JR’s Journal – Chris and JR in Parelli Spotlight

July 25, 2009Posted inJR
Chris has Down's syndrome.  He also has a connection with animals. Chris and JR performed in Pat Parelli's Kansas City Celebration Spotlight events. They did "online".  JR was in tune with Chris.  JR was using everything he had to do what Chris wanted him to do.  Now and then Chris moved out of position which made it difficult for JR to do what Chris wanted.  He tried.  The audience held our breath...and then JR did it!  The audience erupted. Chris and JR performed like clouds on a dreamy day. They…

Susan and Velvet – Parelli 2009 Spotlight Blue Ribbon

July 15, 2009Posted inVelvet
  The reining demonstration is pretty cool. At the end when we run down the arena preparing to do a slide stop, I open the umbrella and it turns inside out! Our Dressage demonstration is highlighted by a "dressage hat" I found at a toy store and really cool dressage moves. We do leg yields at flat foot walk and canter - that means we travel diagonally across the arena. Velvet also does her rocking chair canter-naturally. If we have time, we do drop to a trot lead changes. It's…

Nova’s Notebook – Spring 2009 World Show

June 13, 2009Posted inNOVA
Big Day at the Spring Missouri Fox Trotter Show! The family was there...Velvet, JR and Diva.  Nova came to town on Friday afternoon and we all got to practice in the  Versatility Arena.  What fun was that to see everyone. Saturday was the grand show.  Nova and I entered into four events. We entered in the Open Versatility Events so the points we won would count to High Point Versatility Pleasure.  Of course that meant that Tony, Jenny and even Nichole in one class was our competitor!  How fun was that. …

Powder’s Progress – Confidence!

June 11, 2009Posted inPowder
What an amazing clinic we had today. We had a lot of fun.  All the horses calmly handled all the things presented to them Powder took on every obstacle immediately when asked.  She was asked to pose for the auditors and decided to wear a hat. The original hat picture had the red eye and I tried to fix her eyes.  Her eyes right now are blue distilled by green. The Tower of Doom is in the background of one picture.  I led her right thru it with no hesitation…

Nova’s Notebook – Lead Changes-Rollbacks-Slide Stops

May 24, 2009Posted inNOVA
Nova and I rode in a Fox Trotter Reining and Western Horsemanship Clinic with Tony and Jenny Vaught this afternoon in Stockton.  Four hours of lead changes, flying change attempts, roll backs, stops, backs and leg yielding is enough she sez This is Nova hanging up her hat for the day!  Enough!

Nova’s Notebook – Nameless Rider Mount/Dismount

March 16, 2009Posted inNOVA
Ahh, thank goodness for warm weather and daylight savings. My after work trail riding has started. The person I ride with, forever to be nameless, was quite entertaining on our first after work ride. Her horse got a big branch caught in his tail. When that happened last year, he panicked. I was riding clean up tonight and spotted the instant he got the branch in his tail. She slid off and removed the offending thing. Getting back on for us without a mounting block is quite a chore. Luckily,…