Sue – How do You Change from Right Brain to Left Brain 100 times!

January 13, 2008Posted inSue - How Do You Do!
  The positive wondrous news is that I Sue and I went on a trail ride at the same place where she bolted, spilled her rider and became retraumatized fourteen months ago.  On this month, we had a wonderful ride.  I was with a calm gelding and his calm owner.  My plan was for the gelding to lead and we would follow, thus getting more and more confidence.  My plan was thwarted right at the get go when the gelding refused to lead.  To get the gelding to go, my riding partner would…

Nova’s Notebook – Being Ridden!

November 7, 2007Posted inNOVA
Nova in training with Jenny - November 2007 Three year old Nova - in training.  These are the first pictures I've seen of Nova being rode.  What a beautiful picture of a beautiful horse on a chilly fall day in Fair Play, Mo.  She is being rode by Jenny Vaught.

Nova’s Notebook – I Started Riding in Fall 2008

August 30, 2007Posted inNOVA
Nova got kicked in the knee while in the pasture. She came limping up to Jenny dragging her leg.  We got the vet out, xRays were taken and a splint was put on her leg. They couldn't see anything, but didn't want to take a chance. Poor Nova had to stay in a stall in the hummid summer heat. Barb climbed up on the stall and mounted a fan so it would point down.  Nova laid in her stall quite a bit. We took the splint off and couldn't see…

Sue – How Do You DO!

July 7, 2007Posted inSue - How Do You Do!
Susan and Sue at James A Reed Park - July 2007.Sue, a Missouri Fox Trotter, came to Pine Dell to be sold. Jenny told me, "I really like Sue! She's light, fun to ride and very smooth. "WOWSA", I thought. "I wish I could have her". I had a horse for sale then. Our pasture was being fenced and part of it was off-limits to horses until fencing got done. There was no way, I thought, that I could buy another horse. Of course the price was what Sue was…

Sue – How Do You Love Being a Trail Horse Again!?

June 17, 2007Posted inSue - How Do You Do!
 It was a Sunday. We had 40 acres of downed trees, water crossings, shrubs, close trees and forest paths to traverse.Sue and I took our first real trail ride with Jenny and her horse on their property in Fair Play, Mo...down in the Ozarks. Later on, I realized that I forgot to be scared. I wasn't scared or nervous the entire ride! Sue lowered her head and relaxed before we even took off. What a miracle! We mounted the horses and off we went. Sue was anxious to go faster…

Sue- How Do You Do at Trail Ride Clinic?

May 26, 2007Posted inSue - How Do You Do!
Finally the long awaited trail ride clinic was here. It was postponed for bad weather nearly a month ago and the wait was fretting. Is Sue ready to ride with other horses out in the open? We spent the morning engaged in getting horses used to scary things outside. Most horses in the clinic weren't scared of anything. Sue and I got to circle with two and then three other horses. When we circled with the three horses, she became noticiably more relaxed. However, when we were circling with two…