tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87434168677816736562024-03-12T23:45:12.134-07:00Time in the SaddleThis blog is a devotion to my personal journey of learning to be a better rider, and finding a way to the show arena. It also includes things that interest me, that I love & that I want to share with the world. Enjoy & feel free to comment to your heart's desire!Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.comBlogger231125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-86903985788340252272014-11-17T23:54:00.001-08:002014-11-17T23:54:58.340-08:00A Beginning and An End.I've been a longtime gone from the blogging world, and a few of my attempts to get back into were massive failures. However, I'm back in Canada-land now, and excited to announce my newest venture and blog...<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://withawesterntwist.blogspot.com/">With a Western Twist</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3n-ZtlTsbohoaAZmmscuo-_eBMusuS4bwjbXUDclUZMqg-g9vEGunt1a8cGWVzXQ526tOwOsXmBKmWysLFSIW1b13H0QwTk4gxaRXgXb8a1rRhboB-GXjOnAWjjO1JtjY3O2Poo1Ci-E/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-11-18+at+12.50.42+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3n-ZtlTsbohoaAZmmscuo-_eBMusuS4bwjbXUDclUZMqg-g9vEGunt1a8cGWVzXQ526tOwOsXmBKmWysLFSIW1b13H0QwTk4gxaRXgXb8a1rRhboB-GXjOnAWjjO1JtjY3O2Poo1Ci-E/s1600/Screen+shot+2014-11-18+at+12.50.42+AM.png" height="165" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://withawesterntwist.blogspot.com/">With a Western Twist</a> is more of a lifestyle blog than this one - focusing on all aspects of my life... but as you guys who have followed me throughout the years via this blog know... most of that comes with a western twist. I'm excited to be back to blogging, and exciting to see where this blog goes - I do hope you guys come follow me over there :) </div>
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Time in the Saddle will stay open, but I will no longer be posting here. So a big thank you to all that followed the ups and downs of my time in the saddle the last 4 years, and hopefully see you at <a href="http://withawesterntwist.blogspot.com/">With a Western Twist</a> in the near future!</div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Louisa</b></span></i></div>
Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-53898891470913825022014-06-23T17:28:00.000-07:002014-06-23T17:28:06.240-07:00Marana, AZ Show<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This was awhile ago now, but still sits in my mind as one of my most favourite days ever.</div>
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The first time I showed, I sort of lost my mind, forgot what a cow was & marked a 63. Which was a gift. </div>
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So the second time I showed I went into the show pen with a specific goal,<i> "I want to have clean herdwork."</i> I felt that if I centered myself around one goal, it would help me focus on that, and remember... <i>ya know</i>.. how to ride.</div>
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I decided to enter a herdwork jackpot class, the objective of this class is to cleanly cut a cow from the herd and drive it up into the chalked square in the centre of the pen. I went out there on our cow-ey, but certainly not a cutting trained, turn back horse and marked a 72 to place second in the class. I was happy, and it was a good way to head into my next class of the day.</div>
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& the best part about our turn back horse? His registered name is "Chicks Dig Yellow" - how great is that!</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/4XwVLX06q5Y?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Herdwork Jackpot</div>
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<i>Video isn't the best quality, enlarge it to see better.</i></div>
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My next class of the day was the 2000 Limit Rider on one of our client's horses, Tulip. I've ridden Tulip a lot to get her ready to show, and at home before the client, or my boss has ridden it. However, i'd barely ridden her on cows at home. Despite that, I felt comfortable, and a lot more centered than the first time I showed.</div>
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2000 Limited Rider</div>
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There was just something about this run, Tulip worked amazing for me, I felt like I was riding better than I ever had before<i> (... and some days it feels like better than I have since haha) </i>& it all just fell into place. I ended up winning the class with a 74. I was beaming ear-to-ear.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx34Trq9dTdI-FUGZfrfJqgEkQXHBr8yDysrsOVIzfRo1RnopDfcM2alGVEC_N5Hxw19Inyce9ZjXDllZfQICzy_kGrMMshhznnuVfe4S_xjwpb1vct2dpVrd70CYomhTo03CMVnZlMO4/s1600/IMG_1265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx34Trq9dTdI-FUGZfrfJqgEkQXHBr8yDysrsOVIzfRo1RnopDfcM2alGVEC_N5Hxw19Inyce9ZjXDllZfQICzy_kGrMMshhznnuVfe4S_xjwpb1vct2dpVrd70CYomhTo03CMVnZlMO4/s1600/IMG_1265.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>Me, Tulip & her owner, Diane.</i></div>
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Marana was such a special day for me because it really reaffirmed for me that I love cutting, I want to show more and I only want to work more and more to get better. It also reaffirmed that I am working where I should be, who I should be working for, and surrounded by people that will only lift me up. It was a great feeling.</div>
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& getting my first two cheques wasn't so bad either!</div>
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<br />Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-52868920653275134862014-06-21T17:22:00.000-07:002014-06-21T17:22:10.721-07:00Two Horse Tack Beta-Biothane Halter!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Natasha from <a href="http://www.twohorsetack.com/">Two Horse Tack</a> contacted me to do a Product Review of her Beta-Biothane tack line. I was pretty excited as I have never dealt with Beta-Biothane, and heck - who doesn't love trying out new tack?!</div>
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I went with their <a href="http://www.twohorsetack.com/p-22-turnout-halter-lead-made-from-beta-biothane-any-2-color-combo.aspx">Turnout Halter & Lead</a> made from Beta-Biothane in the two-colour combination.</div>
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The website states that "<i>it's the only halter you will ever need!</i>" due to the fact it<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> is super strong & made of easy to clean material. The halters feature double buckle crown pieces, easy on and off throat latch snaps, an option to purchase a breakaway leather crown piece, an optional matching lead and stainless steel hardware.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2z1JOEYXCLqcVzvKcbjN90SmV6_KuMRfDXFIhgHDifZQhg3dyZMwdTxi9vPvauHxjBJfHqKse-canRpX2_-S_mxxUiYKlp9msnrkknl9RSx2MAc7CNHUYtH9liGB3wgpcmQs4hBYLM0/s1600/Picture+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2z1JOEYXCLqcVzvKcbjN90SmV6_KuMRfDXFIhgHDifZQhg3dyZMwdTxi9vPvauHxjBJfHqKse-canRpX2_-S_mxxUiYKlp9msnrkknl9RSx2MAc7CNHUYtH9liGB3wgpcmQs4hBYLM0/s1600/Picture+1.png" height="270" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Beta-Biothane</i></span></b></div>
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A little more on Beta-Biothane: the website claims it to be more durable than nylon or leather. It also says that the color will stay true even after years of use, and to clean dirt around the stitching you can wash the tack in the washing machine! Finally, what I found interesting is that it doesn't absorb moisture or sweat like leather does, and the web coating serves as padding so it's comfortable for your horse.</div>
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<i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">So what did I think?</span></b></i></div>
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well first, let's all just say how cute my model for today Buster is. I went with the black halter with red on top, because ultimately <i>(of course)</i> this will be Jingle's halter and those are his colours!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6-RsLuEsMY2fqEU2FZ7lzj_k5sl9xJ4JRbivN-XX96uJoxND8NijH_vCbbm5CgFIbWgSnyoTwlN9a4WEKtx43aHQl_nPzbsAWS1TuwkjcwmzzjkxPEPRhBtVG_bhpp7N_qzy3m_Ot1o/s1600/IMG_1713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6-RsLuEsMY2fqEU2FZ7lzj_k5sl9xJ4JRbivN-XX96uJoxND8NijH_vCbbm5CgFIbWgSnyoTwlN9a4WEKtx43aHQl_nPzbsAWS1TuwkjcwmzzjkxPEPRhBtVG_bhpp7N_qzy3m_Ot1o/s1600/IMG_1713.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Fit</span></i></b></div>
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I really liked the fit and feel of the halter on Buster. The snap throat latch and double buckled crown is a really nice addition, plus the roller clasps work really well with easy adjustment. I'm always in the market for tack that can easily adjust from one horse to another since we're constantly using our tack on different horses in our training operation. These halters definitely have that.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_lI-BZzQI5mZ9sBCvdSOnKH7qVH6Lbwd0IoeDk6kx1sid8laeI-9_6ITQpOMoJxdbABNQq2w05bllA6lZMyBDCOwOtctGH9RrmYd7v0YKdIWsZ2KpHnI56AwLPbX3rFnxsu5_Waej_w/s1600/IMG_1717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_lI-BZzQI5mZ9sBCvdSOnKH7qVH6Lbwd0IoeDk6kx1sid8laeI-9_6ITQpOMoJxdbABNQq2w05bllA6lZMyBDCOwOtctGH9RrmYd7v0YKdIWsZ2KpHnI56AwLPbX3rFnxsu5_Waej_w/s1600/IMG_1717.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Function</i></b></span></div>
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For what I do, I would have preferred a rope lead, and will probably end up switching out the beta-biothane lead for a traditional rope lead. I like to be able to have a long line so I can lunge a small circle if I need too, and also I prefer to tie to poles/fence/etc. with rope.</div>
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I also wanted to test how easy this halter was to clean. So I found legitimately the only mud-pit in the desert, a very gross cess pool of wash-rack run off and literally drug this halter through the muck. All I did was hang it in our wash rack, quickly sprayed it off, and then left it to dry.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2gVQiEj2RBm4_Z_BvzIEfEibqrkNaDeH7PHRH5fNtLVmU4y-55VNngmlAzWGY7K6hbL_jm4fXn7bTj2WY43THkGoaNCvQuNCk-Sbcf3lmxCAIhrtDovWVj2rapxeAkGuritBOsDNB8c/s1600/IMG_1720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2gVQiEj2RBm4_Z_BvzIEfEibqrkNaDeH7PHRH5fNtLVmU4y-55VNngmlAzWGY7K6hbL_jm4fXn7bTj2WY43THkGoaNCvQuNCk-Sbcf3lmxCAIhrtDovWVj2rapxeAkGuritBOsDNB8c/s1600/IMG_1720.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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After an hour it was dry, and after a day of sitting outside it was slightly dusty, but otherwise like I had never gotten it dirty or left it outside. Pretty impressive. Unfortunately the desert dust really seemed to show up on the black, so next time I might go with a different colour. </div>
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Overall...</span></i></b></div>
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Overall, I really like the halter and especially like the <i>idea</i> of the halter and the quick-clean Beta-Biothane. At our operation we have the "home halters" and the "show halters", the home halters take quite the beating - from having the horses tied up while their saddled, washed off after we work them, tied to the fences while they are turned out - they see a lot of the elements and show it. This material is way tougher, and way easier to clean, and would be a much better substitute to have a better looking, yet still cost-effective halter at home.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCYV2sQVep79j1gIFbnQxRWPJHyOtOnMl7pWJzoe-Z42TksGZ9U6sDOf9y7fJYAVP3SgT-5oGf_UTk73iavm27YZ5l6gdl_iDIx4F-ARychVjy9iE0EqJ3lGN0dTGQmo6KVX60gGHtvQ/s1600/IMG_1726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCYV2sQVep79j1gIFbnQxRWPJHyOtOnMl7pWJzoe-Z42TksGZ9U6sDOf9y7fJYAVP3SgT-5oGf_UTk73iavm27YZ5l6gdl_iDIx4F-ARychVjy9iE0EqJ3lGN0dTGQmo6KVX60gGHtvQ/s1600/IMG_1726.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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I'm pretty happy with my new little halter and can't wait to throw it on Jingle and see how he looks in it! <i>(He will look adorable... obviously) </i>Plus, speaking of Jingle, i'm mulling around the idea of possibly trying the two different styles of Side-Pulls that <a href="http://www.twohorsetack.com/">Two Horse Tack</a> provides - and if I do end up trying them out of course I will let you guys know all about it!</div>
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Try it yourself!!</span></i></b></div>
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Finally, Natasha over at Two Horse Tack has offered up a coupon to my readers if you guys would like to try out some of their cool Beta-Biothane tack - don't miss out!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcoc1iBpr3CvfKQ6FisZTHEPVoNzMDvEH6jDKdhUNt1drDUBIRodqRoDB1mJ8ZNDyOtTPiLBgGToJ9_UpSMedzyzZFloNVlvyqfBFyys709TjHR68ZO0Bu002Ky7uL-HO43NkdXICqG0/s1600/Exclusive+Summer+Savings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcoc1iBpr3CvfKQ6FisZTHEPVoNzMDvEH6jDKdhUNt1drDUBIRodqRoDB1mJ8ZNDyOtTPiLBgGToJ9_UpSMedzyzZFloNVlvyqfBFyys709TjHR68ZO0Bu002Ky7uL-HO43NkdXICqG0/s1600/Exclusive+Summer+Savings.jpg" height="320" width="297" /></a></div>
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<br />Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-46106856453855981512014-06-10T18:37:00.003-07:002014-06-10T18:37:53.396-07:00Firsts: Starting Two Year Olds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This year we had two, two-year-olds to start. I have never ridden colts who have had less than 60 days on them so this was a bit of an experience for me.</div>
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For some reason this little colt gave me a run for my money when we started him. </div>
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Stoney was sort of lazy, and would lean on me a lot, but he also had this weird unexpected nervous streak that would just show up randomly, and more than once I found myself in the dirt. </div>
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Why? Probably because I was nervous, tense, and all bunched up on him all the time.</div>
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Unfortunately for chickens like me, one of the most sure-fire ways to stay on the back of a horse is to just relax. As my friend yelled to me one day as I was getting flung around the round-pen <i>"You need to start acting WAY MORE DRUNK" </i>because, when you are drunk, you're wobbling and relaxed!</div>
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I was not so relaxed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW5qicd7TJPXsapCzazgqRtqHWMZOJmYRMm3yxTHJi3T9_B9Qxg5V0jO6Vz4YYJ9J70UH1AvX1UZHbejZ__NjuTYH4CDHNKRhpjm7SQdUwmvVy5TbN6BifO_lVb6Tf7vAvtjOiJJ5mYA0/s1600/IMG_0518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW5qicd7TJPXsapCzazgqRtqHWMZOJmYRMm3yxTHJi3T9_B9Qxg5V0jO6Vz4YYJ9J70UH1AvX1UZHbejZ__NjuTYH4CDHNKRhpjm7SQdUwmvVy5TbN6BifO_lVb6Tf7vAvtjOiJJ5mYA0/s1600/IMG_0518.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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By the time I finally got him going, he'd bucked me off numerous times. I had bruises every which way because of him. Now, his owner, who is all tense with him, rides him and he is quiet and not too fussed with anything. <i>Jerk horse</i>. It seems that I was legitimately this colt's punching-bag. <i>Sigh.</i></div>
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Atleast he's good for his owner now...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5an-EAhJ9eymYrDHDDm28WGs_YOksIiMjL7Tmo1XPqk9_oDZ9Dc1IkQFuqpfI4wu7lCgo4ux2tkjCgxP0_9vebyDWf8Q3vnJnnxGi9wkUpBxmuZPvd0R7CJF5CISawYZXA6ow834-7U/s1600/Picture+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5an-EAhJ9eymYrDHDDm28WGs_YOksIiMjL7Tmo1XPqk9_oDZ9Dc1IkQFuqpfI4wu7lCgo4ux2tkjCgxP0_9vebyDWf8Q3vnJnnxGi9wkUpBxmuZPvd0R7CJF5CISawYZXA6ow834-7U/s1600/Picture+2.png" /></a></div>
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Little bugger got it all out with me.</div>
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But, thankfully, we have another two year old that i'm getting along famously with...</div>
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<br />Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-70786402248067925542014-06-06T19:06:00.000-07:002014-06-06T19:06:56.416-07:00Products I Love: Equomed Lumark Cold Compression Boots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I thought i'd start a new series of products I use regularly, whether it be at the cutting horse operation I work for, or just at home with Jingle.</div>
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First up is my my most favourite Iceboot in the whole wide world. I am not kidding, these are the best.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> They are the <a href="http://www.equomedlumark.com/">Equomed Lumark </a>Cold Compression Boots.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TylRp8aB9IUTjO-1x_fEJuA7v4WAIDvm13E3nlCdd9IC3J3xCWYM90NBK-bSNp0VBNizQLkKFXuj2X-26Ubj0yAOxkNF9-0Xe1-F-rISKF5zeAJHTZmfkgovINdaDIzQIY447bofxEQ/s1600/IMG_1066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TylRp8aB9IUTjO-1x_fEJuA7v4WAIDvm13E3nlCdd9IC3J3xCWYM90NBK-bSNp0VBNizQLkKFXuj2X-26Ubj0yAOxkNF9-0Xe1-F-rISKF5zeAJHTZmfkgovINdaDIzQIY447bofxEQ/s1600/IMG_1066.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>These are the ice boots on one of our show-horses.</i></div>
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The reason I love these boots so much is that they are convenient, easy and work to effectively cool the leg. The boots have velcro backs that you can fasten frozen gel-packs too. You literally just take the gel packs from the freezer, press them onto the boot, and voila - you are ready to put the boot on the horse. From there, you use a small pump to inflate the boot which then compresses the cold against the leg. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoQBaS5zfemgmWyxfmkaADDhvH0CWqWo23atO226r-gh7suUXXBMqjZPpGuRXilHkgzMYvl4PyqLDoACn8WaOZiL0JKGYH-EISoCXFzmwjbvhpmsm3lLfyw0mJMKnQLqb88bT_Dn8bOrI/s1600/1133.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoQBaS5zfemgmWyxfmkaADDhvH0CWqWo23atO226r-gh7suUXXBMqjZPpGuRXilHkgzMYvl4PyqLDoACn8WaOZiL0JKGYH-EISoCXFzmwjbvhpmsm3lLfyw0mJMKnQLqb88bT_Dn8bOrI/s1600/1133.png" /></a></div>
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<i>Here is a photo from the website showing someone pumping up the compression boots.</i></div>
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From the <a href="http://www.equomedlumark.com/website/en/technology.htm">website</a>, "<i>The tighter the cold wrap can be fixed on the leg, the better is the cooling effect. Equomed-Lumark's Cold Compression Boots offer a unique method to deliver the cold directly to the horses skin. By using inflatable boots, the air compression will increase tight contact of the cold wrap to the horses legs and joints, compression effects to reduce swelling, and tight fit to keep the wraps in place."</i></div>
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Furthermore, unlike some ice technology the <i>"cooling gel is made to stay over a certain freezing degree, so it can not burn or hurt a horse." </i>Also if there's a hot point in a horses leg, once you take the boots off you can feel where that area had been, so it's easier to pinpoint areas of pain.</div>
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Finally, I've used lots of other types of Ice boot-esque technology. I've used the Professional's Choice Gel Packs that you wrap independently with a polo wrap, as well as multiple types of boots that you completely put into the freezer. The Gel Packs I felt were clumsy and hard to get perfect, while the boots that you freeze become so frozen they don't meld to the leg as well as these boots do because of the gel technology. Finally, although pricey, these boots are significantly cheaper and massively easier to use than cooling systems like Game Readys.</div>
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So, to summarize, they are my favourite because at shows, and at home, I am always looking for something convenient yet effective. These boots are all that and more. Easy to use, easy to transport, easy to switch gel-packs and use on multiple horses. They are all that & I highly recommend them. </div>
Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-53388958382934218592014-06-03T15:11:00.001-07:002014-06-03T15:11:31.603-07:00A Long Time Gone... But, I am Back!Life... is.... <b><u>Good</u></b>.<br />
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They say no news is good news, which is probably why I've been so absent. But, lately, my mind keeps thinking it's time for me to come back to my ramblin' roots... so here's an update, and hopefully the first hello back of many more hellos <i>(that come a little quicker than every 3 months...)</i><br />
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So, here is an update.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Arizona</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">Is getting hotter than hell. Oooo girl... this Canadian is BURNING up and, to quote the locals, <i>"this ain't even all that bad."</i> Well friends, it feels bad. However, other than the fact I can't rest my skin against any surface without breaking out into a dripping sweat, Arizona is treating me really, really well.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><u>I got a dog, his name is Cash.</u></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpo_K8kE18dot-KQYM0OJfPg6BnDuC9XF0ojNuYfU252hpapYFnce_YfOyh0rookTvmAtlw1rovbuadd2gsZxuzcoRWzQ9TX5qWXVp4emlhkGH3t0uk_X2G4v9AqnfGY0sdTC073gNxg/s1600/IMG_1054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpo_K8kE18dot-KQYM0OJfPg6BnDuC9XF0ojNuYfU252hpapYFnce_YfOyh0rookTvmAtlw1rovbuadd2gsZxuzcoRWzQ9TX5qWXVp4emlhkGH3t0uk_X2G4v9AqnfGY0sdTC073gNxg/s1600/IMG_1054.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNR6dgPLYyZ9CIYI3vUiPriMXzqXdED_5ny9x86kVv7x1cVa_921X2Kw2NA792fCthVm75uA0pC9TkRt80TwF0dLS87GKIGLiyB4Oqc1LinS-F12T2mBNS3Hr4QJRXv3s687WhgThrfeU/s1600/IMG_1411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNR6dgPLYyZ9CIYI3vUiPriMXzqXdED_5ny9x86kVv7x1cVa_921X2Kw2NA792fCthVm75uA0pC9TkRt80TwF0dLS87GKIGLiyB4Oqc1LinS-F12T2mBNS3Hr4QJRXv3s687WhgThrfeU/s1600/IMG_1411.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Who knew that a little fluffy girly-mutt dog could make my heart so fulfilled and happy? Cash is wonderful, he is goofy, sometimes disobedient, cuddly, funny, smiley... just great. He fancies himself quite the ranch dog... even though the sight of a poofy dog following behind me as I move cows around is a little amusing. He is my constant little shadow and I am happy to call him "my dog".</div>
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<i><u>My job is fricken' wonderful</u></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHacGm_00FS09GQLnocIAJtKWH7dsaR65wfWzywvu3aLuMesKcV35JeHe_Wy9MJthy8czIo78Bm42l6exG4ZhgRv5EOgprNXpo1Oa9SWRVm2gvxv6VE7_04aqNlg-xOni_OW70SlsJ48/s1600/10150588_770763849623633_854372625574192312_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHacGm_00FS09GQLnocIAJtKWH7dsaR65wfWzywvu3aLuMesKcV35JeHe_Wy9MJthy8czIo78Bm42l6exG4ZhgRv5EOgprNXpo1Oa9SWRVm2gvxv6VE7_04aqNlg-xOni_OW70SlsJ48/s1600/10150588_770763849623633_854372625574192312_n.jpg" height="320" width="209" /></a></div>
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<i>& there's this little two year old that I'm obsessed with.</i></div>
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Even when i'm complaining about my job I'm happy, it's sickening. I love my boss, I love our horses, I love our program. I <b><u>LOVE</u></b> how much I'm learning. I wake up, and fall asleep, feeling blessed to be riding cutting horses in Arizona whilst being surrounded by uplifting and amazing people.</div>
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<i><u>I have officially shown - TWICE!</u></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NSXcSF3MQ7rlYb1vLLt1XR4vC11HrL37aJP_ooWhLbb6ZPIi21H2pYugNgu87u5eKwUkNf2AZkPoe0VroO_2yod1WWSX0UT4yCCKS-V_v6yaKUM4rlcBTS_Uhw9ht3HZ8HCZT61GUQE/s1600/IMG_1265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NSXcSF3MQ7rlYb1vLLt1XR4vC11HrL37aJP_ooWhLbb6ZPIi21H2pYugNgu87u5eKwUkNf2AZkPoe0VroO_2yod1WWSX0UT4yCCKS-V_v6yaKUM4rlcBTS_Uhw9ht3HZ8HCZT61GUQE/s1600/IMG_1265.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-YmwuIvglWwqnJRvY3fecEfvgKIYWCQZO9YCJghMutsw_8BRZx9iws3jp0477MeBnXuzBE_3899YZB811QnToQ3c_csVktrR8BrNnZC2yD8DdMBlylC2jGzbqVgcDLVFUPopd12V4JM/s1600/IMG_1269.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-YmwuIvglWwqnJRvY3fecEfvgKIYWCQZO9YCJghMutsw_8BRZx9iws3jp0477MeBnXuzBE_3899YZB811QnToQ3c_csVktrR8BrNnZC2yD8DdMBlylC2jGzbqVgcDLVFUPopd12V4JM/s1600/IMG_1269.PNG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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The first time I showed was a bit of a train wreck, resulting in a 63, the second time I learnt a couple valuable lessons and walked away with a FREAKIN' 75. 75s are truly what dreams are made of. It was in December of 2013 that I told my ex-Boss that I wanted to show by January 2015, only three months later I found myself showing for the first time. Dream chasing is a real thing, and I feel like the more I believe in myself, and the more I set my mind to something, the more the universe gives to me... it's amazing, and humbling.</div>
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<i><u>I have a life here.</u></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwBN-J45V6DAsPnW3RrHEu7GmOvJ4R8K0UP3hSj1Sq8VtZft6PpvLcGIM_rSOLdBLUjdfqD7Y7kWSEWgswNZD7MlgsywkDpnV7sg4-xdC2xsbv1DTBEmp1IysnAxoAlgCKVYmnmLRDDg/s1600/IMG_1308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwBN-J45V6DAsPnW3RrHEu7GmOvJ4R8K0UP3hSj1Sq8VtZft6PpvLcGIM_rSOLdBLUjdfqD7Y7kWSEWgswNZD7MlgsywkDpnV7sg4-xdC2xsbv1DTBEmp1IysnAxoAlgCKVYmnmLRDDg/s1600/IMG_1308.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>People from home come & visit! </i></div>
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<i>Everybody wants to escape to warm Arizona!!</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_Uec0pq-jxXPK9MXcpH65_qr_PlyDMpvgUIDhILZRhRd7BgyZGmq6FB7kbvOuVBRYj3aEC7nFvhOXETxAzazgS9h8AubBIQoXLC8K-kO8fjm98V132e7pj0fZhytFQx82MX-0lEt68s/s1600/IMG_1436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_Uec0pq-jxXPK9MXcpH65_qr_PlyDMpvgUIDhILZRhRd7BgyZGmq6FB7kbvOuVBRYj3aEC7nFvhOXETxAzazgS9h8AubBIQoXLC8K-kO8fjm98V132e7pj0fZhytFQx82MX-0lEt68s/s1600/IMG_1436.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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When I was in Texas I was suffering from homesickness... terrible, dark homesickness. I went home for the holidays and wondered to myself if I could ever make a life for myself somewhere other than home. The homesickness I was feeling was a lot deeper than just being away from home for the first time, it was a homesickness that made me question leaving behind my roots, the physical place I loved so much, a friend group where I had finally cultivated happy healthy relationships, my family. It took awhile for me to fall into a rhythm here too, but once I did I settled right into what feels like a life. It's refreshing, a teeny bit scary, and I'm excited to see where it goes from here.</div>
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but then, there is always, my most beloved...</div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Home</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><u>Jingle. Plain & Simple.</u></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUP2XMaNDTDNOvJ2NCnmBkt9EEWNOVPtdmGd8Iq2e1P1PSkuGrbUvSqYbJId8PzYgBaqCQcmMbtrYQpPp4s7u-9tEU9l4zsn2ehFetMCDvueUJpQu2mwVq-9VNvq9bx_sdIffdeRquSdQ/s1600/IMG_1458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUP2XMaNDTDNOvJ2NCnmBkt9EEWNOVPtdmGd8Iq2e1P1PSkuGrbUvSqYbJId8PzYgBaqCQcmMbtrYQpPp4s7u-9tEU9l4zsn2ehFetMCDvueUJpQu2mwVq-9VNvq9bx_sdIffdeRquSdQ/s1600/IMG_1458.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I miss Jingle with my whole heart, I feel like my life is falling into place here but i'm just missing... and lacking.. this major piece. A few weeks ago my farrier gave me a call that my horse was a little unkempt and acting a little wild. Brigitte, my Best-friend, went out to groom him and remind him of manners and snapped this photo for me. He is so handsome <3. She also said he was squirrely through most of it, until she groomed his mane and tail. She said he seemed to remember all the time I've spent braiding him and grooming his mane and tail over the years. So cute. sigh. miss him so much.</div>
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But - this too is falling into place - i'm hoping come October I can get Jingle on a trailer and have him down here! Cannot wait for Jingle amongst the Cactus!!</div>
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<i><u>Summer.</u></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZT_ARKIRwou5OuCFnCz9-DW_lfrYV5PTBFpxr8j-iYBJdEQWwqHwPot2lyNSCW_JmpdRz4PxHc3mW75zlayF8YtwQaD5qPntcizaweYo17ddJTumeMMGk9l_3gERQ0YUfG8wWjRtwa2c/s1600/1000203_10153064693120595_1020067794_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZT_ARKIRwou5OuCFnCz9-DW_lfrYV5PTBFpxr8j-iYBJdEQWwqHwPot2lyNSCW_JmpdRz4PxHc3mW75zlayF8YtwQaD5qPntcizaweYo17ddJTumeMMGk9l_3gERQ0YUfG8wWjRtwa2c/s1600/1000203_10153064693120595_1020067794_n.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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I am heading home for the summer - for July and August. I'm going to be part of the Stampede Ranch Girls again, and I plan to serve at my old restaurant so I can make some money to put into my savings. Finally, that means i'll get to spend more time with my boy - Jingle! It's bittersweet... I don't want to leave Arizona, but I need to get my affairs in order, and as the temperature creeps above 110 F I'm thinking the summer months are the prime time to leave. Besides, what's 60 days?</div>
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Happy to be back, and hoping to catch up with all of you. :)</div>
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Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-43478007279561012042014-02-23T20:21:00.002-08:002014-02-23T20:21:14.971-08:00My New Blog: The Circuitous Cutter<i>Dun Dun Dun...</i><br />
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Here is my new blog & I have posted my first post tonight!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://circuitouscutter.blogspot.com/">The Circuitous Cutter</a></span></div>
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www.circuitouscutter.blogspot.com</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPVh1bfIsXZlo7kAynp4CwxDUuh8lgXq9yIhDSnXoDCqQzyunwrtBwSU5Ab4UkwsIqaORFKJu0J0BUGrsiK7RAJ8DoqfWxLiLGazJY6AZD0iFY5sgy2R3pLjt6eP1wX4D70890uFKKVE/s1600/931151_10152874465900595_457533451_n-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPVh1bfIsXZlo7kAynp4CwxDUuh8lgXq9yIhDSnXoDCqQzyunwrtBwSU5Ab4UkwsIqaORFKJu0J0BUGrsiK7RAJ8DoqfWxLiLGazJY6AZD0iFY5sgy2R3pLjt6eP1wX4D70890uFKKVE/s1600/931151_10152874465900595_457533451_n-001.jpg" height="202" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Circuitous Cutter, for me, is a lot more anonymous, is a lot more silly, and is totally focused on my day-to-day life as a loper in the cutting horse industry. I hope you find it funny, I hope the posts make you laugh at the depravity, and I hope you follow.</div>
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Those are the only things I can hope for :) & don't worry, my long winded rambling personal posts will stay here, they aren't leaving any time soon!</div>
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Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-57363867066891891422014-02-18T20:24:00.001-08:002014-02-18T20:24:37.785-08:00New & Old & In-Between.My "Year in Review" post took me a very long time to write.<br />
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Actually, it didn't, it just took me a really time to finish.<br />
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What happened was that I began to write, and as I did, I was catapulted back into last years winter. Last winter was not a good one for my pony, Jingle, and I. Jingle and I were in a lesson program that was simply not working for my horse and his brain. We had some tiny accomplishments here and there, but for the most part, almost all of my lessons were becoming increasingly and increasingly frustrating. I was reading all those words I wrote last year, and suddenly... I didn't want to write anymore.<br />
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& I was really sad, and I really missed my horse.<br />
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Finally, a month later, and at the urging of some friends, I sat down, opened up my Macbook and began writing again - vowing to get it done in one night. Then a funny thing happened, I began going through last year, and I began remembering <b><u>how truly amazing and blessed</u></b> last year really was. It was a complete and utter whirlwind year. It was a year of change, growth and happiness. It was a year surrounded by good friends and even better horses. It was a year I closed a very significant chapter of my life (university), and then diverged onto a new path into the horse industry. Finally, to top it all off, it was a wonderful year spent with the love of my life. My most beloved thing in the entire world, my horse Jingle.<br />
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But, even after hitting "publish" on that behemoth post, I still really missed my horse. I am still hoping and attempting to figure out a way to get Jingle down to Arizona, but it is not happening in the foreseeable future.<br />
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So now it comes down to this blog. For me, "Time in the Saddle" is a <b><u>very</u></b> personal blog. It is more about my journey, the issues I face and the things I witness in my own person day-to-day. "Time in the Saddle" is a lifestyle encompassing blog. Also, "Time in the Saddle", really reminds me of Jingle... which in the end was kind of why I was hiding from the blog.<br />
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Now, I am back, and I am going to keep posting my long, wordy, sometimes boring posts. They are still going to be entirely overly personal, sometimes they will be random, and the blog wont really driven by anything topic-wise... but me!<br />
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However, I have cooked up a new blog... which I am very excited about.. and will announce in my next post. Stay Tuned! :)<br />
<br />Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-65239777347329514712014-02-08T20:38:00.000-08:002014-02-08T20:38:28.695-08:00A Year in Review: 2013<i>I'M BACCCCCCCKKKKKKK</i><br />
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<i>Without Further Ado.... a very belated blog post... a Year in Review...</i><br />
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">January</span></u></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguc8svCwimkLuGCE4kmQnmwAyuy96ZN1JoF86Rm16rQBylvaHZi9oDTEik7t1h_Gt-IqkMI3adHQQm0k9NgjF3A-nXx7yi45khjzXDuIS-9cYq94NkL8xvXihoHjIZAxqZMNcIN-VmPEk/s1600/January.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguc8svCwimkLuGCE4kmQnmwAyuy96ZN1JoF86Rm16rQBylvaHZi9oDTEik7t1h_Gt-IqkMI3adHQQm0k9NgjF3A-nXx7yi45khjzXDuIS-9cYq94NkL8xvXihoHjIZAxqZMNcIN-VmPEk/s1600/January.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i>Using Jingle as a Couch... What are ponies for, really?</i></div>
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I began January in a bit of a <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/01/riding-diary-37-38.html">tough spot</a> with Jingle, he was testing me every which way he could. However, we were also taking baby steps in the right direction, his leads were coming along and I was learning to more clearly communicate with him and figure out who "he" is as a horse. Mac and Brigitte also had their two month anniversary at our barn, and so our two horses celebrated with some <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/01/they-see-me-rollin.html">rolling in the arena</a>. Cue the dirtiest paint that has ever existed. I finally got finished my <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-year-in-review-2012.html">Year in Review</a> post, even though it took me FOREVER <i>(similiar to this one.. sigh), </i>I also wrote out some <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/01/resolutions-2013.html">resolutions</a>... we'll discuss those another post. After a brief 21st birthday adventure to Vegas, I was back and ready to ride my horse. Our first lesson back was awesome, and I voiced out loud that I <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/01/riding-diary-39.html">feared jinxing</a> the good rides we'd been having. Our next lesson my trainer wanted to try <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/01/riding-diary-40.html">draw reins</a> on Jingle, I debated whether or not I liked/disliked/knew what I was doing when it came to that particular tool. I decided in the end I was "okay" with the draw reins, but leery of the effects as well. The lesson train kept rolling on, but this time, I found myself in a new arena - <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/01/riding-diary-41.html">a cutting pen!</a> I found a guy, I deemed him "Coach" for the purposes of the blog, that had some horses I could take lessons on. He was very serious about position, and it took me a long time to figure out what he wanted. However, Coach and I clicked, I found him <i>"very nice, soft-spoken and very encouraging." </i>I took a breather from my Riding Diaries to recount to you the first half of a favourite story of mine, <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/01/story-time-never-stare-guard-goat-in-eye.html">"Never Stare a Guard-Goat in the Eye."</a> Finally, I tied up the month with a post that I thought up whilst in a <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/01/zen.html">yoga class. </a> I found myself getting physically manipulated and moved by the instructor, and I likened that to what we, as riders, do to our horses. However the ah-ha moment came from how hard I found it to isolate certain body parts, and calm, consistent leadership really helped me work through those issues. I walked away from that class with those thoughts on my mind when it came to riding my ponyboy.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u>February</u></span></b><br />
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<i>Jingle, a very cute, very hell-demon.</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">February started with <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/02/riding-diary-42.html">another lesson</a>, I remarked that Jingle was amazing, in that, one minute he's wonderful, and then the next he absolutely falls apart. I ultimately concluded that, <i>"sometimes, owning horses with personality, and a pissy streak, isn't easy."</i> From there, I had a successful ride on Jingle just letting him <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/02/trail-ridin-in-arena.html">run around the arena</a> (funny enough). I also talked about how much I truly love my horse, but that, it would take some time to figure each other out. I also finished my (hilarious - I tell ya, I am funny) story about the<a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/02/never-stare-guard-goat-in-eye-part-2.html"> "Guard Goat".</a> In February lessons continued, we worked on the <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/02/riding-diary-43.html">barrel pattern and stopping</a> and we worked on <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/02/riding-diary-44.html">trying to not kill eachother.</a> Not only was my horses lack of manners on my mind, but so was <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/02/whats-on-my-mind-tonight.html">deworming when I found a MASSIVE worm</a> in his manure. icky icky icky. February appears to have been a banner month for us lesson-wise (not....)... I remarked how draining it was dealing with such a <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/02/riding-diary-45.html">pissy/split-personality horse.</a> I needed a good break from my arena, and my frazzled lessons, and I headed to <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/02/lil-life-update.html">Banff and Warner's Guiding and Outfitting</a> to visit with some good friends and some beautiful draft horses. Finally, to cap off the month, I had a ride that <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/02/riding-diary-46.html">I did not want to talk about.</a> However, I had always blogged about any situation, so I blogged about this bad lesson too. Basically, the lesson began with me putting a bit back in my horses mouth, at the urge of my trainer, even though I knew it wasn't the solution. It then spiraled down into a bad, angry, jingle-flinging place. I finished the post by saying, <i>"Anyways, by the time my lesson was over, my horse was jogging really nicely, but it was all fake, and it was all done with aids, and I was pissed at him, and at myself." </i>So, all-in-all February was pretty tough for me and left me with a lot of questions, and problems, and I needed desperately to find solutions and answers.</span></span>
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<u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">March</span></b></u><br />
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Couldn't pick just one, apparently March was a great month for Photos, all thanks to my good friend Sarah!</div>
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<i>Sarah's daughter, Abby, and my boy.. how far we've come.</i></div>
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<i>Working on those poles, love this horse.</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">I began March with two cutting lessons, my first I got some nice praise on how I seemed <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/03/riding-diary-47-cutting.html">"natural"</a> with the horse, John Wayne, I was riding. The second lesson was good as well, this time I had to <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/03/riding-diary-48-cutting.html">work on relaxing more.</a> Then, I shared another Storytime, this time about a scary incident I had with a <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/03/storytime-wagon-incident.html">Wagon</a>. Finally, I was back working with my boy, and blogging about it, in what I called an <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/03/intensive.html">"Intensive"</a>. Two weeks of slow stuff. I said <i>"I wanted to find his stop, I wanted to slow him down, and I wanted to just generally slow us down..." </i>I introduced the "Wither Stop", I worked on all the technical stuff at a walk and jog, I ran through a pretend<a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/03/intensive-cont.html"> "lesson"</a> to see how he'd react. As per expected, he became strung out and pissed off, so our next ride we went back to basics... and walked. During the Intensive Jingle also got a visit from a masseuse and his dentist who said he was happy where Jingle was after his first big overhaul 6 months previous. At the finale of the "Intensive" I remarked, <i>"Jingle has done really well the last two weeks, I see the potential in him everytime I ride him, but it's his attitude that really jars the both of us sometime." </i>Jingle was boarded at a very multi-disciplinary barn, so in March, Brigitte and I got a chance to ride with two english riders, who lent us some tack and we fooled around in the <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/03/trying-new-things-english-pony.html">"English Pony"</a> world. We had a really fun, positive night, Jingle wasn't perfect, but that wasn't the point. Then, my blog briefly went to the dogs... per se... with a post about a rescue friend, <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/03/tennessee-aka-bubba.html">Tennessee</a>, and my own lovely puppy <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/03/moose.html">Moose!</a> I went to another cutting lesson, this time we weren't so harmonious, but by the end we were back to "clicking" and <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/03/riding-diary-49-cutting.html">I learnt a lesson about not being a lazy rider.</a> In March I also had my <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/03/riding-diary-50.html">50th lesson</a> - so insane! I spoke with my trainer before this lesson and asked her if we could slow down and work on more technical stuff, during this lesson we began to work on two-tracking, and Jingle really excelled. Then we did some AQHA Trail patterns, and again, Jingle did well and overcame his pissy side to work with me. It was a REALLY good lesson and <i>"I walked away with some ways to make that technical stuff a little more interesting and diverse for him." </i>My farrier came out, and <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/03/horse-mama.html">we had a discussion about how bad horse behaviour</a> can sometimes reflect their owners, but not always. I said that, <i>"I try to surround Jingle with people that have this philosophy [patience] of horses because I think, in the end, it'll make him all the better of a horse to be around." </i>Then, with those thoughts in mind, a friends kid came out and rode Jingle! And he was AWESOME. I was over the moon about it. Finally, at the end of March, I had another <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/03/riding-diary-51.html">lesson</a>. Sarah came and took some photos that I loved, and we worked on more technical trail style stuff like pole work, and the gate!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>April</u></b></span><br />
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My outfit for my Ranch Girls tryout!</div>
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A new month, another lesson! <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/04/riding-diary-52.html">We worked on rollbacks, and sidepassing, and the gate! </a>My trainer, and myself, were slowly figuring out stuff that Jingle likes to do - slow, steady, calm. I was beginning to actually enjoy lessons again.. that's what it's all about, isn't it?! I posted something that annoyed me... the fact <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/04/things-that-annoy-me.html">that bit-less bridles are often not allowed in competition.</a> I said, <i>"what if my horse likes a sidepull more than a hackamore, what's the harm in letting us come play on the swings with all the other kids at the playground?" </i>I also posted about my <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/04/trying-new-things-flag-girl.html">Calgary Stampede Flag Girl try-outs</a>, a crazy night indeed! I DID NOT think I would get it, but to my <i>"utter shock and amazement, I was invited to be a member of the 2013 Calgary Stampede Ranch Girls!" </i>I also got the chance to do another cutting lesson, this time I rode another horse than I usually had been, <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/04/riding-diary-53-cutting.html">and I had a hard time keeping him in position on the flag.</a> I also chronicled the <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/04/tack-issues-where-we-are-now.html">INSANE</a> amount of tack issues I've had with Jingle... ridiculous. April was also the month of my <i><a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/04/stud-aze.html">"last finals of my last year of University"</a></i>, but that meant I didn't spend as much time with Jingle as I usually did. Then I wrote a post <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-love-letter-to-camp-counsellors.html">"A Love Letter to Camp Souncesllors"</a> that I'm very proud of, it details the strength I found in being a camp counsellor for many summers. At the end of april, <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/04/riding-diary-53.html">I snuck away from my finals to sneak into a barrel lesson!</a> Yay. Jingle was awesome, until I wanted him to lope the barrel pattern... dats not happenin'. I ended the lesson with some "barrel homework", <i>"my trainer wanted me getting jingle's nose following my hand, especially when we were loping." </i>I walked Jingle out, and had an emotional moment with him telling him the "story of us", <i>"as I was sobbing and telling my horse how much I loved him and how much he meant to me, two massive dogs came bolting up to the fence line and scared the shit out of both of us. He turned on his haunches and jumped right out of his skin and away from that fence line. It took me a bit of time to get him slowed down and stopped. Great metaphor... as is our life together, one part sappy love story, one part hysterical ridiculousness."</i><br />
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">May</span></u></b><br />
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May deserves this many photos: </div>
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<i>Our first time sorting, look at us go!</i></div>
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<i>First time cutting a cow! yip yip yeooo!</i></div>
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<i>Birthday celebrations with 9 year old Jingle and his hat-wearing buddy, Mac!</i></div>
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<i>What is better than being surrounded by wonderful people, great horses and spectacular scenary? Ft. some beers and fireball = NOTHING.</i></div>
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At the beginning of May we celebrated Jingle's 9th Birthday with <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/05/carrots-champagne-jingles-9th-birthday.htmlhttp://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/05/carrots-champagne-jingles-9th-birthday.html">"Carrots and Champagne."</a> It was a lovely evening spent with friends and celebrating my most favourite horse in the world - Jingle! I also got to go up to Red Deer for the <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-mane-event-2013.html">yearly Mane Event </a>with three of my best friends - it was an awesome day! We got to see THE George Morris do a clinic, it was amazing! On the topic of Amazing, Jingle and I also <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/05/trying-new-things-sorting.html">went sorting for the first time with Caron and Quiz</a>, and we had a total blast! Sarah came along and took photos - she is the best photographer! Jingle and I had a less than pretty lesson with me remarking <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Remember that one time I dreamt and wished that my horse was one of those magical horses you hear about, that you can just show up and ride once a week and have lovely transitions, calm departures, and beautiful cadence? People tell me about these horses and I wonder if they actually ride unicorns. Let me tell you something, </i><a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/05/riding-diary-55.html" style="font-style: italic;">Jingle is NOT a unicorn."</a><i> </i>May was coming in like a lion and <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/05/riding-diary-56-cutting.html">I got to work cows for the first time</a> - it was an amazing experience and I remarked, <i>"What a rush, I just want to do it over and over and over again." </i>I almost had a 57th lesson, but then realized that <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/05/riding-diary-57-just-kidding.html">Jingle was back sore... from a saddle... another saddle..</a> that I had just bought. I was not happy. I shared another Story, <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/05/storytime-me-big-yellow-horse-cash.html">about my most beloved guide-horse, Cash.</a> I had another cutting lesson, this time I realized that<a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/05/riding-diary-57-cutting.html"> cutting is a lot more fast-paced than I ever realized.</a> Over the <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/05/trail-journal-may-long-2013.html">May Long weekend,</a> myself and some friends went out to our old ranch and got to spend a blissful weekend trail riding, camping and having a lovely time all around. It was absolutely AMAZING. Finally, at the end of the month we went <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/05/sorting.html">sorting again</a>, this time it was a mini-clinic where we got to do some slow stuff, and work through other things. Jingle was really great with the cows, but not so great with loading, either time... a little frustrating to say the least. However, I remarked,<i> "Another great sorting under our belt, and the mini-clinic was such a wonderful way to work on some things, and try other techniques I may have been too nervous to do in a timed and speedier situation." </i>Overall, May was AWESOME, just one good experience stacked on another, stacked on another... way life should be every month!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><u>June</u></b></span></span><br />
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<i>My beautiful horse. </i></div>
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<i>I am a DEGREE HOLDER now!</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">At the beginning of June, I had been a <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/06/little-life-update.html">bad blogger,</a> my life was <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">My life is consumed with three and a half jobs, totalling about 50-60 hours a week, when I'm not working I'm at the barn, and before you got all excited about how awesome we've been doing, and how amazing of a rider I am, and how my horse is a mystical unicorn that now excels in cow work... Jingle was put outside for the spring/summer at the beginning of last week and pulled a muscle in his shoulder (I think) because</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><em>"omgz, I am the most excited to play "let's run around like fuckheads" with Mac, my new best friend." </em>In June I also convocated from University! Look whose a <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/06/growing-up-convocation.html">grownup now</a> (hahaha... kinda..). I listed some things that University taught me, <i>"You may not love where you are in the moment, but you gotta keep going.", "Allow yourself to love and be interested in things that may not be the most lucrative."and finally, "My Degree taught me patience, commitment, research methods and communication skills." </i><a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/06/lameness-dandelions.html">Jingle's mystery lameness continued through June</a>, bute didn't help the situation, we chased an abscess, that wasn't real, an osteopath came out, and said his withers were misaligned and his left elbow and shoulder were locked. Still lame... I waited impatiently for a vet to come out. During June was also when Alberta was rocked by the <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-great-flood-alberta-flooding-2013.html">"Great Flood".</a> I posted this via Facebook, and it sums up how I was feeling,<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i> "</i></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Tragedy is tragedy anywhere it is, it's breaking my heart that so many people, places and animals that I know and love are being displaced and watching their homes be ruined by this flood. It doesn't matter who you are and where you live, loosing a home is still a heart-wrenching and debilitating experience. My prayers and thoughts go out to everyone in Alberta at this time, although I know we are a fortunate and lucky province, it doesn't make this devastation any easier to take." </i>Finally, I documented the<a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/06/come-hell-or-high-water.html"> two floods that Jingle </a>has seen in his life, and recounted the story of a "Hero Horse" Tad. The vet came out, and although he saw some "strange movement", he concluded that I should start riding again. It was wonderful news to hear at the end of the month!</span></span><br />
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<i>That's me and Duke, levitating!, at the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth - so blessed!</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">In July, I received the <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/07/liebster-award.html">"Liebster Award"</a>, thanks lovely readers! Then I wrote an article which I titled, <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/07/what-makes-quiet-safe-bombproof-broke.html">"What Makes a Quiet, Safe, Bombproof & Broke Horse?"</a>, it was inspired by a lady that rode at my barn. I cautioned, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"</i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 18px;">As much as I love to tell the story of Jingle and I, basically a "rescue" case that was semi-dangerous but whom I fell in love with, I always caution against it... there's been a lot of success and triumph with us, but there's also been a lot of scary moments, and a lot of sad ones too. I can't imagine if he was the first horse I ever came to know, I honestly don't know if I would still be riding today.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i> " </i>In July I experienced ten amazing, crazy days - <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/07/10-days-in-july-stampede-101.html">Stampede 101 with the Ranch Girls!</a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"</i></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Stampede was INSANE. The first few days my nerves got the total best of me. I think it kind of shocked my body into some weird state because I am never really "nervous". Sure, I get butterflies and a tossy stomach every once in awhile, but this was a whole new level of nerves for me. Like, feeling like I was going to puke and pee my pants as the gate opened for grand entry. After three days of feeling like I was seriously going to die, my body finally calmed down, and I started having fun." </i>It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I am still so thankful to the Stampede, Rodeo Committee and our coordinators and organizers that I was allowed to be a part of it all! Finally, I wrote a post called <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/07/peripheral-vision.html">"Peripheral Vision" </a>about the Ranch I grew up on. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"</i></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 18px;">It's easy to duplicate feelings, emotions and patterns when you did the exact same thing, every week, for six weeks, every summer, for five summers. It's easy to feel empty and alone when your Monday wake up call means a shower, and a trip to the office, whereas, for five summers, a Monday wake up call meant the first day of rides for a brand new group of campers. Just beyond my peripheral vision I can see all those horses lined up in rows, softly munching on their hay, nickering to each other. However, here I am, at my office, and all I can hear is key strokes. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i>It is a strange thing, knowing you can go back to a place, but knowing you can never go home." </i>It was a melancholy moment, to a very awesome month.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 18px;"><b><u>August</u></b></span><br />
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<i>No More Riding.. I am THROWING out this halter Mahm! - Quote Jingle in August</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I was a <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-big-ol-update-from-your-long-lost.html">long lost blogger at the beginning of August</a>, and updated what I had been up too! I was having a great time being a loper for a cutting horse trainer I was working for. I began to slowly work jingle again, using fence-lines as my friend and trotting straight lines trying to strengthen my horse, and finally, after what <i>"seemed like months.. my horse seemed sound." </i>Sarah's kids came out and rode Jingle, and we also got to visit our old ranch. & I remarked on a year of owning my most favourite thing in the world. I also had a <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/08/big-announcement-this-little-bird-is.html">Big Announcement</a>, I was heading South to work for my boss in America for a year! With than announcement I made this statement, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"</i></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Of course, there's that nagging part of me that worries I will fail, or that this thing will be a bust, but for now, I'm just holding on for dear life. I'm sick and tired of surrounding myself with stagnation and negativity in the horse industry, and the horse people I know. This year I'm focusing on two things - personal development, and dream chasing, and that's all that matters from here and out." </i>Good statement past-Louisa, still rings true to today. I recounted the many <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/08/versatility-with-jingle.html">"Versatile"</a> things that Jingle have done with a little review. Jingle and I have dabbled in Western Pleasure (hahaha... bit of a satire with that one), Sorting, Being a "Kid's Horse", A Liberty Horse, Jumped, We've been a Pasture Puff, a Guide Horse, a Ranch Horse... but most importantly "Being my shoulder to lean and cry on." Love him. At the end of August, I whined about <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/08/planning-and-packing-and-sitting.html">Planning, and Packing, and admitting to doing a lot of sitting</a> because <i>"Moving is just so... hard."</i></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Se</span></u></b><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">ptember</span></u></b></span></span><br />
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<i>Look at us go!</i></div>
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I started off September with the second installment with my story about my <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/09/storytime-cash-big-yellow-arena-horse.html">beloved Guide Horse, Cash.</a> I also showed <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/09/trickster.html">off my new trick-riding skills</a> and couldn't believe that a year before I barely had the courage to ride him outside a round-pen... time flies when you're having fun! I also put up a bunch of tack<a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/09/for-sale.html"> For Sale</a> in preparation for my move to the states. Then, I wrote a post entitled <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/09/relationships-and-horses.html">"Relationships and Horses"</a> about a relationship I had currently come out of. What's even funnier is that, in writing this year in review, I had forgotten I had even wrote this post - how funny. So, as a quick follow up, the guy that inspired that post? Well, a couple months after I had left, he found out he had gotten a girl pregnant, and they are now living together and having a child. Guess I dodged the bullet on that one... ;) In September, Sarah and I went up to Banff and went on a fun <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/09/trying-something-new-tourist-trail-ride.html">Tourist Trail-Ride</a> with an old friend, and guide, Garry. It was a lovely day with friends! I then announced a slight change of plans, I was heading to the states - <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/09/its-official.html">tickets were booked </a>- but to work for a different cutting horse trainer. Things are never dull in my neck of the woods! At the end of September, <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/09/babies-mamas-first-gymkhana.html">my baby and I went to our first Gymkhana</a>. It was such an awesome day - Jingle was a total rodeo rockstar, totally blowing me away, and we had so much fun. Sure we had things to work on, but the reality was setting in that very shortly I would be saying goodbye to my horse for the forseeable future and to just enjoy the small stuff.<br />
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">October</span></u></b><br />
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<i>I think this picture will always sum up Texas for me - the whole crew!</i></div>
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Well, at the beginning of October I found myself in <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/10/texas.html">Texas</a>, <i>"farther away from home than I've ever been, ever." </i>I recounted my crazy work schedule and the new life I had found for myself for all of you. I also had some <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/10/early-insights-of-canadian-in-texas.html">"Early Insights of a Canadian in Texas"</a>. I tried Cajun food for the first time, as well as "nutbread sandwiches" - yummy. However, there was no such thing as Ginger Beef and everyone said "Ya'll"! Furthermore, people partake in an activity called "noodling", which is catching catfish with one's hands, and that my friends... is <i>"simply not okay." </i>We found ourselves in Jackson, Mississippi for the Southern Futurity, and I documented it in <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-southern-jackson-mississippi-in.html">photos</a> as well as <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-southern-jackson-mississippi-in_30.html">summarized</a> my first big show in the cutting horse world! The days were long and the sleep was lacking but <i>"overall, I felt the show was a definite success, and I was pleased with how well it turned out - especially since it was my first."</i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>November</u></b></span><br />
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<i>Texas, where Margaritas are everywhere.</i></div>
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<i>(Which is a good thing, because a loper always needs one after a long day!)</i></div>
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In November, I wrote out my <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-southern-jackson-mississippi-final.html">"Final Thoughts" about the Southern</a>. These included my take on loping-pen style aka "how to be part of the "in crowd" if you are a loper. Also, how do you know if someone is a Trainer's Wife. I had it all figured out now ;) After the Southern we had a moment of rest and jumped right into the <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/11/tis-season-of-pre-works.html">Season of Pre-Works!</a> Our First Pre-work was marked by our three year olds being absolute hellions, and then us finally getting a hold on them. We were pretty proud of ourselves. From South-Texas, we headed to <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/11/pre-work-san-angelo-tx.html">San Angelo </a>(.. also in South Texas haha) for another Pre-Work, this one was much more of a show-setting, but our horses did really well, and again, we were pretty proud of ourselves and our little (big!) crew of three year olds! However, being a loper is not a cushy job, <i>"On Sunday night we hauled home after our works were done for the day. Yup, 20 hour day and by the time we gone done and home, and the next morning we were up and show-bathing them at home by 8 am. Nobody ever said lopers get sleep... nobody." </i>I got my mind off Pre-works for a second to share a super cute <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-best-proposal.html">horse-themed proposal</a> found via facebook. I also talked about how much I missed <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/11/my-teammate.html">"My Teammate"</a>, Jingle. I posted about a new study that talked about "co-being", which, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">In short, "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;">Co</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;">being refers to a state of relationship in which each partner evolves to “fit” better with each other, both physically and mentally." I think this is something that most riders know already, and as this blog post shows, I am a firm believer that Jingle is my co-being... but interesting that a study has now proven it." Finally, I posted about <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/11/diagonals-and-directions.html">"Diagonals and Directions"</a>, I talked about discovering that many people didn't know about diagonals in the western world - but hey, something I know about! Which felt pretty good.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>December</u></b></span></span><br />
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<i>Happy to be home, Happy to be with my baby.</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">I missed Jingle terribly, so I got a <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/12/because-i-miss-ponyboy.html">very cool monogrammed bracelet made on Horse.com</a> with his registered name - I love it!! I also experienced a record-breaking ice storm that almost shut down all of Texas - let me tell you, <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/12/winter-in-texas.html">I was experiencing my first humid winter</a>, and I was ABSOLUTELY hating it. UGH. Horrible. I jumped on my two-time a year buckle-bunny train and talked about <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/12/nfr-2013.html">how much I love watching the NFR</a>. I also discussed the controversy over Taylor Jacob's handling of her horse Bo after a nasty run. I admitted to <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/12/texas-life-in-review.html">hiding from my blog</a>, (something I tend to do often I am afraid - shameful behaviour), and wrote about Texas. "<i>Texas was an experience, filled with ups and downs.</i>" I recounted a bit more of what working at a big operation was like, and the disappointment at finding out that I wasn't going to be at the Futurity much, like I first thought. I ultimately decided that, <i>"I need to learn how to cut. That's it. That's all. No Excuses. I'm going to be showing by next year, and to do that, I need someone to mentor me. It wasn't going to happen for me where I was." </i>So, I hopped on a plane for home to visit my family and friends for the holiday, and didn't book a ticket back to Texas. Finally, as a seemingly fitting last post of 2013, I wrote "<a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.com/2013/12/adventures-in-being-turned-out.html">Adventures in being Turned Out</a>", the chronicles of my Princess Pony to a Fuzzy Draft Pony Horse!</span><span class="Apple-style-span"><i> "Being turned out has been a learning experience for both Jingle and I. Jingle is learning how to expand his belly every single day, and I am learning to stop over-reacting, and get over myself as a horse-mom. Baby steps."</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><i><b>********************</b></i></span><br />
I can't even.... what an absolute crazy year... who has years like that? Brought my first horse home, had some absolutely amazing, wonderful, love-filled, excitement-filled, scary, great, etc etc etc moments AT HOME, and then packed up and moved to Texas to work for one of the biggest trainers in the cutting horse world THEN came home for the holidays and am now writing this from my new home in Arizona! I feel like my life is a hurricane trapped in a tornado sometimes, and for the most part, I really really love it.<br />
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There is a reason I haven't been posting much - don't fear I am actually very happy here... but I'm cooking up some new projects, and thinking about some things. Stay tuned - things are changing around blog land!<br />
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Please know, as well, that although I haven't been blogging much, or commenting on your posts, I'm still reading about all YOUR adventures, and will try to be a better blog-friend by actually dropping a line soon in the future. Life has just been so crazy.Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-86121983302962621822014-01-06T18:48:00.001-08:002014-01-06T18:48:50.455-08:00"The Land of the Sun"So, this afternoon my plane touched down in...<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Arizona!!</span></b></div>
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Yes, friends, this is where this crazy journey that is my life is taking me now.<br />
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When I was stuck in Texas, experiencing everyone's all-time favourite weather pattern = chunks of ice rain from the sky, I got a call from my old boss from back home. She was the one I originally was suppose to head down to the states with, but her plans fell through and I ended up in Texas. She was back on her feet, needed some help, and wanted to see if I was interested.<br />
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We had a long discussion and basically what enticed me into taking the job was two things: one-on-one and a small operation. My boss is a much "smaller" trainer than the guy I was working for, she has a small operation, and she can only have one person helping her (me). She's also getting a bit older and wants to physically slow down a bit, that's where I was really interested. She really has the time, and the means to train me how to cut. She also focuses a lot in coaching of amateur riders, and as of now... I am beyond amateur in the cutting pen, so someone who knows how to work with amateurs was a serious plus.<br />
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So here I am, my first day jitters are in full effect, but I'm hopefully optimistic about where i've landed this time around. Plus, Arizona is beautiful, and warm (warmity warm warm warm yaaay), just a short drive around today and I'm already obsessed with the desert and the rock. I'm hoping I can find some areas to do some hiking/running and can hopefully find some time to do exploring. (smaller operation = a bit more alone time) However, in february we have three big shows, so I doubt i'll have that much alone time. What kind of loper gets alone time, really?<br />
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Wish me luck on my next (and newest!) adventure.Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-8957200133882608622013-12-31T16:53:00.001-08:002014-01-01T16:12:36.765-08:00Adventures in being "Turned Out"<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">From Princess Pony to... Fuzzy Draft x Pony Cross...</span></i><br />
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This is what I left:<br />
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<i>Sleek, Shiny, Rodeo Star, General Badass...</i></div>
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This is what I came home too:<br />
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<i>Fuzzy, Fat, Cheeks bigger than a Clydesdale...</i></div>
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Jingle has been "turned out", and although he's still in a blanket throughout these cold months, he's really reversed back to his old shaggy disheveled ranch-horse self. That includes a wee bit lacking in the manners department section...</div>
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<i>This is how I feel about his no manners self... ergh.</i></div>
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<i>Stop.Being.A.NitWit.and.Love.Me</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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I found myself attempting to braid his mane (which is scraggly and lacking and so sad) and tail... as if that would bring back my sleek horse...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxv715i3YxVAWmJMAyVop576g4U3pCrx50J151KH7tP-dNQh4_e0vSx9b2W0o4fZVLxnV48M7QxTdRaQK5Q8KSkEuwXZp_ZSOHE_z444XJ44HCgHUpSJwrQPxQeTFA_MLhqaOKDA7xHkg/s1600/IMG_3246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxv715i3YxVAWmJMAyVop576g4U3pCrx50J151KH7tP-dNQh4_e0vSx9b2W0o4fZVLxnV48M7QxTdRaQK5Q8KSkEuwXZp_ZSOHE_z444XJ44HCgHUpSJwrQPxQeTFA_MLhqaOKDA7xHkg/s320/IMG_3246.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>Frosted Tips = Princess Horse?</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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It didn't.</div>
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My farrier came out and Jingle was <b><u>awful</u></b>, oh right... he hasn't had a person pick up his feet since my farrier last saw him 8 weeks ago...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NoGMUftX-slHDwqVu_2gCBkLKdjCJ-2-YHin0_Ob9_QAl1o7IzWvJjWKtFE3_c_l0TGEUSdSMnbI4D23BEsNfGNf7LwO-UegnL-gRjVxn8UFK_h3XIIBHg-rKudv0hWe8Rr2YF9R4TQ/s1600/IMG_3149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NoGMUftX-slHDwqVu_2gCBkLKdjCJ-2-YHin0_Ob9_QAl1o7IzWvJjWKtFE3_c_l0TGEUSdSMnbI4D23BEsNfGNf7LwO-UegnL-gRjVxn8UFK_h3XIIBHg-rKudv0hWe8Rr2YF9R4TQ/s320/IMG_3149.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>"Tehehe, screw farriers, what are manners, where are my friends, gimme cookies and get out"</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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Jingle also had his shoes pulled in September (remember... turned out), in the end i'm happy with how his soles and hoof wall look, both seem very strong. He's always had chipping on his hinds, which is definitely accentuated and his fronts didn't look very pretty from where he's growing out old nail holes. A very concerned Louisa asked her farrier what we can do about that... the response...</div>
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A crooked eyebrow, a head shake at me and a <i>"put shoes on him, but you wont, because he is turned out"</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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Well then.</div>
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Yes, Jingle is loving life in semi-retirement, he is fat and fuzzy and happy. He munches hay all day and hangs out with an annoying bay that refuses to leave me alone. He no longer looks like a sleek machine because he doesn't need too be right now.</div>
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& his owner... she needs to get the heck over herself.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBvCq4iJFVwcgfcGC623BVhW1AKrR7KECkFHuJUUBf4auVORSBfbhWg8_XGI4HnuK4-ZnOlQUgF7xQwaDjWWdHQLxfWZzbJIYJJdBNHLV7YEqgBM8oliJHl16u3ldLpCXdZg2QkDaJyo/s1600/IMG_3154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBvCq4iJFVwcgfcGC623BVhW1AKrR7KECkFHuJUUBf4auVORSBfbhWg8_XGI4HnuK4-ZnOlQUgF7xQwaDjWWdHQLxfWZzbJIYJJdBNHLV7YEqgBM8oliJHl16u3ldLpCXdZg2QkDaJyo/s320/IMG_3154.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>My most favourite thing in the whole wide world.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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But, some things are still the same, Jingle is still an absolute cookie monster who loves his long brushes, and will still reluctantly do his stretches for me. I still completely adore him. Although I have visions of cowboy challenges and low-level dressage in our future, when asked at a get-together the other day what I "wanted" of Jingle in the future I had to pause. <i>"Well, I would really like to wake up every morning, walk out to his field, and have my cup of morning coffee with him." </i></div>
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So, being turned out has been a learning experience for both Jingle and I. </div>
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Jingle is learning how to expand his belly every single day, and I am learning to stop over-reacting, and get over myself as a horse-mom.</div>
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Baby steps.</div>
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<br />Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-76620775322218024562013-12-31T16:34:00.000-08:002013-12-31T16:34:05.739-08:00Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Happy New Year from Myself & The Fuzziest Winter-Pony around, Jingle!</b></span></div>
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Yes, Jingle is still alive and SO FUZZY.. more on that later. ;)</div>
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I just wanted to thank you guys for all your comments on my last post, and on all my posts in general!</div>
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I so appreciate you guys taking the time to read my endless rambling!</div>
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<br /></div>
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2013 has been such an <b><u>insane</u></b> year, and, for the most part, that's insane in a good way.</div>
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I can't wait to see what 2014 holds for me, and even though sometimes it can be scary, i'm so excited to keep dream chasing. </div>
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It's not just two words, it's a motto, and a lifestyle.</div>
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I hope you all have a wonderful New Years and can't wait to see where YOUR dreams take you in 2014!</div>
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<br />Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-83270668016764954692013-12-28T14:11:00.001-08:002013-12-28T14:11:29.099-08:00Texas; A Life in ReviewSo, I've kind of been hiding from this blog... for various reasons, one of them being the post i'm about to publish... but, fear not loyal followers because i'm really going to attempt to be back in a big way this year. We have lots to cover!<br />
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So here goes...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xYaTWMEMQUzE7aLCqM4k17Aqx5Ib6zkE6TNKl_PjxCfsPOAwiTpxAujjctp6pBgriKCH4r54_v7yz99Cr8cc0vo2Cx1VvbZCWDcmf9hX0W_XdQq7jHo5_FWo_KdG9MKgDekVSpbf74o/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4xYaTWMEMQUzE7aLCqM4k17Aqx5Ib6zkE6TNKl_PjxCfsPOAwiTpxAujjctp6pBgriKCH4r54_v7yz99Cr8cc0vo2Cx1VvbZCWDcmf9hX0W_XdQq7jHo5_FWo_KdG9MKgDekVSpbf74o/s320/IMG_0005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Early mornings in TX</i></div>
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71 days. That’s how long I was in Texas.<br />
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Sitting on my airplane, flying above Wyoming, it’s hard to believe that I even
“lived” in Texas. When I look back on my time there, sometimes it feels like I
was there for<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a year, other times,
it feels like I was there a week.<br />
<br />
Texas was an experience, filled with ups and downs. Somehow, having never loped
at a show before, I found myself working for a trainer that has won over $2
million dollars. He’s one of, what I like to call, “the Weatherford Crew”. This
is an important thing to note, because, in the cutting world, the Weatherford
Crew are the kings. The Weatherford Crew is who wins the Triple Crown Events
(The Futurity, The Superstakes and The Derby). Basically, they are the big time
and somehow this teeny tiny little Canadian found herself loping horses for one
of those men.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhASMV5nzG5vl3qGJjg6Z55A3LMzAGh0lx8hLazrlAnORs18BNTE3QgO5YDs35poMwIHIBgIfOirRR3k_PQLZn2pfjVuXoriKhtZKcHnljDIjiT1BGa4y4IqMmR4bdbXjOpRCWEJPnI7V8/s1600/IMG_0008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhASMV5nzG5vl3qGJjg6Z55A3LMzAGh0lx8hLazrlAnORs18BNTE3QgO5YDs35poMwIHIBgIfOirRR3k_PQLZn2pfjVuXoriKhtZKcHnljDIjiT1BGa4y4IqMmR4bdbXjOpRCWEJPnI7V8/s320/IMG_0008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>More horses than hours in the day</i></div>
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<br />
The particular man I was working for had a full barn, this meant 70+ horses… he
ran, what I like to think as, a production line cutting operation. Each horse
there was worth upwards of $50,000. In this game, in this world, that’s a cheap
horse by the way. “An amateur level horse”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the mornings, we would get up and be at the barn for 4 am
(sometimes 5 am… a relative sleep-in). We would saddle as many three year olds
as we could. When I first arrived there were three of us lopers, a 2 year old
trainer who helped us get through the 3 year olds in the morning, and then
Boss-man and his assistant who would ride up in the top pen. Boss-man working
horses, and the Assistant turning back for him. You would warm-up a horse, and
once the Assistant whistled, you would walk the horse up to the top, hand it
off to Boss-man, take one from him, and bathe it while he worked the horse you
had handed off either on a flag, or on cows. This would go on all morning long,
once Boss-man got tired, he would leave. If there were any three year olds
left, the assistant would work the rest of them. There’s your first hint at
what I mean by production-line cutting horses. Rack em through, and let the
lesser ones fall through the cracks.<br />
<br />
We would get lunch, which, apparently, was rare. In the summertime, they wake
up at 3 am, and work straight through until 3 pm to try to beat the 100+ F
degree summer heat. After lunch, the lopers would tackle “show horses”,
anything 4 years older and up. If any of those horses were for sale, or if
their owners were coming to ride them, we would hand them off to the assistant
to work. But, if not, we would make sure every single one got out of their
stall that day, whether that be riding them in the arena, or putting them on
the walker. While we were doing that the assistant, and the 2 year old trainer
would tackle the many two year old horses we had. Usually we got done around
4-5 pm.</div>
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<i>Horse trainers, and their staff, are comparable to gypsies, always moving.</i></div>
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<br />
From there, my mind and body were so tired that I would often get into bed,
talk to my mom, check my facebook and then fall asleep. At 7:55 pm my alarm
would go off, and I would get up, we would all meet back up at the barn. We
would then have to put on the horses slinkies, sheets, and heavy blankets. Cold
days were blessed days, because it meant that blankets would have to stay on
all day. Blankets… were the absolute worst. On days were the temperature
fluctuated, as it does in Texas, we would often find ourselves spending hours
just putting blankets on and off. Sometimes, the three year olds would have all
three blankets put back on once they were dry, then, it would warm up and
heavies would hurriedly have to be ripped off, then maybe after lunch, the
sheets, then around 2 the Assistant would check the temperature and say
“slinkies should come off”, well around and around and around we’d go. At night,
if we had to put on all three, even with up to 5 of us being there, it would
take almost an hour.<br />
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So, around 9 pm, I would crash back into my bed, and sleep. Our only days off
were Sundays, sometimes (not during shows), and those days were strictly meant
for sleeping for me</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrC8jhlfPauLMTKNiXCac6cU4OWLEwLVcajZtrHcs5ZGlUMticAB7ZxarcqqVR4JPEOhd6_fue_8Zqq5Pf53E_1bUyydjcEy0itkgoiQ0Z3432PRm-r5YodlEdMZiSsth9YL0t6CGkYr4/s1600/IMG_0052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrC8jhlfPauLMTKNiXCac6cU4OWLEwLVcajZtrHcs5ZGlUMticAB7ZxarcqqVR4JPEOhd6_fue_8Zqq5Pf53E_1bUyydjcEy0itkgoiQ0Z3432PRm-r5YodlEdMZiSsth9YL0t6CGkYr4/s320/IMG_0052.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>Tired, covered in poultice & whining, as per usual</i></div>
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<br />
Now, I don’t want to make it seem like a big whine-fest, because it’s not,
that’s the reality of the big cutting horse operations in Texas. I don’t think
that’s what ALL of them are like, but I know a lot of them are. A lot of the trainers
keep their age-groups smaller and manageable, so instead of the 20 three year
olds we had, they might have 10. This means those trainers have time to really
focus on their three year olds coming up to the futurity, but also ride the
show horses and keep them tuned up aswell. That was not the case where I was,
it was three year olds all the time for Boss-Man. Unless a show was coming up,
like the Southern, this meant that Boss-Man would ride those show horses first,
and then get through some three year olds. This also generally meant earlier
mornings to accommodate for that.</div>
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<i>Day-to-Day</i></div>
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<br />
Two weeks after I arrived in Texas we headed to <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.ca/2013/10/the-southern-jackson-mississippi-in_30.html">“The Southern”</a>.
I am at my best when busy, I am not an idle person, I quickly found that I
really liked shows. Myself, and my roommate, “K” and another boy who started
the same time as me, “L”, headed to the show. “L” quickly became frustrated
with what he called “lack of organization”. I wouldn’t call it that, but just
needing to be on his toes. But, by the end of the show, “L” had packed his bags
and left. K and I, worked well together at the show, and figured out how to
really work with, and for eachother. It was good. At the place I was working,
the 2 year old trainer and Assistant trainer warned me that someone leaving
after a show was commonplace and that there was a “2 show curse”. After 2
shows, most people pack up and leave. This is due to Boss-man not being the
best communicator in the world, it can be frustrating, annoying and also really
tough, because it means you really have to be even more on top of it.</div>
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<i>Home for Three Months</i></div>
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<br />
When we were home, the monotony of the days really got to me. I found myself
getting really lazy with my riding, because after riding 20+ horses a day
personally, my body just didn’t seem to want to care anymore. If you ever watch
lopers in the warm-up pen at a show, you will see some qualities of their
riding that comes from how many horses they have to ride a day. I never felt
comfortable slouching around at the trot… I sure do now. I can also long trot in
a sitting trot like no other. Holding the horn while you post? Lopers do that.
Holding the cantle while sitting the trot? Lopers do that. No shame. No shame
if it keeps your body from screaming in agony. </div>
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<i>Dawn in TX</i></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>I also found myself really missing home. Seriously,
desperately missing home. When I was busy, home was the farthest thing in my
mind, when I was bored, as I would be trotting endless circles waiting for a
whistle to call me in, home encompassed my entire mind. Finally, the monotony
brought forth some serious insecurities, I wasn’t getting any one on one time
with Boss-man, and I wasn’t “learning” anything about actually cutting. My
dreams of showing felt like they were slipping farther and farther away. It was
a true battle in my mind that I would have every day – I was at one of the
biggest trainers in the world, I was working in the epicenter of it all… was I
being a spoiled little brat? Should I just keep duking it out in the trenches?
I didn’t know what to do.</div>
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<i>Taking a break in the centre of the warm-up pen to say hello</i></div>
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<br />
Then, the <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.ca/2013/11/tis-season-of-pre-works.html">pre-works started</a> and we were thrown back into “busy”.
It was mostly just “K” and I, and we were really figuring eachother out. We
were a well-oiled machine, and by the end of <a href="http://timeinthesaddle.blogspot.ca/2013/11/pre-work-san-angelo-tx.html">San Angelo </a>we felt
like we had really figured out our three year olds and our sights were set
straight to stun and we were ready for the Futurity. We were so confident, we
felt like our 20+ three year olds were just going to storm into Will Rogers and
sweep the whole thing.<br />
<br />
Well… Boss-man didn’t have as much faith in us as we had in ourselves. He hired
a show-help girl that had helped him at many other shows. He didn’t tell us he
was going to do it, and it meant that the most inexperienced loper was likely
to stay home. Well, that was me. It really deflated “K”’s sails, and although I
rationalized it… she was much more experienced than I and this was a serious,
serious show for him… she had loped for him at multiple shows… he knew her
really well… my sails lost some of their puff too.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYGrvylVgMU0Y5ojMER4m2mDr1FwhizkQLPBs1WB0B-VCUNSk93TUBCjR4G3iCCsPVRGQAXOs4tjrFOuZQcma-jbF8n0CES0o63ikVOTR6QY-t_8gsQchkcUx8F9y8tjArjDr5eFprTOc/s1600/IMG_0222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYGrvylVgMU0Y5ojMER4m2mDr1FwhizkQLPBs1WB0B-VCUNSk93TUBCjR4G3iCCsPVRGQAXOs4tjrFOuZQcma-jbF8n0CES0o63ikVOTR6QY-t_8gsQchkcUx8F9y8tjArjDr5eFprTOc/s320/IMG_0222.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Sleepy Three-Year Olds</i></div>
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<br />
The futurity is 3 weeks long… the futurity is never ending.. K and the
show-help girl went down to Fort Worth most days, and I stayed home with the
boys to keep the show-horses exercised. One big plus of getting to stay home
was that the boys let me turn-back for them. This, honestly, saved me. Mentally
I was in anguish and just so badly wanted to be at home. I counted down every
single day, every single hour. It was a terrible thing to do to myself, I felt
like I’d never get home. But turning back really helped me since I was finally
doing something that felt a little more like I was… ya know… learning about
cutting. I could watch them work their horses and ask them questions after, and
it was really good for me. They were both great, especially the two year old
trainer, about breaking things down for me and letting me ask my numerous
“question of the day”. I felt like I was soaking up some of their wisdom, and
picking up on subtleties that I would have missed before. So, in the end,
leaving me behind was actually a good thing for me. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkl66Tx6epLUhkEV-97mAezWgCb0ZCVRZt-fTVc7gh8QxMDRRdTIeI5_Zls8OQtFD_Y03-8X-O_3CR9rLqYf202ionBW4xP66go9vFJ1SR150Wf8sImp8i_N66J2-9F9PKw2FYLKfYT0/s1600/IMG_0295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkl66Tx6epLUhkEV-97mAezWgCb0ZCVRZt-fTVc7gh8QxMDRRdTIeI5_Zls8OQtFD_Y03-8X-O_3CR9rLqYf202ionBW4xP66go9vFJ1SR150Wf8sImp8i_N66J2-9F9PKw2FYLKfYT0/s320/IMG_0295.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Twinning.</i></div>
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<br />
It was around this time that I knew that I wouldn’t be returning to Texas. (spoiler
alert – haha). K and the show-help began to fight, and bicker, and it brought
big old storm clouds over the mornings… which by the way were 3 am mornings. So
for 3 weeks, we were up at 3 am, and often done around 5 pm. For the girls down
at the show, some days they weren’t home until 9 pm. The Futurity, is not for
the weak of heart. The futurity went sideways really quickly… Boss-Man didn’t
make it past the first round on a horse that everyone expected him to go out
and possibly win it on. His second horse made it to the semis. Not the best
show for him. Each person is only allowed to show two horses at The Futurity,
so that meant he was done. Two of our horses were handed off to other trainers
in what is called a “Catch Ride”, both of those guys didn’t make it past the
first round. Our Non-Pros and Amateurs? Just as bad, I think maybe 2 people
made it into the second round, and then quickly got bounced right out.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguuoratGVJ_p_Ahk-X9V8Lh5HhlDBLiK01XmfxnhuD_n_PK-DJwTINiPZ0-oLGrQmFTKMw9tPj25-Hu_4ERDnjMcGD6pqJpp-1GhmFLsvk4ZRbC0lq_wlxf5oAL0GBEIptAJvTFwADn90/s1600/IMG_0306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguuoratGVJ_p_Ahk-X9V8Lh5HhlDBLiK01XmfxnhuD_n_PK-DJwTINiPZ0-oLGrQmFTKMw9tPj25-Hu_4ERDnjMcGD6pqJpp-1GhmFLsvk4ZRbC0lq_wlxf5oAL0GBEIptAJvTFwADn90/s320/IMG_0306.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
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<i>Kickin' up their little two-year old heels after being worked</i></div>
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<br />
<br />
So, all of a sudden, what I thought was a seriously “winning team”, wasn’t so
winning anymore. Furthermore, Boss-Man seemed to have figured out what was on
my mind, and without ever speaking to me, made up his mind that I wasn’t coming
back. This meant that for three weeks, he maybe spoke to me… three times. Those
three times were generally a “good morning” or a gruff “thanks” for handing a
horse off to him. The atmosphere just kept spiraling downwards, and I just kept
counting down when I could come home.<br />
<br />
The futurity ended on Saturday the 15, I flew home on Tuesday the 17.<br />
<br />
I need to learn how to cut. That’s it. That’s all. No excuses. I’m going to be
showing by next year, and to do that, I need someone to mentor me. It wasn’t
going to happen for me where I was. This was due to multiple things… the size
of the place meant that boss-man was always busy. The truth of it is that even
if he desperately wanted to teach me every single thing he knew, he didn’t have
any time to let me work a horse, or show me how to work a horse, or anything
along those lines. Boss-Man, and the lopers (so, us), are for the most part,
gone half of every single month of the year hauling to shows. Some of them are
“home shows”, like The Futurity, this means waking up at 3 am (sometimes 2 am)
to get horses worked before we head down to the show. Away, well… you’re away…
where in that schedule does one find the time to teach someone how to cut? Plus,
Boss-man was a terrible communicator, and could be a very negative and
passive-aggressive person. This was rarely directed at me personally, but just
being around someone like that can be toxic, and it affected my mood greatly. I
was spiraling into a really dark place, and I knew that no matter how good, or
glamorous, being and working in Texas seemed, it wasn’t for me, and so I made
up my mind to leave.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPBHK_hprpBeh6m9P9AidCKW15VjqEBxpgHEG_f2wNWtkODeYHBecib5ZVifsOGbInjgjez9kjL_NdqLhgU-WgKMCaROiwRD-b2P8AurJkTib3XV1VbOXS6FH5xfTkLtHLAAglfec-RM/s1600/IMG_0338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPBHK_hprpBeh6m9P9AidCKW15VjqEBxpgHEG_f2wNWtkODeYHBecib5ZVifsOGbInjgjez9kjL_NdqLhgU-WgKMCaROiwRD-b2P8AurJkTib3XV1VbOXS6FH5xfTkLtHLAAglfec-RM/s320/IMG_0338.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Last Light</i></div>
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<br />
It was a very hard decision. I felt like I was walking away from the big-time.
It felt like someone handed me the golden key but then hid the door and
wouldn’t let me find it... but what’s the big-time when your just another
underappreciated minion… honestly? Not much. So, It really was for the best,
and who knows… Texas may be in my future… but not right now.<br />
<br />
Actually. I know Texas is in my future. Because one day? I will show at Will
Rogers at The Futurity. No Excuses. Stay Hungry. Be Relentless.<br />
<br />
So what does the Future hold you ask? Well, things are never dull around here,
so after I take a much needed break at home for the Holidays, I’ve booked a
one-way ticket tooo….<br />
<br /><i>
dun dun dun</i><br />
<br />
you’ll just have to wait for the next post, this one was insanely long as is ;)</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-39576928901947070872013-12-15T20:05:00.001-08:002013-12-15T20:05:26.407-08:00NFR 2013There are two times a year where I really get into, watch regularly and love rodeo...<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Calgary Stampede</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1Nll0tiQAZtD_Ogmo8KJtm03K-3ivVAXrAJ4dBh3pIeVcZ5eShjkQU35i4Ahs_iAIKQ6OmJUCxdnUmwWFcJkmA1ggnVWBYpBtMg5GACNweCd7GFWgddAeEHUtKWZCA2l3_dOeEemocc/s1600/39282_10153112286530595_1296211086_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1Nll0tiQAZtD_Ogmo8KJtm03K-3ivVAXrAJ4dBh3pIeVcZ5eShjkQU35i4Ahs_iAIKQ6OmJUCxdnUmwWFcJkmA1ggnVWBYpBtMg5GACNweCd7GFWgddAeEHUtKWZCA2l3_dOeEemocc/s320/39282_10153112286530595_1296211086_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Because... hey that's me with the City of Calgary flag!</i></div>
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&</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcVOObbVp0_VGIoUhAVDVWaN2Dylx_yd4yrgZ9FqmNjoAq7YeKLTOqgXdFpAPqip57OYNq2XJ9J_vs_ID2EIVEpRB7-W-uWbBcgQCv9cETNWJL5p1Y5bfics0S7OI-q6BHX_crrsISYo/s1600/1454637_10151967031311212_1577181832_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcVOObbVp0_VGIoUhAVDVWaN2Dylx_yd4yrgZ9FqmNjoAq7YeKLTOqgXdFpAPqip57OYNq2XJ9J_vs_ID2EIVEpRB7-W-uWbBcgQCv9cETNWJL5p1Y5bfics0S7OI-q6BHX_crrsISYo/s320/1454637_10151967031311212_1577181832_n.jpg" width="271" /></a></div>
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<i>Because... my mom and I have been going strong at the Stampede since I was a little itty bitty baby. It's my favourite family tradition.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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The Second is...</div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The National Finals Rodeo</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRD4r1m2bw5g_qZ4Bj1iUtfNS2Pg5USitZaMosA-59NX4IeeB-U9VeN7xtL1EdCybNNiYYP6rySnl_2qjg_fH_cUZe63Tc8oSkf2rtyL4WzgupsXzwp-bzdgVzlzuj0zChG0IoNeAVaIo/s1600/483506_593335794010444_1424571874_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRD4r1m2bw5g_qZ4Bj1iUtfNS2Pg5USitZaMosA-59NX4IeeB-U9VeN7xtL1EdCybNNiYYP6rySnl_2qjg_fH_cUZe63Tc8oSkf2rtyL4WzgupsXzwp-bzdgVzlzuj0zChG0IoNeAVaIo/s320/483506_593335794010444_1424571874_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Truth of the matter is... guys i'm going to share a secret here... much like most canadians are hockey bandwagoners <i>(the stereotype is a lie, half of us don't know what we're talking about when we root for "our teams", I promise)</i>... I am a rodeo bandwagoner.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqHf-PBhQVjxtB_dX9uSdV_-lsctNKsDrob7Dw-cHhFRyrgG0NmCIfS4n-m-LgvlQIGcoBn4bprnXq7_HBUA51Eo0FAi1kzOKDFrbo68oLkGSSNNK2mnl5d2oUpkm7IG9YUTij25rLdI/s1600/1377259_10153313280930595_820505498_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqHf-PBhQVjxtB_dX9uSdV_-lsctNKsDrob7Dw-cHhFRyrgG0NmCIfS4n-m-LgvlQIGcoBn4bprnXq7_HBUA51Eo0FAi1kzOKDFrbo68oLkGSSNNK2mnl5d2oUpkm7IG9YUTij25rLdI/s320/1377259_10153313280930595_820505498_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Serious rodeo contestant guys... at the one & only gymkhana i've ridden in.. marking probably a solid 2 minute run on thread the needle.</i></div>
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& Although I <b>DO</b> know what Tuf Cooper competes in...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQeV86yk63xRsFHrIrfrbzukLabj9jG4GM-G__h-KXCn4-aL_6VNu8u8w5CduY8ZKARS6HgDz6lj245657TLxtGOXuUOa3wQk313xF8NDTqKPPgz5dfp4kLjJpkC648UpH1o3bfgPLPpU/s1600/BaV0I-7IQAAB5qy.jpg-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQeV86yk63xRsFHrIrfrbzukLabj9jG4GM-G__h-KXCn4-aL_6VNu8u8w5CduY8ZKARS6HgDz6lj245657TLxtGOXuUOa3wQk313xF8NDTqKPPgz5dfp4kLjJpkC648UpH1o3bfgPLPpU/s320/BaV0I-7IQAAB5qy.jpg-large.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Maaaaybe</i> I'm a bit of a buckle bunny....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1H2MN7EQ3QsWcL4THd5KCNSte2Wghx1Z5YyVK6yN9Ab0Vk6UOJECTGihU_34_W63548vL54kN-zqzK9HRKrJFg45_bGyOB2L2Eqa34MeQVSU6ZvdYDHB8xCdvrUDYu4mdYNqrllKFEJQ/s1600/400full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1H2MN7EQ3QsWcL4THd5KCNSte2Wghx1Z5YyVK6yN9Ab0Vk6UOJECTGihU_34_W63548vL54kN-zqzK9HRKrJFg45_bGyOB2L2Eqa34MeQVSU6ZvdYDHB8xCdvrUDYu4mdYNqrllKFEJQ/s320/400full.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>I will give you some serious rodeo-props if you know what movie this early buckle-bunny Renee cameo is from</i></div>
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But, all of that aside, the NFR was another good one this year. My favourite event is Barrels, and one of my favourite racers is Sherry Cervi. No one contests that the woman is a talented, talented hand with a horse, a serious competitor, and a gracious, lovely woman. I even met her once at the Stampede and she was so nice and down to earth. </div>
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& after a solid year, Sherry won the average as well as the Gold Buckle, the Top Gun Award and the world this year on her phenomenal horse Stingray. I can't pull it up on youtube, but if you want to see how cool these two are together, especially just in their everyday routines on the road, search "Up Close & Personal with Sherry Cervi" a video put on by The Classic Real Deal.</div>
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However, two big controversies have come out of the NFR after the dirt in the Thomas & Mack settled after Round Ten. </div>
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The first being the team of Taylor Jacob and Bo, Rookie of the Year. Taylor won an impressive number of rounds AND set an arena record on her horse. Taylor was quickly becoming the world's newest Rodeo golden girl, the way she enters the arena is so wonderful - quiet, composed and Bo is clearly listening to her. Then.. after two nights of knocking barrels she knocked the third barrel in Round Ten, the camera panned to her in the alley and it showed her see-sawing on her horses face. The camera quickly panned away, and just as quickly the internet BLEW UP with forums and facebook posts about how people the world over had lost their respect for the rookie of the year.</div>
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Here is the video...</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/r6p1vzQdego?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<i>Go to 2:33 to see what I'm talking about</i></div>
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Tough. Part of me feels bad for Jacob, who has yet to release a statement about it, perhaps it was a Rookie mistake. Perhaps she really did loose her cool (which a lot of people are alleging was the cause of the incident) and, in that case, she does have a long way to mature and learn how to lose gracefully. I agree with most in that she owes a lot to Bo. However, another camp is stating that Bo can be a really bad stopper in the alleyway and that multiple times he's tried to crash her into fences instead of stopping. The Thomas and Mack is also set up in a very barrel unfriendly way, if you keep running, you will end up on cement and hit a fence. So, perhaps it was a dangerous situation and she was attempting to stop him, and make him stop. Either way, it put a bit of tarnish on all those buckles (5) she won during NFR.</div>
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Second, and perhaps even more insane, was this announcement from Las Vegas Events via their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LasVegasNFR">Official NFR Experience Facebook Page...</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The 2014 <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/wranglernfr" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">#WranglerNFR</a> Las Vegas dates will be December 4-13, 2014. You will hear many rumblings over the next few months about the future of the NFR and Las Vegas. Here is the statement we issued earlier today. We look forward to a great relationship with our fans in 2014 and beyond! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Statement from Las Vegas Events Regarding the PRCA’s Rejection of Las Vegas’ Offer to Extend the Contract for the<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">Wrangler National Finals Rodeo</span></span> </blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">The PRCA voted today 6-3 to decline the offer Las Vegas Events made for an extension of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo to pursue an offer made by Osceola County, Florida. Osceola County exceeded LVE’s offer by more than $4 million.<br /><br />We are disappointed that the PRCA has chosen to pursue a completely speculative offer versus Las Vegas’ proven 29-year track record.<br /><br />Adding an additional $4 million to the budget would require a 40% increase in ticket prices. That is not sustainable. We have to balance the demands of the PRCA with the consequence of pricing our fans out of the market. In fact, LVE does not generate a profit from the NFR. All revenue generated from the NFR including ticket sales, Cowboy Christmas, local sponsorship sales and a $2 million LVCVA and LVE rights fee, go directly to the contestants and the PRCA.<br /><br />Now that we know the PRCA’s true intentions, we will put our full effort into developing a new Series and Finals. For almost 30 years, we have developed a loyal fan base that calls Las Vegas home for the first two weeks in December. We are confident our new “Finals” will exceed all expectations.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">The PRCA voted today 6-3 to decline the offer Las Vegas Events made for an extension of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo to pursue an offer made by Osceola County, Florida. Osceola County exceeded LVE’s offer by more than $4 million.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">We are disappointed that the PRCA has chosen to pursue a completely speculative offer versus Las Vegas’ proven 29-year track record.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">Adding an additional $4 million to the budget would require a 40% increase in ticket prices. That is not sustainable. We have to balance the demands of the PRCA with the consequence of pricing our fans out of the market. In fact, LVE does not generate a profit from the NFR. All revenue generated from the NFR including ticket sales, Cowboy Christmas, local sponsorship sales and a $2 million LVCVA and LVE rights fee, go directly to the contestants and the PRCA.</span></span> </blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">Now that we know the PRCA’s true intentions, we will put our full effort into developing a new Series and Finals. For almost 30 years, we have developed a loyal fan base that calls Las Vegas home for the first two weeks in December. We are confident our new “Finals” will exceed all expectations.</span></span></blockquote>
Team... this is NOT OKAY... Florida?! Vegas is all glitz and glam and cowboy christmas... it was made for the NFR. Florida is... snow birds... and oranges.. and stuff.. who even knows? Meanwhile, there are the diehards that are saying <i>"if it ain't vegas, it's Oklahoma, and if it's somewhere new it better gosh-darnit-Itellya-be-in Texas."</i> However, I'm right there with them. Vegas is glitz and glam, but it's also pretty cheap - totally affordable flights and hotels (.. even if they get a bit crazier during NFR time) so that thousands upon thousands can go down and do some serious shopping and rodeo-watching every year. Furthermore, Florida is pretty far away for a lot of rodeo contestants, most of which are from Texas, or other more central states, and hard on horses who have been hauled all year and now have to be hauled even farther for the finals. Although it's not official, and nothing is set in stone, it appears Las Vegas events is very offended by the PRCA's actions.<br />
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Furthermore, I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO THE NFR IN VEGAS, and gosh-darnit I want to be there, more importantly I want to SHOP there. This means some serious saving, because I need to get my butt down there next year in 2014, especially if it's the last Finals that Vegas ever sees...<br />
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<b><i>So, any rodeo fans in my readership, what do you think of Taylor Jacob and what do you think of Florida as the potential new home for the WNFR?</i></b><br />
<br />Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-10283397046028138052013-12-08T16:39:00.001-08:002013-12-08T16:39:44.534-08:00Winter in Texas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Santa got lost in Texas...</span></div>
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<i>"Your pretty dumb like me, he said, to work in the wintery frost"</i></div>
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... with ya on that one Santa.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">... & perhaps he couldn't leave</span></div>
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Because at the moment Texas is experiencing record-breaking cold and ice. This morning Fort Worth had to shut down the freeways so that a "Task Force" could work on clearing ice off the roads that in some areas is 8" thick. <b>Not. Okay.</b></div>
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Last week it got a little chilly... in fact our donkey had little icicles on his ears...</div>
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My Canadian friends basically told me to zip it since they were experiencing the beginning of what would become -40 C weather. Yes friends, my hometown/home province was one of the coldest places IN THE WORLD for about a week and a half.. sorry guys, that's just bad luck.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhVOXchMU2Y9vokENlwfJhSarRtnduSzKp1EZ2mtvFGjm6QVBlwghB_V8nrSYWD8BkAJ5U8-NzrYAcT4RB26jrboM9ZzzzcFzG2LummNYQM6y8it-NmTS2Qs9hTEEFXXF-4Lu-Aw-1Yg/s1600/IMG_0265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhVOXchMU2Y9vokENlwfJhSarRtnduSzKp1EZ2mtvFGjm6QVBlwghB_V8nrSYWD8BkAJ5U8-NzrYAcT4RB26jrboM9ZzzzcFzG2LummNYQM6y8it-NmTS2Qs9hTEEFXXF-4Lu-Aw-1Yg/s320/IMG_0265.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Then, the storm hit, and it got REAL cold in Texas REAL fast.</div>
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None of my friends and family seem to care, since they are all living in Antarctica currently (actually.. Antarctica is warmer), but I know for a fact it is really cold. How do I know this? Because I have been wearing MORE clothes out here while riding than I ever did in our unheated barn in the dead of Winter in Calgary last year.</div>
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The problem with Texas cold is that it is humid, so when it gets cold, it starts to rain, then it starts to sleet, then it starts to rain down ice chunks from the sky, and all this "snow" that you see in my photos? It's actually legitimately pure ice... no snow here... just a big statewide skating rink.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1PNOmf87cWznyBVWAu4je1GHcw8RVK2XsFa9mCrL6Tmo5iiSBGPmZRqF4fsgYzYuPfAWEApkKvJJzrsDQ_SdygERQm9Rng1rWNwMtaSw5Ldj8pLc5AE1FzZoeqPVLxQsLfkqTbbtgBb0/s1600/IMG_0320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1PNOmf87cWznyBVWAu4je1GHcw8RVK2XsFa9mCrL6Tmo5iiSBGPmZRqF4fsgYzYuPfAWEApkKvJJzrsDQ_SdygERQm9Rng1rWNwMtaSw5Ldj8pLc5AE1FzZoeqPVLxQsLfkqTbbtgBb0/s320/IMG_0320.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Infact, part of our roof caved in, in several different parts of our barn, so we had to move horses around.</div>
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Jake, one of our three year olds, was ELATED that the resident goofy stud, Bear got placed beside him.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_RItlbUo1k7L25zC1KzXRQ0CFswVGMtVsrz5PH8qA2RI8Bu-CaPo5Youk8o5AtmHOT2afQNYKPXGCxj8OnTFE51SLANkoX6Po4ZsNU8T4aDBaQdBUJ5a1gH1xvoyg8YTsweMiW5QZZD4/s1600/IMG_0321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_RItlbUo1k7L25zC1KzXRQ0CFswVGMtVsrz5PH8qA2RI8Bu-CaPo5Youk8o5AtmHOT2afQNYKPXGCxj8OnTFE51SLANkoX6Po4ZsNU8T4aDBaQdBUJ5a1gH1xvoyg8YTsweMiW5QZZD4/s320/IMG_0321.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dcOe-ifQmvDSteYVt2t9adIme1rGzTwKiGFApiLhHLjtWF1X1rGmW6fneCbUwP-C_pABUXLHDbUJYBFxWWJ8iX2kREYcl0017vf4GzkVQRCFUk45O6j267qurRKej4MKCIuQ1Aumem0/s1600/IMG_0322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6dcOe-ifQmvDSteYVt2t9adIme1rGzTwKiGFApiLhHLjtWF1X1rGmW6fneCbUwP-C_pABUXLHDbUJYBFxWWJ8iX2kREYcl0017vf4GzkVQRCFUk45O6j267qurRKej4MKCIuQ1Aumem0/s320/IMG_0322.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Because they played, and played, and played all day long, and have finally just settled down. </div>
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My second major problem with the Texas cold, the first being the gosh-darn-stupid-I-hate-it RAIN all the time, is that Texans just don't know how to deal with cold. So, instead of building INSULATED barns, and INDOOR arenas, all the barns are just shells (hence the roof caving in from ice in some areas) and all the arenas are semi open. Ours is three walls, and then the back wall is opened out to pens and runs in and out for the cows. That means that even when you are inside, you are freezing cold due to third major problem, the wind.</div>
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Rain + Semi-Outdoor Arenas + Wind</div>
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= Not. Okay.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxJ_9wO1OL8Z-oyXwZkmzNFFJHQfzoJ8c5eewXmMgX03nvSxS0izifULTAVWPEeZcKCfFNVYK0wu5HohFWoTTx8xPlAFSCxB4d5zKF5tgA7MTR6PxTThLbxfC1rbwpA4038UhyphenhyphenzcMeHg/s1600/IMG_0330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxJ_9wO1OL8Z-oyXwZkmzNFFJHQfzoJ8c5eewXmMgX03nvSxS0izifULTAVWPEeZcKCfFNVYK0wu5HohFWoTTx8xPlAFSCxB4d5zKF5tgA7MTR6PxTThLbxfC1rbwpA4038UhyphenhyphenzcMeHg/s320/IMG_0330.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Everyone likes to come up to me and say <i>"This must just be a breeze for you, hey you crazy Canadian?"</i> & i'm over here in 18 layers, soaked to the bone, wanting to die, like ... actually I want to die now, thanks.</div>
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The one thing I do find amusing about this whole situation is how wholly unprepared Texans are for this. Driving back from Fort Worth the night when the storm first began, Boss-man told us to put the truck and trailer in 4 wheel drive and drive slow. The loper driving about had a mental breakdown because she had never driven in 4 wheel and thought she wasn't allowed to go above 30 mph. I tried to explain to her that in Canada I drive in 4 wheel all winter long and that's what it's meant for... bad conditions. Well, she tried to speed up and kept saying<i> "IT WONT LET ME"</i>, so I just let it go thinking she was being a nitwit, after asking her several times <i>"You're in 4 wheel hi right??" </i>She kept saying she was. Yep... turns out she was in 4 wheel low, and had no idea what that even meant. <i>Sigh... </i>They were also SHOCKED and totally confused about the concept of "winter tires" haha.</div>
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The Cactus, I am sure, are not happy about their new frozen conditions...</div>
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Cactus just aren't meant for this kind of weather, ya'll.</div>
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Nor, am I.</div>
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The boys found a good way to amuse themselves in the ice...</div>
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Finally, this evening, the sun started to appear again and we got a bit of a release from the crazy storm. Fingers crossed that we're almost out of it...</div>
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So yes, Canada, I feel awfully bad for you guys, and I hope that you are all staying warm. There is nothing okay with how cold it is up there right now... absolutely ridiculous!</div>
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But atleast you have indoor arenas to ride in, and are prepared for snow.. unlike Texas, where the whole state is having an ice-induced mental breakdown.</div>
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<br />Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-21028724460337319642013-12-01T17:00:00.001-08:002013-12-01T17:00:26.429-08:00Because I miss Ponyboy...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
... I purchased this Tory Keepsake ID Padded Bracelet for myself off <a href="http://www.horse.com/item/tory-keepsake-id-padded-bracelet-oakbark-hunter/E004446/">Horse.com</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMLc-8HDr-XHyl8ah4vAz-Heg-zButzuNUFZS8ntFzmyMbxW-f3OvpLsNVNLpBgdSo21U5PMPqvcTp0dpGwMRcEz3utGZTTQ1elR1khq-hrljf61JPdlYswcVdJzaHGapGnBe2IDhECyI/s1600/Picture+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMLc-8HDr-XHyl8ah4vAz-Heg-zButzuNUFZS8ntFzmyMbxW-f3OvpLsNVNLpBgdSo21U5PMPqvcTp0dpGwMRcEz3utGZTTQ1elR1khq-hrljf61JPdlYswcVdJzaHGapGnBe2IDhECyI/s320/Picture+1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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I actually love the quality, the leather is really soft and supple and the padding is comfortable against my wrist. My co-workers teased me mercilessly for it, (they said I was a big lame-o haha) but I really love this bracelet. I think it looks really clean, polished and timeless. It also means a little piece of him is always with me, even when we're in different countries. :)</div>
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<br />Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-85667174547352325842013-11-26T18:15:00.000-08:002013-11-26T18:16:53.747-08:00Diagonals and Directions<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Our First Topic Today...</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>Diagonals</i></span></b></div>
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Ie.</div>
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The trot is a two beat gait. When a horse trots it reaches forward with its left foreleg, and right hind leg, and then reaches forward with its right foreleg and left hind leg—the diagonal legs are synchronized. With a trot there are always two hooves on the ground and two in suspension. The footfall pattern remains the same whether the horse is <a href="http://horses.about.com/od/learntoride/ht/turndirectrein.htm" style="color: #3366cc; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">turning</a> left or right. So the <a href="http://horses.about.com/od/understandinghorses/a/whatisahorse.htm" style="color: #3366cc; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">horse</a> doesn’t actually have diagonals. At a trot it is the rider that needs to be aware of what diagonal pair to rise or sit on to help the horse balance and flex. When circling and turning, the rider rises when the outside foreleg and inside hind hits the ground. Nothing about the horse’s <a href="http://horses.about.com/od/glossaryofhorsetermst/g/definition-meaning-of-trot-horse.htm" style="color: #3366cc; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">trot</a> changes when the rider changes diagonals, which they will do when they change direction to circle or turn in the opposite direction.</div>
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-from <a href="http://horses.about.com/od/learntoride/f/diagonals.htm">http://horses.about.com/</a></div>
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<i>Basic's for the Cutting Horse...</i></div>
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Today Boss-Man's Assistant Trainer asked me to trot both ways on the horse I was warming up for him. I thought he was checking her soundness. After I was done he asked me if I'd ever ridden English, I replied with <i>"Uhm.. not really.. why?" </i>He just shrugged and said, "<i>Because you know your diagonals</i>." I stared at him blankly, before finally squeaking out <i>(wondering if I was being a total idiot and generally confused about what was happening)</i> "<i>Yes. Doesn't everyone?</i>" Apparently not, according to him, a lot of people he sees in the industry don't seem to know their diagonals. He told me that, in fact, it was only a few years ago that he found out about trot diagonals from a past Boss' wife who rode Dressage. Our two year old trainer chimed in that, he too, did not know about diagonals until recently and said <i>"I thought it was an english thing..."</i><br />
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<i></i>Please remember that these are both pretty accomplished guys that both have a keen interest in proper technique and training. They regularly have in-depth conversations about the "mechanics behind the proper footfalls in the turnaround." Like, what does that even mean? & they didn't know their diagonals until a couple years ago...<br />
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<b>WHAT?! </b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Now, are most of you shocked that people who ride competitively don't know their diagonals? Because I most certainly was.</span></b><br />
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Assistant Trainer finished off the whole diagonal discussion with explaining to me why he was so interested in diagonals lately. He claims that he's noticed a lot of our horses hopping into their lope departures, and he's been spending a lot of time working on bending them and working them slowly at the jog and trot. He said that one of his ideas behind why they are doing this is because some of our lopers don't use the correct diagonal, and when they ask for the lope departure in the corners of our arena, it is causing the horse to have to over-compensate into the lope. He said he wasn't sure if that's actually why they were doing it, but that it's one of the ideas he's working on. Finally, the discussion turned in to one of the basics of horsemanship, and how he believes that the industry is lacking a sense of horsemanship, and that it's sorely missed. All in all, very interesting.<br />
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This story has a point... i'm getting there... I promise.<br />
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I have a very hard time picking up my right diagonal correctly. I literally have to count the gait out to get it, and it frustrates me to no end. It's literally a mind over body thing, i'm getting much better but every once and awhile I have to do the 'ol double-bounce into the correct diagonal and I always get embarrassed about it. So, to find out, that a) my co-workers probably weren't even noticing and b) hey, I'm doing something right that other people aren't... is a nice feeling.. because it brings us all to:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Our Second Topic Today...</span><br />
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></i></b></div>
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<b>Ie. Where am I going & What am I doing & [insert general spiral downwards here]</b></div>
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<i>Toto... we ain't in Kansas anymore..</i></div>
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Looking back on my "career" thus far at the ripe 'ol age of 21, i've grown exponentially month by month with horses and my own riding since I was 16. When I was16, I didn't know how to pick out a horses hoof... let alone my diagonals, leads, leg yields etc. As I get older and have more time to devote to riding and my general focus on horses, that exponential growth seems more directed, and rapid. However, I am ridiculously hard on myself, and I can't help but compare myself to other 21 year olds that are winning in the cutting pen, that are finding themselves already in the Hall of Fame, are working amazing jobs where they are training high-level horses etc. etc. I'm just not there yet, I'm barely there, I have a toe kind of in the door and i'm death-fighting to get another in. It can be very frustrating. </div>
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BUT, today I was thinking hard about all of these things i've mentioned... my direction is atleast on the right path and i'm hungry for it. Hungrier than i've ever been for anything. I think that fighting instinct, that i've had for the last couple years, is a really good thing. I'm not slowing down and i'm fighting to keep going faster in the right direction. </div>
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Plus, I need to remind myself that comparison gets you nowhere. I'm not those people, the only person I can be is me, so I need to take that for what it's worth and just keep on going. However, yes, a tiny little piece of me felt a little gratified that, for once, maybe for the first time ever, it was pointed out to me that I knew something about riding that the people around me didn't... and it was so simple!</div>
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Finally, horsemanship is very important to me, and one day I want to be able to have an intelligent, comprehensive discussion about the proper mechanics of the footfall of the turnaround, and more...! Today, I watched a video on my facebook wall of someone working a horse on the flag... it was not very flattering. I am beginning to be able to pick up on the nuances of what is good, and what is bad when working a horse on the flag, and on a cow. That's something I wouldn't have been able to do even 6 months ago... So, it shows me that i'm learning, i'm growing and i'm somewhere on the right track, even if i'm stumbling around on aforementioned track.</div>
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Perhaps this post was really more for me than anything, but hey - maybe you'll enjoy my introspective ramblings as well.</div>
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<i>We've come a long way baby..</i></div>
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<i>a wee 15 year old Louisa & Windsong</i></div>
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Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-47184651415464604892013-11-22T16:05:00.001-08:002013-11-22T16:05:35.579-08:00My Teammate.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I miss Jingle.</div>
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A lot.</div>
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Leaving him behind was pretty hard on me. For a year he's pretty much all I focused and devoted my passion too. I'm obviously getting more than enough horse-time down here, but it's not quite the same. Jingle is, first and foremost, mine, so I could do with him whatever I pleased. Work on something in the arena today - done, go for a trail ride - perfect, spend hours grooming him and playing with him but never getting any actual work done - let's do it. I'm really missing heading to the barn and having that "alone" time, in my own head, working on something with my most favourite teammate. Jingle is the experiment horse, much to his chagrin, when I hear about a training technique, or think up a new thing we should learn, we both go to plodding through it. I miss my lazy days, and my plodding days, I even miss our bad days. I am very excited to go home and see him, even if I might not get a chance to ride him.</div>
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<i>Taken on one of our last days at the barn before I moved him. We played the "chase" game, which is where I run through and over obstacles and he follows me around. I love to turn around and watch him pole-bend with me. haha.</i></div>
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<i>Saying goodbye to my baby for the next few months</i></div>
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I don't even think I blogged about jingle's "new home", because it made me so sad. In fact he got a massage done right before I moved him and left, and the masseuse was so in-tuned to me and my ponyboy that she looked me right in the eye and said, <i>"This may seem weird but sometimes I feel like horses "talk" to me subconsciously, have you told him you are leaving yet? I think you need to have that conversation with him... he knows you'll come back."</i> I instantly, without any warning from my own body, burst into some real-time Oprah ugly crying. She went on to ask me if I ever "talk" to him subconsciously and I admitted that I do, quite a bit. I then went on to explain how hard it was for me to leave him, because I had once promised him that I would never leave him again. Once upon a time he went missing for two months at the ranch he was born and raised on, I had already planned to buy him, and once he was located and came home, I made that promise - that he would always be mine and always be safe, and that I would never leave him. We had a good talk, and the next day I had a good "talk" with my horse. It's all a little woo-woo and airy-fairy, and if you know me you know I'm neither, but in the end I felt comfortable in my decision to leave him for a short time.</div>
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However, there is a positive, I was really lucky and found him an amazing place. A co-worker of my moms has land and three daughters and a wife that show competitively in the breed circuit. I've known him for a long time as well because I also worked at her office on and off for the past couple years. I couldn't keep Jingle at the barn we were boarding at because it was just too expensive. Luckily, they offered to take him for quite a reduced price. It's a nice place, big and well-fenced, and also really well taken care of. Jingle is out with some other horses and is checked up on everyday. I pester them with emails every couple weeks and now that it's gotten cold he's in the blanket I wanted him in, and seems to be happy. The other day, through email, they said he could stay as long as I needed and that he isn't a bother at all - which is wonderful, and a huge weight off my shoulders.</div>
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<i>Jingle at his temporary home, on his Fall/Winter break. "Semi-retirement" as he likes to call it, is suiting him nicely.</i></div>
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I even sent Brigitte out to go see him, and bring our cantankerous farrier with her to trim his feet. <i>(I also pulled his shoes before I left... serious new life for ponyboy.)</i> Brig snapped some photos for me, and true to form he is very fuzzy, has lost all that beautiful muscle to some big time pudginess, and his mane is an every-which-way mess. As many of you will remember, Jingle was always groomed and braided to the nines... his mother is a little psychotic. However, he seemed very happy (she reports), and to me that is all that matters.</div>
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Can't be too happy though... that's only reserved for when we are together ;)</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Anyways, this nostalgic, sad, I miss and love my horse post was spurred on by this article a friend posted from Horse.com about a study that proves that some horses and riders have a co-being relationship. "<a href="http://www.thehorse.com/articles/32915/study-some-horses-riders-have-co-being-relationship">Study: Some horses and riders have co-being relationship</a>". In short, "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;">Co-being refers to a state of relationship in which each partner evolves to “fit” better with each other, both physically and mentally." I think this is something that most riders know already, and as this blog post shows, I am a firm believer that Jingle is my co-being... but interesting that a study has now proven it - give it a read if you're interested!</span></span></div>
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<br />Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-9985475962465062992013-11-21T16:20:00.000-08:002013-11-21T16:20:06.715-08:00The Best Proposal...<div style="text-align: center;">
Excuse this break in me whining about how early I have to wake up, I (for once) have a non-texas related blog post:</div>
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Professional's Choice shared this on their Facebook page, they found it on Pinterest...</div>
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How cute is this?! Ten points for this man, for sure.</div>
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Okay, now back to our regular scheduled whining about how FAH-REA-KIN early I have to wake up during the Futurity...</div>
<br />Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-35777077416117914352013-11-17T18:26:00.001-08:002013-11-18T16:17:39.002-08:00Pre-Work: San Angelo, TX<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So after the "South Texas" pre-work we headed home Wednesday afternoon, worked the horses Thursday and then worked them Friday morning, loaded them on the trailer and headed out to San Angelo, TX for another pre-work.</div>
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We got there just as the sun was setting, and got to unloading...</div>
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The horses were <u style="font-weight: bold;">much</u> calmer at their new destination than they were when we first unloaded them at South Texas. Stalls are what they know, and they all settled right in. Except for the above wingbat, who thinks it's appropriately to play the "rear as high as I can for 45 minutes" in her stall whenever we take her anywhere... <i>sigh</i>... can't help 'em all can ya?</div>
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THIS is my most favourite sight when we arrive at a show, or a new place. Hay out for the morning, supplements by stalls, horses fed and blanketed and halters used as an extra locking mechanism = meaning = <b><u>done </u></b>for the night.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1Hj8Bx8HDvwSYwp-swoLxgSBDrK6qZkrLy32JmhgSJ0aBe9_vHFWnUHOCJ9fZWZDrH-fCCwXiOCWeV1p-Nt1Z9JlWy7GAD20-sjLY2X7YJGdcZ7uV2vEl3j6tz7Hm9q2LndXR58LHNs/s1600/IMG_0199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1Hj8Bx8HDvwSYwp-swoLxgSBDrK6qZkrLy32JmhgSJ0aBe9_vHFWnUHOCJ9fZWZDrH-fCCwXiOCWeV1p-Nt1Z9JlWy7GAD20-sjLY2X7YJGdcZ7uV2vEl3j6tz7Hm9q2LndXR58LHNs/s320/IMG_0199.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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We were put up in serious style, the hotel we stayed in was quite nice. </div>
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However, it's not like we got to enjoy it much because the first horse was to go at 7:00 am the next morning...</div>
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<u>Excellent News....</u></div>
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Our horses were complete and utter gems <i>(for the most part)</i> during San Angelo. At the beginning of the week they were absolute hell demons, and all of a sudden by the end of the week it was like the "show horse" switch got turned on, and all of a sudden they were like<i> "hey, we got this"</i>. San Angelo was a very important pre-work for us because it was done up just like a show, various (maybe 10-15) trainers brought their 3 year olds. There were draws, and sets, just like at a typical show, and we warmed up the three year olds like we would show horses at an actual show. So, it was a great way to see how the horses would be in a real show setting, with lots of other horses in the warm-up pen, new stalls, etc. etc. We, being the over-achievers we ar,e brought the most three year olds of anyone... 18... that meant myself, and our other loper were literally on horses from 6:00 am all the way until 6:00 pm. No rest for the wicked.</div>
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<i>Here are Fonzie and Peppa taking a breather in the centre of the pen, and saying hello too eachother.</i></div>
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The only "hell demon moment" we had for the two days was unfortunately with me... (always the lucky one)... I was swapping out a loping bridle for a show bridle and turned around to talk to Boss Man's wife. I had the reins around a horse, Jewel's, neck, and the second I turned around, she ducked right out from under those reins and went screamin' and gallopin' through the outside of the warm-up pen and right outside, and all the way into the barn area. She turned into the first aisle, which thankfully was our stalls, and Boss Man went gallopin' off after her as I booked it down the other way. We got her cornered and I haltered her, but I wasn't exactly happy about doing the loper walk of shame back through the warm-up pen and bridling her... Unimpressed, very unimpressed.</div>
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<i>Fonzie, who unfortunately for him, was ridden twice in one day because his morning performance was a little less than stellar.</i></div>
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The Spur Arena is where we were in San Angelo, and I must say that it was 1000000 x nicer than the fairgrounds in Jackson where the Southern was held. Big and open, really clean, and the only downside was the arena got pretty hot with all of us in there. </div>
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First night done! You can't tell really well in this photo but a lot of those trailers are super mini-mini trailers that haul hogs and sheep, there was a big 4-H deal going on at another arena on the grounds when we were there. It was SO CUTE.</div>
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What does a loper need after a day at a "show" or a "work" or whatever the heck you wanna call it? A Margarita, always a margarita, maybe even a beergarita... :) This is the #1 reason I love it down here, there are margaritas EVERYWHERE.</div>
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Each aisle had their own washracks.... what an absolute dream come true, no walking to and from washracks, no waiting on other lopers, no carrying your stuff too and fro.. suck on that Jackson!</div>
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Our last day was foggy and cloudy, we worked through all the horses and again, all of them were wonderful. It was AMAZING to me that they could go from SO BAD at the beginning of the week to just... figuring it out. I also contribute a lot of it to the fact that in a show-setting there were TONS of other horses there, doing the exact same thing that our babies had too, so it helped that they were never alone like they had been in South Texas since it was just us, and that they just had to move forward alongside the other horses there.</div>
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We were pretty proud of our little ponies, and on Sunday night we hauled home after our works were done. Yup, 20 hour day by the time we got done and home, and the next morning we were up and show-bathing them at home by 8 am. </div>
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Nobody ever said lopers get sleep... <b>nobody</b>.</div>
<br />Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-7192615179736812582013-11-15T18:34:00.000-08:002013-11-15T18:34:12.464-08:00Tis the Season of: Pre-Works<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pre-Work:</span></b><br />
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<b>1. </b>An event held to simulate a show, so three year old cutting horses can have "show-experience" before their first show experience - the Fort Worth Futurity... <b><u>"The Futurity".</u></b></blockquote>
Also:<br />
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<b><u></u></b><b>2. </b>A way to completely burn out your lopers before you run them absolutely ragged before <b><u>"The Futurity".</u></b><b>3. </b>A fun way to bring out the most innerest hell-demon in your most mildest and meekest three year old.</blockquote>
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Our First Pre-Work was last week, and will from here on out be deemed...<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"South Texas"</b></span>.<br />
We headed to a client's ranch near Brady, Tx to have a sort of private pre-work with just our horses, and then some of theirs that they still have at their house. A way to test the waters before we headed to pre-works with other trainers.<br />
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We woke up at a really awesome time...<br />
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& we left, and drove the entire way there with some really spectacular light...</div>
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& I was really just over-joyed with the entire concept of a 2:30 am wake-up call...</div>
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No. No I was not. The above statements were dirty lies.</div>
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Our very stalled, very sheltered three-year olds (we brought 18 in total), were for the most part put in outdoor runs, which caused them to become over-joyed bucking machines... <i>"Oh my god, we are outside, and we are somewhere new and we should just run blindly around..."</i></div>
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Here are Floyd and Jake looking like cute little friendly three year olds, later on in the morning these two would both try to turf my ass multiple times...</div>
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& that, my friends, was the general theme for the entire first day of the South Texas Pre-Work... "let's try to turf these lopers asses". I kid you not, I did not have ONE uneventful ride. My sweet little babies turned into absolute HELL DEMONS and by the end of the day my nerves were rattled and my shoulder muscles were so tense I wondered if my body would ever feel normal again.</div>
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Atleast South Texas was very pretty...</div>
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I could look out on some gorgeous scenery while my three year olds ran around like they'd never been ridden before.</div>
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Even my most dependable, most loving stallion Jacko (and most laziest... the most laziest...), farted, and scared himself and bucked. COME ON.</div>
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However, as one would think, South Texas taught us a lot of things about our little hell-devils... We had to start to figure out how to properly calm each one down due to personality. </div>
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For the ones that were just being evil (okay they were just being very fresh, excited, and feeding off eachother), there was "the game". See, a lot of the time, our little shitheads would think it was acceptable to try to run us into arena walls... "The Game" is what I also like to call "The Breezing Game". It takes a bit of guts and courage and hold onnnnnn, but basically what you do is get those little buggers going as fast as they can, the rules are you just let them run, turn them only when necessary and stay out of their way. They will run, and run, and run, and run, and when they begin to slow down because they figure out that your not going anywhere and they don't realistically like pretending to be racehorses you say "NOPE" and keep them going. Finally, when YOU decide that they are done pretending to be secretariat, you slow them right now and let them walk and think about their evil ways. "The Game" got pretty western a few times (a saying I love dearly... meaning: a little bit scary) but worked like a charm for every horse I had to do it on. The next day those little racehorses decided they realistically wanted to go back to extended-trot champions.</div>
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Then there were our genuinely very nervous, very timid, very scared crew... for them.. lots of pets and lots of slow stuff. They take off... you take them into a corner and trot small circles, widening those circles until they are less scared. You take your legs and spurs out of the equation, you get nice and quiet and calm and you work really slow until they figure out that this new arena isn't going to eat them. Then you can pick up the speed, but for the most part you can't pick on them, and you need to let them figure it out for themselves.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfFMUWb3Ivk87gD3mxQIZWyRa7cqDGcwoNlBSymMgR8tqooo0TQOPJtYOiAaG-qQH852YdsFUkkFLcnizwy8TJ_hJXcYpzEalWjxk0o6A__yCazjtcCSdmV5fVA6MOgrvtBQqJ1jJyFo/s1600/IMG_0157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfFMUWb3Ivk87gD3mxQIZWyRa7cqDGcwoNlBSymMgR8tqooo0TQOPJtYOiAaG-qQH852YdsFUkkFLcnizwy8TJ_hJXcYpzEalWjxk0o6A__yCazjtcCSdmV5fVA6MOgrvtBQqJ1jJyFo/s320/IMG_0157.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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& for those times when you really feel like your about to hit the dirt... this arena was marvelous because the centre was much deeper due to them working cows on the outside. So, you would send those naughty ponies right to the middle and they'd quit fighting you because they'd have to fight the dirt instead.</div>
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By day two, most of our hell-demons were reformed, and by day three... all of a sudden we had progress and some budding show horses. What's up now?!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQIAdLUcmnmrUw_WVCq61rcL5-7EWPDSOVAnRqe4Iv1fyRl-WyqbzA6aDN8XkmIwI7PegaYrMK3WBFSMeuz9yIzEpchd_QV3X4EHIpHP0V5KovzYLJLh23ulyUd9_xBEISp1f6t3_aao/s1600/IMG_0185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQIAdLUcmnmrUw_WVCq61rcL5-7EWPDSOVAnRqe4Iv1fyRl-WyqbzA6aDN8XkmIwI7PegaYrMK3WBFSMeuz9yIzEpchd_QV3X4EHIpHP0V5KovzYLJLh23ulyUd9_xBEISp1f6t3_aao/s320/IMG_0185.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's the crew - slinkie and sheeted up on the afternoon of day three - waiting to be loaded and taken back to home... where "The Game" does not exist.</div>
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My fellow loper and I were quite happy with the end result, but let me tell you... that first day of South Texas is not a day that my body can repeat for quite some time... no thank you. Mostly, all I could think of was Fort Worth, and the stress that comes with it. I've begun to call it the "Fort Worth Flu"... aka... the sickness that is, "WHAT if our three year olds are like this at <b><u>"The Futurity"</u></b>, this cannot happen to me."</div>
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Oh and how do you know you work at a cutting barn...?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuOUu-JWvXrVo0MVdQQDFMaOniA1r7yAQjNwdzc8bPXcLuJ5DUPWkbnsq5mcIDKT0C_tCNEg4IfQPsLHJczVSWIKe-5859wHE4R3jnEr9-TC7sy0KlCk0vtqkhpqsIthSG-QXzXrj5gz0/s1600/IMG_0186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuOUu-JWvXrVo0MVdQQDFMaOniA1r7yAQjNwdzc8bPXcLuJ5DUPWkbnsq5mcIDKT0C_tCNEg4IfQPsLHJczVSWIKe-5859wHE4R3jnEr9-TC7sy0KlCk0vtqkhpqsIthSG-QXzXrj5gz0/s320/IMG_0186.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Chipped nail polish, hands that look 20 years older than you and of course - elastics as accessories.</div>
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Gotta keep those tails up and off the ground!</div>
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& final tip of the day: How to tell if someone is "in the know"... after someone rides a horse at one of these things the proper question <b><u>is not </u></b>"how did it go?" or "how was the ride?", <b><u>it is</u></b> "How was your work?" - cutter lingo ya'll.</div>
<b><br /></b>Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-67053063769247555772013-11-03T15:26:00.002-08:002013-11-03T15:26:25.575-08:00The Southern: Jackson, Mississippi (Final Thoughts)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So, it's been a week since Jackson, and as of tomorrow we're headed off to some pre-works a couple hours away for about a week, (no rest for the wicked), so I thought I should "scribble" my last thoughts down before I find myself without any time for awhile.</div>
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<i><b>How to be part of the "in crowd" if you are a loper...</b></i></div>
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1. Vests</div>
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What you wear matters kiddos, and even more importantly than that who you wear matters more. What was "big" in the loping pen were stud vests. These are vests with stallion names that are given away as promotion for the studs. However, the vests come with some stipulations...</div>
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If you have a current and hot stud vests on, you are cool. Make sure the stud is a popular stud on the market right now and you are set. If you have a lesser stud you are still doing okay, just not as good.</div>
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You better make sure said vest and the horse you are warming up have "cat" in their name. Aka, they are the offspring of THE High Brow Cat, bonus points if you are riding/wearing an own son or daughter. </div>
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Now... if you are not wearing a stud vest, you still have a chance because your second best bet is a finalist jacket. These are jackets/vests given away to anyone that makes the finals at shows. Lopers who truly were finalists can smile smugly to themselves where as the rest of the lopers just got horses warmed up that made it into the finals. However, still shows you've been around the block - bonus points if the finals were at one of the "big" shows aka the cutting triple crown, or one of the big money mecuria or world shows.</div>
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Fnally, if all else fails have a nice shirt on - bonus points if you are ballin out with a finalist jacket, stud vest AND a nice shirt that matches the following criteria: it must walk the fine line between sparkly, boring, old fashioned and new age. Trust me - this was achieved by quite a few girls and I drooled everytime they loped by.</div>
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Where we were the "in" shirts were definitely those made by CR Ranchwear... really nice, really pretty, almost on the plain side, but everyone knows you are cool because they are also really expensive. sigh.</div>
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2. Who you are & Who you ride for</div>
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These things matter, especially if your a child of a trainer that has a big name and you, yourself, have racked in the big bucks at the non-pro events, people instantly know who you are. If you are "just" a loper, if you ride for a big time trainer and have ridden for them for awhile, everyone knows ya.</div>
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If you can't manage any of this .... well, you just aren't part of the cool kids.</div>
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&, since you're asking... did I fit in with the in-crowd? Nah, not yet. I felt like my hat was a little on the manly side and my boss even made fun of my hat band (in a joking way of course) but again, at the shows, everyone walks that fine line between old school and flash - some of those girls just looked so impeccable and had the best, most beautiful shaped feminine hats. I am now on the lookout for a hat that is a little more feminine but still gets you noticed. I also felt a little out of my element, as was to be expected, I definitely wasn't on of those impeccable girls who could still lope around with their phone hooked to their ear carrying on conversations with god knows who.</div>
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& yep... bonus points if you can do all of the above while glued to a cellphone, it was AMAZING to me how many people loped while texting, or calling others. It's almost it's own mini trend in the cutting world, I swear 75% of the time if a trainer isn't showing or turning back, they are on their phones. Same with lopers. Craziness.</div>
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<i><b>How do you know if someone is a "Trainers Wife"...</b></i></div>
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The answer is pretty simple my friends, it's four little things:</div>
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Yip, Yee, Yeooo and some very short, to the beat, hand claps.</div>
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This is what you will hear instead of cheering at cutting events, and a lot of trainers wives went all out while their husbands were showing. Boss man, apparently, doesn't like his wife too, but even she let out a couple if his ride was going really well.</div>
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However, dear readers, don't fall into the prejudice that all Trainers Wives are also trophy wives, etc. I saw some of those ladies out there loping horses before dawn and way past dusk. Some of them I was honestly amazed by, they would lope all.day.long for their husbands... even if they employed lopers. Some of them clearly ran the show by organizing who was riding who, what was being brought where etc. etc. and those ladies all ran it while looking just so dosh garn good.</div>
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Basically, what I've taken from Jackson is I need to figure out how to look more stylish while working my ass off... haha, It's just not happening for me yet, but it will come with time... and mascara... and maybe the loss of 10 pounds. </div>
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What can ya do? haha.</div>
Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-38644721957439809332013-10-30T17:24:00.004-07:002013-10-30T17:24:58.026-07:00The Southern: Jackson, Mississippi (In Words)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindGMstLK6O9BKrI817LfQJAW0FPjq00pYC3c-LA7vAs5buopGBJPuYbJEppzleMtgWo1IfYZhLiSuiNrdQMNmw-mAFvRztxH2v7BHutL6GTeE9unQAgmSex-BvFVWzjHlKmJJcXMBOio/s1600/IMG_0093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindGMstLK6O9BKrI817LfQJAW0FPjq00pYC3c-LA7vAs5buopGBJPuYbJEppzleMtgWo1IfYZhLiSuiNrdQMNmw-mAFvRztxH2v7BHutL6GTeE9unQAgmSex-BvFVWzjHlKmJJcXMBOio/s320/IMG_0093.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Okay, so I've finally come down off the mental and physical obliteration that was Jackson and can finally actually talk about it. Also, I'm box-dyeing my hair and have nothing better to do :) Ghetto Texas Cowgirl Princess ya'll.<br />
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I am going to piece together how the show went with some of my overall thoughts which I tried to scribble down in a hurry while it was all going on. Overall, we had a very good show. <i>(I know this because other lopers constantly remarked that to us, apparently we were kickin' some real ass).</i><br />
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First up was the 5/6 Open, with boss man riding 5 of our 5 and 6 year olds. 3 of our crew made it through and one that I warmed up in both the first go and the finals placed third overall, so that was pretty exciting and a good way to start off the show. Our 4 year olds also did pretty good in the 4 year old open with 3/5 making it through there as well. The two others that unfortunately didn't make it through also had respectable showings though, one was a 0.5 point away from making it in and the other was new to showing and had a respectable score. We didn't show any three year olds in the open, and so from there we went into non-pros and then from there the novice/amateur classes for the rest of the week.<br />
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We also showed three nights in the added championship classes, and a lot of our horses picked up cheques there. Let me tell ya - I was VERY happy that none of our clients or boss man showed in the Novice/Amateur added classes... rumour has it some of those ran until 2 am a couple nights. My boss had us up at 5 and meeting him at the flag by 6 every morning so he could work whatever horses were showing that day. Then our days ran until about 7 or 8 pm, any later than that and I would have surely died.<br />
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Out of the 18 we brought to Jackson, 15 made it into atleast one finals whether that be the open/non pro or amateur, if not more than one. That's over 15 cheques. Some of our horses are owned by husband-wife teams, where the husbands will show the horse in the non-pro, and the wife shows the horse in the amateur, so many of our horses showed in all three different categories. I think out of the horses we had showing only one or two didn't have owners come to show them, as well as have my boss show them in the open. I ended up loping primarily for one couple and the horses I warmed up picked up over $10,000. Don't all those zeroes hurt your eyes? They sure hurt mine... that would be nice to have in the pocket right about now.<br />
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So... my thoughts on my first big cutting show... (as written by me the day of)<br />
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<i>This is me, covered in poultice and clearly being a grumplepuss as you will read below</i></div>
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<i>Day One:</i><br />
<i>I am tired. I do not understand how to perfectly warm up a horse and it makes me want to punch a baby. That's how frustrating it is. My feet hurt, a lot. Did I mention I was tired? I hate blankets, sheets and slinkies and putting all three on every night. Screw how long that takes and how slinkies dry out my hands. Ain't nobody got time for horses rearing in an outdoor pen and trying to throw you off into a semi. Nobody. I am tired and my feet hurt. I don't want to talk to anyone anymore, I'd actually rather just curl in a ball of silence anger.</i><br />
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Okay, I am a drama queen but the first day WAS the longest day, ever. 18 hours after a previous 18 hour day and I was D-O-N-E. Slinkies do dry my hands out, and I do hate them. <i>(Except that they make horses look like batman esque superheroes... I like that shit)</i>. Everyday the horses that didn't show had to be ridden, one of them, Money, was being a right jackass and trying to throw me off every 5 minutes. My body was giving up even trying to pretend I could ride a horse and I ended up handing her off to another loper and slinking home in a depression. Finally, I had warmed up two horses that day<i> (maybe actually three? I can't remember)</i> one had been warmed up well, the other <i>(I thought)</i> was ready to go and everyone assured me he was. Except he got into the pen with my Boss and proceeded to literally just try to run into the walls instead of actually cut the cow... My Boss handed him off to me with the words "Way. Too. Fresh"... <i>woooooopsies.</i><br />
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<i>Day Two:</i><br />
<i>Everything is fun and happy when your winning, but everything is awful and miserable when your losing. Plan to win.</i><br />
<i>Efficiency, organization and leadership are key for a smooth show of this size and scale.</i><br />
<i>I am still tired and my feet might at this point just melt away from my body?</i><br />
<i>Wanna know how I knew my two finalists were ready to go today? Here's how: Lope until I feel like dying, walk, then lope another 10 minutes, then walk, they do it again until 4 before the horse goes. Lopers that claim that there is a "feel", and a "finesse" to the warm-up are full of crap and don't believe them, they are just saying that because they don't want to admit that they are about to die too.</i><br />
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<i>Day Four:</i><br />
<i>Do's and Don'ts:</i><br />
<i>Do: Bob that head all you want at the sitting trot, grab your cantle and bounce your arm - that's what the cool kids are doing and you should do it too.</i><br />
<i>Don't: Run into the back of a world famous non-pro in the loping pen, she might have you fired on the spot (true story I heard today)</i><br />
<i>Do: Work your ass off and try not to compare. Comparison, whether it be "I'm not as good as she is", or "I work a thousands times harder than he does", is comparable to evil in my books. Motto: You do you.</i><br />
<i>Don't: Don't tell a cutting client that reiners are better than cutters because you come from a reining background. Don't say that cutters, essentially, just extended trot with no collection around an area whereas reiners are actually broke and you could easily cut on any of yours. Don't say that reiners are actual horseman and cutters aren't... You are an idiot, a complete and utter idiot. </i><br />
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Life lessons from the loping pen right here kid, and that last don't? That actually happened, that was a conversation between another of our lopers and a client who was buying us dinner for our hard work. I was absolutely mortified.<br />
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Apparently the rest of the days just meshed together and I didn't have time for jotting down any notes. So that's all you get of my tired, grumpy rambling.<br />
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Overall, I felt the show was a definite success, and I was pleased with how well it turned out - especially since it was my first. Except for the show laundry, there is nothing nice about show laundry. Ugh. ;)Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-84570964833105025452013-10-28T18:26:00.001-07:002013-10-28T18:26:37.753-07:00"The Southern": Jackson, Mississippi (In Photos)I honestly can't even think enough to formulate an intelligent blog post to talk about my first big show as a loper, so instead, you get photos first - words later.<br />
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So, without further udo...<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Southern in Jackson, Mississippi</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglGrozcvnmVGLwC44Kb-slEmwe5sZ8E3eA8rViIEfyPCY1yYuKXkoDXMbRxRZp2lk_eJLzL3XD9BvW7BQXgjIShSqBJFRttmDXBijwD7ta8bcSeq1CT1yLg4hyphenhyphenBSLmTbIphwfNsN0DwA/s1600/IMG_0087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglGrozcvnmVGLwC44Kb-slEmwe5sZ8E3eA8rViIEfyPCY1yYuKXkoDXMbRxRZp2lk_eJLzL3XD9BvW7BQXgjIShSqBJFRttmDXBijwD7ta8bcSeq1CT1yLg4hyphenhyphenBSLmTbIphwfNsN0DwA/s320/IMG_0087.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>Goose, my poster child for the show. Goose made it into the 4 year old open finals, 4 year old non-pro finals and 4 year old amateur finals. He's a big deal, and i'm quite fond of him.</i></div>
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<i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">***</span></b></i></div>
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We woke up for 4 am, worked all the horses that my Boss was going to show and then headed out for Mississippi around noon. Bankie <i>(the blanket myself and two of my best friends also have)</i> had to come along for a ride. This is Bankie looking solemn in front of a random shanty in Mexico. Just kidding, that's my apartment. :) </div>
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We pulled three rigs, my Boss with his Coach motorhome pulling a 4 horse, his wife pulling an 8 horse and the lopers (us) pulled a 6 horse. Yep, 18 horses, and 4 other client horses met us there.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokvVVK3Lyit8WK9-84nDZ50R_4AN3Zp5Jj5Wf0sQ-AYL62He4OEoaCW1XXr2IjSBDqZgn5d6ISdTjkAlfqUJeoEDclGMIkW5iLqKC7xOMH490aSeJ8fmrIUhemV4wG4seCC5p_zstN2A/s1600/IMG_0033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokvVVK3Lyit8WK9-84nDZ50R_4AN3Zp5Jj5Wf0sQ-AYL62He4OEoaCW1XXr2IjSBDqZgn5d6ISdTjkAlfqUJeoEDclGMIkW5iLqKC7xOMH490aSeJ8fmrIUhemV4wG4seCC5p_zstN2A/s320/IMG_0033.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Favourite American thing of the day: That you guys call borders "lines", as in "Just heading across the Louisiana line now".</div>
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Sunset in Louisiana... still had a long way to haul.</div>
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THE Mississippi River!</div>
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Can people from Mississippi write their state name without singing the song in their head? Because I certainly can not "Miss-i-ss-i-pp-i".</div>
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One blurry photo of the Mississippi line...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbXZS8afyH0gbxhegoVbylefIuA8RUxi_xmZHCPH9V4tzR5P5trz9T4mREw1zo1Mo0SFVXAdEXYbVm_bD-XYohM_Zp9gEb8eG19FiyzQEbmh_sGt2uegdsYZH5VmCojcRJ92Nib1ppAc/s1600/IMG_0046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbXZS8afyH0gbxhegoVbylefIuA8RUxi_xmZHCPH9V4tzR5P5trz9T4mREw1zo1Mo0SFVXAdEXYbVm_bD-XYohM_Zp9gEb8eG19FiyzQEbmh_sGt2uegdsYZH5VmCojcRJ92Nib1ppAc/s320/IMG_0046.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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This was my view for about 6, if not more, hours a day.</div>
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Circles, Circles, make your horse sweat until it wants to die, Circles, Cirles.</div>
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My generally philosophy as a loper is lope them until my body is literally screaming, then lope ten more minutes. Then walk, let them catch their air, then do it all over again. Everyone kept talking about how they had "feel" for when their horses were ready - I call bullshit.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIOBFEYe_KYJj-vbRWxAwbxvfNY4GlPlKApiZbV_M6O4GBPALz4Il-7fMyGGdvxb0ENLNRYf4SJGEA2J3sPcgFIVf-Zm6gSnWlODbrc68mQL8YKxWOhFteIpQAuSHt7IYBR0coMtUDtY/s1600/IMG_0047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIOBFEYe_KYJj-vbRWxAwbxvfNY4GlPlKApiZbV_M6O4GBPALz4Il-7fMyGGdvxb0ENLNRYf4SJGEA2J3sPcgFIVf-Zm6gSnWlODbrc68mQL8YKxWOhFteIpQAuSHt7IYBR0coMtUDtY/s320/IMG_0047.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Outdoor arena where we exercised horses that weren't being ridden that day.</div>
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Fordice Equestrian Centre, where the cutting was held.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDlDW8FgT_ZTayOSOV6j_EwQLB1sgVbfxNIQjN4Z8qpIOJmdmSKU3er6WvqLu-iC_rkvH_pcS44-8RPUbBsb5hzQHCgNfG7rwqumQ_BqomAujTQsMBQmokH38OzE-3rzaAy-EesZH3WcE/s1600/IMG_0049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDlDW8FgT_ZTayOSOV6j_EwQLB1sgVbfxNIQjN4Z8qpIOJmdmSKU3er6WvqLu-iC_rkvH_pcS44-8RPUbBsb5hzQHCgNfG7rwqumQ_BqomAujTQsMBQmokH38OzE-3rzaAy-EesZH3WcE/s320/IMG_0049.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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So. Many. Trailers.</div>
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One tired loper, our first few days were 18 hour days. My feet were KILLING me.</div>
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"Get me outta here"</div>
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<i>"I dont waaaaannnaaaaaa be in Mississippi anymore"</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4BaEvMk8OBX7eWm7UCeXjemjQQ2phyphenhyphencV6VTkOX1CgyYGNKK4pkB_zg-B3R4mKIfwhsn2eqQm3b9WPw4Zq11ewtapwRuXyAeB1QdNADIPfKZjnRcCEkWq_Cj1h6uswZyP9dIez7bCnko/s1600/IMG_0057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4BaEvMk8OBX7eWm7UCeXjemjQQ2phyphenhyphencV6VTkOX1CgyYGNKK4pkB_zg-B3R4mKIfwhsn2eqQm3b9WPw4Zq11ewtapwRuXyAeB1QdNADIPfKZjnRcCEkWq_Cj1h6uswZyP9dIez7bCnko/s320/IMG_0057.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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One of the many stall barns, this was taken from the top of our trailer as I was chucking bales down. Glamorous, that's me.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfHlapI4yvYXXg-lVA57Qesdoo0LFLqmfqQV1t-fFjvUgO7ckOuBrI4QJxTRQz44z4wn1sRz7PsO8jrgbrQozaMg3W2AcjFpMVylSo3LhqJxX45anjdaIEhrvm4ypb9CWaGWXbiZ2DjA/s1600/IMG_0058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfHlapI4yvYXXg-lVA57Qesdoo0LFLqmfqQV1t-fFjvUgO7ckOuBrI4QJxTRQz44z4wn1sRz7PsO8jrgbrQozaMg3W2AcjFpMVylSo3LhqJxX45anjdaIEhrvm4ypb9CWaGWXbiZ2DjA/s320/IMG_0058.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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One day I actually got to put on tennis shoes for a couple hours... the simple things in life.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGkfQCD45oL0NSLbn84rfNyZei-FOMusUi3FhDtfDD3oVkHn2Vdd1nNPh6-2JPU_EgW_rhSLzB-ZkP5pGnZXH4h5SRxUkzLFP84DHrmHmteeVDgAy7S-mqWFZ4Zoo7H0ahdAc7Atv_Ur0/s1600/IMG_0059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGkfQCD45oL0NSLbn84rfNyZei-FOMusUi3FhDtfDD3oVkHn2Vdd1nNPh6-2JPU_EgW_rhSLzB-ZkP5pGnZXH4h5SRxUkzLFP84DHrmHmteeVDgAy7S-mqWFZ4Zoo7H0ahdAc7Atv_Ur0/s320/IMG_0059.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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& of course, what do you do when you ride ridiculously expensive show horses...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7xnNdPYQyGE0tBgyQMGH0P7w3QYbWjKocdQsWaV6ZQLWhodKrs0MIXBiRsuxs7jXGNfjXTOXQopg5sMZgez9UwRtBoBGAVxXnKQ_cIPp4NLPX9kCg64-mHt72tIkPqrwmcwi1jMEOyg/s1600/IMG_0060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7xnNdPYQyGE0tBgyQMGH0P7w3QYbWjKocdQsWaV6ZQLWhodKrs0MIXBiRsuxs7jXGNfjXTOXQopg5sMZgez9UwRtBoBGAVxXnKQ_cIPp4NLPX9kCg64-mHt72tIkPqrwmcwi1jMEOyg/s320/IMG_0060.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Use them as pack horses for all your shit. Of course.</div>
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What do you do when you work for a trainer who works his horses before the shows, and then at shows?</div>
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Do 30 lbs of laundry. Of Course...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx51hDR-nPH_a6wLrUp2ekL8JrmjnS51XZ90p_zJuerN5Xk5LwOYjQsPahq7EJds6Ug6-KVP8s91pWbpFuw8Q8TU9hRMqelZYaGaih8KQ25FN9YBkokgohK8zPsSeu-WL5T8WY6CxubYw/s1600/IMG_0061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx51hDR-nPH_a6wLrUp2ekL8JrmjnS51XZ90p_zJuerN5Xk5LwOYjQsPahq7EJds6Ug6-KVP8s91pWbpFuw8Q8TU9hRMqelZYaGaih8KQ25FN9YBkokgohK8zPsSeu-WL5T8WY6CxubYw/s320/IMG_0061.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Show Laundry... the worst.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEippm7hH512G6JFWwPGrvc7ivoNn3Gyt6nQl30Z5GzJbXND1lsy66Lkc3bSAh0Ts-zeJQAoqOCQGsePX1vXX2gqDkNsQvdSickfr58kYldy-X9UTHdApAD7fTMHXWXj43jld0X7p00XQ-k/s1600/IMG_0063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEippm7hH512G6JFWwPGrvc7ivoNn3Gyt6nQl30Z5GzJbXND1lsy66Lkc3bSAh0Ts-zeJQAoqOCQGsePX1vXX2gqDkNsQvdSickfr58kYldy-X9UTHdApAD7fTMHXWXj43jld0X7p00XQ-k/s320/IMG_0063.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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This is like 3 days worth of polos and boots... kill me.</div>
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We had to put them into the back of the truck because the bags were too heavy with all the damp laundry.</div>
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Back to my pack horses...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4JvL30c0L2Inf9tsnBPg_A0UxzMzFg0HZIzYxeFphVkB3xyZWZqs2HYZgqIyYDHPT4tjZspSpdPUj_FxGwHHch6UY4Ie_mba6llXmvyn6ubOPyR1oevtZY_0QU2LcLml1etOjkN7Iuk/s1600/IMG_0065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4JvL30c0L2Inf9tsnBPg_A0UxzMzFg0HZIzYxeFphVkB3xyZWZqs2HYZgqIyYDHPT4tjZspSpdPUj_FxGwHHch6UY4Ie_mba6llXmvyn6ubOPyR1oevtZY_0QU2LcLml1etOjkN7Iuk/s320/IMG_0065.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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This mare has won over $350,000... and yet I turned her into a pack mule. No rest or dignity for these show ponies.</div>
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& then what do you do after you do all that laundry, hang it up to dry... </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjIsFDgbKUaH_5NBet2hffNxkc6AoLsxG0TQ3d8Hwc9SrS5hV1GH1LWbPNtGGfoYrjKhSehdsra-_nWvIxHzayIo__tU8AW9BoK1e2co1XHd73ttMLVayohingXTn3Pr1xTECLlBwtHOc/s1600/IMG_0066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjIsFDgbKUaH_5NBet2hffNxkc6AoLsxG0TQ3d8Hwc9SrS5hV1GH1LWbPNtGGfoYrjKhSehdsra-_nWvIxHzayIo__tU8AW9BoK1e2co1XHd73ttMLVayohingXTn3Pr1xTECLlBwtHOc/s320/IMG_0066.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-qQ56EFU3YLO_Uh8qGtUEnxd-eOcW0HKnUVWo5ocP2jJ8jGLjDTt85X3zzJUp56r9pJ8uEdr5dxy6PkS0GJaUPpfFJGnVe6-nblZUrz2JNOto23oqBBCjK1HXqNVvNNC7lyHZ_U2Lcc/s1600/IMG_0067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-qQ56EFU3YLO_Uh8qGtUEnxd-eOcW0HKnUVWo5ocP2jJ8jGLjDTt85X3zzJUp56r9pJ8uEdr5dxy6PkS0GJaUPpfFJGnVe6-nblZUrz2JNOto23oqBBCjK1HXqNVvNNC7lyHZ_U2Lcc/s320/IMG_0067.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNd7721ZFJgr5Wf5PpRCKUBZ8J0umNYOIDBjsKdTtB5wwit_AWXFDL5Fm4lO3ZG8-pcqPBV3Un0HvYl0K_u4OSsfldKNHSIt3ERWhR8pcSIobFI0RFCk1mxWRtB6HLYTBKZUsjMsxjq_c/s1600/IMG_0068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNd7721ZFJgr5Wf5PpRCKUBZ8J0umNYOIDBjsKdTtB5wwit_AWXFDL5Fm4lO3ZG8-pcqPBV3Un0HvYl0K_u4OSsfldKNHSIt3ERWhR8pcSIobFI0RFCk1mxWRtB6HLYTBKZUsjMsxjq_c/s320/IMG_0068.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It covered three stalls worth.... brutal.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiMT5gFyJ66WephU0WFAf22EC9r1rouW2n5hPr-c2uBbzDIks8OShKfGXXqSGVlE528x0jrorYj4qUWkcJru1mZKghuvfqOWHHaswvpPGxa31Q-usUtNLNnPsxFdifrJy9OzlYkoT2yU/s1600/IMG_0069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiMT5gFyJ66WephU0WFAf22EC9r1rouW2n5hPr-c2uBbzDIks8OShKfGXXqSGVlE528x0jrorYj4qUWkcJru1mZKghuvfqOWHHaswvpPGxa31Q-usUtNLNnPsxFdifrJy9OzlYkoT2yU/s320/IMG_0069.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Lfy6u1XDRSuPGm_G7kLnr7LRtIBxayfHlP9PeE2mPBOn74FXFYXud0szSm-tXgfHa6zO5OTzUI2_hoLpJWm-K2BPIq0Ma2ZT6QubHRZegdhcLwlneAd0GjPOEhu-yDftHLTeQPx8mks/s1600/IMG_0070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Lfy6u1XDRSuPGm_G7kLnr7LRtIBxayfHlP9PeE2mPBOn74FXFYXud0szSm-tXgfHa6zO5OTzUI2_hoLpJWm-K2BPIq0Ma2ZT6QubHRZegdhcLwlneAd0GjPOEhu-yDftHLTeQPx8mks/s320/IMG_0070.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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My most favourite Goose again, looking at me before we headed to the arena for his last show today.</div>
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<i>"I don't want to do this either you crazy lady, let's run away together"</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKF5hHEgiYnXQYnSxhrzMZfuybSesavkPTnVuAF54pLy2QiN1JQAlWtUWeFrRnnk0Sffz567iytVMWfPRT9EgFuDlpKbv-fVZtppE4PXSMPfQqTCer6Uk0hXfvYMoZDWrc18dJmLbBak/s1600/IMG_0072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKF5hHEgiYnXQYnSxhrzMZfuybSesavkPTnVuAF54pLy2QiN1JQAlWtUWeFrRnnk0Sffz567iytVMWfPRT9EgFuDlpKbv-fVZtppE4PXSMPfQqTCer6Uk0hXfvYMoZDWrc18dJmLbBak/s320/IMG_0072.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5I1PgozyT99qR1qXEsUfWjECxNxqkER0PC0LEDAWIdRaeSIFe3HRWXzGtk1eT0a9cFrxb_cNgjWRfazpD7HGLMxlwOnlTMyP3_DyY5RNgqj6o2o2FR2HOEcU9x-mgyBR0_my_O0HJbfU/s1600/IMG_0073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5I1PgozyT99qR1qXEsUfWjECxNxqkER0PC0LEDAWIdRaeSIFe3HRWXzGtk1eT0a9cFrxb_cNgjWRfazpD7HGLMxlwOnlTMyP3_DyY5RNgqj6o2o2FR2HOEcU9x-mgyBR0_my_O0HJbfU/s320/IMG_0073.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Casual, my first cockroach sighting IN MY LIFE.</div>
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In my bathroom stall.</div>
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Kill me now.</div>
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Just do it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvO7Ou3xlVSdUhWASWyVlQ08qkQSnqPRbPDv8BUh0GTXKmg2lviVWySPFnazVb4XQc71m4rJi6KsDk0q5vhQu0siCZEZrZVh6hbRGwE9NNQnhXy-WtOQcKspmqDS0jF9vy4pqQ5W6PaDE/s1600/IMG_0074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvO7Ou3xlVSdUhWASWyVlQ08qkQSnqPRbPDv8BUh0GTXKmg2lviVWySPFnazVb4XQc71m4rJi6KsDk0q5vhQu0siCZEZrZVh6hbRGwE9NNQnhXy-WtOQcKspmqDS0jF9vy4pqQ5W6PaDE/s320/IMG_0074.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Oh, and let's not forget about show shirts...</div>
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all the show shirts.</div>
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how many starched show shirts have you ever worn in one week?</div>
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bet I can beat it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqOxmhHF4L_wKWhc-xVybktCVHQ1GDqvRT-ueFKzCjHEJSGtg6QkxXrJ9XhyphenhypheniqEFrtip0H2z5WRxpV1Gijs2N8HZg3fPqh3-hl86BtBqoGuyF8cRgrUU3cz4yj0hUkQtU9DwqKDoM454/s1600/IMG_0075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqOxmhHF4L_wKWhc-xVybktCVHQ1GDqvRT-ueFKzCjHEJSGtg6QkxXrJ9XhyphenhypheniqEFrtip0H2z5WRxpV1Gijs2N8HZg3fPqh3-hl86BtBqoGuyF8cRgrUU3cz4yj0hUkQtU9DwqKDoM454/s320/IMG_0075.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Cows!</div>
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Because we're at a cutting!</div>
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The amount of cows hauled in and out everyday was insane</div>
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and you can bet all the Texans were (smugly) always saying "those cows were from Texas", about the good bunches.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5bNDfd_9GRoazEs37oQNSGgiKJuFhgoGD7fVXecM3LybBGiRP2d0DsSe7URQXPNFGBffJFNQDKCtQjSdEFXCW5MFNiWJzq0LiEs9U1JhS5O3qb9Myq74poMqS-mflLV3Sqs8dzSzX_4/s1600/IMG_0077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI5bNDfd_9GRoazEs37oQNSGgiKJuFhgoGD7fVXecM3LybBGiRP2d0DsSe7URQXPNFGBffJFNQDKCtQjSdEFXCW5MFNiWJzq0LiEs9U1JhS5O3qb9Myq74poMqS-mflLV3Sqs8dzSzX_4/s320/IMG_0077.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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My trainer and his wife bought their daughter this mini aussie for her 8 year old birthday, it arrived on the Thursday and hoooooooowled in it's stall that they would leave it in while they were showing all day long.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtdNDOQ4LAIasopeV4-P4SVrUCsOcUcsTcqvo65HPfYSFjluNmd4SHzJe8EX8a9iWCVjUf7SMHLobVLKeUas-xFA-K8h0CeHaq1Ucv5UqXhB5hAt16XgZOP0OTGhHj7UykR5n7ZiyDVWY/s1600/IMG_0078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtdNDOQ4LAIasopeV4-P4SVrUCsOcUcsTcqvo65HPfYSFjluNmd4SHzJe8EX8a9iWCVjUf7SMHLobVLKeUas-xFA-K8h0CeHaq1Ucv5UqXhB5hAt16XgZOP0OTGhHj7UykR5n7ZiyDVWY/s320/IMG_0078.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>"Please let me outta here!"</i></div>
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But we weren't the only ones doing that, about 5 other people did the same with their puppies so our barn was a howling, yelping place the whole week.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGozqwMj9S2eR8M07f2yNsrl7dLedPzRtXKWJHEfaAPJyVCQZN6Zl9Zff0i5WVIhIIeICGt_3taHikFlm0HcLBHWXT00DOMu-xzls9ZMRHHWpXthn3FzRnzFOUgEMbh6R4T3_gerq0sRs/s1600/IMG_0079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGozqwMj9S2eR8M07f2yNsrl7dLedPzRtXKWJHEfaAPJyVCQZN6Zl9Zff0i5WVIhIIeICGt_3taHikFlm0HcLBHWXT00DOMu-xzls9ZMRHHWpXthn3FzRnzFOUgEMbh6R4T3_gerq0sRs/s320/IMG_0079.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Everything is bigger in... America? Yup. </div>
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Went to Red Lobster and ordered a margarita, got this massive fishbowl for only $9.</div>
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My facial expression is due to one of my coworkers saying she was going to send this photo to our boss.</div>
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More "glamarous life" shots, living out of suitcases and clothes piles at the closest Best Western.</div>
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Sunrise on our last morning in Jackson</div>
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Bankie was ready to leave Jackson about as much as I was...</div>
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(ready, very ready)</div>
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The last show shirt of the show!</div>
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All of our stalls empty and cleaned out!</div>
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Pulling out of Jackson!</div>
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Casual decrepit building that was in the fairgrounds...</div>
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Jackson wasn't exactly "picturesque"</div>
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& that was that... I'll update more with words when I feel a little more alive!</div>
<br />Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743416867781673656.post-6603227115958058012013-10-21T14:03:00.000-07:002013-10-21T14:03:28.466-07:00Early Insights of a Canadian in TexasAs of tomorrow I have been in America for two weeks, most days <i>(because my days are so long)</i> it feels like I've been here at least two months. Just wanted to give those of you that commented a bit of love for being as shocked as I was about this whole 4 am business. This Canadian girl would much rather wake up at <i>ya know...</i> 6 am. I guess it makes sense since in the summer the afternoon heat is sweltering and most choose to not ride. However, I bet you any money that in the summer these guys ride straight through it - there are so many horses here you just have too!<br />
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<i>Weatherford... where Cutting is such a big deal even Ronald McDonald does it himself.</i></div>
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<i>So of course I had to take a tacky tourist photo! Ronald was doing it brideless on a paint too! What a talented rider - who knew?!</i></div>
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I try my hardest not to stereotype or generalize people or cultures, but there's definitely similarities and a lot of differences too. <i>(Texas is pretty far from home, I'm leaning towards differences for the most part)</i>. My co-workers definitely like to poke fun at my "canadian-ness" and I've been immersed in a world of food that I am not used to, but I am always game to try anything! <i>(Maybe it's the Canadian in me ;) hahaha)</i><br />
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For example, I tried Cajun food at a restaurant called "Boo-Rays" in Weatherford, TX. We had Alligator to start, and then I moved on to bacon wrapped shrimp in crawfish hollandaise. People in real life eat like this regularly? I would be 60000 lbs. Another day, I also tried "nutbread sandwiches" at an adorable little cafe, which were banana bread sandwiches with cream cheese in the centre, again... people eat like this? They were delicious but I just about popped a button on my jeans. I was also surprised to see that americans don't have ginger beef at their Chinese restaurants, guess that's a Canadian-Chinese thing, it was invented in Calgary <i>dontyaknow</i>? I guess I could get "real texan" and say, <i>"ya'll don't have ginger beef ova here?"</i><b><i> </i>So.Many.Ya'lls. </b>In fact, my boss' 8 year old daughter had a shirt the other day that said <i>"Every smile starts with ya'll"</i>, I wanted to mug her for that shirt. What? Did I just say that? Ya'll just know I'm kiddin' dont ya? <i>(No I'm not, I am ruthless)</i><br />
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<i>Alligator (Deep Fried, of course). Tasted kinda like popcorn shrimp!</i></div>
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<i>Jambalaya and Shrimp et Brouchette (I think that's what it was called anyways) yummy, yummy, yummy.</i></div>
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On the topic of the language there is definitely some difference there, my favourite is <i>"I'm just fixin' to...",</i> such as where I would say <i>"I'm thinking of riding that horse next"</i>, I often hear, <i>"I'm fixin' to ride that horse next."</i> Never fails to make me smile.<br />
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Is everything bigger in Texas? Well, I have seen more car dealerships that take up city blocks than anywhere else in my life. We also went to a pre-work at a very famous ranch the other day. It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. Everything was monogrammed with the ranch's name - the barn help/trainers/lopers all had shirts, hats and vests with the ranch's name on it. The barn staff houses all had porch lamps with the initials of the ranch's engraved in them. Finally, there were gardens everywhere, and each garden had a rock or a statue with the ranch's name. They had a 12 ft statue of a bucking horse and a rider right outside their beautiful kitchen and lounge area. They also had TV's outside of the indoor arena so that the lopers in the warm-up pens could catch the news of the day... casual. Finally, their cow pens each had automatic waterers... made out of beautiful cobblestones. Those cows were drinking in style!<br />
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<i>This cow is doing okay in my books.</i></div>
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Finally, is Texas a bit more "god-fearing" than I'm used too...<br />
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... Not that there is anything wrong with that, but you wouldn't see much of this in my neck of the woods.</div>
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Finally, I was informed of a "fun activity" that people do called "noodling". Which is the act of snorkeling to a cave underneath a lake, reaching your hand in, letting a catfish chomp down on you and then hauling it up to the surface. This, to me, sounds like a game the devil created to torture humans... apparently this is "fun"... No texans, you are wrong.</div>
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<i>Not okay, simply not okay.</i></div>
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Louisa Valentina;http://www.blogger.com/profile/03635679863212377114noreply@blogger.com4