Hi from Northeastern Georgia. It is warm and a little breezy here today. After my mom threatening to come in my room and just start throwing things away, I have finally decided that I should try to rummage thru SEVERAL boxes of college stuff so that I can figure out where certain things are and hopefully get the chaos of my room under control. YES, everything is VERY neatly boxed, but I have no idea where anything is! My mini dachshund, Scooter became extremely infatuated with the sparkles that my sparkle lamp cast on the wall last night and decided about every hour to bark at it at least once last night...thus I am trying to liven myself up a bit with some jams from Hinder and Avril....it's pretty much working. Although, looking at my progress of my room, I have realized that I have way too many shoes, books, clothes, and not enough room.  Hmmm...might add to this later if I don't get lost in the maddness!

members.barrelhorses.com/chasinstarsdvm

While I am totally into Facebook; I never really have gotten into myspace even though I do have an account. So, this is pretty cool; because I am always looking for horse people and they can be kind of confusing to find on myspace. Anyways, since I just graduated from college this past December, I find myself with a lot more freetime than usual, but not really enough to really do anything productive (only a few months) until I am supposed to be starting Veterinary School at Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine. Last year, as a Junior, I was just out of Auburn and Oklahoma State, so this year out of pure randomness, when selecting the schools I would apply to, I was like, "hmmm....well went to NBHA Youth World in MS once...seemed pretty cool; I think I will apply there." Then furthering my research I realized that there are several huge barrel shows at the MS Horse Park...so I became more excited when I was chosen for an interview. Last year during my Auburn interview, (which was extremely intimidating because they only interview 60 and there was over 600 applicants last year out of state). So, anyways when they asked me, "Why do you want to go to vet school." Of course I told my story that was featured in Barrel Horse News in November of 2005 entitled, "He is my friend, my partner, and my reason to live." About how I got thru a life-threatening platelet disorder because of my AQHA gelding, Pride. Pride sustained a knee injury just prior to the open world that year, so I was not able to run him, and then had surgery on his knee that January. They really could not find anything other than a little wear and tear and then they blamed the lameness on degenerative joint disease i.e. arthritis. I spent so many nights, and Saturdays crying my eyes out because my parents refused to let me buy another horse because of school and not only was I not able to get to ride, I had to watch my best friend limp around the pasture day after day. I felt helpless and truly lost. Pride and I had been thru everything together. I got him as a 2 year old when I was 14 and have won 3 scholarships, 3 Master 4-Her All-Around State titles, a Barrel Racing State Title, a Cone Weave State Title, been in the top Ten in the Teen 1D at the GA NBHA State Finals, won numerous polebending titles, and even racked up points in horsemanship and showmanship with Pride. But the awards are not what makes this horse special; it is his heart and how he protected me when I was sick. Well about a year later, Billy Dye (out of ALL the people I have ever met I believe this man would would have made the most amazing equine vet in the world), was shoeing Pride and said that he didn't think the lameness was from his knee anymore. He felt that it was from him being stiff and not being worked. So, I put trust into Billy and let him take him to his house and work with him for a couple of months. At first, Pride got worse, but slowly and miraculously he began to get better. I began running him again during April of 2006 and every run I get to make on him feels better and better. I ran him almost 20 times last year and only hit one barrel. He's pretty dominant in the Open 2D and even proved to me that he still can smoke a set of poles last month at a polebending show.
At my interview at MS State this year; I went in there with the attitude...that I was going to tell them how I HAD managed to fit barrel racing and training into my pre-vet journey instead of telling them how I was GOING to fit it into my vet school career. I feel like they got a pretty good idea of the kind of person I am and I feel fortunate to have gotten in. Running barrels is a thrill that continues to be a thrill. I have ridden my way to state titles in other areas of showing, such as western pleasure, but nothing is like getting that perfect turn and tearing up the ground on a run you know is your best. I used to be shy about loving my jeans and boots, but now I feel weird if I don't have on jeans and boots. I love cowboys, horses, and everything in between. I have friends all across the country that ride and show in several different disciplines. Horses and rodeo bring people together in so many different ways. You can not talk to someone for years and not have one awkward moment because you always have common ground; the horses. I will miss the University of Georgia greatly when I head to Mississippi State, because I pretty much grew up behind the hedges. I absolutely heart the UGA Great Southland Stampede Rodeo, which is the only Student ran PRCA rodeo in the country. We have an amazing stock contractor, Mr. Charlie Lowry of 4L Rodeo Company and the great Roger Mooney, our rodeo announcer with his trusty steed, Rolex. This past year, I was fortunate enough to be on the rodeo committee and was able to put together a tribute to one of my dear friends, Ms. Jody Whetsell, a Georgia Barrel Racer that was also an aspiring vet that lost her life due to complications in 2005. I can't tell you how many emails we received from people after that memorial and presentation of a fastest time award explaining to us how great they thought the tribute was. Bullriding championships (mechanical that is at the Country Rock), pit parties, being a member of the UGA Collegiate Horse Judging Team and traveling to the AQHA World Congress and out west to the Arabian Horse Nationals, and Block and Bridle initiations are soon to be memories, however I will always hold these close to my heart forever. Okay...I am not really sure what blogging is supposed to be...but here it is!