Riding Magazine Article EMM Norco

First article to go to print about the mixups at the Norco Extreme Mustang Trail Challenge.

http://www.ridingmagazine.com/riding_onlinemag/articles/2009_07/gallop.htm

More Norco Pictures!

<-----My favorite picture!

Here are some more pictures from my friends Jim and Lani Muche of the Urban Trail Challenge and of the dreaded auction!

Oh the relief, she is mine!

More truth revealed by BLM.

I guess while running the freeze brands again, it turns out my horse "Sheeza Hottie" was previously adopted out. She was reposessed due to "lack of ability to care for" so that could mean anything but it doesn't sound pleasant to me. There are various degrees of "lack of ability to care for" I am just wondering if this helped or hindered my chances? Does it sound like my horse had "limited gentling" I don't know but it doesn't sound like it was done at a professional trainers facility or by a professional or they wouldn't have had to reposess her. So, there you are for some reason both possibilities of adoption happened to me. A horse I had in training competed with me and then my horse was reposessed due to "lack of ability to care for". I can't even begin to believe it the odds of it! I can tell you she wasn't easier due to her prior experience she was difficult just the same but that could explain her stubborness! It could have been human taught by someone other than me. Woo hoo, scapegoat!

Back to the website for me!

I started this blog for my Extreme Mustang Makeover experience with Sheeza Hottie. It is complete now so I will venture back to the world of website maintance!

You can see my future adventures at www.reedperformancehorses.com

Thank you all for you support and following my accomplishments with her. It was an awesome ride!

The NORCONIANS are mad! Here is the truth as I know it.

I was asked to not speak about this situation but it is getting out of control!

I don't know who is at fault, BLM, Mustang Heritage Foundation, or Buzz Riebschlager and it is not my place to say. All I know is "my story" and it began 06/12/08.

My friend Caren, Mom, Amber, Sydney, and I went to BLM in Ridgecrest. It was a day to say the least! We were going to pick up the infamous Valcore (see his story on my website) and 0377, go get her if she is still there, a little sorrel mare with a huge white blaze and 4 socks, extremely friendly. In the big pen of 250 horses she came right to the fence to see us. My daughter Amber picked her out and I was going to challenge myself to see if I could apply to do the Extreme Mustang Makeover after I had seen it in Sacramento! Note that the date was just after last years event! I was very excited to challenge myself to see what I could get done in 90 days. Mom had other ideas, she saw a beautiful black bay mare she had to have! So Amber doesn't get 0377 and grandma comes home with Jewel. A 2 year old! What am I going to do with a 2 year old? I can't ride it yet! So I do ground work and there goes my 90 day challenge.

I got her to like humans, being groomed, picking her feet, lunging, and wearing a saddle and bridle. She loved my kids! What else is there to do with a 2 year old except repitition so there we were. Then my parents decide to get a divorce and have to sell the property where all of our horses are housed. At $350.00 a head to board we had to cut way down. We gave 3 to good homes, sold 1 and knew we could give Jewel back to BLM and they would take care of her no questions asked. Since she was just 2, she could sit for a little while until things got better for us and we could go back for her if she hadn't been adopted. She had rubbed out a fair portion of her mane so, I roached it. I figured if someone knowledgeable came in they would see she had been somewhere already and give her a chance. I also while crying told the BLM employees that she was an awesome horse that had all of her groundwork done and if someone came in to tell them about Jewel. I really wanted her to have a chance to get out of the pens at the BLM. That was October 08.

Move on to The Norco Extreme Mustang Trail Challenge May 15 - 17, 2009! I had a great time! So many wonderful people for a wonderful cause. The horses are amazing! The concept is unchallenged and it is run extremely professionally. I really like the people of the Foundation that I have met. I brought Hottie of course! She is my black beauty! The first day we did fair. Not great but fair. My scores were fine I was not there to win, I was there to have a great experience with my horse and stay on while doing it. She had dumped me hard 2 weeks prior at the same huge rock where we had to start the rural challenge. With that challenge behind me it was cake from there on!

Standing on the rail after competition on Friday I noticed something very familiar! A bay horse in the arena that moved like a donkey! Just like Jewel! I was so excited! I ran to BLM to see could this be my horse? Could she have really gotten a chance out of the pens at the BLM? I was so excited it was her but now her name was Windy! Little did I know how much strife, distention and anger this would cause many people. Many things would go tremendously wrong with my realization. I am very naive about people and things. I amaze myself sometimes, I really want people to be good so I go with that! Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren't!

I cried when I realized, I had said it on the rail outloud in front of fellow competitors and that it could be something not everyone should know. I went directly to Buzz while crying. I told him I think I have done something wrong. This was my horse and I trained it and I said it in front of other people. I was crying because I didn't want to ruin his experience and his work with her. SHE WAS IN 3RD PLACE! I was so happy for Jewel. Then other people started telling me he had to have known when he got her she had been worked with. He asked me had I told Patti and Randi? I told him I had not I had only told a worker at BLM. I told him I would keep it quiet and ask my mom not to talk about it to anyone while the competition was going on. I did I kept quiet until after the auction. Little did I realize, he was going to win! Wow, now there is even more pressure I had trouble sleeping. After the auction I told Randi about it while I was paying for Hottie. She had no clue and asked me to send her all information pertaining to us having Jewel. I did and they verified it was for sure her. It is not my place to say there was conspiracy I have no clue if anyone conspired with anyone. I will say the Heritage Foundation was nothing but professional with me and have never been anything but nice to me and my mom regarding this situation. Remember this is for the horse! I was proud of Jewel and so happy to see her out of the pens! If this was her vessel for a happy home so be it! She has a life now and a legacy! She has a event to show up to next year and the following, which means she will be trained for 2 more years not standing around in the hot desert sun waiting for a home.

I don't want the event to be harmed from gossip and I certainly don't want anyones career to be effected! The horse had some work but that does not take away from the fact BUZZ DID TRAIN HER TO DO THE THINGS SHE DID AT THE COMPETITION! The playing field was not level, no. Other people had rank horses for sure! Im sure Hottie was not as rank as some of the other horses in the competition (gidget) but that doesn't take away from what I did with her. I hope this helps to curb some of the gossip and ill feelings regarding the situation. I DID NOT RETURN HER BECAUSE SHE WAS BAD OR I COULDN'T HANDLE HER! The horses still need homes and we have the talent to make them marketable to the public, lets use our talents for the good of the horse and hope we all learn from our experiences! We all make our own decisions in life, lets make good honorable decisions from here on out!

Anyone for the Wild Horse and Burro Expo in Reno?

I have decided that the Mustang Makeovers are not for me, I had decided that the politics of showing in my area (Arabians) had gotten too bad, I decided to try the makeovers thinking it was a level playing field with everyone on the same level. That proved not to be true so I have decided to go in a new direction with the wild horse. I am going to take Hottie up to the Expo in Reno and see what Wild Horse Shows are all about! My goal is to put together a small show circuit of 6 shows that will be for Mustangs only and they will offer day end high points and year end high point prizes. I happen to come from a promotional background so I have the experience to put it together I just need to do a bit of research first! The class list for Reno is available and looks fun! www.wildhorseandburroexpo.com

Who would like to join us in Reno? I would love to meet some of the other Mustang owners there and have a great time with our great animals!

I am still going to take part in the Trainer Incentive Program, I do think it is a excellent program that will give the horse an advantage to being adopted!

A trip planned to Ridgecrest!

I met a very nice man in Burbank at the BLM Adoption who really wanted to buy Hottie at the auction this past weekend but kept his word that he would not bid against me (thank goodness finally a person who keeps his word) I am going to pick up a Trainer Incentive Fund horse in Ridgecrest for him on June 16th, I have room for one more to come back if there is anyone out there that is interested in having a mustang trained and the Mustang Heritage Foundation paying for the first month.

Let me know!

Hottie picutres from the EMM

A special thanks to Jim and Lani Muche for not only their pictures and event coverage but their awesome support of Hottie and I!
Trot poles

Pick up feet















Load? Hottie only loads in private, absolutley no public loading!

Pivot turn both directions in the box



Off to the trail!

HAPPY TRAILS!

URBAN TRAIL PHOTOS TOMORROW!

Not top ten but one of the high sellers?

What a day.
First I want to start off by saying I had a great time! What an experience. I am not sure I can handle that again, emotionally speaking!

I was a complete wreck today at the auction. Like it said in our rules and regulations I showed my horse to her best at the auction by riding her in. Not everyone who wanted to keep their horse did that. I started out crying telling them I wanted to please keep her and be kind by letting her come home with me and my kids. The gentleman in the red shirt was not kind and when the bidding got up to $2000.00 I was hysterical but still showing my horse to the best of my hysterical ability. I could not afford $2000.00 let alone for it to go much higher. People in the stands were bringing down cash and handing it to me. Many people were crying right along with me. I was not even in the top ten but for some reason he thought she was worth more than most of the top ten horses. The Champion went for $3600.00! HELLO MR. RED SHIRT? When the bidding got to $2300.00 Patti Colbert (executive director of the Mustang Heritage Foundation) decided that was enough I guess and had someone outbid the guy and closed the sale, I had stopped bidding and was sobbing literally! I think he was not going to stop until he got her. I heard her say sold for $2400.00 and going home with her trainer! Somehow, I bought my horse for $2400.00! Whatever happened I dont care. We brought Hottie home and I am happy to have her. I think I need to borrow some money and I sure hope they dont put that check in tomorrow!

What a great weekend! Thanks to everyone for their support!

Having a blast!

Those are all mustang butts! 2 Challenge horses and Roxanne (Becky's 15 year old mustang mare)

Rodeo Burger tie up! I hooked my reins on my

noseband. Of course being Hottie she pulled back and broke the noseband but it was fun anyway!

We are having such fun! Yesterday we went riding all over Norco! I tagged along with Jennifer White, Mary and Jenn's mom Becky. They showed me all around the town of Norco. We even stopped for a drink at Rodeo Burger. This town has pens and tie up areas everywhere so you can do your shopping while riding. They showed me the beautiful river also!

Today was our first day of competition. I didn't do great but am happy with what we did. Hottie didn't get in the trailer. Im sure she could sense my doubt of if she would do it so just took advantage of that. Then remember a couple weeks ago when I trailered out her and got dumped by the huge rock? Of course thats where our rural challenge started! Woo hoo so it was almost a goat rodeo but disaster avoided and away we went! I am so proud of her she did awesome. The judges scored me low but who cares? Thats their opinion and I am stoked about the fact that she was AWESOME! We saw a huge black lizard soaking up the sun on a rock and a non venomous snake of some sort. I had a wonderful time and my mare has an enormous heart. She was not really in the shape to do some of the hills we did. She just went. I realize I really needed more than an hour a day with her but what can you do with a 2 year old to care for? You make due and thats what we did!

By the way Lanny Leach has an awesome horse named Soso that is currently 1st! I am very happy to say Jennifer is currently 9th WOO HOO and if Mary was allowed to be scored she would sit 10th. Way to go my friends! You kick ass!

One day left....

I was going through all of the pictures yesterday that we have taken in the 90 days I have had Hottie. What a great experience this has been, I laughed, cried and laughed some more. I really want to thank my sponsors again! Damoors Feed and Tack in Burbank, CA., just down the street from the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, please go pay them a visit if your near by! Caren Bramhall for believing in me and making it possible for me to actually achieve a goal that I had set last year when my mom and I attended the Extreme Mustang Makeover at the Western States Expo in Sacramento (coming again in June). I had no way of making it come true without the generous use of her facility and housing of Hottie for the 3 months she has been with us! Karen Monroe at Wells Fargo Equine Insurance for believing in my ability and putting her name behind it! Virginia at Great Western Insurance for taking on the risk of a wild horse (no claims to date)! Then of course my family for being patient with me and babysitting when I needed it!

I am happy to say that I have many people who love me and are going to try to make sure Hottie comes home Sunday! From as near as sitting on the couch next to me, to as far as my amazing family in Arkansas (love you all), Hottie and I have reached many people through this experience and I appreciate their support! I am excited to say the only thing I am worried about now is doing our best and showing people what AWESOME HORSES MUSTANGS REALLY ARE AND THE AMAZING THINGS THEY CAN DO FROM WILD TO 90 DAYS! Lets hope we make it to the finals!

Again, I will be updating throughout the event at www.twitter.com/showbrat feel free to add yourself if you are interested in what is going on this weekend!

We are happily progressing!

I am very excited to say that I have been cantering on the correct lead quietly and willingly both directions. The gait is not as pronounced but that is ok she is taking everything in stride and doing very well. I have been practicing trail obstacles for the horse course and trying to figure out what to do if I am lucky enough to make the finals. I found the press kit for our competition online and it says there are 27 horses coming out of the 36 that originally started and that 5 of them have foals at their side. From what I understand those 5 will be competing seperately from us. For those of you attending they will be auctioning the mare and foals as a package and will be having a "Baby Shower" for them and "Mommy and Me" classes!

That leaves 22 competing in my category so almost half will be in the finals. I realized I needed to come up with something! My little gaited mare is not going to be doing any reining patterns but I will think of something cool! Mixing the music is challenging I am not in any way technically inclined. Hopefully I figure it out! I really love this horse and as the days grow nearer to our competition the auction is very scary. I really hate the idea that I may lose my horse due to lack of funds. I hope there is a fairy godperson out there somewhere or a good deed I have done will come around and help me out here! I really want to take her to Reno to show her at the big mustang show there! God willing........ Hey Jenn and Mary wanna go?

Twitter

For those of you that have been following but will not make it out to Norco. I will be tweeting about what is going on during the event. I know I appreciated any blog updates and twitter updates when I was following the Oregon and Gatorland EMMs!

You can follow at www.twitter.com/showbrat also Extreme Mustang Makeover uses Twitter during the competition www.twitter.com/extrememustang I will have my computer with me there so I will blog about everything going on!

It is going to be a very fun event! I am so excited to meet everyone and see the mustangs! If you are coming please introduce yourself and please don't bid against me for my horse! I really want to bring her back home with me but have limited funds after Sydneys broken foot!

It all clicked!

Today was an awesome trail ride. I decided to change saddles the other day and put my moms Tucker saddle on Hottie. Wow, what a difference that saddle makes! It is one of the most comfortable saddles I have ever ridden in. It doesn't move on my horse at all. It sits me about 4 inches more forward than my roping saddle. I had such a great ride today we started on the bridle path went up under the freeway overpass, across the hands free bridge, up the fire road took a steep little goat path with a bunch of rocks back down and she was awesome! She has learned to tuck her butt down hill with me on her. I was worried about that! We then went down the middle of our stream back around to the freeway again and home. Nothing bothered her she was amazing and she actually had a great time too! We gaited all over and even cantered 6 strides. That was the first ride where she actually didn't fight me at all about anything! I am so proud of her! I really needed that ride, I was starting to doubt if we are ready or not, I am confident we will do fine! (that doesn't mean win, just means middle of the pack) I am extremely superstitious about jinxing myself!

A very fun day!

We went out to Ingalls Arena in Norco yesterday. Jim and Lani Muche came out to take some follow up pictures for their article in The Equestrian News. As always it was wonderful to see them and the great photos are attached!

I got to finally ride with Jennifer White and her mare Ruger and Mary and Striker, I am amazed at what Mary has done with Striker. Those horses are awesome! I was able to also meet Madelyn Wagner and her mare. That is a very athletic horse! She has done a bunch of good work on her mare! She can move diagonal across the arena at a floating trot like a dressage horse. Very responsive mare!

Hottie was there just gaiting around and wasn't thrilled about the bucking shutes but otherwise she was Hottie, trot, trot, trot, stop, beat, beat, beat! I really am torn between making her canter or just developing her gait. I know people who ride gaited horses want the horse for the gait. Well see what happens!

Finally we canter.

My baby girl Sydney! She loves her Hottie girl! No more cast!

I am so lucky to have good friends! I was able to use Sue's arena today which is bigger than Caren's and finally was able to get my little black gaiting mustang to canter! Woo hoo. I also had another bucking disaster on Sunday so I have changed into a short shanked snaffle bit for a little more leverage if it ever happens again I will be able to pull her head up. We actually had a nice ride on Sunday at Ingalls Arena until the bucking incident! I will say that the incline they told us we are going to have to ride up is a friggen rocky hill. I was a little discouraged after the bucking incident but am good now. I have put it all in perspective in my head and realize that any other horse I would be training at this point I would not be pressing this hard and this little mare trys her heart out to learn what I want from her. She had caution tape all over her today and tin cans tied all over her also. Around her neck is just a remnant to remind her to behave or for people to stay away!

Good times!

Decided to take Hottie out on the trail today by myself for the second time. We were much improved from the first time. It is pretty active today with gunsils running down the yuppie trail. So a few times I had to get off to prepare her for the oncoming ding dongs! She still thinks horses running at her means something really bad must be chasing them and we must go too! She is really doing well, I am very proud of her. It was cool and breezy. She was very brave! We for the first time met some squeaky mailboxes. I didnt dare open it while mounted alone! So I opened it from the ground and she still ended up jumping 5 ft away from it! It all ended up good though! She got used to the mail and the mailbox so hopefully next time will be easier!

I opened Sue's mailbox today! I want to thank her for the use of it and let you in on some EXCELLENT JEWELRY! Visit her website for awesome Poni Girl Jewelry!
www.poni-girl.com

Happy again!

She is back! Everything I threw at her today she accepted and never ran off. When the tarp started falling off she stopped. I am so excited that she is using her brain again!

After caution tape, chaps and blue tarp we worked on sidepassing over to pick up the tarp!

She was pretty good. I carried it around for a bit and then threw it down and she walked on it.

We also worked on sidepassing over a pole. She has a little bit to learn there but tried very hard.

Back to the ground driving.

I have been a bit worried and decided today to really get back to basics with Hottie. I saddled her tied. (thats a first) Because she has been know to dump my saddle for no reason. Then I decided I needed to get out the long lines and really enforce WHOA no matter what. WHOA DANG IT! I untied her after I put her saddle on and proceeded to add a curcingle to the equasion and like a flash she was gone! Bucking and Squalling all the way to the other end of the arena. I retrieved her and threw it all over her and got it hooked up. I added her bridle and then the long lines and like a flash she was gone! Bucking and squalling but UH OH, I said WHOA DANG IT and she leap into the air like a gazelle and reared and fought me and went to work. I hate that! I hate that her flight response is soooo violent! She was awesome though and after the long lining I got on and she rode great. Mission completed! Again tomorrow with a few more elements added for shock value and hopefully we can get her to stop overreacting!

Away for the weekend.

I was away in San Diego for my cousin's wedding in San Diego. Yesterday I moved Hottie back from the Roping Ranch she had a gelding next to her that thought he was a stallion so everytime I took her from the stall he would scream and holler. I couldn't get anything positive done there.

Hopefully she will settle down because we really need to get some good work done in 2 weeks. She has a bunch to learn before we compete. I hope we can get it done! THANK GOD IT IS ALL MARES IN NORCO! I am not sure how she will be with the foals though. Remember the mini incident!

Good thoughts everyone! Any advise on how to handle the stress of the deadline is welcome! Tracy, Michelle any thoughts?

Round pen

I have just been working Hottie in the round pen for a couple of days to get her to settle down waiting for her to go out of season. Regu-mate is on the way. The vet didn't have it on her truck so she is mailing it to me. I am thinking with continued training she will train out of the lack of concentration, I don't see her on it forever just don't want her coming in to season during Norco.

Sydney tripped in a gopher hole in the backyard yesterday and broke her foot. Poor baby has a tiny pink cast! It is amazing how well she gets around on it!

Can you say REGUMATE?

I decided to push my luck I guess yesterday and take Hottie to the roping in the evening. She was in season and showed everyone in view by stopping every 3 steps to squirt at anything that moved. They wrapped the cows and let one group out to go down to the other end. It was all over from there. She thought she should be able to run after them with no regard to what what I was telling her to do! So, I very carefully left that arena and went to the small one. She was acting like such a pig I didn't want her to think she could just behave like that and get put up. So we proceeded to walk 3 steps and stop all over the other arena, by this time I am just plain angry but not taking it out on her. I am just wanting her to concentrate on me and do what I say so I can end on a good note and put her up. NOT! About 80 circles and me kicking and kicking, she is going no where. I kick out of my stirrup by accident and all hell broke loose. You would have thought a mountain lion had attacked her. She bucked and squalled, I bailed off, and the attitude adjustment began. This is the first time I have implimented tough love on Hottie. She took it in stride and FINALLY was back to her normal self! I have the vet coming to do teeth today on my other horses so I am going to get her some Regumate because its about Norco time next month when this will come again! She is staying at the Roping Ranch and I am going to put her through "hell week" until the end of the month!

Solo down the trail.

With our latest update from The Heritage Foundation regarding the competition it was made apparent that we will be working in the arena first then leaving the arena to go by ourselves down the trail in 5 minute intervals. So, I practiced today alone. Im really glad we will be in the bridle path because if we weren't I would be like a one man parade down the middle of the street! I am very proud of her though! She was great once we got into the bridle path area so not a problem for us.

I also added my spurs today because Stacie at BLM was laughing at my two mules for sister sarah routine and told me to get my spurs on, so I did. AWESOME! She moves off my leg and is super good and responsive with them! 2 birds with one stone today and did I mention it's really hot? 102 her in Chatsworth yesterday and today about the same. Is this APRIL or AUGUST?

BLM adoption

Hottie and I went to the BLM adoption today! Caren came with Valcore also! We had a great time. I really enjoy Stacy and Art from the BLM Ridgecrest Facility, I like the others also just don't know their names (sorry) If anyone needs a yearling or burro there are some great prospects there! I really like a pony (yes a mustang pony how awesome it that) that they brought! Palomino with 2 blue eyes and a blaze! So cute! It was all I could do not to buy him! I wish I could give them all homes.

We saw the presentation of 3 palominos to the U.S. Marine Corp. Semper Fi! It was really cool!

Back to my sweet black mare. Of course she was a hit. People wanted to know where they could buy her and I told them in Norco but I have full intention of taking her home! They were really nice and said they wouldn't bid against me! SWEET! I led her in first to judge her temperment in the new place. Not a problem, she has a tendency to want to get in strangers laps though looking for some form of food. All was fine and we went back to the trailer and tacked up. Got on and showed off to the spectators what you can do with a wild horse in aprox. 65 days! We showed them her cute little gait. She was awesome. What I enjoyed most was the BLM employees coming to say hi to her, very proud to be part of what was going on with her, mustang people are a nice group to be associated with.

Off to find a steer!

Today Mom and I hauled Hottie to Gibson Ranch in Sunland, CA. This is a great roping ranch! I am leaving her there until Sunday when we are going to ride in a poker ride through Hanson Dam.

She loaded up all by herself! No prickly broom this time. So I knew it was going to be a great day. We got there and she unloaded like she had been there all her life. I put her in a stall and went to get some lunch. Came back, tacked her up, lunged her for a second and got on. We went into the big arena and she was very good. We got a steer out and she loved it! No one could believe she had just over 60 days training from the wild. She laid her ears back and just went after him. She looks kinda ugly with her ears like that but she was all business she is very cowy. I was pretty happy with her.

Tomorrow we are going to Los Angeles Equestrian Center to the adoption and they want Hottie to visit to show what can be done with the mustang. Which is really cool! I am excited to show off my shiny little black mare!

2 huge paints and a little black mustang!

My mother in law is visiting the grandkids from Arkansas this week so I have had a little more help with Sydney! I got to go out on a 2 hour trail ride. It has been a long time since I have been able to relax and not worry about getting back within an hour. So many thanks to Elaine!

Today Hottie and I rode out with our friend Karen Van Pelt she had two to work. We had a great time! We went up and down hill considerably better than we did the last time we went out. We trotted out and cantered a bit. It was too much fun! Slowing down going down hill needs work but with most babies down hill takes a bit of getting used to. I am very happy with her behavior she saw a shopping cart and walked right up and put her nose on it. Very cool! We did almost get attacked by a piece of flying cardboard because it was windy today. She took 2 steps that I thought could have turned into a bolt but came right back as soon as I asked! We went the whole length of the creek in the water as to avoid the quick sand that has arrived since the fire and rains. Im happy with my horse! Did I mention how good my little black mare was? AWESOME!

Very exciting!

I am so excited to say I have found a facility that will accomodate me to train Mustangs from! It is hard when you dont own your own facility to get someone to let you bring wild horses in. Especially when they have other boarders to be considerate of!

It is a semi large facility that has seperate levels. The level I am going to have has its own arena a roundish round pen and my own tack room! It has 8 stalls and is seperate from the rest of the boarding facility so I won't bother anyone and they wont bother me! I am so excited to start bringing in more horses for the Trainer Incentive Program. I am making a run to Ridgecrest soon and if you are interested in coming to see and possibly pick out a prospect let me know!

Finally a competent photographer!

HOW CUTE IS MY MARE! I don't quite fit in the saddle backwards. I quess its diet time. Today was our first day with the bridge that my dad built. She was awesome. Mom got to see all my neat tricks! Now all I need is some guns and balloons and I am set! After all of our fun riding today she got her first soapy bath which she enjoyed! She like the smells of the soap and curled her lip at them.

Excellent adventure!

We hauled to Santa Barbara, Ca. to Rancho Oso Guest Ranch and Stables. It is amazing there. No cell phones, no computers, just family, friends wildlife and horses! What could be better? Our trip was cut short due to a family tragedy. My great grandmother passed away and her services were last night and today. So we were only there overnight, it was still great.

Hottie settled right into the stall like she had been there all her life. We got there late in the afternoon so I just fed and went to our cabin to play with the kids. Friday morning I made an attempt at tacking up outside of her stall. She dumped my saddle in the dirt twice (I HATE WHEN SHE DOES THAT), she hadn't done it in a few weeks so I figured it was over with. She sometimes can be a pill about the saddle. She is smart enough to know how to just dump it and stand there like nothing happened. Her goal was to graze on the grass there and not wear a saddle at all! NOT. So, I tied her to the hitching rail there which I was reluctant to do because of her confinement issues. SHE DID NOT PULL BACK! This to me was great because I was really leary of her tying outside of the backyard. I got the saddle up on her and much to her dismay we started to walk away from Dixie and out towards the round pen. There were no mule stopping moments at all which is another weight off my shoulders! She got into the round pen that was quite a bit away and went to work just like we were at home! I was so happy with her. We went into the large arena and saw some beautiful baby sheep outside the arena. She went all around the arena no issues. We weaved some poles they had set up and called it a day! I was very happy with her confidence with me away from the security of home! Actually she was better than she is at home! Amber was my photographer and she was no where to be found while I was riding but we have pictures of the ground, turkeys, flowers, and herself! Leave it to an 8 year old!