Tonight's ride

I rode Navajo tonight! He did very well. I decided to turn him around and he wasn't very willing but I noticed that he listened a lot more quickly than he would have at one time;) I didn't ride him very long but I did ride him this morning! I don't know how often I will do that that I ride two time in a day. I rode but was more interested in where my legs were. My one friend said that I hold my legs too far front so I worked on that. It is easier to hold my balance I found if I hold my legs right. It is also easier to put my heels down. Just some things I noticed. Well I must head to bed. Have a great evening!

Today's Activitys:)

Ok so first thing this morning I got up and answered some e-mails and was on hc for a bit. Then I went out and rode Navajo for maybe 20 minutes. We did some surpentines and he responded well. Not a long ride but it was fun. It was kinda cool and my feet were cold but Navajo kept me warm:) Then I came in did some wash which kept me busy till lunch. After lunch I decided to make bread. That took me a while but while I was waiting for it to rise I made some baked oatmeal for breakfast tomorrow. After I had put the bread in the oven my mom said something about ice cream and cake for their 19th anniversary tomorrow. I was like I am going to make them a cake (shown above). So I was busy today. The bread and cake both turned out very well. I think I am going to go ride now or if not ride spend some time with Navajo. Have a great Evening.

Beautiful Sunset

Neighboring Farm!
Our bank barn. The part to the right is where my hay and feed and saddle is!

The silo on our property.

The bank barn and silo.

Trees on the other side of the steer pen.

Sorry the pics are so dark. Hope they come out all right and you enjoy them. This is the sunset from this evening. It was so beautiful I just had to take some pics. Have a great evening!

Pictures of Me Riding Navajo

This evening I did get to ride Navajo and I got Rose Mary (age 13) to take some pictures of me. Navajo did very well although it took some doing to get his attention once he got bored..LOL.. He did good with me riding me and listened well to all commands. I have decided that this winter a couple of the things to work on are going to be standing still when mounting, sidepassing, lunging and tons of groundwork. It will depend a lot on how cold this winter is too. Today was very nice. There was a nice breeze blowing and it wasn't warm at all. Enjoy the pictures. And have a great evening.

Saturday's Training Session

Well today I got up around 8:45 which is later than usual but was up pretty late watching some videos on the interviews of the Cerak and Van Ryn Families whose daughters are in the book "Mistaken Identity. I did some shipping and that took me a while. Then I did some cleaning and stuff before dinner and after dinner was goofing off on the computer.

Around 2:30 I went out to lunge Navajo. I groomed him first using some new brushes I got from one of my friends. They worked very well and I had to think of my dear friend. Then I took him out and lunged him. I lunged him counter clockwise first. He doesn't respond as quick when going counter clockwise and he likes to pull on the lungeline. We are going to work on that. I then turned him around and went clockwise. He did well going that way. No pulling and listened pretty well immediately when I told him to change gaits. I was very proud of him. Tomorrow I hope to ride.

My grandparents are no longer here and so that frees me up a bit on the amount of work I have to do so I should be able to ride more this week and work with Navajo. But the weather says we are going to have rain almost every day:( I am getting tired of it raining almost every day. Anyway I guess I should be thankful since in some areas of the country they would be happy for our rain. Well must go. Have a great evening and rest of the weekend.

Some Proverbs and Sayings

I am reading the book "Seven Habits Of Highly Effective Teens" by Sean Covey and found a lot of cool little saying/proverbs in there and some horse ones from another place too. Here are a few:

Sow a though,and you reap an act;

Sow an act, and you reap a habit;

Soa a habit, and you reap a character;

Sow a character and you reap a destiny;

-Samual Smiles

"We first make our habits,

then our habits make us.

-English Poet"

"People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be."

-Abraham Lincoln (American President)

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living

expression of God's Kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in you eyes, and

kindness in your smile."

-Mother Teresa

"Be gentle in Manner,

Strong in deed."

-Latin Proverb

"Maturity starts with willingness to give oneself. Childishness is characterized by self-centeredness. It is only the emotionally and spiritually who are able to are able to lay down their lives for others."

-Unknown

"Fear the goat from the front, the horse from the rear, and man from all sides."

-Russian Proverb

"My treasures do not clink together or glitter; They gleam in the sun and neigh in the night."

-Arabian Proverb

"Judge not the horse by his saddle."

- Chinese Proverb

"Whoever plows with a team of donkeys must have patience."

- Zimbabwean Proverb

"It is not enough for a man to learn how to ride; he must learn how to fall."

-Mexican Proverb

"No hoof, no horse."

-English Proverb

And finally the last one:

Please Listen

When I ask you to listen to me

and you start giving advice,

you have not done what I asked.

When I ask you to listen to me

and you begin to tell me why

I shouldn't feel that way,

you are trampling on my feelings.

When I ask you to listen to me

and you feel you have to do something

to solve my problem,

you have failed me,

strange as it may seem.

Listen! All I ask is that you listen.

Don't talk or do-Just hear me.

-Unknown

Wednesday

Yesterday was quite busy:) I did wash and some housework this morning and afternoon and then in the late afternoon I cleaned the barn. I moved Navajo's hay rack so his hay doesn't get wet anymore. Didn't realize it did until the other day. Bad horsewoman of me for that. Now it is fixed. His barn got a thurough wash down and cleaning. Smells good in there. Now all I need to do is go through brushes and the such.

I did ride. Navajo did so well. He was acting quite hyper but he didn't run off with me. I was so proud of him. Something funny happened today: this morning i decided to give navajo a peppermint to see how he would like it. as i might have told you before navajo doesn't like chocolate and kinda carrots but loves donuts (found that out today) and apples. well i gave him the mint and he took it and then spit it out. i was like that is not nice and rude. i said my best friend gave it to me to give to you and then you don't like it. so i gave it to him again and he spit it out again. so i put it in his feed and he goes and takes a big bite of his feed (once he has his feed he is a bit of a hog). As soon as he tasted the mint he spits mint and all out of his mouth. he gave me a look as to say that was rude and not nice at all. i spit it out two times already and then you insult me and put it in my feed. LOL!. It was so funny the look of him spitting it out and then giving me that look. my sister rose mary was right there and we both looked at each other and laughed. i am laughing now as i write this. anyway i must go to bed. Have a great Evening!

New Pics of Navajo

Sorry the pictures didn't come through the first time. Don't know why. Anyway hope these show up!! It took a bit for me to get him to stand still! Just thought I would put some recent pictures of Navajo up. These I took today:) I might lunge him a bit tonight. Have a great Evening!!

Monday's Training Session

Tonight I decided to just lunge Navajo and work on some side passing which has been neglected:( Anyway I lunged him both ways, clockwise and counter clockwise. He did good both ways and responded very well!

I then got him to back up for me and he got more confident and lighter the more I got him to back up. We are going to have to work on backing around corners again.

Then I worked on moving aside and all he wanted to do was back up. I got more direct and made my signals clearer and he finally moved over both front and back. Then I worked at sidepassing and he did it two times. Not in a row so I know it needs a lot of work but we are working on it. I think if we stick at it and work a little on it every day he will eventually get it.

I groomed him and praised him for his good and hard work. He was happy to be able to go and eat..LOL... I mucked out his pature too. Well another day with my awesome horse and who can complain. Off to bed I go. Have a great evening!

BACK AGAIN!!!

Ok, I had some things going on here at home so that is why I wasn't updateing. Anyway, my grandparents on my mom's side are here till Thursday evening. It is fun having them here. Enough for that subject.



I rode Navajo this evening for the first time in a while. I first lunged him and he responded to all my commands. I cantered and trotted him a bit. Then I turned him and did the same the other way. I told him to stop and then I got on him to ride. He listened to all my commands when we were riding also. AND HE CANTERED AWAY FROM THE BARN!!! I was so proud of him. We trotted a bit on the road too. Some bicycles past us on the road and he did fine with them. I am so glad that we came this far. Anyway tonight I am going to church because I have to be in a meeting with some people concerning my job as a librarian for the 3 and 4th sunday of each month for the next two years. I am looking forward to that. It isn't a big library. Just a library that has some books in for younger kids and for some adults and youth. Well I must run now but I am glad I can update again. Thanks!

Cream Cheese Puffs

All of the Cream Chees Puffs
Just one of the Cream Cheese Puffs
Two Cream Cheese Puffs

Cream Cheese Puffs

Ingrediants:

8 oz. cream cheese softened 1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tubes (8oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls 2 Tablespoons Sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Mix cream cheese and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside. Mix sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in small bowl. Set aside. Unroll crescent dough. Separate into triangles. Cut each triangle in half lengthwise, forming two triangles. place approximately 1 teaspoon of cream cheese mixture in center of each. Fold each short side over filling, pressing to seal. Roll up toward the narrow end. Press ends to seal. Dip top of puff into sugar and cinnamon mixture. Place on cookie sheet. with sugared side up. Bake at 375* for 12-14 minutes. Serve Warm.

This is the reciped I used. If any of you want to use it go right ahead on one condition. I want to know what you think of it:)

I also made blueberry muffins for breakfast. Tomorrow we go to sister's day at my aunt and grandmother to do corn for them. It looks like it might give a storm so no riding Navajo tonight. I am going to go out and groom him and pick his hooves though and spend some time with him. Have a great evening.

Navajo

I did get to ride Navajo tonight. He did so awesome. We rode down the strip and he responded very well. He was acting a little high strung but HE DIDN'T RUN OFF WITH ME. I was very proud of him and praised him. We trotted and walked a lot no cantering. We did some suppling exercises and backing up. He did so well. I am glad I can have good news. I groomed him good and turned him out. I could tell he knew he had been good.

Rough And Tumble Threshermans Reunion

These are pictures of Rough and Tumble the threshermans reunion. This show had the different kinds of tractors such as International, John Deere and Oliver just to name a few. The show was from August 12-15th. We set up Tuesday and packed up Saturday Noon. Every day in between was interesting. We saw a lot of people we knew and met a few we didn't. It was a fun show but I think I enjoyed Red Power more.

Flowers

I couldn't resist putting more pictures of the flowers up. These I took today. For those who were wondering I was away all weekend and away all last week so I did not have time to put stuff up here. So today I will try my best to update:)

Riding Navajo

Tonight I rode Navajo and I used the advice that was given to me by some of my friends(you know who you are) and IT WORKED. I first cantered and trotted him up here on the farm away from his barn. He did very good. Then I decided ok let us now go down to were you ran away from me yesterday. So that is where we went. It took me quite a while to get him persuaded to go there. He balked on me. So we did a lot of tight circles and the suppling exercises and backing up. I finally got him going where I wanted to go, down the strip. So off we went which is also away from the barn down the strip. (In case you wondered the barn is in the middle kinda of the property. So I can ride in the orchard and in front of the hayshed, behind the hayshed, and behind the steerbarn. All not by the strip which is the opposite way past the barn. All these things are in behind Navajo's barn(which is what I mean when I say barn). The strip is in front of the barn and is another nice stretch to gallop and canter and trot.) Ok so now off of the bunny trail of explaining. So down the strip we went. We trotted down and turned at the corner and cantered. Then I turned him around and trotted him back to the corner. We did that another time and I decided to head back to the barn at a walk. I did a few circles after we headed back and backed up a bit to. He did perfect. We headed home the whole way at a walk and HE DID PERFECT. I WAS SO PROUD. I am not saying the problem is fixed but it is an improvment. I think we will do this a couple of times to make sure we have who is boss down pat. I groomed him and gave him some lovings which he deserved. I also praised him and told him I am so proud of him and isn't it so much easier to listen to me than not to. Well all for now and thanks all you guys for your advice. It helped me. Thanks again. TTYL.

P.S. I don't know how much I will be on HC for those who are wondering. I will try to be on but I am offline for now till Sunday the 16th. Thanks.

Ride with Navajo's new Shoes

This afternoon we went to the pool and went swimming for three hours. We then came home and ate supper and after I cleaned up I rode Navajo.

I took him down the strip and out onto the road. He did great. I then took him down to the field lane. We rode in the grass beside the lane and just walked. Navajo did great then too. We rode back onto the road and went into the strip again. We then spent about a half hour trotting, cantering and walking back and forth. He tried to run away with me but he didn't get away with that. We trotted and cantered till I decided to turn back. I turned to go back at a walk and he decided to canter. I was not impress in the least. He was going really fast so I decided in stead of making him pull on his breaks I am going to let him run it out. That is what I did and he eventually stopped. I told him in no uncertain terms/tones that he was a bad boy and I was not impressed. I said each evening when I get home from the tractor show we are going to work on groundwork while you get used to your new shoes. He did great with his new shoes and I don't think they bother him I think he was just being a naughty boy again. He is testing his boundries ever since I got back. We are going to work one week on groundwork. If you have any suggestions on what to do let me know. I know I am going to get him to back up and move away from pressure. I have some other things I want to look up first before I do them. Lunging is another thing. We will see all what we can get accomplished. Maybe then he will be the good gentleman he usually is. Well I am off to bed. I will see if I can update or not this week since we will be at the tractor show. Have a great evening.

Pictures Of Flowers

Some pictures of flowers at our place. Enjoy. I hope to ride Navajo tonight. He got his new shoes today:) Enjoy your day.

Red Beets and Scalloped Potatoes

Ok today I got up the normal time and started right into picking red beats. We still had half of the row to do. So I picked them, and cut off the tops and bottoms where the root was, and washed them. We then cooked them. After they were done cooking we peeled them and cut them into the cans. We then added the juice and then sealed them. Yesterday we had 25 cans of pickled red beats and today we had another 25. So between both days we have 50 quarts. The only things we have to can anymore are: tomatoes, mixed fruit, and then jam.

Around 3:30 I made scalloped potatoes for supper. First time I ever made them and the whole family liked them. After supper I mowed my grandparents yard which took me an hour. I then went out to Navajo.

I decided to see how he would do today if I didn't hook the lead rope to his halter and see if he would follow me. HE DID:) I would walk forward and He followed. I would stop he also stopped. I was so proud of him. At one point I would never have trusted him enough to do this but we finally accomplished that:) I then worked a little on his backing. He keeps getting more confident. I worked at him moving his hindquarters and his front away from me. He didn't do so well with that but we ended on a good note by getting him to follow me around again. Monday the farrier comes and Navajo is getting shoes on. If I remeber I will have to take pics:) Once Navajo has shoes on, I will be able to go on longer trail rides and go back along the field lane which is stone. Well Off to bed. Have a great weekend.

First Day Of School

Today was the first day of school for Rose Mary and Rachel here at home. This is like our third year of homeschooling and we are learning more as we go. Rachel and Rose Mary both like their teachers which is good.

Today we canned 25 jars of pickled red beets and that was only half of our red beets. Tomorrow we hope to can the rest and maybe some pickled and some for cooking. Mom hasn't decided yet. Either way we can again tomorrow.

I rode, lunged, and did a bit of groundwork with Navajo this evening. It might seem like a lot but I lunged him before I rode and he did better with me riding him. He didn't run away with me although we did get two good gallops in:) That was awesome. We did canter and trot too. Monday I get shoes on his front two hooves and then we will be able to ride farther on the road and on the field lane too:) We rode a bit on the road to and he did good on there too. After we got back I did some groundwork. I got him to move his hindquarters away from me and also got him to back up. He did good with everything that I did this evening. Way better than sometimes. Well I must go to bed so I can get up tomorrow again. Busy days:)

In a couple of weeks I hope to have my friend over for a sleep over and then one or two more weeks after that I hope to be able to have my cousins here while the rest of the family goes to a show. Don't know if everything will work out but I hope so. We have done this before and my cousins and I have tons of fun. We aren't here all by ourselves since my grandparents live across the driveway, my uncle is in and out all day (he has his business here to and lives about half a mile away) and our neighbor has cattle here so he is in and out morning and evening. Well now off to bed. Have a great weekend:0

More Canning and some Groundwork

Today we canned lots of peaches. We did about 20 boxes = 20 bushels of peaches. We did 4 boxes for us, 10 boxes for my aunt and 6 boxes for my aunts friend;) We started 7 this morning and got done around 3 this afternoon. We helped clean up my aunt's house because she is expecting a baby in two weeks;) They have 8 children already so this will be the 9th. My mom's side of the family has big families LOL but I don't mind. It makes for great family reunions:) My mom has 9 brothers and sisters her being the 10th. I love big families.

Anyway enough about canning. We got home around 5 and I went right out to do some groundwork with Navajo. He was in all day because they were calling for heavy thunderstorms earlier today. I lunged him for a bit and he did quite well. I then got him to walk nicely beside me without me using voice commands. He is doing better at stopping and going when I stop and go. I also did some backing with him and he is also getting more confident with that. I am hoping to do more indepth groundwork tomorrow evening but I guess we will see.

I have some wash I need to do in the morning and tomorrow school starts for Rose Mary and Rachel (we homeschool for those who don't know). I graduated Penn Foster High School in February 09. Penn Foster High School is a do it at home at your own pace kind of school. You can finish high school in as little as 3 years and get your accredited high school diploma. I really enjoyed it. Here is the web address for those who want to check it out: http://pennfoster.edu/diploma/index.html .I am trying to learn some Spanish with a program which is called Onlingo. It is all on cd. I am working at it but not getting far:( Since school is starting I don't know how much computer time I will get besides in the evenings and maybe a bit in the morning. We will see.

Below I have the web address of an expo I want to go to in February. I hope I can afford it and can go. Check it out: http://www.horseworldexpo.com/PAmain.htm ; http://www.horseworldexpo.com/PAfeatures.htm ;
i am really wanting to do this at the expo: http://www.horseworldexpo.com/PAtheatre.htm . Well I must go. Enjoy:)

Another Day

Chocolate
Chocolate (black Kitten), George (the one beside Chocolate that is curled up) and Freddie who is the one in the front. Pebbles was not down here at the house. She and Freddie of all the kittens likes the barn the best.

I figured I didn't post any pics of chocolate for a bit and figured you might want to see these:) I need to take some pics of Navajo again. Will have to see if I can later this week.

OK today I again got up at 6:30 am. I heated up the leftover pancakes from yesterday and that is waht we had for breakfast. I had already taken care of Navajo. My mom left for the day to be with her mom and sister. So my job was to take care of dinner and see that the cleaning got done. We usually do the cleaning later in the week like on Fridays or Saturdays but we didn't clean last week because we had just gotten home and were busy getting laundry done. Anyway I cleaned the upstairs first. I was into it about an hour and I was asked to help out in the barn to get some things on ebay. I helped with that which took most of the morning. I then came in here and made dinner.

For dinner we had cheese and tomato sandwiches heated on the griddle. After dinner I cleaned up the dishes and got back to cleaning. I got done with the upstairs around 1. Then I headed downstairs. The downstairs took me till around 4. I did a very thourough cleaning. More than usual. I just got done with supper and am doing some wash.

I don't think I will get the chance to ride tonight because I am so tired but I have to get to bed early beings I am getting up at 5:30 tomorrow. Tomorrow we are doing peaches down at my aunt. We are going to be doing it for two families, for Us and my aunts. It makes it go faster and it is more enjoyable when we have more people doing them. I am looking forward to tomorrow although it will be a long day. I probably won't get to ride tomorrow either but having some food canned for the next year is more important. I might work on some groundwork a bit tonight because Navajo is trying to see if he can be the boss. Just need to show him the opposite. Groundwork seems to work the best for him. Well I must run. Have a great evening.

P.S. I hope you guys don't mind that this blog has turned into more than just a riding blog. I figure it might be interesting for you to see what I do all day. I probably won't always do this but who knows. Thanks for reading my musings:)

Banana Pickles, Pies & Riding

Cucumbers before we put the pickle juice in the jars (which is also what makes them Yellow.

Banana Pickles sealing up. The jars need cleaned and then they will go on the shelf.

Ok today I did a number of activities. My day started at 6:30 this morning. I got ready for the day and went downstairs and mixed pancakes for breakfast. I then went out and gave Navajo his breakfast, gave him fresh water and sprayed fly spray on him. Also mucked out his pasture. Then I went in and got breakfas for the rest of the family. I cleared the table and washed dishes.

After I was done washing the breakfast dishes I went out and helped with the pickles.
We finished the pickles by lunch. I finished up the wash in between doing the pickles. So all the wash was hung out:) Anyway we then took a half hour break after dinner and did what we wanted.

Around 1:30 I started making 4 peanut butter creme pies. That went well and I gave one to my neighbor who took care of Navajo while I was in WI. That is our agreement on how I pay him..LOL.

Once I was done with the pies, I made 2 potato pizza bake casseroles, One for supper and one to stick in the freezer for later. I then put the one in the oven for supper. Once supper was ready we ate and I cleaned up the supper dishes. After supper, I cleaned out his feed bin and cleaned some buckets.

Ok so now for the riding. I rode Navajo down the strip and we did a lot of trotting. I took him on the road and trotted him a little ways and then trotted him back to the strip. He did very well. We turned the corner and he decided he wants to run away:( I got him stopped and turned him around to go back down the strip and he put up a fight. Well needless to say, I got him to back up and stop and stand still. He still wouldn't listen. I waited him out and he listened to me and went down the strip. Once we got back I lunged him a bit and he did quite well with that. I know part of the reason that he isn't listening is because he hasn't been ridden for a while and he is testing his boundries with me to see how far and how much he can get away with (which he is finding out isn't much:). Well that is all for now. This is just another day with my family:)