new friends

Here is a photo of the chestnut Thoroughbred "Red" that I have been riding. She is a real sweetie. Red is cared for by Janet and her husband, Ted. Janet provides excellent care for this horse even though she has her own horses and stalls to clean. Red is fortunate to have Janet and Ted in her life. They are super nice horsepeople and great friends I have been lucky to meet and ride with here. It is a treat to groom and ride Red. She is affectionate and likes to nibble my iced tea ice cubes with me. Yesterday when I walked into the barn and saw her, she softly nickered. It was so wonderful!

a horse with no name

Like most mornings here, as I drank my coffee today, I heard what sounded like horses' nostrils blowing and puffing outside our back screen door. Of course it is dolphins - equally thrilling and magical! I walked out into the darkness and could faintly see two grey "water horses" swimming and playing under our dock. I am so happy here!

Zeppelin Tea

Sing loud for the sunshine, pray hard for the rain

And show your love for Lady Nature

And she will come back again

christmas 2008 - riding in florida

This year we left Pennsylvania on December 10th for our annual holiday in sunny Florida. Last year I missed Baja and riding in general so much that I would run on the beach everyday and pretend that I was riding him! It was so sad. A 41 year-old woman acting like a schoolgirl with a bad horse crush! This year I joined a Florida horse forum online before we left Pennsylvania and amazingly was invited by a member to exercise her horses. I brought my helmet, jeans, and boots in case it actually worked out. Well, it did work out!! It has been fabulous! Everyone at the barn is so nice! I ride a chestnut Thoroughbred mare named "Red" and a sweet Appy gelding named "Emmett". I rode them both with saddles and now it is so hot that I am riding them bareback. I am in heaven. My Christmas Day afternoon was spent under the Live Oaks bareback on Red giving her handfuls of Spanish Moss that I could reach from overhead and listening to her sweet munching which sounded exactly like the Black Stallion munching sea grasses on the island with the boy.

Getting Ready

So many things to do...mostly I am practicing how to make this blog so that I can focus on horsey things when they finally do arrive! I hope to groom and eventually retrain and ride the sweeties in the day and enter my news in the evenings or early mornings. I have a huge blog learning curve. I know way more about horses than I do about blogs! This time in Florida is great for learning how to do all of this. Maizie asked me today, "Why aren't you writing anything, Mama?" I told her that I had nothing to say which sent Brian into fits of laughter. Who ever heard of having a blog when you have absolutely nothing to say? But, I will have something to say when the horses are here...and...I always have my paintings to share.

fostering in the new year

Here is a cute boy who is coming to Honeysuckle Faire in the new year!