Blogging, Facebook & Social Media

I was blogging long before I knew there was a name for it. I started Horsetrailriders.com as a guide to horse trails in our state. The home page was kind of boring, so I would include horse stories or pictures from our rides or trails. When we took a horse trip to South Dakota in 2008, I started blogging as an easy way to chronicle the trip. Since I am the only one in my family (or extended family) who truly has a passion for all things horse, I continued to blog as a way to share my rides with my friends or others with the same interest. Occasionally, my youngest son will read my blog and look at my pictures, but others in my family have no interest. And that's okay. It's my deal.

Initially, I was real resistant to Facebook. It seemed quite intrusive into our everyday lives and sometimes I found myself embarrassed to be reading such personal things about others. And people who "vaguebook"? What is up with that? But slowly, I started to come around, keeping it generally horse related. Most of my Facebook friends are horse friends with a few family and extended family members sprinkled in. I have also reconnected with some high school friends that I regretfully lost touch with over the years. I keep my business life out of Facebook and will very seldom approve an associate from work. I will "high five" my kids occasionally on Facebook but I rarely share the day to day. My parents are both gone and my sister, brother and I communicate through phone calls or text, rarely through Facebook.

Last night, I took my youngest son and some buddies to a movie. After paying $32 for ticket prices, I took the boys up to the concession counter to get popcorn. A small tub of popcorn and a coke was $10 per child. I didn't deny the kids their treats and tweeted to my friends that after paying $30 for movie treats, I wonder how movies are affordable? The tweet was a bit tongue-in-cheek because those of us who have horses are constantly asked how can we afford horses? A fifty pound bag of horse feed is only $8 with a coupon so it seems like a bargain compared to popcorn! But a non-horse "friend" was quick to point out that if I didn't do things with my horse, I COULD afford a movie and I SHOULD enjoy this time with my kids, taking the whole post out of context.

To those who think I don't spend time with my kids because I am always riding my horse, I'll simply say this: You don't know me at all. Evidently this "friend" wrote the book on how to be a successful parent and believes that has warranted her right to judge. (I didn't know God was hiring for that position?) Admittedly, I struggle with parenting; I am not a natural. Knowing this, her comment was nothing but a cheap shot and I certainly don't appreciate being kicked while I am down. I don't think there has been a time in the last five years that I have missed my mom more: that unconditional support. I think her spirit was in the comments of my real friends who quickly had my back.

But ultimately, I have The Power.

The power to Unfriend.

And I used it.

.

Off Topic

I was warned by those in the know that contrary to my belief that just because I no longer have to carry a diaper bag or employ a daycare provider, the easy years of child rearing are far from over. The terrible twos evidently were nothing compared to the trials and tribulations of the teenaged years. While I usually reserve this blog for my horse related adventures, I am a mom first. Reading Mindee's thoughts on the teenage years over at Our Front Door, gave me the courage to mention my own struggles with parenting teenagers and may explain why some days, I just want to ride.

Yes, its cliché but kids do grow up so fast. As much as we want to see them show some semblance of independence and demonstrate an inkling of common sense, we still cringe when they make mistakes. And it's not just about study habits and grades. It's watching your kid make abrupt changes in his life with a blink of an eye that leave you scratching your head. New friends, secrecy, and a bit of rebellion. Half-truths or lies and a short fuse.

Although none of these changes are life shattering -- heck, I remember similar behaviors when I was his age -- as a parent, they are exhausting. Having grown up with every Movie of the Week depicting some teenager in peril, I am constantly watching for signs of drug abuse, binge drinking, suicide, gang association, teenaged sex, anorexia, drag racing and devil possession. And that's just this week's worry.

Being a child of the 70's, I have a pretty keen eye for drug use and I don't see it. I do his laundry and don't smell smoke on his clothes or in his car. I have never seen my kid drink or smelled booze on his breath. He is going through some changes in his life right now and has made some unwise choices; maybe not been as good a friend as he could have been and I hope he has learned from it. Those of us who survived high school and didn't make any mistakes were either very lucky or are a liar.

It takes a village to raise a child. I am lucky. "My village" are those family and friends, teachers and staff, and even my boss, who commiserate with me and (as hard as it might be) support (or perhaps accept) the kid's desire to change his hair color, not to mention his lack of allegiance to the state's beloved Huskers. They feel my pain when working to improve his grades. These people work for him, not against him. And obviously have not forgotten what it was like to be a kid.

Then there are those village idiots, disguised as adults, who continue to spew rumors and gossip as if they were still in high school themselves. To what purpose and what end? When they should obviously be setting an example of how to be the grown-up and have an opportunity to demonstrate forgiveness, they continue to throw stones. Long after my son forgets whatever injustice these people believe he did or didn't do, in the end, he will always remember how they made him feel and no doubt, it's hardened his heart. Shame on them. Dealing with outside nuisances and intrusions makes parenting even harder

There. I got that off my chest.


For the record, I think my son is a very smart young man. His grades would be better if he applied himself and even though I want to beat him senseless over Chemestry, he can pull out A's in Algebra and Spanish without effort. I'm not sure who's gene that comes from!

Parenting is not "the hardest job you'll ever love. " There is nothing to love about fighting with someone 30-some years younger than you about housekeeping, curfews, how to drive a car or keeping peace with his brother. There is nothing to love about broken bones or ortho payments. There is nothing to love about the insurance premium or worry for a teenage driver. I don't love nagging about late homework, bad report cards or being called to the principal's office when I am 49-years-old. But I do love my kids; unconditionally.

I don't know what I thought parenting would be like. And as the kids got older, I realized how unprepared I really was for the whole parenting thing and sometimes wonder just how I thought I could pull this off? As weird as it sounds, I take comfort in knowing there are parents worse than me out there and their kids turn out okay. So maybe the odds are in my favor.




Although it's easy to concentrate on the disappointments in parenting, I have to say for the most part, that I am proud of my boys. They may not be honor students but are a far cry from being juvenile delinquents. They'd rather have fun than work. They'd rather smile and laugh and run with friends and make every excuse in the book not to be home doing chores. They love their Nana, they grieved when their Grandma died, and are kind to animals. Although they have both told me on numerous occasions that I have ruined their life in some way or another, in a weak moment they show me that isn't true. Good or bad, I think they are a lot like me.

Some days I want to press the fast-forward button and some days I want to rewind. And sometimes I just want to pause….

Listen Up!

Horse trail riding in public and private parks is a privilege. There is no law that says they have to let us ride. Horse trail riders have been advocating to keep horse trails and horse camps open and appreciate every one of them. We aren't easy keepers, you know. We come in with big rigs and big animals and poop and hay. And good trail riders try their best to leave no trace. NO TRACE! We put our horse's poop in the designated area and if there is none, we take it home; the same with left over hay. Poop and hay are treated the same as garbage. You don't leave it lying around!

Today I learned from some horse trail riders who were visiting Bader Park that other riders have been less than considerate about their riding privileges and not cleaning up after themselves when visiting Bader. That gives all of us a black eye and puts at risk our riding opportunity at this fine park. It's simple, folks. If you don't know how to clean up after yourself, don't leave the farm. It's not our job to keep apologizing for you, it's not the landowners responsibility to clean up your mess. It is YOUR job to be a good steward of our sport.

It seems every now and then I have to get up on my soapbox and remind those "less informed" about what it means to be a guest. A few years ago I had to out a Pall Mall smoker for polluting a favorite horse camp. Either that person quit smoking or quit riding (hopefully the latter) because I haven't seen their butts since.

I would really like to believe that these uncouth riders are not just lazy bums but perhaps new to the sport and haven't learned the ins and outs or didn't think ahead and forgot the manure fork (trash bag, raker, etc.). So if that's the case, listen up and I'll give you some tips:

1. Riding in public parks is by invitation of such park. If YOU trash it, WE won't be invited back. And that pisses me off.



2. Trash includes hay, manure, cigarette butts, cans, and anything else you have brought in with you. If there is no place to dispose of it, take it home with you. It's yours.
   
   
3. Clean out camp stalls thoroughly. Leave no poop or hay. Rake it clean.



4. If you set up fencing, clean the fenced-in area like you would a stall. Rake it clean.



5. If you are fencing for more than a day or two days, move your fence so you don't totally kill the grass.



6. If you simply tied to the trailer to saddle your horse and it pooped by your trailer, spread it or take it home. Don't leave piles.



7. And for goodness sake, if you don't know – ask!
   
   

This may sound nit-picky, but it is a big deal to the parks. So make it a big deal to horse trail riders or we might find ourselves ousted from our favorite place.

Sad, Sad Situation

Yesterday I had to pick Case up in town after school, so I didn't drive home my normal route. When I got home later that afternoon, the Horsetales list serv mentioned an accident involving a horse trailer near a major intersection on my usual route. Apparently, a trailer came loose from the truck and went into traffic, hitting an oncoming vehicle. The chatter on Horsetales mentioned a horse lying on the side of the road, life flight transporting victims, possibly a child ejected from a vehicle. Yes, just another traffic accident but it hit close to home because so many of us frequently pull our own horse trailers.

The ten o'clock news reported three people were taken to the hospital and one had died. No names were released. Although we live near a major metropolitan area, the horse community is small. I worried that the person driving the rig was someone I knew, a horse I had shared a trail with. I know people who live in the area and prayed they weren't in the wrong place at the wrong time and were the ones who were hit. When the names were released this morning, I found I didn't know either family. But felt their pain.

The driver of the rig, a woman, was uninjured. Her horse severly injured was put down at the scene. I was told it was still there this morning, off the side of the road. The man driving the car that was hit survived; his 9 year-old son was in critical condition and his 10 year-old-daughter died at the hospital. The news reported that none of those injured were wearing seatbelts. The father of those children is, no doubt, going through his own private hell. And I'll leave it at that.

Keeping this horse related, the news reports did not mention if the trailer had safety chains. It's easy to assume there weren't any, but after reading some stories online (http://www.dangeroustrailers.org/ ), it's possible that although chains may be required, it might not be a primary offense, so a person cannot be stopped for this offense alone. This same website also said that some states that require chains, do not specify the weight of the chain, so many trailers are ill equipped. In other words, if you see a trailer behind a truck, you just don't know how safe it really is. (Update: a recent news story quotes the Nebraska State Patrol as saying safety chains were in place on the horse trailer.)

While it is easy to questions the decisions made by all those involved, it is important also to remember that accidents happen. We get hurried, sidetracked and sometimes just plain mess up. I know. It happened to me. You might remember when I had a similar accident. I was pulling two horses in my two-horse straight load steel trailer. It was negligence on my part that my trailer was not secured properly. I was distracted when hooking it up and I didn't check my work. My hitch wasn't locked in place. I hit a railroad track going about 50 mph and the trailer popped off the receiver ball. I felt it first and saw what happened in my rear view mirror and immediately started to slow the truck. When the trailer hit the back of my truck, bounced back and hit the truck again, I knew the chains had caught it and was carrying the estimated 4,500 pound load; keeping my horses, other traffic and me safe. I managed to keep it all together until I could get off the road. After yesterday's incident, I wonder if I shouldn't have them checked again. There was some wear; perhaps they were compromised.

I am sad for all involved. I hope I'm not the only horse person thinking about this and if our trailers are safe for not only our horse, but others on the road. Be safe, everyone.

Pictures CAN Lie

Oh, my! I just glanced at the picture at the start of the proceeding post & thought "what the heck?" The way Windy is standing makes it look like her backbone is protruding! I suspect she has her back left leg cocked, throwing her body off kilter. And the rain on her back gives the perception of depth and the streaks down her side, of ribs.

Before anyone calls the ASPCA or sics Fugly on me, she is far from a rescue case! Funny what a picture can depict!

And take a look at this bad boy! No, Blue is not HYPP positive! He doesn't have a trace of that blood in him. Nor is he a stallion or cut late in life. Although he winters well, (and spring and summers well, too), this photo makes him look a lot beefier than he really is. Not denying he isn't a big boy, but this picture makes him look like more of a linebacker, which he isn't. Once Blue starts getting some rides under his belt (eh, cinch), he will become more svelte. But for now he's just a hunka hunka burnin' love.

Although I try to put my best pictures on the blog, sometimes they just don't quite cut the mustard.

It's a Small (Gloomy) World

Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day. Like a Monday maybe? How about Monday all day, Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Sundays after seven? I think that is more than fair, don't you? Following a top ten day (Tuesday) which I didn’t ride, we had a not so nice day on Wednesday. Thursday was supposed to be morning showers, but they continued All.Day.Long. I am reminded of the song from Hee Haw and yes, I am dating myself…

Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Deep, dark depression, excessive misery
If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all
Gloom, despair, and agony on me

That’s how this weather makes me feel.

Mindee, over at Our Front Door, mentioned she was all out of ideas for something to blog about. I felt the same way. Having a theme related blog, horses that is, I need to do something horsey or be around horses to get inspired to write. The pictures in the pasture just don't cut it. In the comments of Mindee's blog, someone said “life always gives you something to blog about....eventually.” That’s true, because it did.

On Wednesday, our Platte River Ride was iffy at best. The Big Fat Lying Weatherman was predicting an eighty percent chance of thunderstorms late Wednesday afternoon. Not 20%, not 30%, but 80%! I don’t know what the rest of you think, but those are some damn good odds for poor weather. So as much as I wanted to ride, I really didn’t want to drive 35 miles and be rained out in the first 35 minutes of the ride. I shot an email out to the group asking who DID plan to ride & no one replied. So late in the day, I decided I was not going to go. Bad enough riding in the rain, even worse, riding alone.

I had an email earlier from someone on Facebook that was familiar with our rides and planned to attend this one. For some reason, I thought she, Jennifer, had ridden with the north group. She asked me to contact her if the ride was canceled, so I texted her and told her I was not riding. When I was driving home, Jennifer called me. She thought she would go ahead and head over there anyway. I was surprised that she was here. I told her maybe we could hook up another time if she wanted to come down this way again. She said that probably wouldn't happen as she was passing through from Minnesota on the way to Colorado! She was NOT with the north Platte River Riders! Boy, had I messed that one up and how could I not go riding if we were having a guest that was not just from another chapter of our group, but from another state entirely!

I got home shortly after I hung up the phone and checked the radar one more time as the skies certainly didn’t look like 80% chance of storms. Nope. The forecast had changed. It was now just a 20% chance. (How can it change in 30 minutes, I ask???) So I quickly hooked up the trailer and hit the ball on the trailer on the first attempt. Drove down the road near the pasture and Windy came right up to me & put her head in the halter. Things were looking so good now that when I stopped in Valparaiso to fuel up, I also bought a lottery ticket.

I met Jennifer and five other riders at Oak Glen. Although still cloudy though the winds had died down, it was definitely sweatshirt weather! Visiting with Jennifer, I learned she was traveling across three states to visit her dad in Colorado. She was traveling with two horses so they could go riding during their visit. She had carefully mapped places to stay along the way and had learned of our group on Facebook and thought it was a great opportunity to ride with our group and see some of Nebraska along the way.

I have to admint, I was a tad bit jealous of her wanderlust, having been on overload lately with the boys’ last days of school, and couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like to load up and haul out – what would be my version of “Calgon, take me away!”

And to further illustrate that it truly is a small world, Jennifer hails from the same area that one of our rider’s visits in Minnesota and sure enough, they knew a lot of the same folk. It was like old home week for them! Simply amazing. And no, we didn’t get rained on. It didn’t even sprinkle. Nor did my powerball numbers come in.

Dr. Doolittle

Being a mother of teenage boys, I wonder at times when I’ll experience a quiet calm again. If we aren’t running 100 mph to some event or function, I am trying to explain why we aren’t going to drive to Wisconsin to buy a used car that he found on eBay which was “just what I have been wanting!” Or praying desperately they will just simply do the chore without a fight. Seriously, do I have to use “approach and retreat” tactics with kids? I know I speak English and I know my boys speak English, but why do we have such a hard time understanding each other?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had that “quiet calm” around animals; a way of understanding with few words. I'm not bragging. It is just the way it is. I’ve always had a dog and I’ve never really had to communicate with them verbally to understand what they were thinking or me to them. My Springer Spaniel, Maddie, is aging. She can no longer hear and cries when I get out of her site. I use different body language when I leave for work than if I’m going outside for a few moments. And she knows the difference. I also know when she needs an extra boost to get up the stairs and we have developed a sign language of sorts for meeting our other communication needs.

Bo, the St. Bernard, is John’s “buddy”. He feeds him dog food and from his plate. He calls him, hugs him, and roughs him up. But when evening comes, it is my feet he lays next to. In the winter, Ritz sleeps in Case’s room behind closed doors. But I’m the one he watches and follows until time for bed. And I only have to ask once and they will both pile on my bed. Ritz knows by watching me when we are just going to the barn and when we are going riding. His whole body language changes when he knows we are heading down the road.

I’ve never been a cat person really, but the cats have all claimed me. Pretty Kitty, who was wild as could be as a young cat, became a house cat over the winter. He is very mindful to always use the litter box and I really think out of graciousness for being brought in, keeps a respectful distance from me but is always nearby. Mickey, the one-eyed kitty, was rescued by the boys, but I’m his human. He rides on my shoulders in the barn and has even jumped into the saddle with me once while I was riding. And in the house at night, he cuddles next to my neck. And Tom, the oldest of them all, will only come out of the shed and into the house if I go to fetch him.

The two roosters and Henny Penny see me heading to the barn and they follow. Once I made of mistake of trying to pet one of the roosters. He was right next to me… so close. I didn’t think about whether it would be a good idea or not – just reached for him & boy-howdy, scared him – scared me! I am pretty sure we both said “WTF?” And now we are both on-guard. He is still nearby, but I can tell he is checking me out. Worried about what I will try next.

And the dumb cows? Only one was a bottle calf and tame, but they all let me touch their heads. Even the bull.

The horses; my glorious little herd. When out in the yard, I can feel their eyes on me. I can sense their impatience right now being held up in the drylot when spring grass is so green and visible. I know who to catch first and the order always changes. Pick the wrong one and they may all decide to play the catch me if you can game. And I know when the game is over. I know how to cinch up each horse – all of them different and with varying tolerances. I know that Blue loved his winter blanket this past year. I know that Windy knows she is special. And at any given time, I know at least one of them will lock the bottom of their jowls over my shoulder in a makeshift hug while I breathe in their scents.

All of this communication - this talk with the animals - is done for the most part, without words. Why, when I have the entire dictionary at my disposal is it so hard to find those words to reach that level of understanding with my children. I can formulate the right sentence and say all the right words. I can insert gestures – good and bad - but still can’t reach the same quiet understanding as I do with my animals. As I reach the end of this post, I wonder if perhaps, I should try using fewer words.

(Too tired to proofread tonight... it is what it is....)

Frazzled

It's only Wednesday.
The week is dragging;
It feels like
It should already be Friday.

Driving in to work
I put in the last CD to the audio book
“Chosen by a Horse”.
I knew the end was near
And I couldn’t deal with
What would result in smudged mascara and
A running nose.
I’d cry later and
I switched back to talk radio.
Even that couldn’t hold my attention.

Once at work
I had a cryptic email from a friend
That led me to believe he lost his job.
He had.
Another email from
My son’s teacher.
Another missed assignment
And concern for his grade.
I don’t remember school
Being this hard.
I also learned of another’s pain
Which was, no doubt,
A blow to her gut
Much worse
Than the one
I felt for her.
I needed to ride.

We coast through life
Most days,
Feeling like we are
Raising our kids right
Secure in our job
And loved by our family
And it frazzled me to think
It is all so fragile.
Nothing is a sure thing.
I needed to ride.

On my way home
I listened to the last chapters
Of that audio book
And I mourned the loss
Of Lay Me Down.
And I cried for my friends
And their families
And the losses they were
Tackling today
That will be with them for days on end.
I cried for my own vulnerability.
And what we take for granted
And shouldn’t.
I needed to ride.

At the barn
My mare stood quietly
As I tacked her up.
But once I was in the saddle
She was jittery and impatient
She made me work for it this time
No doubt she felt my anxiousness
Or sadness
Or whatever it was I was feeling
I’d like to think she knew
That I wasn’t right.
And that made us not right
But that I needed to ride.

As we moved further down the road
I could finally loosen her reins.
She snorted
I sighed.
And for that hour or so
My world was right.
Frazzled.
But okay.
And I rode on.

Too Cold at Home

I'll try to give a quick weather update without using a plethora of expletives, which right now, isn't easy. Seems no one around these parts is saying "the weather" without inserting what seems an appropriate cuss word:

"The ^&*%* weather".

(By the way, no one around these parts uses the word "plethora" either, but it is a rather cool word in the right circumstances.)

In my best weatherman voice: Overnight temperatures dropped to double digits below the zero mark with 30 - 40 mph wind gusts. Snowing has stopped, but temperatures remain brutal. My weather bug showed -9 this morning with a -24 wind-chill temperature. Tonight the air temperature is expected to drop to -25 below zero. Who knows what that makes the wind-chill. I can't count that far backwards.

Our county road is still blown closed, as is our driveway. We aren't going anywhere soon, it would seem. Most area schools remain closed for the 3rd day in a row. This is some crazy *&^#* weather we are having!

Although it is still -2 at 1:00 this afternoon, the sun is shining and the wind has dropped to a steady 10 mph. John made the boys get up early today and bring in fire wood from a pile out yonder. They were pretty sure this was some sort of child abuse as they pulled on their coveralls, balaclava and the other normal attire which John and I have been sporting for days just to take care of the livestock. I can already hear the embellishments they plan to tell their kids about their blizzard workload! I’m glad to report there were no casualties while performing this sadistic chore, although they most certainly thought they were Going. To. Die. It probably took them a good thirty minutes before their fingers warmed up enough to play video games again!



I’ve enjoyed reading your comments from my prior posts. It seems many of you have also had an unusual weather year. Yes, we have all had enough already! Midwesterners are pretty tough, but jeez, it's wearing me out! It’s time for a warm change.

More Lucky Shots coming up later. Clicking through thousands of digital pictures has been a nice distraction.

A Picture Says 1,000 Words

... WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THURSDAY... STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THIS EVENING AS ARCTIC AIR SPILLS BACK INTO THE REGION...

Enough already!

Just STOP it!

(More later.....)

Of Flying Mice & Horses

Yep, I caved and put blankets on the horses. It made me feel better.

There is nothing like another couple inches of snow to brighten my day! It’s my last day of vacation and I absolutely have no idea what to do with it. One-degree temperatures do not lend it to very much. I’ve cleaned closets – two of them, and the pantry. And I had a mouse fall on face. If that isn’t a hazard of cleaning, I don’t know what is! A lot of good those three cats are doing us. I am thinking maybe they should get a taste of the one-degree weather! Seriously, we haven’t had a mouse in the house for years. But then we never had a dog that could open (and not close) the exterior doors. Dang Ritz anyway!

And if you think I am pretty blasé about a rodent on my face, you are wrong. Granted, mice don’t freak me out like snakes do. If a snake fell on my face, I would never come back in my house again. Ever. I would have to live in the barn. And you think I’m kidding! Not!




In the case of the flying mouse, I jumped over three dogs and one cat as I ran out of the room screaming. Ritz took that as an opportunity to chase the cat, which may have went for the mouse, had the dog given it half a chance. But then again, look at him! Probably not! After I woke up Case to tell him what happened, I abandoned the pantry job until John could secure the area. I was pleased to see the little critter’s lifeless body in a trap the following day. Sorry, PETA folks, I’m a farm girl. We eat beef and kill mice. Excuse me while I go wash my face …. Again!

To make this horse related, there is one cardinal rule when riding with me. If you see a snake on the trail, don’t look at it, don't point to it and don’t tell me about it. Just keep on riding like nothing is there. It is truly a phobia with me that is not the least bit funny. I get the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it right now. When I was young, a neighborhood kid threw a dead snake at me and I still feel it touching my leg like it just happened. And that was forty years ago. I don’t forget or forgive; God rest that kid’s soul, whatever his name was....

At Cowgirl Weekend 2004, I was riding John’s horse. Ginger had always scared me and I never quite trusted her. When a rattlesnake was found on the trail, there was no getting around me not knowing about it. The only thing I could do was get the heck out of Dodge. It was the first and only time I have ever opened Ginger all the way up and let her run. And run we did. Fast! You'd have thought a den of snakes were after us. Although the memory of the snake still sends shivers down my spine, that race from terror still makes me smile. We were flying.

I realize I may be opening myself up to torment by admitting this online. I’m sure some prankster will think, “let’s scare Tammy” and want to sneak up on me with a snake. My husband knows not to do that, my kids know not to do that and those close to me know not to do that. Broken trust is the quickest way to end a friendship. Ask the boy from the hood all those years ago!



And with that said, I’m going scoop snow. Again.

I Just Want To Lope!

Hanging on the wall in my office is the following prose. I wish I knew who wrote it so I can give them credit for what many of us feel. Especially now, during the Ice Age of Nebraska and the hustle and bustle of the season and the rush to get things done at work before the holidays. Ah, I just want to lope.

I Just Want To Lope
Author Unknown

Today was a particularly awful day at work.
I think everyone there is sun-deprived, cold and crabby.
So I knocked off at 5:00 on the dot
and headed out to the barn.
What a relief!
Because with my horse, if I want to lope,
we lope!

I don’t have to consult a committee about loping.
I don’t have to file an impact statement
about the effects of loping.
I don’t have to explore
less expensive alternatives to loping.
I don’t have to schedule a brainstorming session
to explore the best way to lope.

I don’t have to discuss loping
with the tech department
to see if we have resources available to support it.
I don’t have to get approval
from sr. management to lope.

The other horses in the barn don’t get offended
if we lope
and don’t include them
in the decision-making process.
I don’t have to show my loping plan
to the legal dept.

No one comes up and says,
“you know, we tried loping last year and it didn’t work...”
I don’t have to develop a tracking plan
to measure the success of loping.

No one in marketing is concerned
about how loping fits into our “brand image.”
No one in operations comes running up
to tell me I haven’t correctly filed the loping forms.
We don’t schedule weekly status meetings
to discuss loping.

If something goes wrong with loping, we just fix it.
We don’t go around checking every e-mail sent
and every conversation had,
then have a “responsibility meeting”
to try to pin the blame on someone.

I don’t have to inform the PR department
that I’m going to start loping.
I don’t need to get two signatures
on my invoices before loping.
And I don’t have to document
my loping experience in a memo
so that everyone who wants to lope after me
can learn from my experience.

If I want to lope, we just lope!

~~~~~~

More of the Same

I have not had my butt in the saddle since November 27th. In case you are counting, that is seventeen days. With only 10 hours of daylight, 8 ½ of which is spent at work and an hour commuting, even if the temperatures made it out of the single digits, I doubt I’d find myself skipping out to the barn to saddle up when it’s dark before 5:00 PM! Surely it couldn’t have been this bad last year. So I checked the archives on my blog. The following is an excerpt from my post of December 13, 2008.

“The temps neared 50 degrees today. The winds were blowing, but it was definitely a ride day. After Case’s basketball game, I went to the corral to fetch my best horse. She didn’t seem to mind me interrupting her meal. She knew today was special.”

I don’t know about you, but that made me want to puke. Not the fact that it was 50 degrees a year ago, but that I really wrote something so cornballish. “My best horse”, “today was special”. Who in the heck was I trying to impress? Trust me; I don’t really don’t talk that way.


Kacy from All Horse Stuff recently wrote about her winter riding gear. All of it very cute, fashionable and warm for her cold Oregon temperatures. If I were to ride today (laughing uncontrollably at the thought), the paragraph would read something like this:

“With a ‘feels like’ temperature of -5 F, I slipped into my long underwear and pulled on my winter riding pants. Next the too tight Under Armour cold weather gear followed by a fleece sweatshirt and jacket. Then I stepped into my TSC brand bib coveralls and finally put on my fleece lined barn coat. My head was covered in an ear band and a balaclava, topped with the hood of my jacket. I wore 2 pair of socks with my fake Ugg boots and pulled on my heavy fleece gloves."

If I were to step on the scale, no doubt I would top off 25 pounds heavier. And before I could get to the barn, my nose would be dripping and my cheeks burning. And none of the horses would want their meal interrupted for this!



And if this picture is not bad enough, imagine how it would look when mounting! Do these coveralls make my butt look fat?

My Top Ten

Those who know me well know that we are entering into what I believe to be the black hole of the seasons. The Winter Months. It’s dark when I leave for work and dark when I get home. The nights are so long. I’d simply like to curl up in an embryo position and sleep for three months or be abducted by aliens and have 3 months of lost time just to get it over with.

I am not a fair weather rider, per se. I have a pretty wide window of preferred temps – the low being the high 40’s to the high being the low 90’s. Wind chill factors and heat indexes often play into the factor, but generally, you will find me riding spring through fall. But when the ground is frozen and everything I touch is so cold it hurts, my riding comes to a near screeching halt. I know, I know. I’m a native Nebraskan. I should be thicker skinned. And I have to tell you; I think I used to be. But since getting into horses, I have found these next few months unacceptable to maintaining my hobby with the frequency that I prefer. And it makes me very cranky.

Before I pull the blanket over my head or get beamed up to the mothership, I am going to try to see the light. Rack my brain for ten horse related things that are good in the winter. Surely I can come up with 10. I’m thinking. Thinking…. Still thinking…

My Top Ten Reasons To Enjoy Winter

1. Jingle Bells. Putting them around the neck of my horse just doesn’t have the same festive affect on the 4th of July as it does when dashing through the snow. And we have and will again!

Okay. There. I came up with one good thing… One.

Seriously, I have been sitting here staring at the screen trying to come up with #2. It even crossed my mind to Google “winter riding” to help me out…

2. Fleece riding pants. I have a couple pair of Kerrit riding pants that are fleece lined and for obvious reasons, best worn during the “off” season. While I don’t necessarily feel attractive in breeches as they hide nothing, these riding pants are very soft and comfy and very, very warm and I'm half tempted to wear them grocery shopping on those cold days!

3. Farrier Expenses. Right or wrong, I just don’t have him out as often as I do during the riding months. That extra $100 can go to another cause... like the heating bill!

4. Automatic Waterer. It just sits there unnoticed during the good months. Providing clean water day after day after day; making no impression on anyone. But come winter, that little baby gets noticed and feels the love! I sure am thankful I am not filling tanks, running cords for heaters or breaking ice. Okay, I am probably stretching it putting that on the list, but those who have one knows it has earned it’s place!

One would argue that round bales should also feel the love. But they miss the list because they do have to be tended to every now and then and it usually is about the moment a blizzard rolls in and the tractor is out of gas!


5. Fewer Evil Eyes. You married women know “that look”. From The Husband. You catch your first glimpse of it on the first spring-like day when you pop downstairs in your riding gear and announce, “I’m going riding!” His eye squints, you swear you see a hint of smoke coming from his right ear and he lets out a long sigh because he thinks we should be tilling the garden or putting up a pole barn or some other menial task that you know he just happened to think up because he saw you hooking up the trailer an hour earlier!

6. Indoor Arena Riding. I’m not that fortunate to have an indoor arena. Gives me an excuse not to fetch and saddle my cold horse. But should the notion strike, I am fortunate enough to have a few friends who do have very nice arenas and invite me to take advantage of their facility when I am at the height of my withdrawals and ready to go over the edge.


7. Barn Smells. The good ones. Hay, horse breath, fur. The scents are all intensified in the crisp winter air.

8. Photos. Snow provides a new dynamic and, I must grudgingly admit, beauty to our pictures.

9. Riding Bareback. I’ll put it on the list because it is wonderful to feel the heat of the horse coming through those fleece pants on that cold winter day. However, I am still nursing a tail bone injury from falling off onto the frozen ground while riding bareback last February, so it goes on the list very reluctantly.

10. And the number 10 reason to enjoy winter is….

Every day that passes is one day closer to spring!

~~~~~~~~~

Wow! This was harder than I thought it would be! What about you? Are you a winter rider or have you put up your spurs for the season?

It's Back!

ATTENTION weather gods. This is Nebraska. We put up with bone chilling winters, spring tornados and hot humid summers because we know the best is yet to come. Every year we are rewarded with the most sacred time of year: Fall. Changing colors, burning leaves, football games, and sweatshirt weather. Rides throught the country without sweaty saddle pads. Anything goes. Typically, we get this nice break until about the week before Thanksgiving. Then we see the doctor about refilling our happy pills and hunker down for the next few months of winter hell.

But this morning, October 10th, 2009, we woke up THIS! Several inches of snow on the ground and my weather bug is screaming 28 degrees. THIS.IS.NOT.RIGHT. Winter cannot / should not cut into our fall time. The horses’ coats aren’t thick enough for this. They are calling foul! The St. Bernard has moved inside! We haven’t had an Indian summer!

This was YESTERDAY!

This is 15 HOURS LATER!

Most of all, my brain is not prepared for this. I have plans! If this is the official start of a long winter, I want out!
.

Legal Thievery

10/2209 Update: See bottom of this blog for more information on unifying neighbors to present a unite front.

Eminent Domain: The power to take private property for public use by a state, municipality, or private person or corporation authorized to exercise functions of public character, following the payment of just compensation to the owner of that property.

CITY OF GRETNA, NEBRASKA. CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING..... Notice is hereby given that a PUBLIC HEARING of the CITY COUNCIL of the City of Gretna, Nebraska, will be held at 7:00 o’clock p.m. on November 17, 2009, as part of their regular meeting, to hear public comment regarding Eminent Domain....

Hidden away behind the property’s legal description is the city of Gretna, Nebraska’s plan to take away land from my friend. Specifically, her mother-in-law. The small hay field that she derives a small income from to supplement her retirement. The land that her son and daughter-in-law and granddaughter use not only to feed their small herd of horses, but for riding. The land that has been in the family for a long time and they hoped would remain in the family through this next century. And not only their land, but land of their neighbors is up for grabs, too. And it's more than land -- it's a lifestyle.

Is the city looking to put in new roads or perhaps a new school? No! They plan to take away the land from those who appreciate the rural lifestyle and put in a "youth complex". A soccer field! I can't help but think about the old song lyrics "pave paradise and put in a parking lot." This has left me almost speechless.

My friend is not just a horse owner; she is a 4H leader. And an active one at that. Their land is used not only by her and her family, but by members of her 4H club. It is an open area for riding and the roads are as safe as roads can be for trailer-less kids commuting by horseback. My friend and her daughter are also active in Competitive Trail Riding and use their rural roads for conditioning their horses. The traffic generated from a soccer complex will take away the option of road riding for safety reasons alone. From personal experience, I know city people have no clue how to drive near and around horses. Not only the traffic, but the lights from the complex will completely ruin their rural paradise.

Since when does a sport (not a road, not a school, but a sport!) take priority over someone else’s lifestyle? Even though my friends are active in 4H, their neighbors also risk losing their property and their quiet way of life to the soccer moms and dads of Gretna, Nebraska. Is there no other parcel of land that could accommodate this without robbing from their rural citizens? Nebraska brags of its pioneer and farming heritage but yet allows it's cities to steal for what they deem an improvement in the city lifestyle?

Most of you probably don’t know my friend or even where Gretna, Nebraska is. (Between Lincoln & Omaha, right off the interstate). But if you are reading this blog, you in some way must appreciate country living and what it means to us, our horse life and our families.

If you agree that eminent domain is not appropriate in this situation, please, post a letter in defense of my friend and her neighbors to the City Clerk of Gretna or attend the public meeting. The more opposition to the asinine idea, the better! Let them find city land for their youth complex and leave the agriculture lifestyle alone! A written objection must be filed with the City Clerk prior to November 17th. A meeting will be held at 7PM on that day in Gretna. Do it quickly!

City Clerk

Gretna City Hall

204 N. McKenna

Gretna, NE 68028

Permission granted to anyone who wants to cross-post or provide a link to this blog.

Update: A forwarded message with permission to crosspost.

Ladies & Gentlemen:

Since many of the people with whom I have spoken are totally against this "Land Grab" that the City of Gretna is interested in, I wonder if anyone thinks we should organize and retain an Attorney to represent our interests?

I suggest that if we are interested in doing so, there are two initial steps to consider:

1. Send a letter to all residents in all surrounding areas where the impact of this ill-advised concept inviting them to an organization meeting PRIOR to the City's schedule meeting. We could get everyone's objections ready for presentation at the City's meeting.

2. Consider hiring an attorney experienced in Zoning Law, etc. I have had on-going disagreements with the City of Gretna when I expanded my office building at the corner of Highways 31 & 370. I retained Gerry Slusky and in each and every case, my position prevailed. There may be other concerned residents with positive experiences with other Attorneys and we could learn about those experiences as well and perhaps invite one or more legal representatives to present their initial suggestions for a course of action.

I am happy to make my conference room available for such a meeting if you believe this is a plan of action that you might be interested in exploring.

Paul Aaron
(402) 679-5741

Mowing, Mowing, Mowing

Did I really just post a blog called “Riding, Riding, Riding?” Seems shortly after that post I have been doing anything but riding, riding, riding. And the worst part is, we have had wonderful weather considering it is August. Well, up until today that is. And being that I live in farm country, one would argue that today wasn't a bad day weatherwise either. But to me, after 1.5" of rain, my day was ruined, ruined, ruined.

I decided to take one for the team last weekend and not make any riding plans. There were a lot of things to be done around the place. Yard clean up -- Bo tends to drag around everything! We also needed to mow the pastures where the grass was thick and coarse and ungrazed, hoping to attract the horses and cows to the undergrowth. We had a small hayfield that needed mowing in hopes of picking up a few more small bales.


The boys were both home - we had all hands on deck. Well, McCain's hands were under the hood of his car much of the time, but he did push out some effort being the "gas man". We really need one of those big barrels of fuel on the property – I can’t tell you how many times we needed him to run for more gasoline to keep all the tractors and mowers going.


By Sunday night, the place was looking pretty good. The pastures looked groomed, that pesky tree bug problem was under control and we got a good start on weed-eating – although I don’t think that project will ever be done!

I decided to take today off and made plans to ride with the Platte River Riders North group this evening. Since it is a couple hour haul up there, some friends and I decided to make a day of it, head up early, ride and have a late picnic lunch between rides. Twenty percent chance of rain. Heck, that’s nothing! So we thought.


I woke up to overcast skies. Kathy called and said it was raining at her place. Hmm. She’s south, we are heading north. The Big Fat Lying Weatherman still says only a 20% chance of rain here and where we are heading. We should be good. Called Sam, whom we were meeting, and she suggested we hold another hour and just to see what happens. Well what happened are the heavens opened up, up, up! While hooking up the trailer, the lightning started flashing. I got in the house in time to shut down the computer. And shortly after that, I lost all power in the house. In less than an hour, we had almost 1.5” of rain. Radar didn’t look promising in the direction we wanted to head. Nope, nope, nope.

No one ever wants to be the first to say, “forget it”. We were all thinking it though. Finally, Kathy, who had the farthest to drive, said she didn’t want to risk that many hours on the road and get rained out. We all concurred and scratched our plans.

I sat in my dark house without the hum of the refrigerator for about 2 minutes. No computer, no tv. It was too quiet. In the dim light, I went to the closet and rummaged around for clothes that appeared to match and quickly changed out of my boots and jeans. Ran a brush through my hair, put makeup on as best I could without lights and went to work, work, work.