The Sermon

When I woke up, I never knew this was the day my life was to change. My regular life order delayed my Fancy ride to around 3:30pm. Terry, the spouse is used to eating around 4:00-4:30. Tony Vaught texted me in early afternoon that he would appear around 5:30 to trim Fancy's feet. Oh good. I left Fancy and went home to get the spouse food. I was back with Fancy waiting for Tony. We had some nice undemanding time while she snarfed grass. Tony arrived and trimmed Fancy. We…

Clinic with Dave Ellis! 5/10/19

5/10/19-5/12/19 Next in our life is a 3 day clinic with 6 Star Parelli Master Clinician, Dave Ellis. I rode with Dave in many clinic is my younger 40 and 50 age years. It's twenty years later and I have an "intriguing" super talented horse that I'm having trouble connecting to. The mornings are a group clinic. The afternoon is private lessons. In our first morning clinic, we did our ground play under Dave's direction. Fancy was very nervous in this arena. It was one of the cloth arenas and…

Fancy Goes 7 Rounds!

We arrived at the show ground and parked win a gold spot which means no backing necessary and close to the arena of competition! Fancy unloaded and put on her show outfit. We went to the arena and walked around. We ran around (she ran around) some and she looked like a horse I could ride, I mounted and the. We discovered one long end of the arena is scary. We made that manageable and returned to the trailer. YI went into the tack room, hid my phone from myself…

Fancy still Winning Points

After a rest period of a couple days, Fancy went back to the stable. We rode. Fancy is still a go and then go horse. I'm still trying to figure out how to keep her at the same speed in the flat foot walk and fox trot. We are doing better, but there is not much consistent speed. Also, she takes umbrage at my request to go forward, hollows her back, throws up her head and goes into a ugly lateral gait (pace). I discover her back is sore and…

Fancy Fun Mandate 4/11/19-4/14/19 at Finnigan Farm

Clinic time with Tony and Jenny Vaught. Oh how I need these two days. We arrive in Springfield, Mo area on Thursday afternoon. I am escorted by a handsome young man to Fancy's stall. I get Fancy out of the trailer and my young man parks my truck and trailer for me. (Parking involves backing which is in my lower wheelhouse talent.) The handsome young man helps me carry stuff to Fancy's stall. Oh the joy! I get everything in place, mainly Fancy's food and water.  I left for my…

Fancy Mule and Water Love Stories

Two Fancy stories from the wonderful Gaited Horse clinic with Tony and Jenny Vaught 1.  Fancy has been to this arena several times , the last as recently as two days ago.  That was a good day. I had to persuade her to move up into the flat foot walk and fox trot. Was she tired? Today there were about 12-15 equines in the arena.  When I got on her, she got into a high energy mode.  Twenty minutes of figure eights and small circles did not slow down her…