It was a 5 day Fox Trotter Slumber Party and those in attendance were Dianna from Phoenix, Larry and Mona (Larry’s Stable), SusanFxtrt, Deina and Ray (Wilson Fox Trotters) The big even occurred north of Springfield, Missouri mostly at Larry’s Stable with nightly overlaps at the Wilson Fine Fox Trotter Stables.
HUH?!
Here’s how is came about. Dianna from Phoenix was wandering through the gaited horse web sites and became acquainted with Mona. They carried on and talked about fox trotters – Prince-the beautiful golden palomino gelding in residence, horse things and normal Internet chat. Mona, Susan and Deina were acquainted through the AOL Fox Trotter List server. Dianna expressed interest in natural horsemanship training methods, so Mona introduced Dianna to Susan. More horse Internet chat occurred. Mona invited Dianna to come to Missouri and see fox trotters/Prince and Dianna accepted the offer. Susan was told/Deina was told and thus the 5 day slumber party was born. Deina and Ray live around 35 miles from Larry and Mona but they knew each other only from the Internet!
Dianna arrived at the Kansas City airport and was greeted by a woman holding a Dianna sign…just like the limousine drivers-only it was Susanfxtrt. On the way to Susan’s house Dianna expressed much amazement at the quantity of “green”. Green trees, green grass, green crops etc. It was like she had been roaming in the dessert all her life (25 years) and suddenly was transported to an alternate universe bathed in green growing things.
Velvet was picked up and pickup/trailer and two Internet friends took off for parts and other Internet people unknown. How would you feel if you were Mona and Larry and 3 total strangers were converging on your house. Three Internet friends about to arrive…or perhaps…3 axe murderers about to invade the home! Mona wasn’t worried. She and Larry deal with real axe murderers and the other pits of our society in their occupation at a nearby federal prison. A few unknown Internet horse friends didn’t make them break out in nervous chills.
The pickup pulled into Larry’s Stable. We stepped out and 3 strangers emerged from the house. “Deina!”, I screamed. “Mona!” Dianne screamed. We hugged. We screamed some more and exchanged people. A tall man stood there throughout this screaming with that smile on his face, which meant, “Screaming women-I wish I were somewhere else!” Larry stood there with no one hugging him…he is not an internet presence and he had to be judged before earning any Dianna/Susan hugs. He did get nice smiles and glad to meet you words.
Velvet disembarked and was shown to her luxurious stall and fed. Velvet-Princess of the Pasture- approved. Her stall had it’s own turnout pen and came with food and water with lots of other horses around to sniff and snort at.
The group decided to do the important things 1st (other than the ladies room) and we all embarked on a horse tour of Larry’s Stables. We admired and exclaimed over CodyPuzzle who was asking if that buxom young black filly was to be his. We strolled through the arena barn and met Prince-the glorious palomino and each other inhabitant. We went outside and met the 2-3 year olds. We strolled farther and met the brood mare herd and got to pet some of the braver babies. We met the beautiful and loud Cherokee Maiden and her equally loudly colored colt. We oohed and ahhed. We admired and tried to quell acquisition desires.
Back at the arena barn, Prince got to meet Dianna. Larry saddled him up and Dianna got on for a ride in the arena. Dianna was very impressed with how light Prince was and how he responded to leg aids and body language. Our feelings about Larry accelerated from the “wait and see” level zero to a level 6 on the respect scale.
Velvet let it be known that it was her turn for a debut into the arena. We played some ground games while her audience looked on. Deina said she understood now why they are called games…because we have fun when we play. Then I got on bareback and rode Velvet around the arena with her halter and lead rope. We showed off our best inconsistent gaits and switched from dog walk, flat foot walk, fox trot and extended fox trot every 3-10 strides. Thank goodness, these were real fox trotter people who could see the good in Velvet and complimented her ability. Deina told Velvet, “Show people would want you.” I could hear Velvet say, “Of course!” Larry told Velvet, “You are all natural..and your rider is not helping you by riding you with a halter and lead rope.” Velvet thought, “So…, I don’t need a rider to help me. I am a Princess and I gait as I want!”
Horses were put away and the next important part of life was enjoyed, “a sumptious feast”. The food had been prepared by Mona for weeks ahead of time. That’s how it seemed anyway. We had grilled hamburgers and sausage, a hamburger casserole, baked chicken, salad and vegetables. There was enough food to keep us 5 people alive for weeks! It was all wonderful. I was thrilled to think that we would be living on this food as leftovers for the visit. I live on restaurant food and I was in heaven. I was to find out throughout the visit that Mona didn’t plan on feeding us leftovers. I was horrified to see my leftovers being fed to the dog! We were fed all newly cooked food at each meal! (I have deemed Mona and Larry’s house as my own personal bed and breakfast [lunch and dinner] lodging!)
We ate, we chatted, we gossiped until we couldn’t lift the forks to our mouths any longer. We digested, chatted and gossiped until we could lift our heavy bodies away from the table. The lodging plans were for me to stay at Deina’s house, so Deina and I drove to the Wilson “estate”. The horses and barn were our first destination. It was after dark and long past feeding time. I got to meet all the barn mares with babies and then met gorgeous Romeo. He was huffing about having to wait so long to eat. He is an outstanding stallion in his prime!
Then Deina took a mare and baby out to a pasture for the evening and pointed me towards another pasture. She called and the brood mares and babies came running. Ooooh…aaaaah, I cooed. The babies came right up, demanding to get petted. They didn’t come right up to the fence, so I leaned through the fence to start petting them. “What a gorgeous filly you are. How cute you are.” Suddenly, a thunder bolt exploded in my brain!” As I was screaming and leaving the known world, I was thinking, “Now, what in the world could that be? Is that how a stroke feels? I wonder if I’m having a stroke”? As I crashed backwards on the ground, it occurred to me that my head had touched an electric fence wire. I started laughing and yelling at Deina, “I’m OK! I’m OK! Deina was running over to me-upset that she had forgot to tell me about the wire. Well, who in their right mind would remember something like that late at night with horses and babies to take care of!? I was able to get up, walk and keep talking with no bad effects!
Deina and I went to her house and talked into the evening. Ray came home from work and I got to flirt with Ray until my eyes started closing and my body started to sleep. We ended the day. The next morning was a trail ride morning at Larry and Mona’s and I got up early and drove back to their house. Deina had to stay home and catch up with her Internet web site business.
The trail ride was fantastic. Larry had the truck and trailer hooked up the 3 adventurers were off. Mona doesn’t trail ride, so she sent us off. The early morning weather was perfect and we rode a trail that went besides Stockton Lake. Our judgement about Larry skyrocketed to Level 8! Larry had a two-year-old BOJANGLES and he led the trail ride with him. He helped BO navigate the scary things found on a good forest trail…streams, hills, loose rocks, and scary things. The young horse’s confidence was boosted by Larry’s patience and excellent riding skills, and he navigated the trail as good as most older experienced horses would. The horse was ridden with a loose rein and allowed to develop his natural balance. Dianna and Prince came along fine. Larry was pleased that Prince responded to Dianna as Prince had only been ridden by Larry this year. Prince was kept as a stallion during his two year old year and not ridden. His current three year old year was more like his two year old year in emotional fitness. He performed well under Dianna’s excellent riding skills. Larry was upset again that Velvet was going to be rode with a halter. I told Larry that this was just a trail ride and we had no need for a bit on a trail ride. hmmmm!
We got to meet April. April is a beautiful young lady (a high school senior) who came to Larry’s and Mona’s house shortly after they moved. She asked how much they wanted for one of their horses, and had to tell them that she couldn’t afford to buy one, but asked if she could help them with the horses and ride. Larry has taught April how to ride and train Missouri Fox Trotter horses. It was Dianna’s and my judgement that he has been an excellent teacher. April also has that natural ability with horses that can’t be taught. I am expecting April to be training fox trotters for show or trail during her college years and in her future. April told me that in all the time that she has spent riding with Larry, she has never seen him be mean or hurt any horse. I thought that teaching April to ride and train fox trotters was a wonderful thing and April’s statement about his manner with horses made my respect for Larry shoot up to a PERFECT 10. Dianna and I became a Larry admirers.
I got only to spend one morning playing with Deina’s horses. I got to spend some time with my favorite horse…the little DOT COM who was born to a mother with no milk. I sat afar from Deina last year while she fed little DOT.COM every 2 hours until she could survive without milk. Now, here I was with the yearling Dottie and playing with her. What a smart beautiful young filly she is. I showed her what I wanted, and as soon as she understood…she had it. She tried to please me and was a well-behaved horse. I’m in love with her, of course. She would make anyone a fine horse. She will be a loyal and true best friend, and is able to think and figure out what is needed. Plus, she will be beautiful horse when her body matures.
Unfortunately, our visit was during the hot steamy 90-100 degree humid weather. That curtailed our outside horse activities except for the early morning and evening hours. I got to demonstrate Velvet’s prowess and ground skills again to Mona and Dianna. This was a good and bad demonstration as Mona’s horses also attended our demonstration and Velvet started to show off for the horses instead of focusing on me. We then had a dandy show where Velvet woke up and became a “spirited” horse. Dianna was helping me with Velvet and feeling worse and worse. She had to quit playing outside in the intense humid heat and went inside to become sick for the evening and next morning.
One one of our days there, we were required to take Dianna to Branson. If you come all the way from Phoenix, you just have to visit Branson. We shopped for crafts and I bought a dressy dress. We ate. We shopped and we left. Dianna thinks the area north of Springfield is much more desirable and wants to relocate from Phoenix to central Missouri.
On our last day, I finally pleased my hero, Larry and rode Velvet with her snaffle. I had been having trouble slowing her down from an extended trot. The problem was my hands were bouncing around and my slow-down brake was broken. April gave me some advice about bracing and tensing my body, and I was able to relax. Deina gave me some great advice about my hands. I was able to slow Velvet down and with Larry’s help, get her head set in the correct collected position and away we went…fox trotting across the field. …get the head in the right position…not let my hands bounce….relax and presto…there was that fox trot! We all enjoyed it. Dianna was also riding Prince in the pasture and we all had a fine time.
I didn’t get to spend enough time with Deina and Ray and their fabulous horses. I got to chat with Ray at only one breakfast. I didn’t get to ride enough with Larry.
One of our early morning trail rides was disrupted after 10 minutes of riding by tornado skies and forcing us to run back to the trailer and scurry home.
It never even rained…but those skies were dangerous!
Dianna — Larry — Susan
Right before Dianna and I left, Larry got two of his new Larry’s Stable hats and presented them to Dianna and me. Mona took our picture with our hero, Larry.
I will end the slumber party story with a commercial. If anyone wants to buy a fox trotter from honest people who treat their horses with love and dignity…If anyone wants to buy fox trotters with great bloodlines…big front ends and all the physical characteristics needed in a naturally gaited horse…If anyone wants to buy horses that have been started “right”…you can do no better than to contact Wilson Fox Trotters or Larry’s Stables. These are my friends and they are good people!