Horse Diaries "The Concave Project"

For the past few weeks I have had Gus (my horse) at a boarding stable 8 min away from work, so I can ride on my lunch. I had a thought today after I was done riding of posting a new blog series once a week or so about new things I'm trying with him. It seems us horse people are always "trying" something. It will be a new way for me to document and keep track for myself what I"m trying and if it's working as well as giving you all information.

I have 2 projects going on now but I will start today with "the concave project". For the 1st year of owning Gus I used my regular blacksmith, we also had a very dry summer and we couldn't keep the shoes on.  I finished out that season working with him on the shaping, level, and angle he was shoeing then finally just pulled the shoes and ran barefoot for the last few shows of the season and into the spring.

That next spring I took a blacksmith on from a trustworthy referral, and tried him out in June of last year. John came out and did hot shoes for me after listening to me explain everything I was expecting from him and from my barrel racing season. Last year was the 1st year I was actually joined a group or barrel racing club and wanted to go to the IBRA finals on Gus.  Since his 1st shoeing was no until the 1st of June we started on a late note and were doing the shoes before the big shows, but Gus was still not being as consistent as I would like in shows because of the footing (deep, slick, wet, dry). John asked me to demonstrate a few times how Gus turns the barrels, because he was trained cutter, he doesn't keep the full running motion around the barrels he rocks back on his ass end and pivots on his hind, then lunges forward and out of the pocket. If I only had a video of me doing this right!? He mentioned last year his thought for concave shoes....... but it was too close to major shows for me to want to try something new.

This year I got an early start with both the shoes and riding, as I took Gus to the stable to board in early February, he was shawd just a few days after arriving there. John 1st did the regular hot shoes on the front, and was going to do the back but Gus had an abscess brewing so we made another appointment for a week later. During that time int he the barn John asked me to demonstrate in the arena how Gus ran the barrels again (video please...I know) He then asked if he could hand make Gus a pair of concave shoes, they are good for traction and would help feel more sure footed, and it is early enough in the year that if they don't work, we pull the shoes and go back to what we had. He put the shoes on during my lunch and I went back that night to ride. He hand made 4 concave shoes for Gus to try, and, he didn't even charge me extra because he is so interested to see if these will work for Gus Man!

I went for my ride, Gus felt like a new man, he was all hot and bothered and ready to run. 2 days prior to that I thought I was going to have to change my Congress entry to Novice Western Pleasure instead of Novice Poles!

And there is it, my clear pivot in the dirt in my pocket.

So far I am really excited for these new shoes, I have been hand walking Gus after every work out to check him over. I have also been taking snap shots of his confirmation to ensure that stays in check as well. I should be able tell a little more after the show this weekend at Grizzle Ridge!

Horse Crazy...it's in your blood

Last week Davy Jones of the Money's passed away and I heard on the radio how the band was going to replace and keep touring. Some people including myself thought.....maybe it's time to hang it up guys...why would they want to keep doing that at their age. I then let the thought pass and moved on.

Over the weekend I got to spend some time with my Mom and sister. We were on our way wedding dress shopping with my youngest sister and I said, I couldn't find anything to wear, it's so much easier when we are getting dressed for a trip to Quarter Horse Congress.....we then notice we have the same necklace on :) great minds.....

We later ended up at a birthday party where we had some drinks at a high top table, where we got to spend some more quality time together.....again talking horses. We are both boarding for a month or so during this crazy winter, I normally ride in the snow (another dash of crazy) when it's frozen but with the wet weather it's making it impossible to do anything. She was talking about the horse apparatus that she rigged up (all 5 foot, 110 pounds of her) to get her spaz horse in the trailer alone.....when she states "we must be crazy" which I promptly blamed on her because I obviously get my "horse crazy" from her...among other kinds of crazy that you will have to talk to farmer G about lol.

So today driving to the barn,on my lunch, in dress clothes, eagerly awaiting my carharts and fat baby's it occurs to me.........that's why The Monkey's are going to replace the singer, they can't...... they can't quit and they don't want to......it's in their blood. Like G can't stop thinking about making hay in December, like I can't stop thinking about getting to the barn on a daily basis, like The Monkey's can't stop thinking about their next gig. It consumes you and makes you crazy, it's what you plan your life around, your days around.... right down to the necklace.

At least on some level of raising Claire I will understand one thing about her........one part crazy she gets from me is horse. The crazy part about it, is that riding actually calms me...so part of being horse crazy is calming.......no wonder no one understand....

I hope everyone has something in their life that is consuming that gives them joy, and even better yet, that they can share with their loved ones.

Countless Calories

As a women in general there are thing that we are wanting to change about our weight, lose, gain, even a proportion shift. Last year after trouble losing baby weight I joined weight watchers in the winter and had very good success with counting my points. Then come the summer months with farming, that throws everything out of whack!

I am a healthy weight but it's always something I consciously think about. I recently started counting my "points" again on my own, with plans to join again soon...that 10 pounds comes back a lot quicker than it leaves.

After some bribery for a haircut, I promised Claire a baby cone from Dairy Queen when she asked if I was going to "share" one. (In Claire language that means, you get yours and I get mine and we eat together...."sharing"). I at first said no, knowing that I was on point number 16 and had yet to eat dinner. When she asked why....I'm thinking why....so I get 2 baby cones. There is no better feeling than "sharing" a baby cone with my baby. No point or calorie counter can give you the feeling the the pure joy a child has while eating an ice cream cone :P there are some calories you just can't count!

Parenting Claire

Please follow the link to take a peek into the parenting of Claire. This should explain further my spirited child blog.......all aspects of it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_lpQon5Kuw&feature=g-upl&context=G27dac48AUAAAAAAAAAA

The Strong Willed Child Part 1

Claire is 3. Not only do I have a 3 year old but I have Claire, who is 3. Most of you out there understand what I mean by this.

I was a strong willed child, I knew that, I knew that I was going to get it when I had my own children but comments from my own mother make me wonder, how "strong willed" can this girl be? How bad is this going to get?
"She is smart, no she is really smart" ~ you know when your mother reinforces something like that there is more to it...and then she doesn't tell you what that is, that you are in real trouble.

We at Claire's 3rd year well visit a couple weeks ago, some trong behavior  occurred while at the Doctor's office, prompting her to suggested a book. "The NEW strong willed child". She made the comment that she read the book herself for her own daughter and it has helped her. The next day I was on Amazon.com ordering myself a copy.

Almost daily C does something and I wonder, what am I supposed to do with that? I quickly dive into the book, hoping to get some answers to use that day. We are now returning back to the part where I have Claire the 3 year old. I think I average 1 page an hour.....If I get more than that I have to jump up and run to find the disaster that has been made and I'm not yet on the part in the book that tells me how to deal with that YIKES!

I desperately try to stay up at night to read, but I have this strong willed child that takes it out of me everyday and now I'm tired.....Dr Dobson, you know I have a tiring strong willed child, I bought the book because of that but tell me..."why would you make it more than 100 pages before you offer any resolve to my issues?" This is the thought I had while holding my eyes open with pencils, trying to read about raising my strong willed child.

I am sure there is a reason and I will understand in the end....To be continued

New Name......

In my "reasearch" which I also call "creeping" I found that the term "the farmers wife" meant something different to me than the general term. I"m going to copy and paste now from my blog a few years ago called "the purpose" because it is so ringing true to me now and since it was a while ago and I am refreshing this blog it was appropriate. I figured "the farmers wife" was misleading because that it not all that I see myself as being, name change......

I, like so many, am a farmers wife. It is and isn't what you are thinking......I'm not talking about the basket weaving, wreath making, dough kneading, washing the clothes on a rock farmers wife. But rather the, working, picking up kids from the daycare, making sure they and everyone else has clean clothes for the morning, lunch packing, dinner making, all household chore doing, wanting to sometimes hurt your hay baling husband, farmers wife. ( I mean that in the most loving way possible :p)


I have to say I am in love with US Weekly and Reality TV - I watch and pick out the points in the show/magazine that I can relate to. I mostly think, I should have a reality TV show!!

I work in an office where there still are tapered leg jeans (still because they are from the 80's)permed mulletts, and the closest person to my age is 10 years older than me.


I also have a hard time finding things about this lifestyle. "Normal" girls/women that like coach purses and waching the real housewives of Orange county but live no where close to a starbucks or saks. And if I read the last sentence to my farmer husband he doesn't know what a coach purse or a saks is..........Riding horses and being in the country totally changes my attitude and I love that life. My 3 year old looks for the moon every night, I almost tear up every time. It's the love of life that I live for, please join me in my journey.

I"m back

I have decided to give this blog another shot. I'm more than sure there are more than 1 "farmers wife" out there living in a 200 year old house, and occasionally lose water at 7pm on Tuesday nights :) Luckily married to that farmer that can fix it...but then again he is the one who broke it.

Happy Valentines Day!!!
This week....excuse me....this month has been extrememly busy considering it's "off season". Our valentines day was no different, Claire's 3 year old well visit, followed buy dinner at our favorite mexican resturant, bath, candy fight and bed for Claire, and broken water filter for us :) The hardware store in town agreed to stay open long enough for G to get there by 8 and purchase the materials needed to fix it, all was back on by 9....

Tell me about your valentines day on the farm.....