When learned our lessons and applied them well

On Saturday we learned, from Michael Richardson, that to go from here:

to here:

we only need to remember: keep it real, no BS and patience. We got to see a great demostration and I'm hoping one of our many competent volunteers (Marisa...hint hint) to write a blog about working with Michael and his wife Tiffany (check out their website http://www.brokenrranch.com/).

Those lessons came in handy on Sunday, when Janet, Nancy and I decided to take a nice early (ha!) Sunday morning ride.

Before a ride they look so clean!

We left the barn with Janet on DeeDee, Nancy on Hannah and me on Soleil. We came back to the barn with me on DeeDee, Nancy on Hannah and Janet on Soleil. DeeDee had some other ideas about going for a ride (she either didn't want to go or she wanted me to ride her...I'm flattered).

Thankfully, Janet only has a minor injury and got to ride on an ATV; and DeeDee made it back to familiar territory without hurting herself. But what is best for naughty horses, turning right around and going back out. Janet and I traded horses and the rest of the ride was uneventful. I made sure to thank Janet for wearing DeeDee out for me! Ha! Those of you that are familiar with Hannah on a trail ride...yes, she stalled for the first mile thinking Nancy would give up, but it wasn't to be so.

We practiced Michael's lessons: Janet knows the ground is real hard, DeeDee knows that I tolerate no BS and Hannah knows that Nancy has patience!

Stinky smelly after shots (horses, not women...we glisten).

In which we learn that Dorie can jump over a fence very quickly

Never a dull moment.......................

Jaabeil has seemed a bit calmer, so Dorie brought him out to the round pen. He was fine for awhile, but I looked over and saw her jumping out of the round pen. Good jumping skills, Dorie!

DeeDee was going to get some new shoes on Thursday, but she got shots instead. I would protest as well. Shoes are always better than shots!

The weather was weird...raining..sunny....calm...windy. It was muddy and slippery.

The outdoor arena was very wet. Poor Soleil....it is hard walking in really wet sand when you have hooves the size of dinner plates!

Human participants: Peggy, Jennifer, Amanda, Janet, Penguin, Dorie, Leslie

Horse participants: Hannah, DeeDee, Merit, ZoMeister, Soleil, Lilly, Chocolate