So, I haven't been on here in quite a while....yeah, so I got a nice dosing of my first semester of vet school this year. AMAZINGLY, yes, I passed! Pretty spectacularly, but could have been a bit better...but hey with 7 lecture classes and three labs, passing is just fine! So, did I learn a lot? SURE! Have I forgotten most of it? I am working on it! How many shows did I get to run in this semester? (well there was Speedfest, and....well that is it!).....It was pretty chaotic. I have learned more about Heartworms, protozoans, bacteria, viruses, and other things than I ever thought I would learn about....so yay! I am officially 1/8th of a doctor or have been thru 1/8th of my trip thru hell.....however you prefer to look at it is fine.
On lighter note, now that I am outta class for a few weeks, I am immersing myself with lots of Disney films, movies, and have became addicted to one of the most ridiculously corny shows ever.....Hannah Montana. Great show! My excuse not to study is to take a 1 hour trip to Tupelo to the closest PetSmart...my toy dachshund now has TOO many outfits...but he is super cute....so I guess that is allowed.
Anyways, just to let yall know I haven't fell off of cyberspace with either left or right buttcheek, I am hanging on lol.....thru the madness of my classes and lack of riding which I hopefully will learn to balance competing and classes next semester! I have preached my plan to my professors that barrel racing is critical to my santity. They preach back, "Go! Run! Compete!...I wonder if they say this to get me out of their study sessions so they won't have to deal with my overly analyzing questions, or if they really think I am crazy? Probably a little of both.
Anyways, I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season! This Mississippi Cowgirl is ready to hang out with the TRUE BIG DAWGS in good ole' Georgia for a couple of days!

 

I RIDE. That seems like such a simple statement. However as many women who ride know it is really a complicated matter. It has to do with power and empowerment. Being able to do things you might have once considered out of reach or ability. I have considered this as I shovel manure, fill water barrels in the cold rain, wait for the farrier, or cool a gelding down before getting down to the business of drinking a cold beer after a long ride. The time, the money, the effort it takes to ride calls for dedication. At least I call it dedication. Some of my friends call it a "sickness" . It's a sickness I've had since I was a small girl bouncing my model horses and dreaming of the day I would ride a real horse. Most of the women I ride with understand the meaning of "the sickness". It's not a sport. It's not a hobby. It's what we do and, in some ways, who we are as women and human beings. I ride. I hook up my trailer and load my horse. I haul to some trailhead somewhere, unload, saddle, whistle up my dog and I ride. I breathe in the air, watch the sunlight filter through the trees and savor the movement of my horse. My shoulders relax. A smile rides my wind burnt face. I pull my ball cap down and let the real world fade into the tracks my horse leaves in the dust. Time slows, Flying insects buzz loudly. My horse flicks his ears and moves down the trail. I can smell his sweat and it is perfume to my senses. Time slows. The rhythm of the walk and the movement of the leaves become my focus. My saddle creaks and the leather rein in my hand softens with the warmth. I consider the simple statement; I ride. I think of all I do because I ride. Climb granite slabs, wade into a freezing lake, race a friend through the a forest all the while laughing and feeling my heart in my chest. Other days just the act of mounting and dismounting can be a real accomplishment. Still I ride, no matter how tired or how much my seat bones or any of the numerous horse related injuries hurt. I ride. And I feel better for doing so. The beauty I've seen because I ride amazes me. I've ridden out to find lakes that remain for the most part, unseen. Caves, dark and cold beside rivers full and rolling are the scenes I see in my dreams. White sandy river beds, bald eagles on the wing and bobcats on the prowl add to the empowerment and joy in my heart. I think of the people, mostly women, I've met. I consider how competent they all are. Not a woos amongst the bunch. We haul 40ft rigs, we back into tight spaces without clipping a tree. We set up camp. Tend the horses. We cook and keep safe. We understand and love our companions, the horse. We respect each other and those we encounter on the trail. We know that if you are out there riding, you also shovel, fill, wait and doctor. Your hands are a little rough and you travel without makeup or hair spray. You do without to afford the 'sickness' and probably, when you were a small girl, you bounced a model horse while you dreamed of riding a real one. Now you're there. SO RIDE

Well..... I am in Mississippi now. Been here for about a week. Found myself feeling rather homesick this weekend so decided to drive down to Jackson to watch the NBHA Youth World Finals. Seeing a couple of familiar faces, hearing Alan Moorehead talk about amazing horses, talented riders, and even give a little trivia such as speed traps that like to get our arena crew such as Mr. Scott Brown ha ha. Just seeing familiar faces, cheering for those youth I have known for years and years, and remembering amazing times in Jackson with close friends comforted my mind and eased my heart. My horse, Pride, seems to be pretty content here in Starkville. He is one mile from the townhouse I live in..so I am out there a couple of times everyday pampering him like the king he knows he is. Vet school starts in about two weeks and the white coat induction ceremony is in a week. I am pretty excited, even though at times I wonder why I didn't just go ahead and get a masters degree and teach education as I had once considered. But, I know why I didn't and that's because I love a challenge, I love pushing limits, and I generally love everything and anything technical and simple in the field of equine medicine.

I miss Georgia and I miss those that I love dearly. It is amazing how much you think about those people that you truly love when you have lots of time on your hands. All you can do is hope that they are thinking about you, keep going to better yourself, and hope they are there waiting for you when you get back. On another note, I got thrown off of a horse yesterday evening when I got back from Jackson that I was loping down for someone and now have two small fractures in the bones in my right wrist, but it's nothing that won't heal. Heal crooked? Probably...but functional; hopefully! Anyways, hope everyone made it hope safe and sound from the youth world and I mean it when I say- "After you have lived in Georgia for a set period of time-there is truly no place like home!"

First-year students at Texas A&M's Vet School were receiving their first anatomy class with a real dead cow. They all gathered around the surgery table with the body covered with a white sheet. The professor started the class by telling them, "In Vet Medicine it is necessary to have two important qualities as a doctor: The first is that you not be disgusted by anything involving the animal body." For an example, the Professor pulled back the sheet, stuck his finger in the butt of the dead cow, withdrew it and stuck it in his mouth. “Go ahead and do the same thing," he told his students. The students freaked out, hesitated for several minutes. But eventually took turns sticking a finger in the anal opening of the dead cow and sucking on it. When everyone finished, the Professor looked at them and told them, “The second most important quality is observation. I stuck in my middle finger and sucked on my index finger. Now learn to pay attention!" "Life's tough, it's even tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne

Hi all! Hope all of you are making it in this gorgeous 100 degree weather lol! Living in the south, I guess you just kinda get used to it. So, things have gotten a little more hectic since my last posting. In case yall haven't noticed, I love pictures...seems like moreso here lately just because it's summer and such. My senior pics were horrible...they were just that, senior pics and graduating in December, they still wanna put the next year's date on your stuff...hence...if you graduate in 06 you want that year on your photos. Anyways, so...they were a no go...so i got one of my friends that does photography to take some of my gelding and I....lol...so thoase are my pics which explains lots of new pictures. Okay, now I am rambling. After a few more trips to Aiken, we "think" we have gotten my gelding back on track. (upper hock issues)...Anyways, so planning on being a late entry in Perry on fourth of July weekend!  Just look for a swirl of pink, purple, pink ostrich, and rhinestones, on a butterball sorrel gelding and that will be us..lol..yeah...seems with this few weeks off he has acquired the nickname (butterball on legs) haha..but he's happy....so oh well.

 Anyways, i thought preparing for undergraduate college was a chore..nothing compared to this vet school thing. I feel like the only thing that isn't required is a husband lol. Used to any standard computer would work, now it's laptops and notepads (yes....computer that you can actually write on the screen)...it's dressing in skirts, slacks, and "dress attire" and it's welcome to the world of student loans.....anyone know a loophole where the Georgia Lottery wants to fund outta state tuition for vet students....gahhh! lol... And I am currently in the business of getting a gooseneck since it seems that my bumperpull driving skills are just not going to get it. Gooseneck intimidates me a bit, thus I am more careful. So, i have rabies shot number 2 to get tomorrow.....yeah..all incoming vet students have to get a required three shot vaccination series of rabies pre-exposure shots. For the first one, the nurse was on a powertrip and proceeded to tell me to look at the red x on the wall marking her retirement later next month after 29 years...told me she had had a rough day..my words were "surely you have a smaller needle than that." She said, "Chill out, it's just the mixing needle." Then....she proceeded to tell more more about her rough day. My words were, "Okay but PULLLLEASE don't take it out on my arm." She gave that little grin that sent me into panic and tensing up my arm, which meant a sore arm all the next day. Maybe I should ask my vet to Ace me before I go tomorrow...j/k.. but seriously nurse on a powertrip. Walked out the door and she said, "see you next week....I said, "can't wait." Gah...okay makes my arm hurt to even think about it.

 Other than that.....nothing too exciting. My best friend, Lauren, is moving to Georgia Southern (where i completed two years of undergrad)...to continue with her program....so I am plannin on headin to south Georgia at some point to help her find a place to live. Not really sure how much I am going to like living a good 8 hours from my best friend, but oh well....that's what the phone and the internet are for. We have been dubbed, "Partners in Crime" at our favorite hang out spot, Country Rock...and 99% of the time we are line dancing and drinkin non-alcoholic shirley temples.

Other quick exciting news...I drove a tractor around a good while on Saturday. To be truthful, it was a automatic Kubota....and about 12 hands tall if going by height...but still i didn't wreck it and was the professional pasture poop cleaner for a morning helping out a friend at a local farm...pretty fun! I think driving a tractor around all day would be lots of fun...kinda had me hummin Amarillo Sky by Jason Aldean in my ears (i think he is who sings it)....

 So...that's about it for now. Hope everyone is doing well and thank goodness Georgia has finally started to get a little rain!