News!

I didn't keep a good diary when I was kid either!

Anyway....

The barn is happy to welcome Dennie Matney as our new resident trainer/instructor. Denny originally is from Oklahoma. He has been training in a barn in Northern Minnesota and is hoping that our winters are less cold. And in comparaison to 40 below zero for weeks on end - we might be the winners!

Dennie's specialty is reined cow horses and reining events. He also will start colts to ride. I asked him on his training style and he replied that he was a mix of Clinton Anderson/John Lyons with a dose of common sense. I'm thinking - good answer!

He is hoping to moved down and settled in by the end of the month. We have 3 stalls to finish up for his horses and arrange the turn-out situation so that he has a place to turn his horses out too.

Other news - Charisma is doing well and has been riding for the last few weeks. We took her to her 1st show this past Saturday at Portage. It was Randy's 1st time showing her, and Charisma's 1st time out this year. It was also Charisma's first time going in the Hunter Under Saddle classes. She is a beautiful mover - which makes up for her serious lack of height. These days most of the "hunter" horses on the breed circuits are well over 16 hh tall. Charisma stands just over 15 hh.

So I videod instead of picture taking.... and maybe I can figure out how to get a still off the video tape..... or not.....

Kara is still doing Karate - she has graduated to a green belt - and will probably stay in that class for the summer. They have shortened and re-arranged the class times due to summer - and if Kara continues being interested - then she will go to more in the fall.

Bo is gone to his dad's for the summer. He is coming back on alternate weekends. Though he'd rather go hang at his friends houses than me - but I suppose that is typical.

We are planning a trip to a local campground for the weekend. That way I can come home and clean stalls and chores. We were planning on going to South Dakota this summer - but due to unforseen expenses from flooding and rising fuel & hay costs - there is not enough $$ to make the trip the most fun it could be. We could probably still go - but I dont want to go and now that we can't afford to go out to eat or see some of the things that we'd really want to see while we are there.

So - any "in-Wisconsin" vacation ideas - other than Wisc Dells - would be greatly appreciated!

Until later!