Who else has had problems with Blogger?
Okay I can't really say that's why I haven't been here a lot.
Truth be told, I've been riding.
Yes, it's true and I'm just not ashamed one bit.

We have had some beautiful days, perfect to ride. I do tend to be a fair-weather-rider BUT I have plans to change that this Summer. We are finally wrapping up homeschool for the Summer, freeing up quite a lot of my time. A writer's convention, I am attending, will happen soon too and I hope to be so fully inspired....
A fiction, which I've been working on, has 2 main characters that are "equine-centric," and it really helps me get into the character's minds by surrounding myself with, you guessed it, horses. SO I definitely intend on spending a lot of my Summer in the presence of my horse kids.

And being with them doesn't necessarily equal riding.
I wonder if anyone else out there, sits in the pasture with horses and a notebook?
Is that weird? :)

This is my riding buddy on Clyde.
She's 14 and horse crazy, (admittedly so.)
She doesn't have a horse of her own so I am more than thrilled to have her, (a trained and relaxed rider) take Clyde for a spin.
We recently were given the diagnosis that I have anticipated for a very long time. Clyde has "Shivers" a neurological condition that he was born with. Shivers causes a horse to pull up their back feet, sweat, and have extreme difficulty with backing.
The only treatment is frequent work to keep muscles strong.
Having a friend to ride Clyde sure gives me extra peace of mind that we are doing all we can to keep him well.
And now for some other big news.
I am finally going bitless!!!
Rosie has ALWAYS fussed with the bit, excessively so.
The last time I rode she had copious amounts of salivation and was constantly rubbing her face on her leg. It made me so sad to realize the amount of discomfort she must be experiencing. We have tried every bit combination known to man and she constantly fusses. But when I lunge her without the bit, she is focused and r-e-l-a-x-e-d. Ya'll have been talking about it for so long... I guess I'm just slow.
I ordered the Dr. Cook's bitless bridle.
I know Juliette wouldn't steer me wrong.
But now... I WANT your advice.
Have you used the bitless bridle?
Anything I should do to introduce it to my mare?
Have I bitten off more than I can chew? (no pun)
All words of encouragement and/or warning are greatly appreciated!

How to Feed a Hound AND a Horse!

Look at those alien eyes!
Never mind, instead look at those beautiful, healthy hounds.
Although we have had some issues with allergies, (Ruby is allergic to chicken,) we have sought out some of the best and most nutritive foods for them and it seems to be paying off, in healthy dogs. Adding fruits and vegetables to their food gives additional antioxidants. Plain yogurt and nut butters add healthy protein and pro-biotics for good digestion. You can read all about that here.

There definitely is a link with good nutrition and good health which brings me to the horses.

There are so many natural supplements available for good horse health. We have been giving Rosie "Mare Magic" for some time now and it seems to make a difference in that little mare. "Mare Magic" is a supplement of dried raspberry leaves that helps to regulate a mare's cycle and thereby her moods. I've been paying quite a bit of money for this supplement because I feel it's worth it... it seems to work on her moods and probably makes her feel physically well too. Of course it never occurred to me, that raspberry leaves are abundant in summer and I can probably make my own "magic." That is until I read that Washashe's Mom has been doing this for a while, with excellent results.

And, our horses face many other health issues, physical and emotional, that can also be greatly remedied through the help of homeopathic aids.
Joe Camp, author of "Soul of a Horse," believes in keeping his horses according to a wild horse model. Of course this doesn't mean denying your horse preventative medicines and medical treatment. Instead Joe is talking about feeding your horse a variety of forage for the best nutrition and most of all, allowing your horse to be a horse!
And offering a widely varied forage is an interesting concept.
Wild horses tend to live longer than domesticated horses, and without all the "extra" stuff that our horses receive. A wild horse, unimpeded, could cover an average of 100 mile in a day... foraging all the while. And just thinking of how flora and fauna can change, in the span of just 100 miles, would lead one to believe that wild horses have an incredibly varied diet. Obviously we can't allow our horse to graze over hundreds of miles. We can, however, supplement their diet with a variety of natural grasses and shrubs that they would seek out if the were wild.
Take for example, the raspberry leaves.
We know these are things that our horses seek out on trail rides and now we also know that there are some healing properties to the plant as well.
Certainly there are many more plants out there with healing qualities, with benefits for digestion or mood or antibiotic properties, that we know and some we don't know yet. So, having said that I have become inspired. I will be doing some research on the healing qualities of plants for horses and will be formulating my own supplements this Summer while the harvest is good. In addition to raspberry leaves I want to dry (in my dehydrator) some things with other benefits as well. Herbs to help digestion, to repel bugs and to offer calm and concentration. And I also want to make it palatable without any added sugars that could have the opposite effect of my intended goals.
In essence, I'm gonna conduct a little experiment! Ya'll wanna join?
Let me know what experiences you have, or have had in the past, with using herbs and native grasses in your horse's diet.
Got any suggestions on the best way to dry or preserve?
I'm dieing to know what ya'll think AND I want to hear any victories or failures you encounter along the way!

And the same for our canine friends....
Anything, about your hound's diet, that your dieing to share?
I wanna know!
...and so does Ruby!

Horse Sense

"And God took a handful of southerly wind, blew his breath over it and created the horse."

-Bedouin Legend

Alas, More Random

Okay so I realize that my photos aren't the best but... I was hoping that this one would show the light shining down from Heaven on this magnificent beverage!
This is my new drink obsession.
The Iced Lavender/Mint White Chocolate Mocha
Hear that?
That's a chorus of angels singing Alleluia!
I know it sounds weird but it truly is delightful.

THIS is only a small portion of the plates I purchased at a yard sale 2 weeks ago.
They are Shenango China and match a set of diner platters which I have already.'
I love them.
All told I got about 50 pieces of this stuff, with 30 being plates, for $10!!!!!
There's that ALLELUIA again.
I will be sharing some with my best friend, Michaela.
(What do you think girl... aren't these awesome?!)

Yes, this picture is blurry. Don't adjust your screen.
BUT I had to show you the most wonderful, moist and flavorful gluten free bread that I have eaten to date.
They carry it at the Kroger bakery now too.
Oh glory Alleluia.

This is how work gets done around here. Just thought the school district might want photographic evidence that, even though unconventional, we DO get some school work done from time to time.

And finally a photo of my extremely talented nephew Will. This is really about some shameless promotion right here!
I just think his art is amazing and wish ya'll would go take a look sometime.
He's funny too.

Busy days. I am finally, REALLY writing that project I have dreamed about for years. At least 2 hours, most days of the week.
I am so scared.
Thoughts and prayers please.

A Little Time Away

Todd the Mule

Who names a mule Todd? I'm not sure but oddly... it fits him.
Last week we took a little trip to North Georgia for a family reunion and we got to meet this guy, the newest member of our clan. My Dad got him for some back country trips.
I couldn't wait to put an English saddle on him and make him a proper gentleman.
With a name like Todd he has to have an English saddle!

My nieces were adorable in their little dresses and proper ladylike riding helmet.

Later I got to take him for a little spin.
I am used to riding Rosie English style, and my Clyde is so good he'll steer any old way. So, I had a little communication problem with Todd. His neck reining and my confusion had him backing and turning. I had to get off, calm down and remount. He was very forgiving though and the rest of our ride was pleasant. My Mom took this photo as Todd asked to come up and say hello to her. He was very curious about the camera.
All in all he has a nice little walk and quite a smooth ride.
He is so stinkin' cute too, no? Can't wait to ride him again.

And a parting shot of 2 of the crew. All the dogs came to Georgia on this trip and got to run my parent's farm from one end to the other. A great time was had by all.

Horse Riding Helps Wounded War Veterans

For those of you, who have been reading for a while... you know what a huge chunk of my heart belongs to America's soldiers. And obviously, I have mad love for dogs and horses. I've written about service dogs for vets... and NOW here is a piece on a therapeutic riding program for soldiers. Oh how amazing and wonderful these empathetic animals continue to prove themselves to be!

A Horse is a Horse, Of Course Of Course, and a Dog is Still a Dog

Here's a little something that has been on my mind of late.
Why do we (people AKA "two-leggers") sometimes fail to recognize that a horse is a horse and a dog is a dog, and never shall they be parted?
Right here, me, just as guilty as the rest of coddling my animals, (horse and dog.)
But that's not what I'm talking about.
I don't think that baby talk and snuggles with your animals is an attempt to change who they are. But much of what we people do to our pets is at least a failed recognition of who they are. And, how would "we" feel if someone, let's say... our very best friend in the world... consistently failed to recognize who we really are? **Of course animal "feelings" are a discussion best left for another time, (and maybe I'll go there... some of you have already done some outstanding posts that I probably couldn't compete with, on the subject... but maybe I'll go there yet.)** But here's what I'm saying about who we "are" versus what someone might want us to be.

You are a successful airline pilot. You love your job.
You go to a party with your mother (who's always wanted something different for you than to be a pilot,) and your mother introduces you as her, "successful daughter... the lawyer."

What?

Yes, your mother loves you dearly and knows you well. She has cared for you impeccably your whole life and has your best interest at heart. You would never question her love for you BUT... she doesn't know you... doesn't know who you truly are.

I would like to draw this analogy back to our animal friends.
I think some people, good intentioned as they are... don't truly know the animals they love.
Isn't this what Cesar Milan and Monty Roberts have been telling us for years?

Our horses are herd animals, who as such, find security in a group. God made them to run when they are afraid. To congregate as a group for protection. There is an order with horses that sometimes people try to interfere with. No judgments here, because sometimes what we do to our horses is necessary... especially when they are hurt or ill... but often it is for our own human reasons that we subject them to certain things. Why do we isolate horses, tuck them away in stalls, away from the group on a regular basis? Why do we tell ourselves human dramas and tragedies while making the horse the protagonist of our tale? The struggle in a herd for dominance is a necessary part of being a horse. Allowing a horse to go through it, is vital to who that individual is. Giving a horse room to run when afraid is accepting what the horse is. Attributing human characteristics of jealousy, rage, or deceitfulness does no justice to who the magnificent creature truly be.

Same is true of our dogs. Dogs enjoy the security of a pack. Like horses they must run. And where a horse must forage for survival, a dog must follow his predatory instincts and hunt. Granted we don't necessarily need or want our dogs to hunt in the traditional sense... that's why we have dog food right? :) But, in order to acknowledge who a dog "is" we must indulge that desire in him some way. The dog must be given regular, frequent exercise in order to engage that primal part of him. Of who he is. When dogs pee on our floors and chew up our shoes there is only one reason. They need to run. Of course like horses, we can hide them away in cages and there are times when that is necessary. But when a person keeps a dog locked away in a cage for extended hours, without adequate opportunity to work... they are denying who the dog is.

I sometimes feel so frustrated by the incredible numbers of horses and dogs in shelters!
Of course we can implement selective breeding as a means to avoid the abandonment of animals, but that is only a small piece of the puzzle in my mind. The greatest thing we could do is to realize what animals need for survival. Our horses and dogs need more than food, water and shelter. They need for us to acknowledge who they are, and for us to commit to letting them be who they are, for the rest of their lives.

The Most Loyal Love

Words cannot express the deep love and admiration I have for this man and his dog.
I never even knew them.
Yet, my heart is breaking at the emptiness, in the world, that their deaths have left behind.

The honor and devotion from man to dog... dog to man... is so remarkable.
The last full measure of TRUE and abiding devotion,
stirs the deepest part of my soul.

As I sit, in this season of Lent, contemplating the depths of Christ's love, to hang his life on the cross for me....
I see that there are real life examples of that same selfless love RIGHT here.
The way a dog loves his person is the truest example of real love we will ever know, this side of heaven. And, the devotional love a man returns to his dog is maybe, one of the closest moments to "complete" we people get to have.
Here is an excerpt from the Associated Press story of this extraordinary team and the awesome power of love...

By JILL LAWLESS, Associated Press Jill Lawless, Associated Press – 2 hrs 46 mins ago

LONDON – Liam and Theo were a team, fast friends doing a dangerous job — searching out roadside bombs laid by insurgents in Afghanistan.

The jovial British soldier and his irrepressible dog worked and played together for months, and died on the same day. On Thursday they came home, flown back to Britain in a somber repatriation ceremony for the soldier remembered for his empathy with animals and the companion he loved.

Lance Cpl. Liam Tasker, a dog handler with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, was killed in a firefight with insurgents in Helmand Province on March 1 as he searched for explosives with Theo, a bomb-sniffing springer spaniel mix. The dog suffered a fatal seizure hours later at a British army base, likely brought about by stress.

Military officials won't go so far as to say Theo died of a broken heart — but that may not be far from the truth.

"I think we often underestimate the grieving process in dogs," said Elaine Pendlebury, a senior veterinarian with animal charity PDSA. "Some dogs react very severely to their partner's loss."

She said it was not uncommon for pets to respond to an owner's death by refusing food and becoming sick — and the bond between working dogs and their handlers is especially close.

"The bonding that I have seen between soldiers or police and their dogs is fantastic. When you see them working together, it's really one unit."

A military Hercules plane carrying Tasker's body and Theo's ashes touched down Thursday at a Royal Air Force base in southwest England. As the funeral cortege of black vehicles drove slowly away, it was saluted by a long line of military dog handlers, their dogs at their sides. A black Labrador retriever sat quietly beside its handler as the hearse carrying the flag-draped coffin disappeared from view.

Tasha Tudor
When I was a little girl, I absolutely loved all Tasha Tudor books.
Her illustrations were magical and her lifestyle, even more so.
Tasha Tudor lived in my century but as someone in the century before.
Even to this day I pour through Tasha Tudor's "A Time to Keep" and marvel at the intimacy and community of time's gone by.
Sometimes I long to be in those pages taken straight from Tasha's childhood.

March is sugaring month!
I met Tasha Tudor in 1987 and she was delightful!
She told me that her favorite goat shared my name, Rachel....
Every since I was a little girl, I have so wanted to go "Sugaring" like Tasha Tudor did.
So guess what?
We're making maple syrup for the first time.
It doesn't quite look like the pages of "A Time to Keep" but the feeling is still the same.

Finding the trees we marked, with orange surveyor's tape, last fall.

Here's a big tree that can take two taps.

Wayne drilled a hole for the tap, 1 1/2 inches, at a slight angle to help the drip of sap.
The trees aren't harmed in this process and will continue to give sap for years to come.
The warmer days and cool nights of March, make the sap run.

Hammering in the taps.

True, these buckets are no where near as charming as the metal one's Tasha Tudor used...
2 gallon buckets with a lid to keep out impurities.
We were surprised to find some of these buckets were full the very next morning!

And now... the evaporation stage!
Of course Tasha Tudor would have done this over an open fire.
We opted for the outdoor grill.
Water will be evaporated off until the syrup stage is reached. We monitor with a candy thermometer.
Hopefully, if all turns out as planned, we will be straining the syrup through jelly bags and canning later this afternoon.
I will certainly let you know how it turns out!

Horse Sense

" A horse gallops with his lungs, perseveres with his heart and wins with his character."
- Frederico Tesio

Clyde's Very Merry "Un" Birthday!

These 2 were not impressed that today we celebrated Clyde's Birthday.
If we ain't trail ridin'...
they ain't carin'.
Instead they took turns cuddling this pillow, with gusto.

Let's just say that Rosie was more than a little jealous that we weren't celebrating her birthday today.
Since both my horsey folk were rescues... we don't know their exact birthdays.
We know Clyde was born in 1993 but Rosie... we can only guess.
Because of this we celebrate Clyde's birthday on March 1st and Rosie's on April 1st.
Taking turns is good.
Rosie doesn't see it that way.

Clyde didn't get to celebrate yesterday due to the colic episode, so today is his very merry "un" birthday!
Barnmate Penny celebrated with us.
Penny is 28.
Girlfriend still looks good, no?

Clyde got a birthday apple pie, that he shared with his ladies.
He did, in fact, blow out all 18 candles.
I'm not positive but I believe he wished for no more vet visits!
And, that he might look as good as Penny when it's his 28th...

Raining and Pouring

Guess who's turn it is to give Mommy a coronary?
I'll give you a hint...

It starts with a "C"
and
ends with a "lyde!"

Nothing like a serious bout of colic, on his 18th birthday no less, to cause everyone to run around panicking!

For those of you keeping count, that's one deep penetrating flesh wound with eventual proud flesh, one incidence of choke and now colic... in less than a month.
3 emergency vet farm call bills.
Ferrier bill yesterday and regular farm call tomorrow for vaccinations.

But, if I weren't spending mad $$$ on my horses... what would I spend it on?
Who needs a trip to Tahiti anyway?

Horse Sense

"A cowboy is a man with guts and a horse."
-Will James

Winter Random

I, like many of you, am stuck inside. Cold. Rain. Ice. No ride the horse. No walk the dog.
Cabin fever can certainly cause some odd preoccupations.
For example...
Observation #1
Did you know they make the DQ Blizzard in mini size?!
Holy Moly, how come I didn't know this sooner?
I feel downright good about myself for eating anything with the "mini" moniker!
How could anything "mini" be unhealthy? Everything in moderation.
Yes, it's cold out. Yes, ice cream is cold too. Yes, I'm suffering from moderate hypothermia.
But it's "mini!"

Observation #2
Raylan Givens might possibly be the hottest thing since individual pudding cups.
(Or "mini" Blizzards?)
I love the show "Justified" and that stinkin' Timothy Olyphant (aka Rayland "Hotter Than a Mini" Givens) is my new celebrity crush. Yes, I'm married but he (my husband Wayne) understands... celebrity crushes are unavoidable.

Observation #3
Thomas Johnathon "Stonewall" Jackson's horse, "Little Sorrel" is stuffed and "living" in a museum on the campus of VMI!
What tha?!
This one will keep me up on these long winter nights if I sit and think on it too long...
Let's just drop it like it's hot... hot like Raylan Givens...

What winter pontifications are ruminating in your brain?

Wordy Wednesdays

"In order to really train a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi-human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming part dog."
- Edward Hoagland

Difficult Days

OH my gravy, it's been a tough day to be a horse lover today! And I guess, a tough day to be a horse.
First, I'm a little blue because I am finding it difficult to find someone to ride with. My son is 13 and just too cool to ride with his Mom. My husband just doesn't feel the love the way I do. Friends are busy. Family is too far away.
Then I awake to the news that the State of Virginia is now requiring you carry a proof of negative Coggins if you are riding in a State park. Seems okay on the surface. BUT, here's where I have a problem with it...
If a horse contracts Equine Viral Anemia AND manages to survive it, that horse will be a carrier of the virus forever right? A Coggins test is good for a year. If someone is so irresponsible as to try and bring an infected horse in contact with other horses then a requirement like this, won't keep them in the confines of the law. Your horse could have a negative Coggins, contract the disease AND still be in contact with other horses within a year, still being within the law. Meanwhile, if a responsible horse owner goes for a ride, maybe through a State park adjoining private property, and they don't have their Coggins paperwork on them... they could be fined and charged with a misdemeanor. As with most laws, the law itself cannot force good behavior or responsible ownership... instead it punishes those who ARE responsible and causes more trouble and heartache for those like me who are being limited more and more in my ability to easily access public land with my horse! :( BY the way, the State of Virginia recently opened up hunting on Sundays. This thrills my husband but for me, it's the one day I could ride in hunting season... gone. Sure, the responsible hunter wouldn't shoot a horse but the drunk redneck hunter (who can't tell if that's a horse or a deer through his beer-goggles,) just might!
Now for my personal little riding saga.
Some people in my neighborhood have been real jerks about me riding through.
One neighbor asked that I not ride through a corner of her property to access the road.
Why?
Because she didn't want me to "crush the plants" (read weeds here) on the (already beat down) game trail.
Okay. It is her property and she can do whatever she wants. And we won't even mention that her free roaming dog has destroyed the carpet on my screened porch and ripped the door off the hinges...
Then I had a neighbor call and pitch a fit because my horse pooped in the (public) road, in front of, her house. hmmmm?
So, I have moved my horses into a barn and pasture that I'm renting away from my neighborhood.
I have been asking neighbors around the barn for permission to ride through their property.
No.
All are afraid of lawsuits (even though I have said I would sign a liability waiver) or that I might crush some newly planted trees. (Certainly I am capable of riding around the saplings.)
Again I understand that they have the right to handle their property however they see fit.
It just makes me sad that open spaces are disappearing, neighborly behavior is obsolete and distrust remains supreme in this day and time. Am I alone in these seemingly insurmountable obstacles facing horsemanship?
My little rant is over now. I think I'm gonna go read about horses, while it's still legal and no one seems to find it too offensive. :)

Cowboy Wisdom and Choking

"Most of the stuff people worry about, never happens."
Cowboy Truism

Truer words. Truer words...
Yesterday, after feeding, Rosie started acting very peculiar.
Clyde gets beet pulp. Rosie doesn't. Rosie is a food thief. She managed to get a piece of un-soaked beet pulp. Can you see where I'm going with this?

Again, ya'll know my experience in this great big horse world is not that vast.
I never saw a horse choke.
Rosie started to paw and roll and make the most pathetic little noise. She wouldn't get up and that's not at all like her. Then the frothing of the mouth, the copious amounts of stuff coming out of the nose. Have you ever seen it?
It's frightening.

By the time I had called and recalled the vet, ending in a panicked plea to come right away...
she suddenly seemed better. She popped right up, started eating hay. Apparently, despite the swollen beet pulp, she managed to work it down or out somehow. The vet showed. We tubed her and I got to hold the huge nutcracker looking thingies on her lip and everything was fine. Thank heavens!

My worry, that she would certainly die... never realized.
Perhaps I should have worried about my own mortality. I may or may not have had a mild heart attack/stroke/anurism... But she was fine.

What a Beautiful Day for Some Girl Bonding

Finally! A lovely day, weather wise, snow gone... sun shining. Time for a ride. BUT, what happens when the sun shines and the snow melts? Mud.
Look at little Ms. Pigpen! First heavy-duty grooming then a ride.

All clean. We need a photo to document our girls day.

Can we get the whole face in here?

No seriously... get your WHOLE face in here.

Better. Helmets on.

Rosie's ready. No more paparazzi please.
Get on the horse already!

Ahh. The Rosie eye view... or should I say, "Pigpen"?