Summer Nights

This weekend was very eventful indeed!

Friday was "Jessica Friday", as every Friday is now that Jessica is working with us. She pretty much plans on staying after work and hanging out in some fashion. So this week we decided we should go on an evening trail ride.

Jess doesn't have alot of horse experience, so we decided to put her on little Amara. Amara is the usual choice for kids, or people with little experience. She was bought at an auction last year and is not super responsive to cues, but is pretty laid back and usually follows the herd along nicely on rides. Long story short, I guess Amara was having an off day. Something spooked her in the pasture with Jessica on her, and Jessica had quite a fast and bumpy ride before being hurled to the ground and landing on her hip. I hear she looked like a brick when she hit the ground. This was at the very beginning of the ride, so the evening didn't really go as planned.

Saturday night was spent sitting by the lake, hanging out with the horses and some good friends, enjoying some cold drinks. Legend was quite the gentlemen, and doled out some pony rides for the kids. There was a full moon and it was bright enough that Lacy and I decided it would be fun to go for a night ride. We just rode a little bit, but both Legend and Amara did great. No spookys, and we even had some kids ride double with us on occasion. Also, my super smart horse, after being taught in only two sessions how to lie down, now would like to lay down everytime I get on him bareback. Hmmmm....I thought this would be a cool trick, but now I am not so sure.......

Anyway, back to work tomorrow. Can't we just have all weekends and no work?

All Tied Up

Here's one more thing that's funny about life:

Things are rarely as easy as they appear to be on television.

Please remain calm, I know this comes as a big shock to you all, but yes, it is true. You know how on TV all of the cowboys have ropes and can throw them around just about anything with precision aim? Well, apparently this is really hard! A few of us in the horse posse went to a horse and tack auction last Saturday. They were selling ropes, lariats, I guess you would say. So of course we got some because we are going to be super effiecient cowgirls , and how hard could it really be? I have visions of myself jumping in and out of huge lassos, like old school cowboy entertainers. I will keep you updated on my progress but I have to tell you that so far it is not going well. Why is the rope so hard and waxy? Why does it keep tangling up every time I try to use it? I think we may need some professional help.

Crystal Ball

Have you ever wished you could see into the future? Or, more specifically have you ever thought to yourself..."I can't believe I am doing this such and such thing that I never thought I would be doing!"

Of course you have, we all have, right? There have been so many of these moments in my life the last few years. Of course, some of them were just stupid choices on my part but hopefully I will learn from these experiences and move on. The moments I keep going back to in my head are really so insignificant, but still amuse me.

For instance, I have purchased 3 pairs of cowboy boots in the last 2 years. I used to covet Manolos, tear our pics of Louboutins from magazines, dream about YSL couture shoes. Instead now I am searching tack stores for the latest Justin riding boots. I am driving hours to tiny towns to try on boots that remind me of my hillbilly youth. I save my tip money from work, and instead of buying the latest handbag (also a former addiction), I am buying boots with a smoother sole for stirrup safety. What the heck is happening here?! I did buy a pair strictly for looks, but even this isn't without amusement, since I wear them to go country dancing. Yeah, you heard me right, COUNTRY DANCING.

Although this isn't necessarily what I thought I would be doing, I have to say I am pretty content. Perhaps I can find a balance, like when I was little and would go hang out with the goats all day wearing my barbie heels and carrying my purse. Hey, it's never a bad idea to accessorize.

Accidentally Country

I'm not really quite sure how it happened. But due to circumstances beyond my control, I am really quite country again. Growing up living on various farms, I always dreamed of city life and was thrilled to move to the city as a teenager. Although I held onto my love of horses always, it was hidden underneath a deep passion for shopping, high heels, nightlife, and all things glam and glitzy.

Suddenly, on the eve of my 33rd birthday, I found myself purchasing a 3 year old *barely* trained horse. A registered Paint gelding, who I would later name Legend. After many bumps and bruises along the way, Legend has become the love of my life, second only to my wonderful husband Steve. These are the tales of an "accidentally country" girl, a misplaced suburban cowgirl of sorts. Because, you can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl.