What a nice weekend...

My mom and her friend Cindy came out to my barn Saturday and actually went on a trail ride with me.

My mom and dad came out a few weeks ago and I harnessed Summer up and gave her and dad a cart ride. Then saddled Summer and she rode her for maybe a minute in the round pen. I got pictures, but they are from her 35mm and I don't have them on the computer.

When she said she would go on a trail ride, you bet I had my digital camera with me. I borrowed a couple of horses from some friends. I got Gazz for mom from June and Amira for Cindy from Tracey. Tracey asked if she could go and I said "of course." She took the role of trail boss so I could hang back with my mom. Gazz's speed of walk is about 2.5 mph, where as Summer, Amira and CP (Tracey's mount for the day) is about 4mph. I wanted mom to be comfortable so put her on Gazz. I think next time she will ride Amira. I was real proud of Gazz and Amira, they took real good care of mom and Cindy. And mom and Cindy had a blast. Cindy is my age and is mom's neighbor. She didn't tell her parents she was going horse back riding as she said they would have had a fit. So she will just show them the pictures! LOL

I tell you, it will be one of my favorite memories. Now I have to get Amanda out there, and she, mom and I will go on a trail ride. I will put mom on Amira and Amanda on Gazz. Maybe in November after my ride season is over. I can't wait!

Later!

Fund raiser and my next CTR

My next CTR is this coming weekend at the LBJ Grasslands in Decatur, TX. I have ridden safety there for the past three years, so this will be my first competing ride. Wish us luck.

My main topic for the post is a fund raiser that several folks I know are doing. It too will be at the LBJ Grasslands the weekend after next. So Summer ain't gonna know what hit her. (smile) It will actually be a nice slow ride with a bunch of folks I know who are trying to raise money for a common good.

Please go to my link: http://www.firstgiving.com/tamarahaley and check out both links attached within. I may have shot my goal too high as I know the economy is hurting right now. But it is for a cause that is worthy. My hubby has donated the first $100 for me, but any amount will help. (Course I told him what he would be donating) (smile) Whether it be $10 or $100, it all goes to the same final cause. So if you read this, and you can help, please do.

Thank you,
Tammy and Summer

Robbers Route

Well, I am almost rested up from my Robbers Route weekend. I can't remember when I have been so tired. Of course, allergies aren't helping any.

Here it goes:

I had been packing all week before the ride. Getting everything ready. I am very weird that way. That Girl Scout coming out in me, "Be Prepared". Course I forgot my picket line, thank goodness Gina loaned me hers. Anyway:

Summer and I pulled out Friday morning about 6ish. I was going to do 7am, but realized that I did not want to be in that morning traffic on I-35W at 7 in the morning. What was I thinking?

I took my time getting there. The drive went real smooth. I stopped every so often and topped off my fuel. About 3 hours out, I stopped at a fruit stand because I had forgotten to get me and Summer some fruit for the weekend. The lady had a big grassy spot next to her stand and I asked if I could unload Summer so she could pee. The lady looked at me funny and I told her that Summer doesn't pee in a trailer. She said okay. I unloaded Summer, she looked around for a minute, parked out and releaved herself. I figured after being in the trailer for 3 hours, she would have to go. It's nice knowing your horse that well.

We loaded back up and took off again. I tell you what, I know some folks that have had problems following Mapquest, but it hasn't done me wrong yet. We got there in 5 hours. Mapquest said 4 and a 1/2, but they didn't figure in getting gas three times, buying fruit and letting your horse go pee. (smile)

We got in and I recognized Kalinda. I wasn't sure if she would remember me. We had only met a couple of times. But she and her hubby Shane invited me to camp next to them. I was so glad I did, they were real fun to be next too. The bad part about the area I parked in though was, I was going to stationary tie to my trailer, but you couldn't do that in this camping area. So Kalinda asked Gina if I could borrow her picket line. What a life saver Gina was! Kalinda put it up for me and Gina said she was leaving Sunday morning and would take it down after I left for the trail ride.

So once I got my camp set up, I finally got to rest a bit. I had only brought sandwich makings and easy stuff like that. I went to my truck that evening, made me a sandwich, and Kalinda snuck up behind me and told me to put it away, I was eating with her, Shane, Gina and Sherrie. Shane made me a piece of chicken that Gina had marinated in something and OMG, is was great. Gina also made this pea salad that I could have eaten the whole thing, and I don't like pea salad. So that was, once again, so sweet of them.

Saturday morning arrived and I got Summer all ready to go. We were going to ride out a little late, but riders showed up at the very last minute into camp. So we were told that we would start another 30 minutes later. Thank goodness it wasn't going to be 100 degrees today. Once we got on trail, Summer thought that Becky's Thief was her bestest buddy, so we had to leave. We hooked up with Ginger and Lady & Kathlyn and Echo. Both of these mares are gaited so Summer hung with them real well. It's weird that she does seem to gait better when she is with other gaited horses. Anyway, later in the day, Nicky and Admiral hooked up with us. Unfortunately, several of us missed a turn, got WAY off course and had to haul butt back to the turn we missed. Thank goodness for hold times, or we would have been very late coming back into camp. Ginger and I hauled it into camp. We were right on max time. Whew!

Saturday night was the best! Brenda hired a DJ and we all danced and just had a rye old time. And I am thinking, that Paula's daughter Terry, had one of the best nights of her life. She danced with every cowboy there.

Sunday morning just seemed like it came too early. (smile) We rode out on time. Nicky, Royce and I rode out together. After awhile, Royce separated and Kathlyn hooked up with us. After the second P & R, I separated and eventually found myself riding with Ginger for a bit. Then found myself riding with Val and Jane, then found myself riding lead with no one. (smile). Summer just couldn't get her head on straight. Course it didn't help when her navigator (me) thought our minimum time was 4:26 when it was actually 4:56! D'oh!!!! So here I am, hauling it, cause for some reason we got behind time! I am such a twit!!!! By the time I realized I was a twit, we were about 1 mile from the 2 mile marker. So Summer and I just slowed down and poked on in. We came in at mid time.

Saturday, Summer lost 3 P&R points. She also lost 6 points for girth soreness. She really gave to Dr. Pat when he touched her girth area. What had happened was, I was to do a judged mount, so I tighted her girth tighter than I would normally, but not so tight she couldn't breathe. However, I forgot to loosen it on down the trail. Once we walked away from Dr. Pat, I checked the girth area myself, she never flinched. I had Linda Courts check it, nothing. I had Carla Jo check, she found a little ouchie spot, but nothing like what Dr. Pat got. I was told to go back and have Dr. Pat check it again. Summer does not like him for some reason and really reacts to him differantly than anyone else that handles her. But I just took my lumps and didn't go back up there for a re-check.

Sunday, she lost another 4 points on P&R's. OUCH! I figured I just wanted to finish on a leg sound horse and her not have a sore back. If I could just finish this ride and not get pulled, I would be happy. By this time, I would be happy to just get my 4 points for completion.

The obstacles included a judged mount and side pass to right by Dr. Pat. Thank goodness Summer is getting her right side pass down. She did pretty good, we only got a minus sign, no points lost. We did a slight down hill with a log cross (Jean, got a good) to Dr. Pat for metabolics check. She was fidgitty, but didn't kill nobody. (another minus sign) We had to take a ribbon with a clothes pin, cross a road, and clip it to a tree. She did good of course. There were several times that Jean hid, so I don't know were she was, just checking for our riding skills while moving down the trail. Oh, and Sunday morning was a trot out, Summer gaited like a champ! She is really coming along with me getting her back into doing a running walk and less pacing. I will let her pace some, because I know she is using different muscles, but pacing all the time is bad for her back.

Anyway, we stayed for awards. I wanted my score cards. You know, this whole time, I only thought about Jean and my own score card a couple of times. I was just so concerned about Summer and her well being, that my judge didn't cross my mind too many times. So I was totally amazed that Jean called me 2nd place in my class. We started with 8 riders and 2 pulled on Sunday, so finished with 6. Summer came in 5th. I cannot say I was disappointed in the least. She gave me her heart and her all. We are just not used to those mountains, that humidity and those horseflys that you could take home for pets they were so big. There were a couple of times we had disagreements, those were caused by her buddy issues. Oh, and let's not forget the "let's slam mom's left knee into a big ol' tree" on Sunday. It is Wednesday right now, and I am still limping and it is a real pretty shade of purple/black. I see now why they want us to be able to off side mount, I had to do that a couple of times Sunday because I couldn't use my left leg to mount anymore.

Well, I will update later if I think of anything else,

TTFN

P.S. The picture above is me, Terri and Jenny. Terri is a fellow Gaited Horse Sense board member who came out to volunteer at this ride. It is so neat getting to meet other folks from this forum: http://gaitedhorsesenseonline.com/category-view.asp

P.S.S. - Forgot to add: I had to get Adriane's hubby Tom to trot Summer out for me on Sunday check out. They both did great. Then lucky Summer won the lottery for the drug test! I told her to quit smoking that stuff, but would she listen to me?!?! LOL We will be fine. It just kinda creeps you out for some reason.

Update on stuff...

On Summer:

Well, this weekend, Summer and I will be on our way to Robber's Cave State Park in Wilburton, Oklahoma. This is for the NATRC CTR Robber's Route. Once again I am nervous and excited and the same time. Summer has learned some new "tricks" over our break, but I am sure we will both forget everything if we are asked to do it. She is getting "side pass to the right", "back thru L shape", "the SCARY, horse eating , plastic bag" (she still gets tense, but will let me touch it and crinkle it and even rub her with it, she will never like them, but trusts me enough that I won't let it eat her.) Also, open and close gates from left and right. She has always done left handed gates well, but now does right handed ones too.

On the RR RMS sign up, it has two Horsemanship judges. One I have ridden under and one I haven't, so not sure what to expect. The one I haven't ridden under, is rumored to be tough. So once again, my objective is just to finish with a nice ride and a sound horse.

On Amanda:

Well, the day I dreaded for her happened yesterday. Eric broke up with her. She was a mess. Her first serious heart break. Dad and I took her out to eat last night. We tried to get her to see the positive side of this break up. I don't know if it helped, but he didn't like Six Flags, she loves Six Flags, he doesn't like scary movies, or anything to do with scary stuff, she does, he didn't even want to go to the track and watch the race cars when David took his car out, she loves to go to the track and watch her daddy and his friends race. To look at it now, they were pretty different, so maybe this break up was a good thing for her. I did tell her that my friend June, her grandson broke up with his girl friend. Amanda smiled at that this morning cause she really thinks Keenan is a cutie pie, and he is.

Well, that it is for now.
Ta-Ta

Something I thought I would never see in my lifetime.

My mom riding Summer! Pictures were taken but with her 35mm. So as soon as I get my copies I will scan and post them.

My parents came to my barn Saturday morning. I have been at that barn for 8 years and my dad has never been out there and mom my has been out there maybe 3 times. And the odd part is, the barn is only about 15 minutes from their house.

I hooked Summer up to her metal Easy Entry as my dad has a bad knee and can't get in the wooden cart. Summer was real good. I'll say it again, as usual. (smile) My mom took pictures, then it was her turn. She got in and dad took pictures. With my mom, I asked Summer to trot and do a running walk. She doesn't have a bad knee or back, so she thought it was kind of exciting for Summer to be moving out like that. When we were done, I asked her if she wanted me to saddle Summer and let her ride. I just knew she was going to say no, but surprized me with a yes. So I unhooked, unharnessed then saddled my big girl. My mom used a mounting block and got on for a few minutes. She hadn't been on a horse in 51 years, she is 59. I swear her grin was from ear to ear she was smiling so big. She was a little nervous and was ready to get off. I found out tho it was because I put my endurance saddle on Summer and it has no horn to hang onto. I will remember next time to put my western saddle on. I got on Summer and rode in around a bit then asked my mom if she wanted to ride double with me. I was actually joking and was shocked she said okay. So, this was Summer's second time to ride double. Shhhh...don't tell my mom or she might beat me to death for not telling her that. (grin) So she got on and we did a spin around the arena. Unfortunately, the camera was out of film after I took pics of her riding Summer, so dad didn't get one of use riding double. Darn it! Oh well, at least I have that memory.

Tracey and I rode Friday and Saturday evening in the pasture and last night in the barnyard. (last night we did obstacle work). Both nights were great rides, even when we had a Coyote as a riding partner and the girls were pretty good working on their obstacles.

It was a really nice weekend.

Proud to announce...

Hank the Hackney pony is back in the shafts!!!

Sunday, Barb, June and myself, harnessed Hank, put the cart to him and I told Barb she was the first test subject. (smile) We took him to the outdoor, fenced in arena for his first time out. He was a little up but did great. Barb then asked me if I wanted to take the reins. So I climbed in the cart and off we went. He did great! I was so excited!!! We finished on a good note and unharnessed him.

Next, we put Summer to the wooden roadcart I had been refurbishing. She did great of course! I even took two new boarders for their first time cart ride. I was a little worried because a wooden cart makes different noisies than her metal cart. But she was an angel.

Monday, we put Hank back in the shafts and drove him in the open dressage arena. Again he was a little up, but did great. Barb drove him first then I drove him and once again finished on a good note.

After Hank, I put Summer back in the wooden cart and gave another boarders little cousin a cart ride. I was real proud of Summer for being such a good girl.

Yesterday, I wanted to drive Hank again. Barb and June were getting ready to go out of town. So I decided to hitch him myself. After harnessing him and putting him between the shafts, I unclipped the cross ties. I gathered up the reins and stood next to the roadcart. Hank started to fidgit and move around. He has down this the last two times and that is why we used someone to head him. But I stood there, talked to him, used the reins and he just settled right down. After a few seconds I climbed in and asked him to walk on. I didn't know Barb was watching me. We drove around the dressage arena then I took him out on the property road. He did great! Barb told me later that evening, she was real proud of Hank and me. That made me feel real good.