Happy Trails Foxy!

A am so pleased to share that the gal who has been leasing Foxy has decided to buy her. She also owns Spinner and I couldn't be happier with the home where they live!

Picture in your mind trees and a river bank and grass...

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A Moonlit Ride

A Moonlit Ride by Carol Herlihy

There's moonlight dancing o're snow covered ground
Enticing me out for a late night 'go round'
Donning jacket, some gloves, and a wool hat
I sneak out the backdoor, silent as a cat.

Emerging outside in the brisk winter air
A soft nicker of welcome from my sweet mare
She's chestnut and furry, a right jolly old girl
Oh, my pretty pony is always up for a whirl

With two hay strings attached to the halter for reins
she knows what we're doing, no need to explain
As we ease open the gate and head for the stump
I slide onto her back and pat her round rump

Into the forest so silent and still,
Are you ready to go for a wild winter's thrill?
The trails are all silver, with shadows in blue
Dark pines like sentinels, watching us two

Threading the woods on these ribbons of snow
Twisting and winding to the meadow we go
Prancing and jigging then tossing her mane
We dash away over the sparklingly plain

Her hoof beats fall silent in this white ocean expanse
Moving faster and faster, as fast as we chance
Wind tingles my cheeks, my heart's pounding away
Skimming over the snow, whichever which way

She brakes to a trot, sending snow all about
Her breath plumes of white as she exhales it out
Arching her neck and pricking her ears
Dancing and prancing, shedding her years

Back into the woods so silent and deep
no sounds mar the silence, all are asleep
the moon and the stars are our beacons of light
as we head back for home, its nearing midnight

I slide off her back and remove all restraints
then toss her some hay so I'll hear no complaints.
A pat and a hug plus a hard rub of the head
then it's back in the house and quick off to bed.

I came across this poem HERE and thought I would share. I haven't ridden at night in a long time. I feel inspired.

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Junior Apprentice Trimmer

Today Julie came out to trim Star and Delight's feet. Star was her usual wiggly self. She doesn't believe in just standing about and relaxing in one place.

The whole time I was holding her she was moving her head around getting into everything within reach. She thought she needed to make a call on Julie's cell phone and spent a lot of time trying to pick it out of her pocket. Then she tried to get eye level with the work Julie was doing on her front foot. I swear it looked like she was trying to learn what Julie was doing. Then she grabbed the hood on Julie's jacket and then the strap on the back of her chaps. Then she did it all over again. Can horses have ADD?


Then it was Delight's turn for a trim. Star was like a 3 year old child rather than a horse. She was there the whole time, getting into everything, busy busy busy. Delight just sighed. Being the mother of a few busy kids myself, I can relate.

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The "Off" Season

This morning I spent some time out in the pasture with Delight and Star. I haven't done that in a long while. It was a bit foggy and a lot cold. I expected to be breaking ice and filling water tanks. Some sort of December miracle happened however, and my kids had already completed that chore. I found myself with the valuable gift of free time.

I used a curry and went straight to their itchy spots, leaving the "start at the head and work your way back" grooming rule completely behind. If I spend too much time on one, the other gives me a gentle reminder by bumping me gently with her head.

My horses have a way of drawing me into their herd, grooming my hair with their noses and breathing into my face. They come close and press their heads and necks in for a hug. Their love and acceptance fills up the deepest reservoirs of my spirit.

I am thankful.

Sometimes when I am grooming one, she grooms the second, wiggling her nose all over her wither. Today the second turned around and groomed my back, so we three were a complete circle of happy groomers.

This is the "off" season for riding. The days are short and cold and the weather seldom cooperates even for a trail ride. But, it's the time to reconnect really. No training schedules, no time lines.... just time to be with my pony girls.

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Quote of the Day

This quote expresses what I am trying to learn right now.

"Something I often tell my students is: Before the horse can make a change, you have to make a change. This doesn't necessarily mean a physical change either. It can be a mental change - changing the way you view your riding. If you've ridden in a particular way for ten, or even five years, and achieved show ring success with this style, it becomes almost a leap of faith to accept that there can be more beyond this. It is a huge act of humility to admit that you may not be *correct* in your riding, after several years, and put yourself back into the mind of a beginner and have to learn to learn again. "

This is taken from the webpage: Why Ride Classically

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"Every Cowboy needs a Horse"

"I Wish I Had a Horse"