Fun at the SAFE Show

Saturday Zippy and I went to a show put on by SAFE. It was a lot of fun (read more about our experience & see other pics here). We won 3 of our 4 classes and I was really proud of Zippy's performance.

I hung out most of the time with my friends from Cowgirl Spirit and was amazed at the tenacity and enthusiasm they all showed for the rescues- they rode their rescues in class after class and did a great job. Juliane (at right in breeches) trained a SAFE horse named Benny for just over a month prior to the show and he did well, placing in several classes. Not bad for a horse with about 10 rides on him.

I also made some new buddies- people I've known only online, and never met in person. Two are authors/trainers:

• Fugly horse of the day


• I hate your horse (Trainer X)

and local artist, Shano (whose horse paintings are fantabulous! Someday I will own one.)

Anyhow, I found Fugly and Trainer X to be very friendly and quite funny. Trainer X has a horse named Raven who I nicknamed the Avenging Unicorn for his very fancy looks and exquisite magical tail (not to mention that I think he was ready to avenge someone). We laughed so hard we almost cried about his potential for damage. By the way, here is a link to the Avenging Unicorn Toy which advertises "Everyone wants an imaginary unicorn friend that they can call forth to smite their enemies." Who could want more in an equine companion?



Fugly and I discussed the workings of horse trading (there's a reason it's called that- because given the chance most horse people will rip you off when selling their horse to you- whether that means hiding health issues, witholding soundness concerns or masking rotten behaviors).



I had no idea Shano was local, as I gushed above I am a total fan of her horse paintings and let me say she is a total hoot and really a nice person. She has a SAFE rescue horse horse who is eversocute and did a lovely job- she went home with an armload of ribbons.



So next year pack up your trailer and get on out to the SAFE benefit show- you're sure to see great rescue horses, win a few ribbons, and make some friends.



Zippy was kissing babies like a politician (he's got my vote):

Cushings

On July 16th my horse was diagnosed with Cushings. After spending countless hours researching it (and asking "why me?") I've decided to pour myself into helping others by sharing our journey on a blog.

I found that so many articles and sources of information were paid advertisements and while I am willing to read those I want to offer a place for people to learn from someone unbiased- me! I am just learning as I go along, shopping around for the best deals on medications, supplements and such and sharing what I learn.

I invite you to join Zippy and I in our journey- we've got a topic worth sharing and plan to blog regularly with photos to create a community of folks ready to beat this debilitating disease.

here's the link to our new blog, we hope to see ya there!

http://cushingshorse.blogspot.com/

Cowboy Rules

Cowboy rules for: Arizona, Texas , Oklahoma, Colorado , New Mexico , Wyoming ,Montana , Utah , Idaho and the rest of the Wild West are as follows:

1. Pull your pants up. You look like an idiot.
2. Turn your cap right, your head ain't crooked.
3. Let's get this straight: it's called a 'gravel road.' I drive a pickup truck because I want to. No matter how slow you drive, you're gonna get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or get out of the way.
4. They are cattle. That's why they smell like cattle. They smell like money to us. Get over it. Don't like it? I-10 & I-40 go east and west,I-17 & I-15 goes north and south. Pick one and go.
5. So you have a $60,000 car. We're impressed. We have $250,000 Combines that are driven only 3 weeks a year.
6. Every person in the Wild West waves. It's called being friendly. Try to understand the concept.
7. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of geese/pheasants/ducks/doves are comin' in during a hunt, we WILL shoot it outta your hand. You better hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.
8. Yeah. We eat trout, salmon, deer and elk. You really want sushi and caviar? It's available at the corner bait shop.
9. The 'Opener' refers to the first day of deer season. It's a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November.
10. We open doors for women. That's applied to all women, regardless of age.
11. No, there's no 'vegetarian special' on the menu. Order steak, or you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham and turkey.
12. When we fill out a table, there are three main dishes: meats,vegetables, and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and ketchup! Oh,yeah ... We don't care what you folks in Cincinnati call that stuff you eat ... IT AIN'T REAL CHILI!!
13. You bring 'Coke' into my house, it better be brown, wet and served over ice. You bring 'Mary Jane' into my house, she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.
14. College and High School Football is as important here as the Giants,the Yankees, the Mets, the Lakers and the Knicks, and a dang site more funto watch.
15. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don't hit the water hazards - itspooks the fish.
16. Turn down that blasted car stereo! That thumpity-thump crap ain't music, anyway. We don't want to hear it anymore than we want to see your boxers! Refer back to #1!

Update - let the Shedding begin

wow, he's been out for just 3 days overnight and already the fur is beginning to fly. I was grooming him today and he's shedding like mad on his face, and beginning to shed on the rest of his body. I will come back and update again shortly, but he is already happier. I think he just needed more light to get his body to snap into the season.

Also, I had a **terrific** new shoer do his shoes today, it's amazing the difference one shoeing can make.

A sticky situation?

My horse is a mess. Okay, not a mess- but he is looking a little rough around the edges right now, but I *think* I know why.

Zippy came home from training in March, after having been double blanketed, in a barn and under lights to maintain his show coat. I brought him home to where I board (I board at the Serenity Equine Rescue ranch, I've been there since before they were a rescue) and had him under a heavy blanket and stalled every night.

He started growing some more fur right away, but I didn't worry- I figured he'd grow a little (he was mighty slick when he came home). But he grew more and more, suddenly when the warm weather hit the poor fellow started sweating like a pig. But not shedding.

Being a worrywart horse mommy I began to rinse him off the days I was out there, and brush him vigorously but alas- no shed. I waited- no shed. The last straw was when I went to clip his whiskers and bridle path and his nose was furry. ARGH! The next day I noticed he began losing patches of fur by his eyes, we have very few flies but every single one seems to set him off.

Where is my slick healthy pony, and who is this fuzzy sweaty monster. My poor, horse!

I thought maybe I would blanket him in the evening to keep him warm 24/7 in hopes he'd blow his coat... but as I read and talked to friends and learned and asked questions I discovered it was lights, not heat that were the issue. He's used to lights and at my barn the horses go in at 5 or so, so he's getting a lot more 'dark' time than usual. Our barn is airy and open ended, but that isn't enough direct light to convince his confused body that we aren't just in a warm spell during winter.

He needed more time in the light, so I moved him out to a paddock with stalls so the only dark he gets is from sunset (about 9 pm) to sunrise (6 or so). I am really hoping this will work.

His new pasture mate Lovey is a rescue, such a sweet girl. Zippy gets along with everyone so he lets her be boss and he loves the gravel area in the paddock where the rocks get warm and he can sun himself and roll.

He's still a bit confused when everyone is led in at night, but as soon as he gets his hay and grain out in/near his outdoor barn, he is happy as a clam. I hope this helps his body re-learn what season it is, because he has been way too miserable with that coat. If he doesn't start shedding soon I may have to body clip him to keep him comfortable. He soaks himself in sweat on hot days.

For now, he's got loads of fresh water, plenty of salt and shade to get into when he wants and a new schedule - let's hope he begins to shed soon!

Extreme Mustangs, Extreme Cowgirls....

A good friend of mine is off and running. Okay, not running- she's driving. Juliane is headed to Sacramento, CA to compete with her assigned mustang mare, Sangria. With her is Jenny, who is training mustang MissFire. What an adventure!

The Extreme Mustang Makeover allows trainers of all levels to take in a wild mustang off the range and compete in a variety of classes designed to test the skills, trust and training of these mustangs. All Mustangs competing in the Extreme Mustang Makeover events will be available for adoption through competitive bidding at the end. (Buyers must complete a Bureau of Land Management adoption application and be approved before bidding, to ensure good homes). It's a pretty amazing concept and there are some amazing and brave trainers out there.

In April, Juliane had a serious accident while riding Sangria and suffered injuries bad enough to land her at Harborview (our local high risk trauma medical center). Eye orbitals and facial bones fractured, her lip and mouth split open to her nose, more than 10 teeth broken off or cracked beyond repair, along with a broken nose and septum - this was a sore cowgirl. We were all worried about her and watched as she recovered and healed, never once blaming her mustang but looking inward to ask herself how she could have better managed the accident. (She writes about her accident here).

Thanks to friends, family members and loads of donors we were able to raise funds to cover her dental costs and most medical expenses. My dentist, Dr. Ron Sherman (superdentist- love him!) matched donations to help Juliane get all the veneers and crowns required to fix her teeth. He said he had never in 21 years of dentistry seen so much support for a person injured.

Dr. Sherman deserves a huge thank you for his generosity but even more so for his amazing cosmetic work- he is one dentist who uses state of the art dentistry for the health of the tooth combined with unparalleled cosmetic technique for natural looking beautiful work. His site is here: Dr. Ron Sherman, First Impressions Dental Care. You can tell him Cowgirly sent ya!

Back to Juliane, with two black eyes and a face covered in bruises, swelling and stitches she went back to work. She returned to groundwork with Sangria and once cleared by the doctors returned to the saddle. Sangria and she both benefited, and the results are obvious- there is a bond and trust between horse and rider.

She has not had as much time to blog as she wanted, but her entries are introspective and interesting as she teaches Sangria and shares what she's learned about mustangs and training in general- her blog is here: Juliane and her's a link to trainer Jenny. Here they are competing in a drill event last month on their mustangs.






When not making over mustangs, both train rescue horses for the unique Cowgirl Spirit Rescue Drill Team (who will be featured on King 5 Evening Magazine this Friday at 7 pst with a new interview with Juliane about her experience). Cowgirl Spirit is preparing for a big drill competition, so both trainers return sans mustangs but with many rescues and a team ready to compete all summer.


Well, I just had to share this story, it's been amazing to watch my friend learn and grow alongside her mustang companion and I wish her all the luck in the world. Her fantabulous boyfriend JC is flying down to support her, and all of us back here in Washington know that she and Sangria have had an experience that changed both of their loves.

Ride on, Cowgirls, Ride on!

Fun N Gamers

Yesterday I went out to watch a gaming show at South Seattle Saddle Club in Maple Valley. When I got there they were running poles and then pole relays, then rescue race and so on.

I've been mostly showing, drill, and clompin' around trails so I haven't really hit the arena for speed in a long time. But my Zippy is pretty arena sour, he wants some FUN so I thought I'd check out a gaming show. I was too busy to bring him, so I grabbed my camera and went to watch.

Some events offer a relay division where 2- 4 rider take turns and hand off a baton- you wouldn't believe how fast they are going:

This pony has taught dozens of young riders how to game (this was my favorite pic of the day- he was last in a relay, that’s a soft relay baton he’s holding).

Newbies were totally welcome- riders who chose to trot or lope slowly were cheered on as enthusiastically as gals like these, who were impressive (there were plenty of guys riding as well, I just somehow failed to get decent pics of them!)

The Rescue Race was amazing to watch, riders gallop down and pick up a second rider then speed across the finish line.

And after hard work, most riders returned to the ring for some well-earned rolling.

It was terrific seeing parents patiently coaching kids (this little gal was FAST!) and families spending time together with their horses.

The next show at SSSC is June 27-28 and I just may take Zippy and just jog/lope a couple events for fun. It’s SO fun to watch, even if you don’t ride and everyone is super helpful and friendly. And the horses LOVE what they do- you can see it on their faces, which is really neat. That’s what it’s all about- fun for all!

Here are links if you want more info:

Patterned Speed Horse Association the group that games- a wonderful group of folks who manages the rules, governs the events and keeps gaming alive in our area

South Seattle Saddle Club a family oriented club who owns the grounds where many events are held but also focuses on family fun, horsemanship, trail rides and other get togethers and friendships

Green River Saddle Club has a very active youth as well as adult group, and a terrific facility

Snoqualmie Valley Riding Club is another great local family friendly org and they offer offers shows, games, trail rides, parades, lessons, and clinics through out the season

...more time with the horse for this lotto winner

From the Argus Leader newspaper, "The nation’s newest mega-millionaire was identified today as a rancher from a remote part of the wind-swept western South Dakota plains.

Neal Wanless, 23, who lives outside the small town of Mission won a $232.1 million Powerball jackpot - the ninth-largest Powerball jackpot in the history of the multi-state game, according to a statement this afternoon from the South Dakota Lottery.

Wearing a cowboy hat, jeans and a western shirt, Wanless was introduced to the rest of the world at a ceremony today in Pierre.

“Winning the Powerball is something I’ve always dreamt about but didn’t think would happen,” Wanless said during brief comments about his big win. “I want to thank the Lord for this opportunity and blessing me with this fortune.”

The ticket was sold at an Ampride store in Winner - about 35 miles from Wanless’ home - late last month. Wanless and his family typically stop at the store when they come into Winner to buy feed for the ranch.

The ticket matched all five white balls and the Powerball with Wanless’ incredibly lucky combination of 5-16-6-21-12 and the 7 Powerball. The numbers represent the day and month of family members’ birthdays, state lottery officials said.

Wanless decided to take the jackpot as a one-time cash prize of $118,005,530, according to a statement from South Dakota lottery officials. After federal tax withholding, he will receive a prize payment $88,504,147, not including another $100 he won on the same ticket, the statement said.

In the days since the drawing, there’s been rampant speculation about who may have won the ticket. During his brief remarks at this afternoon’s news conference, Wanless thanked South Dakotans “for your patience in waiting for me to come forward for this award.”

He declined to answer questions from reporters later. It was the second time this year that someone from the Mission area won a huge jackpot."

According to Associated Press, Wanless has some plans for the cash:

He said he recently told his horse, Eleanor, that "It'd be nice if we go for a longer ride than usual on a bigger ranch of our own."

Wanless wants to keep ranching. "I just want to go home and ranch and ride horse and check cows," he said.

This story made me really smile, I think if I won the lotto I'd have a similar wish....after I bought a great big truck!

When life hands you dandelions...

It's that time of year- Dandelion Season... and this year I am without my beloved yard rabbits to keep them at bay. Our yard rabbits (Zoe and Friendy) both passed away last year and we decided not to get any more for a while. These sweet critters had eaten all the dandelions and roamed our yard freely (we have a huge fenced yard) and we adored them.

In their honor, I am posting a recipe for Dandelion Jelly which I plan to make this year- a friend gave me some and it is really quite tasty- a lot like honey actually and dandelion has potassium and is supposed to be good for you. Either way, the more of the little yellow heads you get out of your lawn, the fewer will come back.

Dandelion Jelly
Makes four or five half-pint jars

Ingredients:
2 heaping cups of fresh dandelion petals (you'll need to gather about 4 cups whole flowers to get 2 cups flowers)
2 C boiling water
1/4 C well-strained, clear lemon juice
4 C sugar
3 oz liquid pectin (Certo)
Food coloring (optional but makes it much prettier)

Directions:
1. Collect dandelions- remember: for fully opened flowers, the bigger the better, for ease of preparation. Of course do NOT use any dandelions that have been sprayed with fertilizers or pesticides!

2. Cut the petals off. We'll want just the dandelion petals for this - not the whole flower head. (the green is bitter, you’ll get some green but try to minimize the amount of "green" and have mainly yellow petals for your infusion. It works best if you hold the flower by the end near the stem, and trim the petals into a bowl or cup, with sharp kitchen scissors).

3. Pour boiling water over petals and let steep from 30 minutes to 24 hours. I infused mine for about 2 hours - until the liquid was almost room temperature. Strain through a fine sieve, reserving the infusion. If not using immediately, refrigerate up to 24 hours.

4. Place jars and lids on rack in pan or stockpot deep enough to cover them with about two inches of water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, keeping the jars hot until ready to fill.

5. To make the jelly, stir lemon juice (lime works quite nicely as well) and sugar into reserved infusion in a two-quart nonreactive or stainless steel pan. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Add the liquid pectin and continue to boil two minutes, skimming any foam that may rise to the surface. Add about 20 drops of yellow food coloring to make it a pretty color (otherwise it may not bee too attractive).

6. Ladle quickly into jars to within about 1/8 inch from the top; clean each rim and threads of the jar as it's filled, and place flat lid and ring on each before filling the next. Screw band on tightly and invert jar on tea towel for about five to 10 minutes. Jars should seal and lids should pop shut within 10 minutes as they cool. If they do not seal, you can place them in a hot water bath for 10 minutes or place in the refrigerator.

7. Sealed jars will last up to one year in a cool, dark place. Put any unsealed jelly in the refrigerator, unsealed or opened jars should keep about three weeks.

If you try this out, be sure to post a comment... and remember, if life hands you dandelions - make yummy jelly!!

In Which I Return from a Schooling Show and Find Myself Compiling a List of Suggestions for Riders and Show Hosts

I love Schooling Shows. They are low key, people are friendly. I find that even the 'fanciest' folks are willing to chat at a schooling show, and I have learned a lot there. You can dress all up if you want, or show in your yellow puffy dirty bag lady jacket and still win high point (one of my BFF's did once)!



However, I dare say that a few sets of truly unprepared riders on unruly/unprepared horses and a fun day turns into a frustrating and potentially dangerous one. It sucks the fun right out of a low key show.



So I offer the following blog as a friendly help to those considering their first schooling show, or those who feel like they 'don't understand the rules'.

Before go to any show- schooling, 4-H, Open, or Gaming ask yourself if you have these basics down:

• Can you stop your horse? Simple rule- No whoa, no go. This does not mean you finally get him to stop once he's crashed into someone or when he gets tired enough to slow to a trot :)


• Does your horse kick, lash out, or excessively spook? Maybe a little more homework is in order before trailering to a public venue. (Hint: if people in the arena with you look scared, you're not ready!)


• Do you know basic ring etiquette? If not, it's your lucky day... (read on for some tips)
  

...but wait, Cowgirly- it's a schooling show. Don't you go to learn to show?

"No, my friend, I think you want a clinic. Big difference.


Think of it this way- is the judge at a schooling show teaching or instructing you on how to improve? Nope. He/She is judging you and handing out ribbons for whoever does best.

If you want a public venue with multiple horses to work among and learn, I highly recommend a clinic. If you want or need individual training and focus on a regular basis, find a trainer. Some even let you split lessons with another rider or do groups.


How about books? Your local library probably has dozens- mine even has DVDs of some very popular trainers if you want to follow a certain philosophy. Online forums are excellent as well. Don't forget to ask others. I have several friends who help me a ton when it comes to working my horse.

Then you go to a schooling show to put what you have learned into practice, to evaluate what you're learning, to gain show experience, see how training is going. And you have FUN!

The opinion that a schooling show is a clinic with ribbons is exactly why there are horses and riders getting kicked (or worse) at schooling shows, or people getting cut off, run over, insulted, and/or having a bad experience. And I think many folks just don't realize that, I don't think they set out to ruin someone else's day. Green /Novice classes at a schooling show should not look like a sheep riding event at the local rodeo (wooly critters running amok while frightened riders cling for their lives and others try to get out of the way before being destroyed).

Anyhow, regardless of who you are or how you prepare, I wanted to share some lessons I've learned over the years on ways we can all make any show a great experience for everyone who is there to compete, watch, judge, or host.

Cowgirly's Top 10 Rules of Show Etiquette

1. No whoa, no go (don't bring a horse you cannot control).
   
2. If your horse is a kicker, put a red ribbon in his/her tail to warn others. Even a small one will help others steer clear.
   
3. Enter what you're ready for- there's no shame in doing walk only or walk/jog only.
   
4. Do not block arena gates (this includes the warm up arena) and don't take up arena space to sit and talk. This includes those who come to watch you- help keep them out of the way so other riders can prepare for their class.
   
5. Ride the same direction as the others when warming up whenever possible. Pass left to left (just like driving) and call out when you are passing (a simple call out of "Passing on the inside. Thank you" will do. If you need to ride the reverse, remember you're the odd man out and stay out of other's way :)
   
6. Leave as much space as possible on the rail between you and the horse in front of you- at least one horse (10 feet) minimum. (you can see the dirt behind the back feet of the horse in front of you when you're this far back).
   
7. If your horse gets out of control, get out of the ring (and let others know if they are in the path of destruction so they can move).
   
8. Don't rush to transition between gaits- take your time so you don't affect those riding behind you.
   
9. Manners: be polite, help when you can, if you have an issue handle it like an adult (no yelling, swearing, etc). If you cannot handle it, ask the ring steward or office for help.
   
10. Share the show: if something you're doing is scaring other horses (loud equipment, yelling at your own horse, etc) or making others uncomfortable (loud friends, unsupervised kids) fix it or stop.

If you're putting on (hosting) a schooling show, please consider:

Post rules near the arena so people know what is expected. They'll appreciate it!

• Offer red ribbons and rubber bands in the show office for potential kickers.
• Don' t allow unsupervised kids to run all over- it's not just annoying, it's dangerous and a huge liability for the facility and you!

I hope this has maybe helped someone out there, and I surely hope it was taken as it was intended to be- a little humorous but a lot insightful. Don't forget to make it a pleasant day for your horse as well- a few extra treats, a planned break between classes to eat, drink and potty will help keep him at ease (and likely behave better).

I've been to quite a few shows, and when basic ring etiquette is practiced everyone has fun. When children run around like monkeys, riders insult each other, horses run up on other horses (with frantic passengers on them about to cry) and kicks are exchanged - everyone loses. When we all remember to consider others (and our horse) we win!

If you have show etiquette tips, a wish list for those who host shows or a story from a show, post it in comments!

Itty Bitty Zippy

It's no secret that I adore, adore, adore my horse Zippy. I heard about CyndyHorses, a positively amazing equine artist, I had to send her a note and ask her about custom work. I wanted one of her necklaces but I was dreaming of getting one that looked like Zippy.

Cyndy was wonderful, I sent her pictures and she whipped up a little Zippy on a beautiful necklace that is so cute, pictures cannot do it justice. Anyhow, I had to share and post a link to her Etsy Store: www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6688394

and her website: www.cyndyhorses.com/

because she's an independent artist who does beautiful work and really puts her heart into each unique piece. She is fast, too- she got right to work on Zippy- I haven't been so excited to get something in the mail since I ordered Sea Monkeys when I was 5!

I cannot wait to head off to work tomorrow wearing my 'little Zippy' around my neck. I suggest you treat yourself to one as well.

Many thanks, Cyndy, for capturing my big boy in a little necklace!

A Happy Blog for Horse Folks

This blog, my Cowgirly Blog is likely to be full of random musings, thoughts, ideas, tips- whatever comes to mind.

But lately ol' Cowgirly has been thinking long and hard about blogs- there are some very opinionated, spiteful people out there in the horse world and I decided to add a breath of fresh air to blog-land by creating the Happy Horse Tails blog. I guess I just got tired of clicking around the Internet seeing nothing but complaints and unqualified opinions :P

So I made http://www.happyhorsetails.blogspot.com/ and it's pretty simple- positive, uplifting, amusing horse stories (poems, top 10 lists, etc also welcome) by the readers for the readers. Submitters can include name and location and their website, if they wish (heck, I am all for a shameless plug- how do you think I got here!) but the goal is to give horse people a place to read true stories, straight from the horse (owner)'s mouth. Not over-edited, and not judged.

Some ideas of what you'll see are:

• stories of first horses
• stories of horses and riders reunited
• tales of horses and their owners reaching a goal
• great stories written from the horse's perspective
• stories of horses who are heroes
• tales of first shows, parades, or wins
• poems about horses or horse people
• Tributes to a parent, trainer or other horsewoman (or man) who inspired you
• Top 10 lists (from favorite supplies and items to pieces of advice!)

and stuff like that.

I invite you to submit to me at cowgirly@cowgirly.net and I will get them posted. A photo or two is welcome with your submittal, but not required. More submittal info is available on the blog at http://www.happyhorsetails.blogspot.com/ but it's pretty simple- write me with your story, I will clean up any typos or major grammatical errors and post if it it is

• funny
• courageous
• pleasant
• inspirational
• interesting
• amusing
• positive

and does not badmouth or trash anyone or anything (no ripping on certain types of riders, disciplines, etc).

You can submit your favorite work by another author, just please ask permission and give me their name so I can credit them (I will still include 'submitted by' on there).

Thanks to those of you who have submitted already. I look forward to making Happy Horse Tails a welcome rest stop on your ride around the Internet. :)

Heard the birds...

This morning I heard birds. Every year I wait and hope to hear the first birds of 'spring'.

Oh I know, the dang groundhog saw his shadow and all that but I heard BIRDS today and those birds have been silent (gone) all winter long.

How do I know? Well I fancy myself a very novice bird watcher. Meaning, I wouldn't know an endangered bird if it landed on my saddle and rode double with me down the trail but I can identify a few local birds and I love and appreciate them all with the same enthusiasm I do a fancy bird.

I have bird feeders on my deck, and out in my yard- and of course a hummingbird feeder by the kitchen window so the one hummingbird that comes every year can fly right past it. So I have seen a lot of our sparrows and some other winter birds for the past several cold months.

And the robins have been around more, which is a good sign. But this morning it was clear and bright and I heard what I know is those first birds of spring and no groundhog is going to tell me any different. :)

The Pickle sings the praises of vinegar...

My sister in law calls me The Pickle all because I adore vinegar.

Wait- let me first say that NOOOOOO, I don't like how it smells any more than you do- but it works so darn well for some things, I have learned to ignore the smell. So I decided to write up some of my favorite uses and then do a little further research to find even more ways to use vinegar. First, a few of my tried and true tips...

• Trough Cleaning-I use a spray bottle of apple cider vinegar to spray out my water troughs, then scrub them and rinse. It rinses cleaner, discourages slimy yucky water troughs and discourages flies. Also, if you use this regularly and your horse is used to it then when they're on the road (shows, etc) they won't notice a difference in water. I have never talked any horse I've had into allowing me to supplement their water with it, like some folks do... but I do use it for cleaning.


• Fly repellent- keep a spray bottle of it to mist around the barn- flies and insects hate it and will stay away. I used to board with a gal who thought this was insane, until her part of the barn got all the flies.


• Smoke Smells- simply pour some vinegar in a bowl and set it out, it will absorb any burning smell (and many other foul odors). Nope, it won't make your house stink either.


• Burned pots/pans- Vinegar does great when you burn something in a pot or pan (or have a tough one to scrub). Just pour some in, let it sit and come back 1/2 hour later and voila! It scrubs clean.


• Windows: wash with a mixture of equal parts of white distilled vinegar and warm water. Dry with a soft cloth. This solution will make your windows gleam and will not leave film or streaks on the glass.


• Kill grass and weeds- spray on white distilled vinegar. Environmentally friendly, too.
  Get rid of the deposits and water lines that form in aquariums and fish bowls by wiping them down with white distilled vinegar and following with a good rinse. For stubborn deposits, soak for several hours or overnight.


• Water or alcohol marks on wood:Stubborn rings resulting from wet glasses being placed on wood furniture may be removed by rubbing with a mixture of equal parts of white distilled vinegar and olive oil. Rub with the grain and polish for the best results.


• Garbage disposal cleaner: Garbage disposals may be kept clean and odor free with vinegar cubes. Vinegar cubes are made by filling an ice tray with a mixture of 1 cup of vinegar and enough water to fill the ice tray and then freezing it. Run the mixture through the disposal, and then flush it with cold water for a minute or so.


• Clean the microwave: Boil a solution of 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. Will loosen splattered on food and deodorize.


• Deodorize the kitchen drain:Pour a cup of white distilled vinegar down the drain once a week. Let stand 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.

and then it went down hill... all this vinegar research made me tired and a little silly. I continue the tips from Vinegar Institute, but began to add my own comments in red...

• Remove skunk odors by wiping down the animal with a 50-50 solution of white distilled vinegar and water, followed by a plain-water rinse. Repeat if necessary. It is just so hard to get close enough to a skunk to wipe him down, but I'll try.


• Clean the refrigerator: Wash with a solution of equal parts water and white distilled vinegar.


• Ant deterrent: Ant invasions can sometimes be deterred by washing counter tops, cabinets and floors with white distilled vinegar. haven't tried this one myself...


• Remove Refrigerator Smells Place 1 cup apple cider vinegar in a glass and set in refrigerator. Within 2 days, any smell is gone! of course by then my kids have knocked it over and I've wiped it up, leaving my floor clean and shiny. LOL


• Bathtub film can be removed by wiping with white distilled vinegar and then with soda. Rinse clean with water.


• Shower doors:Rub down shower doors with a sponge soaked in white distilled vinegar to remove soap residue.


• Homemade vinegar fly trap: 3 cups (750 ml) Water ,1/4 cup (60 ml) Apple Cider Vinegar ,1/4 cup (60 grams) Sugar Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar solution then place in a large jar and punch holes in the lid. The flies will get in but won't be able to fly out. I'll be honest, as much as I like how vinegar does some stuff, I am not going to put ugly jars with vinegar in them in my barn. LOL


• Bumper stickers:Remove bumper stickers by repeatedly wiping the sticker with white distilled vinegar until it is soaked. In a few minutes, it should peel off easily. Test on a small invisible area of the car to ensure there will be no damage to the paint.


• Cleaner for Gold Jewelry (Winner of June 2007 Vinegar Online Use Contest)Use one cup apple cider vinegar. Submerge solid gold jewelry item in vinegar for 15 minutes. Remove and dry with cloth. Not quite sure I am ready to trust this no matter what award it got.


• Worn DVDs:If you have a worn DVD that has begun to stick or suffers from the occasional freeze-frame, wipe it down with white distilled vinegar applied to a soft cloth. Ensure the DVD is completely dry before re-inserting in the DVD player. (Note: This only works on DVDs that are scratched of dirty through normal wear.)


• Cleaning Vintage LaceSoak the lace in cold water, rinsing it several times. Next, hand-wash the lace gently with a wool detergent, such as Woolite. If rust spots are a problem, try removing them with a mixture of white vinegar and hot water. hand wash the what what?


• Fruit stains: Remove fruit or berry stains from your hands by cleaning them with vinegar. if you're lucky the cuts you made trying to slice wee berries for fruit salad will get filled with the stinging solution and you'll forget all about the stains.


• Soothe a bee or jellyfish sting: Douse with vinegar. It will soothe irritation and relieve itching. am I dousing the bee so he lets go, or am I pouring the acidic vinegar on my wound?


• Arthritis Relief Mix a teaspoon of half apple cider vinegar, half honey in a glass of water with a teaspoon of orange flavored Knox gelatin. don't the elderly get enough jello without asking them to wear it? seriously, do they drink this or rub it on what hurts?


• Lessen Morning Sickness - Drink some apple cider vinegar in water, with honey added. This concoction can help calm a queasy stomach. hey get pregnant and barf all day THEN drink some vinegar- you certainly couldn't feel worse!


• Wart Remover Mix lukewarm/warm water with a cup of white distilled vinegar. Immerse area with wart and soak 20 minutes everyday until wart disappears. Or go to the doctor. Or get Compound W.


• Bug Spray-Combine equal amounts of water, white distilled vinegar and liquid dish soap in a spray bottle. Use on skin, as needed. rolls to floor laughing at the idea of spraying myself with dish soap and vinegar.


• Okay what the HECK is this next one.. I swear I found it on the Vinegar Institutes site....Making naked eggs:Place eggs in a container so the eggs are not touching. Add enough vinegar to cover the eggs. Cover the container, put in the refrigerator and let the eggs sit in the vinegar for 24 hours. Use a large spoon to scoop the eggs out of the container. Be careful since the eggshell has been dissolving, the egg membrane may be the only thing holding the egg together. Carefully dump out the vinegar. Put the eggs back in the container and cover them with fresh vinegar. Leave the eggs in the refrigerator for another 24 hours. Scoop the eggs out again and rinse them carefully. If any of the membranes have broken, throw those eggs away. When you’re done, you’ll have an egg without a shell.

In closing, vinegar (like many things) is good, in moderation. The Vinegar Institute would not like to hear this, of course they dedicated an entire web page to Vinegar Lore, so that tells you a little about them. This is the pickle signing off...

State of Confusion

This is Western Washington- we just don' get snow... but this year when- for the first time in my life I am in training with my horse and have to drive 40 minutes to get there, it decides to act like Colorado. OK, not quite that snowy- but enough to cause me some frustration.

You see, in Western Washington, winter goes like this-

rain

rain

rain

rain

hard rain

rain

heylookadaywithblueskies

rain

rain

rainsomemore

snow! quick, shut down all the schools and nobody drive- if you do be sure to crash into each other... everyone hurry to the grocery store and buy every candle in sight.

3 days later...

rain

rain

more rain

..until spring.

But not this year- we had record snow in December and several days since it has snowed overnight- just enough to delay and/or cancel school. More importantly, just enough to stop me from getting all the way up to my trainer's barn before work.

Yep, I go to the barn at o-dark-7 am to do a lesson before work. I usually get to work at 6:30 or 7, so the days I do a lesson and get in at about 9 am I feel very late! LOL Everyone else I work with comes in about 9:30 or so, so really it isn't that late.

Anyhow, this morning I had my bag o'carrots out, my change of clothes for work, my workout clothes (I will have to blog about me and the hubby's new workout routine. It will take about 1 sentence- meet at gym to do treadmill. LOL) and everything I need. I got up at 5, very excited... I love my trainer and I love my horse. I am bringing Zippy home to where I usually board at the end of February, so every single lesson between now and then matters to me.... but this morning I couldn't get there- slushy roads and terrible traffic and 2 kids with late school. Wah!

I am sure Zippy didn't mind, he probably snuggled back down in his stall and napped a little longer. Last week when I went to do a lesson on my lunch break on Tuesday, he was laying flat on his side practically snoring- lazy boy! I went in and he stayed laying down as he munched on the snacks I brought him (I always bring peace offerings).

Anyhow, my next lesson is Wed am, day after tomorrow. Fingers crossed that there is no more snow.

Here is Zippy waiting for me to put his bridle on at one lesson...

Early Warning Signs of Pending Cowgirl

Dad, feeding my early horse addiction.

When I was just under 2, my mom got up in the morning to find my room empty. Certain that her priceless little girl had been abducted a la the Lindbergh child, she was pretty scared. After checking all over the house she did not see a sign of me. The kitchen door was open... (I can see her now mumbling to herself about how if someone is going to kidnap your baby, at least they could close the door- we're not trying to heat the great outdoors here).

She began looking all over the neighborhood. She enlisted Mary Jo, and Nancy and the whole "21st Ave" Gang of Moms. I was found, up the hill at a pasture petting a horse. Mom ran up, and found me smiling, a HUGE horse head lowered down where I could reach him. "Pretty Horsie" I think was along the lines of what I said when I saw her.

I am sure she was thrilled. I imagine she expected some relief on my part to see her but instead I greeted my mom with the obvious- pretty horsie. Not "hey, mom- how's the blood pressure and oh my the way you might want an adult diaper next time and yeah, thanks for finding me before a coyote carried me off".

It was just the beginning of many days I would start with a "pretty horsie" at sunrise and a smile on my face.

Gotta start somewhere

Everybody 'blogs', which is strange to me because although I do love to talk (ask anyone) I am pretty private. Wait- I should clarify that. I am pretty public as far as who I am (I can't stand folks who hide behind user names and web identities) but I don't get too detailed about my family and my personal life online.

That said, I do get asked quite often who I am. Quite simply I am:

• a wife and mom - the best jobs around
• a cowgirl and horse mom the the sweetest gelding ever
• an artist- I create original designs and logos and sell my stuff on cafepress
• a volunteer- I volunteer at Serenity Equine Rescue and Rehabilitation

and of course a friend (the best one I can be), an aunt, a sister, a co-worker. Yep, even cowgirls gotta work.

Why 'Cowgirly'? The user name cowgirly was something I made up years ago because I've always been proud of being a cowgirl (since my first Shetland pony) and I do love girlie things- if it sparkles and is pretty, I like it! So the name Cowgirly came to mind, and it stuck. On occasion I am listed as Cowgirly Ranch, but there's always a Cowgirly in my user name.

So that's me- for now anyhow. I need to go check out some other blogs to see how this is really done!