99 reasons why I love my barn...

Lil' Aspen Farms....
Land of the Free, Home of the Paints.


Granite is out numbered in that he is taller and less spotty than most of his Painted Playmates. 
But he is none the less happy for it.
He dines on a large pasture of beautiful green grass and has access to a cozy shelter equipped with a buffet of delicious (or what appears to be as I personally have not taste tested) hay. 
Owner/Manager/Trainer, Becky, makes sure he is toasty in his blanket if the North Carolina temps reach below a frosty 32.
She makes sure that despite snow or blazing temps that all the critters are fed and watered.
She worms them regularly and makes sure to call the vet and farrier at appropriate intervals to set up appointments and the proceeds to hold my horse for me while I am at work.
She answers my never-ending calls and emails "just checking in on my boy".
She offers advice when questions or concerns arise.
She also knows the power of allowing an owner their own space and to afford them their own opinion when it comes to their equine child.
I have an arena with lovely rubber footing.
I have a round pen in which to work my terrible two year old (jokes, of course, for Granite is perfection-ok, that part is a joke as well).
My barn is 10 minutes from work and home.
There are no screaming children or bratty rich bitches (eh, maybe I lied, one has the potential to fall into category 2).
Things are neat and clean, although we are allowed to use the barn-- its not a museum.
Although I only pasture board, if anything were to happen I have access to a stall.
My things are safe.
My HORSE is safe.
Becky notices anything unusual in Granite's behavior or physique. 
I am happy there! Very happy.
And as you all know, I have planned to have Becky start Granite undersaddle for me. But financial issues (whats new!?) are throwing a wrench in the process. I emailed Becky to "just check in" since I haven't been able to go see Granite in a week. I also mentioned that perhaps we could talk about working out a schedule or some way to have her and I work in tandem to get him started. 
Her response solidifies the fact that, for this time in our lives, Granite and I have found an amazing home...
"And as far as Granite goes,  don't worry we will work something out when that time comes.  Also Granite( and the other horses) is doing fine, fat and happy at the buffet."
Those simple sentences mean so much to me. I am eternally grateful. I often fall into the most amazing situations with truly wonderful people! 
I love the way the world works :)

Thanks A Lot Obama, and You too Bev Perdue!

So you know that tax refund money I had allocated to paying to have Granite's spring shots/ teeth float/ front shoes/ 30 days training??? Well, I got my taxes done on Tuesday, and I got 1/2 of what I did last year! HALF!!! I am soooo mad, but mainly heartbroken. I obviously must use the money I will be getting back to pay for his vetting and farrier service, as these are essentials. This leaves me with the question of the training. I could wait, and hope for a windfall. I could wait, and stash little bits of extra cash as I get them (we are talking like very few dollars a month, I am stretched to the max simply paying his rent and mine). I could try to pay for one ride a week or so (Becky charges $15 a ride, which is great and makes it easier to spread it thin instead of doing the 30 days in a month and half- two). I could pay her for very few rides and I can try to ride also. Or, I can try to run this show on my own.

I have ABSOLUTELY no experience with babies. I have shown for years, rather successfully, but I have never broken, trained, i hesitate to say re-trained, anything! And I know his initial training will help determine the kind of horse and athlete he will be. I don't want to screw this up by being all DYI. BUT-- I want to make this happen. I have waited a LONG time for him to grow and I was so looking forward to April when it was finally time to get his shoes on and send him into the area with Becky (under my watchful and interested eye). So I am trying to think outside of the box and I'm asking you to also.
Do you have any creative ideas? Any suggestions? Simply sympathy?

I had a dream last night that I was riding my first horse, Bonnie (she was a grey TB). We were cantering in the arena with a lot of people around. Then I looked down and she morphed into Granite. At first I was scared because I knew he didn't know the cues to slow down. But then it melted away and he and I just cantered. It was amazing. Now I want to make it a reality.

The Makings of a Power Pony (and local celebrity) who is loved by many and duplicated by none...

Karma comes from humble beginnings. She was born to a Paso Fino dam and a American Quarter Horse sire. She was sold to Ms. D. Porter at the age of 8months. With Ms. Porter, she thrived on a wide assortment of delectable tidbits and an overwhelming helping of love.

Karma was trained by Ms. D. Porter and spent years mastering the art of Ultimate Trail Conquering, Leading the Trail, Traversing Rivers, Begging for treats, and Imbibing lovely varieties of muscadine wine.

In 2007, Ms. R. Hawley entered Karma's life. At this point Karma was dubbed "Shez Klassic Karma" (as is currently on record with the American Half Quarter Horse Association) in the way of her many snazzy-named Quarter Horse predecessors. Karma was then asked to endure a plethora of pink accessories. During this time, she also learned to love close contact hunter saddles and pink sport boots. She conquered many Hunter Paces and dabbled in Hunter/Jumper lessons. After she was asked to share love and affection with an obnoxiously large and goofy little brother, it was determined that Karma would be placed back into the loving ownership of Ms. D. Porter.

In late 2009, Ms. A. Waldruff fell, like many before her, for the Power Pony in Pink. Ms. Waldruff knew "adorable" and "talent" just as soon as it walked out of the pasture in its size 00 shoes. Ms. Waldruff now claims (often disputed by Ms. I-Am-An-Only-Child-And-I-Want-It-All-Hawley) ownership of Karma and has high hopes for arena work and victory in the mare's future. She also plans to feed her copious amount of sweet snacks in order to bribe her into said arena work and victory.

Karma is also doing more than just looking adorable to earn her keep. She gives lessons once a week to Ms. C. Miller, an aspiring equestrian who longs for the togs of the hunt field nearly as much as the mount. Karma is patient and kind in helping Ms. Miller fulfill her dreams of equestrian diva-ness. In Karma's spare time she also holds therapy sessions in which troubled teens and twenty-somethings lament the fact that zero-few decent men reside in this city.

Karma's fan base is currently in the thousands and certainly grows during every outing she takes. She will soon be international and thus has ordered her faithful minions to create her a Fan Page on the Book of Face, so that her many admirers could have a forum through which to discuss their undying love for the Princess Power Pony in Pink herself. 


The above post is from Karma (the mare I used to own prior to the Big Grey Donkey)'s new Fan Page on Facebook. Become at Fan!

Conformation

I didn't go to my Horse Management Class tonight. The class was still on but considering I have gotten my car stuck in three separate snow-covered parking lots today, I figured I wouldn't try my luck tonight. So, I came home and worked out and got tax information ready (I get to have them prepared tomorrow, for free! thank you credit union!).
But, I wanted to share with you a marked up picture of Granite to examine some conformation. He is actually, in my opinion, a pretty well-proportioned horse. He makes a nice overall picture but he has a few minor flaws, some of which I think he may grow out. So, heres a marked up picture for you to check out and compare to the important points for analysis above.

The problems I have identified with Granite are the following:
-Slightly higher in the rump (he isn't even 3 yet, and I'm confident that this will even out)
-His left hoof is slightly clubbed (it has always been his most concerning flaw, but my farrier is confident that as long as we are careful about corrective shoeing and tendon support, that it will be a non-issue)
-In this picture, He looks a little under in the back, I think its just the photo.
-He needs some building up of the haunches, but I think this is also due to age and lack of muscle strength.

Other than that. I think he makes a nice overall picture. In the latest Equus Magazine, there was an article about not focusing on the flaws but picking conformation for the whole picture. Granite has a large head with a roman nose, but its a nice, well defined head and he has soft eyes and a clean throat latch. He has a nice long neck that blends nicely into his shoulder. He has a short back and great bone structure.

AND? He is the love of my life!

What Every First (...or Third) Time Horse Owner Should Know:

Last Monday I went to my first Horse Management Course at the Cooperative Extension Agricultural Center. I had a blast! An Animal Science Professor from NC State taught a course on things that 1st time horse owners should know. He started with separating things that owners NEED to know, Better know, SHOULD know, and would be GOOD to know. We need to know about facilities, equine psychology, nutrition, health care, hoof care, and who to call when something goes wrong. Although Granite is my third horse, I learned (or relearned) so much. I go a refresher on horse vision. This explained many spooks that seem to come out of nowhere, when actually the horse just sees things that we cant :)

I also learned that horses should be grazing at least 20 of 24 hours and eat for 12 full hours during the day. He reinforced horses being pack animals and stressed that even stallions needed to be able to see horses if not be with others. I also learned that if a horse's body temperature reaches 104, then they can no longer independently get their body temp back. You would have to immediately cold hose them. He proved to us that not cold hosing is an old wives tale (score one for me, I totally hose my horses in the summer).
We talked about new controversies in worming. This one hits home for me because I really like feed-thru wormer because it seems to improve my horse's overall condition. But my last vet was very opposed. She believed that the best method was to do fecal exams to count eggs and determine when to paste. She thought that the less we could paste worm, the less resistance problems we would encounter. The prof from State agreed with my last vet. I think the vets are just out to charge me $23 per fecal exam as many times a year as possible. Alas, it is an interesting concept.

So thats the short version of my first Short Course. I am supposed to have another one tomorrow (about preventative health care) but we got a ton of snow and here in good ole NC, we don't react well to snow (by we, I mean that I do not react well to snow. It is my mortal enemy.) So, I have a funny feeling that they will cancel the course. My Town Hall is opening 2 hours late which is fabulous. But I have a very low toyota solara and I am not looking forward to navigating it the 15 minutes to work!

In other news, tonight's work-out makes 3 full weeks of working out 6 days a week! My weight has been fluctuating a pound or two here and there. But I have lost an inch or so in my waist and hips! Best of all, tonight's hour long elliptical program that Eva created for me got easier than it was for the past two weeks! That means that I am getting stronger and that this is working! I will be ready to ride my horse with strength in 2 months! I am proud, despite what the scale tells me.

Alright folks, chow for now :)

Big Favor..

Alright. Everyone knows of my Bestest, well her real name is Eva. We have been best friends since 5th Grade. We met shortly after I broke my arm riding my first horse, Bonnie. A friend of mine called and said that she had a friend (Eva) who wondered if I needed someone to exercise my horse while I was out with my broken shoulder. My response? Hell NO!! I knew that if I let someone else take over my horse, that they may well try to buy her and my parents may well oblige them. So, my mother exercised my horse for me and I didn't hear from Eva about the subject again.
Well, funny how things work out. A boarder at my farm got pregnant (don't you hate when that happens.. it has a way of ruining your riding career), and guess who stepped in to ride her horse? You guessed it, Eva did. I was such a bitch to poor Eva. I let her horse out of the paddock, I left old food in her tack trunk, in addition to throwing plenty of snappy comments and evil glares. Well, one day we got stuck out at the farm together (oh, the days before the freedom of a drivers license) and we ended up riding together. Shortly thereafter, Eva spent the night at my house and we hatched plans to host a horse show at our farm (which we did, complete with a rated judge, customized ribbons, and competitors!-- yes we were, like, 12 years old).
Thats pretty much all she wrote. Eva and I were best friends from then on. She ended up buying the horse she was riding for the pregnant lady (TOLD YOU, see why I wouldn't let her touch my horse?!). We moved to another farm and grew up through local shows, 4-H, high school, heartbreaks, proms and more. In '04 I left for college five hours away and in '05 she moved for college and we were three hours apart. Through it all she has remained my favorite person in the universe. She is Granite's Godmother and I see her as often as possible. She recently moved to a city only 1.5 hours from me and is working on her Masters in Communication. She is training to be an Event Rider. She has been through hell trying to find a new horse and is currently leasing a pretty snazzy Thoroughbred from her trainer. She is still on the lookout for one of her own and is hoping to find something come summertime. But... heres where the favor comes in... I want to let her take over the rest of the story. She is currently taking a social media course in her grad program and is required to write a blog. Her assignment involves having comments on her posts and actual readers. She is BRILLIANT (2nd in her graduating class in High School and Magna Cum Laude in College) so you won't be disapointed. PLEASE PLEASE do me a huge favor and go check out her blog "High Tech Horse". It looks to me like she will be discussing, primarily, how the internet has changed the horse world (through horse blogs, online tack stores, online horse sales, horse marketing, trainer research etc...). You won't be disapointed and you'll be doing my very favorite person (and me) a huge favor!
Thanks so much!!

Circa '06

Circa '07

The wheel of the world keeps turning around...

This week has been ridiculous. I only had one day in the office and had to spend 11 hours of that day working 90 miles an hour to situate things for my absence. I then spend the following three days at a conference. I learned a lot and really enjoyed myself at the conference, I even got to spend one night at my Bestest's apartment. The conference got me really jazzed about my job and I needed that.

In the mean time, Daphne had to go live with D and I didn't get to go see my horse for 4 straight days. I went to visit him yesterday and he was doing wonderfully, as per usual. I absolutely adore my farm. Becky and Allen always have such a close eye on Granite yet they aren't over protective and don't try to tell me what to do with my own horse.

I have managed to work out 6 days this week (and last week) despite the constant travel and late nights at work. I feel so sore and thus so happy thinking that I will be strong enough to do right by my horse come April. I just have such a problem with consistency. I am afraid that something will come along and throw me off track. I have made a promise to myself to make sure I work out 4-6 days a week for 6 weeks. I don't care if it involves working out before work (which is often has these days) or staying up later to do it. I just have to stick with this for at least 6 weeks and by that point, I hope to have made it habit or at least be proud of the results.

But alas, it is the weekend and what am I doing? I am working on writing a grant for 4-H. If I am going to start a Hippology and Horse Bowl team, they need educational materials and buzzers. The County 4-H asked me to prepare a proposal to the North Carolina Horse Council educational grant. It is a lot more involved than I had anticipated and its due NEXT WEEKEND, but I have to get it done. So, next week is shaping up to be just as busy as the last. Which is good, because I thrive on feeling busy and needed.

What else is on the docket for this week? Well, my first Horse Management Short Course is tomorrow night. The subject is "The First Time Horse Owner: management, feeding, safety, purchasing and owning a horse, manure management". Although Granite is my third horse, I plan to go for a few reasons. First, I really want the opportunity to meet new people. I have only a small handful of close friends here and a few of them are gearing up to move after graduation in May. I want to expand my friend network, and I want to take any opportunity I can to meet new people. Another reason is to recruit interested youth for our new Hippology and Horse Bowl teams. There are currently no such teams in the County and this will be a great arena to gauge interest and to let them know that teams are forming. This should be interesting and educational. The courses will be held for 8 consecutive Mondays. I'll update you on how they go.

On Wednesday, I am supposed to give my friend Carrie (check out her blog)  a riding lesson on Karma (you remember her right? The mare of which I had to relinquish possession). But Karma has had a runny nose and a cough that have come and gone for the last few weeks. She has a vet visit scheduled for Monday, so we shall see if we are still on. I guess I should get to creating some lesson plans for her! Sheesh, I have too much to do... what happened to having some free time after graduation?!

Now for your viewing pleasure... a picture of my big man in his new blanket (which he will not be wearing until he breaks his current togs).