Nearly thwarted

Just a quick email update from the road. Everything nearly got
cancelled when our truck's transmission went out on Sunday night.

We got the bad new at the transmission shop on Monday The earliest we
would have the truck back would be Friday.

My heart sank. Would the event I have been planning for for a year be
dead?

Fortunately the BO and friend (who I had wrangled into going) was able
to offer her truck!

So tonight we are sitting in a lovely home in cloudcroft, our horses
down the mountain in blankets, and tomorrow we ride thru golden Aspen
groves in the Lincoln national forest.

Thank goodness the transmission went out on Sunday. Can you imagine
what would have happened if it went out during this trip?

*shudder*

The good news is we ARE here, and Friday will be the first clinic day.

Take care and I hope to catch up with everybody next week

(NM bloggers, if you haven't heard from me toss me an email at
wprosapio at gmail dot com. Dinner is on for Friday!)

BlueBonnet Expo - photo palooza

With 5 weeks under saddle, Manu prepares to wow the crowd.

We went to the Bluebonnet Horse Expo today - to shop for deals and see demos and clinics. All proceeds from the expo benefit the Bluebonnet Horse Rescue. Steph joined me and Sierra on the long trek to Austin, and let me tell you we will NEVER miss this event! We got some screaming deals - I found some riding pants and half chaps, a saddle blanket, a bosal/mecate set, all used, all in great shape, all ridiculously cheap.


Our shopping needs sated, and wallets lightened (for a good cause) we watched the demos. I'll post some photos over the next few days, here's one series to get you started.



The first demo was of trainers working with some of Bluebonnet's rescue horses. I was most struck by this trainer who didn't just get her horse, after five weeks, to accept a saddle. She got him doing complex Vaquero ballet.


Here's his arrival at the rescue photo.



His name is Manu (of Spurs fame). The trainer guessed he was a Arab Thoroughbred mix, although his paper work says Arab Quarter. He doesn't have much quarter, she said. Here's his adoption page at Bluebonnet.

Cyd, the trainer, said that she tries to find what a horse's gift is and she felt he had the right mix of gait and showmanship for this kind of training. She said she thinks he'll be excellent in competitive trail as well - very solid mind on this guy, who arrived at the rescue half starved.

The trainer's website is here: www.pfment.com


It was incredible to see them work. Here's two videos...







and...

Don't hate him because he's Parelli

I know it's very in to hate Pat Parelli in some circles. While the massive commercialism of the Parelli enterprises is a turn off, and some of the most frustrating, badly behaved horses can be "Parelli" horses, I still see good in what he does.

This short clip on CNN is worth a watch - if you do click on it, watch to the end where he shows the rider how to drop the reins and have her horse back up (it takes him four tries to get her to drop her reins).

CNN and Parelli

The clinic I'm going to is a Mark Rashid clinic and auditors are welcome. You can click here for info - it's in Santa Fe.

More later - I'm crushed with work as I try to prepare for being gone an entire week! AHHHHHHH!

A horse of a different color

If you recall, this is how Smokey looked 2 months ago. But you may have noticed a change in his parade picture.

He does get smokey in the winter:



Dapples and grullo? Where did my buckskin go? Ah well, he'll be back in the spring. In the meantime, I am appreciating this handsome dark guy.


Maybe he'll be bay by next week - when we're off to New Mexico.



I'm planning a meet up in Santa Fe (or Albuquerque) for dinner on Friday the 22nd after the first clinic day - any NM bloggers who are interested, drop me a line (email me @ wprosapio at gmail dot com)!

BTW: The final post on the concepcion ride is awaiting photos. Hopefully later this week!