Progress

Today I ditched my crutches. It's amazing how much you appreciate having two legs when you have to get around on one for a while. Hope I'll be back in the saddle this week. And to all my students coming out on Monday, I have a little surprise for you ;)

So you want to buy a horse...? Part II

As you may have read in Part I of my equine rantings, owning horses (or even just one horse) is fraught with responsibility and expense. So what is it that makes owning a horse so irresistable?

I have tons of time to think about these life mysteries as I sit for the 11th day, keeping the couch warm, so I'll share some of my thoughts with you. I have compiled what I believe to be the top 3 reasons I cannot get enough horse. For some of you, these may not apply. But these are my reasons.

1. Epicness. No one can deny that horses are grand! They are the most powerful, yet graceful and majestic creatures God ever thought of. If your like me and you like those dramatic, adventurous tales with heroes and villians, of good vs. evil or some kind of battle for freedom or justice, you know they almost alway have horses in them! You know, the bad guy rides a slick black horse with red eyes that is beautiful but terrible; and the good guy rides the white horse, who is equally strong and beautiful, but with a goodness in his eyes that is heroic. You know what I mean! Horses are - for no other term - EPIC!

2. Companionship. The bond you build with a horse when you work with it on a daily basis is amazing. Horses do not naturally bond with humans like dogs and cats do. Their herd instincts are incredibly strong, combined with the fact they have a strong innate need to protect themselves. It takes time to build trust and create that bond with your horse to where they will perform those tasks for you that seem unnatural to them. When you feel that bond of trust, it's just COOL!

3. Accomplishment. No one who has ridden a horse more than few times can deny that getting a horse to understand what you want them to do and respect your commands is not an easy task! There are many details you must remember and you have to ask clearly, precisely and consistently. It takes work to get good at it. As you learn, you will find that not only are you getting better at riding, but you understand more about your horse and how to handle it.

Well, maybe these aren't THE ONLY reasons I love horses, but these are what came to my mind. You may have more... feel free to comment on your own reasons!

So you want to buy a horse...? Part 1

This post is deticated to all the people out there who love horses, and so far haven't made that leap into owning one of their own. Just read and consider this.

I have grown up with horses around or in my backyard most of my life. I consider myself MEGA-super blessed to be one of the few kids who's dreams of horses become reality before the age of 30. Not everything was flowers and sunshine in my life with my first horse;  however, and I will have to admit here that there were many cold nights where I opened and closed the backdoor loudly and hid in the pump room to make my parents think I had gone out to do my chores.

The fact is that most who love, handle, and even ride these amazing animals dont really know what owning one entails. I was one of the kids who knew, and I was overwhelmed with the responsibility. In fact, if your one of those parents who has a kid who is SO completely in love with horses and begs you for a pony ever day, I suggest you send your child to work on a farm for their lessons. It just may cure them! (But then again, it may backfire and make them even more determined to have one.)

Having the opportunity to work with horses and ride everyday, I can say that this is the most rewarding life I could imagine for myself. I want everyone to have the same joy and satisfaction that I get from FINALLY hitting that right lead, or jumping higher than I have before, or seeing a horse be rehabilitated beyond my expectations, or the daily smell of dirt, leather and horse. But the truth is that it comes at a very high cost. And that cost isn't for everyone.

Now, in case I broke anyone poor child's heart just now, fear not! All I mean to say is that if you are serious about owning your own horse, you better be ready to get down and dirty. Your very own horse will come with a hungry belly and lots of waste for you to clean up. He needs exercise everyday, training sessions to stay on top of his game, oh! and dont forget, you'll need to take lessons to make sure you and your horse are understanding each other, and practice what you've learned on your own time. On top of all that, you'll need to take time to do some fun things with your horse like trail rides, outings and maybe some shows.

Still in for the long haul? Ok, be prepared for lots of expenses, like tack, tools, trimmings, feed and hay, vet care, shots, deworming, and emergencies. (Yes, emergencies. Plan for them!)

If you've taken all this in stride, then you might be ready to buy your first horse! Like I said, alot of responsibility! But on the upside - if your not passed out on the floor yet - there are alot of good things to horse ownership. I won't get into them today. You'll want to read Part II for more :)

Buttons Needle Grass AKA "Snickers"

Here is Snickers' (or buttons') story:

One fine saturday my dad commented to me: "Did you see there are some kittens in the garage?"
I had indeed seen these kittens running around at varying times during my daily chores, three to be exact. A solid black, a black and white, and a mottled brown one. A couple times they would sit in our driveway and scatter when we drove up, or opened our door in the morning. Great, the last thing we need is a litter of wild kittens hanging around eating up the food and making more kittens...

About a week later, after trying with no luck to catch or pet the kittens, Pablo called me out of the house. "One of those kittens is out here, and I think it's sick." He said. He was right. The little black one was huddled up against the trash cans, staring at the ground. As I cautiously crept closer, the poor little thing turned its yellow eyes at me and managed a nasty hiss. It had no strength to resist me though, so I just wrapped my hand around him and picked him up.

The first thing I felt was bones. He was very thin, and obviously sick as he wasn't fighting me at all. We put him in a little box and called the SPCA. I wont even get into the run-around we got from them, but I'll sum it up by saying that while they thought about what they would do... the poor little thing died. Some time later, they arrived to trap the remaining kittens. Having successfully caught them, however, they released them on the spot because they weren't sick. *Just a little sarcastic side note: apparently, the SPCA would prefer us to turn our unwanted and feral cats loose rather than turn them in to the shelter... thats based on my experiences (more than one occasion!) Ok, enough about my frustrations. Back to the story* So there we were, left with one dead kitten, and two live ones living in our garage. I figured the only way to solve this problem was to tame them, and find homes for them.

Snickers was pretty easy. She was so drawn to the food that I lured her with that she would come right up to me to eat. It only took about a week to go from completely wild, to letting me touch her and pet her. She has been a doll ever since! The black and white kitten never came around much, even for food. He is very skittish. We see him every once in a while, but he mostly stays away.

Snickers is awesome now... today I was doing home work and she curled up on my chest and went to sleep. She loves to play with leaves and bugs, and she always wants someone to pet her, scratch her and pick her up. She's become like our little mascot, following us around and watching us ride.

So, to make my long story shorter, please spread the word about this sweet, loving kitten! I have my own adult cats (who dont appreciate the addition of a kitten) and need to find Snickers a loving home. She would be appropriate for just about any situation, indoor/outdoor etc. She is litter trained and loves other cats and dogs. She doesn't even mind the horses! In fact, she rubs on their legs and runs under them while they are walking. Give this kitty a home for Christmas!

End of Summer

Looking back on this summer, it sure was a great one! First of all, summer camps! I had so much fun with camps this summer! We had some new kids, and got to know each other really well over those couple weeks. I still have a big yellow door in my garage that the campers painted and signed, that I promised to make into a jump and put it out in the field. Oh, well, maybe next summer :)

Then there was the State fair, which was practically my first horse show ever! Tifi and I had a blast (well, at least I did) and we even won a couple ribbons :) Kaylee and Melinda also got to participate for their first time too!

I sure learned alot from that experience. I later had a chance to test my skills a Kershaw Acres schooling show in Milton. Tifi and I did a couple flat classes (which we bombed by the way) and then a few hunter courses (which went much better). We finished the day jumping a clean 3ft. in Chase me Charlie.



Our last big fling for the summer was the student show. The students competed against each other in equitation, jumping and dressage classes. I was so proud of their performance! It was so cool to see how each student has grown and learned so much over the summer. Congratulations to everyone!

So you can see, it was an awesome summer full of horsey fun, friends and trying new things, for teacher and students. I want to thank everyone who helped make it all possible, and thank God for allowing me to do what I love to do!



Jumping Tiny

Here's some pics of my escapades this morning on my Percheron, Tiny. He put two cracks in my panel jump and stepped on the coup! At least the barrels went smoothly. He actually put some effort into getting his legs up over them. I guess they looked a little scarier :)

Right before crack #1

...and right before crack #2. You can see his left leg about to take down that rail!

And now he's just sleeping. Lazy :)

First attempt...

Nice! 

Ok...I dont even know what he is doing here! Funny looking though!

A bit of a mess, but I was proud of him for trying. He's not used to doing anything with those 2,000lbs of his! Go Tiny! Fun day ;)

Camps Update

Much thanks to everyone who helped out at Pablo and I's Wedding! It was so beautiful! Now that life is settling down to normal, I am turning my attention to preparing for camps this summer. I am really excited about all the events we have going on this summer!

Our first kids camp is filling up fast - I only have a couple spots left! If your still thinking about registering, call me or text me soon to save your spot! I also have space for the June 20th-24th camp as well. Please fill out a registration form (which you can pick up from me or email me for it at therealbrooke@gmail.com) and turn in your $25 deposit as soon as possible. This will guarantee your spot in the camp. The balance for the camp must be paid by the first day of camp. Make sure you specify your child's T-shirt size on your registration form!

Dont forget too, that all camp participants will be invited to participate in our free Student Show at the end of the summer to show off their riding skills and compete with one another. Dont forget to put it on your calendar, it will be fun for the whole family!

God bless!
Brooke