Grrr!!!

Grrr!! I can't wait to feel better! It's so annoying! I need to go to the doctor. I went to the barn today to work with Denali and I am just too weak to do much more than groom her. It sucks. I lounged her, and she is doing really well at her transitions. Her trainer rode her and showed me how they've been working on bending. She is looking like a proper dressage pony now.

I bought a new helmet today. That's another thing bothering me!! I tried on one size and the lady told me that it was too big (i.e, moved around on my head more than she'd like.) So I tried the size smaller on and it fit like a glove, but was a little tight. She said that was good and that it's better to have it tight than loose. I get that, but I wore it today at the barn and it just seems to tight!! One stupid muscle in my head pushes into the helmet, or the other way around, but you get the point. I am really hoping that it ends up working out, because it is an expensive helmet to not want to wear! I just keep thinking that I should have bought the other one and added padding instead of getting the one that fit at the time. Does anyone else have that problem? I am just wondering if I did the right thing!

Goal for tomorrow: be able to lounge Denali for more than five minutes without feeling like I'm about to pass out!

Wednesday Night is the Show! I'm pretty excited!

Guess who's going to be a show horse?

I got to the barn today after stopping off to buy a fly sheet for Ophelia. I thought it was only fair for me to buy her fly sheet since Denali thinks that she can take a bit out of Ophie anytime she wants, and she'll be the one to destroy the sheet, not Ophie.

Denali's trainer asked if she could take Denali to a show this week for the 4-H kids to learn how to judge confirmation. I was pretty excited that someone called and asked her if she had any "warmblood, hunter type horses" that she could bring so the kids could practice judging confirmation, and she said Denali (after okaying it with me.) It's only a "practice" for the kidlets to learn, but Denali won't know that and I have never seen her in an environment outside of a barn (aside from the auction I bought her at, but she was drugged.) I think it will be a good experience and I'm pretty excited to go and watch.

I also lost my temper today with one of the little girls who rides at the barn. It was the first time, and right in front of her mother. I was talking to Denali, like the dork I am, and I hear the little girl tell me how soft Denali's tail is. I about died! I know I haven't explained it very well in here, but my horse is a killing (or attempted) machine. She has taken out more walls and doors than any other horse I know, and it was always when something surpised her. She also once ran the barn owners daughter down in the arena and tried to pounce on her...not good... ANYWAY, back to the main story, I freaked out on her about touching Denali when she's not looking. The mom looked taken back, but it's either A. you don't touch horses that you don't know, or b. you die. The thing that would suck the most is that Denali would be labled the bad horse because she kicked, not the kid for not listening. I guess Denali is deciving because she is so sweet and so calm now, but the point is I know she can do it, I've seen her do it, and it's better safe than sorry. I think I've officially scared all the girls from ever touching my horse again.... Oh well. The mom wanted me to explain why to her kid, simple: she's not yours, and you don't know her.

I did thin her mane today!! It looks so much better! It also helps that her fly sheet had a neck cover on it so that helps keep her hair down. Thanks for the advice! I'm going to attempt to braid it Tuesday night for Wednesday. I practiced on her tail, and she totally tucked it as far under as she could. HA HA HA.

So Fresh and So Clean Clean

(I love Outkast BTW)

We did it! We cleaned Denali tonight. She LOVES water, but the scrubbing part...not so much, dances all over and HATES IT. It actually is kind of funny, I hate being touched too. It's why I teach middle school. They don't touch me. She looks really nice, I'll post pictures as soon as I'm not too lazy to walk to the other side of the room and grab the camera cord.

Add one more thing about mare's I didn't know.... We were washing Denali and my trainer asked if we cleaned her teats. Teats? Really? You need to clean those? I mean that was why I was so excited about a mare was I didn't need to worry about cleaning a geldings shaft. Well, I was informed that it gets all gross and sticky and needs cleaned.... I'll give you two guesses as to what Denali thought about me touching her there! She about jumped two feet, even when I went SUPER SUPER SUPER slow.

Let me tell you:

A. She loved it and about fell asleep while I did it (not normal Denali behavior) and

B. Pretty much the grossest thing ever! Really, the whole area was just caked in this disgusting (well, if you know about horses, which I apparently don't you know what I'm talking about) thick scabby, sticky, dirty stuff.

Denali's never had a foal (that I'm aware of, but she was 4 when I got her and straight from the Track) so it was a new experience for her! The hubby helped with the bath, he's so cute with her! I offered to let him help clean off her teats, but he politely declined. Actually he said, "I can't touch her like that." I guess he's getting a gelding. But he did scrub her and did a nice job of drying her off. He's just getting into horses, so baby steps!

New Trick I need to Learn:
1. How to clean her freaking forelock. Tried the wash cloth today, and she put her head up as far as she could get it. Weird for a horse who will put her whole head into the water.

Going tomorrow to buy a thinning tool that someone on here suggested! After her bath, it looked like she had a fro. It's bad!

New Horse!

I miss the girl! Last night I decided to drive out to the barn to just say hi and give her some love. When I pulled in I couldn't figure out who the life of me the light brown horse was in the field. It's a small barn and there are only 13 horses, so the idea of a new one and a new boarder got me really excited.

I parked the car and went looking for the girl. Guess where I found her? In the field under about 2 inches of dirt. She doesn't even look like herself. I should have guessed that was her that I saw when I pulled in, but silly me. She also looks like she grew another inch! She is HUGE. She has defiantly grown since February, and is filling out beautifully! She looks like an expensive imported Warmblood. She would be a great mare to breed to a Warmblood, aside from the fact I would never do that to her and her confirmation isn't perfect.

How do you even go about getting that much dirt off of a horse? I think I need to hang her up by the legs and beat her like a rug. I took her in and tried to brush the dirt off of her, but it just kept coming up! Seriously, aside from giving her a bath, or grooming her for hours and hours, is there anything I can do? I guess that's part of owning a horse...

After trying to take at least an inch of dirt off, I took her into the arena. Usually I walk over to the other side of the arena with her to make sure that the other door is closed and locked before I set her go. Today I just let her go. Guess where she went running too!! I freaked and ran over to the door, but she just stood there looking at it until it was closed and locked and then she took off running. I think that she thinks she has to go to the door before she's allowed to run around. It was pretty cute.

It's going to be above 80 today! A good day to scrub off some mud, depending on how I feel.

Yuck!

I got back from Vegas on Sunday night and was SO SO excited for my favorite day of the week: Monday! I usually go to volunteer and then work with Denali. Unfortunately, I woke up on Monday morning at 3 am, really sick. So one hospital trip later and lots of fluids via an IV I'm feeling a little better. Food Poisoning? Back to work sickness? All this means that I'm on a couch and won't get to see the girl for a few days. Boo.

VEGAS!

This weekend I am off to Vegas! I'm pretty excited, but that means that no Nawlers or Nawlers updates!

We went out to see her last night. It was my hubby's first time seeing her since she was at the evil barn. Her trainer showed us what we learned, it was kind of funny, I felt like I was at a parent teacher conference!

Hubby rode her around the arena. He's so good with horses, I think if he took lessons he'd be a natural horseman.

Well not much of an update.... I have pictures to upload, I keep getting behind on that! I need a new camera that doesn't take years to take a photo!

Monday, Monday!

Isn't she pretty?

Mondays are my favorite day of the week. I know I sound crazy, and don't worry, I spend the rest of the week hating life...



Mondays I volunteer at a Therapeutic Riding Center in the area, and I love it. I always feel like an idiot because I get choked up when I see the kiddos take the reins and ask their horse to walk on. It's a pretty powerful experience. Yesterday I was running late and therefore worked in a different class with a different horse and kiddo. It was so much fun to be able to interact that much. Usually I lead the horse, so the kid isn't my focus. It was a nice change of pace.



After class I went to the barn to see the girl. Of course she came barreling up the field as soon as I turned the corner. I'm not sure if that is something that is super cool, or a bad idea. She does get pissed when I take too long.



I put her in the cross ties and had her standing there for quite some time while I was getting things ready. She was so patient and such a good girl. Every time she heard me she'd nicker, which I think is really sweet.



We're working on bending. It's going well, and yesterday she was giving to the bit and working really well off my leg. I was really proud of her. There were some spooks though, although they weren't horrible. It's been so long that I just started laughing at her. It was more like a spider running all over. It was raining and the horses were outside running and bucking and playing.... she was freaking out, but we kept it together and kept walking. I was proud of her!!

This makes me think!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/30814609#30814609

I watched this video online this morning. I couldn't imagine losing Denali!! Pretty crazy what people are able to do! Part of me understands the need to have another baby from your favorite mare, but then there's the part of me that just thinks of all the babies who won't get to grow up because there are just to many damn horses.

Spoiled Pony.

I had a busy weekend and didn't get to spend a lot of time with Nawlers. I left a birthday party early to go take her blanket off, and put her fly mask on then ran back to the party. I think I mentioned before that she knows what my car looks like? I usually get out of my car and to grab her right away. She waits at the gate for me an calls for me. Cute right? Yes, until yesterday. I got out of my car and went to talk to her trainer and we started to hear something that sounded like gunshots going off. I ran out of the barn to the sound of which clearly was an angry horse kicking the shelter. Guess who? Apparently I wasn't fast enough! Her friends were standing off looking at her like she was nuts. Then I stood there ignoring her for a little bit (when it was obvious she wasn't going to hurt herself or others) but really Denali!! You can wait five minutes for me!! She really likes to work, but honestly!!

On a happier note, I worked a little bit on Denali's disaster of a hair cut. It's looking better. At least better than it did! Nice flowers right? Notice something missing? That would be my horse deciding that they looked tasty. My trainer wasn't mad. That's good! She did tell me the owner of the property was concerned about one of the horses who has been trying to open the gate during the day. He didn't tell her which one, but she said she'd put money on one of them! Guess who? Denali better not ever get thrown out of this place! It's too perfect and I think I'd cry!!

$33.51 that would be what it costs for one week of going to see the girl! It sucks that it is so far, but anything closer is twice as much! Oh well. I took this picture right before I notice a guy trying to put regular in a Diesel rental car.... I hope he figured it out. I have felt bad for two days not for not going back to tell him. I was driving away when I noticed...

What's in a Name?

I haven't been out to see "Nawlers" since Tuesday. She probably hates me and will demand carrots when I get there. Nah, she has the good life, but will still demand food.

She's so funny. My friend and I like discussing our horses personalities. My friend's horse, Ophelia is the sweetest thing and if she could crawl up into your lap she would. That's a bit difficult for a 16.1 TB to do, but she'd try. I was in Denmark when my friend started to lease "Ophie" and I still remember her writing me to tell me what she was going to do. I thought she was nuts. All I could imagine was the TB who didn't really have an owner and spent most of her time in her stall at our old barn. When anyone would take her out she was a scardy cat and you couldn't do much with her other than try to get her to walk next to you on the ground, so other people told me. Ophie was bought at the auction for $200 (I'll give you two guesses what the woman who sold her looked like....GRRR!!!) No one did anything with her, and when my friend started working with her she started to become a different horse. Long story short, I'm convinced that my friend saved Ophelia's life. She officially bought her in January when she was finally put of for sale. They are doing so well, and Ophelia (don't tell Denali) is so delicate and beautiful. Denali is beautiful, but in a beach volleyball player/Venus Williams sort of way. She's big and bulky. Ophie is like a little ballerina.

Anyway. The point! (Yes, I have a point.) Denali came to me without a name. The lady (aka, Jockey's wife who sold Denali and Ophie) told me, "I think her name was Stormy or something like that." Well, she was too sweet to be a Stormy (or so I thought.) I named her Lillian at the auction. She finally got her real name after about two weeks of being called "The horse formerly known as Lilly."

Here's how the naming went:
1. Lillian (that doesn't work as a name when you spend all your time running like a mad man and bucking all over.)
2. Turnip
3. Beet (yes, I was serious, Ophie's mom said "hell no")
4. Devil (the only fitting one)
5. Cat food ( I was pissed at her)
6. Glue (I was really pissed at her)
7. Your Mom (Because I thought it would be a hilarious show name, "now entering the arena on Your Mom...." then I realized that would be ridiculous...I'm an adult, and should be more mature...Althought the temptation at a schooling show might be too great)
8. McKinley (Which is what I was going to call her... I wanted to name her after something that was large and powerful)
9. Denali (Ophie's mom reminded me of the other name for McKinley, it means "The Great One")

I'm glad I picked Denali, aside from everyone assumes she's a he. Denali gets mad at them, but then they give her treats and she could care less. Lol. It wasn't much longer after I named her that I got her papers from her trainer and learned that her registared name was "Storm City Slew." That's where the "Stormy" came from, but she already had a name I liked.

I'll have to tell her she has people who read my online nonsense. (I just can't let her know that she has pictures posted, she'll be pissed, she knows my photography skills suck.) She'll just add you to her list of people she "owns."

We joke that I don't own Denali, she owns me. She just figures anyone who looks at her she owns. Ophie is her personal assistant, so technically she owns Ophie and her mom, or at least she thinks so!!

Anyway...I always wonder what people are thinking when they name their horse? Do they name them based on their personality? Their color?

Pebbles

All she needs now is a club to carry around. I decided to put a rubber band around the short hair and attach it to the longer part of her forelock in hopes that it will start to lay down some. Well, she looks like Pebbles, kind of cute. Of course I didn't get good pictures! Why would I do that? I did try!


On fun note, I ran home before going to the barn to play with "Pebbles" and found this waiting for me!! I ordered it on April 16 and it has taken 2 mean e-mails and a month, but it finally showed up! Express Shipping my @ss. Denali had been trashing her stall so we thought she was getting bored at night. Turns out (after a month of waiting we can figure out a lot of things) that she has a small furry animal that has started coming in her stall at night. She's stopped freaking out, and knowing Denali she probably said, "Hum, okay, you can live here if you bring me food at night. If no food, I'll kill you." She's pretty funny.

Anyway, before figuring out Denali has a pet of her own, I looked all over at stall toys and read review after review. I looked at them at two tack stores, and finally decided on a Stubbs Rock n' Roll ball. It had good reviews, is made of one piece of plastic, and is made of really hard "unbreakable" plastic. I don't think anything can be unbreakable, especially when it involves one very determined TB.

I took the ball to the barn (it's red of course) and filled it with some treats. I was trying to figure out how to teach her to roll it around. I left it on her box and went out to get her. Her expression was pretty much awesome when she saw it!! She started dancing around as soon as she saw it. She reminded me of a little kid waiting in line to see Santa Claus. It was awesome! I took it out in the arena and finally got her to stand still long enough to undo her halter. She was off! Shoving the ball all over the place! She didn't even realize that it had treats in it. I had to pick them up behind her and then feed them to her. I shouldn't have done that!!! I should have just let her play. Once she figured out that there was food inside of it, that was it. She pushed that ball all over the place as fast as she could. When it was time for me to go, I picked the ball up and she pretty much threw the horse equivalent of a 2 year old's temper tantrum!! She was stomping her feet trying to bite the ball and take it from me. We got to do lots of ground work while I was walking her to her stall.

I was going to ride Denali tonight, and was suppose to have a lesson later in the evening but I was WAY to tired to even think staying there that long or of riding. It was Denali's training night anyway, so her trainer would have worked her and then I would have gotten on and practiced with her what she's learning (BTW: Great way to train a horse!)

It's so nice to be able to see her everyday and know that she is take care of in a great facility! I love that I can not worry about her, and know she's taken care of when I don't make it out there. I love our barn! It's small, the horses have the best of everything and they are all very carefully fed. The price for board is so reasonable compared to others that I looked at! Especially for the care she's getting, and for being close to Seattle. Heck, I looked at pasture board that costs more than full care where she's at!! I Love bringing my friends out and showing them around, introducing them to the trainer, showing them their hay, and grain and then telling them that it's only $425 a month. It's great!

Okay. Enough going on an on about Denali's barn (I could go on that for days!) Below is the reason that I wanted to leave early (aside from napping.) The goat at my friends barn had a baby on Sunday. Goat babies (Kids?) are the cutest thing I have ever seen!! I need one! This is Loretta. Here mom is Dolly (after Dolly Parton) and her dad is Willy (after Willy Nelson.) I liked the name Marilyn, because every time I took a picture she seemed to strike a pose for the camera. Then there's Banjo, the little dog who lives there. He was trying to figure out what she was, and she was trying to figure out who he was. It was super cute!!

Photography is definitely not my thing....

I took my camera tonight to take a picture of Denali's new hair cut. I can't even say that my
camera has no photo viewer. It does, I know exactly what they look like, but I know that I can't do much better. Yikes! The poor thing. She knows how they turn out, that's why she has started to close her eyes and stick her tongue out. That's what I guess anyway...

She is so beautiful and she has these pictures that make her look like a mule on crack. She is really pretty I promise!

On a more fun note: I rode beasty tonight again. We worked more on me more than her. We worked on walk/trot transitions. I love trotting, it seems so much easier than walking. I think I just think too much when walking. I'm sure it's easier than I'm making it seem and that's why I do better at the trot: because I'm terrified of falling and dying under her large TB hooves... I honestly don't know what I would do without my trainer. Anyone who thinks "oh I can totally train my own horse" is freaking nuts! It should be like learnig to drive. You need to take so many lessons before you can have your license (aka, own a horse.)

We'll work on the hair! I don't want to cut it to much more. Not only does she have Moe type hair, her forelock is two different lengths. I cut her bridle path too large and so now she has some hair growing in that stands straight up. What a hair-do!! I need to hire a professional. Do people do that? She hates when I pull it, and she pretty much freaks. I'm hoping it's like a bad kid haircut. That after a few days it will start to look better.

Larry, Moe,and Curly

I said I wouldn't do it. I said I was going to let it grow long and flowing... I did it today. I cut Denali's mane and she looks like Moe now from the Three Stooges. I'm a little mad at myself for doing it. I loved watching it flowing behind her when she ran through the pasture, but with it getting warmer out I made the dumb decision to cut it. It's short, maybe four or five inches long. I think I took off 9 inches. I'll have to take a picture... sigh...

On a happier note: Denali ROCKED riding today. I was so proud of her. She actually didn't drop out of the trot once. Even with three other horses in the arena with her. She does pin her hears when they come close to her, but we'll work on that! I love my horse!!

TGIF

I love Fridays, ALMOST as much as I love Denali.

So about three months ago, Denali took out an arena wall. I mentioned it on here, but just yesterday found the "after" picture on my computer. This is what my horse did...

How she didn't get hurt at all is beyond me. I am still reliving that moment in my life of her taking off like a bat out of hell and going THROUGH the wall. Scary, scary, scary. Very soon after this I packed her up (after fixing the wall) and took her to a boarding facility that has turn out and feeds the horses. Two amazing concepts, and both very much needed with TB's.

On a different note, this is what Denali looked like last night....She looks dejected right? That is her pouting face. She's mad at me because I yelled at her for doing this:

Yep. That would be my horse eating FAKE FLOWERS! What horse does that? Is it normal? Maybe she's part goat? All I know is I was trying to take a picture and she grabbed the biggest bite of fake roses and started to chew. I wish I wouldn't have been so concerned about her choking to death, and would have taken a picture of her face, because it was priceless. She did manage to eat one rose. I got the rest of them out of her mouth (there were only two more.)

Oh Denali, you are the reason I can't have kids, you cause enough stress!!

Who? Me?

Happy Birthday Yukon

Yukon Heir, an OTTB, and my favorite lesson horse turns 23 today! I rode him for over a year when I bought Denali. I even had the animal communicator talk to him to make sure he wasn't mad I bought a different horse. I'm not sure where he is, but I hope he's happy. Last I heard he was adopted by a family with two other geldings. I miss that boy!!!

Pictures!! (See I really do own a horse!)

This is what I get. I say, "Denali, Smile" and I didn't even look at the picture until now. Thanks Denali!!!

She always gives me this look before we work. It's her, "I'm too cute and we should just go eat grass together" look. It doesn't work!! (all the time.)



And now for the proof!! I really do ride her!! I'm even smiling! My position isn't wonderful, but oh well.... we're working on that.

And of course, her favoriate thing to do!!! This was after her bath that she kept drinking out of the hose. I wish I had pictures of that!!

Dodgeball...

So, where I work is calling people this week to let them know if they got hired for the positions they applied to for next year. I applied, and interviewed at 3 schools. Yesterday people started getting phone calls about positions and so far no one has called me. I honestly have to admit that the last time I felt like this was when I caught my college boyfriend stealing my car and cheating on me. Heartbroken. I know it's not a big deal, but I interviewed at one school and I was pretty sure I got the job. (There's a lot more to the story, but since this is public, we'll leave it at that.)Well no phone call yet. Everytime I think of it, my heart sinks in my chest. I know that physically that is not possible, but that's what it feels like. I feel like I'm in a giant dodgeball game and that I'm going to get picked last.

Because of said "dodgeball game" I DID not want to go to the barn yesterday. I wanted to go home and crawl into bed, possible sleep for the next three years. However, I had told Denali's trainer I would be out, so I decided to drag myself to the barn.

I know I say it all the time, but I LOVE MY HORSE! I call her my prozac. She can pull me out of anything. She is the sweetest, most loving creature I have ever met. Three months ago I would have told you (and I did) that she was a crazy nutball, but she's just doing so well that it's hard to believe that she use to rear up in her stall and try to kill me. She stands quietly in the crossties and waits paitently for me to get stuff. My favoriate thing is how she follows me and watches me from her pasture if I am doing other things around the barn. She nickers at me and comes running when I call for her. She recognizes my car now so if she sees me pull in she is usually waiting for me at her gate.

Yesterday I decided to ride her while two other girls rode their horses in their lesson. This was a whole new experience for Denali. She has never been in the arena (with me on her) with other horses she didn't know (I've ridden her with her best friend Ophelia in the arena also.) There was new footing so I figured if I came off, it would be a soft landing. Denali rocked! She did such a good job! She is so big I had to laugh when I looked at the little girls on their horses. They looked so tiny. Denali looks tall, and is 16hh, but I didn't realize until I got on her and had another horse to judge how tall she really is.

Denali did AMAZING!! She did so well for me! I love her!! I can't believe that I was going to sell her. I'm glad I waited out the devil horse and got my sweet pony beast. She does have a habit of "faking" though when you ride her. My trainer got on her and all of the sudden she couldn't do anything. She had no clue what she was doing. It's funny to watch her mind work, but the trainer didn't give up, and Denali finally did. She acted like "Fine, fine, I do remember what that means." For a while when I first got Denali she would act like she was lame on a leg. I would feel bad and just groom her and take her back out. I would notice that she was no longer "lame" on one leg, and that instead she was lame on the other one. Once we would get to her field she took off running like crazy...she was never lame, she fakes!! What a girl!

Well I found my camera cord, it was under my bed, so I'll post pictures later of the beast.

I heart my girl!

I went out to the barn yesterday and rode Denali. She did such a good job! I love that she loves me (in the way horses love.) I walk to her field and she comes running to me like a bat out of hell nickering all the way. She's great. She follows me anywhere (unless there is tempting grass than forget about it.) I'm very proud of her, not just because she listens on the ground but because she's becoming so safe *in Denali terms* under saddle. We just walked around the arena and did a little trotting and worked on stopping.

I wrote a letter last week to four people who are involved with Emerald Downs and Racing. It just told the story of how I got Denali and the name of the person I got her from. I won't post it here, because I'm not out to totally bash the woman. I wish she would be truthful and try everything to find horses a good home and use the auction as a last resort, not a first. I know she did the same thing to another horse, I talked to the Jockey who had the horse and he said that she "begged" for this horse for her daughter and he finally said that she could have her for the price of her vet bill (she had got hurt racing.) This woman paid and then didn't pick her up, didn't pick her up, and finally picked her up the first Sunday of the month. That's when the auction is held. It just makes me sad... Anyway, the point of this is that I didn't put my return address on the letters (because I am a huge chicken and envision the woman or her husband running me down with one of the horses) but did put my e-mail. I just got a response from one of the people I wrote to. Gulp... That means that the others will either get their letters today, or soon.

I'm not sure I can mentally handle this week. I find out if I get hired for next year, and I'm so afraid of this lady coming after me, that I don't know if I can ever go to the races again. I have made some really good friends at the track, but I don't want to go with them, because I'm afraid that this lady will see me with them and assume they made me write the letter. I know how the races work. They protect each other, regardless of who they like or not. One of them actually asked me to wait and see if they could "bust her" doing it. Part of me wishes I would have listened to her, and part of me is glad I gave Denali a voice. When she comes running and nickering towards me, it makes me forget about these letters and I'm glad I did it. Then I get home and start to worry again. That's what I do... Worry. I'm really good at it, I should have gotten my Masters in Worrying, I'd have my doctorate in no time...that and Over-Analysis things.

How My Life Works!!

I took my camera to the barn on Friday and have some nice pictures (finally.) Can I upload them? No, because that would mean I would need to know where my cord is to my camera....*sigh*

It's been a crazy weekend. I even got a three day weekend and still nothing is accomplished. I slept on Friday until 11:30. Who does that? I don't! It was pretty awesome! I got to the barn and rode the beast. Denali has two speeds, slow as snail and freak out. I would like for her to have a middle speed, but for now I'll stick with slow as snail. I actually got her sweaty for the first time in forever! I was proud of myself, she, well....Denali wasn't too proud of me.

I decided that it was time to get the mud/crust off of her pretty hair and since it was almost 70 on Friday it would be a good day to rinse off. I put her in the cross ties of the wash bay and she only freaked when I turned the water on, then she stood perfectly still. I was so proud of her!! About half way through she started to turn her head back towards her itchy spot so I decided to help out and spray it for her. Nope, not itchy, thirsty. My horse drinks from a hose. Even more proof she's more like an over grown dog than a horse. I laughed so hard. I love that she loves water so much!

Other than that not much! Went out yesterday (after the Derby) and lunged her when it started raining buckets. It was so loud in the arena that she couldn't hear me (in reality she probably could, and just refused to listen.)

Going out today to see princess and then hopefully my camera cord will magically appear!!