That is what my daughter said when she saw our new foal that was born on May 22. Our mare LS Mountain Wind Socks presented us with this little filly the morning after I went to the hospital.
I missed the Ladies Aux Show this past week end due to a nasty case of pneumonia and an UTI to boot. I got home from the hospital last Monday and this is the first time I have felt like blogging.
I enjoyed Vickie Smith's tips on grooming and I will certainly be using them in the future. It takes a lot of work to get your horse looking that good but like Vickie says it is details. Mark and Vickie own Sudden Impact who is the Sire of the newest baby on our farm. I am still trying to think of the right name for her but I am about to settle on "Celine's Rising Star".
Congratulations to all the winners at the Ladies Aux show. I am so sorry I was not well enough to attend. I hear I missed a really outstanding show and those ladies do know how it is done and it gets better every year.
I have so much to write about this blog that I will break into at least two. First I met my new friend Jessica at the Van Bert Stables a couple of weeks ago. She is really a nice and charming young woman. She had a very busy several days there by all accounts. On Friday there was a trail ride with H T and Wilda. I know that was fun for her. Then there were the days of learning her horse Mr Twister. I know she had an enjoyable visit and I enjoyed the brief time I spent talking to her. We have plans to meet again at the July show which she plans to attend.
From the Van Bert Stables on that Friday, Eleanor and I went to the KMSHA show in Owingsville. My two horses that went, Velvet and Chocolate Amigo did really well. Amigo brought home a blue for me. I can't thank Chris and Stacie Tipton of Cool Shade Mountain Horses enough for how well my horses are doing under their able direction. They look wonderful. They have a shine and conditioning that really gets them noticed. And they are putting in some really good performances.
The next day my grandson Michael Zinsius graduated from DeSalles High School in Louisville Ky and I was honored to be able to attend his big day. Congratulations Michael. This has been a big month for Michael. He also celebrated his 18th birthday on the 29 of May.
The next day Sunday I went to church and was not feeling real well that afternoon. By Thursday I was in the hospital with a raging fever and feeling like I had been hit by a Mack Truck. I am better now and plan to drive to Stanton tomorrow to visit with everyone there.
So this is what I have been doing for the past two weeks. I think my life is about to improve. My family sure hopes so. I developed a reputation in the hospital for not being a very good patient. Sorry about that but I haven't had much practice being sick.
Thanks so much to my family and friends that took care of me in the hospital and to Shannon for taking such good care of my horses while I was too sick to do it myself.
Later everyone
God bless you all in keep you in his loving care
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
It's the Little Things in Life
Chris Tipton and Blue Ridge Mt Girl World Show 2008
Most of our lives are made up of the little things. The simple pleasures. If we wait for the big things to happen, we miss so much of the little things that make life memorable. I remember once in Germany when we were visiting my son and his wife, I was thinking about how short this vacation would be for Bill and me. It would only last three weeks and then we would be home and I would go back to work.
I kept thinking all during that trip, that I needed to savor every moment. As it turned out, Bill and I had fewer moments left together than I realized. Although he lived another five and a half years after that, the time went so quickly and then he was gone and I live alone. Most days the dogs just aren't enough company and I miss Bill so much.
Recently I talked to another woman in my circle of acquaintances that has just been recently widowed. I know I have adjusted better than she has but I know the pain she feels. I know the emptiness of the house and the sleeping alone. I miss the special moments and the hugs. I know the loneliness of life without him.
But I have made a life for myself that I am enjoying because even when we lose someone we love so very much life does go on. I live on our farm again. I got busy with the remodeling project on the house and enjoying the horses I have acquired. I keep in touch with my friends. And that is how a life is made of simple things.
Most day are filled with the simple pleasures. The little things of life.
I went to the barn this afternoon to check on the pregnant mare before dark. Magic Rhythm was in the barn eating hay and had Blazin Star with her. When he saw me he walked up to the gate that separated us and invited me to play with him. I started scratching those itchy spots horses always seem to have. He stayed by the gate begging me to keep scratching him and rubbing his back and shoulders. He was loving it and we are bonding more and more every day. I also had to teach him a couple of little lessons. He wants to get mouthy with me. He wants to reach up and get my sleeves in his mouth and bite down. He also tries to bite my arms. So at that point my elbow jerks over and smacks him on his face or where ever it happens to land.
Biting and kicking are two things that can not be tolerated. He is a baby now but he may already out weigh me and he is definitely stronger than I am. Every time we are with horses we teach them something. His mother teaches him and she is definitely not as easy with him as I am but I did get my point across. He learned that if he reaches up to bite my elbow will hit him somewhere. It was something of a shock to him at first but he soon stopped reaching up to bite.
Tomorrow it may be the same lesson again. I have to be consistent. When he attempts to bite me, my elbow will get all crazy again and hit him where ever it lands. Soon he will remember the lesson. Being there in the barn with the horses was such a pleasant and relaxing experience. Relaxing with the little one and teaching him simple lessons. Listening to the others as they chewed on the hay. Watching the interaction of the horses as they deal with each other. You soon get to know who is boss and who stands back and waits her turn.
Soon my four year old mare came up to the gate begging for attention. Mt Girl was my first horse and she has in the past been aloft towards me but she is more and more my buddy now and she seeks out my company. So I gave her the desired attention and the scratching she was wanting from me.
I once again checked on the mare, Wind Socks to see what she was doing. She was still eating hay and I watched her for as long as I could. When it was too dark to see in the barn, I left and came to the house. The dogs are already asleep and snoring and I am heading that way myself.
Later
God bless you and keep you in his loving care.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Gardening
2 year old filly Rockin Andi
Today has been another busy day down on the farm. We have been selling our old crop hay to make room for the new crop that is about to go in the barn. I don't know yet what the hay quality will be this year but it should be really thick with as much rain as we have had.
My daughter and son in law were here this afternoon to get the garden tilled. It sure has been a hard job to find a day the ground was dry enough to get those pesky old weeds out of the garden. But with a couple of tillers running as well as a garden hoe working some, we managed to beat the weeds back and get three rows of corn planted. We also set out some more pepper plants and planted kale and spinach.
Our garden is already producing onions, lettuce and radishes. We have given everyone that comes to the farm a big bag of radishes and lettuce and we can hardly see where it is missing. I think this is one of the joys of a vegetable garden. It is the fact that you can share with friends the fruits of our labor. A garden almost always produces more than can be used and it is nice to share with friends who do not have a garden.
Then the rewards of having fresh produce from the garden on the dinner table makes the work worth while. We are hoping to also have plenty to put in the freezer. Or to can. I do have some really good pickle recipes that are always a favorite at the dinner table.
Our new foal is growing by leaps and bounds. The grass in their pasture is still not plentiful enough so the horses are still getting some hay. Tonight I noticed the foal is already eating hay. The other horses go into the barn and eat out of the hay supply there but Magic Rhythm will not take Blazin Star into the barn with the other horses. She certainly didn't let them share her bale of hay with her and the baby either. I set one out in the pasture for the two of them and she let him eat where ever he wanted but none of the other horses dared approach the bale.
It is a beautiful sight to see the mare and colt out in the field together. Today he seemed to be testing her a little too much and she gave him a quick nip to let him know what he was doing was unacceptable. The discipline was swift and got the point across in no uncertain terms. We as parents could take some lessons from horses on parenting. Too often human parents warn and warn but nothing happens if the infraction doesn't cease. The mare went straight to discipline. The bad behavior stopped immediately.
Our mare LS Mountain Wind Socks is making a nice udder so I think it will not be so long now before we have another foal. Mary Beth is so excited she can hardly wait. She has a three day stretch now working at the hospital so she is hoping the mare waits until she is off from work again in hopes she will be here when this baby makes its entrance into the world. She was in the barn late this afternoon checking on the mare. I think she was probably telling her to just wait until she is here to have the foal.
The video that Vera posted on the web site was certainly sweet. I kept thinking, "You can do it" "Keep trying there. You will make it" Then almost to the point of cheering when he was on his feet. I was reliving our foal's birth. The struggle to get those long awkward legs to support that body. The wobble. Standing up and falling down again. Then finally finding where mom is keeping the dinner warm. It is such an awesome sight. New life is always wonderful. It is the miracle. The newness. The circle of life continues as God has planned it.
Later everyone. The clock just struck half past my bed time. The dogs are already asleep and snoring. So I need to put these tired bones to bed. Hope your night is restful.
God bless and keep you in his loving care.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Mother's Day
Once a Hobo
Chocolate AmigoHappy Mother's Day to all you ladies. It was a good one here. I hope it was the same for all of you. My Navy son is traveling but I got an email last night from him and he called this morning to wish his wife a Happy Mother's Day and told her to be sure to call me. He is out of the country on Navy business and it is not easy to get a call through.
My youngest daughter Debbie was working at the hospital today but got a few minutes to call me and wish me a Happy Mother's Day and I got to wish her the same since she is the mother of two almost grown sons.
My son Mike and his wife were sitting on my deck when I got up to wish me a happy Mother's Day. They were here for supper and we had a great cook out. There is nothing like steaks on the grill with all the trimmings and banana pudding for desert. Not to mention fresh lettuce and green onions out of the garden.
My daughter Mary Beth was here with her granddaughter so we saddled up Hobo and Melissa went for a ride on her. I still am keeping Melissa on lead line especially since the only places I have to ride right now is open and I don't think that Hobo and Melissa have come to an understanding or agreement on who is boss yet. They both believe they are the boss so that pretty much means Hobo is since she out weights 6 year old Melissa by several hundred pounds.
Hobo is a really nice mare. She is only about 14.2 or 14.3 hh. She is a awesome black with a beautiful white blaze on her face. She has a really sweet disposition. I think when Melissa rides her a few more times she may convince her that she is the one in charge. Melissa is gaining self confidence and is understanding how to make her go where she wants her to go. We worked on the steering wheel today.
Melissa already knows how to make the mare stop. She knows if she won't stop when ask to then she pulls her head around and rides her in a circle until she does stop. I was also working with her to let her know how to train Hobo to stop and stand. I told her to tell her to whoa. If she doesn't whoa then she pulls back on the reins until she does stop and then count to 5 and release when she stands still for that count of 5. This is a refresher of what she is learning in riding lessons. So we were doing some practice to get that to come more automatic today.
Hobo is already good at all of this. She has had a lot of training. She was going for training in the show ring but she wasn't quite making it for showing so I bought her for a brood mare. She is a terrific riding mare so we will be riding her until she gets so big with foal that it would be uncomfortable for her. That means she can be ridden most of the summer since she won't foal until March of next year.
I did not go to the N Middletown Show yesterday. I had promised to move some horses for the girls that come to the farm to help me once a week. One of my boarders had someone coming to look at her TWH that she wanted to sell so I stayed home to wait for what turned out to be a no show. That's ok I guess. I got a lot of mowing around the house and barn done. So it was not a wasted day.
But I did miss what turned out to be a great showing by my chocolate gelding, Chocolate Amigo. He placed 3rd out of a class of 9 or 10 Trail Pleasure entries. This is only his second time in the show ring. When I was at Cool Shade Stable last week, Chris and Stacie were teaching him to back up. This was one of the things he hated to do. But according to Stacie, he did a nice back up.
Stacie was pleased to report that people came up to her after the class and wanted to know who that gelding was and who owned him and where did he come from. There were some of the big names in the business that was very impressed with him. He is a stunningly beautiful gelding and he looks better this year than he ever has. I have Chris and Stacie to thank for that. I took him there and he was looking rough after a hard winter and some of the other horses picking on him.
Stacie has brushed and brushed him until he lost all the winter hair without having to body clip him at all. He has had some really good feed that has brought the shine out in him and made him look smooth and shiny as silk.
Thank you Chris and Stacie for another excellent job of training and showing. I think he will do nothing but just get better all the rest of the year. We didn't make the winner's circle yesterday but we will be there sooner or later.
Later everyone
God bless you and keep you in his loving care.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
This and That
Welcome to my new follower, Mary Engle. Actually though Mary is not a new follower. She has been following for awhile. I think she reads each and every post I make, "because," she says, "I want to see what Mom has been up to" So as you have guessed now, Mary Engle is my daughter. She has good reason to wonder what Mom has been up to. Every time she comes to the farm, there seems to be a new horse here.
I hope you have watched the video of the recent horse show that Vera has posted on their web page. It has yours truly in it. I am the one in the blue jeans standing by S T Tipton. We were having our pictures made with Flair for Fury. She had just won the yearling filly class. Thank you S T for the fine job you did of showing her and thanks to Van Bert Farms for the first class job of training for this class. I am still excited to have such an outstanding filly. She is a Venture's Black Fury filly. I have bred one of my mares to Fury and we are excited about the prospect of a Fury baby next year. We even have the name already selected.
Spring on the farm is such a great time. It is also a very busy time. We have a garden on the farm this year for the first time in several years. I have not wanted a garden is recent years but since I have children who did, we now have a garden. I forgot how exciting it is to find the vegetables starting to grow. We planted our first garden early So we have peas, potatoes, lettuce, radishes, onions and beets already up. We also have tomatoes, green beans and cucumbers out. Next time out will see us putting corn in the ground.
We have already enjoyed lettuce, radishes and onions from the garden. In addition, while bush hogging the fields last fall, I found a bed of asparagus. It is growing wild and since we have no cows in that field, it has really produced a nice bed. I have been back there cutting it every couple of days.
It will soon be hay time. It comes around quickly when we have as much rain as we have had this year and the sun shines pretty often too. The yard has kept me busy this year as well. I have mowed at least three times already plus the once that Mike and Mary mowed.
My new neighbors moved into their new home this past week end. They are my son Mike and his wife Natalie. So it is new and strange to have someone live so close to me after all these years of this being the only house on the farm and my nearest neighbor being a mile away. It is nice to have them close.
Mike is a great help. He stays busy fixing what I break. We have pretty good program going. I break it, he fixes it. Welcome to the neighborhood, Mike and Natalie.
I hope you will all be able to come to one of the horse shows this year. I am always eager to see the new horses coming in each year. I like seeing who is bringing last year's yearlings in under saddle this year. It is great seeing the yearlings in the early part of the year and the weanlings as the year progresses. I look forward to seeing friends I have made from previous years and hope to see new faces as more people catch on to Rocky Mountain Horses. If you are a new owner, I hope to meet you at one of the shows. If you spot me, come up and introduce yourself. With Rocky Mountain Horses in common, we will have a lot to talk about as we each sing the praises of our own horses.
Later everyone.
God bless you and keep you in his loving care.
I hope you have watched the video of the recent horse show that Vera has posted on their web page. It has yours truly in it. I am the one in the blue jeans standing by S T Tipton. We were having our pictures made with Flair for Fury. She had just won the yearling filly class. Thank you S T for the fine job you did of showing her and thanks to Van Bert Farms for the first class job of training for this class. I am still excited to have such an outstanding filly. She is a Venture's Black Fury filly. I have bred one of my mares to Fury and we are excited about the prospect of a Fury baby next year. We even have the name already selected.
Spring on the farm is such a great time. It is also a very busy time. We have a garden on the farm this year for the first time in several years. I have not wanted a garden is recent years but since I have children who did, we now have a garden. I forgot how exciting it is to find the vegetables starting to grow. We planted our first garden early So we have peas, potatoes, lettuce, radishes, onions and beets already up. We also have tomatoes, green beans and cucumbers out. Next time out will see us putting corn in the ground.
We have already enjoyed lettuce, radishes and onions from the garden. In addition, while bush hogging the fields last fall, I found a bed of asparagus. It is growing wild and since we have no cows in that field, it has really produced a nice bed. I have been back there cutting it every couple of days.
It will soon be hay time. It comes around quickly when we have as much rain as we have had this year and the sun shines pretty often too. The yard has kept me busy this year as well. I have mowed at least three times already plus the once that Mike and Mary mowed.
My new neighbors moved into their new home this past week end. They are my son Mike and his wife Natalie. So it is new and strange to have someone live so close to me after all these years of this being the only house on the farm and my nearest neighbor being a mile away. It is nice to have them close.
Mike is a great help. He stays busy fixing what I break. We have pretty good program going. I break it, he fixes it. Welcome to the neighborhood, Mike and Natalie.
I hope you will all be able to come to one of the horse shows this year. I am always eager to see the new horses coming in each year. I like seeing who is bringing last year's yearlings in under saddle this year. It is great seeing the yearlings in the early part of the year and the weanlings as the year progresses. I look forward to seeing friends I have made from previous years and hope to see new faces as more people catch on to Rocky Mountain Horses. If you are a new owner, I hope to meet you at one of the shows. If you spot me, come up and introduce yourself. With Rocky Mountain Horses in common, we will have a lot to talk about as we each sing the praises of our own horses.
Later everyone.
God bless you and keep you in his loving care.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Winchester
Upon arrival at the show grounds, Eleanor (my sister) and I went to the barns to see the horses. Eleanor has her favorites. Rocky Top Rebel, my black 4 year old mare is one of them. She is sure that Rebel knows and remembers her from the first time we saw her in a large pasture with a large herd of horses. And maybe she does.
Another of her favorites is Toco Dawn. She is a beautiful mare with a way of placing in the ribbons in classes she enters. Eleanor is drawn to Toco Dawn because she is especially friendly and loves for her to scratch her in all of her itchy places. She comes up to the door and Eleanor scratches one side and then she turns to the other side to be scratched on that side too. Eleanor admires her too because she has such a nice disposition.
Of course the first horse I looked for was my bay filly, Dock's Velvet. She was looking very beautiful with the shine her coat had taken on since I took her to Cool Shade in Stanton. She was ready to go. She had the look of a winner in her eyes and since I raised her from a weanling, she is a winner in my eyes.
The show grounds were already busy with riders exercising their horses and grooms giving baths. Trucks and trailers were still coming in with loads of horses. The barn were beginning to get filled with horses. There is a friendly atmosphere at the shows even though when the classes start every one is giving it all they have to win the class. No one gets a charity win from the other riders.
Soon the show began. If you have never attended a Rocky Mountain Horse show, you may not know this but the flag is presented on horse back by a rider especially selected for this honor. This year a young lady presented the flag from horse back that had been severely injured in a car accident 4 years ago. She was led in on the horse and someone on foot carried the flag. This may not sound like a big deal but it was because, the doctors told her she would never ride again. The miracle of medicine in our time is awesome but it often does not account for God's hand in healing. So while the doctors may say "It is not possible" with God nothing is impossible.
So congratulations to this lady for her faith in the way God can work in our lives and her stubborn determination that gave her the courage it took to come back from a tragic accident. I know she is not where she wants to be yet and I am eagerly anticipating the day she rides in with the horse under her full control.
I am always thankful that prayer is said before the horse shows. I appreciate the prayers for our military. I am a military mom and I can tell you that our military needs to stay in our prayers. I am pleased that God is asked to bless our efforts and to keep horses and riders safe. And that thanks is always given to him for these remarkable horses that we are privileged to have in our care. All shows where Rocky Mountain Horses are shown start this same way.
The first day, I had two horses that showed. One in Country Trail Pleasure, Dock's Velvet and one in Trail Pleasure, Rockin Andi. Both did me proud even though we did not take home the blue. Velvet placed third and Andi placed fourth in a large class of 13 horses. And it was her first time in the arena to show. She is an awesome filly and I liked her the first time I laid eyes on her. She was one of those horses that I just knew I would love. Unfortunately, there are too many that I fall in love with. But I made no mistake in buying this mare.
The second day, my yearling filly, Flair for Fury (a Venture's Black Fury filly) placed first above another very nice filly. She was well behaved and S T Tipton did a great job of showing her. I was very pleased to take home the blue from that class. Rocky Top Rebel showed in a very large class and gave a remarkable performance although she did not place in the ribbons. Still I was happy with the way she showed and I thank Jamie Derickson for the wonderful job he has done in training and showing her.
As the day progressed I saw Cool Shade Mountain Horses come out of the arena with several blues. One outstanding stallion they were showing kept that kept winning is Heart of Motion. He is owned by Dick and Margaret Baker. They were especially pleased with his showing. He is a fine young stallion that is coming into his own. They also own Toco Dawn that is a well trained and well performing mare. She gets noticed in almost every class in which she is entered. Eleanor and I noticed her at a show in the Kentucky Horse Park and she soon became a favorite of ours.
Again Van Bert Farms took home a load of ribbons and trophies for their farm and their clients. I as one of their clients appreciate the way my horses always look whether they are working on the farm in training or showing in the arena. Everyone at the Van Bert Farm works very hard to keep the horses in top notch condition. They do not take horses to a show that doesn't look like a winner and perform like one too.
During the morning before the show started on Saturday, Eleanor and I went to the farm to visit. We first went to the field to check in on my new baby and his momma. I was amazed at how much he has grown since last week when I saw him. He and Magic Rhythm came running up to me. He stayed around for some attention. He already loves the attention. His momma is looking great, thanks to the good care she has gotten there. She has completely shed her winter coat and is shiny as a new dollar.
We then went over to the office where we found Larry and two of my favorite friends, Stephanie and her mother Cheryl Moore. Stephanie owns a mare named Mercy Me and I love the spunk of that little mare. She is a small mare but she has a gear that is hard to believe on such a small animal She does the Classic Gait but is just as good when asked to perform at the Park Gait. I love to cheer for that mare.
It is a treat to visit the barn at Van Bert's Farm. It is always friendly and feels so much like home. I looked in on my yearling colt that was not ready for this show but will likely go to the show in Middletown early next month. He is taking on weight and is shedding off and getting a beautiful shine to his coat. He is out of my mare LS Mountain Wind Socks and by Sudden Impact.
Sudden Impact foals are really nice babies. They don't know how to do anything but gait. I have a Sudden Impact yearling here on the farm that is stunning in the way he moves. He is well grown out. A beautiful chestnut color. I just have to stand back and admire him every time I am around him. He almost parks out naturally like he is in the show ring. And he looks very alert with his ears straight up.
But back to the show. I look forward to the days when every barn and every stall is filled to capacity in this new and awesome facility. Although it is still a work in progress it is a great venue to gain attention to Rocky Mountain Horses. These horses are such a blessing from God. I can't say enough good about them. And I just want everyone coming to the shows to enjoy watching them and bringing their horses back to complete.
So congratulations to all the winners. Believe me there were no losers there. The horses all looked great and performed really well. They showed the tremendous work that goes into the training and grooming of these horses. If you have never been to one of the shows where Rocky Mountain Horses are shown, you must make it a point to attend. The more you see of them, the more you will love them.
Later everyone.
God Bless and keep you in his loving care.
Another of her favorites is Toco Dawn. She is a beautiful mare with a way of placing in the ribbons in classes she enters. Eleanor is drawn to Toco Dawn because she is especially friendly and loves for her to scratch her in all of her itchy places. She comes up to the door and Eleanor scratches one side and then she turns to the other side to be scratched on that side too. Eleanor admires her too because she has such a nice disposition.
Of course the first horse I looked for was my bay filly, Dock's Velvet. She was looking very beautiful with the shine her coat had taken on since I took her to Cool Shade in Stanton. She was ready to go. She had the look of a winner in her eyes and since I raised her from a weanling, she is a winner in my eyes.
The show grounds were already busy with riders exercising their horses and grooms giving baths. Trucks and trailers were still coming in with loads of horses. The barn were beginning to get filled with horses. There is a friendly atmosphere at the shows even though when the classes start every one is giving it all they have to win the class. No one gets a charity win from the other riders.
Soon the show began. If you have never attended a Rocky Mountain Horse show, you may not know this but the flag is presented on horse back by a rider especially selected for this honor. This year a young lady presented the flag from horse back that had been severely injured in a car accident 4 years ago. She was led in on the horse and someone on foot carried the flag. This may not sound like a big deal but it was because, the doctors told her she would never ride again. The miracle of medicine in our time is awesome but it often does not account for God's hand in healing. So while the doctors may say "It is not possible" with God nothing is impossible.
So congratulations to this lady for her faith in the way God can work in our lives and her stubborn determination that gave her the courage it took to come back from a tragic accident. I know she is not where she wants to be yet and I am eagerly anticipating the day she rides in with the horse under her full control.
I am always thankful that prayer is said before the horse shows. I appreciate the prayers for our military. I am a military mom and I can tell you that our military needs to stay in our prayers. I am pleased that God is asked to bless our efforts and to keep horses and riders safe. And that thanks is always given to him for these remarkable horses that we are privileged to have in our care. All shows where Rocky Mountain Horses are shown start this same way.
The first day, I had two horses that showed. One in Country Trail Pleasure, Dock's Velvet and one in Trail Pleasure, Rockin Andi. Both did me proud even though we did not take home the blue. Velvet placed third and Andi placed fourth in a large class of 13 horses. And it was her first time in the arena to show. She is an awesome filly and I liked her the first time I laid eyes on her. She was one of those horses that I just knew I would love. Unfortunately, there are too many that I fall in love with. But I made no mistake in buying this mare.
The second day, my yearling filly, Flair for Fury (a Venture's Black Fury filly) placed first above another very nice filly. She was well behaved and S T Tipton did a great job of showing her. I was very pleased to take home the blue from that class. Rocky Top Rebel showed in a very large class and gave a remarkable performance although she did not place in the ribbons. Still I was happy with the way she showed and I thank Jamie Derickson for the wonderful job he has done in training and showing her.
As the day progressed I saw Cool Shade Mountain Horses come out of the arena with several blues. One outstanding stallion they were showing kept that kept winning is Heart of Motion. He is owned by Dick and Margaret Baker. They were especially pleased with his showing. He is a fine young stallion that is coming into his own. They also own Toco Dawn that is a well trained and well performing mare. She gets noticed in almost every class in which she is entered. Eleanor and I noticed her at a show in the Kentucky Horse Park and she soon became a favorite of ours.
Again Van Bert Farms took home a load of ribbons and trophies for their farm and their clients. I as one of their clients appreciate the way my horses always look whether they are working on the farm in training or showing in the arena. Everyone at the Van Bert Farm works very hard to keep the horses in top notch condition. They do not take horses to a show that doesn't look like a winner and perform like one too.
During the morning before the show started on Saturday, Eleanor and I went to the farm to visit. We first went to the field to check in on my new baby and his momma. I was amazed at how much he has grown since last week when I saw him. He and Magic Rhythm came running up to me. He stayed around for some attention. He already loves the attention. His momma is looking great, thanks to the good care she has gotten there. She has completely shed her winter coat and is shiny as a new dollar.
We then went over to the office where we found Larry and two of my favorite friends, Stephanie and her mother Cheryl Moore. Stephanie owns a mare named Mercy Me and I love the spunk of that little mare. She is a small mare but she has a gear that is hard to believe on such a small animal She does the Classic Gait but is just as good when asked to perform at the Park Gait. I love to cheer for that mare.
It is a treat to visit the barn at Van Bert's Farm. It is always friendly and feels so much like home. I looked in on my yearling colt that was not ready for this show but will likely go to the show in Middletown early next month. He is taking on weight and is shedding off and getting a beautiful shine to his coat. He is out of my mare LS Mountain Wind Socks and by Sudden Impact.
Sudden Impact foals are really nice babies. They don't know how to do anything but gait. I have a Sudden Impact yearling here on the farm that is stunning in the way he moves. He is well grown out. A beautiful chestnut color. I just have to stand back and admire him every time I am around him. He almost parks out naturally like he is in the show ring. And he looks very alert with his ears straight up.
But back to the show. I look forward to the days when every barn and every stall is filled to capacity in this new and awesome facility. Although it is still a work in progress it is a great venue to gain attention to Rocky Mountain Horses. These horses are such a blessing from God. I can't say enough good about them. And I just want everyone coming to the shows to enjoy watching them and bringing their horses back to complete.
So congratulations to all the winners. Believe me there were no losers there. The horses all looked great and performed really well. They showed the tremendous work that goes into the training and grooming of these horses. If you have never been to one of the shows where Rocky Mountain Horses are shown, you must make it a point to attend. The more you see of them, the more you will love them.
Later everyone.
God Bless and keep you in his loving care.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Home from Winchester
First I want to welcome a new follower to my blog. Welcome Jessica P. Jessica is new to Rocky Mountain Horses. And a new follower to my blog. Thank you for joining my list of followers. Yes, Jessica these are marvelous horses and congratulations on your purchase of Twister. From the accounts I hear of him at Van Berts, that is a wonderful horse. I can see you are hooked on Rockies. Welcome to that club. It is getting larger all the time. They are very addictive.
We just came home from the Carson Masters Show at our new UMH facility in Winchester. I can only say it was a great show. There were many fine examples of the Rocky Mountain horse at this show and I hope the number of horses and the crowds continue to grow as more people learn about these horses that are treasures of a not so distant past. They represent a way of life that America has left behind as the country moved quickly into the machine age. But there is such an innate love of horses in the hearts and souls of so many people all over the world, that we just can not get over the need for horses. Although we love our cars and all the other machinery that has made our world more comfortable, we still long for that relationship with a horse. And many of us have discovered that the Rocky Mountain horse really fits that desire.
All you Rocky owners out there and the wanna bes have learned about the attributes that make this breed so beloved. They win our hearts from the warm and loving response to us as we live and work with them. They have that gentle disposition that allows us to get on a stallion and take him on a trail ride or into a show arena with mares. Many of the stallions can be ridden by the most novice of riders. And the young ones are so lovable. It is hard to not spoil them. My colt born on 3/31/09 is a fine example of their loveability at an early age. He comes gaiting up to me in an open field for some scratching in those itchy spots. He has no fear of me and I think maybe views me as just a funny looking horse.
In the show arena, I am amazed at the skill of the younger riders Coby Tipton is 7 years old and he was in the arena on a nice mare during the recent show in Winchester. But at 7, Coby is an old hand riding in the show arena. He has been riding from a very early age. Coby is not a large child for being 7 but he was able to ride very effectively and the apparent ease of handling his horse was a testament of not only his training but the easy temperament of Rocky Mountain Horses. As with any breed there are horses that are more suited to age and skill of a rider. And parents still needs to know the horse and what a child is capable of doing.
Coby's grandparents are Vera and Larry Patterson and great grandson of the Wilda and H T Derickson of Van Bert Farms. His father and mother are Brook and Derick Tipton of Rockin Ridge Stables.
So Coby has a deep roots in the Rocky Mountain Horse industry and is very capable of handing many different mounts. But still as with any horse I am sure his parents choose wisely when putting him on a mount. But this is not only what Coby's parents should be doing but what we all should be doing Not every horse (even Rocky Mountain Horses) is suited to every person. And although the really good riders can ride almost any horse, those of us who are novices to horses need to choose wisely until we gain the necessary skill, knowledge and confidence to ride a wider variety of horses. One area that makes it easy to choose the perfect Rocky Mountain Horse is the choice of size. The Rocky Registries reconize a size from 14.2 to 16 hh. I like to 14.2 and 14.3 sizes. I am short (plus not as agile as I once was) and they are easier for me to mount and dismount from.
The size of the Rocky Mountains and their nice dispositions have made them an even more attractive horse for people of all ages but increasing in the senior citizen age group. I am 67, and have not ridden in years. I don't need a horse that will put me on the ground, is hard to mount and has a mean temperament. I don't think most people need or want that either. Many people my age want a horse they can ride that has the easy gait due to aches and pains of growing older. We don't need a horse that will bounce us up and down or that we have to learn to post on.
And then there is the many choices in color. Although that is not relevant to ridability, it is nice to be able to choose a color that suits our personal preferences.
I had a young filly that I was absolutely crazy about that was chestnut. I also have a chestnut colt right now. Both are outstanding examples of Rocky Mountain Horses. Some people only want Chocolate with a white or flaxen mane and tail. Some people like bays or blacks. There are some really beautiful silver colors. There are also palominos and buckskins. Whatever the color one likes the best when you take a Rocky Mountain on a trail ride your mount gets noticed.
So enough for this posting. I really meant to write about the horse show from over the past week end but it seems that I got off on a side trail in discussing the Rocky Mountain Horses. It is certainly easy to do.
One final thought for today.
My one disappointment in the show was with the yearling classes. There are a number of us who would love to see more of that age group in the show ring. They are the future of our breed and we would all be interested in seeing what the future of the breed holds. Those of you with yearling should consider showing more of them. Do you have an idea on how to get those with young horses interested in showing them? We also have the weanling classes that will come up later in the summer. Send any idea to me at marifranie@aol.com. I am not the official spokesman for anything or anyone but I would be happy to pass any suggestion along. May I invite you to brain storm with us on this issue?
Later everyone!!
God bless and keep you in his loving care.
s
We just came home from the Carson Masters Show at our new UMH facility in Winchester. I can only say it was a great show. There were many fine examples of the Rocky Mountain horse at this show and I hope the number of horses and the crowds continue to grow as more people learn about these horses that are treasures of a not so distant past. They represent a way of life that America has left behind as the country moved quickly into the machine age. But there is such an innate love of horses in the hearts and souls of so many people all over the world, that we just can not get over the need for horses. Although we love our cars and all the other machinery that has made our world more comfortable, we still long for that relationship with a horse. And many of us have discovered that the Rocky Mountain horse really fits that desire.
All you Rocky owners out there and the wanna bes have learned about the attributes that make this breed so beloved. They win our hearts from the warm and loving response to us as we live and work with them. They have that gentle disposition that allows us to get on a stallion and take him on a trail ride or into a show arena with mares. Many of the stallions can be ridden by the most novice of riders. And the young ones are so lovable. It is hard to not spoil them. My colt born on 3/31/09 is a fine example of their loveability at an early age. He comes gaiting up to me in an open field for some scratching in those itchy spots. He has no fear of me and I think maybe views me as just a funny looking horse.
In the show arena, I am amazed at the skill of the younger riders Coby Tipton is 7 years old and he was in the arena on a nice mare during the recent show in Winchester. But at 7, Coby is an old hand riding in the show arena. He has been riding from a very early age. Coby is not a large child for being 7 but he was able to ride very effectively and the apparent ease of handling his horse was a testament of not only his training but the easy temperament of Rocky Mountain Horses. As with any breed there are horses that are more suited to age and skill of a rider. And parents still needs to know the horse and what a child is capable of doing.
Coby's grandparents are Vera and Larry Patterson and great grandson of the Wilda and H T Derickson of Van Bert Farms. His father and mother are Brook and Derick Tipton of Rockin Ridge Stables.
So Coby has a deep roots in the Rocky Mountain Horse industry and is very capable of handing many different mounts. But still as with any horse I am sure his parents choose wisely when putting him on a mount. But this is not only what Coby's parents should be doing but what we all should be doing Not every horse (even Rocky Mountain Horses) is suited to every person. And although the really good riders can ride almost any horse, those of us who are novices to horses need to choose wisely until we gain the necessary skill, knowledge and confidence to ride a wider variety of horses. One area that makes it easy to choose the perfect Rocky Mountain Horse is the choice of size. The Rocky Registries reconize a size from 14.2 to 16 hh. I like to 14.2 and 14.3 sizes. I am short (plus not as agile as I once was) and they are easier for me to mount and dismount from.
The size of the Rocky Mountains and their nice dispositions have made them an even more attractive horse for people of all ages but increasing in the senior citizen age group. I am 67, and have not ridden in years. I don't need a horse that will put me on the ground, is hard to mount and has a mean temperament. I don't think most people need or want that either. Many people my age want a horse they can ride that has the easy gait due to aches and pains of growing older. We don't need a horse that will bounce us up and down or that we have to learn to post on.
And then there is the many choices in color. Although that is not relevant to ridability, it is nice to be able to choose a color that suits our personal preferences.
I had a young filly that I was absolutely crazy about that was chestnut. I also have a chestnut colt right now. Both are outstanding examples of Rocky Mountain Horses. Some people only want Chocolate with a white or flaxen mane and tail. Some people like bays or blacks. There are some really beautiful silver colors. There are also palominos and buckskins. Whatever the color one likes the best when you take a Rocky Mountain on a trail ride your mount gets noticed.
So enough for this posting. I really meant to write about the horse show from over the past week end but it seems that I got off on a side trail in discussing the Rocky Mountain Horses. It is certainly easy to do.
One final thought for today.
My one disappointment in the show was with the yearling classes. There are a number of us who would love to see more of that age group in the show ring. They are the future of our breed and we would all be interested in seeing what the future of the breed holds. Those of you with yearling should consider showing more of them. Do you have an idea on how to get those with young horses interested in showing them? We also have the weanling classes that will come up later in the summer. Send any idea to me at marifranie@aol.com. I am not the official spokesman for anything or anyone but I would be happy to pass any suggestion along. May I invite you to brain storm with us on this issue?
Later everyone!!
God bless and keep you in his loving care.
s
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