A Rider's Prayer

A Rider's Prayer
Dearest Creator in Heaven,
Give me strength to guide my horse.
Make my hands soft and my head clear.
Let my horse understand me and I him.

My heart you have blessed with a special love of these animals.
Let me never lose sight of it.
My soul you have gifted with a deep need for them.
Let that need never lessen.

Always let my breath catch as the sun gleams on an elegant head.
Always may my throat tighten at the sound of a gentle nicker.
Let the scent of fresh hay and a new bag of grain be sweet to me.
Let the touch of a warm nose on my hand always bring a smile.

I adore the joy of a warm day on the farm.
The grace and splendor of a running horse,
The thunder of its hooves makes my eyes burn and my heart soar.
Let it always be so.

Dearest Creator grant me patience,
For horses are harnessed wind, and wind can be flighty.
Let me not frighten or harm them.
Instead show me ways to understand them.

Above all, dear Creator, fill my life with them.
When I pass from this world,
Send my soul to no heaven without them.
For this love you have given me graces my existence
And I shall cherish it and praise You for it for all time.

Author Unknown

Louise Firouz helped save the Caspian from extinction. Before she died at 74 in 2008 she told Reuters that she had ignored doctors orders to stop riding horses. "I'm not too old to ride," she said. "I'm too old to fall off."
Borrowed from HorseCentric

The DOR fully agrees with this statement. Her doctor has asked her why she keeps riding. She tells him riding is not the problem it is the unexpected unseating that causes problems. She loves riding, it brings her joy. Even at her age she is learning new things like how to pony a horse, riding English, dressage, and the desire to do an endurance is great motivation for her to get into better shape.
She plans on riding as long as she can get on a horse.
How long do you plan on riding?
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Freedom speaks Saturday

Curly Friend has a great sense of humor. I don't know if I told you but he is now keeping Jack company, turns out they are distant cousins.
Yesterday the DOR was blanketing the members of the herd who needed blankets because of the expected freezing rain. Now all the horses are well trained and know about blankets, but one of us does not like the sound the blanket makes. You guess it-Jack. Jack had to be a bit silly about getting on a blankie. He pranced, he danced, he snorted, and he did his wild appy eyes. The DOR told him that he she thought he was the smartest horse at the ranch and he was not living up to her expectations, after all Friend had his blanket on. Jack decided to stand still, roll his eyes and wear his blanket. Friend gave him a supportive raspberry.
I am so amused by the antics of the youngsters...sometimes they are so silly.
Life is sooooo good!

Skywatch Friday, Season 4, Episode 20

The view this morning. The grapes are full of birds and squirrels having a feast.

Please go visit the other great Skywatch participants at Skywatch Friday There are wonderful photos from all around the world!
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Happy Thanksgiving

I want to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving! May you have a day filled with family, friends, love, laughter, and plenty of treats-errr I mean food.
The DOR and I have so much to be thankful for. We are thankful for all of our friends and family. We are thankful for the people who read this humble blog. We are ever so thankful for the people who mentor us on our journeys together. We are thankful for the members of our herd and the gifts they each bring to our lives. We are also thankful for each other. The DOR heard a song that said, "Breathing in and out is a blessing can't you see?" so I guess we are all truly blessed.
The DOR has special treats for us and we are thankful for that too.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Less words Wednesday

Supposed to get down to 2 degrees, boy that is darn cold. As you can see all the card carrying members of the Burly He Man Gelding Club are doing our best to make sure no on sees us sporting our jammies.

The Horse Guardian told the DOR that she hates to see big ol appy butts shivering. I would rather we were spotted shivering and looking tough than sporting jammies....oh the shame of it all.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

I might want a blankie

It is a Noreaster here! Snow, northeast wind, and flipping cold. It was a sudden, nasty onset of winter. My cousin Friend was blanketed for the first time in his life...he acted like an old pro at it. If this keeps up I might consider my blanket aversion and ask for my blankie too.

Freedom is getting extra rations of his hot mush. It arrives steaming hot and Freedom loves it.

Hope you are staying warm.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Quote for the week

There is a time for everything under heaven

One of the important lessons that we horses have taught the DOR is that life has its own rhythm, one that no matter how much you try to change it will play out the way it should.

Try to put weight on a skinny horse too fast will make it sick. Worrying about finding a rescue the perfect home seems to delay the finding of a home. Fussing about training issues leads to more training issues. Learning to dance to the rhythm of life and enjoying the journey makes everything go smoother and not take as long.

Not Just Any Pete was brought in to rehab. No time was set for weight gain, training, or rehoming...the DOR knew it would take the time it takes. Yesterday Pete had his first visit from a potential adopter. They fell in love with him, but then who wouldn't Pete is a big old teddy bear of a horse. They are going to finalize the adoption process and Pete will head to a wonderful home.

See what happens when you let the rhythm of life play out without meddling?

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Freedom speaks Saturday

Here is 'Not Just Any Pete' this week. He has been gaining steadily and is adjusting well to ranch life. The farrier was pleased at how well he behaved to have his racing shoes pulled and his feet trimmed two weeks ago. Pete is having a visitor today. A lady is interested in adopting him from RCER to be a dressage horse. I hope he steals her heart!
I have been feeling like a young whipper snapper with this cooler weather. While I am a bit slower in my old age I still have a spring in my step. I am happy that the DOR listened to my advice and is getting Curly Friend to be her endurance horse. Now I don't have to worry about where he will end up and I know he will always be taken good care of.
The DOR tells me I do an excellent job watching over all of the ranch critters. What she doesn't realize is my main job is watching over her and Mushboy...I want them to be safe and happy.
The snow is coming and I have a real furry coat going. My mush has been doubled, I have my shelter and a friend to snuggle next to if needed, and my warm blankey for when it is real cold. I am looking forward to what this season brings.
Life is soooo good!

Skywatch Friday, Season 4, Episode 19

The evening sky from the DOR's front porch.

Please go visit the other great Skywatch participants at Skywatch Friday There are wonderful photos from all around the world!
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Lucky

A friend of the DOR sent this to her. I am hoping that she and I will be featured in a newspaper article like this when she is in her 80's. Of course I will have to live as long as Freedom for that to happen...it is doable.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Less words Wednesday

Friend and I looking at the llama. As you can see Friend is hiding his face and I am fiercely staring down the spitting creature. It is my job to teach my cousin about ranch life.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Coelho

Coelho went to his first ever show last Saturday. He was a guest horse for the CWU equestrian competition. He was a very good boy and did his riders proud.

The SCC leases Coelho from Sunny Acres Ranch. Hard to believe that at one time this horse was a rescue...

I am hoping that next year I will be recovered enough to go do walk/trot classes.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Cousins

Friend and I played together in the arena yesterday. Well actually we scarffed leaves and stared at the llama. We got along so well that the DOR has put us together in the same pasture. I did have to teach Friend that I get to pick the hay pile that I want and if I change my mind he has to move. I wasn't mean, I would just pin my ears and stare at him.

It will be nice to have my cousin hanging out by my side, sharing my pasture. I will not be sharing my treat tub with him though....I don't care if we are related.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Freedom speaks Saturday

The DOR headed out early this morning, really early. She and a friend are taking three horses to Ellensburg for the competitors riding in the CWU Western Equestrian event to ride. I am glad I am fully retired....3:30 am is too blasted early for me.

The DOR did tell me that if this had been a few years ago I could have gone. I would have showed all those youngster a thing or two that is for sure. As it is the youngest horse that is going today is a spry 18 years old.

Oh to be able to go and see them show off, but I will be catching all of my zzzz's and eating my mush. Good luck and good show to my friends who are going.

Life is so good!

Skywatch Friday, Season 4, Episode 18

Sunrise the other day

Please go visit the other great Skywatch participants at Skywatch Friday There are wonderful photos from all around the world!
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Wordless Wednesday

Friends come in all shapes and sizes. We horses know all about how to be a good friend.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Icelandics

The DOR had the privilege of spending this past Sunday with the largest Icelandic Horse herd in the nation. This is a video of the stud herd. These horses are kind, sensible, sturdy, smart, and gaited.

There was one little smokey paint that caught her eye. But alas she couldn't find any spots on him so he will not be joining our herd.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Time for therapy.

The DOR's oldest son, the Musician, is home for a visit. This is a photo of him having a hot sauce eating contest with Mushboy...Mushboy won.

The DOR has asked me to pay some special attention to the the Musician, seems he needs some horse therapy. His life is going through some big changes and he is having a hard time right now, home is where he needs to be. I am going to help his heart heal and teach him to find the same joy in life that I showed to the DOR. By the time the herd is done with the Musician he will be whole and happy again.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Freedom speaks Saturday

Here is Mushboy all decked out in his FFA outfit. He participated in a potato judging competition yesterday. He did really well for his first competition.

In this photo he is doing his star vs paparazzi imitation. I am not sure how he knows so much about potatoes...he does love his French Fries.

If there was a competition for horse scritching he would win hands down.

Life is soooo good!

Chicken

Sooooo the new horse is a chicken, a coward, a lilly-livered wanker. The DOR is riding him English and what should he spy out of his wild appy eye? A llama in with the horse across from the arena. The llama stared and the new boy went all silly. Sir Royal Pain loves to chase the llamas. I choose to ignore them for the most part. Mr. Smarty Pants here was thinking about heading for the hills.
The DOR isn't real confident in an English saddle yet and she didn't want to become unseated so she decided that getting off was a good idea. The two of them stood and looked the llama over for a bit. Maybe the DOR needs to take out her western saddle and take Mr. Smarty Pants out to herd the llamas.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Mission Control

Take a look folks (Grandfather's favorite saying when he was almost 100)! See the space shuttle in the photo? Cool huh? The DOR and I are going up on the one that is launching this week, well our photo is going up. Yes we are virtual astronuts, I mean astronauts.

I am excited.

I think I am pretty special. After all none of the other DOR's horses has worked so hard to send her to the moon.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Yoga

Freedom has taken up yoga. He swears that is what is keeping him spry at his advanced age. He is busy trying to recruit the rest of the herd into practicing yoga with him. So far he has only gotten Curly Friend to execute this same maneuver.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Family

Here is my stunning self with my distant cousin off in the distance. I think he should keep his distance, especially when it comes to my treat bucket.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug you DOR!