My Riding Buddies

Here are my riding buddies, the lovely ladies of Showgate, Karla and Lexie, and their mounts, Taz and Sam, the most loyal, talented and intelligent companions available! Namaste.

Lexie and Sam

Here's a photo of a young scientist-in-the-making, Lexie, and her beautiful mare, Sam. She's taking lessons from Coy and Barbie and through those lessons and her own good heart and hard work, she and Sam are becoming a great solid team of friends! She brings out the best in that mare!

Breaking News! Ladies' Night Out!

Here we are, the lovely Wednesday night ladies of Showgate. We are having a riding lesson by Barbie and we are stupid with happiness. We like our tasks, we like our horses, we like our teacher, we like the weather, we like the gossip, we like the whole vibe. We are happy campers. In this photo, Lexie is riding her beloved Sam, and I am riding the fabulous Chippy who travelled throughout Ohio, helping many people win their classes, including Chelsea, Jessica, Jenny and Doreen! Chippy was awesome to ride, just awesome! And in this photo, Karla is riding Lisa's Roo who is also a fabulous show horse. After lessons, Karla gave her handsome Egyptian fabulous old man, Taz, a shot to help him with the aches and pains of age. We are happy girls who care for our horses and care for them well. We are happy sassy sweet and loving girls. And our teacher fusses after us with great care!

Ziva and Skippy Jon Jones

Okay, so I love this Spring photo of little Ziva, kissing her patient happy mama. Not only is she adorable, but you can see Skippy Jon Jones staring at her in the background, waiting for the morning when he gets turned out with her to play and romp! Namaste.

Ziva in the Sun

In this photo, you see little Ziva, relaxing with her powerful mother, Sam in the cold Spring morning sun. I don't think she realizes that she's a little splashing beautiful miracle. She just seems like a happy tiny girl with her mom. I am writing this entry on Good Friday, and I have to say that I am feeling unsettled. The economy has been hard on everyone, in the United States and globally. Over the past few days, news bulletins are reporting that a man who is half-owner of Unbridled Song has been charged with 22 counts of animal abuse in connection with his treatment of 177 horses on one of his New York farms. Humane societies, vets, and equine people are reporting that the horses are in starved conditions without medical care or farrier work. A thoroughbred yearling was removed from the farm with a vet reporting that he was 350 pounds, half of what he should be at that age. This news breaks my heart. I remember standing in the beautiful warm summer sun in mid-July last year with Derek and we were laughing because Renny was already 350 pounds and he hadn't even been weaned from his mom. And he's a small pony. I can't imagine what it would be like to be a beautiful thoroughbred colt, starved to the size of nursling Renny.

Anyway, my point is that I hope that we all work toward a more stable, secure future for all of us -- for the many millions of homeless children on this earth, for the children and adults denied education, for the mothers and fathers desperately looking for secure work to feed and nurture their families, and, yes, even for the companion animals, stock, and pets who depend on us to make good decisions. They depend on us and love us and so I hope for a more stable future for them as well. Ziva is named for brilliant, beautiful light, so she'll be my little poster foal this year for that future! Namaste!

Sam's 1st Foal: Big Smiles All Around!

Namaste. Here is a photo of Sam, her good friend, and her first filly.

Sam's 1st Foal: The Family Takes a Stroll!

Here's Lexie, taking Sam and baby for baby's first big adventure. She was such a good foal on her first outing. She walked behind mama, she trotted, and she even cantered, though she was working with the longest legs and it was tough! She's just as cute as pie and sweet, sweet, sweet. She sure likes her mama and calls to her all the time, nickering and calling. And Sam, good mama that she is, nickers back in a low grumbly confident fashion. Such a good mama!

Sam's 1st Foal: Baby Sips After 1st Steps Out!

This photo and video were taken on Saturday, April 4th, after Lexie and I took the mom and baby into the arena for their first stroll. Baby was getting some exercise before her veterinarians arrived to do her bloodwork and give her a shot and check out her good mother. You can see in this photo that Sam is focused on being a wonderful, quiet, happy mom!

Sam's 1st Foal: Baby Stands for the First Time!

Here's the rescued princess and her relieved mother! She's taking a tiny moment to gather her thoughts and test her long, long, long legs. And wonder why she has to have straw in her forelock after the embarassment of being in a corn crib! It's tough getting to your hooves, that's all a girl knows for sure in her first 20 minutes of life on this earth!

Sam's 1st Foal: Baby in a Corn Crib!

This photo was taken on Friday, February 3rd, on Renny's 11 month birthday. I had been out to the barn early in the morning to sing a birthday song to my boy, never realizing at the end of the day Sam would have her baby. Anyway, in this photo, you see Sam checking out a little bundle in the corn crib! That's her baby girl who just seconds earlier had made a brave noble ferocious attempt to stand up and who had fallen fast like a stack of cards into that crib. She just laid so still, folded up like an accordion. You could just tell that she was mystified and gave up. I mean really! Working so hard to stand and then ending up in a mini-box!! In a few short minutes after this photo, Doug went into that stall and so very gently helped the tired girl to her feet. She had help from her friend in her first steps of life!!!

Sam's 1st Foal: Doctor and Her Family!

Okay, so here is a photo taken with Sam's doctor, Lexie, in the moments right after Sam stood up and the baby broke free from her placenta for real. You can see the good mother turning a gentle eye on her foal, knowing that her baby is resting and gathering energy for the long hard work of standing. I am so impressed by Lexie. She was there and knew Sam had cast herself and spread the alert, drawing people to help the mare. What a lucky mare and foal!

Sam's 1st Foal: Mom Kisses Baby!

Things are always exciting at Showgate Stables! This Friday, Barbie called me and said that Lexie was at the barn helping Sam through her first delivery. I went to the barn and it was a party! The new foal was about 10 minutes old and already had visitors! Doug, Lexie, Pat, Chelsea's baby brother, Jessica, Karla and Mike, me, and even Dr. Lenke showed up! And Barbie was there via phone and text, sharing in the excitement, while she worked hard at Equineaffaire! What a popular little foal from a great mare! I am so impressed by Lexie. She takes such good care of Sam and had noticed just the day before that she was bagging up seriously, so it wasn't a bit of a surprise 24 hours later when she went into labor. Lexie was there and helped walk her, comfort her, and care for her even when Sam cast herself in her stall. Lexie is very much that mare's guardian angel and good best friend!