News - Long in Coming

Hi Everyone!

I follow and read Kathy's blog quite often - she stuns me with her insight to herself and life in general. She's a hard act to follow.....lol....

I haven't posted since I was laid off from my job. You would think with not working 25-40 hours at a real job - that I would have more time - leisure time that is.... I actually am so more busy - that I rarely have time to just sit. My daily computer time has come down to an occasional check of my email and to pay my bills on line.

As previously posted - Dennie Matney has come to work out of our barn as our resident horse trainer. He has brought many more horses with him - which has increased my work time in the barn. With being laid off - I couldn't justify "paying" someone to clean stalls. I've done that for the last two months. However - I've got Dee doing stalls again 2x per week - as I've decided I just need a break from it.

We've been having alot of fun with Dennie being here. Most of the boarders have gotten to know him enough to take lessons and do some training with their horses. He's working on getting outside horses in the barn from the local area. But mainly his main focus is his cutting/reining show horses and they seem to come from all over the country.

I'm learning some new training techniques and really sharpening up my personal riding skills with him here. As some of you know - I have dreamed for years of having a reining horse to show. So, in some ways, this is a dream come true for me - to have access to the knowledge available to me to learn and the occasional chance to ride on of these talented horses.

My last show is this upcoming Saturday - the Wisconsin State Horse Council Championship Challenge - Gus & I are qualified in 5 events. After the show is over - poor Gus....lol....I chuckle as I write this - is going to work (cuz he really doesn't need time off right??!!!) - to learn the basics of being a reining horse. He actually has many of the elements of training already there - we can do slow and fast circles, we can do roll backs, and we have a pretty good spin in the making already. We have to teach Gus how to do lead changes and to slide.....how hard can it be???? Well - I'll keep you updated on that.

Goals for next year are already in the making - I'm hoping to do some reining/cowhorse events with Gus - he will be taking some much needed time off from the pleasure arena. Charisma will be heading for the Quarter Horse circuit. She has come back really well after the surgery - and I did take her to one QH show, where we placed 7th out of 18 in our first time - promising enough to make the investment.

I have sold Dafnie to Kris Bond here at the barn. I am shopping for a new pleasure horse for next year to replace her. I'm going to try to not rush and get the "right" one (yeah right... he he)....

Until later....