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Cherish the Good

/ Redheaded Endurance / 4 Comments
It’s been an interesting start to the New Year, with some big changes already in motion and possibly more to come. In times of upheaval and pain you turn to what you love and feel safe with. And so I give you my super safe, totally sane 21 month old Arabian filly 😉   Sheza is getting LARGE but is certainly not in charge, with Boss Man Joey having taken over the herd, de-throning even mini horse Napoleon in the process.
I’ve let Sheza out of her pasture gate the last few mornings and she jogs right out like a dog on my heels to go for a wander. Everyone else causes a ruckus and declares No Fair; Sheza expands her horizons with some shenanigans, snorting, heel kicking up, oh, and lots of Eating. Eating, my friends, is a priority passed onto this red beast by her mommy dearest, Desire. Those two go through chow like Clydesdales.
Sampling the frozen tundra

 My other love bug is my longhair doxie pup, Rip. He finishes his shots end of this month and I can *finally* bring him home with me for good. In the meantime I am visiting him often and you can see what a beauty he is turning into:

 Finally, this little cartoon is pertinent, and correct. I have led my horse to water and literally made her drink more successfully than…

with a Dash of Adventure

/ Redheaded Endurance / Leave a comment
 Sometimes I just want to jump on a horse and go for a cruise without the full on fuss of tacking up. 2 Renegades on Blaze’s front hooves, a bridle, and helmet on my melon–and I was ready! Oh yeah and a crop, coz I don’t stand for bologna when I ride bareback 😉

We had a nice few mile bareback cruise through the neighborhood as the sun set. It was CHILLY but I was pretty warm in my fleecy britches and boots and polar fleece layers on top. And riding bareback, Blaze’z back kept me very warm too! I did some posting trot uphill, wowie zowie that will rock your thighmasters!

Staring down a terrifying singular cow. I have done team sorting on this guy, but for some reason cows in the field FREAK him out. Also baby goats. And llamas. 
Coming back to the home barn in the sunset
There is no rain in the forecast, and as unhelpful as that is for snow pack, future water levels, etc, it is quite glorious for riding. Time to get Sheza out on the lake trails and work on Joey’s trailering so he is ready for his trip to training in the coming months. It’s a New Year and there is always lots to be done! And lots to look forward to, including another exciting road trip, some XP rides, and who knows what other exciting developments yet to be revealed! Stay tuned 😉

Trotting into 2013

/ Redheaded Endurance / 1 Comment
I ended 2012 and started 2013 in the best possible way: riding one beloved horse, and then, another! Yesterday’s cruise with Desire wrapped up a great year including our first 50s, more LD fun with Blaze, lots of work with Joey and Sheza, and adventures in Utah, New Mexico, and at numerous AERC endurance rides. I look forward to more of the same in 2013, with more new experiences and hopefully some great new endurance ride adventures and goals met.
It was 28 degrees this morning when I saddled up but I had other places to be later and wasn’t going to miss a morning on my boy Blazer. It seemed a proper morning for both fleece lined breeches AND my Mountain Horse fleece lined boots; with some polar fleece and layers topped off with gloves and a scarf, I was pretty toasty despite the ice on the ground and in the troughs as we left the driveway. I definitely need to find some better boot socks and some of those little hand/feet warmers wouldn’t hurt tucked in the toes of the boots, but overall I was pretty comfortable. Besides, when the rider gets cold, it’s surely time to get dismount and spend some time on your own two feet! 
Heading out to climb the ridge
Stepping out into 2013 in his Renny’s 🙂
 ICE!
 COWS!
 Almost to the top of the ridge 

 We had a nice little cruise up the ridge and back and were greeted by the Sheza-Joey committee upon our return. Pretty wild that Joey, the bay on the left, is 7 yrs old and Sheza, the chestnut, is only 20 months. A new year has started and Nope, she isn’t getting any smaller!

 Previously shy boy Joey leads the way in his new little herd

Hope everyone had an enjoyable and beautiful first day of 2013 as I did. 

Reflections on a Mare

/ Redheaded Endurance / 5 Comments
GE Blazun Haatdesire, Arrived January 2011, 8 months pregnant
w/ filly Sheza Blaznhaat Xpres, born April 14, 2011
Getting back under saddle, Fall 2011
Our first 50s together, Cuyama XP March 2012
700 trail miles and 305 AERC endurance miles later. 
Today at on our home trails at Lake Oroville, what a journey we have had.
I seriously love this mare, Desire. She is impatient, suspicious, restless, uptight, forward, beautiful, intelligent, tough as nails, and an absolute dream to ride. Nobody knows what the future holds, but I do know that she is special and I am happy to appreciate her in my life each and every day. She gave me another great gift in Sheza-filly, a horse that is sure to change my life again in new and interesting ways in the future. Thanks girl, here’s to more mornings and miles and Hay Mountains together.
Some shots from today’s End of the Year ride at Lake Oroville:

 Arabian Mares in conference, Desire and Willow

 Yep, we’re gonna get eaten. Or, maybe, be given something to eat? Hmm..
 Changing weather
 Brrr, changing for the tid-bit-nipplier!

  Happiness is Horses. Happy new Year, everyone.

Rasping in the New Year

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I trimmed Desire’s hooves Thursday night and after a 15 mile ride on Blaze yesterday, it was his turn for a pedicure. The sunshine is finally back and should stay for a few days yet! The horses have been in blankets for weeks now, I had to stop myself on the way out the driveway for the feed store, realizing that Blaze would cook in a fleece and sheet, with this strange thing called Sun shining down so strongly. Okay so it’s about 48 degrees tops but it feels positively balmy after weeks of grey and damp.
Blaze rocking the Mudster look
 Hooray for a hoof jack!

 I so love going to the feed store. I feel like I leave it totally broke but hey, it’s worth it 😉 Our feed bills just never seem to get smaller, funny how that works..4 horses later..what’s that they say about potato chips?

 Hay is my obsession. I am constantly aware of how much I have, when and where I am getting more, etc. Nothing makes me happier than a full hay barn. I am taking it in the teeth a little on price to get the higher quality stuff, I just *cannot* feed my horses crap hay, especially with endurance goals.

 Blaze’s heels got away from me a little as the last few months have been holidays, or I’ve been on the road. Will be bringing those back but his feet are looking pretty good and he’s moving great.

 Hind hooves are SO EASY with a hoof jack! Ohhh my

 Goats of Leisure, enjoying sunshine

A Lake Ride! (Good Vibes Please)

/ Redheaded Endurance / 1 Comment
I hadn’t trailered out in a forever so I jumped at the opportunity to join J and Sedona at Lake Oroville for some trail time. We figured it would be sloppy in some parts but had no idea just how sloppy. Blaze and I did about 15 miles and most of those were at the walk, including 2 or 3 miles uphill on foot. More on that later…

Uhhh guys.. I hear Something!

 Seriously, I told you I heard something!!!

 My beautiful boy ❤

 Taking some pics with high tech sunglasses! J and Sedona

 Fun in the tunnel

 Beautiful trails, if a bit sloppy today!

 J noticed something was off with Sedona so she started hand walking her, then noticed her cell phone was gone! The darn bag just ripped right off and silently disappeared. J had a long haul back home and was concerned about her horse, and to really cheer things up, it was starting to rain. I told her to keep walking for the trailers and Blaze and I slithered our way back down the trail in search of the little black case. We had a spanking canter along the good footing on the gravel road along the river, then spotted the case lying plain as day, asking to be retrieved. Another good canter back towards the trailers and a few more miles and we caught back up to J and Sedona.

Heading back again, love all the red berries out

 J hand walked Sedona the last 3 miles or so back to the trailers, which was of course all uphill. I hiked with her, out of solidarity, and because I could use the narrow trails to keep Blaze moving forward straight ahead as I kinda-sorta taught him to Tail. He was eyeballing me suspiciously as I lurked next to his rump and played with his tail, but he’s such a good natured sort that the worst he did was circle back around me a few times when he found the space to pull it off. Incidentally, hanging out at his rear is a MUCH easier way to get a good forward walk out of him–if I lead him from in front he walks like a dying farm plug!

Anyhoo, we aren’t sure what is up with Sedona, a possible shoulder/muscle pull of some sort. Send positive thoughts and prayers out for her, please!

Blazer boy wearing his girlfriend Desire’s blankie