TODAY MJ AND I TOOK OUR FIRST DIGGER, BUT IT TURNED OUT NOT SO BAD. WELL HERE THE STORY GOES. FIRST OF ALL I AM AN OUTSIDE RIDER, SO 90% OF OUR RIDES HAVE BEEN OUTSIDE BATTLING THE SNOW, ICE AND SLIPPERY SPOTS AND YES IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE BUT WE TRUDGE THROUGH EVERYDAY. SO TODAY WE AGAIN HEADED DOWN THE ROAD AND A CURIOUS HERD OF COWS DECIDED TO COME AND SAY HI AND MJ DID NOT THINK THAT WAS SO COOL. EVEN THOUGH I HAD HER PAST THE COWS BEFORE , IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT DIRECTION AND THAT EARLY IN OUR RIDE, SO SHE WAS A LITTLE FRISKY. WE DID SOME SIDE PASSING, BACKING IN THE DITCH THAN ALMOST PAST THEM SHE LUNGED FORWARD IN A CANTER(RUN) LOL. I ONE REINED STOPPED, HER THANK GOD SHE LISTENED, BUT AT THE SAME TIME SHE SLIDE ON THE BLACK TOP AND WENT DOWN. AS SHE WENT DOWN I LOST MY BALANCE AND WENT OFF AT THE SAME TIME STILL HOLDING HER REINS THANK GOODNESS THEY ARE 8 FOOT REINS BECAUSE SHE DID NOT GET LOOSE AND I PICKED MYSELF UP OFF THE ROAD AND REASSURED HER THAT THE COWS WERE NOT GOING TO EAT HER, WHICH TOOK A FEW MINUTES. ONCE WE BOTH GAINED OUR COMPOSER, I MOUNTED BACK UP AND SHE WALKED PAST THE COWS LIKE A LADY. AFTER THAT SHE DID GREAT EVEN WHEN WE WERE HEADED HOME AND HAD TO PASS THEM COWS AGAIN. TOMORROW WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO TRAILER HER UP TO DESPERADO RANCH SO WE CAN EXPOSE HER TO ANOTHER ARENA AND MORE PEOPLE. THANKS FOR READING!

TODAY WE ARE GETTING A HUGE STORM SO WE DID VERY LITTLE IN THE BARN BUT IT WAS HUGE TO ME. MY 8 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER GOT TO FINALLY PET MJ AND SHE EVEN WALKED HER AROUND IN THE ARENA. IT WAS PRICELESS. MJ WOULD LOOK AT ME FOR REASSURANCE THAN TURN BACK TO HER FOR DIRECTION IT WAS PRETTY AWESOME. LAST NIGHT WE JUST HAD FUN. JADA RODE HER HORSE RUSTY, SOPHIA RODE HER HORSE DIXIE, AND OF COURSE I WAS ON MJ AND WE WORKED ON ARENA WORK FOR A WHILE THAN WE WENT OUT INTO THE OUTDOOR SO WE COULD GET SOME GOOD PICS, HOPEFULLY THEY WILL BE ON THE BLOG SHORTLY. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU TO JADA AND SOPHIA FOR HELPING ME GIVE THAT KIND OF EXPOSURE TO MJ . AND NOTHING IS MORE SWEETER THAN WATCHING GIRLS WHO REALLY LOVE THEIR HORSES , GIGGLING AND TROTTING THROUGH THE SNOW LIKE THEY DISCOVERED IT FOR THE FIRST TIME.

JUST GOT IN FROM THE BARN I DECIDED TO PUT AN ENGLISH SADDLE ON MJ TONIGHT AND IT WENT VERY WELL. SHE IS GETTING A LITTLE HOT TO TROT SO WE WORKED ON A LOT OF CONTROL- STOPPING , TROTTING IN A STRAIGHT LINE, FLEXING, AND BACKING. THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT MJ THAT SOOTHES MY SOUL, SHE CAN MAKE A LONG DAY AT WORK NOT BE SO BAD. I ENJOY EVERY MINUTE I SPEND WITH HER, EVEN WHEN SHE VOICES HER OPINION LOUDLY. BECAUSE AT THE END OF EVERY SESSION SHE REMINDS ME WHAT THE PASSION OF HORSE TRAINING IS ALL ABOUT AND WHY I CHOSE NOT TO GIVE IT UP.

HI, I'M THE COWGIRL DAUGHTER OF DEBBIE I AM EIGHT YEARS OLD .
I THINK MJ IS AWESOME . EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT GET TO TOUCH HER YET .


CAN'T WAIT 'TIL WE GET TO GO TO MADISON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT WILL BE MY
SECOND TIME GOING .

BYE , BYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TONIGHT WAS AWESOME ! MJ AND I LOPED ACROSS THE FIELD. IT WAS THE GREATEST FEELING EVER, KNOWING THAT A SHORT WHILE AGO I COULD NOT EVEN TOUCH HER. SHE IS AN AMAZING ANIMAL ALMOST MAGICAL...!

JUST GOT IN FROM RIDING MJ SHE WAS WONDERFUL. AT FIRST SHE WAS A LITTLE STINKER TRYING TO MOUNT UP, BUT ONCE WE GOT GOING IT WAS GOOD. WE WENT ON A LITTLE ADVENTURE TO GO VISIT 2 OF OUR SPONSORS, PAUL AND LORI, WHO ALSO HAVE LLAMAS. THAT WAS QUITE A TREAT! I THINK AT FIRST MJ THOUGHT THEY WERE ALIENS THAT WERE GOING TO EAT HER, BUT WHEN SHE REALIZED THEY WERE NOT GOING TO COME AND GET HER SHE BECAME OK WITH THEM, AFTER 20 MINUTES OR SO. WE SAID OUR GOOD BYES TO EVERYONE AND OFF TO HOME WE TREKKED, THIS TIME WE TOOK THE ROAD BACK, INSTEAD OF CROSS COUNTRY, WHERE WE ENCOUNTERED 3 CARS, MULES, AND A HERD OF COWS, NOT SO BAD FOR A TRAINING DAY. WE WERE BOTH GLAD TO BE BACK TO THE BARN,2 AN A HALF HOURS STARTED TO GET PRETTY COLD. SHE ENJOYED HER BRUSH DOWN, WHICH SHE IS SHEDDING GREATLY. I PUT HER BLANKET BACK ON AND THREW HER SOME LUNCH. UNTIL TOMORROW.

TODAY I WANTED SO BADLY TO GO ON A TRAIL RIDE DESPITE THIS BITTERLY COLD WEATHER, SO BY THE TIME THAT I GOT HOME FROM WORK THE WIND SUBSIDED AND THE SUN WAS STILL OUT, SO OUT TO THE BARN I TREKKED AND SADDLED UP MJ WHO SEEMED A LITTLE ANXIOUS HERSELF. I FREE LUNGED HER A FEW TIMES AROUND AND WALKED HER OUTSIDE TO MOUNT UP AND OFF WE WENT. TO THE BACK 40 THROUGH THE BACK 40 TO THE NEIGHBORS 40 AND THROUGH THAT 40. SHE DID AWESOME. AT FIRST SHE DID A LOT OF TROTTING BUT SOON SETTLED IN TO A WORKING WALK AND TRUDGED THROUGH SOME PRETTY BIG SNOW BANKS AND BACK TO THE BARN WE WENT WE EVEN WERE ABLE TO DO A PROPER DISMOUNT. YEAH!!!!

YESTERDAY WE DID ALOT OF DESPOOKING AND PICKING UP HER FEET . SHE EVEN LET ME BRUSH HER TAIL WHICH IT SEEMED SHE ENJOYED. TODAY IS COLD AND BLISTERY OUTSIDE, SO I FED MJ AND TUCKED HER AWAY FOR THE NIGHT.

SORRY IT HAS BEEN A WHILE, DECIDED TO TAKE THE KIDS ON A MINI VACATION SO EVERYTHING WAS RUSH RUSH. THINGS ARE GOING VERY WELL MJ AND I WENT ON A TRAIL RIDE YESTERDAY WITH 6 OTHERS HORSES AND SHE DID GREAT. SHE LED HALF OF THE WAY AND ON THE WAY BACK WE STAYED IN THE BACK. 2 CARS PASSED US AND SHE DID NOT EVEN BOTHER, I WAS SO PROUD OF HER. AND OUR DISMOUNT WAS NOT SO BAD EITHER, FAR FROM PERFECT BUT GETTING BETTER. I ALSO GOT ALL FOUR OF HER FEET PICKED UP AND EVEN CROSS TIED HER. TODAY WE PUT A NEW HALTER ON, INTRODUCED HER TO A BOUQUET OF BALLOONS, AND DESENSITIZING HER RUMP USING A TARP. NOT SO BAD AT ALL. UNTIL TOMORROW.

TODAY WENT FAIRLY WELL NOTHING TO EXCITING. KEN TOOK HER FOR A WALK AND SHOWED HER SOME COWS WHICH SHE WAS NOT TO SURE OF, BUT THEY BOTH COME BACK IN ONE PIECE. THAN I DID SOME BIT WORK WITH HER AND WORKED ON MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING, SO WE DO NOT HAVE THE PREVIOUS PROBLEM. I CAN ALSO PICK UP HER FRONT LEGS AND I AM DOWN TO HER HOCKS ON THE BACK. TRIED TO GRAB HER TAIL SHE DID NOT THINK THAT WAS SO GREAT, BUT IT WILL COME. WE ARE ALL PLANNING TO GO ON A TRAIL RIDE ON SUNDAY, PENDING ON THE WEATHER. THAT SHOULD BE A REAL TREAT!!!! ONE BAD THING IS THE WHOLE FAMILY IS STARTING TO FALL IN LOVE WITH HER. MJ IS TRULY A VERY LOVABLE HORSE ONCE SHE PUT HER GUARD DOWN, NOW SHE IS SUCKING EVERYBODY IN, NOW OUR BIG GOAL IS TO FIND THE PERFECT HOME FOR HER THAT WILL LOVE HER AS WE DO..

TODAY I DECIDED TO PLAY HOOKY FROM MY REAL JOB AND I AM SO GLAD FOR IT. IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE AND MJ AND I ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE. I RODE HER IN THE OUTDOOR ARENA WHICH WAS LIKE RIDING ON AN ICY BEACH , BUT IT WAS STILL AWESOME. THAN I TALKED ONE OF MY FRIENDS TO HOP ON RUSTY, WHO IS COMPLETELY GREAT, AND SHE RODE HIM AROUND AND MJ AND I FOLLOWED PRACTICING OUR STARTS AND STOPS . THAN WE VENTURED OUT ON THE ROAD WHICH IS THE ONLY SPOT I SWEAR WITHOUT ICE , AND WE RODE FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES AND ENDED UP IN THE INDOOR ARENA READY FOR THE DISMOUNT WHICH DID NOT HAPPEN SO QUICKLY, MJ DECIDED THAT SHE DID NOT WANT ME OFF OF HER BACK, SO I BELIEVED I RODE HER FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, BUT WHEN THE TIME CAME THE DISMOUNT WAS AS SMOOTH AS SILK AND MJ DID GREAT. HOPEFULLY TOMORROW SHE WILL REMEMBER WHAT SHE LEARNED TODAY.

EASY NIGHT TONIGHT I HAD MY HAND FULL WITH A SASSY POA AND A VERY SPOILED PAINT MARE, SO UNFORTUNATELY MJ JUST RECEIVED A LITTLE OF MY ATTENTION. MY HUSBAND DEWORMED HER TONIGHT WHICH SHE DID VERY WELL, ITS TO OUR BENEFIT THAT SHE LOVES TO PLAY WITH THINGS. LOL. ONE THING THAT I AM NOTICING IS THAT SHE IS REALLY FEELING RELAXED WITH EVERYTHING AND I AM HOPING THAT THIS WEEKEND WE CAN VENTURE OUT AND GO VISIT ANOTHER ARENA FOR EXPOSURE AND TRAILERING TIME.

TODAY WAS AWESOME . IN THE MORNING MJ AND I WENT FOR A DRIVING LESSON DOWN THE ROAD, WHICH WENT VERY WELL. THAN WHEN WE GOT BACK I SADDLED HER AND RODE HER WHICH WAS TOTALLY AWESOME. I WAS SO PROUD OF HER AND ALL OF THE PREPARING PAID OFF BECAUSE SHE STOPPPED , BACKED AND WENT FORWARD ON QUE. I WAS SO EXCITED I COULD NOT STAND IT. NOTHING IS MORE THRILLING THAN THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU CLIMB IN THE SADDLE , ITS AWESOME. WHEN WE WERE FINISHED I FINALLY PUT ON A HALTER THAT FIT HER BETTER AND TIED HER UP FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE INDOOR WHILE I HAD A SHOT OF DR IN CELEBRATION WITH MY HUSBAND, WHO WAS BEAMING IN PRIDE. THAN I TUCKED HER AWAY FOR THE NIGHT EXICITED FOR TOMORROW AND WHAT THAT WILL BRING.

!!! MJ RIDES !!!

A FEW PICTURES FROM TODAY

FRIDAY NIGHT WAS A TRAINERS NIGHTMARE SESSION. AT FIRST EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL , TACKED UP MJ AND LET HER CHILL IN THE INDOOR UNTIL I PUT A TRAINING HORSE AWAY WHICH WAS ABOUT TEN MINUTES. AS SOON AS A GOT BACK IN THE BARN I NEW THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG BECAUSE IT SOUNDED LIKE MJ WAS GOING TO TOWN IN THE INDOOR. I QUICKLY OPENED THE DOOR AND FOUND THE SADDLE ON HER SIDE WITH HER NOT DIGGING THAT TO MUCH NOT ONLY WAS THAT AN ISSUE BUT SHE SEEMED TO HAVE GOTTEN HER FOOT IN ONE OF THE STIRRUPS. OH SHIT WAS THE ONLY WORDS I COULD THINK OF AND SOON I FOUND MYSELF IN THE MIDDLE OF A FRANTIC HORSE TRYING TO CALM HER DOWN, IT TOOK I THINK TEN MINUTES WHICH SEEMED LIKE TEN HOURS, BUT SHE FINALLY STOPPED AND I WAS ABLE TO UNBUCKLE BOTH OF HER STRAPS TO LET THE SADDLE FALL TO THE GROUND AND WITH A LOT OF GODS HELP SHE BACKED RIGHT OUT OF THE STIRRUP (THANK GOD). THAN I LOOKED AT HER AND LOOKED AT THE SADDLE THAT WAS AMAZINGLY STILL IN ONE PIECE(A THANKS TO TIMBERLINE FOR MAKING ONE HELL OF A STRONG SADDLE) AND WE BOTH KNEW THAT THE SADDLE NEEDED TO GO BACK ON. SO TALKING TO HER CALMLY I HOISTED THE SADDLE BACK ON MJ AND DID ALL OVER AGAIN MINUS ALL THE ACTION- JUST THE WAY I LIKE IT. TODAY WAS ALOT NICER OF ADAY. WE WENT FOR A WALK AND WORKED ON DESENSITIZING . SHE LET ME LEAN OVER HER BACK WHILE SHE WAS BAREBACK AND THIS EVENING I ALSO GOT A BRIDLE ON HER WHICH AMAZINGLY WENT VERY WELL ACCORDING TO AN ONLOOKER, SHARON, WHO TOLD ME THAT I MADE THAT LOOK WAY TO EASY, WHERE IN FACT, I THINK I JUST GOT LUCKY!!! AND MJ FINALLY GOT A HAIR CUT TODAY WITH THE CLIPPERS AND SHE DID OK AS I MOVED CLOSER TO HER POLL SHE SHOOK HER HEAD A LOT SO I HAD TO FINISH HER BRIDLE PATH WITH THE SCISSORS. NOT SO BAD AFTER A DAY FROM HELL I AM JUST GLAD THAT HORSES ARE FORGIVING CREATURES. TOMORROW WE WILL BE POSTING NEW PICS, HOPEFULLY.

TODAY WE DID NOT DO ANYTHING GREAT. MJ JUST MET SOME YOUNG FANS, NICOLE AND BROOKE, SHE EVEN LET THEM PET HER ON THE NECK WHICH IS AWESOME. THAN WE TUCKED HER GOOD NIGHT IN HER STALL AND CALLED IT A NIGHT. THANK YOU GIRLS FOR COMING OUT TO SEE MJ IT IS REALLY HELPING HER GET USE TO ATTENTION AND COMMOTION.

AFTER DRIVING ON SLIPPERY ROADS ALL DAY TRYING TO DELIVER THE MAIL WITHOUT STRAINING YOUR BACK YOU COME HOME TO A HORSE WATERER THAT IS NOT WORKING , TWO HORSES THAT NEED TO BE TRAINED , AND A MUSTANG THAT NEEDS LOTS OF ATTENTION. SOUNDS LIKE CALGON TAKE ME AWAY TO MOST PEOPLE, BUT FOR ME IT IS THE LIFE I CHOOSE TO LIVE AND TODAY WAS JUST A SLIGHT REMINDER WHY I LOVE TO TRAIN HORSES. GOING OUT TO THE BARN IS MY TIME AND TONIGHT WAS EXTRA SPECIAL BECAUSE MJ IS REALLY COMING ALONG VERY WELL . BETTER THAN I COULD HAVE EVER HOPED. I SADDLED HER UP AND WORKED HER A LITTLE BIT THAN I PUT SADDLE BAGS ON HER TO HELP DESENSITIZE HER BACK END. AT FIRST WHEN THEY TOUCHED HER FLANKS SHE HUMPED UP, BUT I JUST TALKED TO HER AND SHE TOOK A DEEP BREATH. I MOVED HER AROUND A LITTLE BIT AND SHE DID GOOD SO I DECIDED TO LUNGE HER, SO OFF WE WENT. WALK TROT LOPE (YEAH SHE EVEN LOPED FOR MR TONIGHT) BOTH DIRECTIONS. SHE DID AWESOME I AM SO PROUD OF HER. AFTER ALL THAT SHE EVEN LET ME LAY ACROSS HER SADDLE. EXCITING!!! I UNTACKED HER AND PUT HER BLANKET ON AND YES HER HOOD TOO. ALL IN ALL IT WAS A GREAT NIGHT AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I LOVE TO TRAIN HORSES.

JUST GOT IN FROM THE BARN MJ IS DOING WONDERFUL WITH DRIVING HOPEFULLY IN A COUPLE OF DAYS IT WILL BE WARM ENOUGH TO DRIVE OUTSIDE. HER HEAD ISSUES ARE REALLY IMPROVING, BUT I STILL CAN NOT BUT HER WINTER HOOD ON- I THINK TOMORROW THAT WILL HAPPEN. SHE IS LUNGING VERY WELL AND PICKING UP HER GAITS PRETTY CONSISTENT AND I AM HOPING HER GALLOP TURNS INTO A LOPE. LOL. I STILL CAN NOT PICK UP HER FEET WITH MY HANDS AND SHE HAS A CRAPPY STREAK WHEN I START TO ASK TO MUCH HOPEFULLY THAT WILL GO AWAY. TOMORROW I AM GOING TO PUT SADDLE BAGS AND A CRUPPER ON AND IF ALL GOES WELL TRY TO MOUNT HER. UNTIL TOMORROW!!

TODAY I DROVE MJ WITH HER SADDLE ON AND SHE DID VERY WELL ONCE SHE FIGURED OUT THE DRIVING LINES WERE NOT A MOUNTAIN LION. LOL. ONE THING GOOD IS SHE NEVER BUCKED OR KICKED JUST RAN LIKE HELL. THAN SHE SETTLED RIGHT IN AND ACTUALLY LET ME GET DIRECTLY BEHIND HER WHICH WAS AWESOME. HER SHYNESS OF HER HEAD IS GRADUALLY GETTING BETTER EVERY DAY, BUT I AM NOT GOING TO PRESS THE ISSUE OF A BRIDLE UNTIL SHE ACCEPTS IT WILLINGLY. ALSO EVERY DAY SHE MEETS SOMEBODY NEW WHICH IS REALLY HELPING HER GET OVER THE FACT THAT A PERSON MIGHT EAT HER. MY HUSBAND CAN EVEN LEAD HER ALL AROUND AND PET HER CONSISTENTLY. BUT ONE REALLY NEAT THING TODAY WAS WE INTRODUCED HER TO A NEW OUTSIDE PEN WITH MORE ROOM AND THERE WAS A HUGE SNOWBANK NEXT TO THE RAIL AND DIDN'T THAT LITTLE TURKEY CLIMB UP THE BANK AND GO RIGHT OVER THE FENCE, WHICH I DID NOT KNOW BECAUSE I WAS BUSY IN THE BARN. THAN KEN HOLLERED THAT MJ WAS ON THE ROAD DOWN BY THE NEIGHBORS. OFF COURSE I DROPPED EVERYTHING AND WENT TO GET HER. THANK GOD I CALLED HER NAME AND SHE TROTTED UP TO ME AND THAT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES BECAUSE NOW I TRUELY BELIEVE WE ARE A TEAM AND THE HARD DAYS ARE BEHIND US!!! MORE DRIVING TOMORROW.