Kreativ Blogger award

I would like to thank Amanda at Amanda's Veranda for this award. I am so honored, Amanda has become a very special person in my life. We get together once in a while and I think she is one of the most genuine people you will ever meet. Amanda is a true southern lady; she is courageous, honest, supportive, and knows the value of friendship. She is a true blessing to everyone who is fortunate enough to have her in their life. I love the photos she takes and always check in at her blog to see what her camera caught while they were venturing out.


Here are the 7 STEPS of this award:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers .
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the seven blogs letting them know they have been nominated

Now for 7 thing that people might find interesting about me.

1. I love to read, it is not unusual for me to read 5 books a week.

2. When I was looking to get a new horse when Scooby went blind Jack was not the type of horse I was looking for. My friend took me by to see him on our way to look at another horse I was thinking of buying...it was love at first touch. Jack stole my heart and I feel so happy every time I see him.

3. I have become comfortable with being 50 and plan to live the rest of my life with joy. I am going to be a bit selfish and not feel bad about it.

4. In high school I was the kid that hid under the desk if they were called on in class, I was terminally shy.

5. I wouldn't change a thing in my past. I have learned that the good and bad are what helped me become the person who I am. I have learned to be comfortable in my own skin and wouldn't change a thing.

6. There is a part of me that wished all of my kids would move into houses on the same block as me. That way we could spend lots of time together. I have great kids and would love to see them everyday. Yep, that is the very thing I have teased my dad about, he wishes we would all move home too. My oldest son is raising his little girl. My daughter is raising a little boy and has a great guy in her life. My youngest is starting high school next year and is becoming a fine young man.

7. My husband is one of the finest people you will ever meet. We were set up on a blind date by a mutual friend. Bryce moved and we lost track of each other for a bit, then I hunted him up. He was the guy my parents kept telling me "What ever happened to Bryce, you should have married him." Turns out my parents were right. Bryce helps me be a better person, supports me in my obsessions/hobbies (horses), never has a harsh word, and is rock steady. He is a true blessing in my life.

Now for seven blogs, this is going to be the hard part because there are so many fine ones out there:

1. Desert Horses a wonderful blog about 2 mustangs and 2 rescued horses. Very creative and heart warming.

2. Copper Pony's Cowgirl a woman and her love for a special horse. You can follow her and the rest of the pony cousins.

3. Bush Babe one of Australia's talented photographers shares life "down under", a must read.

4. One Cowgirl she is living the life I can only dream of...I am envious.

5. Tiny House Blog I love this blog. One day I will have a tiny house on twenty acres in the woods, then life will be complete.

6. Grey Horse Matters another voice of love for older horses and us older riders

7. Coming Out Of The Candy Store as a person who lives with diabetes I find this blog informative and insperational.

To all the wonderful creative blogs I have had the pleasure to meet while surfing, my apologies for having to only select 7
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR

Quote for the week

If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time...
But if you have come because your liberation is bound with mine, then let us work together.
-Anonymous aboriginal woman in the Tao of Equus by Linda Kohanov

The partnership between the horse and human needs to be based on justice and equity. The horse may need help, but more often than not is is the relationship between the horse and human that needs help-not just the horse. The mind of the horse and rider need to become one, then true liberation in the relationship can be found.
The DOR has found when she works with me with a mindset that together she and I will find the right spot to learn and develop a deeper understanding what we can accomplish is almost magical. There is a connection that boarders on being mystical, it seems that for a moment together we are one. When she works with me with the intention of helping me, that things with her are perfect and she is going to "show me how to fix things", things get tight and go a bit sideways. I am not saying that humans shouldn't help their horse by setting up things to work for them, but what we really need is to have things set up for us to be liberated to do the right thing-that way we remember the things we learned better too. By striving for liberation for both of us the DOR builds a partnership based on justice and equity with me, not a relationship based on me being her "servant".
Liberation for both of us while we are together is what the DOR strives to achieve whenever we are together. Pretty soon we will work together with one mind....I just hope it is mine because with the DOR getting older her mind isn't as sharp as it used to be.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR

Freedom speaks Saturday-tying your horse

Here is Jack tied up at the end of a lesson. The DOR often hitches him to the thinking post at the end of a lesson so he can cogitate on what they did, it is never for very long and she is always close by. If you ask me Jack could spend a lot of time cogitating and less time goofing around with the little filly, he is a bad influence on her with his always wanting to play. The DOR also hitches him up after a ride, that way he doesn't think that once the work is over he can rush right back to his buddies in the pasture. Now I think that both of these reasons for hitching a horse up and leaving it that way for a bit is just fine, but I do have an issue with some people who tie up their horses.
I don't think you should tie a horse up with a rope that is so long they can wander around and get tangled up...that is just asking for trouble. Why would a horse need to be tied to a tree or a post all day? When I see this I get riled up...I think the owner should be tied up for a day with no food or water. The other thing that I see is a horse saddled up with the reins snugged up to the saddle fenders left out in the pasture. Now I have heard a few owners claim this is a training technique, but that is a load of cow poop if you ask me and it is dangerous too.
So if you are going to tie up your horse do it safely, for the right reasons, and for a reasonable amount of time...us horses would be ever so grateful for your respect in this matter.
Life is so good! Oh and Jack told me to remember to say: Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR

Skywatch Friday No. 48

This is the sun going down in our back yard.

















Then we got to enjoy a full moon for the evening. The bottom edge is covered with clouds.





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

Treat tub merry-go-round

See this pretty little face...a face that could steal a thousand treat tubs, or at least try.
We boys all stick to our tubs and lick them clean. Shandi eats hers as fast as she can and then tries to beg off of Uncles and Gampers.














Grampers (Freedom) and Shandi start out side-by-side eating their treats.












Salty and I hang out, well at least until one of us is done. Then the one that is finished heads of to mooch off of the other one-neither one of us will share. Salty will actually pin his ears at me when I try to share, that is okay I just swing my big spotted butt towards him if he starts heading my way.





Freedom gets his soaked treat all over his face.
The little filly will come over and clean his face for him once he is done with his tub, go figure Shandi really loves her treats and Grampers.








Here is Shandi trying to steal a tub from me, I guess I should give it back it was her tub to start with, but hey she walked away from it to play kissy face with Freedom. The little twerp only left me some slobber in the bottom of the tub, is that any way to treat her favorite uncle?
Well at least the DOR shares her treats with me, as long as they are good for horses. My favorites are the granola bars she likes to eat.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR

Edited to ad:
Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers. The Cow Wrangler had dye shot into his heart yesterday evening, there is no blockage. He has a nerve that is misfiring and causing this trouble. He will head to a specialist soon to have that fixed. The Cow Wrangler is not the DORs husband, that is the Support Crew Chief. The Cow Wrangler grew up at the ranch where we live and still lives there. His situation is serious, but treatable.