Who wants a pony for Christmas?
Geeeeesh. I thought every girl wanted a pony for Christmas.
Come gallop on with me.
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December 24, 2007
Wild horses
I think this is a simply lovely video of a girl and her horse. Look at all that spirit shining inside and out.
Sigh. I remember being that young once ...
December 16, 2007
Christmas Tree Quest
This is our Christmas tradition.
Yesterday, we spent three hours in the snow-blown wilds looking for a Christmas tree. We ride around in the back of the pickup truck, with Dennis in the driver's seat, so we can spot the best ones. Then we get out, argue about the tree, and go on to the next one, convinced there's a better one just around the bend in the next valley. Until finally we are all so cold and tired that we actually choose one!
Well, it would be all the more fun if we were zipping about in a horse-drawn sleigh, but we always have a blast just the same. We were hoping to see the elk herd that lives around these parts. One year, a couple of them leapt over a fence right in front of us, and then bounded off into the pinon, as we were standing there with our tree. That's kind of a once in a lifetime thing, I guess.
I love getting the Christmas tree from the mountains.
December 15, 2007
The Snow Miser
I know all the words to this song. I find myself humming or singing this sometimes at this time of year. Yesterday, as I was strolling through the Plaza in downtown Santa Fe, admiring the Christmas decorations, and I swear I heard a fellow singing this to himself.
Snow Miser is the best. The best.
Anyone remember this from the old stop motion Rankin/Bass TV special The Year Without Santa Claus?
Oh Lord, I know the words to this one too. Why can I remember this from so long ago, but not basic algebra?
Zaftig
zaf·tig [zahf-tik, -tig]
–adjective Slang. 1. (of a woman) having a pleasantly plump figure.
2. full-bodied; well-proportioned.
Also, zoftig.
[Origin: 1935–40; < Yiddish zaftik lit., juicy, succulent; cf. MHG saftec, deriv. of saf(t), OHG saf (G Saft) sap1, juice]
She's on a diet. Really. For a while, I had myself convinced the Red Dawg was just big boned. I don't get this. Lila, the blue heeler, is svelte. I feed them both the same. Maybe it's that Red Dawg considers napping to be a sport? (Especially when that means curled up with a certain 10-year-old boy.) And now with us being in the dead of winter and all, there's not a lot of horseback riding going on, which is also a favorite sport of hers. Well, running behind the horse, that is. Although you'd never know it from looking at the big gal.
Red Dawg. a.k.a. ... The Red Zeppelin. The Chorizo (a sausage we have in Northern NM). Pork Chop. Twinkie. The Chunk. Square Block.
March 4, 2007
The Heavy Horses
Here's to getting my fill of the heavy horses this Sunday afternoon!
I attended the draft horse show at the New Mexico State Fair a couple of years ago. My family members fidgeted and sighed as they dutifully sat with draft-horse daft mom in the bleachers while these magnificent animals glided by, pulling carts, wagons, increasingly heavy loads, carrying riders on their backs. I did get dragged off to the other exhibits and the carnival rides at some point. Then we strolled through the barns and spoke to the draft horse people. I was amazed at how willing and eager people were to talk about their horses. (But, then again, I do wonder why I was surprised, because I love to talk about mine.) This year, I'm taking two full days off and attending the draft horse show sans fidgety family members.
I will not budge. I will not fidget. I will blissfully sit and watch.
January 12, 2007
Using Core Muscles to Develop the Rider's Seat
Here I am working on that thing I'm always working on. My seat. I'm getting some good tips from my vaulting coach on how to knit my body together the correct way. Check it out.
I've been doing some writing and video work for Associated Content. (Under the pen name "Kimberly West") The nice thing is, they pay you for it. Check it out. (Just click on the vid above.) If any of you want to learn more after reading about it, send me an email. Happy to tell you what I know. The nice thing is, you can write your blog articles and then sell that content to AC by selling the non-exclusive rights.
December 31, 2006
Epic Journey of Boy and Heeler Puppies
OK. I uploaded this Epic Journey to Google.
I confirmed that it's really working. ;-) I laughed so hard I thought I was going to die when we made this trip.
December 28, 2006
More about those horse farts
Following up on an earlier post about this topic, I ran across this the other day. I don't remember ever seeing this commercial on TV. Do you? I think it was banned. And I also think it's pretty funny. (Possibly, I have been listening in on my little boy and his friends too much.)
I suspect that my 9-year-old son, who will probably be making jokes about our Percheron horse's big farts well after college graduation, would absolutely love it.
Cossack Riding in my brain
Ah. Cossack Riding.
You gotta love it.
With the weather so nasty outside and another winter storm supposedly upon us and being a horsewoman of modest means with no indoor riding arena on the place and a regular day job, I find that I do a lot of my horseback riding in my head this time of year. That is, as I'm lugging hay, toting water, cleaning stalls, cleaning dust from nostrils and eyes, trying to detangle manes and tails, checking hooves, keeping an eye on the fence, breaking the ice on the water tank if the heater goes south on me yet once again, I'm really cossack riding in my imagination.
The word stir-crazy comes to mind. Whatever gets you through the long winter days, I guess.
What the west would have been like with Shetland ponies
I think this is pretty funny.
Well, I don't know about Shetland ponies, but after owning a Pony of the Americas for a few years, I think the West could have been won on the back of one of those sturdy little guys. I'll never forget the big smile across my then 5-year-old little boy's face when the cowboys up in the Pecos wilderness would stop to admire his handsome pony Thor. We'd be up on one of those high mountain trails, and that 25-year-old geezer POA would get all kinds of admiration from the man with the handlebar mustaches, fringed chinks, jingling silver spurs, et cetera. I think you could've ridden the old gentleman from coast to coast. By the time we'd reach 10,000 plus feet, all the other horses would be breathing hard and really working it, and old Mr. Blue-eyed Polka Dots wouldn't have even broken a sweat. I miss the little bugger.
La Ferme du Cheval de Trait
Damn. I wish I spoke French.
La Ferme du Cheval de Trait : un spectacle unique en Europe... Pendant plus d'une heure, découvrez les chevaux de trait dans des présentations inédites... 1h30 de spectacle de Percherons, Cobs et Bretons : Poste Hongroise, attelage à 5 ou 7, voltige, course de char... avant de partager vos émotions autour d'un pot de départ ! Dans une ferme typique du Bocage Normand, restaurée avec des matériaux traditionnels, des parcours thématiques, des expositions inédites (les épouvantails en "habits du dimanche", les chemins creux de nos terroirs) vous font revivre l'histoire agricole du Bocage. Des salles d'exposition et une superbe sellerie vous permettent de découvrir l'univers des chevaux de trait.
French-challenged as I may be, there are some exquisite heavy horses here, some beautiful Roman riding, and spectacle overall, right down to the humble little donkey. I purchased a secondhand book on circus equitation "Classical Circus Equitation" some time ago, which is a prize, as far as I'm concerned.
Anyway, did you know that the early circus wasn't in a circle at all? But in a straight line? The performers rode across the front of the stands/bleachers, whatever you would have called it in ancient Greece and Rome. That's kind of what these riders are doing. Performing in a straight line in front of the bleachers filled with spectators.
Extremely cool.
Chariot Racing: My Christmas Tradition
Chariot racing with a team of milky white horses is a Christmas tradition at my house.
I always hole up over the Christmas holiday and watch one of my very favorite flicks, Ben-Hur. When that nomad fellow introduces Charlton Heston to his "children", the white arabian horses who pull his chariot, I am simply hooked all over again. Well, at least over the weekend I made it all the way to the big chariot race scene before falling sound asleep on the sofa. And I got to give Ben Hur's backstabbing Roman friend with the red chariot with those crafty razor wheels and team of black horses a good cussing out like I always do.
It was just the four of us, my husband is not a football fanatic by any means, and for a little while there, I had control of the universal remote.
Yippee.
December 23, 2006
The horses of middle earth
What am I going to do this Christmas season without my dose of the Lord of the Rings? Especially all of the fabulous horses in that film. I've been a Tolkien fan since I was little girl, and I was at the theater on opening day for all three of the films. I own the DVDs. I guess you could say I'm a die hard fan. And while I will always love the saga of middle Earth, I've enjoyed Tolkien's horses in his books and then in the films almost as much. Did you know that Tolkien wrote part of his trilogy in the trenches of World War I? I find it fascinating.
You may think I'm silly, but I've searched the Internet for the newest Narnia film, which I understood was to be released this Christmas season. I'm hoping it's The Horse and His Boy.
Anyone of you high fantasy fans know anything about that?
December 13, 2006
Beer for my horses
Toby Keith and Tolkein.
I'm in heaven.
Here's a redneck thing we do on an occasional summer weekend evening. Sit in the pasture on dusty green plastic chairs from Wal-Mart in the middle of the pasture with iced-cold Mexican beer, surrounded by our herd of horses.
Our Andaluisan eyeballs those frosty Dos Equis bottles and is on us like a dog. She'll guzzle (well, actually lap up from the palm of your hand) any and every drop you will give her. With relish.
The word greedy does not do her justice.
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December 12, 2006
Horse artiste
Cholla, a Mustang Quarter horse, is one of the biggest selling animal artists in the world. He is shown here at his easel working on several paintings. Very cool.
My percheron Toby prefers to work in pastels. My 1,700-pound protege and I are having an opening this weekend on swanky Canyon Road in Santa Fe. I hope you can join us. There will be champagne and sparkling conversation.
(Not.)
Anyone out there have a painting horse? I'll bet my heeler puppies could do some damage with a brush.
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She's a big talker
Our Andalusian mare, Caprichosa, that is.
I think I've known the horse for so many years that I ceased to notice her talkativeness in any meaningful way. Maybe I just take it for granted as part of who The Big Gal is. But J. doesn't miss a thing where that horse is concerned. With Caprichosa still on the mend, she’s been riding her brother’s horse Pinon and has been complaining that the quarterhorse is too quiet.
What do you mean? I ask her. She whickers at us when we come down to the pasture. She always whinnies if we take any of the other horses out.
That’s not what she means, she says. She's missing the running conversation that Caprichosa has with herself and with her when they are riding together. Don’t I know what she’s talking about? she asks.
And so, I begin listen for it, to hear what J. hears. And now my ears are full of it. Cap’s long, langorous moans and groans. Punctuated by deep chested grunts with each stride of the trot. A roaring in her throat, as if she’s some kind of rare white lioness, instead of a horse.
She tosses her head at the thought.
Yep, she talks a lot.
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December 11, 2006
What I was doing in June
I've been under the weather, and spent the bulk of the weekend inside. Sunday was a typical northern New Mexico winter day. The wind blew. And blew. And blew. As if it might carry you with all of that sand and dirt and grit, right across the top of the mountain range. There's no snow. No rain. Just the thin wail of wind that wakes you up in the morning like some woman singing way off key, and the only one true thing you can say about her is that she's loud. Oh, and her voice isn't very pretty either. So I guess that's two.
Anyway, this is what I was doing in June.
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December 9, 2006
Circus horse and Bengal tiger
Well, since I've got big cats on the brain today...
If you've been reading my blog for any time now, then you know that I have a passion for the circus. However, I find this video a little disconcerting. I wonder what this poor horse is thinking? Is he terrified? Is he thinking about gathering himself up into one mighty heap and leaping over the edge of the circle to run for his life? I can almost hear the words galloping through his brain as he carries that Bengal tiger on his back around and around in that little circle. Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!
At least, I know that's what I'd be thinking.
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December 8, 2006
A good jousting match
While I love the idea of time travel, and while my bookshelves are jam packed with fantasy and science fiction books, I really don't want to live back during the medieval period. I truly don't want to fight for my life with swords and chains and clubs. And, if you want to get right down to it, I sure as hell wouldn't want to live any time before the invention of antibiotics. (This is a theme upon which my former father-in-law, a long practicing, small town OB/GYN loved to wax poetic. I'd never given much thought to life before modern medicine until I sat through some of his colorful dinnertime monologues.)
But that doesn't keep me from enjoying a good jousting match.
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December 7, 2006
Men Doing Dressage - this gets TOP BILLING today!
Men. Doing. Dressage.
This one gets top billing for today and for this week as far as I'm concerned. I think this is the funniest damn thing I've seen in a long time. If you're in your office, then I suggest you close your door. I laughed until I thought I was going to die. Now possibly, I am just easily amused. But you tell me.
Truly, I aspire to be a DQ one of these days. That's Dressage Queen for any of you uninitiated.
My husband has no idea why on earth dressage would be of interest to any human being. I take him to a dressage show and his eyes glaze over and I know he's thinking about riding in the mountains ... the only kind of riding worth doing in his estimation.
This one is for all of you DQs out there.
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First snow for the heeler puppies
Lila and Red Dawg's very first snow. Not a lot of it. But enough to make a big impression on these heeler puppies who were born in July. Having two puppies can be trying. Twice the training. Twice the puppy poop. Twice the puppy energy. Twice the food bill. Twice the squeaky toys ... etc. But they keep each other such good company, and they are great friends. Every now and then I read these articles about animals that ask silly questions like—Do animals have emotions? Do animals feel love? What a waste of time and money to embark on a study like that if you ask me. Just watch these two and there's your answer.
Twice the joy.
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December 6, 2006
Wood N' Horse
We cut our own firewood here in Northern New Mexico, and we use a woodburning stove to heat the house. (I love that comforting radiant heat. And that piney smell.) The Forest Service sells permits ($10) for a cord of pinon or juniper. The idea is to let the big ponderosa pines flourish. I have dragged my fair share of wood out of the mountains over the last several years. But my husband saws it up into firelogs before we haul it to the truck or trailer, which is not nearly as romantic as logging with horses. I sure would love to use my Percheron, the tractor with fur, to do some logging. When I buy his harness, it's going to be a heavy-duty farm type.
Woodcutting days are some of the best. I do understand what this fellow is talking about in this documentary about logging. This longing for something else in the midst of a world of technology.
Serenity. Adventure. Beauty.
There's something primal about watching with satisfaction as your woodpile grows and you know you could make it through this winter and the next.
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Royal Winter Fair Grand Prix Quadrille
From the Royal Winter Fair Grand Prix Quadrille November 2006 Toronto, Canada.
I love to see horses and riders dance in the quadrille. Generally speaking, out here in the wild and wooly southwest, I only get to see a little of this at the Rodeo. The Santa Fe Sheriff's posse has done some nice presentations in the past. The best western quadrille (is that what one would call it? Or if it's western riding is it called something else? Educate me here, please, folks.) I've seen was a bunch of little high school girls performing in a small town on a reservation in Colorado one summer evening before our Regional Vaulting Competition. You could tell those kids had practiced their hearts out. They rode to that old 80's song Hey Mickey (listen).
So, this Canadian quadrille is just slightly more elegant than the Hey Mickey ride. But for some reason, that evening watching those local cowgirls with their paints and quarterhorses and appaloosas from the bleachers in small-town Colorado will always stand out in my mind as a thing of beauty.
Shall we dance?
Dressage Musical Freestyle combines the elegance and beauty as well as the power and strength of the horse with the stirring impact of music. Movements and figures are choreographed to meet the technical requirements of the particular level with carefully chosen music that highlights the horse/rider combination. Musical Freestyles are entertaining and offer great audience appeal. The tests are offered from First to Fourth levels through the USDF and at Prix St. Georges for Young Riders, Intermediate I and Grand Prix through the FEI. Musical Freestyles are a component of the dressage competition at the Olympics, and the World Equestrian Games. Freestyles are a creative expression of the relationship between a horse and rider.
November 30, 2006
Andalusian Flamenco
I've seen some pretty good flamenco dancing here in Santa Fe. Heck, I've even considered signing up for lessons. (Ole!) But I've got to tell you, I think this Andalusian horse flamenco is the prettiest I've seen. What marvelous heart the Spanish have!
International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association. Xenophon, considered by most as the founder of classical equitation, wrote of the Iberian horses that they had the ability to gather the hind legs under the fore, falling back on their hocks and raising the forehand, so that the belly can be seen from the front. This ability, which we now call collection, was impressive in that it allowed warhorses to be swift and agile and to stop and turn quickly in any direction. The Iberian horses and their riders undoubtedly gave Xenophon his first glimpse of classical riding.
To ride on the back of a horse is to borrow freedom
Arias anyone? And, tell me, is anyone even paying any attention to the poor earthbound creatures in this performance?
No doubt this will have me singing opera as I'm riding down the logging road.
I like to let our andalusian Caprichosa canter down the road by the railroad tracks with no reins and my arms extended out at my sides like an eagle, eyes closed. That brilliant brave gal never misses a beat.
Now that's freedom.
More Apassionatta
I used to ride Caprichosa's sire, Caprichoso a.k.a. Junior, from time to time. He's the only stallion I've ever ridden, and he would kneel for you to mount (if you knew the appropriate words in Spanish). I remember riding on his strong back down the Pojoaque creek while he promenaded with grace and flair. He loved to stand in the middle of the frigid rushing water and splash with a foreleg (and he passed this trait down to his daughter), until he got us both drenched. I could have asked him to stop, and he would have complied, but it gave him such joy. On a Saturday, hikers would literally stop in their tracks and stare at him in awe, like they'd seen Pegasus himself in Northern New Mexico. I felt like a queen, some type of royal personage, but at the same time humbled to be carried across the stone and sand by such a mythical, kind and soulful creature.
Andalusian stallion, Apassionatta
Hold onto your seats, folks. This is exquisite. Looking at this big, buff fellow makes me realize that our darling Caprichosa is rather fat (and out of shape due to her injury). Back to the diet, girlfriend!
The International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association. The Andalusian is one of the great, ancient breeds of horse. It originated in the Iberian Peninsula and is named for the region of Spain called Andalucia though the breed actually was more widespread. The Andalusian horse has been documented throughout European history and was praised as the finest horse of war by the Romans and Greeks in ancient times. It’s history as a equine type goes back even further, documented by cave paintings believed to be 20,000 years old. It has been known by many names throughout history but has always been spoken of with respect for its uncanny agility, courage, presence, tractability and beauty.
November 5, 2006
One Big Paw: Trick Training the Horse
Highlights from a twenty-minute trick training session with my four-year-old percheron horse Toby yesterday. We're no longer using the rope for the shake hands trick. During this session, we progress beyond using the wand as a cue to only my voice (with the extension of my right hand towards his left leg and the command "Shake").
Toby offered me a couple of unsolicited handshakes here. What did I learn from that? (Besides almost getting my knee whacked. He's not aiming for me, mind you. But this is not like teaching your cute little pup to shake hands!) Well, an important safety consideration when teaching your horse tricks is to watch for these impromptu offers during early training and also to insist that the horse only offer the trick when asked. I'm thinking about what the ramifications can be longer term, when I teach him to rear, for example.
Dennis was worried that the farrier would fire me because I'm teaching Toby to shake hands. However, when Mike the farrier came out on Friday, Toby was as good as gold and didn't offer to shake hands with him, thank goodness.
Does anyone have any feedback for me? Good or bad, I would welcome it! Not only will I learn from your comments, but any readers out there who are interested in pursuing trick training.
My trick training notes: 1) Keep horse from "begging" for carrots during session 2) How do I deal with unsolicited offers of the trick from my horse? 3) How do we make the trick prettier? Cleaner? 4) Wean off of the treats eventually. Horse will work for praise as you master the trick? 5) Begin learning a couple of other tricks. One that doesn't involve the legs and hooves and one that does. You don't want the horse to get bored. 6) More consistent practice in short short sessions. 7) Think about and anticipate potential safety issues.
Toby and I are a work in progress. Really, this is way too much fun. I realize that I am grinning from ear to ear through a lot of this. I think Toby likes it too.
(Thanks to my 9-year-old cameraman C. Superb job, buddy!)
Related links:
Trick Training Journal
Ringling Bros.
October 13, 2006
Wild angels and my hot-pink Hanoverian
Where my ten-year-old daughter and friend ride Piñon for something like a hundred miles in the course of one rainy afternoon trailed by me and the cranky appaloosa camera horse.
J.'s horse Caprichosa is still recuperating from an injury, or they would have had her out here too!
Ah ... remember being 10?
I didn't have a horse. Just a hot-pink banana seat bicycle and a vivid imagination.
I rode around and around the cul-de-sac of our suburban Cleveland-area neighborhood and convinced myself it was a dressage arena and the pink bike a fabulous high-stepping, neck-arched, chomping-at-the-bit, midnight-black, warmblood stallion. As I recall, several of the little neighborhood girls had similar steeds, and we went for rousing gallops together down the asphalt.
October 11, 2006
TNT
Blue Heeler. Red Heeler. Queensland Heeler. Australian Cattle Dog.
How about Tenacious and Tenacious?
Piss and Vinegar?
Dingo dawgz?
God help me ... two heeler pups.
Meet our new girls. Lila and Red.
October 10, 2006
Boy + Appaloosa
I am so proud of these two.
Nine-year-old C. for venturing out there and wanting to ride another horse. He gets a lot of courage from his older sister, J. (She’s riding C.’s babysitter mare extraordinaire, Piñon (a.k.a. Miss Long Legs), here.)
And Teyla. Our little rescue horse. She’s come a long way from being the scared and distrustful mare we brought home almost a year ago. To be able to carry a little boy with such care, given her history of abuse and neglect, speaks volumes about the power of love and kindness to heal a wounded spirit. It’s been a joyful thing to watch this polka-dotted horse come to life.
September 14, 2006
My lovely horse
I tried. I really did. And I cannot resist the temptation to post this.
My lovely horse.
Running through the field.
Where are you going
with your fetlocks flowing in the wind?
I want to shower you with sugar lumps.
And ride you over fences
Polish your hooves every single day.
And bring you to the horse dentist ... ?!
From Father Ted.
(Do you think it has anything to do with this???)
Full Moon Frost
Horse + girl = energy.
Lovely.
September 4, 2006
What do you think about when you're training your horse?
I've never started a horse from the very beginning before. It's a little scary, because I don't want to mess things up. In fact, I've dragged my feet about really working with Toby because I've been filled with indecision and a sense of just plain old scared. After all, I'm no professional horse trainer, I tell myself (several times). What if I do this wrong? What if I do that wrong?
So, what do you do when you don't have the money for a professional horse trainer? And this is something you've always wanted to do besides? Well. You just trust your knowledge. And your intentions. And you start.
And it's very exciting.
I find that during this training process, in the midst of all that thinking and little wheels turning about where my weight is, keeping light hands, open the rein and invite him into the turn, use that outside leg to bring his hindquarters around the circle, how am I going to help the horse learn this or that, etc., etc., etc., I am tapping into something much deeper.
An iridescent pool full of dreams.
An ancient art form.
And ... to my utter delight ... something about not being separate from anything, but a part of it all.
Way cool.
Flickr photographs. I love these extraordinary photos of horses from Ride n' Fast & Take n' Chances. willis.dewitt and UGAclint have captured the essence of the Sangre de Cristo peaks.
September 3, 2006
Shiner Bock
The momma cat who had her four kittens in our barn is gone. Either 1) she deserted them right after they were weaned (bad momma, bad) or 2) she g