It is official...she's mine.

Meet Leo's Midnight Shelby. A 2002 APHA mare, finished cow horse.
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Summer is officially retired from sorting. When I told her, I think she smiled. It was weird. : )
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I wrote about that Sunday in my last blog about how well we did at practice. Then I used her for our lesson that next Saturday and we did very well. Any screw up was complete rider error.
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But after that practice and that lesson, I knew I had to have her. I just didn't know how. But again, I posted in my last blog all about that.
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I do have to say, that I am so blessed to be married to such a supportive husband in my horse ventures. Thank you babe!
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Last Wednesday, James wanted me to do 3 practice runs on her at the arena. We did great. I ran with Robin and we got 7 head. I then ran with Mike. He was still hurting after the tumble he took at our past Saturday's lesson and told me he would be the reason we wouldn't do good during this run we were about to do. Well, it was me that screwed up. I told him I did it on purpose to take the pressure off of him. LOL My third run was with Anthony, Robin's husband. We got 9 head. I felt Shelby and I were ready for the following Saturday's SWTPA show.
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Saturday, show time.
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We didn't place. We didn't even have any short goes. But you know what. I was totally happy with our performance. And so was James.
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Our first run was with Katy. We only got 3 head. And it wasn't for the lack of trying. Katy went after our forth head and she just couldn't get it to separate from 2 of it's friends.
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My second was with Connie and a cow snuck right past her in the hole.
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My third was with a draw. I told him I was on a new horse but she was well trained and he pushed the good cow and one trash at me to hard and fast and they just wouldn't turn away when Shelby and I went at them. Bust.
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I then stayed until the final class. 6 sort with Robin.
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My draw was a very nice man and a good sorter. But when I brought him my good cow, a trash cow went way around him. I thought he had pushed it off, but it doubled back and went in. Bust
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Robin and I did our best. Our herd had a steer in it that was just giving everybody a fit. He knew the game and knew that if he was in the other pen, he didn't have to be chased. I told Robin, we will do this slow and not rile him up. I think we got 5 head before he "woke up". Robin was bringing the good and 1 trash cow. The steer #8 started coming the other way. I was hollering and fighting him off when both cows Robin was bringing went in. Bust. But that was a damned if you do and damned if you don't situation. Robin and I talked about what to do next time if that ever happens again. She will pull her cows off of me, take the pushy cow away, then go sort her good cow again. Sounds like a plan! If we can remember that. LOL

Exciting things going on!

There is just so much that is going on in my life right now. Well, maybe not a lot to some, but it seems like a lot to me.

Still sorting of course. But Summer is about to retire from that job. That wonderful mare I have has taken me as far as she can. She has won me several hundred dollars and has proven that a Tennessee Walking Horse can work cows too. But, I worry about her joints. Oh, don't get me wrong, she is fine, but I don't want to take a chance. She has always had a sticky stifle and I know her hocks aren't near as what a stock horses are. So, she will be going back to what she does best. Trail and driving. I love her too much to continue to ask her to do what she technically wasn't bred to do.

But my dilemma was, I LOVE sorting. I love the people, the speed of it, the challenge of it and the new, close friends I have made.

So, what do you do? Well, you finally convince your husband to come watch what you love to do. David came out and surprised me a couple of Wednesdays ago and watched me sort. I was on Summer of course and James was on a black and white APHA mare with the barn name of Nasty. None of us were doing very well that night, but David stayed the entire time and watched. I think he liked the speed of the event.

After we were done, he, James and I stood around and talked for a bit. James was complementing my riding abilities. Which I know David heard. I then jokingly asked David to buy me Nasty. He laughed and shook it off. James just told me to continue to save my money and the right horse would come along. Just keep riding Summer and I would be fine.

Well, that following Sunday, Summer and I went back to the pens and she was acting like she had never seen a cow in her life. It was embarrassing. James come up to me and told me that Nasty was tied to his trailer and ride her if I wanted. So, I tied Summer and went and got Nasty (aka Shelby). I did 4 runs on her and they were all awesome. Everyone was cheering me on. Even the arena owner made a comment over the load speaker.

Secretly, I got a little defensive as I love Summer and know she was just having an off day. But this little paint is a finished cow horse. Spins like a top and stops on a dime. Well, after those 4 runs, I knew what horse I wanted.

So, I started contemplating on how I could buy her. I talked to David about it as it is a big purchase and a family decision. Well, after a bit, he was on board. As of this past Saturday, she was officially off the market. Money and papers should change hands by next Monday or Tuesday.

I will be competing at Southwest this Saturday on her and am a bit nervous as she has a lot of throttle. But when I am done with her other training, I do see a trail horse and maybe a CTR horse in there as well. As different jobs will settle her. All she has ever done is cows. She needs time off in between. Plus I need to learn how to ride her as she is so different from any other horse I have had as she is just push button when it comes to cow and arena work. But when I look in her eyes, I see a mare who needs me and I hope she knows I will give her everything she needs and wants.

Summer is still number 1. She is the queen of my small herd and that will never change. Shelby will just be her lady in waiting. LOL

Another awesome sorting practice and great 3 day weekend!

Man, what a great weekend! **************************************************************************************************** Friday I got a bunch of chores done. Both vehicles washed, and the Monte Carlo inspected. Horses wormed and then spent quality time with the hubby. **************************************************************************************************** Saturday I got my domestic chores done at the house, then went to the barn and got my farm chores done plus some schooling on Summer with a short ride in the pasture afterward. Then David came out and helped me move some downed trees in one of my trails. Once done, I fed horses and then enjoyed a date night with David. **************************************************************************************************** Sunday rolled around and I knew I needed to go to sorting practice since I had missed the last two days of it. I wasn't 100% into doing it, but knew I needed too. **************************************************************************************************** Summer and I got there, I lined up my rides and had an AWESOME time. I rode 7 practice runs and each one was great. Summer was so "on" it was amazing. Because she was being so good, I decided to go ahead and do the jackpot. These jackpots are a little different than what I am used to. These were all draws. And everybodies name was in the same hat. You might run with another 1 or you might draw a 6. My draws were my friend Vicki. (and we had two very good practice runs that day) And my other draw was with a guy named Randy. I was his only run. Now back to me thinking, he is a cowboy and I am sure someone pointed out, "Your draw is that girl in the helmet." And if he didn't watch my practice runs, he probably thought, "Oh crap." LOL So I knew I had to make my runs with him count. There were only 11 teams, so your biggest objective, don't bust. Cause if you didn't bust, you were pretty much guaranteed to go back on the short run. Well, 4 teams did bust so only 7 teams went back. Both of my runs went back. Vicki and I got 5 head on our first run and Randy and I got 4 head. James only did 1 run and Vicki was the lucky person who drew him. They got 4 head. On the short go, Vicki and I got 3 head for an 8 head total. Randy and I got 8 head on our second run for a 12 head total. Well, that set the bar for James as he knew then what they needed. 9 head. And they got it, for a 13 head total. But I will happily come in second to friends. The jackpot paid first and second place. So it was nice to get my money back plus some pocket change. Pretty awesome day indeed! ******************************************************************************************************* But another personal win for the day was when Robin and I did a practice run. We have been sorting together since July of '09. We were both very much beginners and would be happy if we got 4 head of cows. When we competed together last year, we just couldn't click. We would only get 1 or 2 head or just bust. So we stopped competing as a team. But we still do at least one practice run together. Well, yesterday, we got 7 head! We were so happy! Robin's husband came to us and told us what a great job we did. Even when everyone was leaving for the day, Anthony told me again that I rode really well today. He is a very good sorter and penner. Winning $$ all the time. **************************************************************************************************** Anyway, I just couldn't have asked for a more blessed weekend. **************************************************************************************************** Thanks for reading! TTFN!