We had a few inches of fluffy, beautiful snow earlier this week, which looked a lot like this. And then it turned to a little rain over night. And then I had the pleasure of scraping ice an inch and a half thick off my driveway.
I know it's mighty cold in other parts of the country, but 40* days and 20* nights do present their own unique challenges. It took me an hour to clear a path to the flipping arena from the barn - a maybe 50 foot journey. And after all of our sweat and strain, the sun came out yesterday and melted a good portion of it all away.
Ugh. Sometimes I miss proper bad weather!
Colleen, saddle fitter to the equine stars, is here for a few days, which includes a clinic tonight. All the horses passed around a good-pony-memo or something, because everyone's been a STAR this week. And I'm off to go salt the last bit of ice off the driveway before the masses descend!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Attack of the Cleones!
It's pretty much decided: if I'm unsuccessful in selling one of Cleo's embryos (or, as coined by a reader, "Cleones"!!!), we're going to breed her and do an ET ourselves.
This is very new and exciting territory for me, as I've never bred anything, and I'm very un-knowledgeable about the process (well, everyone knows THAT part of the process, it's the parts before and after I'm a little unclear on): fresh or frozen? Who should do my repro work? And the most important question of all: who's your daddy?
Fortunately, I've got some top breeders in my arsenal of buddies. I'm turning to the COTH forums for stallion suggestions, which is yielding interesting results thus far; lots of good knowledge there. Scott is, of course, on my list of people to consult. My parents hosted a foreign exchange student whose family is quite close to the Leatherdales, who are very involved in the AHS, not to mention top breeders in their own right. On the whole, I think I'm on the right track.
It's an awfully fun dream, though. I want something to improve her shoulder and front end - we joke that she's got Maserati hind legs and Dodge Dart front legs - and perhaps something a tick more short coupled, and maybe even shorter period (though I am a tall and leggy thing, smaller is easier to deal with). I'd like something very elastic and supple, and most importantly, very, very rideable - I LOVE 'em hot, but they have to be hot in the I'll-work-with-you kind of way, not in the I'll-eat-you-for-breakfast kind of way. I'd take Cleo to a different registry's approvals if I needed to, but I'm confident I'll find a good nick within the American Hanoverians.
It's fun daydreaming!
This is very new and exciting territory for me, as I've never bred anything, and I'm very un-knowledgeable about the process (well, everyone knows THAT part of the process, it's the parts before and after I'm a little unclear on): fresh or frozen? Who should do my repro work? And the most important question of all: who's your daddy?
Fortunately, I've got some top breeders in my arsenal of buddies. I'm turning to the COTH forums for stallion suggestions, which is yielding interesting results thus far; lots of good knowledge there. Scott is, of course, on my list of people to consult. My parents hosted a foreign exchange student whose family is quite close to the Leatherdales, who are very involved in the AHS, not to mention top breeders in their own right. On the whole, I think I'm on the right track.
It's an awfully fun dream, though. I want something to improve her shoulder and front end - we joke that she's got Maserati hind legs and Dodge Dart front legs - and perhaps something a tick more short coupled, and maybe even shorter period (though I am a tall and leggy thing, smaller is easier to deal with). I'd like something very elastic and supple, and most importantly, very, very rideable - I LOVE 'em hot, but they have to be hot in the I'll-work-with-you kind of way, not in the I'll-eat-you-for-breakfast kind of way. I'd take Cleo to a different registry's approvals if I needed to, but I'm confident I'll find a good nick within the American Hanoverians.
It's fun daydreaming!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
This is the year.
This is the year.
This is the year that I break into the big time, with talented horses who love their jobs and do them right. This is the year that I knock socks off, surpass expectations, and rock out. This is the year I prove I deserve that spot on the list with the Big Dogs, and I do it with fairness and compassion and empathy for my horses and clients, every day.
This year, I will work my ass off, lose sleep, fret, cry, give blood and sweat and tears and just when I think it's all going to Hell in a handbasket give that one last push to make it all come together. This year I will suprise myself. This year my students are going to accomplish things they've only dreamed about. This year my horses are going to be fitter and stronger and lighter and happier than they've ever been before.This is the turning point, the beginning of the rest of it all, the place it all began.
And I'm going to blow the other years out of the water.
2009? Bring it.
This is the year that I break into the big time, with talented horses who love their jobs and do them right. This is the year that I knock socks off, surpass expectations, and rock out. This is the year I prove I deserve that spot on the list with the Big Dogs, and I do it with fairness and compassion and empathy for my horses and clients, every day.
This year, I will work my ass off, lose sleep, fret, cry, give blood and sweat and tears and just when I think it's all going to Hell in a handbasket give that one last push to make it all come together. This year I will suprise myself. This year my students are going to accomplish things they've only dreamed about. This year my horses are going to be fitter and stronger and lighter and happier than they've ever been before.This is the turning point, the beginning of the rest of it all, the place it all began.
And I'm going to blow the other years out of the water.
2009? Bring it.
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