tied. Yes, I had him tied. Sorry Clinton Anderson. I know Clinton says not to tie a young horse until you have done a lot of work with them.

I thought of that when Annie tied Celine to a post this week. I didn't say, "No don't do that." I just watched very closely. Celine struggled for awhile. She pulled back and tried her best to get loose. Of course, she didn't. I thought a couple of times that this was not a good thing to do. Annie sat on the side of the big stall near her, watched and talked to her in a soothing voice. Sooner than I expected, she started to calm down. She walked forward toward the post and with that came slack in the rope. Immediately, Celine realized that this is what it took to get instant relief. Annie then got up from her seat and started to reward her with praise for being such a good little filly. She got a lot of rubbing, scratching and petting. And of course, Celine was loving all of it.

Today when I led her over to the post outside to tie her, she was calm and very quiet. What do you think of breaking a weanling to lead in this manner? I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, Clinton Anderson says not to tie them up until you are sure they will not hurt themselves. On the other hand, Annie sat there with her through the process to make sure she would not hurt herself. Now there is no doubt. She does stand quietly when tied.

I had to watch Blaze very closely when he was tied. He fought and pulled back. He pulled away from me and he was totally unsure of what would happen to him while I was leading him. So I see the difference in the way each reacted to being led today. Maybe a difference in the way they were trained. To be sure. Do I take from this that there are more than one way to train a horse? I am sure there is. I trust Annie with my weanlings. She truly loves horses and the last thing she would want to do is hurt one.

We also went to Stanton this week. It was again a very good day. Eleanor and Bobby rode J R and Annie and I rode Rockin Andi. I like her more every time I see her. Andi is a nice calm mare and has never failed to give me a good ride. Annie rode her in the outside arena and did a nice job with only a little instruction from Larry and Jamie.

My oldest daughter had a birthday on Monday of this week. Happy birthday, Mary Beth. She has also had a busy week. She worked on Sunday. She had a test on Monday. A birthday gift? Classes on Tuesday and Wednesday and then work on Thursday and Friday. Her week starts on Sunday and ends on Friday. Saturday is her only day off. She will make a fine nurse. She is already a good hospital employee. She works with patients on her days at work and they come away loving her. It is usually love at first sight.

That is what happens with people when the love of God comes through them and shines in their lives. She reaches out to the sick in CCU and to their families and ministers to the body and to the soul. The people she ministers to respond to her because they see the goodness of God in her. Can you tell, I am very proud of this young woman God has blessed me with. This daughter who has enriched my life in her many special ways. I love you Mary Beth. Thank you God for this special daughter.

Did I mention fun? Yes, I believe I did. Most of what I have talked about was all work. We have been doing some riding on the farm. Annie gets one or more of the horses out each day she is here and she rides them. They are ridden all over the farm. This week, Annie and Natalie have ridden, Annie and Bobby have ridden and Annie and I have ridden. Mt Girl, Rosie, Romeo, Moon, Thunder and Amego have all been ridden. Moon and Thunder are boarded horses. She also rides them some too.

Time to close. God bless you and keep you in his loving care.

Regards,

Mary

"Great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offend them."

Psalms 119:165

"The most important issue facing America today is the worth and value of every human life. If we get that wrong, ultimately nothing else will matter."

Mike Huckabee Former Presidential Candidate