In the past 7 years, I have had the opportunity to spend time with and work with some truly incredible horsewomen. They have offered me guidance, encouragement, a sympathetic ear and a supportive shoulder. They have quelled my fears, boosted my confidence and improved my horsemanship skills. They have invited me into their homes and allowed me into their lives.
Together, we have risen high and fallen hard. We have taken the horses countless trips and covered thousands of miles. We have laughed and cried, cursed and joked. We have seen each other at our best and at our worst. We have battled through exhaustion, illness and injury. We have done it with a smile.
We have chased down loose horses together. We’ve whined and sighed about 3AM wake-up calls and 16-hour workdays. We’ve kept each other company in the emergency room and the horse-hospital. We’ve seen each other bleed – physically and emotionally – and we’ve seen each other sweat. We’ve slogged through snow, mud and humidity to get the barn chores done. We’ve poulticed, wrapped, given shots, crushed up pills, dressed wounds and iced legs. We’ve come home from shows with ribbons, and we’ve come home from shows with heartache.
I can’t explain how privileged I have been to work with these brilliant, talented, kind-hearted women. These women have made me exponentially stronger, but they have also made me kinder, more humble. They have taught me that hard work is still valued and rewarded. Most importantly, they have given me the confidence to follow my dreams.
Showing posts with label misc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label misc. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
A Walk in the Woods
I've been steadily building up my walking distance since the surgery. It started with laps around the dining room table, which is pretty unimpressive, but wiped me out nonetheless. Well, I am very excited to say that yesterday I did a 4 mile hike! I'd been keeping to the roads before, but I felt that I was ready to hit the trail again yesterday. Actually, it was only supposed to be a 3.6 mile hike, but I'm an idiot and took what amounted to about mile long detour. I ended up cutting out part of my original planned route, and kept the hike to 4 miles. It was SO wonderful to be out trapsing through mud and muck, surrounded by trees and sunshine. And best of all? I felt fine when I finished! I went up to the Camp Columbia State Forest, in Morris/Bethlehem. It is a neat little trail, with a creepy, cool old tower and abandoned building that stem from the days when the area was used as a college.
Some photos:
Some photos:
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Happy New Year!
Wow, 2010 is gone already? When did that happen? I wish I could say that I felt like I accomplished a lot with Dee, but I didn't. I was a little disappointed with how things turned out in that regard, but on the other hand, I have a beautiful, sound, promising young horse who is finally learning about work ethic. I went up to watch her go on Thursday. Have you ever been in a new england indoor in winter after snow? When that snow starts melting, it's like your world is caving in overhead, and horses don't like that. I used to hate that at Stephie's, because even the quietest horses freak out at an invisible avalanche of snow sliding down the roof. Needless to say, I wasn't surprised that Dee was feeling a little wild. Going right was fine, but when she started going left, the snow started falling. Poor thing had her eyes bugging out of her head. She held it together pretty well, but there was some scooting and bucking.
Also, I swear miss mare gets taller every week I go there.
Im hoping that this year Dee and I will get to make our big debut!
At any rate, Happy New Year to all!
February 2010:
March 2010:
April 2010:
May 2010:
June 2010:
July 2010:
August 2010: (Vegas!)
September 2010:
October 2010:
November 2010:
December 2010:
No pictures, just cowboys!
Also, I swear miss mare gets taller every week I go there.
Im hoping that this year Dee and I will get to make our big debut!
At any rate, Happy New Year to all!
February 2010:
March 2010:
April 2010:
May 2010:
June 2010:
July 2010:
August 2010: (Vegas!)
September 2010:
October 2010:
November 2010:
December 2010:
No pictures, just cowboys!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Dee's new Digs!
Well, I moved miss Dee in the middle of what resembled a cold tropical storm yesterday. The barn is really nice, with a great big indoor. She wasn't pleased with me, but I think she'll settle in. Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos. It was a deluge of rain with vicious wind gusts, so even if I had taken photos, it wouldn't have come out very well.
Now, when you drop a young child off boarding school, standard practice is that the parents shouldn't contact the child at first, to let her get acclimated. Much to my dismay, Garry has the same policy, and wants me to wait ten days to visit. I already want to go see her and I dropped her off yesterday! The only good thing is that I've got finals coming up and about a million different projects due, so I should be kept busy enough to not think about missing Dee too much. I know she's in good hands, but I haven't had someone else doing the majority of care in a LONG time, and I've NEVER sent a horse out for training without me. I'm feeling a little lost, and I definitely felt like a terrible parent leaving her there when she was clearly worried. I gave her lots of pats and told her how much I loved her and that she needed to be at least somewhat well behaved, then braved the storm back home.
I found this funny list called "A Horse's View of The World"... I bolded the one's that I think Dee would agree with:
Arena: Place where humans can take the fun out of forward motion.
Bit: Means by which a rider's every motion is transmitted to the sensitive tissues of the mouth.
Bucking: counterirritant
Crossties: Gymnastic apparatus.
Dressage: Process by which some riders can eventually be taught to respect the bit.
Fence: Barrier that protects good grazing.
Grain: Sole virtue of domestication.
Hitching rail: Means by which to test one's strength.
Horse trailer: Mobile cave bear den.
Hotwalker: The lesser of two evils.
Jump: An opportunity for self-expression.
Latch: Type of puzzle.
Longeing: Procedure for keeping a prospective rider at bay.
Owner: Human assigned responsibility for one's feeding.
Rider: Owner overstepping its bounds.
Farrier: Disposable surrogate owner; useful for acting out aggression without compromising food supply.
Trainer: Owner with mob connections.
Veterinarian: Flightless albino vulture <-- I LOVE that one... but Dee loves Dr. S, so it doesn't apply!
And one more, non horse related funny:
Dog vs. Cat…..
Exerpt from a Dog’s Diary:
8:00 am – Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am – A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am – A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am – Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm – Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm – Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm – Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm – Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm – Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm – Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm – Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!
Excerpts from a Cat’s Daily Diary…
Day 983 of my captivity.
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.
They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.
The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.
Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a ‘ good little hunter ‘ I am. Bastards.
There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of ‘allergies.’ I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage.
Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow — but at the top of the stairs.
I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released – and seems to be mor e than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.
The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now…………….
Now, when you drop a young child off boarding school, standard practice is that the parents shouldn't contact the child at first, to let her get acclimated. Much to my dismay, Garry has the same policy, and wants me to wait ten days to visit. I already want to go see her and I dropped her off yesterday! The only good thing is that I've got finals coming up and about a million different projects due, so I should be kept busy enough to not think about missing Dee too much. I know she's in good hands, but I haven't had someone else doing the majority of care in a LONG time, and I've NEVER sent a horse out for training without me. I'm feeling a little lost, and I definitely felt like a terrible parent leaving her there when she was clearly worried. I gave her lots of pats and told her how much I loved her and that she needed to be at least somewhat well behaved, then braved the storm back home.
I found this funny list called "A Horse's View of The World"... I bolded the one's that I think Dee would agree with:
Arena: Place where humans can take the fun out of forward motion.
Bit: Means by which a rider's every motion is transmitted to the sensitive tissues of the mouth.
Bucking: counterirritant
Crossties: Gymnastic apparatus.
Dressage: Process by which some riders can eventually be taught to respect the bit.
Fence: Barrier that protects good grazing.
Grain: Sole virtue of domestication.
Hitching rail: Means by which to test one's strength.
Horse trailer: Mobile cave bear den.
Hotwalker: The lesser of two evils.
Jump: An opportunity for self-expression.
Latch: Type of puzzle.
Longeing: Procedure for keeping a prospective rider at bay.
Owner: Human assigned responsibility for one's feeding.
Rider: Owner overstepping its bounds.
Farrier: Disposable surrogate owner; useful for acting out aggression without compromising food supply.
Trainer: Owner with mob connections.
Veterinarian: Flightless albino vulture <-- I LOVE that one... but Dee loves Dr. S, so it doesn't apply!
And one more, non horse related funny:
Dog vs. Cat…..
Exerpt from a Dog’s Diary:
8:00 am – Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am – A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am – A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am – Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm – Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm – Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm – Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm – Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm – Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm – Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm – Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!
Excerpts from a Cat’s Daily Diary…
Day 983 of my captivity.
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.
They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.
The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.
Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a ‘ good little hunter ‘ I am. Bastards.
There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of ‘allergies.’ I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage.
Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow — but at the top of the stairs.
I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released – and seems to be mor e than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.
The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now…………….
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
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