TODAY WE ARE SUPPOSE TO HAVE A CHANCE FOR 80% RAIN SNOW MIX. NOT GOOD . THANK GOODNESS FOR THE INDOOR. MJ AND I HAVE BEEN MAINLY WORKING ON LOPING CONSISTENTLY BECAUSE SHE IS PRETTY LAZY. WE DID DISCOVER THE MORE DISTRACTIONS AND NOISE THE BETTER SHE SEEMS TO PERFORM WHICH IS TOTALLY AWESOME.

KEN AND I JUST GOT HOME FROM SHAWANO, WE HAD TO TO GET A FEW COPIES OF THE SHAWANO EVENING LEADER BECAUSE WE MADE THE NEWS. THEY DID A GREAT FOLLOW UP ARTICLE ON MJ WITH A FEW PICS. REALLY NICE. IF ANYONE GETS A CHANCE THEY SHOULD CHECK IT OUT. TODAY IT IS REALLY WINDY SO WE WILL BE WORKIN IN THE INDOOR WITH OBSTACLES AND PRACTICING OUR TRAILER LOADING.

picture of mj from the blm site

i found this picture taken the day we picked her up . wow has time flew by.. all the trainers horses are available at the blm site http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/wild_horse_and_burro/midwest_emm_page_1.html.

MJ DID GREAT TONIGHT, WE DID BIT WORK PRACTICING ON GETTING HER TO FRAME UP AT THE LOPE. SHE DID OK , BUT SHE HAS A VERY HIGH HEADSET WHICH I THINK IS BEAUTIFUL. THE FAIR IS ONLY A SHORT TIME AWAY IT IS SO HARD TO BELIEVE IT. I HAVE TO WORK TOMORROW SO MY NEXT SESSION WILL BE SUNDAY, SO I WILL BLOG THAN.

THE HOUSE IS SO QUIET AND I NEED TO TELL A STORY. I HAVE PUTTING OFF THIS PART OF MY BLOG FOR TO LONG BECAUSE IT IS SO EMOTIONAL TO ME AND SO DEAR TO MY HEART AND THAT IS HOW MS MJ'S LEGACY RECIEVED HER NAME. SHE IS NAMED AFTER MY FATHER, MELVIN JOEL, WHO PASSED AWAY IN OCTOBER- IT WILL BE 6 MONTHS ON THE DAY OF THE AUCTION. HE WAS A GREAT MAN WHO ALWAYS SUPPORTED ME WITH ANY OF MY DECISIONS GOOD OR BAD. I HESITATED FOR A BIT TO DO THE CHALLENGE BUT SOMETHING INSIDE OF ME PUSHED ME FORWARD. I COULD ALMOST HEAR MY FATHER SAYING, " GO FOR IT HONEY. IF THIS IS ONE OF YOUR DREAMS DON'T LET IT PASS BY YOU, BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU CAN NEVER GET THEM BACK." IS THAT NOT THE TRUTH. SO I FILLED OUT THE PAPERWORK AND HERE I AM DOCUMENTING MY ADVENTURE AND LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT. I KNOW IN MY HEART THAT MY FATHER WOULD BE VERY PROUD OF ME AND MJ AND HOW FAR WE HAVE COME AND HOW THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE HAS BROUGHT OUR FAMILY CLOSER TOGETHER AFTER SUCH A GREAT LOSS. SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BLM FOR GIVING ME THIS LIFE CHANGING OPPORTUNITY.

WISH WE WERE IN FLORIDA !!!!!! HI GIRLS

IT IS ABSOLUTELY MISEREABLE TODAY, VERY RAINY AND COLD, SO MJ AND I ARE GOING TO REST.

TODAY WAS PRETTY EXCITING, MJ GOT HER FIRST CHIRO. IT TOOK HER A WHILE TO WARM UP TO THE VET, BUT SHE DID GREAT. THANKS SO MUCH DR. PATTY AND ANDREA FOR BEING SO PATIENT WITH HER IT REALLY MEANS MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY.

NAH! WERE NOT CRAZY WE JUST LOVE TO RIDE. 6 HOURS TOTAL, NOT SO BAD FOR FREEZING WEATHER. WE RODE DOWN MAIN STREET, STOPPED AT THE BOWLING ALLEY FOR A HOT COCOA, THAN HEADED BACK HOME. I RODE IN FULLY PACKED SADDLEBAGS AND EVEN CRACKED 2 SODAS ON HER, NO REACTION. AWESOME. IT IS SUPPOSE TO RAIN THE NEXT 3 DAYS, SO WE WILL BE IN THE INDOOR WORKING ON TECHNICAL THINGS. YEAHHH

the Girls must be crazy

34 degrees and windy won't even stop them.. 2 pm and still ridin

THE KIDS DID NOT LET ME DOWN WITH THERE VOCALS, AND MJ LOVED ALL OF THEM. SHE HAD SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE PET HER , SHE DID NOT KNOW HOW TO REACT. ALL THE KIDS ARE SO EXCITED FOR THE COMPETITION AND IT WILL BE HERE SOONER THAN WE KNOW IT. OUR RIDE IS STILL A GO TODAY THE WEATHER SEEMS TO BE HOLDING OUT. SO I AM GOING TO SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE RIDE ON A WONDERFUL HORSE WITH SUPER FRIENDS.

TODAY WE ARE HOSTING A TACK FITTING CLINIC FOR THE 4-H ERS, THAN AFTER MJ AND I WILL BE PUTTING ON A DEMO AND HOPEFULLY ALL THE KIDS HAVE A LOT OF NOISE IN THEM FOR MJ TO EXPERIENCE. YEE HAW! THE WEATHER ALSO IS LOOKING GOOD FOR TOMORROW AND WE WILL RIDE TO TOWN AS PLANNED, SHOULD END UP BEING A 6 HOUR RIDE. AWESOME! I WILL BLOG LATER TO LET YOU KNOW HOW TODAY WENT.

ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER BLOG AND I AM LOVING THE WEATHER!!! TONIGHT WE WORKED ON SADDLEBAGS- FULL SADDLEBAGS. NOT TO BAD, BUT THE GIRL CAN RUN AND THANK GOD SHE IS NOT A BUCKER. BY THE END SHE COULD HAVE CARED LESS AND FRIDAY I WILL RIDE HER WITH THEM AND TRY TO CRACK A BEER ON HER. THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE BARN JOKE, IF YOU CAN OPEN A BEER ON YOUR HORSE IT IS READY TO HIT THE SERIOUS TRAILS. LOL.

TONIGHT WE TOOK IT PRETTY EASY, I CRUISED AROUND ON HER BAREBACK FOR A WHILE IN THE INDOOR AND TUCKED HER AWAY. LAST NIGHT CORY WENT WITH ME ON A TRAILRIDE PAST THE COWS AGAIN AND THIS TIME MJ DID NOT EVEN LIFT HER HEAD IN WORRY, AWESOME. HOPEFULLY THE WEEKEND IS GOOD BECAUSE I AM REALLY TRYING TO PUT A RIDE TOGETHER TO RIDE INTO TOWN, SO ANYBODY INTERESTED YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME JOIN US. EVERYBODY HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.

PICS FROM TODAY

DEB AND MJ KENNY AND JAKE

DEB AND KEN AND RHONDA

DEBBIE AND MJ SHARON AND COCOA

SHARON AND MJ

MELINDA AND MJ

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY! SHARON CAME OVER TODAY TO GO FOR A RIDE ON COCOA WITH ME AND MJ. A COUNTRY BLOCK IT WAS. WE EXPERIENCED COWS, ILLAMAS, BRIDGES, 2 HORSES THAT WANTED TO COME WITH US, KIDS ON BIKES, SOME MORE COWS, 2 BUFFALOES, BARKING DOGS AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE. LOL. IT WAS AN AMAZING RIDE, CONSIDERING I DID NOT RIDE TO MUCH ALL WEEK. THE MORE I RIDE MJ THE MORE I REALLY APPRECIATE HER, SHE IS A SMART, TOUGH LITTLE MARE WITH A HEART THE SIZE OF TEXAS. WHEN WE GOT BACK FROM THE RIDE I LET SHARON HOP ON HER AND MJ DID AWESOME WITH THAT. THAN ANOTHER BORDER WAS OUT, MELINDA, HOME FROM COLLEGE, SHE WAS ASKING WHAT SHE FELT LIKE TO RIDE SO I TOLD HER TO HOP ON. SHE WAS AMAZED ON HOW SHE FELT AND HOW WELL SHE RESPONDED WITH SUCH LITTLE TIME. I JUST RESPONDED THAT SHE IS AN AMAZING ANIMAL AND SHE WANTS IT JUST AS MUCH AS I DO. HOPE YOU ENJOY THE PICS FROM TODAY.

MJ DID GREAT AFTER HER MINI VACATION AND I WAS VERY THANKFUL SINCE I AM STILL NOT FEELIN THE BEST. THE WEATHER IS OK STILL VERY WINDY, BUT SHE DOES OK WITH IT. WE WORKED ON TYING BECAUSE SHE PAWS TERRIBLY, BUT BY THE END SHE WAS ACTUALLY STANDING STILL. SHE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT SHE HAS A BULL HEADED STREAK, BUT ALSO FOUND OUT THAT MINE IS GREATER. LOL. WE RODE FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT THE INDOOR GETS SO BORING FOR BOTH OF US, HOPEFULLY SUNDAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO TRAILER OUT FOR ANOTHER RIDE.

I KNOW. I KNOW. IT HAS BEEN A WHILE, BUT THE WEATHER HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY MISERABLE, KIDS HAVE BEEN SICK, AND I AM ALSO TRYING TO WARD OFF A COLD. I HAVE NOT WORKED MJ IN THREE DAYS AND TODAY IS NOT LOOKING SO PROMISING EITHER. THE NEXT TIME WE WILL TRUELY SEE HOW WELL SHE IS DOING AFTER SITTING FOR A LITTLE BIT, AND THE NEXT FEW DAYS SOUNDS LIKE GOOD WEATHER YEAH!!! HOPEFULLY I WILL GET SOME MORE PICS ON THIS WEEKEND.

I BET EVERYONE IS WONDERING HOW OUR TRAILRIDE WENT AROUND KELLY LAKE. AWESOME! AWESOME! AWESOME! WE EXPERIENCED PEOPLE WALKING, CARS, TRUCKS, TRAILERS, SNOWMOBILES, MANHOLES, AND CURB AND GUTTERS. MJ DID GREAT SHE JUST LOVES TO TRAIL RIDE AND NOTHING REALLY SEEMS TO BOTHER HER. BUT WE DID HAVE A PROBLEM LOADING HER BACK UP TO GO HOME, USUALLY SHE JUST WALKS RIGHT IN, THIS TIME SHE NEEDED A LITTLE CONVINCING. BUT NOT SO BAD. TODAY I JUST BRUSHED HER DOWN AND DID A LITTLE GROUND WORK WITH HER, PUT HER BLANKET BACK ON AND CALLED IT A DAY.

IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL OUT TODAY WE COULD NOT RESIST A TRAILRIDE. THE CARTING GOT POSTPONED DUE TO CART ISSUES, SO SHARON DECIDED TO COME OVER AND TAKE COCO WITH ME ON A RIDE. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL WE RODE ALONG THE CREEK ON A DEER TRAIL AND DID SOME EXPLORING, IT WAS AWESOME. BOTH HORSES DID GREAT EVEN WHEN WE ENCOUNTERED A HERD OF DEER. TOMORROW SHARON, KEN AND I ARE RIDING WITH A FEW PEOPLE AROUND KELLY LAKE, HOPEFULLY MJ WILL DO AS WELL IN CIVILIZATION AS SHE DOES IN THE WILDERNESS.

SNOW IS MELTING FAST 40 DEGREES TODAY!

THE FARRIER WAS OUT TONIGHT AND MJ GOT A PEDICURE. LOL. THE FARRIER WAS IMPRESSED WITH HER PROGESS AND HE DID A GREAT JOB WITH HER, THANKS JOE!! I RODE FOR A LITTLE WHILE, THAN HAD TO GO TO A MEETING. TOMORROW I PLAN TO TAKE MJ TO CORY'S HOUSE AND GO RIDIN, TRAVIS IS HOME FROM COLLEGE AND HE IS GETTING ANXIOUS TO DRIVE THUNDER, SO THAT WILL BE A REAL TREAT! I CAN HARDLY WAIT AND TOMORROW IS SUPPOSE TO BE GORGEOUS OUT.

TONIGHT WENT REALLY WELL WE ARE BASICALLY PRACTICING GAITS AND TRYING TO THINK OF VERY THING AND ANYTHING TO INTRODUCE TO MJ BEFORE MIDWEST. SHE HAS HER FIRST FARRIER VISIT IN A FEW DAYS AND HOPEFULLY THIS WEEKEND WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET ON A TRAIL RIDE WITH A FEW FOLKS. UNTIL NEXT TIME.

NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS COULD I IMAGINE FEELING THIS WAY ABOUT TRAINING A HORSE, IT IS SO DIFFERENT THAN I IMAGINED. I HAVE TRAINED SCARED, ABUSED, SPOILED, AND FORGOTTEN BUT NONE OF THAT EVEN COMES CLOSE TO MJ'S LEGACY. SHE IS AN AMAZING HORSE, SHE HAS SHOWN ALOT PEOPLE ALREADY THAT ANYTHING CAN BE POSSIBLE WITH HARD WORK, TIME, AND MOST OF ALL PASSION. SHE HAS BROUGHT ALOT OF PEOPLE TOGETHER ALREADY AND I SUSPECT A LOT MORE TO FOLLOW. ALL WE CAN DO IS OUR BEST EVERYDAY. I HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS HORSE GIVES ME MORE THAN 100% EVERY SESSION, AND THAT IS WAY MORE THAN A TRAINER CAN ASK FOR . I AM SO VERY PROUD OF HER. TONIGHT WE JUST CHILLED OUT TOGETHER, I LOVED HER UP A LITTLE THAN I TOOK HER OUT OF HER STALL, BUT I DID NOT HAVE THE HEART TO TAKE OFF HER COZY BLANKET . I BRIDLED HER UP, DID A LITTLE BIT WORK WITH HER, AND DECIDED TO SEE IF SHE WOULD LET ME JUMP ON. SHE STOOD LIKE A ROCK WHILE I NOT SO GRACEFULLY CLIMBED ABOARD. WE MADE A FEW LAPS AROUND THE ARENA THAN WE JUST STOPPED. IN A FEW MOMENTS OF SILENCE, IT SEEMED THAT WE WERE BOTH SOAKING IN WHAT WE LEARNED AND ACCOMPLISHED IN THE PAST WEEKS. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL THING.

few pics from 2 day

WE JUST GOT BACK FROM DESPERADO RANCH-THANKS MIKE AND CINDY SO MUCH FOR LETTING US HANG OUT FOR A COUPLE HOURS. IT IS SO GREAT TO HAVE OTHER PLACES TO GO, TO HELP PRACTICE FOR THE COMPETITION. IT REALLY KEEPS THE HORSES FRESH AND THINKING ALL THE TIME. THE TRAILERING WENT WELL, BUT SHE DID PAW A LOT, BUT THAT SHOULD SUBSIDE WITH REPETITION. WE ALSO CANTERED BOTH DIRECTIONS AND TWO FRIENDS CAME WITH US FOR NOISE PROOFING. ( THANKS DAVID AND AMY) NOT TO MUCH SEEMS TO BOTHER HER, BUT THERE WAS NOT ANY COWS THERE EITHER. LOL