It’s Complicated – Fancy

December 9, 2018Posted inFancy
Fancy has won the title of Most Intriguing Horse awarded by Erin Patterson.  She argues.  She argues when the human tries to get the bridle on. She argues when the human body tells her to speed up.  But after arguing, she speeds up and speeds up and speeds up!  Gradually Erin is getting less and less arguing and smooth gaits.  Occasionally, the ride goes bad and the only request she will obey is to canter. Earlier this week, I rode Fancy.  I had a horrid horrid time getting her bridle…

Open Reserve Ranch Horse World Grand Champion – Fancy

November 11, 2018Posted inFancy
What did Tony say this past winter?  "If you let me keep Fancy all summer, I'll win the Ranch Horse World Grand Champion." He did!  Guess who got the World Grand Championship Ranch Horse and Versatility garlands?  My name is on her registration too!  Jenny beat out Tony for the garland because her horse has been trained for many a more years AND had the perfect start to her life under my stewardship and the Vaught's training that started her life out right!  Half sisters won the World Grand Champion…

Daylight Savings Sunday

November 5, 2018Posted inMiscellaneous
I was scheduled to usher at the Kauffman Center with a start time of 1:45. I carefully planned my strategy to be on time with the first day without daylight savings. My watch was to remain on daylight savings time. My phone would switch automatically. Terry and I had an early breakfast at the non daylight time of 10:00 am. When the phone said it was time for me to head for downtown KC, everything was perfect. My confidence was supreme. I decided to change the car clock while I…

My Days are Special – Emma, Cisco and Fancy

October 26, 2018Posted inCISCO, City Dog, Emma, EPM, Fancy, Missouri Fox Trotter
I just got pictures from Florida showing Cisco's arrival! Cisco just traveled 1300 miles in a trailer. Tony Vaught made a special trip to get him. Cisco had gone into laminitis danger with his weight gain on the high sugar grass in Missouri. Horses get a version of sugar diabetes by eating too much sugar which is rampart in Central Missouri grass. This is called insulin resistance in horses.  Horrible pain called laminitis can result which heats up the bones in their foot to the temperature of a 400 degree…

Epic Battle at the Car Wash (I lost)

October 26, 2018Posted inMiscellaneous
Early this past year in Facebook I posted about my car wash grand experience with free vacuum and an amazing machine that cleans the floor dry mats. This story is not a grand experience. Lord help me.  I screamed at a worker to forgive my sins. I might have floor mat dust lung disease with no Black Lung-like federal program to help me. Dear God, I have a German Shepard who loves to swim in a stinkin’ pond. I live on a gravel road. I think cleaning my car is…

Fancy is Perfect for Me. Rides #10 and #11

October 9, 2018Posted inFancy
Last week I got comfortable riding Fancy in Tony and Jenny Vaught’s clinic for rides #7 and #8. Near the end of each day, we cantered part of the bow tie pattern. The second day, Tony had to show me how to apply a more forceful pressure as Fancy resisted my light pressure-ask. Taking on a filly with strong opinions is like learning to walk again. That was last week. This week was a clinic with Dr. Mike Guerni. I was able to ride in a short Intro to Canter…