Mt. Hood

Every time I drive out to Templeton, I pass miles of Christmas tree farms and I see beautiful Mt. Hood as I pull in the driveway. I think it is so amazing that this magnificent mountain is right in Maddy's backyard. The mountains are such a treat for me because I grew up in Minnesota. In the land of 16,000 lakes, a decent hill is a rare find! I enjoy taking my friends and family that come to visit up to Hood for some of Timberlines famous hot chocolate. Here is a little trivia for those that don't know...the exteriors of the lodge in "The Shining" are Timberline Lodge on the top of Mt. Hood.....here's Johnny!!

Ben and Rachel

My friends, Ben and Rachel, spent the afternoon out at Templeton Equestrian Center. It was their first time seeing Maddy. They rode this summer in Monterey and really enjoyed their experiences with the horses, so they wanted to get out to the barn and see her. We used to work together, but they have since moved on to bigger and better things. We still get together to make dinners and see movies. We are avid film buffs and Derek and Ben enjoy cooking together. It was a busy day out there. On Sundays, everyone takes part in a jumping class or they head out on the trail. Today was a good day to go because they were able to see many horses and riders.

The Mane Event

The Mane Event expo is coming February 9-11. It is a Canadian run horse expo that will be at the Clark County Expo Center in Vancouver, Washington. I was a vendor there last year with Stable Hand Video. I met tons of cool people, including the owners of the Ansur Saddle Company. I am hoping this year they decide to go forward with producing a promotional DVD for their saddles. Anyway, I am really looking forward to going this year as a spectator because there is a pretty good line up of events and there were some great vendors and bargains there.

Not Gonna Happen

There is a donkey stud next door that has growing sexual frustration. He is a tiny little guy, in with four horses. He chases them all around and when they stop he tries to mount with no avail. He can't wait for the mares to lay down. He sprints across the pasture thinking he finally has a chance and they just stand up:-( We all feel bad for him, but he does provide the barn with endless entertainment. I wish they would just geld the poor thing.

The Girls

Maddy and her buds...Queenie and Classy. I love them like they are mine. Just really distinct personalities and the three of them together are a great combination. It is like watching a horse sitcom when I am out there. Classy; the bold, sassy beauty who can't get enough scratches. Queenie; the boss, the brains, the instigator. She is always up to something. Maddy; the insecure, shy girl that needs Classy to help cut loose.

Hang Time

This week I have really spent a lot of undemanding time with Maddy. On Saturday night, I pulled up a bucket and sat with her in her stall for about an hour while she ate. On Monday, I played in the pasture with her and her herdmates. I love the "girls." Queenie, Classy, Novi, and Maddy just love to be adored. Wednesday we "mosied" around the facility. I took her down to the pond to see the ducks. She is not quite sure what to think of them. In this picture, she is just trying to figure out what those floating black things are. I am working with her as well, but I am noticing a HUGE difference in her this week. There is this amazing calm about her. I think a big wall came down Saturday night while I was in her stall. She would munch some hay and then stroll over and see what I was up to. It was very sweet. When I go to the pasture, she is coming to the gate. When I put her away, she stays, preferring to get her face rubbed. It is really amazing to experience. I was always the kid chasing my ponies all around the pasture and when I was exhausted, finally resorting to getting a bucket of grain. Learning about horse psychology and practicing Parelli techniques is the best thing I have ever done and it is paying off in big ways.

Age Brings Wisdom

Turning 5 was apparently a good thing for Maddy. She was left brained all day and just a happy camper. We made it through all seven games without any drama and did some work around the mounting block. I have to get some video of her going sideways. She goes down the whole arena wall and it is so cool. She is showing a lot of progress on her feet. I am still not able to pick them all up from one side, but she is offering her front and is now holding her back for up to a minute. The barn will be worming in February so I need to get a big syringe and start filling it with applesauce so I can get her used to it before the big day.