Pushing Through The Wind

    I looked forward all week for a ride on the beach with Cindy on Sunday.  I was able to cram all my domestic duties into Saturday so on Sunday I could ride guilt free.  The forecast called for 30 knot winds at the beach.  To beat the wind, Cindy and I packed up the horses in the trailer real early and got to beach just in time for the wind blow in our faces as we pulled in.  It was howling from the north so we decided to ride in between the dunes to block the face blowing winds.  Autumn, my normally unfazed, calm gentle giant, turned rock hard, wide eyed, with her head held high and ears snapping in every direction when I turned her down the dune trail.  I decided to walk next to her and let her calm down a bit before I climbed on.  With Autumn so nervous I was barely able to notice how the sky was a beautiful blue sky blue and the how beach grass pulsated and throbbed with each gust and the way the yellow lupine swelled and spilled over the white sand. 

Ears of a not relaxed Belgian.

    I continued to be calm and she kept trying her hardest to be calm.  Eventually, she quieted a little bit seeing that her friend horse, Syria, wasn't bothered by the scene around her.  It was a relief to be on her instead of walking beside all 2000 pounds of her...kind of.  I had to keep my focus on telling her that she was fine and nothing was going to happen to her.  Unlike 99% of my rides where I get to space out and sight see on Autumn's back, I had to be there for her every hoof step of the way.  As we reached the top of a steep dune I knew Autumn wanted me to get off and lead her down so she could follow behind me.  She followed me down to the river at which point Autumn took a deep breath.  Her marble hard muscles relaxed and the sharpness in her eyes softened back brown.  Her deep breath was contagious and I found myself ready to get back in the saddle.  I climbed aboard and Autumn kicked back into my personal tour guide.  She splashed her way into the ocean and stopped to watch the seagulls get snatched away by the rambunctious wind.

These are the ears of a much more relaxed Belgian

    As Autumn pushed us through the winds I thought about how crappy the start of our ride was.  As I thought about it, I realized that I wasn't giving her any credit.  From the first second we turned down the dune path she was visibly scared and nervous.  She had an hour of opportunities back in the dunes to run me over, bolt, buck me off or to snap out of my hands and run for the trailer.  She never did.  When something caused her to jump out of her boots she was able to maintain enough control to spook right in place and not run over the top of me.  She let me know when she wanted me to get off her so she could follow behind me.  I have to hand it to her, she really kept it together as best she could. Walking with the wind on our backs next to the familiar rumble of the sea I think we both appreciated being there together for each other.

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Copyright (c) 2013 Jacksonhillhorseygirl.com May 29, 2013

A Thorough Gentleman

  I was running late, as usual, to my job at the veterinary office.  I pulled in the parking lot five minutes after eight.  Susie had the office open and already had a customer.  The give away was a red pick up truck loaded down with a ton of hay parked out front.  I ran-walked to the door, rebalancing everything in my arms to free up a hand to reach for the knob when it magically opened just in time for my arrival.  "Good Morning" said one of our regular dairy clients, in a thick lyrical Portuguese accent. 
    I thanked him for being a such a gentleman.  I told him that I was especially glad that he had held the door open for me instead of handing me a steaming bag of crap.  Usually, when a client is waiting outside the office for us to open, they have a bag of their animal's poop they had just collected on their way to work to have a fecal test performed.
    He went on to tell me that he arrived before Susie and when she unlocked the door he held it open for her as well.  As we all chatted our new manager walked through the door and the dairyman yelled "Oh, no!  You need to go back outside and I have to get the door for you." 
    Bewildered, she obeyed and went back outside and waited.  When the door completely closed he then opened it up and said "Good morning!" He was very pleased with himself and decided that today he deserved something good to happen to him.  Susie went in the break room and returned with one of her kick ass-dance as you eat them they are so good-cookies and handed it to the dairyman. He accepted the cookie and said that he would return in a few days to open up the door for us again.

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Copyright (c) 2013 Jacksonhillhorseygirl.com May 22, 2013

2013 Hero Ride For Life

Autumn's bumper all blinged out.

    On Saturday, May 4, 2013 I got  up at 4:30 a.m. and headed up to the barn.  I had done two timed dress rehearsals the week before to make sure I could execute this morning without a hitch.  Flowers...Check.  Ribbon perfectly measured out for each braid...Check.  Sparkles...Check.  Stickers...Check.  Saddle bows...Check.  Bridle bows...Check.  Stars with all of our donors names and dedications written and tied on ribbons...Check. 
     Today was the 9th annual American Cancer Society HERO Ride for Life event held on the race track at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds.  It is a relay fundraiser where laps are completed on horseback to raise money for a great cause.  This would be our third year riding in the event.
    Autumn blinked her sleepy eyes open and I could tell she knew that we had an adventure planed ahead of us for the day.  Luckily, she didn't lay in poop the night before.  Our dress rehearsals paid off because I had her groomed, braided and stenciled in pink sparkle cancer ribbons on each side of her bumper in time to catch our ride. 
     At seven a.m. Cindy and I were on the road with Autumn and her best friend horse, Syria, in the trailer. Cindy and I chatted away the first 10 miles when it finally dawned on me that all the money my entire team had raised was sitting in my backpack on the front seat of my car...at the ranch.  Crap!  I woke my husband up, on his only day off in two weeks, and he came to my rescue.  He met us 20 minutes later in a parking lot to make the hand off. 
    Of course, I caught a bunch of crap from the my team members that I had repeatedly asked to be at the ride promptly at 8:00 a.m. after we rolled in after 8:30.  It all worked out and we were able to get our horses decorated in time for the first lap.

Syria's Little Bird bling that rode in between her ears for the ride.

     Our team, The Hill Fillies, had a bunch of last minute changes due to back injuries and truck problems.  We managed to still get a team of eight riding on the track that day.  Cindy & Syria, Alyson & Silencer with her daughter Emma & Oliver, Marcelle with her granddaughter Kenna & Kara, Erin & J-Low, Donna & Kat, Elizabeth rode a few laps on Autumn when her trailer ride fell through for her horse Carmen.  We missed Diane, Louanna and Nancy that day. 

Team Hill Fillies 2013!

Elizabeth on Autumn

Erin on J-low

Donna on Kat

Alyson on Silencer and Emma on Oliver the pony

Cindy, Syria and the little bird in between Syria's ears

Autumn and I enjoying the beautiful spring day!

     The morning was usually warm as 70 riders rode the first lap in silence to honor all those affected by cancer.  I looked down at all the names written on stars tied to ribbons braided in Autumn's mane and it made me feel very still inside.  It reminded me of the way it makes me feel the morning after a snow storm where everything is still and covered in a blanket of white.  Where it is not quite quiet but there is just no sound. 

Stars and Memories

     After the first lap they played country music over the loud speakers.  Cindy and I said that this was the year we were actually going to keep track of how many laps we made around the track. We realized a few days later that we blew it and stopped counting after five laps.   
     Emma decided she wanted to upgrade from her pony Oliver for a lap on Autumn.  She did an amazing job keeping Autumn walking properly...never letting Autumn snatch a bite of grass which is a hard thing to do!  After riding Autumn, Emma told her mom, Alyson, that she would like a draft horse to ride in Pony Club. 

Emma riding high in the saddle! 

    At 1:00 our team rode to victory in the "Best Decorated" contest for the third year in a row!  Autumn and I even got our photo in the local paper.

The Hill Filly team together earned close to $2,200.00!  Thanks to all my sponsors that helped Autumn and I raise $1,133.00!!!  The eleven teams and 70 riders in the event together earned $14,266.77!  Not too shabby! 
    Back at the trailer Elizabeth helped me un-decorate Autumn, which took a quite a bit of effort, before we loaded her up in the trailer.  Elizabeth, Cindy and I were joined by Diane and we went to the bakery to treat our selves to lunch after a great day.  Nothing beats riding your horse with some of your best friends on the nicest day in five years, while helping such and important cause honoring people we love. 

Autumn in the trailer on her way home from raising $1,133.00 for a great cause!  I love that horse!

     Autumn and I would like to thank all of the folks that made donations and our love goes out to all those who have survived cancer, those that are fighting it and honor the memories of the ones we lost to it.  Thanks to Cindy for giving us a ride that day!

In memory of my Grandpa Diemer, Aunt Debbie Hauge loved by all of us Hagues, John Dalton loved by Laura Zugzda, Bill Jackson Sr. loved by Bill Jackson Jr., Mario and Jeanette Giannoi loved by Tommy & Sue Giannoi, The beloved D’Orizo family members, Porter Peron loved by Norman and Tina Polston, Charmaine Balian loved by Cindy Lindgren, Beth Ohaus loved by Gordon and Linda Taylor, Askel loved by his Aunt Karin Eide, Pam Johnson’s beloved father Bill Matthews along with her grandparents and Keith and Chris,  Catherine Johan loved by her mother Ann DeMott. 

We would like to honor Dawn Friend’s DJ and Jody, Lisa Hansen’s beloved father Gerald O. Hansen.

Congratulation's to all those who survived cancer!  My Aunt Kathleen Goldstein,  My Aunt Jeanne Kelly, My great friend Anne Caplan, Chuck Powell, Diane Baxter’s Aunt Mary, Derek Castro whom is loved by Karen Keller and Peter Rogers.

Keep fighting hard Mr. Goerke and Raymond Gonzales! 

 Thanks for reading!  If you would like to leave a comment or would like to be added to my email list please contact me a Jacksonhillhorseygirl@aol.com.

Copyright (c) 2013 Jacksonhillhorseygirl.com May 15, 2013

That Obvious?

     Five fifteen a.m. and  I was already running behind.  I turned the shower on and jumped in while I thought it was warming up.  As it turned out, it was as warmed up as it was going to get.  I cursed out the shower through chattering teeth, as I speed shampooed and got the heck out there.  I towel dried my hair and as I tried to make it look like I paid some sort of attention to it, my hair brush flew out of my hand and landed in the toilet.  Screw it...it was going to be a pony tail day. 
    I went into the kitchen and had a drink of water and took one of my pills.  That's  funny, I thought.  Why does my pill taste like meat?  Luckily, something kick started in my brain and I spit my out one of my dog's incontinence pills. 
     Time was gaining on me and I wanted out to get out of the house before something else could happen.  I ran down the deck stairs and right into a pile of dog cocky.  After some crafty stick poop picking out from the tread of my boot I finally made it up to the barn to feed and do some more jumbo sized poop picking in the stalls. I did manage to squeak out a little time to take my horse, Autumn, for a walk.  We walked for a few minutes in sunshiny, bird singing harmony before we almost got creamed by a fleet of three lost tree trimming trucks flying up the road looking up at power lines instead of the road. 
     Somehow, I made it to work alive and on time.  Things quieted down at work and I was happy to assist the doctor when he needed help holding some baby goats for their appointment.   They were adorable, wiggly little critters and they gave me quite a workout holding on to them for their procedure.  By the end of the appointment, my shirt, arms and hands were covered in baby goat messes.  The goat owner was very sweet when she looked at me and asked if I have ever used Rescue Remedy (Rescue Remedy is a natural remedy made from flower essences to deal with stressful situations and help us relax, get focused and to bring about calmness).  She pulled out a bottle of Rescue Remedy from her pocket and insisted that I keep it.  Standing there, covered in baby goat mess, I accepted the gift whole heartedly and with purest sincerity, I thanked her for the gift. 

Do these come in a venti?

Thank you to all of the folks that so generously made donations to sponsor Autumn and I in the American Cancer Society's HERO Ride for Life coming up this Saturday.  We are just $150 shy of reaching our goal of $1,000.  If you are in the area and would like to donate, you can drop one off at the vet office.  Thanks again for everyone contributing to such a great cause.  It's pretty cool how we can all pull together to make a difference!

Thanks for reading!  If you would like to leave a comment or to be added to my email list please contact me at jacksonhillhorseygirl@aol.com.

Copyright (c) 2013 Jacksonhillhorseygirl.com May 1, 2013