Snow Day

By Sunday afternoon, we had at least 4" of snow. I think it seemed like more than what the weather stations were saying.

The horses weren't too covered with snow though.

The cars were barely covered, and we had a light layer in the driveway.

The pines up front don't have too much snow in them... yet.

The pine tree to the side of the house was layered in snow.

I just love how pine trees look with layers of snow.

Then we woke to another 4" of snow this morning.

There has to be a total of 6-8" of snow on this railing.

I wished I had taken a pictures of the car and truck. They had a thick layer of snow on them, but before I thought about taking a pic of them, hubby had backed them out of the driveway and broomed all the snow off of them.

The horses are huddled around the round bale.

More Tractor Pics

Caden and Makenzie got riding tractors for Christmas. Here is Caden supervising his tractor being put together. The previous post was about Makenzie's tractor.

Let's get this tractor put together! Where's the seat?



Studying the decals and figuring out where everything goes.

Putting the decals on just right.

There are a lot of parts laying on the table yet.

ok, this is how you will want to do this!

Hey, don't you need the steering wheel to ride this tractor?

Aren't you guys done yet?

YEA! The guys got my tractor done!

Caden, Dad Jacob, Grandpa "Pop" and Uncle Micah

Thanks Pop and Grandma!

I'm a pretty happy guy right now!

Tractors for Christmas

Makenzie's JD tractor for Christmas. Check back soon to see Caden's.

Are you getting it together? Can I ride my tractor yet?



I can help!

What is taking you guys so long?

Loader is going on.

My seat is getting on.

Pop, get off the phone and get my seat on!

Finally, the seat is on!

I have my baby, my sippy and my phone. I'm ready to go!

I don't want to go to bed yet, I can ride it with my jammies on too!

JR is in Horse Heaven

Zips JR Mint “JR”
April 8, 1988 - January 5, 2011

I got an email earlier today that one of my daughter Sara's past show horses, JR, died yesterday. He was fine in the morning during chore time, but they found him gone at afternoon feeding. At the fine age of 23, I pray he went to sleep peacefully.

JR was a gelding by Zippos Mr Good Bar. He had that stunning red roan color. And he had that Zippos Pine Bar movement.

Sara and JR had a wonderful connection. JR was a fun horse to ride. And he wasn't always the easiest horse to ride. Sara made it look easy. It's just sad when you start seeing the horses that your kids rode and showed, die, and you see your kids, and other young adults, sad and heart broken.

JR was Sara's main show horse. Being outstanding in showmanship, she did wellin many classes. The highlight was winning State 4-H Sr. Showmanship. It was amazing to see her practice, which she did every day, treating this event as important as a riding event. I loved watching her do showmanship halterless, with JR in step with Sara. That special day when she won at State 4-H, they were an incredible pair. I remember JR put his head level with Sara’s, and he matched her step for step. When their name was called, they made a beautiful pair, moving together.

JR was also Sara's Horsemanship horse, and when he was on, he was on! He could stop, and turn, and go on a dime. He could perform in a slow, deep lope for western or with a long sweeping canter for English/Hunt Seat classes. Sara and JR performed in Aksarben's Advanced English Equitation class, and had an outstanding flawless performance. It was just breathtaking to watch their partnership and the two of them together.

But when JR was off, he was off. I remember the day, actually evening, at State 4-H, when they were in line up for Senior Horsemanship finals. JR was tired and he didn’t want to be in that line, waiting. He was kicking out and bucking in place. Being the rider that Sara was, she sat calmly, keeping him from disturbing the other horses. She had a smile on her face. She had nailed the pattern, sat on him quietly during line-up, and rode relaxed during the rail work. Sara placed 2nd and received Reserve Champion Senior Horsemanship that year.

JR took Sara from Capitol City playdays, to 4-H shows, to Open shows, to QH shows, and finally to the AQHA Youth World. He was an all-around horse, performing in showmanship, horsemanship pattern classes, pleasure classes, trail, and western riding. Sara taught him to do flying lead changes. As a team, they were competitive at the QH shows in all the pattern classes.

Sara learned how to keep him calm during qualifying season. We parked the trailer in a quiet spot. We left him tied to the trailer, eating from a hay bag. We had him saddled and he was calmly eating. He stood at the trailer until the class before her class was in the arena. Then Sara bridled and mounted him, and took him slowly to the gate. He was ready to perform, and didn’t need or want to be loped into the ground before the class.

I remember when JR first came to live with us, he didn’t even know how to graze. We had him in a small grass lot, and there was still grass in that lot months later. That winter, we had him in with the other horses for a few months. He had to learn to live in a herd and to act like a horse.

JR taught many young riders how to ride, as he was a gentle giant. When Sara's youth years were over, and she was off to college, I knew JR had to continue to teach another young girl to ride. And he did, with another show career with another special girl for the next 8 or 9 years. This was about the same amount of time that we owned him.

JR will be missed. He was one of those special horses that you had a specialbond with. Hugs to both Sara and Subbi. JR was a wonderful horse.

Goals for the 2011 Year

January 1, 2011

Happy New Year everyone!

I have thought of the year behind us now, and I'm thinking of the year ahead. What dreams do I have? What would I like to accomplish? What will I like to do different? Ride different trails? Go different places?I have thought of what I did last year, what I want to change and what I want to do this year. I'm thinking where I want to be next year, in 5 years, maybe even in 10 years.

Maybe some goals shouldn’t be made for just 1 year, but may take years to complete.For now, some of my New Year's thoughts and goals, as I'll change and add to thisduring the day today, through next week and the following months, are:

1) GET MY CENTERED RIDING CAREER GOING!!! I will attend a clinic this spring, and an update clinic if I have to. I want to qualify to be a Level 2 Instructor. I want to develop an outline that I will use for each lesson. I think when people can take home a description of what they have just practiced, they will remember what to practice and how to do something

2) GET HORSEMANSHIP CLINICS ON THE CALENDAR AND PROMOTE THEM!!! I have decided that I will just set some dates to hold some Horsemanship Clinics, where I can teach the CR exercises. I need to send out emails and try to get some out-of-town clinics together. I’ll try to do a free 4-H clinic, maybe more, and from there, work on getting some extra lessons scheduled.

3) ESTABLISH ONCE A MONTH ADULT RIDE TIME/LESSON TIME/TRAINING TIME, probably at a local arena. I have loved all of my adult lesson times. I just need to establish something here at my barn and maybe at a few local barns, on a schedule.

4) START A TRAIL RIDE GROUP, maybe a once a month time, with emphasis on IMPROVING HORSEMANSHIP ON THE TRAIL. Watch for details. I’ll start with a winter ride, here in February, weather permitting. No storms allowed.

5) KEEPING MY CALENDAR ORGANIZED!!! Write down ride times, training times,mileage etc. I love a calendar, that when you open it, has the week on 2 pages. My last calendar also had a month calendar before the weekly part. But I used my monthly part too much andmy weekly part not enough, ending up with a messy calendar!

6) 5 or 6 CTR's. I will try to attend most of the ones in our region. I see that this year, they have ride in July! I really hate competing during the summer months. I ride in the morning, and done by noon! But CTR’s start early, so maybe July isn’t out. It will all depend on whether the temps are in the high 90’s or not.

7) 1 or 2 ENDURANCE RIDES - maybe 1 50 and 1 100, or 2 50's. Enough said. I hope I can last the distance!LONG TERM GOAL...SEE TEVIS! This one may have to be on my Bucket List, but I want to go see Tevis, or see the area, or ride some of the trail, and within the next few years, ride TEVIS! But I'd be content riding the Tevis route some day! Traci, get ready. I’d really love to get out there this year to see it, ride the trail next year, and compete next year or the year after!!! Big goal!!!

What would you like to do this year with your horse or horsemanship goals?

I would always appreciate ideas on how to accomplish my goals too.We need to work together and encourage each other, and by the end of the year, we are better horsewomen, whether or not we even do a goal, because we are always on a journey, which changes and takes on new directions!

Start to get better organized! check! Well almost, as I’m thinking about it, but I don’t even have my 2011 calendar bought yet!

Happy New Year today and through the year!