As if I hadn't already had a ton of fun at Ricky's clinic in Oregon in September... I got to go to his clinic in Heber City in October! And the best part was... LEAH!! Now that she's living in Utah with two horses in her back yard, she suddenly began wishing that she'd paid attention to all of my horsemanship ramblings the last few years, and begged for help... which of course didn't take much arm twisting to get me out there! I flew out, got to have a great visit with my FAVORITE cousin on Jonathan's side of the family-- Melanie-- and her sweet family, and then Leah and her hubby Jon picked me up and away we went. We stayed with Jon's parents, who live about a mile from my new friend Mona, who was the host of the clinic. Shout out to Mona-- you are the best!! I also became friends with a great girl named Danielle (can I always be your pretend mom?) and a wonderful gentleman named Ben Quinters who is a legend in his own right, both in horsemanship and cowboy poetry. He is one of the 3 original founders of the Heber City Cowboy Poetry gathering, and learned horsemanship from the best-- Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt. And of course it was so cool to learn from Ricky in a new place. He had a thoroughbred rescue horse with him on the road that he let me work with, so I got to play, too.
These photos don't do the trip justice... but they'll have to suffice.
Ricky working his new colt, Fritz
Pretty stunning setting, don't you think?
Leah saying how cool I am... or something like that (Danielle in the blue shirt)
Mona in the red shirt.
Fritz was a little tight. The transformation was so cool, as always...
hooking on...
getting softer...
my favorite shot... so soft and beautiful
my new friend Ben, on the right
Ben was moved to tears watching Ricky work with the colts... said it was just so beautiful, and reminded him so much of Ray and Tom's style of horsemanship. It was such a compliment to Ricky that he was even there, and his kind comments were so heartfelt-- it was just so cool.
soft
"whatcha doin', Boss? Can I help?"
Leah doing groundwork with her sweet little mare Ginger
(unless she changed the mare's name again??)
I got to play with the rescue TB that Ricky had taken on the road to try to help find him a home. WAY COOL.
this was the only shot I got of the fall colors and waterfalls in the canyon... but it doesn't do it justice... it was BEAUTIFUL!
After the clinic I got to see Leah's new home, AND her cute new baby chickies!!! I got to go to church with Jon and Leah in their tiny, adorable town that looks like it hasn't changed since about 1955... so quiet and nice. I'm so happy for them to be close to family, for Leah's great job, and for her dreams come true of horses and chickens in the back yard!! Love you, Princess Leia! :)
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