Hershey's Hanna aka Elvira

In 2011 I made the decision to sell a 6 year old grade mare I got from a guy in Halfway, OR.  She was still in a snaffle but coming along very nicely, and well patterned on barrels.  The problem was that she was just too short for me.  She had a great build but wasn't 15 hands.  I liked Socorra a lot and kind of wished my dad would have just taken her.  I didn't have to sell her to a stranger though, instead I traded her back to the breeder for a coming 3 yr old un-broke registered filly that was by Soco's Sire's Sire.  It was a tough decision and it wasn't any time at all that the breeder was heeling on Soco.  Little miss Elvira may have been similarly colored, but had a completely different attitude.  I've been around several horses from this guy and I've been impressed with them all. Elvira is still far from green-broke but I want to make sure she's started right, and she's doing really well. I took a picture of her butt the other day and was surprised how much she's grown since I've had her.  She's just about right at 15 hands, which isn't big, but I wanted a shorter horse since my other 2 are tall. So here are some pictures of Socorra and Elvira.

Socorra right before I traded her. Not a very good picture, but I only have a couple on this computer

                     A very fat Soco                                                  

                                             Elvira when I first got her.

                                                    Summer of 2011

                                                Spring 2012

 

Summer 2012

 

Fall 2012

 

And Elvira now.

With the exception of a mustang I got when I was 10 this is the first horse I've had that I've gotten to do all of the training on.  It's quite exciting, and I have high hopes for Miss Ellie. I think what these photos have shown me is that I seriously need to work on my photo taking skills, and should probably start using an actual camera...


Xo Loves,


Me

Plans Change

We all know that in order to lead a well organized efficient life, one that leads us somewhere we want to be, we have to make plans.  Plans encourage and motivate us much like goals do.  But even the best laid plans can change.

In 2009 I was working for BLM in Norwood, CO, and in my off time I rode colts for a guy in Olathe.  I'm not sure exactly what happened but after a treacherous day in the field with a very intense man(who didn't believe in catching your breath), I came up lame.  My left knee was swollen, hurt and looked funny.  I went to the doctor and he agreed I had injured it but physical therapy was about all we could do for it at that point.  A couple weeks later I was riding a little cutting bred filly who had a major attitude.  All was going well, we were about done when I asked her to lope one more time.  I guess she figured she had worked hard enough.  She started bucking, I rode her a little ways then came off.  We were in a round pen with good footing, but she threw me into the wall and my right foot got hung up in the stirrup.  Of course I got drug a little, but my knee got seriously tweaked.  It was ok, if I kicked hard enough I could pop it back and it felt fine.  That fall I started physical therapy and my knees started to feel better, and in fact they didn't bother me for 3 years. 

Last winter/spring my left knee started to bother me.  There's always something that hurts, so I half ignored it for several months.  Until it got so bad that if I squatted down I could barely walk when I stood back up. It was a sharp, crippling pain.  I began favoring it at work(cement floors in a butcher shop aren't user friendly), and my right knee started to swell and hurt as well.  It was more of a dull throbbing pain that could be iced away.  I saw a doctor several more times during the summer.  She didn't really look at my knee just listened to the symptoms, and set me up with more PT.  It was my cousin that worked on me, and no one in the clinic could figured out what was causing the pain. It was incredibly frustrating.  I moved the end of September to start school again, and began PT up here.  I went for 4 months and showed no real improvement.  Clearly something was wrong. 

Over Christmas break I saw my real doctor, she actually felt my knee and decided that much swelling at all times really wasn't normal, and gave me a referral to an Orthopedic. Finally!  I saw the Orthopedist the day I came back here.  I had already had x-rays and an MRI done on both knees.  He messed around with my knees, tweaking them and twisting them, finally asking for another x-ray which they did in the office.  I came back and in minutes he told me that my knee caps were tracking way outside and I had folded tissue in my joints.  Wow, 1 appointment and I got an answer I'd been looking for, for 6 months.  He ordered a special CT Scan that would show the degree of tilt in each knee at certain angles.  Come to find out, my knee caps are severely tilted and surgery is required.  The left one being the worse of the 2 which is so typical considering I signed off on the Workman's Comp case. Oh well, such is life. 

The really big deal is that I have to have both knees operated on.  Originally the plan was an arthroscopic surgery that loosened the tendons allowing my knee cap to float back to its original position.  Only since I have the worst Irish luck, mine will be much more extensive.  Involving slicing my leg open, re-attaching bones with screws and to top it off staples. Staples along at least a 6" incision! Each knee requires a 6 week Nothing period, with a 6 month recovery overall.  Now when I say nothing, I mean I can't even drive myself! This is was pretty much just the most awful news I've had in quite awhile.  Even worse than finding out my ex-fiance will be getting married while I'm going under the knife... Perfect, just perfect.

So rather than staying here and learning how to farm, and barrel racing for the summer, or going to OK to intern on a ranch(if I got it) I have to move home and do NOTHING all summer long!  Just horrible!  Not that I don't love my home and my parents, but I just moved from CA and I'm trying to go forth in life.  This is definitely not the going forth I had in mind.  I hate surgeries, I hate blood, staples, stitches, scars, braces everything medical!!!  When I had my nose fixed I was barely clear headed from the anesthesia before I started dreading the day when the tubes had to come out.  Really.  So now, besides dreading these 2 awful very intrusive surgeries I'm freaking out about having the staples taken out.  I mean that just can't feel pleasant.

So there ya go.  My rant on my whole summer going from something great to something completely lame.  Oh and lets not forget that surgery #1 will be taking place in June, with #2 being 6 weeks after that, that I won't be able to ride a horse again until 2014.  I swear, my life is ruined as far as I can see for now... I'm terribly upset and freaked out.  I have to drive 10 hours the middle of March to meet with the surgeon(who's like the best on the west coast) to finalize details and go over it all in great depth.  Ugh, I'll probably pass out, just the thought of it all makes my toes curl. 

Always remember, never take your today for granted because tomorrow could be something you never bargained for.  Thanks for letting me get that all out :)


Xo Loves,


Me

Macie vs. Town Deer

This post was supposed to go out last week, but we had internet malfunctions and it didn't happen. This was also in lieu of a post I wanted to do on very old books I found in the basement of our University library.  I am very proud of my little Macie, who is now 18 weeks. For those of you who don't know she's the grand-pup of my late Fanncie.  So she has some big paws to fill, such as it were haha.

While I do live in town, we're on the outskirts kind of and we have a big lot, with an abandoned lot next door.  It's not strange to have deer grazing around in the back yard, and they often times bed down in the back corner.  Tonight was no different.  I let Macie out and there were 5 Mule Deer outside.  She sat on the edge of the porch barking her little fool head off, I was quite amused.  The deer, the fawns in particular came wandering in wondering about the little white creature making noise.  The fawn would move in, Macie would move back, and so it went.  Finally this fawn came right up to the edge of the porch, and I thought she was going to step up on it!  We've had bucks walk on it before.  Macie was quite upset, she growled and moved around, not showing a ton of confidence but better than most. This was her first encounter with deer and I think she did quite well!  So even though we live in town and she only sees horses every couple of days, she can still learn how to be a working dog.

XO Loves,


Me

The Old Man

Ok, so I apologize for how long it's been since my last post!  Our internet has been down for almost a week, but we got it back today!  Here's a little story I wrote the other night for my papa and I thought I would share it with all of you. I'm not a poet, and this is just a story, not a poem, so don't judge as though it were. I hope you like it!

The Old Man

As the sun comes up a man and his horse are trotting out
Cold, clean air, dog padding silently along behind
Hes as familiar with these mountains as he is the cracks in his hands
He was here, his family was here, before the roads criss-crossed the land
The pale horse hadn't been raised there, but he was as sure as the man
It was just the 3 of them, raising little dust in their search
He knew they were near, the horse and dog smelled them, the man could hear them
Their pace quickened
Finally the brush rustled, patches of black could be seen
The dog slipped quietly into the brush
The horse pulled against the bit
The man waited
There was barking and bawling and the hillside came to life, bells clanking
The man checked the pale horse and slowly began moving the cows home
He knew his situation was special
Knew his was a luxury most never know
They'd all be hoof sore by the time they covered the 15 miles home
There are no corrals, holding pens or trailers
Just a lot of wild country in between
He doesn't know where or when they'll meet
Somewhere theres his uncle and daughter doing the same thing
The mans seasoned, his horse fit, the stocky red dog tough
Together they work, waiting for home
Like every year before...

XO Loves,


Me