~ pony love & horsemanship days @ the barn

My absolutely BEST friend and horsemanship mentor

DENISE 

(Denny!! I love you!!!!)

(this is us at the Buck Brannaman clinic in Redmond, OR last summer)

and her wonderful daughter Nicki 

(who is such a kind, talented horsewoman in her own right)

have been coming to the barn where I board several times per month to coach me and anyone else who's around who is interested. Denise and Nicki both have ridden with and studied under Ray Hunt (the horsemanship MASTER who is now riding in everlastingly green pastures). They are both such a tremendous help to me, and such wonderful teachers. 

Denise is more than that to me. The term

LIFE SAVER

doesn't begin to come close.

 BEST FRIEND,

TEACHER,

MENTOR,

INSPIRATIONAL,

LOVING,

SHOULDER-TO-CRY-ON,

FRIEND-TO-LAUGH-WITH,

EYE-TO-EYE UNDERSTANDING,

FUNNY,

LOYAL,

PASSIONATE,

KIND,

WONDERFUL PERSON...

with all the words in the English language you would think we'd have one that sort of summarizes these things. If there were such a word, the definition of it would be DENISE. 

Thanks Denise, you're the best! See you at the barn!

Denise coaching Jen (the barn owner) and her mare Fancy.

Nicki watching and instructing Maddy on how to do groundwork properly with my boy Poco.

(he understands what we're looking for and can help her feel what it should be like)

This is good stuff (above). 

Jen had confessed to not liking this mare, ironically because the mare has many of the same qualities/tendencies that Jen herself has! 

Nancy and Karen, observing... they are some of my friends from the Equinuts, our local chapter of the

Old People's Riding Club.

(Google it. It's a national organization that's an adult offshoot of Pony Club!)

Look closely. You'll see me watering the duck.

He's lonely, and loves it when I give him a shower with the hose!

These photos do my heart good. My girls Kizi and Kaiyah.

*sigh!*

(don't laugh too hard at Kizi's appearance... we came came straight from swimming lessons, and other than boots I'm not too picky about what she wears to the barn!)

I love this one the best...