New horse with new opportunities

About 3 months ago I was given a BEAUTIFUL paint mare. Registered Juan Last Scotch barn name :Piper

She is an amazing horse but I have never been challenged so much in riding a horse. Its good she is forcing me to ride with extremely light hands and work off my seat. I feel honored to be riding a horse with SO much talent and potential. As soon as we do our first barrel run you can believe it will be on here!

Wow LOOONNNGGG time

Lots of changes in the last 2 years. Lots and lots of changes. I guess first off is to state that we no longer live in Western Washington. We moved to Walla Walla WA in September of 2013 and then relocated to Touchet, WA in Decemeber due to some technical issues with the house we were renting. Long story short is the following:

In the summer of 2012 I started training horses out of a Barn in Rochester, WA. In November we moved in as the live-in Barn managers. We trained horses and such there for a bit. In August of 2013 we were offered the opportunity to run our own boarding facility in Walla Walla so we packed our stuff and moved September 1st 2013. The business didnt pan out due to the house that was apart of the deal was never supposed to be lived in *sigh* so through some Miraculous happenings through our new church and through God we found our current house in Touchet, WA

As much as we have been through I'll say God's hand was in all of it. In the last 2 years Jake and I have struggled to find a church home, and we found it here in Walla Walla. The funny thing is we knew the Lead pastors in Centralia. We have become locked in to this church and will become members at the end of the month. I am helping in the Childrens Ministry with Music and Drama as well as assisting in teaching. I have found some amazing people here!

Our housing situation was God through and through. I had put Loki, my 8 year old AQHA gelding up for care lease and had a couple come try him out and decide to lease him. As it turns out they had a 3 bed 2 bath rental on their property, but someone had just leased it 2 months prior to everything crashing down around us. As we were looking for somewhere to rent they called and said the renter had asked to get out of her lease early. We jumped on board. Its an amazing opportunity and works out. They are continuing to lease Loki for the mean time and I am helping get their certification for PATH (therapeutic Riding), and Jake and I are training 2 of their horses.

The kids are getting big. Celina is 7 and in first grade and the boys are 5 and in kindergarten.

Its been a long ride but I am glad we are here... will try to update more!

Happy Mothers Day!

Hope everyone has had an amazing Mothers Day. My kids got my a nice weaver headstall which I very much appreciated.

But my big Mothers Day present I got on Monday.

1985 Brawley trailer. After 17 years of owning horses I FINALLY have a horse trailer!

and real quick jackie update!

March 7th 2012

May 13th 2012!

Doesnt she look awesome!

Jackie again :)

No feet photos this time, shes not quite due yet, but some weight gain pics yes :)

Today Jackie did two things that she hasnt done since we have had her.
1. Stood square on pavement (I know that seems like nothing to you non-horsey people, but it means her feet are SLOWLY getting better
2. And she got into a full out gallop today with bucking :). Before she would just canter along pitifully behind the herd, today she was at the front with her tail in the air!

And some photos!

March 7 2012

March 23rd 2012

April 16th 2012 (and standing square!)

I know you can see some of her ribs but thats mostly because she is no longer standing underneath herself and is standing normal... that and her head is down. If you loo the the curved line in front of her hip that is new and she her back has filled in as well.. its really hard to tell from pics sometimes :)

Spring is here!

I think! I am seeing some 70 degree weather in the forecast as well!

We ended up playing Musical Horses yesterday :). At around 8:30 am Mystic went to her new home up north (past bellevue). Then at 3 I met up with someone to evaluate their horse and on my way home I get a text from Jake saying "Sebastian will be here at 4:30."

Ok rewind,... Sebastian is my friend Kadras 4 year old Arabian who is having some tendon issues. We had discussed bringing him here to either a. recoup on our hilly pasture where he will be forced to move or b. sell him. Then we would bring Shakirah to Kadras house so I can use their trails and Weyerhauser roads to actually wear her out.  We had decided to wait a little while until she could get the vet out.

So back to the text I get it and call Jake. I had been out of cell signal so I was REALLY confused. It turns out our friend Brad had to go get one of his horses he had sold and was going to have the trailer and was going to drop the horse and Kadra and James house. So they decided to do the trade since he was there with the trailer (neither of us own one yet). So by the time I got home Sebastian was unloaded and they were ready to let him out. We went and grabbed Shakiah loaded her in the trailer and then I jumped in the car and headed to Jakes ASM's house to go riding.

I don't mind too much :) Now Kadra and I have ANOTHER reason to spend time with each other lol

Gotta post some pictures of Jackies feet :)

 Now jackie is a 9 year old mare we ended up keeping. We are working on getting her feet in working order so here are before and after photos of her trim (and a shot of when we first got her)

 

Above is about 2 weeks after we got her

Below Left is before we trimmed her and Right is afterwards. Notice the more relaxed body posture, the lowered head and she isnt standing underneath herself as much. She has also gained a lot of weight!

Left is a before shot Right is after

Before the trim, notice the flared back feet?

And after the trim, notice the flares are gone and she is standing better. Will keep posting pictures! Shakirah is next, cant wait to see her feet change!

Sunday Stills (ok just one!)

My friends arabian gelding sebastian. What a good boy!