Full Celebration! Such Beautiful Creatures

Namaste.

My Winter Foundation Mare!

Here's a January 20th photo of Hailee booking out of the arbor to avoid me. See that high-stepping trot and those back-pressed ears. She is pretty certain that I may pet her! I love that beautiful crazy girl. Where she is scared, Rennyis brave and solid.

Full Celebration! Cross-Country Saturday!

Namaste.

Winter Trot

Here is my beautiful Violet, scooting through the snow with her ears pricked forward because she wants to avoid her mama! What a beautiful, playful girl! Okay, so I am writing this entry on Saturday, January 31st. And we got this huge snowstorm on Wednesday, so today was the first day they had turnout outside. When I got to the stable, Violet was goofy and joyful in the outdoor paddock and she lifted her face in happiness to play lip smackers. Her eye was soft and filled with calm love and satisfaction. She is the pride and joy in my life. Namaste.

Full Celebration! The Good Witch's Trust!

Here are more photos from that sequence of The Good Witch's fall. You know that she and Jennifer Wooten-Dafoe are close and trust each other. As soon as "Pooh," as she's called, stood up, her entire demeanor displayed her opinion that Jennifer was supposed to take care of her. She stood perfectly still, but you could tell she was annoyed. She kicked her back hooves into the soil, without taking any steps, because she was mad about her slipped boots. And she waited for her mom to decide what to do.

The news reported that thought she was taken by ambulance, she was fine. She earned 7th last year at Rolex, so this fall was disappointing. But the news was that she just bumped her knee on a mis-step. I *saw* that bump. Even as she jumped at the Double Diamonds, I saw that she dropped a leg and it got caught on the fence and she rolled on over her dropped leg. But what a champion girl. She was wonderful in the way she stood up and turned to her teammate for support. And she's going to compete in July!

In more sad news, a horse died during competition -- Kingpin. He was halfway through the cross country when he collapsed after a jump and died quickly. His post mortem suggests that he had a natural rupture of a major artery unrelated to his exertions.

The Winter Arbor!

Okay, so I am writing this entry on January 31st. Here is a photo and video taken last week of my boy and his girls and they are down by the arbor, relaxing. Do you see that fence. It's the fence that follows the base of a steep incline which is not fenced. These horses can leave this pasture. Renny figured this fact out quickly and simply. And he is fearless, confident, happy, and satisfied with the working of the world. So, he has no problem just walking up that slope for a stroll around the Showgate grounds. What smart little boy!

Full Celebration! The Good Witch's Rolex Fall

On Saturday of Rolex, the Cross Country Day, we had extraordinarily beautiful weather. I'd had a great day -- morning thoroughbred workouts, a driving lesson with Breimer, and then a jaunt to the KHP. Here was the only terrible event of the entire weekend. I was at a jump and saw The Good Witch, ridden by Jennifer Wooten, take a sharp fall and roll. She was chosen at the number 1 eventing mare of 2008, so you know she's a competitive top notch girl.

My Winter Mares!

I am the most fortunate woman I know. I am blessed. Please may I fulfill the social contract with these beautiful big-hearted girls.

Full Celebration! The Racehorse Trainer!

Okay, part of what was really great about the Thoroughbred Center tour was that Mike Cameron, a racehorse trainer, generously gave us some of his time and let us visit his barn at the facility. He was really a hoot. He talked about how the horses are supreme athletes, very competitive, and that's why they will bite you, strike you, kick you, etc. He was very clear that they are not pets. He told us great stories about racing and the fun of training. He said that horse racing is not for those "with short pants." And he said that he felt that any handicap horse in the country, including Better Talk Now, who I threw out in the mix, could beat any of the current crop of 20 three-year-0lds entered in the Derby. He said that older race horses were just better and faster and wiser. He told us that he didn't like that horses were retired to the shed so young, rather than proving that they are true longterm champions. And he told us something really cool about how you need to be BRAVE to be a Kentucky Derby winner, let alone a Triple Crown winner. He said that there are more people at Derby Day than the horse has probably ever seen and that if you sometimes see horses bobble coming around the far turn to home, it's because they suddenly hit that turn and see a WALL of people in the stands and a SEA of people in the infield and they hear a steady obliterating ROAR. It has to be scary for them,they need to be brave to want to win. He said that his favorite horse he ever trained could "run through a hole in the wind." I really liked this trainer, he was a super ambassador for the sport!

Cute Winter Rears!

Here's my little man, with his best girls, chewing on a fallen tree limb. He totally digs his girls. I am writing this on January 31st. I went out to the barn this afternoon and Renny was indoors because he had escaped his pasture yet again and Lexie had saved him from his curious self. I was ambivalent, experiencing a weird mix of pride in his resourcefulness, playfulness, bravery, and intelligence and sad and upset with his flat-out pony naughtiness! But anyway, Barbie, Lexie and I tried putting him out with Shelley and Mona's geldings and they just chased him down and made him fall on his rear as he worked to get away. He didn't seem scared, but he sure didn't seem happy. So, that's out. As I write this entry, I am waiting on the solution to this temporary problem. What a troublemaker this darling boy is. I am so glad that he is a part of my life. And let me tell you, I remember with happiness how glad I was waiting in these weeks for his arrival last winter. And I remember with happiness the night of his birth! Rotten scruffy teenager!

Full Celebration! TB Training Center Starting the Race!

Here are two exercise riders who took the time to stop and chat with us visitors and who let us pet their charges. And then they turned gracefully away from us and took off for a little friendly head-to-head racing!

Goofy Spring Girls

Here they are, my lovely, lovely perfect girls. They make my heart sing. I just think they are wonderful. Today I worked hard at work. I submitted an article for review, met with a student who is working so hard on her dissertation proposal, got a new computer, had coffee with a dear friend. It was a special day.

And then I went to the stable at 4pm on a cool, but beautifully sun bright afternoon. Barbie showed me how to lunge with side reins to help Violet carry her shoulder. And then we had the most relaxed joyful drive. Violet was light on her feet and light on the bit and eager and happy and even in pace. She did nice tight little figure 8s and worked hard to circle standards. And then we drove right along the length of the barn, laughed happily in the driveway and then drove right up through the stable all its long length. Violet truly knocked it out of the park! We are a great rolling team!

Trotting for the Joy of It!

These picutures and video were taken on January 20th and I am writing this entry deep in the night of January 31st. I love this herd of Hailee, Violet, Renny, Sedona, B, and Lily. Today as I write this entry, Nicanor, Barbaro's full brother had his first race ever. He placed 10th. He's had a pressured life from the beginning with many high expectations pinned on him since his brother's passing. But his placing just goes to show -- you can't catch lightning in a bottle. I hope he has a good life and finds lots of adventures and love.

Full Celebration! TB Training Center Light Hand Gallop

Here this young colt is being held on a firm hand by a young woman exercise rider. He is going for a light hand gallop!