Thrilled!

Finally got the horses moved!  It was uneventful and they seem to love the new place!

First sunrise

Breakfast!

Love Bridger's tail here, swish

Aero is doing great, his stubborn streak is subsiding, thank goodness.  There is still some resistance in his body at times so we are going to have some body work done to really get him up to snuff.  The vet was out yesterday to brand Aero's little sister and while he was there we did flexions on Aero and video'd it to send to potential buyers.  He was totally sound, sweet!

Complete with cheesy hearts

Seriously love this guy!

On the Diva front, her feet are great...but now she has cut herself and is sore on that.  OMG, seriously!

 I would say maybe she doesn't want sold, but I can't keep feeding so many horses:/

The races finished up; bittersweet.  So nice to have some time to myself, but husband has already left for another track with a few horses.  I would like some time for just the two of us...but this love affair with horses makes that difficult.  I don't think I would change anything, something about already having cake and eating it, asking for fresh strawberries on top may be a little much.

Riding with friends

I got a new phone, so pumped!  My old one often refused to make phone calls, find the internet, text...aahhkkk!  I have been checking out all the features and the camera is incredible, I'm talking 13 megapixels of incredible.  Stay tuned for some high tech looking pictures.

I have had the pleasure of riding around with the sprinklerbandit and let me say it is lovely to ride with a friend.  I haven't had the privilege to in quite some time, and while riding is most always a blast it can get a bit lonely by yourself all the time.  She has been rocking it on Gunner and even came with while I rode Aero today.  Some testing of the phone camera went on, it certainly proved itself.  I was going to share some riding time on Aero, but he chose today to act like a stubborn inappropriate word.  Typical horses: you brag, someone comes to watch, horse pulls out the naughty moves.  I finally threw in some moves the cowboy taught me (canter, halt, rollback, canter, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat) and Aero came to attention and gave me this:

Pretty sweet face I'm making ;)

So we gave him a bath and planned for play time in the future when he wants to be my sweet cuddly guy.  BTW he is now for sale as his main owner is wanting to have less horses to feed.  I guess the previous statements might scare someone off, but seriously what horse doesn't have a stubborn day here and there?  He is truly one of my all time favorite horses, tears will be shed when he goes down the road.

On a brighter note, Aero's baby sister Bonnie is a lovely yearling, it will be starting time before we know it!

She is the dark one, its looking like she will be much taller than Aero

Trucking along

With Bridger, Aero, and the other half of my liebster response (see first half here)!  Bridger is still doing great, sorry but I'm not sorry about my gushing about him.  I hope the joy I feel while on his ever sensible back never subsides.  Eugene came and watched yesterday and he was as blown away as me.  To give you some perspective: Eugene starts 2 year old thoroughbreds, and daily deals with every age race horse hopped up on grain and fitness...and he thought Bridger was ridiculous, gah!  Now he goes like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75vdNmxs-pA

Such a cutie!

So now it is time for him to put on grown up pants and start going more forward and accepting the bit.  I know I'm a bit all over the place in the video...gotta love wiggly green horse riding.

Aero is nothing short of incredible.  His 'tude is still rearing its ugly head here and there, but over all progress is being made.  You. Should. See. His. Lengthening!  Drool worthy, I'm hoping to have video or pictures soon.

Ok on to the questions asked by Kat at The Sixth Stride (Thank you for the support, so nice to know that people are reading...and enjoying)!
1. Why did you start blogging and who in real life knows?
I wanted to try a new venue for writing, I hope to one day publish a novel and while these posts are based in reality, at some point I hope to share my creative writing and see what response I get.  Several friends know as do my mom and husband (granted I'm not sure he knows what a blog is;)
2. Black or brown tack?
Truly can't decide, apologies.  I have about a 50/50 mix and love it all!
3. Favorite comfort food?
Does coffee count?  I love to hold a warm, strong cup o' joe and sip away.  Probably cheesy pasta, yum!
4. Favorite color?
Pink, nearly any shade.
5. If you could ride any horse living or not who would it be?
Hideaway's Erin Go Bragh.  I love Connemaras!
6. What other pets do you own?
A dog (Charlie) and two cats (Lester and Chloe)
7. What is your hidden 'talent'?
I'm struggling here, not sure that I have any talents that are hidden..hmmm.  Got it!  I rather enjoy public speaking, in fact I was on the debate team in high school and went to state speech.
8. You win the lottery, what would you buy first?
After all the normal bills, etc., I would buy a horse trailer and put a goose-neck hitch in my truck.
9. You can travel anywhere, for any time, with endless money, where is it?
Ireland, where else?
10. You're intimidated by?
Girls that have that 'it' factor and look all put together all the time...I'm talking about the ones that seem more put together than I even seemed at my wedding, I don't get it.
11. Favorite movie?
Horse: Man from Snowy River  Non-horse: Pride and Prejudice

Ok now for my questions to you:
1. Favorite book? Come on guys I need some more summer reading!
2. Last book you read?
3. Best horsey memory?
4. How do you do 'me time?'
5. Favorite horse breed?
6. Has any of your writing ever been published?
7. Favorite music, all time and currently?
8. Dream location for living?
9. Coffee, tea, or...?
10. Favorite piece of tack, or brand of shoes if non-horsey
11. Three main components of the perfect life of your dreams?

My nominations:
http://mollymakesdo.blogspot.com/
http://www.thecaliforniacollegestudent.com/
http://www.cobjockey.com/
http://serenityorsavvy.blogspot.com/
http://iamthesprinklerbandit.blogspot.com/
http://theliteraryhorse.wordpress.com/
http://fourmaresnomoney.blogspot.com/
http://reveilleandrinsie.blogspot.com/
http://comediceventing.blogspot.com/
http://charlieandmeeventing.blogspot.com/
http://golightlysporthorses.blogspot.com/

Seriously too many to choose from, love them all!

Plans

Here I sit, wondering what to write?  I made some biscuits today and they were pretty tasty, but the recipe still needs some tweaking before I post it.  I am trying to recreate the cheddar biscuits at Nick and Jim's (a great BBQ place we frequent when in Aurora, Colorado.  So almost but not quite, I will tell you they do involve buttermilk, Yum!!

I am continuing to enjoy the milder weather that we are experiencing here in the Treasure Valley.  There is still some snow and ice, and paddocks are starting to look like lakes/quagmires, but it is warm.

Baby Paul and Ricky are off to the cowboy to get started this week.  This is something that my husband and I or my husband and John usually do, different plans this year since he is still in SanFran.  This cowboy is awesome!  The first time I ever saw him was at the track, he was leading a young race horse with a halter and lead rope.  Suddenly a horse gets loose on the track and starts galloping down the chute towards the barns where we are (I am on a racehorse at this point), and I'm thinking how is this going to end : / ?  *cue some wild west music here* the cowboy lithely swings onto the horse he is leading and gallops onto the track and catches the loose horse! *shock awe shock* No bridle, no saddle, young horse, OMG.  Turns out he is a really nice guy as well, one of those people that is more comfortable on the back of a horse than on his own two feet.  When he is done with a horse they go up and down mountains, cross rivers, load in trailers, etc etc.

I have also been thinking about some attainable goals this year involving my horses, yes mine.  I have the best horses I have ever owned and last year they were all on the back burner due to the racehorses and my client horses, this year no bueno.  For Diva I want to hit as much local stuff as I can, I don't really think she needs to travel far and wide since she is only 4.  Mojito I want to go to a real deal USEA event towards the end of summer.  I haven't been to a USEA event since 2009, where I ran two novice and a training with three OTTB's at Galway.  I am itching to get back to it, life has just had the terrible habit of getting in the way.  I have competed and worked on my dressage with  a lovely Andalusian named AYA Aero, he is an equine knight in shining armor.

Please excuse my tipped forward stance here (posting not sitting this lengthening)

Sexy beast

I have been working with this guy since his walk trot days.  He is also part of my goals this year since last year was slow for him too, I refuse to spread my self so thin this year that my favorite horses get ignored (this is my true goal for the future).

Signing off for the night with a step forward planned for tomorrow...a pulled mane for miss Diva!