Blue Ridge MT Girl

Many of you know that VBF Blue Ridge Mt Girl was my first horse. Since then I have bought several horses and I have had 5 born on the farm.

Our first born on the farm was WOF Stephen's Blazin Star. He is a son of Sam I Am and out of my mare by Storm Warning. Blaze is pictured here in the halter class shown by Natalie Wright and trained by Cool Shade Mountain Horses.

The second horse I bought was a filly named VBF Butterfly Kisses. And then there was WOF Dock's Velvet. I love all the horses I own and some I don't own but I guess my all time favorite is Mt Girl. Sometimes I just call her MG.

I rode MG when she was still showing and in fact rode her in a show. I was terrified I would fall off and make a fool of myself. I have since gotten over that. I have embarassed myself because of my lack of riding skills several times. But on with the story.

This year MG blessed me with a black colt by Venture's Black Fury. These Fury babies are really nice. While I was nursing my broken arm and staying in the house away from the horses, Bob and several assistants were teaching the two weanling colts to lead, load and do obstacles. He was separating the colts from their mothers for a time every day. He was giving the mares a break but also teaching the colts that they had an alternate source of feed and it came from him in a bucket a couple of times a day plus all the hay they could eat.

We weaned the colts a couple of weeks ago. They are doing fine and don't seem to miss the mares at all. Although one does whinny when another horse goes through the barn. Today he confused the gelding with his mother and whinnied to him. It was a case of mistaken identity.

But the main story is all about Mt Girl. She is a beautiful black mare with three white stockings. Two on the back legs and one on the front left. She has a really beautiful long mane and tail and a white star on her head.

I have had three unscheduled dismounts from Mt Girl. The first was at the training facility when her trainer almost fell over the fence. I was a bit too relaxed and when Mt Girl spooked because Chris lost his balance and was waving his arm as he tried to regain balance, she ran out of fear. She went one way and I went the other. It knocked the breath out of me.

My daughter was there with me. She ran down to the arena and started talking to me. Was I ok. I nodded yes because I couldn't speak. She started instructing me. "Breath Mom, breath" "In your nose, out of your mouth." She was talking in a rhythm when she suddenly stopped and turned to those around us and said, "I am a respiratory therapist. I know these things." We still laugh about that but I was thankful she was there to help me regain my breath.

The next time was a little more serious. MG and I were riding in the barn with a friend. The barn was a different design from most. The stalls are in the middle of the barn. So when we were riding around the stalls we would lose sight of each other. I had stopped MG and was backing her up and asking her to stand. In the meantime Sheri and Hershey had ridden around the stalls out of sight. When I gave MG the signal to go, she took off like a shot out of a gun trying to catch up with Hershey.

She rounded the curve at the end of the barn but I didn't make it with her. I fell and hit the barn door so hard I broke it. I must have been pretty tough because I didn't break anything although I did go to the hospital to get checked out to make sure. It isn't any fun to look up and see horse hooves going over your head. I was wearing a helmet. I always do. I don't know if it is true that a horse never steps on a fallen rider but she didn't step on me.

The next spill came a few months later. I was in Tn at an UMH show and was going to ride in that show. I was somewhat apprehensive about it but I figured I could do it. So I went down to the practice arena and was riding around. We were having the best ride of my life. MG was calm and she was gaiting around the arena. It was like sitting in a rocking chair and I was getting very comfortable. I don't know what spooked her. It may have been the dog that suddenly ran across the arena toward her but she went one way and I went the other. It was a very soft landing.

The very small rock that made up the footing in the arena was wet and soft and it was a soft landing place. Jamie helped me up and took me to the wash bay and sprayed all of the rocks off of me. I was covered with rock. Then I went to the motel room and showered and changed clothes.

So I have not ridden MT Girl since then. I have in fact had a very hard time getting on a horse. Then I broke my arm. Before I broke my arm, I think God was trying to show me I could ride and I should not fear riding. I kept running across scripture that used the phrase, "Fear not"

I felt shame. God was trying to teach me I could trust him when I rode and all I could think of was to not do anything to make the horse throw me. The more nervous I got, the more aware the horse was that I was nervous. That was counterproductive. Even J R got to where he was taking advantage of me. That was terrible. J R is an old gelding that is too lazy to do very much. His favorite gait is walking and he doesn't much like to do that unless his head in down eating. If he reared up, it would be in slow motion.

So now it has been almost four months since I last rode. I had a decent ride the night before I broke my arm. I was riding a mare called Rocky Top Rebel. She is a beautiful black mare that is very calm. We had a pretty good ride and she would even allow me to smack the flies that landed on her. She learned I was not trying to hurt her just kill those pesky flies. I rode a little while with my brother and then we headed back to the cottage. The next day I was planning to ride in the competitive trail competition but everything changed for me.

Many people ask me if I was riding. I had to admit I wasn't even on a horse. I was leading a weanling colt and stepped on uneven ground, lost my balance, fell and broke my arm. I hoped so much and prayed a lot I would not have to undergo surgery to fix my arm but I did.

On Facebook I wrote Roman 8:28. "For I know all things work together for good to those that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose." I think that may be my life's verse. I cling to it often. I quote it to myself when I am going through something hard. It is written on my heart as a wonderful promise. It tells me that no matter what I am going through today, I am going to have something good will come my way even though I am having a hard time in that period of my life.

There is nothing that can happen to us that God can't use it for our good. Steel is tempered by the heat that is placed on it. It hardens it and makes it strong. Gold is purified by heat. Both of those metals are beautiful and useful. God doesn't promise that Christians will have no trouble or go through trying times but he does promise he will be with us.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Deuteronomy 31: 6

Today, I got back on a horse. I was not afraid and my stomach did not get tied in knots. I was not the bundle of nerves I often am. I was way more agile getting on J R. I am stronger now than I was before even though I still don't have the same range of motion. I will be riding again tomorrow. So because I had to have surgery and physical therapy I am stronger in my legs and arms than I was 4 months ago.

Now about MT Girl. I am grooming her and giving her a lot of attention. She follows me in from the field and still leads as well as she did when she was showing in conformation. She comes to me when I approach the gate. I will ride her again. She is in foal but I can still ride her for several more months. It has been my goal to get back on her. She hasn't been ridden in about two years. The last she was showed was in 2008. I know I can ride her. I know she will allow me but just in case you think I shouldn't get on her the first time myself, I will be letting my brother ride her first and then I will ride in the arena for awhile.

Life is a journey. We may not know what is going to happen to us tomorrow or in the next few minutes but we can be sure as Christians we are not on that journey alone. The God that made us, loves us and wants only the best for us. But we live in a fallen world. Bad things happen to good people. But the God who hung the moon and stars and fashions the rainbow after a rain is with us through it all.

May the God of love and peace be with you and keep you in his loving care.

Regards,

Mary

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy one of Israel, your Savior."

Isaiah 43: 2-3

I Got Fired

I always thought there were some jobs I couldn't be fired from but I finally found one. It was from my own farm too.



OK picture this. Where have I heard that before. Oh yes, Golden Girls. I won't be nearly as funny as Estelle Getty but here's my story and I'm sticking to it. I've heard that before too. Humm.



We were at the World Show in Winchester Ky. I don't have stable hands like the regular stables. It is just my brother Bob and me. I haven't been riding in any of the shows this summer. Broken arm and all. But Bob has ridden in almost every show this year. He has shown Venture's Golden Satin. Oh yes that is another story. She was called SATAN in a couple of shows. I straightened them out on that one and they went back to calling her Satin. Last show they called her Venture's Golden STAIN. Hello out there, it is a very simple word. Satin. You know like they beautiful material wedding gowns are made of.



But I digress. I was talking about the job I got fired from. Well every one who rides in a show needs some help. Hold the saddle while the horse goes through DQP. Hold the horse. Adjust jacket for the rider. Brush off the coat, pants and boots for the premadonna on board the horse. They really do get big headed when on the horse. Especially the Amatuer riders.



Sable boy, in my case, girl has to know what the rider needs even before he or she thinks about needing it. Fly spray for the horse. Rag for wiping the shoes off. Leather punch in case it is needed. Bottle of water in case it is hot and it is needed. Extra shirt in case the premadonna gets a little stain from horse slobbers. The list goes on and on.



And let us never forget the all important cell phone.



The last of the show, I was doing my stable girl duties. I didn't think of the leather punch. I got the wrong shirt from the trailer, I didn't have a rag and had to borrow one from my friend Michael the ultimate stable boy. When our premadonna got to the show ring I was in big trouble. I had left my phone in the truck and he could not reach me.



Later I was crying the blues to my friend Michael and begging for lessons on being a good stable girl. I like to do everything the best I can. He was almost ready to give me classes until I mentioned I forgot my cell phone and left it in the truck. Now he won't even give me lessons. Later Bob came to the spectator area and told me I was a failure as a stable girl and I was fired.



I have fired him a couple of times but he has never fired me. And from all things, stable hand. I guess it is just not as easy as Michael makes it look. I bet he wasn't so good when he started out though.



Just recently I bought a beautiful Chocolate Palomino. She is a two year old and really something special. She is very naturally gaited and is going to be a really big mare. We have not shown her before the world show. Larry was talking about showing her in conformation and I agreed. I asked Bob if he would mind showing her. He said he would but I know he really doesn't like to show conformation.



I got a better idea that would work for him too. I asked Vanessa Crowe to show Dixie Belle for me. She readily agreed and was delighted I had asked her. Bob walked into the office just after I had asked her and before I could tell him that Vanessa would show Dixie Belle, Larry Patterson informed him that he had just been fired. They made such a big deal over him being fired. You just can't imagine two grown men crying and carrying on like they did.



So I guess world show was get even time for me when he fired me from my job as stable girl. It really didn't pay very well anyway. Michael gets a raise from time to time. Judy has double his pay a couple of times and he still make 0, zip, nadda. I guess he doesn't have to worry much about the tax on that pay check.