The last Christmas at the Six-0 Ranch

Well, it is over. This was the last Christmas ride at the Six-0 Ranch in Cleburne Texas. I didn't know it was going to happen. Heck, most people didn't. But, that is okay, at least for me. I am not going to secretary anymore anyway. I want to ride. It has just been posted that the Christmas ride will be held at Parrie Haynes next year and I love riding there, so no working for me!

As for this past weekend. Summer did me proud. Barbara and her made a wonderful team, she even threatened a couple of times that she was going to sneak Summer onto her trailer and take her back to Oklahoma with her. They had a great time. Summer even took 2nd place in the largest class at the ride. Unfortunately, unless I can loose 60lbs by March, the points she earned this weekend won't count for anything. But that is okay. Barbara had a great time and she and Summer took great care of each other. Had it not been for Barbara, Summer would have sit home anyway doing nothing. It was also Barb's birthday, so that was nice that she got to enjoy a beautiful weekend on a beautiful horse. Okay, I know, I am bias! (smile) When the pictures get posted I will post one on here. Barb has also already made me promise that I will let her ride Summer in an Open class this year. I told her okay. She will have to ride Open Heavyweight as that is my division. So we will have to weigh the saddle down a bit.

I am only wanting to do 4 or 5 rides this year. Course, I liked them all and it will be hard to choose. I figure that if I go to the Land Run, I will let Barbara ride Summer there since she wouldn't have to spend any gas money to get there. I would just have to bring Summer to her. I want to ride at 7IL the Girl Scout Scamper and Deep in the Heart of Texas. I also want to do Indian Territory since I have never been there. And I want, I want, I want. AAARRRGGG....CRAP! I knew I would get too hooked. Now I don't want to do any driving events this year, I want to do more NATRC!!!! I guess I will just have to see what my finances will be. I wish I was rich and didn't have to work, then I wouldn't have to worry about it!!!!

Well, gotta go for now!

Edited December 16, 2008: Photo above is Barbara and Summer. I loved how the picture is in blk and wht. They made a great team.

Loretta Lynn concert and Thanksgiving holiday

Well, it was a very nice concert. I just can't believe that she is 74 years old and still sounds so good. And I just love that accent. Listening to her talk makes me miss Tennessee and my grandma.

Mom had a wonderful time. The concert didn't start until 10:30. So we ate at the cafe in Billy Bob's, then we went a played some games, went to the gift shop, looked at all the hand prints of singers who have played there and at 9:00 was the live bull riding. Mom had never seen that, so we took her. Amanda had a blast because all the cowboys were her age. Mom also got to see a good wreck, the cowboy walked away tho, so that was a big sigh of relief.

We had a nice Thanksgiving. I made a 15lb turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and gravy. Mom and Dad made the rest. We ate at their house. We ate till we were full and then watched Jeff Dunham's Christmas DVD. He is a hoot! Here is a sample of his comedy. Achmed sings Jingle Bombs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wskT6YfVB6E

Friday I drove for Billie in Frisco Square. I drove Dolly. She is a Belgain mare. She is my favorite of her horses. I don't know why, but I like her best. Unfortunately, she coliced, again. This is her third time to colic after a job. I told Billie I think she needs some Long Slow Distance conditioning. Or known to distance riders as LSD, but not the bad one. (smile) So, Dolly may be coming to my barn in the next week or two for some driving and riding to condition her. She is about 20 years old, and that would be like asking a 60 year old person to walk 5 hours if they aren't used to it. So, I really believe that some LSD will really help her with her job. BTW, Dolly doesn't drive every weekend and this is the first time she had been driven in months. So Dolly may have a rude awakening for her own good.

I have been getting ready for the Christmas at Six-0 ride. I am the ride secretary. I am having a lady named Barbara Cooper ride Summer. I have talked about this before, but I am still a little nervous about letting someone else ride my horse. I just hope Summer doesn't act like a moron and I hope Barb has a nice ride. As for the ride, I just can't wait for it to be here and over. It is a hard job. Now don't get me wrong, I love seeing all the riders have a wonderful time, but putting it together is a booger. Trying to remember everything and get everything done. Heck, I left the house this morning and forgot the paperwork I was supposed to copy today! Now I have to go home during lunch to get it. Oh well, it will get done.

Well, TTFN

STC, Christmas ride, Loretta Lynn and my mom

Let's see...

On November 8th, Summer and I competed in an Supreme Trail Challenge. It was okay. I wasn't to fond of the way the P&R's were done. But again, that is why we have so many different types of trail competitions to choose from. Her first two P&R's were horrid. She was not held, but they were high. However, on a good note, I know why they were high. Excitement at the first one and a HUGE spook right before the second one. The third one was right on and good.

We didn't place, but I wasn't looking too. I was there because they needed entries and I wanted to see my friends.

I was tired too. Mentally and physically. We had just done the NATRC Last Chance ride the weekend prior. I usually take the weekend after a NATRC ride off and spend with my family. I may pleasure ride, but no competing. So I was just pooped.

Summer is enjoying her time off. She is being worked, but it is ground work. And I am working on re-bonding with her. All this competing seems to have fractured our bond. I know that sounds odd, but I can tell.

She will be competing at the Christmas ride, but Barbara Cooper will be riding her. I am not chasing points this year, so Barb is competing in Novice Lightweight. Once again I am a little nervous about letting someone else ride her. Barb has never ridden her and she has never ridden a gaited horse. However, I trust Barb if Summer starts to act silly. I have watched as her horse Roc has had little fits and such and Barb was real patient with him.

This next weekend I am taking my mom and Amanda to see Loretta Lynn in concert at Billy Bob's. My mom is so excited. I am going to take them to eat in the stock yards Saturday and maybe shopping then walk back to Billy Bob's for the concert. We have never done this before and I can put it in the same memory file as our trail riding day together. Maybe I can get her and Amanda out there this Sunday for a trail ride. That would be fun!

Okay, gotta go.

TTFN

Long weekend...

Well, the ride is over and Summer didn't get to compete. (sad face : *( )

Adriane got to ride Summer Friday morning with another friend of mine on her TW, and they had a wonderful ride. She came back into camp all smiles. She groomed her so beautifully, went to check her in and the judge said grade 1 lame. WHAT??!!?? I totally believe the vet, he is good. But why is she lame? After all day of trying to figure it out, (I won't go into details), we figure it is the farrier (horseshoer). The ride farrier, pulled all her shoes for me and I am going to give her a month off with no shoes. Let her hooves rest. Let them expand to where they are more natural and comfortable.

Now let me tell you how the lameness scores work, QS (questionable sound), Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3. Grade 3 horses are pulled from the ride immediately.

I pulled Summer before she even started the ride Saturday morning. I pulled her Friday around 4ish. She is worth more to me than that ride is. I was not going to chance on her getting worse because I want a .50 cent ribbon. There was one lady who's horse checked in grade 2 lame and she still rode out Saturday morning. Of course she pulled Sunday morning cause he was a little worse, WELL DUH! I tell you, I have no respect for her horsemanship abilities. I couldn't imagine asking a hurting horse to carry me 15 to 20 miles for a ribbon. Once again, I will repeat myself, NOT WORTH IT! The vet judge thanked me Friday night for pulling Summer. I now know he respects my horsemanship abilities and knows what Summer means to me. He even made a comment Sunday at awards and said he knew there were some good horsemen when they wouldn't let their horses even start the ride because of pain or lameness issues. I know he was talking about me and another woman for pulling her horse cause it had sore withers and she wouldn't ride either. And she even drove all the way from New Mexico! Good for her for loving her horse like that.

Other than that, the ride was a success. All the riders were happy, ate good food, received good gifts and seemed to have just a wonderful time. And for that, all the tiring behind the scenes work, was worth it.

I plan on Summer competing at the two rides in March, so I pray that her lameness issues are due to a bad farrier and that it's nothing internal. If it is internal, I will have my vet out and we will start the search.

TTFN

My last one before the ride....

This will be my last post before the Christmas at the Six-0 ride. Adriane called and will be in tonight. Yeah! She will be in late, but I will have camp all set up and ready for her to go straight to bed if she wants. I know I will be pooped after setting up camp and getting Summer settled in. Oh, and after unload all the NATRC stuff! But, I did get to go to bed at a decent hour last night, so that was nice.

I went to the barn last night, loaded my trailer with everything Summer and Adriane will need. My friend June is going to take care of my boys for me so David and Amanda won't have to worry about it. I went home, David changed my oil while I cleaned out my SUV, then turned around and loaded it to the top with all mine and Adriane's camping needs and all the NATRC crates. Thank goodness I have a SUV that I can do that with.

Adriane is nervous as a cat in a cage. She is so worried that she will hurt Summer. But I guess I would feel the same way. Heck, Adriane and I don't know each other that well, but I hope this weekend makes us good friends. I did learn last night that she has ridden King (her MFT) for 10 years. That makes me feel good to know she has been riding gaited horses that long. She was so surprised that I knew her placings at the rides she did. I told her I did my research and that is why I asked her to ride Summer for me. She rode under a tough judge and placed well. That judge is a stickler for folks taking care of their horses.

Anyway, I get off of work at 5pm and hope to be hooked up and Summer loaded and leaving my barn by 6pm. I will get there around 7pm and start the hard stuff, setting up camp.

So, I will report back next week for how the weekend went.

Thanks for reading!

TTFN

It's getting close.....

It is almost here. The first NATRC ride of 2008 in Region 4. Being ride secretary is tiring, but I can't say it's thankless. Alanna and Liz are always thanking me for doing this. And the smiles on the competitors faces is wonderful. This last week has been nothing but hectic! Whew, I love to see the Christmas ride coming but don't cry when it's over! (smile)

The closer it gets to more those hornets buzz in my stomach. I know Adriane is going to do fine with Summer. I even had one of the more seasoned competitors tell me that Adriane was in for a treat riding Summer and that she thought Adriane was a very smart girl. This rider, named PH (we'll call her), has been the only other person I ever let take Summer out riding without me being there. She is an accomplished horsewoman and anyone can trust her with their mounts. And I know Tracey will be their for her on the trail if she has questions or doubts. I guess I am a concerned momma, and I want Adriane to have fun. That girl is driving all the way from Lawton Oklahoma for this and I don't want her to think this is a job. Just do the best she can, have fun, and it will all work out in the end. Maybe it's not nerves after all, maybe it is excitement. I am excited that Summer is getting to compete in this ride and I am blessed to have a person who knows how to handle a gaited horse riding her for me.

Gotta go for now, TTYL

Summer is competing with a catch rider...

Well, my stomach is in knots again. The girl I asked to catch ride Summer for the Christmas ride confirmed with me this weekend that she would do it.

I can't believe this is making me nervous. Of course, she is nervous too. I have never let anybody just take my horse off and ride it and she has never competed on another horse but her own.

Adriane is a good rider. In the rides she has competed in, she has placed well. There are just all these little details I have to tell her about Summer. Nothing dangerous, but Summer is a horse and they all have their quirks. Summer doesn't like dead trees or piles of dead trees. However, if asked to step over a tree, no problems. She is a weird girl. If with a group of horses, she doesn't like to be in front or in rear. She likes the middle. But if the lead horse is walking too slow, Summer will pass and leave them. So, she doesn't mind being alone. Did I say she was weird? When she gets in water, she likes to snorkle. I do mean she puts her face in the water all the way up to her eyeballs. I swear she was born with gills.

Anyway, for those of you that read this thing, this won't be the last you hear of this ride. I am going to be as nervous as a cat in a cage and will be posting on here more. Why? Cause I know my friends will get tired of hearing me talk about it and at least on here, I can type it out and get it off my chest.

TTFN

Short days make for grouchy Tammy...

Ok, I love fall. I love the weather, the colors of the trees, Summer feeling frisky, but I hate these shorter days. I get off work at 5:00, get home by 5:30, and don't get to the barn until 6:00. Of course it is only another 15 minutes or so and it is dark. My horses are in large pens with no lighting, which makes for cleaning their pens and real pain. I have one of those lights that clip to the visor of your baseball cap, that helps. At least the pens are cleaner than they were before.

Of course, when I look at photos like the one above, I can't stay grouchy long when I imagine riding Summer down this beautiful trail.

Luckily one of our round pens has a light and the covered arena has lights. So there are places to work them after dark.

Summer is doing good. I worked her last night in the round pen and she didn't get as tired as she used to. I used to only get about 15 rounds out of her, now I am getting 30. And this is all at a trot. After that, we take a walk around the entire barn yard, main house and such which is 3/10 of a mile. Exercise for me and a cooling down for her. Plus us going on a walk is bonding time.

I would love to find a "catch" rider for her for the Christmas ride at the Six-0, but if not, that is okay too. A catch rider competes your horse if you are unable to. I am the ride secretary for this ride and therefore unable to compete due to conflict of interest. Once again, if she does not compete that is okay too. I am very picky on who rides her. I have asked one girl already because she has a gaited horse and I trust her with my girl. She is thinking about it. She lives in Oklahoma and there in that could be a problem for her to find pet sitters for her critters.

I have already entered the OK Land Run at Lake Carl Blackwell for March of 2008, so I am excited that I am going to start competing. I would say "again" but since I have only competed in NATRC one other time, I won't. (smile)

Well, off for now!
TTFN