Well I took a break in posting. I was offered a job for UC Davis and well I took it :)

I will be saving up to move to the wonderfull foothills of the california sierras.
Maybe soon I will be posting pictures of my very own ranch.

Marley and I did many many more shows.
We even quailified for the CSHA State Championships.

here are the year end awards he won, he also won many high point awards but too many to list :)

• Reserve Champion "Cedar Creek Stables" buckle series
• Reserve Champion Horsemastership
• 12th place CSHA State Gymkhana
• 4th Place CSHA Region 5 year end awards

Not bad for a throw away horse, he was well worth the effert to save him from the slaughter truck

Below is a photo taken today after I recieved our year end awards for CSHA.

Buckle, plaqe, 2 large ribbons and trophy reins

 

 

 

yes hopfully tonight I will be adding pictures from 3, count em, 3 shows.

we did great at the last one. 8Th high point.

and we won reserve in a buckle series :) woohoo

well as of today april 26th, my right leg is much better and I can ride.

Marley and I will be in the Spring Stampede in livermore on saturday.

I will take it easy though.

No real injury to the leg, turns out to be a deep bruise in the hip joint. owe..

But I do have to tell you that after I got hurt I continued to ride all day, 7 more classes. We took home 3rd place high point! Plus it looks like we are solid for the Reserve Series High Point!

we also got a 23 in barrels, now that is a second slower BUT we came to a complete stop in the middle of the pattern so I could put my foot back in the stirup..

now why on earth would I do that???? Well I didn't know we were doing that good, and I was having balance issues. Hey my legs were hurting lol

but a complete stop and he stands there like nothing bothers him, put foot back in stirup, finished the pattern and get a 23 second run.. not too bad!

 

well I came off a horse on saturday.
about 70% my fault.
I still have issues feeling my place and balance in the saddle.

I was too far forward and bloop.. off I went.
I didn't role right and hit my left hip/pelvis hard. the left leg is the leg I crushed last year in the hay stack.

but here is the weird thing. my left leg is brused but its my right leg that is hurt.

I can't lift it more then 1.5 ft up.
I can climb stairs and walk but lifting the leg is hard, it just stops.

it is so frustrating to re learn everything you have learned in 29 years. your brain tells your legs to do what it always did and your leg seems to have a.d.d

It is moving better today and I an walking around. I am waiting for the vet to come and work on a few colts, so I am moving it about.

but argh..... not another leg issue!!!!

on a good note. my 2yr colts hernia is gone woohoo! vet will see if we can get rid of the funny fluid bump...

Well, as of today April 19th Mr. Marley has received 2 reserve championships in 2 gymkhanas that are in a series of 4. Top horse and rider at the end of 4 wins a buckle. I am in the running.. wow.

His times have gotten faster by 1 second each time. We are now at 22 seconds and still coasting in the barrel pattern, that is down from 30 seconds in the first ever show in February.

On Sunday, April 15, we hit a new speed.. just about top speed on the way home from the 3rd barrel. I let him open up. He shocked not only me and his owner, but many in the crowd. Marley is a tank. I joke and say he is 2 horses wide and the power of a draft.

still coasting in the pattern we got a 22.813 and I mean still coasting.
I am still having issues with using my legs and I believe that is 70% of us needing to coast, the other part in that I believe I need to turn the barrel wider because he is so wide and big. He needs more room around the barrel to run through the turn. Will test this theory this Saturday at the 3rd show in the buckle series, and then Sunday another NBHA.

He is a great horse. If anyone has the chance this weekend both shows are in brentwood, ca .... Then the 28th we are in the spring stampede in Livermore. Come and cheer us on!

I still think western times and barrel horse news should do a story on us. We are improving beyond expectations..

plus Marley is owned by Beth from Founder Re-hab who is nominated in the western times extraordinary people contest. hint hint western times