Enjoyable Summer Days!

~Please be aware of your surroundings when working with horses. They are very strong and can be unpredictable. With their size you can seriously get hurt.~

Wow! What a great way to wake up. The sun shining, dogs barking, horses whinnying and the coffee smells great!

My life with horses began in April 2006. When I got the horses I was watching and learning their body language. Seeing the three horses out there together in the same corral/field was an awesome dream come true.

All three of them came to me from different farms/ranches. One of them getting hurt (or all of them) was a huge worry for me. Although, I would worry about something, just to worry!
I loved the fact there was not a whole lot of violence between them. Horses can and will get very angry and mean with each other. That was one of my fears. A fear of getting a huge vet bill for one or all of the horses.

Some of the things they were doing was scary too! Kicking out at each other and making contact, biting if they could get close enough, and literally pulling each others hair out! While they were doing this my heart was in my throat. I was so scared for each of them. One thing I do know, and I never did this, is that I never went in with them until I knew they were OK with each other. Once the dust settled I went in to the corral.

The reasoning behind the anger and violence with horses is because they have to find their “pecking” order. Who is the boss and who is next in line and so on. Once they figure out who belongs where life goes on and they all get along. Not all the time, but we could only hope. There is still a little pickiness between them because there are two mares(female), Sonny and Mary, and one gelding(male), Josh. The mares are going on twenty years old and the gelding will be five this year.

Watching them get to know each other is like watching other animals getting to know one another. Cat with a kitten. Dog with a puppy. The one thing with horses is that you have to be the leader of the pack otherwise they will try to boss you too. They will try to use the “pecking” order system on you! In order to win you have to show them you are a good leader and they are safe with you. When leading a herd of horses you have got to show them they can trust you with their lives. Horses are prey animals and need a leader who can protect them from predators.

More to come…

It's a Long Road

One day I sat alone in silence. A voice asked, "Do I know you?." Then, more silence. I knew there was something wrong deep inside. Not knowing who I was and feeling abandoned and alone was awful. I had abandoned me many years before the silence set in and did not realize there was someone missing. When finding out part of me was lost I couldn’t post signs on the bulletin boards or downtown on the light posts. Nobody would find her because I couldn’t even find her. It was time to rediscover the person I lived with, me.

I decided it was time to take a trip back in time. There was this road called, "discovering me". Not sure of where the road would lead, I took the turn. Hoping it would lead to a better place than where I was. When I turned the corner and saw signs of inner self, believe in you and others like you can be happy!

On this road of discovery there was a gigantic neon sign that read, "No U-Turns!" It seemed not too bad at first. Although, the road started to twist and turn and the surface was getting slippery. That is when I saw the mountains! Awe they were so beautiful! Snow capped mountains with trees and trails to walk along. I parked in the first spot. The sign in front of the spot read, "Abandonment". This is where it started getting a little tricky. Time was passing and it was now time to learning about the inner child, who was lost in those mountains. I hear her voice calling and an echo followed through the trees. There was no one there to help. It is only I, who could find her.

As the days and months passed I kept returning to this mountain.

To be continued...

Stringing Words in a Positive Manner

Words strung together sometimes hurt. They can sting the ego or stroke the ego of the reader. Words might burn into your brain and may never be forgotten. They might inspire, justify wrongs or rights, or create a lot of tears!

Take hurtful words with a "grain of salt" not sure what that means but I would rather take hurtful words with a few grains of sugar :) because that would make them sweet and bearable.

Personally, I don't take words to heart. In the past I sure did. Now, I carry on my merry way.

I would rather use my energy on something much more positive. Never trying to strive to be someone other than me. It is difficult to fit into someones pity box filled with negative crap! So, if the people of this world don't understand what I am all about that is OK with me. I don't want to be like everyone else! I am me and proud to be!

Success is what I aim for in my life. If people want to throw their utterly crude string of words my way then so be it! I will continue on my way to being very happy and a success in my world.

In my world there is happiness, love and surprises. There is a beautiful worthy successful person inside me. Why would I want to read or listen to someones string of crude and nasty words telling me any different?

No one can knock me down. I am a success.

Continued from: Happier Times Will Come.

There is so much in store for today!

Feed the horses, groom them, talk to the gelding about not being afraid of his saddle pad. Rubbing it all over him and telling him "you are such a good boy!" and that he likes this saddle pad on his back. "No, Josh, you cannot eat the saddle pad!"
I am beginning to wonder why he has to chew on everything. Then realize, isn't that what babies do? Everything they smell, they eat. Yes, tasting things and smelling things to learn what life is all about. Must be why he likes to chew on my coat. To get to know my scent. Well, hmm then I realize something else!! Since he is a baby, going on five this year, he must be teething. I touch his nose so he'll smile and open his mouth. YES! That's it! I see he is getting new teeth. That is why he is chewing everything to bits and pieces. Time to call the dentist....oh boy...I cannot wait to get that bill!

Later in the day I try again to get him to walk through water. (He will eventually, when he is ready) When he decides he can trust me he will walk in the water.
No, he decided he would rather run me over than walk through the puddle that is not even up to my ankles!!! OK horse! You are a 1000+ pound animal and you are afraid of a little puddle? So in order to get him not to run me over I bend my arm and stick my elbow straight out so it is touching him just below his whithers. He feels it there as he presses into it and he knows he is not going to win the fight with me. I am the boss and am much bigger than him because I carry a whip. (I use the whip only in times of trouble, no worries) I talk to him, telling him it's OK. One day you'll walk in the water. Hours upon endless hours we could keep going through this and one day he will understand.

He thinks there are big green boogie monsters in the trees just past the field. Big scary monsters that only eat big black geldings. The other two horses are mares, one brown and the other white. They are older nearing their 20's. They snicker at Josh for being such a baby. They let him know he is the baby, every chance they get!

I have learned a lot and come to more than my share of realizations in my life with horses.
Horses that trust you will follow you no matter what puddle or pile of poop you stand in.

Thanks for reading.

Happier times will come.

Spirits and souls change as our time in life flies by in the wind.
Sadness overcomes me and I grieve for things that will never again happen in my life. It feels strange and scary at the same time. Being in mid-life is tough as it is. Coming up to new life happenings is interesting, scary, and I try to accept newness with open arms. Being happy with this life I have created is one thing. Try being happy knowing that I will never have to worry about being asked to dance by a young handsome person, going on a first date, being sent flowers for the first time by a new love. Looking for a date online will never happen. I feel so close to death when I think about these enjoyable, scary and never again events.

What is there to come in the last half of this life?

Whatever I can add to my life to make it interesting and create my own happiness. As I see the trees swaying in the wind thoughts of death come to me. This is the last place I am ever going to live, the last place I am ever going to own, the last place I will call home. Yup, this is it. I shrug my shoulders and do not know what else to say to myself.

Trying to change the thoughts that swirl in my head. Telling myself, "You are still young. You have so much ahead of you in this life and so much more to learn!" Then I start to argue with myself, "but life is half over" "now what do I do?" "what's next?" Is there something I can do to help someone? Is there someone that can help me? My mind goes on and on until the wee hours of the morning. I wake in the tomorrow that I thought would never come.

What is in store for today?

I slowly slide my foot out from under the blankets, oh geeez it's cold, bring my foot back under the warm covers. Close my eyes and try to remember what I was dreaming about. Little bits of the dream come back to surface. Eyes open wide, no I can't think about that again.

Then I decide, if I am quick enough, I can grab my clothes and run into the bathroom where it is warm. OK 1,2,3....throw the blankets aside get up grab clothes run as fast as I can down the hall to the bathroom . (Trailer life is nice, every room is close and small, not much cleaning and more time for me and the animals) Not far to run mind you, but the floor is so cold. Toss my clothes in front of the heater and stand there a minute to try to warm my toes.

My brain is foggy and my body is stiff and achy. I have to eat something or faint. Get dressed in nice warm clothes. Head to the kitchen and the dogs are trying to get there before me. (it is tough walking in a narrow hallway with three dogs trying to get to the kitchen before you.)

Fill the kettle and think about blogging, groups, and what I will write about today. Nothing comes to mind, but everything pops into my head about what I don't want to think about. Death, sadness, the cold weather.

To be continued...

Top 10 Things I look for in a blog.

There are a gazillion blogs, of course you know that. When I search blogs these are the things I look for:

1. Uniquely designed blogs. If I spot something nice, first thing to do is e-mail the blog owner and ask about the "thing" I spotted. :) Might find something similar to use on my blog. (but never the exact "thing" as what they have) Because we are all unique beings!
2. Readable fonts. We should not have to strain our eyes.
3. Links that work!
4. Grammar, spelling and overall presentation.
5. A wide range of color. Colors make me happy.
6. Friendly comments.
7. Pleasant bloggers who I can add to my links.
8. Unique funny writers.
9. A thinkers blog.
10. Bloggers who reply to their comments.

Of course I am not going to find all ten of my list in one blog. BUT I am going to keep searching. All of these things on my list are not in my blog yet! Once I figure out how to add MORE fonts and different templates life will be grand!

Great Brainy Bloggers!

WOW! I made it!

Over the past couple of late, very late nights. I have been surfing through a lot of great blogs and not so great blogs (not so great because some are difficult to follow). I also need time to really figure this blog thing out. What this is, what does that do, and so on. There are so many things to learn about posting, and learning about the other goodies that come with a free blog. In another ten years I will be ready to upgrade to the newest, latest and greatest "whatchamacallit" thing on the Internet.
There are so many great artists, smart, silly and ingenious writers in our world. Of course I could not resist creating this awesome place where I could be me and have fun entertaining you.
As I go further into this new life of blogging I will get better at speaking and getting into your brain with ideas and thoughts that might shock and amaze you, maybe even freak you out. But seriously, there are a lot of thoughts and people in this brain that we have to stop staring at the blank page and get back into the world of writing!

Stay close. Never know what One of many Me's is going to write about next!