Tia turns 11...

Tomorrow we are celebrating Bud's stable mate's B'day - she will be 11y/o. In horse years that is still considered pretty young BUT she has good horse sense - meaning - very good stall manners, easy to work with (either tacking or trimming for the farrier) and she is good under saddle.

She came to the barn temporarily 4 years ago & never left.  My friend, Melody, took one look it her in the pasture and it was love at first sight.  Her horse had passed away a few months prior (Piedmont) and the equine gene was reignited.  As it turned out Tia would be a Christmas present for her sister, Lori ......who had no idea...before walking in the barn that Saturday.

We had strung white lights around her stall and Tia was completely decked out in her red & green festive outfit munching away on carrots . We had turned off all the overhead lights & turned up the Christmas carols playing on the radio.  Lori was in absolute shock ..... seeing as she actually thought she was just popping in for a minute to meet Mels' new horse!!

It was one of those magical moments that you hear about at Christmas time & quite fitting ...as it all took place in a barn on a colds winter day :)

                         Melody & Tia - what a great photo!!!

                   Tia & the Buddha out on a sunny afternoon.....

                       Lori,with pup Max hanging w/ Tia

Back in the Saddle....

I can't believe the Buddha and I are beginning our 7th year together. Last year my first ride was in March and even tho it was  cold & windy outside - we endured.  Lunging him was an athletic event as he jumped, reared and tore around me like an lunatic!  Once under saddle, he was still a bit "fresh" (ready to go) but, submitted to my requests quickly and we enjoyed (?) walking, trotting and cantering around the tract.

Even tho the horses are out all winter -  and used to the weather - they are also used to pretty much doing what THEY want outside. But once in the barn, they are required to stand quietly and accept the brushes, hoof care ( and all the loving) that is bestowed on them.  This ritual is understood as we do this all year round, as well as having the farrier come out every 7 or 8 weeks to do a trim.  During spring & summer months, he comes out more often due to their hooves growing at a faster rate due to the warmer weather.

I have photos BUT downloading from a cell phone didn't exactly  work out...grrr!  The only result was 2 very teeny weeny pics. If I try to enlarge them,they get all blurry - please accept my apologies.

Get your magnifying glass out :(

Happy New Year - 2011

 I hope you  had a very pleasant and ill-free Christmas season and Bud and I would like to wish you ALL a Happy & Healthy New Year.  We are looking forward to Spring  (me not him ) so riding will be available once again.  Til then, we will have our love fests, our grooming sessions and me spoiling him rotten with all sorts of treats.  I have somehow collected several candy canes over the holidays and he and his barn mates will take much  pleasure in crunching them away only to have wonderful peppermint breath as a result.

I wanted to share some of my gifts from Christmas with you - can you see a pattern?

                     I finally have a Buddha at home  :))

                    Beautiful horses hanging above my TV

                       Lastly, some new reading material........


Also, received a beautiful horse shoe necklace, horse pin, note cards painted by horses and a horse cell phone holder.....gee.....am I that easy to shop for?

Thank you all for knowing what makes me smile :)