"Two-fer" Day!

Friday was a busy day!  I loaded Farah & headed to Snohomish for our appointment at Fire Run Farm.   We had attended a presentation there by Eitan Beth-Halacmy known as the father of Cowboy Dressage.  This farm is one of a handful that practice & teach the methods of Light Hands Horsemanship.

I have to admit to being almost as nervous as I was at the start of my first endurance ride!  Never much of a fan of arena riding or formal lessons, what formal training I do  have (besides many miles in the saddle) has come from the skilled coaching of my friend & mentor Dean Essex, DVM.   

Arriving at Fire Run - I parked alongside the Peacock enclosure, then headed over to the arena to check-in.  Tara met me at the door with a welcome smile & warm handshake - then introduced me to Teri Rumens, owner of the farm.   Tara pointed out the saddling area & where to bring Farah in.  I declined her offer of help with tack & decided to saddle Farah by the trailer as usual.  I unloaded her & just as I was opening the tack room door on the trailer - we both jumped as one of the Peacocks let out a Very Loud "Yell"?  To our credit, we both kept our cool :-)

Farah walked in like she'd been there 1,000 times before.  I  backed her into the saddling area & she stood quietly while we discussed her prior training & my goals for her & myself.  Next we were invited to warm-up in the very large, beautiful arena.  Farah put on her game face, we made the circuit of the arena & even went down the ramp & into the round-pen that sits below the level of the arena.  

In a very friendly way, Teri started commenting on Farah, her incredible movement, willingness to please, the way she's bonded with me & how we looked as a team.  Her coaching started so smoothly that it very easy to understand & comply.  Especially since Farah would immediately adjust & respond to what I was asking of her.   Our first lesson was a huge success!   We were introduced to family & friends who came by & made to feel at home!  Teri & Tara gave me ideas to work on at home!  I felt motivated & encouraged - what more can you ask from a trainer?

I left the farm & headed back into Snohomish with just enough time to pick up a burger before my friend was there to lead me the back way to Lord Hill. 

Farah, saddled & ready~

 We saddled up & were on the trails by 1 p.m. riding for over three hours!  Lynn was determined to show me that the park was bigger than I thought!  We had a trotting contest on the way back, with her wonderful mare setting a blistering pace!  Fun for us, fun for the mares!   We headed home tired - no better way to spend a day!  I'm definitely looking forward to our next lesson!  Now to start practicing!

New Page on Tack

Tack room after Spring cleaning!

My choice in tack has changed over the years.  I love buying tack, spending money on tack & putting it to daily use.  What I really like best though - is when it works!  I've donated a lot of used tack to the 4-H used tack sales.  Usable items, but things I'd found didn't work as well as I liked, or didn't fit the horse I had at the time.

Now, I have what I like, what works for me & what works for my horse.  Once you find what works, that's key.  I always try to keep an eye on what's new, what seems to be working for other people, or what just draws my eye.  Taking Funder's idea - I put together a page - check it out  - tab at the top!

 If you ever find yourself near Sheridan, WY - make it a point to stop by Kings Saddlery!   One of the very best places in the world to view authentic western tack, an incredible museum full of the finest old saddles from the past, new saddles that are works-of-art & all the tack you could possibly want, need, or buy!  It's a must see!

Lord Hill Ride~

Lord Hill GPS

Lord Hill Regional Park - I hadn't ridden there in years!  Since the day - Liz - you will remember the day - when you, Butch & I went riding.  Don't want to even think about how many years that's been.  Strange too, since it's just a 20-mile drive from home!  With the downed tree, we didn't get to make the loop that my friends, more familiar with the park had planned.  Nonetheless - we did cover a few miles.  It was wet, slippery in places - but over all, not a bad place at all to inhale the smells of a really nice summer day.  When we split up to take different approaches to the outlook - the other two of our party saw two beautiful doe's! 

Looking out~

After talking to Liz yesterday, I hesitated in correcting Farah for her jump over the small ditch with running water...  It was a smoother jump than usual - but she had less distance to cover!  :-)  Cato - the man - walked right across like a gentleman - but Farah refused to follow his lead.   We did enjoy some side-by-side walking without incident & Farah has really improved when following other horses.  Now... it's time for her very overdue bath!

Young Horse Stuff~

Foxglove in Full Bloom~

You know how it is...  you have a great ride on a youngster, then you take them out again & things are not as good?  Well...  I decided to get in a short ride from home & check things out in our backyard.  Overgrown!  That's how things were!  If I don't do some clearing - we won't be getting through in another couple weeks.  What clearing I'd done last season - which was a lot, still hadn't kept up with all the growth! 

We made it out to the power lines, the perfect time to enjoy all the color from the Foxglove.  Years ago, it grew all along the trails through the woods, that since have been bulldozed.  Now - it's coming back in the few places that haven't been disturbed.  Heading back - by a trail that we used to call our running hill.   Going down it - rather than up.  Besides being covered with brush, what was left of the trail had a small river of water running down the middle, that had washed a deep v-shaped grove.  Those are hard to navigate - I'd seen them before at Capitol Forest - made by the bicyclists who ride there.  Farah wasn't doing bad, just some slipping - as she tried to avoid the running water.  We came up on a very deep hole & decided to dismount & guide her past it.  That done, I went to re-mount & that's when she decided to make a sharp left & leap - UP the hillside!  I was left hanging from the stirrup, still with the rein in my hand as she tried to plunge through the brush dragging me along.  I managed to get her pulled up after barely missing a tree trunk.  She was barrel deep in Salmonberry & standing over two large partly rotted cedar stumps.  Did I cuss her out?  Oh YES!  I sure did.  She knew for sure that she had been Very Bad!  :-)  

I forged a way back down to the trail - told her to STAND on fear of death & re-mounted.  Now - we will be Standing for Every mount - standing Firm!  :-)

Darrington Timberbowl Rodeo!

A Yee Haw moment!

We decided to go "overland" from the Big Lake area, to Darrington.  Using the smartphone's navigation, we found the roads, but arrived after the start of the Rodeo.  Just in time for the Saddle Bronc riding! 

Barrel Racing!

Next, one of my personal favorites - the Barrel Racing!  Really fast times turned in by some really excellent riders & fit horses!  

Running for the wire!

 This rodeo boasts some events not commonly seen, one of which is the Girls Cow Riding.  In case you think it's easy - think again!  

These girls took some hard falls!

 Our friend Steve participated in the Gentleman's Cow Milking - really a sport for the toughest guy standing!  He holds the top title several years running - but this year it was not to be...

Manhandling a very Wild cow!

Finally, there was the Bull Riding.  None of the riders made it much past the gate, the bulls won that round - so I didn't get any photos.  But afterward, we got to tour the Bull pens & I did get a picture of the biggest set of horns ever!

Part Brahma & part Long Horn

 Roy, owner of C & C Rodeo's, was the stock contractor for the event.  At 86-years young, he was riding all day, climbing over the stock enclosures whenever there was a need, riding, roping & generally being everywhere!  His horse was trained to a "T"!  It was a pleasure to watch such a fine horseman at work!

Stock Contractor

Even with the torrential downpours on Sat., everyone came back & had a Great time on Sunday!  One of our favorite, small town flavor - Rodeo's!  At only $10. per person, you can even afford to donate for next years event!