Here in OK we are getting ready for the onslaught of winter weather for the second time this winter.  Now I know that those of you who live in the North laugh at us for our state of panic but it is devastating here when we get bad winter weather.  You see since we don't have to deal with it usually for more than 2 weeks or so at a time the state and county governments don't invest in snow removal equipment so strike one.  We also get ice storms instead of snow most of the time.  Then when we get snow it is usually after we have an ice storm.  Strike two.  Then when we have had our worst storms it has been as much as 70 degrees in the preceding 24 hours and the temps drop to below freezing and usually stay there for the duration.   Strike Three.  1 Out.

OK so this is not about horses, it's about my beefalos and how they did. We had a great show. Only took 3 animals and did well in each class. My youngest heifer PALR Vera took first in her class and went on to become Division Champion, PALR Vickie took 3rd in her class, and PALR Nina and calf, PALR Vera took 2nd in the cow/calf pair. Then in the group classes Nina and Vera were 2nd in the pair of females, and in the group of 3 my girls were 3rd. Not a bad day at all. Then in the afternoon we had the first ever ABA Jr exhibitor show. My girls took their animals in and again PALR Vera took her class and went on to be division Champion. Then PALR Vickie won her class. While we were there we purchased another beefalo heifer and brought her home with us. Now I have 4 trained animals to take to the Ark-OK State Fair in Sept.

Went into work this morning after taking care of our show Beefalo. Cow poopy is much worse than horse poopy to take care of. Anyway had to go pick up my daughters horse from work. While there we picked up some hay for the beefalos and then I told my girls that I was going to ride my horse. Then they had to ride too. They are 17 and 16 respectively. Told them to go get the ponies as they were not dressed to do anything except ride bareback. Taun is a 25yr welsh section B, and Pumpkin is a 10yr haflinger. Dillon you have heard about but he is the Shire x TB that is 16h and about 1500#'s. The girls got out the big human exercise ball and started to play soccer with the ponies. The ponies love to chase and bump that ball with their noses and knees. Dillon was terrified of them. I have very rarely stopped my kids from having fun around my horses even if it scared them and today was no exception. The ball went over the jumps, around and around the arena, in and out of trotting poles, and chased Dillon a few times. We were all laughing a lot as the ponies get very possessive of the ball and will actually try to bump each other off it. The kids did let me have a circle to work a bit on Dillon's canter and when I was done I let them know that they had the arena again. Then we decided to get Dillon over being afraid of the ball. It took some patience but was well worth it in the end. After the first time the ball rolled into his leg and he realized that it would not hurt him he got into it to. He rolled that ball all over the place with his nose. He would chase it and then give it a good flip with his big head and send it rolling away for another chase. He is a little too big to play with the ponies so we let them have it back again and watched them play soccer with each other for a while. By the way both my girls play soccer for their high school team so they were also kicking the ball from up on the ponies but the ponies were better with their noses. Must be something about balance and swinging that leg too far. I couldn't even think about kicking it as the ball can easily roll under Dillons belly and my legs are long but not that long! We all really enjoyed the day and are looking forward to playing pony soccer again.

I am enjoying watching my 25 year old Jess. He gets so excited about his feed and talks to me constantly while I'm getting it for him and still prances up to the feeder. He looks pretty good for his age and some of the things that have happened to him in life. When I took him to the Vet for his spring shots and teeth floating they were SO excited to have a healthy horse come in. They were having an intern shadow the vet and for once she got to see 'Normal'. All of them at the clinic could not believe that he is now 25, I say all of them but of course the vets who have been there a long time know my Jess well. He still stands with the 'look of eagles' and is just now beginning to show some signs of age in his appearance and of course his teeth. Now I live in the heart of quarter horse country so my Morgan with his naturally high head carriage and liveliness made the intern think he was a youngster. I had a good chuckle as he is only now beginning to slow down a little. He is the one that on our first trail rides never let down and relaxed, and I remember one in particular where he bucked for about the first 5 miles. Nothing serious but 5 miles of crow hopping up and down the Ozark mountains does get tiring. He did it because he thought the little gray he saw ahead of him was his pasture mate who was being ridden by a teenage boy that every time we even started to get close too would take off from us again. Finally I got close enough to ask him to please stop so my horse could see that it was Not his favorite mare and the boy took pity on me and waited. Now Jess really got excited and leaped, pranced, crow hopped and bounced me all over till he got close to the boys horse. Never have I had a horse just totally deflate like Jess did then. You see not only was it not his pasture mate, his favorite mare, it was a gelding! After that ride Jess behaved from then on when we went out on the trail. Occasionally he would give me a pretty good capriolle when he felt especially fine out in the hunt field but for the most part I think he couldn't stand the idea of embarrassing himself again over the identity of the other horses.

Well here it is Monday evening and I just heard from my boss who told me not to come in tomorrow as it is just too hot.   It is nice to get unexpected days off.  However it is too hot to ride here with the humidity we have.  Hopefully Wed will be better. 

Was a pretty good week.  Got to ride my boy 3 times and he was good each time.  We are working on cantering on the correct lead and I sometimes think he is more clever than I am.  He is so big he can throw me onto whichever lead he feels like taking at the moment.  I have put him on a diet and have started using a muzzle to inhibite the grass intake.  It is working well.  He comes in to the stable for 3 nights and wears the muzzle 4 days.  Left it off him for the next four days as it will be too hot and humid to put him thru that.  Afraid it would rot off his muzzle.  I do love my big guy and I think he loves me.  I know he loves the little treats.  Especially tic tacs.

Yea! I finally found the blog pages.  I have been mostly looking around this site and posting a few pictures.  I like what I have seen so far, but I haven't been able to join any groups as yet.  A little about me, I have had/ridden horses and ponies ever since I can remember.  I started out in western stock classes and am now working and riding dressage and a little jumping.  I have enjoyed it all but I have to say that the dressage saddle is a LOT easier to hoist up on my big guy than a western one would be!  My current horses are a 25yr Morgan who is a failed show horse that was given to me about 20 years ago.  We have trail ridden and then fox hunted with much success but his age has made me semi-retire him.  He is now used occasionally by my youngest daughter who is a much lightler load than me.  I also have a 15yr Shire x TB who is my big boy.  He has done dressage, hunting, and small eventing.  He is an eternal peter pan of a horse.  Always curious about what is going on and is the official farm greeter.  He checks out everybody for treats, and licks you to try and get more.  I have 1 husband of 30 yrs, 2 daughters, 4 dogs, 3 cats, and a herd of beefalo.  We also show the beefalo.  My home seems to be the last stopping place for critters and most of them have been damaged in some way.  We have a crippled dog, 3 legged cat, and a kitten who was hit by a car and lost one ear and half his tail, and the Morgan would have been sent to slaughter if I had not taken him.  More Later.