I fell in love with New Mexico the first time I visited. It’s strange how a place you weren’t born and raised can still feel like home. The landscape, the low humidity, the mix of cultures, the food. Nearly everything about the place suits me. But in the past, I did more than visit. My husband and I lived there during much of my twenties. Most of my major adult milestones took place in New Mexico, giving me links to the State that go beyond just a preference for the place. Unfortunately, my husband and I struggled to make a living or buy property in the Southwest. So we pursued further educat ..read more

It’s not often that you get a front-row seat to a special celestial event in your own backyard. But today, that’s exactly what happened. I witnessed the April 8th, 2024 total solar eclipse right from my horse pasture. It rained yesterday, and it is forecasted to rain tomorrow. But hot diggity dog, we experienced clear skies for today’s event! In true horsewoman style, I completed a brief ride beforehand. My husband and I accompanied both horses to the round pen as that was the only dry ground available. This made Piper very happy as he didn’t get left behind by himself in the paddock. My husb ..read more

It’s no joke! The March weather played an early April Fools’ trick on me. Spring seemed to come early in February but then played hide and seek the following month. The temps seesawed. The amount of sun varied. And we saw more rain (and thus had worse footing) in March than in February. I got in exactly ONE ride in March. Better than no rides. But not nearly as many as I was hoping for based on February’s weather. Such is horse life when you live in a notoriously poor climate area without an indoor arena. The most exciting thing I did horse-wise was to bring my horse trailer out of winter stor ..read more

I am out of town today. Soon to return from a long weekend trip. My husband is on horse duty while I am away. He’s kindly taking care of the horses, Piper and Shiloh, as well as the barn cats, Asa and Saul. Fun fact here. My husband and I haven’t taken an out-of-town trip together since 2004. Someone always has to stay behind to take care of all the critters, house, and property. Finding and/or paying for a farm sitter to take over those duties has proven elusive. Maybe someday we will have better fortune. But for the last twenty years, it’s been separate trips for us. This particular jaunt i ..read more

For horse people, is there anything more synonymous with spring than horse hair? Lots and lots of it! After several winter months of mostly no-touch equine care, I’m slowly getting back into the habit of regular horse grooming. As is typical for shedding season, both Piper and Shiloh feel itchy. They seem to welcome the extra attention this time of year. As the temperatures continue to see-saw, we’ve experienced wind, rain and a severe storm with nickel-sized hail. But there have been some days warm enough that I can stand to take my gloves off! After months of staying wrapped up and covered ..read more

I’m finally done with my equestrian winter reading challenge. Time is likely better spent actually being around horses rather than reading about them. But for many of us, circumstances do not allow for as much direct involvement as we would otherwise like. Even if you have horses in your backyard like I do, you can feel prevented from doing as much as you would like with them due to weather, finances, etc . . . Reading is a worthy substitute that can help us maintain some kind of connection to the horse world. It can increase our knowledge, impart practical ideas, and spark our imagination. I ..read more

Since my first bareback ride of 2024 in February, I fit in two more short rides. I even broke out the tack for the third one. I felt excited to dust off the cover after not using the saddle since November. I’m still wowed by the fact that I rode in my backyard during the second month of the year. Most years, I don’t even take a first ride until late March or April. But in 2024, the unusually high temperatures and lower rainfall totals have allowed me to get started sooner. Everything becomes covered in shedding horse hair, but that’s part of the charm. This time of year, “short and sweet” is ..read more

If you missed my original book review and giveaway announcement, you can link to it HERE. But since I only have one book to award, there can only be one name selected. Congrats to Mary L! You are the winner of Wild Horses of Skydog: Blue Zeus and Families! While we are on the topic of Blue Zeus, did you know he is being introduced as a Breyer model this year? A reader who entered the contest alerted me to this announcement (thank you!). The model is set to make its debut at Breyerfest. This year’s Breyerfest theme is Against All Odds, promoting the underdogs of the horse world. It seems quite ..read more

With a couple of exceptions, February 2024 has been mostly sunny and warmish. What do I mean by warmish? More daytime highs in the forties than in the thirties. It’s not exactly riding weather for me. But it certainly makes spending time outside with the horses more bearable. I can do chores without my hands hurting from the cold, and even stand still long enough to groom without my feet freezing. The break in the normally thick winter-cloud cover allows me to marvel at the sunrises most mornings. I know the sun does actually rise daily, but I don’t often see the evidence during Midwestern wi ..read more

I normally don’t buy coffee table-type books. But when I saw Wild Horses of Skydog by Clare Staples, I knew it would be the exception. I consider myself a wild horse enthusiast and like to support organizations that help wild horses, both on and off the range (read more about my personal history with wild horses HERE). The book’s author, Clare Staples, is the founder of Skydog Ranch, a sanctuary for wild horses and burros. With locations in California and Oregon, the ranch houses horses and burros who were forcibly removed from their original homelands by the US government. In Wild Horses of ..read more