Fancy Parelli Level 4 Free Style (Bridleless) 1

IMG_1226: Note:  I write with humor and self sarcasm. Today I was going to ride without the bridle as a backup. However, when I was actually in the arena after our ground play, myself was frightened. So, I left the halter on and anchored the lead rope to the saddle horn. I felt safe.I discovered a mounting problem when I couldn’t use a rein to guide her to the perfect mounting block position. Oh my, mounting is an audition task. It didn’t take long to get her in position, but…

Airs Above the Ground

42 Degree Group Lesson Day     I wore thick cotton jodhpurs/breeches, long sleeved medium weight shirt, sweatshirt and my new coat.  Fancy gave me quite a workout early on and my glasses steamed up.  I put them in my new coat pocket.  How cool to have a big enough pocket! We were doing a new pattern today to get flying lead changes (my 20 year passion goal) and it was working!  The pattern was much like another pattern we had used a few times earlier this year except my lead…

Miss T’s Christmas Present

Miss T’s Late Christmas Present It’s been a long time since Miss T got to go on a ride in my car plus enjoy her favorite dining experience.  Yes, she loves McDonalds!  When I eat my Bacon Quarter pounder, she sits quietly and watches me with those deep begging eyes.  I always respond with 1/3 of my sandwich and about half of my fries.  (Weight Watcher points applaud her!) Well, hell, thinks I.  I’ll just get her a plain cheeseburger.  Nope that didn’t work in my brain when I pulled…

I’m So Angry (at myself) and Sore

I’m in a horse development program something like Karate.  It’s called Parelli Levels Program.  We are given tasks to do in four different areas:  Finesse, Free Style, On-Line and Liberty and we get different color ropes when we pass a Level.  I’m working on getting my black rope with Fancy.  It’s the highest level for a non professional.   I have passed L4 Finesse with Fancy. Because I am a self confessed bragger, I offer you the video of Fancy and my Level Four Finesse “Swan Lake” audition: https://youtu.be/_Luz9CkYjO4?si=bSMFRwgk-yhLht9r Hint,…

Fancy Heat Chuckles and More

Most non horse people don’t know what HEAT is.  Mare owners know what that word means.  It means Fancy’s body wants a Stallion! (Mare cycles generally last 21 days with them expressing signs of heat for 4-7 days. Estrus is expressed outwardly by; raising the tail, frequent urination, “winking” or eversion of the vulva, squealing, and posturing.) The wetness on her legs was from her “heat”.  Oh Lordy.  I feel a chuckle coming. I’m riding in a lesson taught by great trainer, Erin Patterson. Fancy doesn’t want to obey my body…

AFIB after Ablation

March 2023, AFIB ablation operation done.  Overnight hospital stay and I ate full hospital food menu for two days.   Sadly, narcotic medicine is tough on releasing food from gut.  I became painfully constipated. Days later, I was at a performance event and was suffering.  I left at ntermission to go home and took 5 times the amount of constipation medication recommended.  I wanted to get that food out of my body. Whoops!  I became a bathroom prisoner.  Next stage of hell was unsuccessful exits from bed.  It was so…