Rode the NE Washington Fair Parade..  All  3 horses  had their  first time  ride in it  together..  Kendahl  rode Rose,  Chrisinda  rode  Orion, and I  rode  Sage..  They  all  did  great.  We  had the  fire engines then royalty in front  of us and then the Kettle Falls  Float  directly behind us blaring their music.  Got  to love our  curly's!! Kendahl Showed Rose in the Fair  and  did pretty well ..  Her biggest accomplishment was a  grand in Suitability for dressage!!  Sorry for  sharing so many  pics.. the pic of the float is  the  one directly behind us..lol

where is the garbage truck?

As you know i am worried/scaret to meet the garbage truck on a ride outside...
i know very stupid!!!

i told my friend about my ride yesterday and she told me that i have to take more risk and meet the garbage truck, Cinderella is a verry sweet mare and very cool and relaxt in her head so she probably will not even look at the truck.
So she came to my place and decided that she and i where going to make a  trip, the same tour as the garbage truck does every tuesday between 10 and 12 o clock......
off course we also start riding at 10 o clock....

so we where on the road for almost 2 hours and did not see any garbage truck (Lucky me!!!)
they had some problems with the truck and that's why they passed our village 2 hours later as usual!
hahaha.....next time better for my friend :)

finally some time to ride...

the wetter is stil perfect never had a good summer like this in the Netherlands...not that i can remember!

so i saddled Cinderella and went outside, my pictures are not that good, but i didn't had a buddy to make some.....
a nice ride in the Woods.....

on our way to the Woods....

 

amost there 

 

in the woods 

 

the way back 

home!

 

 

 

after that ride i walked outside with bucky, who has a very hard time missing his girl friend!

 

 

home sweet home!

 

whene we where getting out off the Woods the garbage truck came our way....

because i do think the horses wil be scared of the truck,(a big jellow noise truck)

i turned back into the Woods and wait till the truck to pass by.

i know it sounds stupid but is there anybody else who does the same?? ;)

 

 

 

 

thanks for watching and reading

 

Where's the Cows??

Today was a pretty rainy day off and on. But, I was so determined to go for a ride that I didn't care. Once work and the chores were done I grabbed my bareback pad (not bringing my saddle out in the rain!) and hackamore and off I went! Linus was eager to go and was tacked up in no time!
The cows were way back by the bush in the back pasture and we have one very late to calve cow that I wanted to go check on. Most of our cows calve out in January - February. Agnes is forgiven for being late - she's a sweet old 4-H cow and will be worth the wait!
I had opened the gate before tacking Linus up but left the fence on so it was snapping on the ground (electric wire) Linus could hear the snapping but put his trust in me and calmly walked through. We haven't been through here for a long time so he was curious and when I finally said "Linus where's the cows" his head went up and his ears were forward and off we went to find the cows. He got a bit sidetracked when Allie did her performance but was soon back on task and made a beeline right for the cow I wanted to check on. He wanted to drive her but I didn't want her getting riled up so I let him circle a few cows and then we rode back up. He's such a fun horse to ride when he's into what we're doing and he REALLY gets into working the cows!
No pictures because of the rain but I am very proud of how my boy behaved today. I tell him to take extra care of me when I'm bareback and I swear he does! Allie ran up bucking and farting and having fun when we skirted their pasture on the way back and you could tell Linus could have gotten into it too but he kept himself in check and was so good!
Donna & Linus
Lunenburg, ON

Thinking more about work than my watch

Today was another splendid drive with my mare Legacy.  I noticed today, I was spending my time thinking about my next driving challenge, instead of watching my watch to see if we have worked long enough. Today Legacy and I did a lot of trot work. Legacy is a "road type" driving horse. In the old days a road horse is the one the owner chooses to make a quick trip to town , or perhaps to Sunday Services with. Road horses make the trip quick, easy and without fuss. Legacy can really trot out. In the real world, it would not take her long at all to trot a mile........That trot is loads of fun to sit behind. We worked our usual 1/2 our,  but it was a lot more work than we have done in quite a while. My arms feel like jello and Legacy had a bit of sweat worked up.  Soon I will head outside either here at home or trailer out elsewhere. I only have one small area to work outside here at home, so trailering out will be our best option.  Stay tuned!

Full "blue" moon ride

I always wanted to do a nightly moon ride. I tried it once before but the moon was not bright enough.
Tonight after I did my chores it was already 9.30. It was dark, but it was not at the same time.
Beautiful silver light, over the fields and the barn.
I could resist and got Jake out of the pasture and went for a ride. He enjoyed it just as much as I did. He is such a happy horse.
When we headed back in between the field fog was rising up and glistering in the moon light . It was so serene absolutely beautiful. I tried to take photos but that didn't workout. I wish I could share the beautiful silver light.

Goodnight, sweet dreams
Marion Huurman
Hidden Cave Ranch, KY

Trail Rides, Parties and Pony Rides

On Saturday, I joined Betsy and Zoe Lirakis for a back road/trail ride in Springfield, Vermont.  I HAD SO MUCH FUN! All three of us like to move right along, and move right along we did!  I was thrilled to ride Luna again, Betsy was on her favorite mount Keri, and Zoe rode Jane, who is turning out to be an awesome therapy horse.

We had been invited to a party across the road, so before we went too far, we stopped in to visit.  All the horses were super with the commotion, the pig roaster going, balloons waving in the wind, etc.  Amazing Curlies.

After the party visit (and a couple of giant horse poops - isn't that always the way?), we trotted out down the road.  Once in a while we would stop to give Keri a break to walk, but we trotted and cantered a lot.  Luna could trot really fast, and I was enjoying the posting because her gait is so even.  Her legs are like piston!.  Zoe was happy that Jane was doing so well learning to canter on the road and trail.

OYY Luna (she is Keri's daughter)  is a doll and a delight.  I love her steadiness and forwardness.  Once is a while she was a little racy, so I was in seventh heaven because I love that. :) What a perfect mount.  Obedient but not dull or boring in any way.

We shared a lot of laughter and saw a lot of Vermont countryside.  They took me up a winding woodsy trail at a trot and canter; WHAT A BLAST! Definitely a ride for the memory banks.  A big thank you to Betsy for that awesome ride and all the hospitality shown to me!  (and hopefully my Lab Cameo is bred to Betsy's Lab Nic) For the millionth time we said how much we wished we lived closer so that we could ride together more often.

Sunday brought the Hebron Community Baptist Church community fair for kids, and guess which church member supplied the horses for the pony rides? :)

AhD and Allie were amazing.

I roped my three younger kids to help.  Nicole did face painting (see the rendition of AhD on my cheek?), Zach is in the background manning the ice cream table, and Ian is there also by the table eating some ice cream.  ~Ian, the lactose intolerant one, yes, Ian~ .  Actually, he was in charge of helping me with the pony rides, and he was awesome at it.



AhD gives a ride to a butterfly

and a lion

I wore my Xquisit Curly Sporthorse shirt (which arrived as a COMPLETE surprise while I was at Betsy's), a gift from Lesly Goetz-Jentz to promote Curlies at our little fair.  When our pastor's daughter mentioned she was allergic (while I was giving her a "pony ride" on AhD), I told her all about Curlies, and Pastor Sharon told me later that her daughter was all excited about it and said Sharon had to get one.  :)

Markus Duscher course

Well, what a fun day it was yesterday.

My friend asked if I would join her for a course with Markus Duscher, a trainer who has similarities to Walter, our trainer that passed away several years ago. He uses a combination of several riding styles which he has studied over the years, including western and classical. The mares went out to the ranch where the clinic was held the night before to acclimatize, and we arrived in the morning yesterday, where several riders at different levels gathered. A lot of nice people, and a relaxed atmosphere added to the enjoyment of the day.

We came on at midday for the first 1.5 hour session. Everyone was facinated by the Curlies, which they had never seen before. Lark and Diamond were our choice this time, and I think I'll bring Clooney sometime in the future when another course is held. We worked on shoulder-in, travers, backing straight, rounding up, hand positions, using our feet, starting the gallop correctly, and for me working on loosing fear from the gallop since my accident several years ago.

After a wonderful lunch at an inn, we headed to the town for a break. There was a Street Fest with lots of beer tents, games, firemen competitions traditional dancing and so on. We did a tour through to stretch out legs and get a big waffle cone of icecream (three scoops and feeling guilty!) We then headed back to the ranch to start our afternoon session at about 5 p.m. The girls did good, Diamond especially, as she has been in training for a while now, whereas Lark the old school horse for kids was rather miffed at having to do real work like bending and galloping! All in all, we learned a lot, and I look forward to setting it into motion here.

Sadly, the lady I asked to take pictures didn't have a steady hand and they are blurry, but no matter, here you go!

Karen

First horse show in USA

Yesterday I had my very first horse show in the USA. For some who don't know me I moved from the Netherlands 3.5 years ago to KY. We entered in the Halter class, gaited and non gaited class and Western pleasure, gaited and non gaited class.
I don't show because I am a nervous wreck. I just can't handle people watching me riding. But I was like...hmm if I want to promote my wonderful horses and the Curly Horses overall I have to get out there and do it. So I took my good boys Blue Eyed Jake (gaited) and Warrior Freedom (Non gaited).
The problem is Jake is gaited but he doesn't know it yet ;-) and me I have never rode a gaited horse in my life before so we are both exploring and searching. I will get a couple of strides and then we loose it, so we are on the right track. But hey what the heck it is practicing experience.
Freedom doesn't lope without a bucking serenade so that's not good either so I decided just enter and trot a little faster during the lope ;-)

First Halter non gaited with Freedom...wow he did so good he just walked around like a full trained halter horse. HOWEVER the judge probably had never seen a curly horse before and must have been thinking what a rugged looking quarter horse who is badly groomed. Freedom does look somewhat like a quarter only with spiral manes and a shorter tail. So no place..
Right after, the gaited class, so I had to literately run to the trailer get Jake run back to the arena and the gate was closed. We still where allowed in. So Jake proudly walked around with his micro curl summer  coat...again the judge didn't even took the time to look at him during the line up. I was so aggravated by that. I thought he could at least pretend he was looking at us.

Warrior Freedom, halter non gaited

Good Boy Freedom ♥

Then western please non gaited. I got Freedom a nice new bridle he looked so handsome I was so proud.
And then the big surprise, he jogged wooheee main quarter horse would be jealous. His head nice and low relaxed and I had a grin form ear to ear. We didn't lope I could feel him getting tense and ready for his explosion so I just did an extended trot. We place 4..out of 4 hahaha.

Jake was up for the western please Gaited class. 23!! entries. All these well oiled gaited Tennessee walking horses, Paso Fino's, Saddlebreds, what ever breeds....and here comes Jake the Curly. First Flat walk....then running walk. Jake looks around all the horses flying by, he hears Freedom screaming from the trailer. He looks up again when a huge painted TWH horse come "running" by and there goes Jake in his head ( I thought I could actually hear him think...I CAN DO THAT) and there we went around and around in a perfect running walk. WOW was I proud of my Curly Jake. This time NOW we got the attention of the judge, you could see him think like hey look at that big Curly and even during the line up he actually took the time to look at him FINALLY.
We didn't get placed, but that was totally understandably with so many very experienced entries. But at least we got some attention now.

Blue eyed Jake, Gaited halter class

Are you riding a CURLY HORSE?

MIEP MIEP....here goes Jake running walk

handsome Jake

Many people came to my trailer where the horses where and asked about the Curly horses and also during warm up other riders would come up what kind of horses they where. One lady asked "Is this one of those woolly horses"? I  almost busted out laughing. I remember back in the Netherlands somebody once asked me if my horse ( Gypsy Vanner) was crossed with a Holstein cow YES that was a serious question.

I am sexy and I know it

Such good boys

I put up banners at the concession stand where people bought food and drinks, so that was a good spot for promotion.

Conclusion I am over my fear of showing because of the VERY well behavior of my two boys. They stood happy at the trailer nibbling on their hay. Yes they where screaming but I was not having a problem with that because they still listened very well to me. No craziness just relaxed and that gave me so much confidence.
Good experience for all three of us and good Curly Promotion.

Thank you for reading the RAC blog.

Marion Huurman, Hidden Cave Ranch, KY

Keepin' On

Last weekend I played around quite a bit with the bareback pad with Linus. What an ab workout that is!! But so much fun. Up until now we have had a wetter than usual spring/summer. But, things are starting to dry out a bit more and I can now ride in some places that I usually do in the summer.

Susan tagged a nice picture of some red and black Angus for me so here is one for her! I took it from the saddle through the trees. The closest is our yearling bull. 

Dad and I delivered 5 bull calves to a farm about an hour and a half away. The slider was open on the trailer door while I was riding Linus. I took him over to investigate and see what he would do...he tried to walk on the trailer with me on his back!! I haven't loaded him for some time now but at least I know if I have to it sure won't be an issue!

Back up Linus!

Then we went to check out the old tractor. It's older, but new to the farm. Just for convenience of running wagons and smaller equipment. It was thoroughly investigated too...

Doesn't he have a beautiful tail?! I just brushed it out so it's pretty wavy. It does curl sometimes!

I didn't have the time to zoom and crop these pictures. I will have to get my photographers all trained up again I guess!

I asked my hubby to take some of us trotting so I have some "action" shots with Linus for a change. His reply was "HA HA HA, action shots.... of Linus!" 

On that note, Linus has been doing extremely well with his trotting and with his cues to trot too! Most of the time I don't even have to squeeze him at all. I can tell him with a change to my seat and a "kiss" that it's time to pick up the pace. He's getting really good at this!

He was really good about riding with Griffin playing on the tire swing. He was curious about it and gave it a good sniff. 

Linus and I have been trying to have as much fun and riding time as possible. I took him all over the farm today. He didn't even look for Allie when we were totally out of her sight. Kind of makes me wonder if I made a gate to the adjoining fields in those directions if that would work better than conquering the driveway! She called for him and he did no more than flick his ear in that direction for a few seconds. 

I have to relay a funny story that I wish I had on video. My Dad brought the horses from the front to the back pasture the other night. He threw their grain into their buckets before he went to fetch them. They were all the way out by the road and usually come at a full gallop. The dew was starting to set in pretty heavy. Allie was on pretty firm ground and took off. Linus was on a bit of a wetter spot and tried to take off from 0 to full tilt! Well, Dad said he looked like a cartoon with his legs moving and him not!! Then when he finally did get traction he nearly forgot about stopping at the other end!! I wish I had been there to see it! I can picture it perfectly clear though!!

Today, we dedicated our ride to a good friend who lost his 27 year old Percheron mare. Ivy will be sorely missed but he is thankful to have a yearling filly out of her. 

Donna & Linus

Lunenburg, ON