Showing Big Red

Today was Sarah and Red's first big day together. They did two schooling tests at Amen Corner in Folsom, doing Intro A and B for their first time at a show. They did very well, scoring a 62 in each test, very respectable for a cautious rider and a trail horse come dressage boy. We are VERY proud of how hard they are working together!!
I wanted to share both videos with my darling Denise, but it took me three hours to load just this one...but I do have some photos to share as well.
Here is Intro A


For those that don't know dressage, you are basically competing against your last score. It's about bettering yourself as a rider and your horse learning to carry themselves in a proper frame, and you being able to get them there. They enter at a certain speed, turns must be a certain way etc. It's a big change from his trail world, but he seems to enjoy all the attention.

Now for some photos. He spent the night there last night, as they schooled yesterday and he got all spiffed up. He seemed to enjoy his night in the stall surrounded on each side by girls...our Red loves the ladies, he was chatting them up those mares.

This is hard for him, to stretch down like this while he's walking on....he did awesome today, the best I've ever seen him do..this is called a free walk


Two kindred souls these two men of mine


Working SO hard together, I love to see this, it makes me so proud!


and the two of them with their ribbons!!

Happy Birthday Big Red!!

Today was our Darling Big Red's 10th birthday!!

For his birthday he and Sarah got a dressage arena (of sorts) built in the upper pasture so that they can practice more. It's not fancy, but it gets the job done. Thanks to Highlands for the donation of the markers, and to Daddy for helping her measure it off and mark it.
They are working hard getting ready for Sunday's show. I tell you guys (the three of you that read my blog) I've never seen this girl ride as hard as she's ridden this week. She's been on him at least an hour hard work daily this week, practicing her patterns and balance. They are working together as a team now, and you can see how much their hard work is paying off.
He's looking great, red horses are lucky, the sun only makes them more beautiful. His coat is coming into a good sheen and he's fat and healthy. We ARE blessed Denise that you brought him to us, and we thank you daily.
So...the girls and I sang Happy Birthday to him over his dinner, and put a birthday hat on him and embarassed him (secretly he loved the attention) then he got his birthday hose down (which he ADORES) and some birthday clover and ate his dinner with his favorite girl of the four legged variety. I promised Denise some photos, so of COURSE I shall be forced to show him off (not like I don't constantly post photos of them).
Here's my Sarah working hard on her arena:
We had to cut some branches down to make room for her head.


Measuring out the dressage arena;


The birthday boy posing with his girls, in his homemade hat and some beads, which he also wore all afternoon to ride, he's so goofy.


And then..his baby girl is having a birthday Tuesday, so he shared his hat. He loves this child because she always has food.


Then, because he really DOES have to work..they practiced for about an hour and a half in the new area


And a birthday hosing (no point in giving pigpen a real bath), but a good hosing is great for all that sweat.


And YUMMMMY birthday clover


and to finish off his day, he had some after dinner hay with his best girl...who he bit right after I took this photo...she was hogging his spotlight.

Sarah and Red

We are wiping Winter away around here...and shaking out the cobwebs.
I'll admit, this winter hasn't been the best for us and riding. Hacking around has been fun, but Sarah and Red have work to do....if she plans on showing.

They went today for a lesson at Highlands, working towards their first scheduled show at the end of this month. Lazy girl + lazy boy equals horsey mom who will have to buy some blunt spurs so that lazy child can get lazy horse to show some impulsion. Won't hurt him, just get him motivated....big ole lazy oaf.

It's sweet to see her loving on him though, she put his new cooler on him after hosing him for the ride home and was oohing over him being soooo cute moooom, as she said.


THEN..there's the love of his life Flicka, who was dying at home without him. A mile down the road she heard Jamie's truck and went to calling her lost lover boy. I took him back in and the love fest began, just plain ole goofy, a gelding and a moony mare.



SO..wish my boy and girl luck in their show, and enjoy the pictures of them. I'll get some riding pics next week.

Goodbye Sweet Cat...

Today I got such awful news, that the child of some of our best friends had passed. Nooone ever wants to face death, much less that of their child, and I pray for them with all the strength our maker has given me.
Today the world lost a beautiful soul, a wonderful daughter and an amazing sister. We grieve with the family of Cat...Rebecca, Ty, Randy and Randy Jr. Please join our hands in prayer for them, hold them up and keep them strong.
God Bless, I know his arms were open wide as you came into them my sweet girl.

This poem seems so fitting at this time:

A Better PlaceShe’s in a better place right now
Than she’s ever been before;
All pain is gone; she’s now at rest;
Nothing troubles her anymore.It’s we who feel the burden of
Our sadness and our grief;.
We have to cry, to mourn our loss,
Before we get relief.We know we’ll reconnect with her
At the end of each life’s road;
We’ll see her cherished face again
When we release our earthly load.By Joanna Fuchs

It's a CAKE kinda day!

Today I had two cakes to do that I was very happy with so I thought I'd share them.

First was a Mickey Mouse inspired first birthday cake, two tiers, done in buttercream with some fondant accents. Love the colors on this one. Just piped the little Mickey heads on, and the diamonds are fondant as well as the big Mickey head.


Then there was my first Whimsy cake. Watched a little SugarEd Productions action on the DVD, got a little pep talk, and away we went. Came out pretty cute, now I wanna try doing one in just buttercream, no fondant covering....b/c at heart I'm a buttercream girl. This cutie girl was very specific about wanting pink and black, and zebra a bow and polka dots! She was VERY happy with her cake, which makes me happy!

So..here are some photos, the before and the after!

First, there was the carving and the icing....



Then we added a little color...



And number one is done...




and last but not least, Ms Olivia's is done



Happy Birthday to two beautiful kiddos, I hope you had a wonderful day!!

Photo blog day

Here are some recent photos!!

My cutie family in Missouri!



How big is she now?



On our cruise, the most wonderful few days of the last year.




Sarah at her first big girl dance!



Sarah and her daddy!!



Hunter and I at the 3rd annual Camp Kline



Isn't he yummy??



WHY? Must she grow up?

Happy Birthday Gabe and Welcome Big Red!

What a week we had!
This week, my boy turned 10!! Amazing to me since it seems yesterday they told me WOW Heather, he weighs 10lbs 5 oz...at a minute old!
For his birthday we went out to Bogue Chitto park in Franklinton near our home for some fishing and fun. A simple day, spent with family and friends who feel like family. The catch for the day was Dad 2, Sarah 2, Gabe 1 and Mr Clint 1....combined weight of less than 1 lb for the lot of them!
Thanks to all that came out to spend time with us, we enjoyed you all immensely!
Here are some photos to share from the day!

The big catch of the day!!


My beautiful Joy and her boy Colby


A spider in a web (no, really, it's Sarah)



My baby girl Abi



We also added a new member to our family this week. Dashing Big "Red" came to live with us. Red was a gift to us from Denise, a wonderful woman I know from caking. Red needed to slow down his pace in life, and he is a perfect mount for my timid Sarah to pursue her riding on. She jumped right on him and took off..which is NOT her style.
Red lived part of his life as a race horse, and was retrained. Although he is a quarter horse, he's got a lot of thoroughbred in him, which you can see in the photos to come.
We are pleased as peaches to add him to our family. Ms Flicka has adopted him as her own, and is madly in love with him (unless he tries to sneak in and take a bite of her food). Denise loves Red dearly, and it was her love for him that helped her decision to bring him to us....and we shall continue his life in the style he is accustomed to, SPOILED!!
Some photos to share for you...

My beautiful Foo girl...I will always say she amazes me. She's come so far in so little time this girl. And God bless her, she was sharing her hay with Red.



Red and Sarah, she's in love to the hilt. They were having a love festival...her with Red and he with the treats she had in her pocket.



Now..before you say anything, YES she's barefooted...she was just hacking around not really riding. I did make her put on my helmet.



And..yes I'm in sandals, we had just come home from Gabe's fishing excursion...



So..that's our week~ Life never stops here in our house, but it also never stops being blessed.