News 2008 - Jan thru Mar

2008 March *** 1 Sat- Skye goes to Triton HS to take the SAT exams - she drives herself and arrives home OK (1st time driving so far alone). *** Sierra competes with WHJROTC at the Lee Sr HS Drill Meet. They do VERY WELL, but I don't have the list of events/placings yet. *** I spend time working in/on the barn - spring cleaning. Getting blankets, legwraps & horsey meds in order; cleaning area so that Shem & Steve can put a kitchen cabinet set up that they removed from their tackroom in mine for storage (yea!!). Now have to put all the wood in order and clear more area so that we can build two stalls (looking at doing a total of 4 - 6x12 ones with the grooming area remaining the same between them on the right side of the barn where the water hydrant is. The center wall between the stalls can be removed returning them to 12 x 12 "regular sized" stalls). *** Paula rides PG in the evening. *** 2 - Sun- Mom rides PG in the morning. Then, Sierra goes with Gail to Barrel Racing event at Triple T Farm in Benson, while I go by myself to catch part of the Pony show in Smithfield at Promise Land Farms put on by the Carolina Welshpony Club. *** Skye and Madira stay home for down time. *** Paula is riding Pretty Girl to get both in shape & to be sure that PG doesn't do anything "bad" when Madira finally given ok to ride. Usually going 3-4 times a week now... *** 12 - AJ & Iggy get heads and necks clipped (can't finish body clips yet - too cold). ***





*** 13 - Madira in "7th heaven" when allowed to ride her pony for a little bit at a walk. Her next appointment is on March 27th. *** Rhythem is bred to Iggy - evening. *** Sat 15 - Morning - Rhythem is bred to Iggy - am. *** I work Pretty Girl while also working with Michael riding Star. He graduates from the round pen to basically doing "Simon Says" & "Follow the Leader" in the bigger paddock. Afternoon - Sierra is already ready for the Military Ball when I come in to shower & get ready myself. Eve - Donna & Nancy pick Sierra and I up for the Military Ball at the Officer's Club on Ft. Bragg. As we leave, the storm hits, but we manage to arrive w/o mishap. The ceremony held up as several people & the bus are late due to storm & accidents. Dinner was great (they know how to prepare steak) but much else - couldn't say. Our ride is ready to depart by 11, so Sierra asks to stay & ride bus back and Larry picks her up at school at 1:30 am. *** Sun 16 - CFTR has their trail ride at 10:30 am at Moss Foundation in Southern Pines, but we have headaches & trouble w/ trailers. So we decide to go later, after wet from rain gets dried a bit. Karen w/ Tally picked Sierra & I up w/ Jazzy & Pretty Girl. Gail & Nicole bring Lover Boy and Masquerade and we have a great time riding the perimeter. *** 17 - Rhythem is out of heat. *** 17 & 18 - Work w/ Michael & Star in roundpen & pasture. Pretty Girl coughing & running a bit of temp - 101 on Tuesday evening. *** 19 - Pretty Girl seems to be over whatever had been bothering her. *** 22 - the start of spring break. Sierra works one day in JROTC motor pool & one day working personally for the Andersons. I spend time braiding some more orange hay string & then use it to "build" temporary fence to allow ponies to graze on grass not in pastures. *** We put in several posts & brace posts, but need to finish putting in bracers before can string wire. *** 27 - Madira gets her brace officially off. YEA!! *** 28 - we work with Karen's family - removing the roof off of her barn. ***

2008 February - Started w/ 'Dira bringing home both Strep and Flu. Working it's way thru all of us - I can't shake it (OF Course!!). *** 14 - Is a memorable Valentine's Day w/ Skye down w/ the bug (& 2 hours at Dr office), "Monster" gets booster shot w/o Lepto. *** 16 Sat - Sierra at WHJROTC Drill Meet w/ Overhills High School. Our Team does GREAT! *** New source of hay, 2 round bales from Ausley (Christian Light rd, Lillington). Ponies happy. *** Justin & Skye break up. *** 24 Sun - Gail & Paula go pick up "Star" in Greenville. *** 26 Tues - "Pretty Girl" is confirmed in foal by Dr Krivit, DVM. She will foal in October. *** Diana Dunham-Scott (formerly English - Chaunter's breeder) called from CA! We had a great conversation about "Chaunter", her dam - Khemo Sonata (ASHA pony carded @ 14.2 hh) and possiblities. *** 28 Thur & 29 Fri - Madira is in the production of "The Hunchback of Notre Dam". OK, Mom isn't a big play/drama buff & it seemed slow - but otherwise good. Madira looked awesome in a bodice she designed and sewed herself from a Western Horsemanship vest pattern. She had a blast at the Cast Party after the play & arrived back home flushed and happy at 12:30 pm. ***

2008 January - The New Year started with a bang - Justin helped bring in the start with us. *** We started on the 1st (Tuesday) with trail riding at Twin Oaks with Gail Miller and her son, Shem. Sierra rode "Jazzy", Madira rode "Pretty Girl" & Paula rode "Chaunter" & ponied "Justan" - Karen's arab gelding. Near the end of the ride, Madira switched and rode "Justan" for a bit on the trails - w,t & c (with a little "woo-hoo" buck) and then moved into the arena for about 30 minutes. ***2 - Return to work and school after a great Holiday Break! *** 5 Saturday - We take a turn at Gail's property - helping to clean up loads of pinestraw & cutting down small trees - when Madira is injured. EMS arrives to find her and says that w/ vital signs good she can get up and walk to ambulance herself, but she says "...my back hurts.." and I say no, she needs to be carried out and checked. A ride to Central Carolina Hospital and a check by the ER doctor and again... not bad, we'll wait for x-rays, but vitals good and don't believe there are any problems... That changes when the exrays back - I'm told that there is a burst fracture to the L3 and that Central Carolina isn't prepared for dealing w/ this type of injury and UNC Chapel Hill - orthopedics is expecting us. This time, her clothes are cut off and she's put back on a back board (w/ much more care - isn't that amazing??) & an IV put into her arm (no fluids, tho). She's loaded into ambulance again while Shem and I wait for Skye and Larry to arrive so we can take one vehicle up. Then the hours start as we wait for more "pictures" and also for an MRI to be done. The injury occured around 11 am, we arrived at UNC Chapel Hill around 4 pm. The MRI isn't done until around 8 pm. She's admitted (I didn't understand why, nor did she - the actual severity of the problem)! It's almost 10 pm before we see a doctor who gives us some idea of what's going on - but that we are looking at not being able to get a back brace until Tuesday and surgery to "fix" the problem much later... He lets us know that it's not L3 but L1 that has the problem. Larry stays and I return Shem home & check on Sierra at Gail's house. DOES anyone hear Madira screech when she's told she won't be attending the audition for the lead (Esmeralda) in "The Hunchback of Notre Dam"?? *** 6 Sunday- Before I can get all the chores done and shower, Larry calls and says she is headed for surgery. Plans change - I pick up Skye (in tears), Sierra and Shem and we head back up to Chapel Hill. They are all a little grim. Madira hadn't gone into surgery yet when we arrived, so we were able to visit a bit while waiting for pre-op.There is a healthy bit of horseplay and teasing before she's picked up around 3:20 and we have between 5-6 hours to wait. Karen Eaker arrives as well and spends the time with us (Tally & Justin's owner) waiting. At 6:50 we are told she's out & in recovery(that was FAST), the surgeon tells us it was a great surgery, little/no bleeding (that's GOOD), what he did & she's doing fine. Shortly, a recovery tech tells us that she's awake but not ready for visiors - but soon. Then we get to visit with Madira and all head back to her room... Karen visits for a bit then she & Larry take Skye, Sierra & Shem back home while I stay. The night is quiet as the night nurses do all their checks on 'Dira. *** 7 Mon - Larry gets Sierra and Skye into school before coming up to visit/stay. Madira is measured for a back brace. When I head out, we hadn't heard from a doctor as to next steps... Darryl Taylor (farrier) arrives to take care of Gail's, Karen's & our horses while I'm making arrangements to have several picked up for a time. "Justan" gets the pad pulled off, left shoe reset and the right front shod. A few bobbles when we take him out to watch him, but he goes sound (YIPPEE!!). *** 8 Tues - Darryl is back to pick up Chaunter - keeping her at Dr. Dean's, DVM, farm down in Parkton until she foals. Larry again calls - "She's being released this afternoon". While I frantically straighten the bedroom, take apart bunk beds & do laundry (when was the last time the girls' did theirs??), Gail picks up Larry & Madira. Before they arrive, "Bud" and Erin arrive to pick up Karen's two ("Tally" & "Justan") as well as "Magic". *** 9 Wed - Madira sleeps most of the day while I continue doing laundry and get a nap myself. ***



*** 10 Thu - Larry takes Madira, Sierra & Skye to school & takes care of school/county paperwork. He also goes back every 3 hours w/ pain meds as paperwork from hospital wasn't acceptable for Harnett Cty school system. Keith Pittman & Barbara Davis arrive to pick up "Star" for a while. Keith sees "Monkey" & asks if we'd be interested in re-homing the 2 Finnish Spitz's his dad had (he'd had a stroke and his dogs were kenneled on daughter's property). He says he'll call w/ info about the dogs - will be seeing them when he goes to Jacksonville on Saturday. Larry picks up girls & 'Dira takes a 3 hour nap! (when is mine??) *** 11 Fri - Larry again takes girls to school & is dealing w/ the pain meds running, while I take care of bills, errands and taking Kayli for annual checkup & heartworm check. BAD NEWS - she tests positive (OK when is this ending?) I head home to pick up Harli, Monkey and Kona - to have them checked, though they aren't due. Gail rides up with me. Harli also tests positive while Kona and Monkey don't (how is this possible when I've kept them ALL current on Heart Worm prevention??). We swing in to WHHS to pick up Sierra from JROTC practice on way home from Sanford... GOOD NEWS - Madira is very excited - she's landed a bit part in the play that doesn't require dancing - she's thrilled (YES!!). *** 12 Sat - I'm up early (hmmm...) to make breakfast and take Madira to Saturday study class for Biology. She's concerned about her exams next week. Back at home, I feed & work on pasture until other two up. Then we clean out carport so that we can set up kennels that we're getting from Gail in preperation for the extra dogs I'd said I'd take on. Pick up Madira, load trash trailer w/ trash, hook up horse trailer to pick up hay from JT that we missed picking up last Saturday (imagine that). ATM/lunch run - then I'm off to pick up Gail and Skye & Shem are taking trash to dump while Larry and 'Dira are going to get groceries... Before Gail & I get on the road, a call - accident, no one hurt - Skye now understands that taking turns too fast will tip a trailer. We get probably the last round coastal bales we'll see in months and actually build a hay feeder for Gail's pasture & put an already built one from our pasture over the 2nd bale. We bring the other two bales to our place. *** 13 Sun - a slooow start, then off to meet Gail - need dog food & feed. On the way, we finally hear that Keith didn't bring the dogs back from Jacksonville as planned and he'd had a late night, but if we wanted to go and pick up dogs we could... So we did. The dogs (3 not 2) were kenneled on family property and Gail and I picked up all 3 to bring home and care for. "Porky" is very overweight, his double coat is matted in feces, urine and who knows what all. "Little Gurl" is the opposite - very underweight, shy and matted coat but not with excrement. "Monster" is the healthiest of the three, but still has a very matted coat and is overweight. 3/4 of the way home, "Porky"is very ill and foaming at the mouth. We get back and he is the the first to be bathed. He seemed to appreciate the attention - but it didn't get the mats loose at all. So the horse clippers came out - and as the mats came loose, we found they'd either created sores (especially where most matted around neck) or the sores had created the thick and nasty matts. Except for the tip of his tail, his head and his legs, he's shaved completely. While I'm shaving w/ partners that switch off w/ another set of clippers, the other two dogs get bathed and groomed - pulling out loose hair and matts. Then, the 2 - 3 inch long claws are attended to. Wow. I didn't even know that dogs claws could get that long... We'd bathed and clipped at Gail's house, so "Porky" was put into a sweatshirt, then he & "Monster" get loaded into our blazer to go home with us. *** 14 Mon - "Porky" has the 1st of 6 total siezures while with us. ***



***16 Wed - "Porky" has 3 siezures almost back to back this morning and I call a friend for help. We lay "Porky" to rest. He was comfortable, warm, fed and loved before he passed. *** 21 Mon - ML King Day is a relaxed day for us. I join Gail to work on a puzzle she wants help with. "Little Gurl" weighs in at exactly 15 lbs today. Wish I'd gotten her weight sooner. Gail and I wonder if "Little Gurl" will "make it". We just don't know. She's warm, but has trouble standing sometimes, she's urinating a lot and doesn't always keep her food down... Time will tell? *** 24 Thurs - Madira's appointment in Chapel Hill goes fantastic (Yea!!). Dr. Mathur says looks great, can sleep w/o brace & take a shower. No running, jumping, roughhousing, riding and - careful around the dogs. Stitches removed. Off Hydrocodone - take Tylenol if needed. *** Afternoon - "Monster" to All Animals Vet Clinic for health exam, shots & heartworm test (positive). Age guessed around 5-7 years. *** 29Tues - Sierra is leaving for the trip to Myrtle Beach, SC w/ the WHJROTC. *** "Monster" very ill - we clean him up, bleach kennel - i get put on hold by vet clinic & then cut off. *** Round bale in Jazzy, Pretty Girl & AJ paddock gone. *** 30 Wed - "Monster" much better. ***

News from 2007

We now have an information page for the Cape Fear Trail Riders Horse Show Series . You may go to this page and print out the show flyers for 2007, the entry forms, and the patterns for all the pattern classes.

We have finished a new page called ** NEW OWNERS** .

2007 December - *** 2 Dec - Pics of Tally w/ both Paula & Madira.





***8 Dec - Sierra goes to both the Broadway and Lillington Christmas Parades with the WHJROTC. *** Skye & Madira go to Myrtle Beach with the Cape Fear Trail Riders for the Christmas Opry and some shopping. *** Madira finishes her first project - her purse, now called the "Mary Poppins" purse. *** Madira finishes her 2nd sewing project - a pair of sleep pants. *** 22 Dec - Dad joins us for Christmas - taking a bus from Temple, TX going to Ohio to visit his mom and then arriving in Durham, NC on Saturday . He then calls Melissa and asks her to join us for Christmas - she leaves Dallas, TX on Sunday and meets us for Christmas Eve (Monday) dinner at Sagebrush Steakhouse in Sanford - WOW!! *** 25 Dec - A very nice Christmas with most family right here in NC. Larry cooked our main dinner, then the girls and I rode over to Gail's home - riding "Jazzy", "Pretty Girl" & "Tally". ***26 Dec - Is spent with Grandpa, Paula, Melissa and Skye car shopping. *** Thursday 27 Dec - The last day spent with family as Grandpa Jones & Melissa are leaving in the evening. Our "new" Kia Sportage gets to come home. Paula riding "Tally", Madira riding "Pretty Girl", Sierra riding "Jazzy", Gail & "Loverboy", Shem & "Masquerade" make a loop around the pond and out to Leaflet Circle Rd to MdDougald Rd and home. *** Friday 28 Dec - Hay is purchased at Double L and picked up for us by Gail when she goes to the feed store. *** Saturday 29 Dec - Gail rides "Loverboy" & Nicole rides "Masquerade" and we do a loop a lot closer to home - around the pond from Spring Hill Church Rd, then AC Morrison Loop to McDougald Rd back to our place. *** When we return from our ride, I take Gail to Twin Oaks to take a look around and to meet JT Woods. It's decided that we have to come back, she hadn't realized that that set up was available. *** Sunday 30 Dec - When Karen isn't feeling well, Gail decides she can run down to Whitehaven Plantation w/ me to pick up Star. She meets with Mark Harris & we find out about an upcoming clinic. The rain stopped for part of the time we were at the farm. Star spent the night in the roundpen upon arriving back home. *** Monday 31 Dec - Star seems to have settled in just fine. After feeding she's loose with Rythem, Magic and Iggy. We load up and get out to Twin Oaks in the afternoon. What a wonderful ride! Sierra/Jazzy, 'Dira/PG, Paula/Tally & Ashley rode Star. You'd never have known that Star has had lots of time (7 months with only a couple of rides) off. Gail rode Loverboy. ***

2007 November *** 30 Nov - Chaunter gets to go out for 30 minutes at a time in the pasture. *** 26 Nov - Chaunter has graduated to going out in the pasture for about 20 minutes with Coastal hay, then back to grass paddock w/ stall by herself. *** With Steve & Gail, Shem, Larry, Skye & Sierra working - several hay feeders are designed and built. *** Thanksgiving is spent at Gail's house w/ soldiers from her unit joining us. Very nice. *** "Pretty Girl" is in season and is bred on Sunday the 18th (had an audience!), and Tuesday the 20th to "AJ". We will see. *** We work to clean pastures, rake & pickup leaves, clean carport with the help of a couple of neighborhood kids and JROTC cadets - Nicole, William, Anthony, & Shem. *** 13 Nov - Chaunter gets her first "real feeding" since the "choke". ***12 Nov - Monday - A small group of the Western Harnett JROTC participate in the Veterans' Day Memorial done in Lillington w/ 3 Jeeps. ***11 Sun - Chaunter "isn't right". A discussion w/ vet via phone leads to taking her down to North Star Equine Vet Clinic. 4 hours of work break the blockage at the junction of the esophagus/stomach. Poor girl - no feed for 48 hours then restart feeding VERY SLOWLY. ***10 Nov - The Western Harnett JROTC participate in the Raleigh Veterans' Day Parade and the Fayetteville Veterans' Day Parade. *** Nov 2 - Darryl Taylor works on Justan's hoof (Karen's arabian gelding) at our place. It's decided that he doesn't need to go to vet hospital - he gets front of hoof opened and a supportive shoe w/ a "special pad" mixed and squirted into the hoof.
















2007 October -- The Western Harnett JROTC go to Pope AFB for the last Airshow before it closes. The Cadets start out the dancing during the hanger dance. *** Sierra signs up & Madira given the "OK" to go to dance practice with the JROTC at Pope AFB (2 wednesdays before the Air Show). *** Madira has play (The Devil You Say) practice daily & Sierra has drill team 3 x weekly. *** Madira celebrates her 15th Birthday & I find out that my cake decorating skills need lots of help. *** On Oct 1, Chaunter is ultra-sounded in foal. *** Hay, Hay is HARD to FIND ***

2007 September - *** Western Harnett JROTC hosts a training Raiders challenge. ***

2007 August - *** Cricket's web page is set up. *** Cricket went to the Arabian Horse Association, Region 12 Youth Jamboree w/ Whitehaven Plantation and was handled during clinics and at the open show by Jennifer. They did great and had a good time.




*** Monkey & Madira finish & graduate on Aug 20th from the Beginner Obedience Class at Bon-Clyde Training Center in Sanford, NC. They've done very well & what a difference in "the pup". He's not a perfect dog yet, and as always very aloof, but he's getting there. He's gained 2.5 lbs since his other ER visit. *** Sierra celebrates her 14th birthday on the 20th (goodness - has it really been that long?). *** School starts on 27 Aug - All 3 are now at Western Harnett High School. *** Sierra has class in
JROTC . ***Skye has a Computer Graphics course thru CCCC. *** Madira is now in the apparel design class that she'd wanted. ***

2007 July - We celebrated July 4th w/ Sandy & Robert w/ grandkids - Brogan, Sage & Aspen; Cindy & Lindsey and visited w/ Vicky & Ashley and Colton. Nice cookout, swimming for the kids and then to check out the Lillington Celebration. Back at Cindy's place on Buffaloe Lake garnered a wonderful (& LONG) fireworks display right out on their neighbors' dock. *** Saturday, the 8th, we FINALLY officially moved two pastures & hung the gates (one of which had never been hung in the last 3 years!). Now, we have to pull the t-posts that are still 3 ft in the ground on the old fencelines so that we can continue our fencing endeavors. UGH. *** "Monkey"'s left eye is swollen shut and weepy. A quick check at vet clinic - he has "puppy pinkeye" w/ no idea how he contracted it. He's measured at 25 lbs now (remember, he started at just 6 lbs). *** Spent 3 days driving up to the NC State 4H Horse show w/ Madira. Madira is excited and has set her goals for campaining both Pretty Girl and Karen Eaker's Arabian mare, Tally, towards the State 4H qualifications in 2008. *** Watched Vixen compete in two of her classes on Saturday. WOW! She has become the most consistant of ponies!! What a thrill. Though Liz & Vixen didn't place in their flat classes, they put in an awesome performance. I missed them go in jumping classes on Thursday well into early Friday. I was able to get some video footage outside during warm-up, then new batteries on camera died... Waiting for a disk of photos of her. *** 16 Jul - "Monkey" & 'Dira start beginner dog obedience classes.He is over his "puppy pinkeye" episode. *** "Cricket" is going to Region 12 Youth Jamboree with a student from Whitehaven Plantation riding with Trisha Blackwell. "Cricket" doesn't have a page yet on our website. ***

2007 June - *** Sat the 2nd, Darryl called - "Chaunter is 13 days pregnant"... we'll check again at 30 days then she can come home. Sat afternoon - Tropical Depression "Barry" sweeps in quietly - so wonderful as we need the rain. ***Thinking that the storm will be terrible, most of our regulars don't show up for CFTR's horse show on Sunday. It was a beautiful day for the "whopping" 75 entries we had. *** June 17th, Chaunter came back home. The girls' swear she's rounder (yea, like we can tell already?!!?). *** Pictures of the dogs after a touch of rain...




*** The balance of June is spent putting in wooden corner fence posts and bracers to make our hi-tensile fences easier to tighten and keep right. We'd been using the Wedge-loc system for corner posts using T-posts & while I'd seen it work for others, it wasn't working for us. THIS IS MAJOR WORK! The girls and I take turns digging holes 3 ft deep for the posts (ok, I did most of the digging...) & then they are cemented in. *** The last week of June, while I'm off from work, we get 17 "H" braces pinned and tightened in. *** Pics of LP Painted Vixenation, who is leased by Elizabeth Mayo & family from Barbara of Greenville NC, at the Wake County 4H horse show.

2007 May - *** The Wizard of Oz was executed and was a great play. The girls' are tired and happy that they are returning to a regular schedule. ***EXCITEMENT! "Magic", sold 7 years ago, has rejoined the LP Painted Ponys herd. She was picked up on Sunday May 6th. She's very overweight, but otherwise she's looking great. She is scheduled to be bred to "Iggy" when she comes into heat. *** Blizzard goes to Whitehaven Plantation for one family to try out and goes to a different family - for life. *** We are waiting to hear back on Chaunter's & Magic's pregnancies! *** The call comes in for more ponies "like Blizzard". So on Memorial Day weekend, Cricket & Star are taken down to Whitehaven Plantation. The lessons scheduled for both 'Dira and Sierra are on hold as Trisha is very ill. But while being video taped by local rider, Madira's riding is noted and she receives an offer to ride Masterpiece - an accomplished dressage horse with his owner Ken... Sentimental mom, cried. We stayed in "posh" arrangements as Karen's family joined us and we split up between tents and the RV for one overnight! Karen's family, Sierra and Ashley go out for a trail ride before we pack up to head home. ***

2007 April - The Cape Fear Trail Riders show seems smaller this April - w/ Paula & Skye volunteering. *** Sierra & Madira are at a 4H Teen Retreat for the weekend. *** Paula, Madira & Sierra make the drive to Merkel, TX over Spring Break leaving Sunday April 8th. We checked in at WhiteHaven Plantation & gave PG and Xena carrots then continued, arriving in Merkel on Tuesday afternoon. A great visit with Kim & a trailer/truck repair by her hubby, Ted. Up on Wednesday to feed, go over particulars on "IC" for her and "Iggy" for us and ideas for June get together. Then on the road to Temple, TX to see Grandpa Buck (Paula's dad). A gas leak discovered in his apartment and we take him around to visit a freind w/ "Iggy" & "Monkey" and folks are delited by the "dog & pony show". On Friday, after breakfast, goodbyes are in order and we hit the road up & over to Woodville, TX for lunch and a break as Paula is not feeling well. On to Warren, where we wait to meet up w/ Sherry Foxworth at her Pony Farm. VERY NICE ponies and a fun conversation between Sierra and Sherry that has Sierra learning to etch on model horses. We make it that evening to Lufkin, TX - where I'm floored w/ severe allergies and have managed to miss the pharmacy where I can get what I need. Saturday morning dawns w/ news that Dallas/Ft Worth was hit by a tornado and that the storm isn't far ahead of us - going the same direction. Not good news! We make it to Tuscaloosa, AL for Saturday night - but it's a rough night for both Sierra and Paula. Sunday is a bad haul - no OTC meds releive the allergy symptoms and our supply of original Sudaphed is gone. Coughing & blinding headache are the order of the day - along w/ buffetting wind gusts from every direction. YUCK. We managed to get to White Haven right before dark in Bishopville, SC and pick up Madira's mare - Pretty Girl. As we hit the road, we catch the rest of the bad weather hard rain, more wind and lightning that slows us down to a crawl. BUT we make it home by 11 pm on Sunday April 15th, and get the ponies settled in and the girls' in bed. *** Skye "held the fort" at home, taking care of everyone and catching up w/ a friend who came up to stay w/ her. *** Debra Branson competed at the Southern Pines CDE on the 14th & 15th. She was driving Lacey paired w/ her Hackney mare. Here are some pics:

*** We missed the Cape Fear Trail Riders ride while getting several loads of hay. *** Madira has her 1st "movie" date (she'll be thrilled to read this!) w/ a fellow 4Her met at the Teen Retreat. *** "Rowdy" Yates Maxasta's Kennels of Perry GA, travels to Hickory to pick up weight pull equipment for show. He comes to the Youngs & we meet him there for him to look over "Monkey". He claims "He's a good looking pup"... *** Most of the end of April was spent w/ Paula in/out of dr appointments & getting an infected tooth pulled... BUT "Iggy" has started his driving training by ground driving and Sierra is working w/ "AJ" for driving. Madira has started riding "Pretty Girl" now that she's returned home. Skye has spent oodles of time with homework, SATprep, college prep and really hasn't ridden. She does chores, and actually sees the ponies, but that's been about it. ***




2007 March - Skye attends the Prom with her boyfriend, Justin Heyges.





***The Horsemasters went to the Horse Bowl State Competition in Greensboro, NC. They did a great job and though they did their best - they didn't make the final cut. ***The new 4H club is now called the Harnett County Yeehaws. There is a lot of varied interests - but the main projects appear to be - dog, electricity, horse, rabbits & leadership. ***Paula, Madira & Sierra haul 4 ponies/horses (Chaunter, IC, Justin, Tally) to the Moss Foundation to ride with the Cape Fear Trail Riders. ***Chaunter goes to Dr. Dean's farm in Parkton, NC w/ Darrel Taylor to be bred in a 3 way partnership to

ML Mostly Padron. *** 'Kenzie Hinton & Apache compete at the Old Mill Farm CT Show in Lexington, NC placing 4th in dressage but dq'd in jumping when he took exception to gaudily decorated jumps (sigh)!! Then they schooled w/ their trainer over cross country jumps. WAY TO GO for a GREAT START! WOO - HOO Kenzie & Apache! (New pics in scrapbook ) *** Skye turns 17 this month (and I'm feeling old!!).

2007 February - Sierra is competing with the Harnett County Horse Masters in the Horse Bowl. *** We started a new 4H club w/ 11 members in western Harnett county. Lynn Lambert and Sharon arrived to watch over our first meeting. The clubs first meeting met w/ Skye, Sierra (honorary)& Madira Hoffman; Colton & Ashley Graff; Sage, Aspen & Brogan; David, Ruth, Hannah & Heather. Vicky Graff, Paula Hoffman, Celeste & Sandra Tull were the adults present. *** Sierra has been elected in the Horsemasters group - therefore she can't be an active member of the new club. *** "Monkey" - a male Finnish Spitz puppy comes home w/ Madira from the UKC Dog Show in Perry, GA. This puppy that is expected to mature between 30 & 35 lbs is only 6 lbs right now. ***

*** The above photos are of Madira showing both "JuJu" and "Max" for Richard "Rowdy" Yates at the UKC Dog Show in Perry, Georgia the weekend of February 16 - 18, 2007. These photos were taken by Tim Young and Rachael - Rowdy's daughter. ***

2007 January - The girls have finished their record books for 2006 and are making plans for their current 4H year. Sierra is still going to do horse project, Madira is now showing dogs for other people and would like to do a dog project and Skye is doing several things. *** We are working on starting a new 4H club locally - which Skye will be doing most of the work on. ***

News from 2006

2006 November - The Cape Fear Trail Riders show is done and has had a slightly smaller turnout than usual. 'Dira, as usual, worked in the Clubhouse handing out orders & working the register w/ the other folks. Paula worked in the show office. Skye and Sierra did what they did best. We were planning on going to Whitehaven Plantation for Thanksgiving, but the girls and I were all down w/ colds and when the weather turned bad - I said "no way"... Pretty Girl and Xena seem to be doing ok, now.

2006 October - The Cape Fear Trail Riders show is done and has had a good turnout. 'Dira, as usual, worked in the Clubhouse handing out orders & working the register w/ the other folks. Paula worked in the show office, Skye and Sierra filled in - handing judges cards in, checking coggins, matching entries to numbers in the ring and being general "gofers". "Xena" has settled in well at Whitehaven, but "Pretty Girl" seems to be having a bit of a problem. We may be bringing her home as she's not fitting in well.

2006 Aug/Sept - Equus Heals is still our regular place to be on Fridays and Saturdays. Fencing has started to get done on a new paddock. Skye and Paula attend a 4H conference to learn about the current program for volunteering. "Xena" & "Pretty Girl" go down to Whitehaven Plantation to become a part of Whitehaven's lesson program for a while.

2006 July - Equus Heals invited us to ride in the parade at Carolina Lakes and I got to join them! Out of 38 total entries (there were only 8 entries last year!), the JROTC from Western Harnett High School (Skye and Madira will be attending this high school this fall) took best overall and Equus Heals placed 1st. Weee - hot and miserable before the parade, but the parade went well. The girls wore swimsuits under our matching shirts and they went swimming for a bit to cool off while I stayed with the picket line (we had 7 horses total). The ponies that Sierra, 'Dira and I rode did great. Skye's horse was un-happy with all the activity, managed to get her tongue over her bit and proceeded to bruise her mouth terribly and make herself very upset. Since, Skye's ridden in a halter out on the trails and "Jazzy" is coming along fine.

We've been out a number of times now - trail riding at Twin Oaks, Little River Trails and once at Raven Rock State Park. We have quite a number of pictures from some of the rides. Some are up on individual pages (Pretty Girl and Xena).

2006 June - The girls are now volunteering at Equus Heals, a local Theraputic Riding Center that is just 11 miles from our home! They go all day on Friday (I drop them off before I go to work & pick them up after work. Sometimes they've done a full day on Saturday, sometimes they choose to do either morning or afternoon sessions. I've even worked a couple of sessions.

2006 April - May - The 4H SE District show will be held on May 20th & 21st. Sierra & Skye are just planning on competing in western riding events. Madira is planning on riding both huntseat and western. Ashley will be taking Star - but is looking to compete just in showmanship this year. When entries came due, it was decided that the girls' weren't quite ready yet, so we just went the the 4H SE District to watch. It was a bit disappointing as it turns out the girls' would all have been quite capable for the presentations that were there. There is always next year and now we know where we are and what has to actually be worked on.

2006 January - March - Finds us getting heavily involved with 4H. Skye, Madira, Sierra and Ashley Ross have all been going to practices and meetings. In February, Madira's (Mustangs), Sierra's and Ashley's (Fillies) teams competed in Horse Bowl (questions asked to test knowledge - set up like Jeopardy w/ a 4 member team) for the SE District. The Mustangs placed 3rd and the Fillies placed 4th - just missing qualification for State Competition. We went to a Horse Judging Clinic in February, then in March attended the State Competition for Horse Bowl where all 4 girls completed the Hippology test portion of Horse Judging. Now, we start going to practice for horse judging to gear up for the competition in April. Sierra also gets installed as a Reporter for the Horse Masters 4H Club of Harnett County.

News from 2005

2005 - We have gotten some of these ponies out to be seen this year at local shows. In January, we hauled 6 ponies to Twin Oaks Trail riding and participated in several classes at the Johnston/Harnett Cty Show series. SH Kota Blizzard, HNH Star Games, LP Painted IC, LP Painted Suprise & LP Painted Velvet went. Velvet & Surprise didn't go in the ring to compete.

We attended the second Cape Fear Trail Riders Shows held in Wade, NC in June. We hauled SH Kota Blizzard, HNH Star Games, LP Painted IC, LP Painted Symmetry, LP Painted Surprise and WF Action Jackson to get lots of “oohs & aahs” from spectators, fellow competitors and even from the judge. LP Painted Vixenation was hauled and shown by Barnes Paddock and also put up a great showing under a rider getting too large to ride her now!