Last year my 6 year old nephew was killed in a car accident.

They were coming home from a horse show. My sister in law was driving and pulling their living qtrs/4 horse. The Dodge was one of the 3500's built for just what it was doing. My nephew and another child, a 13 year old girl, were in the back seat, supposedly safer for them.

They were run off the interstate by an elderly couple driving a Tahoe. My sister in law was passing them on the left, they were on the right. That stretch of highway is straight. No on or off ramps. According to the police report the Tahoe veered into the Dodge driving it from the highway.

In Mississippi they have something called 'box' culverts. Basically think a ditch, with square raised sides. This one was a couple of feet high. And it ran across the median.

The Dodge hit the culvert at an angle, the gooseneck had already twisted onto it's side, the truck was compressed between the concrete culvert and the trailer. My nephew and the little girl were killed instantly.

My sister in law lay in the truck for aproximately 2 hours while the EMS and State Troopers tried to free her from the wreckage. The horse, as I understand it, walked out.

I had the part of the peace maker. My family, in their grief, blamed my sister in law, the couple, my brother etc... I was not allowed to grieve, I had to make sure that no one else died. It was that bad and it still is.

Christmas was especially painful this year. The ghost sat in the corners and every one living went on with the fixed smiles and tightening around the eyes. The accusations hung in the air, I doubt that we will ever forget.

It was great to get home, as it is every year. We were missing a traveling companion, my silky terrier, Penny passed this year as well. I joke everytime when we pass the 'Welcome to Texas' sign that I want to get out and kiss the ground. This year if he had stopped I would have.

My three girls have been especially good to me. My 'Momma' mare has been particularly protective. Right after the funeral I came home and went out to them. I missed the way they smelled. It's amazing the things that comfort you. Them blowing on my hair, gently rubbing their faces, the momma chatising the others when they get to close to our 'family'. The nose to my elbow which has always meant 'Hey look at me.' The good things in life.

It's still hard to deal with. Sometimes you just can't fix things.

You know what I mean..

I spent the last week frantically getting ready for a Dressage show. Bathing, clipping, polishing, and oh yea trying to ride in sloppy footing that would not dry when I had time to ride. The adrenaline pumping non stop through my body almost (but not quite!) to the point where I did not need the nectar of the gods, caffeine, giver of life.

So it's the day after the show. Crisis after crisis adverted. Vents about a brutal judge done with. I really need to crash and sleep for a week.

My husband is sitting in his office. He's been serenely oblivious to the chaos that was/is my life. Until it rudely intruded on his when I thought my water pump on the truck had given way. He's take? He told me to get a bath, eat some food, sit on the couch and rest. When the sun wasn't blazing away at 100 degrees or so we would go take a look. God I am so glad I married him!

Sure enough he goes out the truck behaves, No major problems. Time stands still for him. What would take me hours to complete he accomplishs in 5 minutes. Without getting covered in dirt, hay and grease. He has the talent. The knack. I'm sooo glad one of us has it.

Interestingly enough, my girlfriends say the same about me? I seemed calm and serene at the show grounds, in control of my universe, adverting crisis and though I talk a good bit faster than normal they just figure that I had an extra pot of coffee that morning!

It's suprising how frazzeled people can get and yet seem so calm, reassuring even. How lovely it is to have people in your life that know the complete snarl in your day and can rise above their demands and solve yours. Isn't it great to show with friends?

So bring on another show. I'm armed and ready.. Just not this week please...

Dressage enthusiast will immediately say 'The inside rein.' Well that's not always the case. I 'cliniced' with Lurena Bell today. And learned that the clichéd inside rein isn’t always the one to give on.

So, I'm riding Kaylee (see gallery - Other Horses I ride). She's stiff on the left. I routinely half halt on the left rein to prevent her from leaning on it. No brainer right? Well today Lurena also suggest giving on that rein as well. So Half Halt and when she softens give. That should be a no brainer as well. Unfortunately I had gotten sucked into the game of take, take, take, and not giving and letting her carry herself. It's hard when something that big wants to pull the reins out of your hand. Interestingly enough Lurena suggest giving when the left rein wasn't the inside rein. New concept to me as I have always been told to hold that outside rein.

So after some sharp, 'I mean business' half halts and a lot of giving with my full arm not just a tiny giving when she softened I had a lighter feel in the bridle. DUH.

We had some good walk canter transitions and I'm not sore from the hip to the elbow on the left.. I think I like
this concept.

So what did I learn? There are no hard and fast rules in Dressage.

Duh.

So my husband, a Microsofty, who encouraged me to start blogging (I think he's bonus is dependent on getting x amount of people to blog or something ) looks over my shoulder and goes..

'That's nice honey, but usually people don't start in the middle they introduce themselves first.'

So um, an introduction? You mean I actually have to write about myself. No way, not what I signed up for. I wanted to talk about horses and horsey things.. not me. Who would be interested in me?

Again an encouraging pat on the back, 'You'll be fine honey, besides you need to promote yourself now that you've gone professional.'

That word, Professional. Makes me a tiny bit nervous. Not like I haven't been working horses all my life, grew up with them. Not like I haven't apprenticed to trainers.. I'm not technically on my on now, but the lady I work with, and she stresses that part, not for, encourages me (who me?) to promote myself.

Oh boy. It's like jumping in an icy stream.

So where to start. The beginning.

I grew up on a farm in Mississippi. Cattle, Horses, chickens, etc.. I grew up riding western on QHs, but quickly figured out that English saddles weighed less and being tiny with large horses I was sold. A couple of bad accidents, car and horse related, a few hospital stays later I looked a little different. I was encouraged from an early age to go to college so I did. I got to go to England, I lived in the Virgin Islands, I moved around a bit for my job, I have a BS in Computer Science. And I finally ended up in Texas at TI. I met my first Arabian Horse person.

Now growing up on a farm in the middle of nowhere sounds like a dream come true now. Then it was torture for a homely teenager. I had tons of after school activities to keep me occupied and take up time until my Mom got off work and could take us home; band, Judo, color guard, piano, dance. I wasn't talented just lonely. Two brothers didn't cut it in the friend department. So I read a lot. And you guessed it, the Black Stallion was my first introduction to a fascinating breed called the Arabian.

So when I met Angie at TI a 'real' Arabian breeder, naturally we struck up a friendship, soon I was going out and house sitting, sitting up on foal watch and helping with the fostered rescues. A better friend you couldn't meet. She's a small breeder not many horses but to my mind each like a jewel wrestled from the earth. You see small breeders can't afford to make mistakes. Angie tutored me in pedigree research, confirmation, strains, what a wonderful new world!

Both my girls came to me via Angie. One a purebred, Ravenwood Shamaa, and the other an unpapered rescue, Julia. Actually I got Shamaa for Julia, she desperately needed a baby sitter. And what a baby sitter I ended up with.

After moving away from Dallas to Austin, TX and boarding my girls at a hunter jumper barn, I became interested in Dressage. I apprenticed with a dressage trainer, changed barns, and got one of my horses injured. Somehow she ripped some muscles across her back. Poor Shamaa my baby sitter. So my quest for reconditioning stepped up a notch. You see I didn't believe that I had what it took to train my own horses. My father, a trainer, had not encouraged me to take it up so I must not have been good enough right?

My rescue, Julia, had been turned down by a couple of professionals for saddle training. She flips over backwards, spooks, generally not something you would want to sit on. It took forever for me to get her to trust me on the little things. So when Shamaa came up injured I needed a horse a ride, I'm a rider. So I put Julia under saddle. I had been laid off from Dell and I just didn't go back to 'work'.. I had found something better to do. I researched tirelessly to figure out how to bring Shamaa back and worked patiently with Julia's quirks.

Last year I went to Arabian Sport Horse Regionals with Shamaa, not that we set the world on fire ,but we made it and had a blast. She's retired now to make a baby for me. Julia is going well under saddle I hope to show her in Open Dressage shows. Still a bit quirky. You couldn't ask for a bigger heart.

So I finally came to realize that I actually ended up with 2 baby sitters and they baby sit me until I was 'big' enough to come out of the closet and realize that I had been training along. What great teachers my arabs have been. I have such wonderful friends and mentors, horses and people, that have pushed me along the river life. Thanks for not capsizing my little boat.

So Howdy folks, that's me in a nutshell. BTW now my hubby has informed me that his bonus doesn't depend on me blogging. LOL.

So, It's Texas in August, I train horses. It's HOT.

Getting up at the crack of dawn to drive 30 miles doesn't sound like much fun but that's my life. I work with a lady that has 20 plus years in the industry so it's worth it. But that doesn't mean that I haven't tried every item on the market that claims it's for hot weather wear. I mean we work in the sun, barely any shade at the tack area and none were we ride.

So my favorite items of apparel for the heat!

Irideon Tights.
Can not say enough good things about these riding tights! I believe they are a must have for those 90+ days. They don't trap the moisture againest my skin. I got my first pair a couple of years ago and they've held up wonderfully. Soft, no chafing.

Kerrits Tights.
A good second. They tend to be a little heavier than the Irideon's but some days I think I need a little more support. Soft, GREAT waist bands on the flow rise.

Coolmax.
Anything coolmax, although the shirts tend to rub me raw along the seams. The material isn't that soft and can irrate my skin. Sometimes they trap the smell. Did I mention that I sweat, A LOT?

REI - Shirts.
Ultra thin, Ultra soft, Long sleeve, Mock turtle necks, Built in UVH protection. Saves my fair, thin skin from turning lobster red.

REI - Socks.
I want to buy stock. REI brand socks in the wicking fabric. I LOVE THEM. No more blisters, extra bonus, odor control.

Wright Sock - Cool Mesh.
Bought at my fav non horsey store, REI. Nice socks, a close second to the REI brand, thinner, lighter, but the double layer tends to bunch so I have to think when I put them on.

Ariat - Springbuck Paddock boots and Terrain Half Chaps.
Just got these, I've had them and the half chaps about a week. So far I like them. They have mesh panels in them so I can actually feel a breeze across my feet! I've been riding in my tall boots and after a couple of hours they were soaked. ICK. Ariats usually do not fit my feet because of my high arches, but these particular paddock boots fit well. Minor break-in rubbing but that is going away now.

Champion - Sports bras.
Saved my marriage. A little hot cause I have extra coverage but the support is worth it.

So these are just my opinions of some of the items I've tried. I mean after you ride for half the day and then try to run by the grocery store on the way home you notice a couple of things.
1. It's cold in the grocery store.
2. You smell. And people notice it.
So I like things that cut down on the sweat retained and smell nice afterwards.

What I have yet to find is a great pair of warm weather gloves. The hunt is on.