Beautiful Horses...and Owner!

I was craving some camera time this weekend, so I volunteered to get some glamour shots for my boarder Beth....she has three beautiful horses boarded with us, and just today added a fourth! I had a great time getting some snapshots of the bunch, so I hope you enjoy them!

(Note: I am NOT a professional and I have not used any photo editing tools on these images....this is just me keeping my right and left brain in balance)

From left to right is Chip, Beauty, and Jorga....

Pictured below is the newest addition, Billy!

Meet Chip....Chip is a Pony of America (POA) gelding....he doesn't really have a job....he mostly just stands around looking cute and getting fat. Chip is for sale...he's trained for english riding on the flat and over small fences....he needs a tune up and an intermediate rider to see him reach his potential...please email if you are interested.

Meet Beauty....Beauty is an Andalusian mare. Beth's original intent was to use Beauty as her son's High School mascot, however, due to liability issues, that didn't work out.....Beth has other plans for her now that include parades and medieval costumes!

Finally, we have Beth and her Arabian mare, Jorga....Beth shows Jorga in halter and under saddle. Her current duty, however, is to get preggers so Beth can raise and train her foal....her hormones aren't really cooperating though, so keep your fingers crossed the vet can help get her squared away before it's too late in the year.....

I think I'm good for another month or so now....I think my next victim may be my mom and her Quarter Horse gelding, Potter....not sure I've posted pics of them in quite a while...stay tuned!

Happy Trails,

Leah

Jesse's Current Project Horse....

Jesse is one of our faithful long-time boarders....he is a real 'hand' with the horses, and as such he is called upon on occasion to help people out when they need a little extra guidance with their horses.

This particular horse has some issues with his manners and general attitude....Jesse is working with him to reduce resistance to his handler's direction....

..he has a ways to go....it's nice to see his ears up and not laid back in disdain though....progress!

Jesse will continue working with him on the ground until he feels he has the respect he needs to effectively mentor him from the saddle....

....looks to me like it won't be long....

A good workout in the round pen is followed by some more handling around obstacles and barriers...

These types of tasks put the horse in a position to have to follow the direction of the handler....the task is repeated until the horse responds willingly....

Ground work is following by some quiet time on the tie. Standing while tied teaches a horse patience...it also gives him a chance to cool his system down before a good cold rinse....

...and I've never met a horse that did not enjoy a good rinse on a hot day!

Stay tuned for more updates as Jesse continues his work with this young gelding....

Happy Trails,

Leah

Billy is Home!

Beth came home with her newest family member this morning...Welcome BILLY to the Westwood gang! Billy is an Appendix Quarter Horse gelding in his early teens....he has been trained in western and english events, but most importantly to Beth, he is a quiet and reliable mount above all else....

After a few minutes looking around at the new surroundings, he seemed to settle right in...

So he was turned out with his new pasture mate, Chip. Chip can be a little bossy, so it was important to see how they would get along...it appears they'll be able to work it out....

So the rest of the introduction was simply pomp and circumstance...

...and lots of it....I almost think he might have been taking a bow here....

...and as soon as the flare began, it ended...it's hot out there after all!

Time for some grass before he comes into the barn and makes friends with his fan.

So glad to have Billy on board....looking forward to seeing what he and Beth can do together!

Happy Trails,

Leah

A Boy & His Goat

I took the kids out in the yard to play last night when it had cooled down a bit...CJ made a B-line straight for the hanging tree limbs...



That is when CJ got a glimpse of Fiddle doing this.....and thought it was the most hilarious thing he'd ever seen! You see, Fiddle has gone and eaten all the leaves off the trees up to about waist level....so now she has to stretch to get the taller ones.....mmmmmmMMMMmmmm

So CJ being the young problem solver that he is, decided to devise a way to help the little lady out.....and started doing this....(video below)....he's a genius.....

Teamwork in Action:




All the while Sophie was preoccupied feeding leaved and rocks to Ginger....and yes, she ate them....all.

Sophie finally started walking this week...on her own, without assistance....at almost 17 months...better late than never!

She's a Walker:

That's my little princess sitting on her stoop letting me know it's time to go in...the mosquitoes are out!

So in we went....dinner, cleanup, and bedtime bound!

Happy Trails,

Leah

The River @ Gma's House

Gma's new house backs to a river....On our last visit, I took the kids there to check it out.




Turns out we have quite the playful water babies on our hands....I can see many more trips here in our future!

...good times.

Happy Trails,

Leah

A Whirlwind Road Trip to Wisconsin....

The whole gang climbed in the Odyssey this past week for the long trek to West Bend, WI. We had three big events to celebrate with JR's side of the family...

1. My niece Kasey's wedding



2. My step-daughter Kaiti and niece Sydney's HS graduation party



3. My father-in-law's 80th birthday party

That's right....all SEVEN of us packed in for the 16 hr/ 2-day trip!

Spirits were high as we set off....our layover would take place in OH...Everyone was anticipating the pool and hot tub awaiting us at the hotel!

This is the first time we have added a layover into this road trip, and it was a great call...at 16 months, the punks weren't interested in being in the car a minute longer!

I failed to get pics of all the water sport that took place, but believe me, it was timely and grand! Although we were warned my a hotel worker that peeing was frowned upon in the pool (yes, he said that), he said nothing about pooping....and CJ is a very literal child.....just saying.....

So, after a good nights rest and a filling breakfast buffet, we set off on our second and final leg of the trip....we hoped to get into town around dinner time.....so we drove....

...and drove....

...and we finally got there! We arrived at by brother and sister-in-law's immaculate, gorgeous, and spacious home right on schedule....we took no time at all to get settled right in to vacation mode!

After a god nights rest, we put our best good duds on and headed to a wedding....Kasey (my niece) could not be a more beautiful bride.

..and Kasey and Mac could not be a more adorable young couple...

We wish them all the best of love and fortune in their lives together.......

Having the whole family together to celebrate a wedding was the perfect opportunity to get some updated family group shots! Here is JR on the top left with the rest of his siblings as well as the cute couple that started this all....

...because of them, we have all these ornery little grand kids running around today.....note that Sophie and CJ are not pictured....that's because all this 'newness' made them a little clingy and a lot fussy on this particular day....and pretty much all the rest too...sigh

I was able to get a couple shots of the punks with their daddy though....love my family!

The day after the wedding JR and the big kids enjoyed some bowling with family and I stayed at the house with the little ones to nap and play....the naps were essential to survival on this trip! Don and Wendy built this handy little play area in their back yard and we enjoyed it thoroughly!

We also climbed all over The Great Wall of Gardening that Don built for all of Wendy's beautiful plants...

..and I got just enough of a break during nap time to kick my feet up and breeeeeeeeeeeeathe before JR and the big kids got home. From there, we headed to Ma and Pa's for food prep...the joint graduation/birthday party was next on the agenda!

Here are a couple of video clips taken of the punks doing their thang at the house...

My Baby Baller:

Leaves Make us Laugh:

We all piled back in the car and headed to the park next door to where JR grew up....where I learned from his brother Don that he got beat up for confronting a guy about bullying his little brother...awwww, so sweet! The way the story goes, a kid was picking on Don and trying to take out his knees during a game.....JR stepped in to stop it, and the altercation ensued....Turns out, said bully actually lives in the same subdivision as his brother now....awkward.

Sohpie and CJ enjoyed their first swing time here....

..and Randi got a good amount of swinging in herself.

Ryan attempted to coax Sophie into playing, but she was content on the bench...she likes her space.

There was plenty of time to catch up...here's Don (JRs brother) and Wendy (SIL), our fabulous hosts during this trip!

So, after a long day of celebration with family, we headed back to the house to pack up and head home...another 2 days on the road and we finally made it back.

Happy Travels,

Leah