A song for our Horses

I'm not sure what Jason Mraz was thinking when he wrote these lyrics, or what he pictures when he sings it. When I hear these words I picture my Big Girl, my silent Partner, my Horse Pippi. Picturing the journey we have been on, all the hard work (and really hard falls) Miranda has endured, the labor of love all three of us poured into this, the love and attention to and from, and the arc of the transformation. Feel so lucky......

 "I Won't Give Up"

When I look into your eyes
It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
Well, there's so much they hold
And just like them old stars
I see that you've come so far
To be right where you are
How old is your soul?

Well, I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

And when you're needing your space
To do some navigating
I'll be here patiently waiting
To see what you find

'Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up

I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily
I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make
Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use
The tools and gifts we got yeah, we got a lot at stake
And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend
For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn
We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in
I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not
And who I am

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up
Still looking up.

I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)
God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)
We've got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)
God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it)

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

"Limbkicks" stole all my time

Our son used to call the Olympics "Limbkicks" when he was a little fella and it stuck, so at our house that is what we call it. And boy are we all about the "Limbkicks" right now. 24/7 all about watching every sport they will feature and cheering for every Yankee and Weedgie that brings home a medal. Loving it too.

Other than that we are in high gear with "2-Point Bling," and I thought I would show you some items that I made:

My good friend (great friend) is throwing a Barn Party to launch my business and I am super stressed but excited. It will be on the 18th, so I have a bit of time to get ready. Hoping for more Barn Parties going forward.
 Meanwhile I am creating shirts for a local Wrecker (Tow trucks) for the owner and his four man crew. They are black polo's with the company name in electric blue. Just like his trucks.

Pippi is doing good. She has some feet issues, nothing major, some cracks and the farrier is coming soon. (I Hope). So we are not riding until she gets looked at, Not lame or anything, we are just being too careful as usual. Meanwhile, since she seems a bit bored and is acting like a moody Diva, Miranda and I took her for a walk. We have Pippi in our neighborhood, and so she walked down the street like some giant canine. Snorting and super excited to see something different. After pulling on Miranda quite a bit, and being reprimanded for forgetting about the human holding the lead line, she settled in although walked with quite some forward momentum. Long fast strides. She seems to love the excitement of just getting out and about, so there will be more neighborhood walks I am sure. I wondered aloud to Miranda about what we would do should she decide to lighten the load while on our walk. The poopy-scooper bags that dog owners use probably would not cut it huh?

Embracing the wonderful "Busy'ness"

Is that how that word came about? Business, I mean. I think that must be the case, because I sure am suffering from busyness right now. "2-Point Bling", please go like the Facebook Page, is keeping me on my toes, plus I have a "real" job and a family, and a horse, and dishes and laundry and .....and.....

Products should be trickling in, so soon I will be embroidering away. We now carry English breeches (Tuffriders for now, but more brands soon) and an array of apparel. Our first event will be August 18th, so please keep your fingers crossed and send some goodwill. My cool country chick all around kick ass friend Peg is having an open house barn party to launch my business and we hope to put our best hoof forward.


Meanwhile; please to enjoy some pics Donna took of Pippi on her first trip in the new trailer:

Pippi taking a look from her new ride.

"Wow, are those horses my size? Thought for sure I was the biggest horse in the world!"
(lives with only Miniature horses)



The Trailer and Kevin's Limo-Truck.

 "2-Point Bling" is taking part in the Annual Fundraiser weekend at Reality Farms Equine Center in New Concord, Ohio the last weekend in September. The event hopes to raise funds for Breast cancer Research, a cause near and dear to my heart as my Grandmother had breast cancer and my aunt did as well. There will be an Open show with classes for Hunter Jumper, reining and speed events (can't be be inclusive than that), and a Trail Ride Poker Run on Sunday. I will be selling t-shirts for the event, and donating $10 per shirt sold to the cause. The t-shirts are black with the pink Breast cancer ribbon and the words "Make the Cure a Reality." I will post pics of that shirt soon. Hope to be a part of many such important events in the future.

Battle of wills - I WIN!!!

My last post told of my unbridled joy at the possibility of trailering myself to a show. Well, it ended there, no Self trailering happened. The ball on Donny's truck did not fit my hitch, and it was really stuck on there and so we were stranded. Until Donny convinced us (Miranda) to let him come get us. She called him after I had said no, and he came and saved the day, as he so often does. That man is the bestest pal any young horse crazy girl could ever wish for.

Miranda did four classes, 2', on Saturday, and ended up with three blues and a red. I also competed, in the English Pleasure class, but Pippi would have none of it. She faught me every trot of the way, and I ended up forcing her on the rail as the rest of the group was lining up for placings in the middle of the arena. I was out of the running after all, Pippi had consistently done the opposite of what was asked for, but I was not about to give in. She was to listen to me or else.

On Sunday I was up first, and we schooled over the course. Yeah, that's right, I did a course. My first one!! (Do I have to mention that it was groundpoles?) Okay, it was groundpoles, but still!!!!! I was so excited, and learned the course, and was able to maneuver Pippi around it, and even get into 2-point at the right times. It was not until we were to leave the arena that Pippi decided to show me that she was boss, not me. According to her we were not due to leave the arena yet, and so the fight was on. Circle, trot , circle, trot, leave arena? NO!! Circle tighter, tighter, trot, leave arena? NO!!! It was two beasts locked in a battle of wills, two irritated females fighting for jurisdiction. Each believing the other incompetent and fighting for control.

In the end I competed with a stick, and used it whenever called for. Chalk it up as a win for me. Pippi really does not want me to ride her seriously, as I am her pal, and her soft place to cuddle. I get NO RESPECT!! That stick showed her otherwise. I ended up with three blue ribbons, and one red. Isn't that impressive?

The other person in the class was a young girl (12?) who was struggling to remember her courses. Still impressed? I thought so!
Donny says I should think of the other rider as a competitor in my division, rather than as a little girl. That sounds good. I am going with that; I kicked ass!!!

In other news: I launched my 2-Point Bling Facebook page, and would love it if you go like my page.

Embodying the Spirit!

I have told the story of how Pippi was named Pippi; after Pippi Longstocking, the hero of all Scandinavian girls. Pippi does indeed have four long stockings, and furthermore I wanted her to have the spirit of Pippi as she at the time was afraid of the world at large. She showed glimmers of fearlessness and heart, and I wanted to give her the extra shove.

Today it is I that need to embody the spirit of Pippi Longstocking, and Pippi the horse. I need to intone the Pippi mantra that I gave to Pippi those years ago. And the Mantra is:

"I had never done that before, so I just knew that I could. "

That's right. I have never done this before, so I just know that I can!!! Never done it, can do!!

What am I doing? Hooking my trailer up to a truck, going to the barn, loading Pippi and taking her to the show for the weekend. CAN DO!!!

Donny is letting us use his truck once he gets his horses to the show, and we just can't thank him enough. Miranda was given the all clear by Docs yesterday, so she can now compete with boots and no restrictions. With a show this weekend, and a trailer in the yard she was about to go out of her mind. Donny to the rescue!!

Just so you know; Kevin could/would take us, and could/would/perhaps even lend us his truck, but we just want to give the poor man a break. His truck is a show piece, we call it the limo-truck (heated leather seats even), and I just don't think my nerves could take the pressure. (And to be frank, his might not either, and being superkind he would still let us and then regret it the moment we drove away. )
Not that Donny's truck is not great, but should I leave a teenyweensie little scratch on it, it would be okay. I would still feel terrible, but its a work truck that has done work if you know what I mean.
Miranda has to work tonight, so I called my trusty sidekick, Donna, and after her heart skipped a beat she signed on. 

I KNOW WE CAN DO THIS, BECAUSE WE HAVE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE!!!

Pretty? Horse trailer? (pics)

Having waited for over three years to get a Trailer, we may have gone a bit overboard. Okay - we may have lost our minds!!! Our brains overloaded with Serotonin and we were up and running. 



2006 Adventure 3 Horse Slant with Dressing room



 Here is the Trailer we bought:

Pippi's area!



A few years ago I bought some wallclings, removable wall art, that I hated, but that is beside the point. They sent me some freebies with my order, that have been laying around in my craft room waiting for just the right nutty idea.  So, since I had it laying around.................

I decided to use it. The inside of the Dressing room door has some really cute magnets a friend gave me last year (so handy for showbills, etc), and some more butterflies from the wallcling kit. The "I Love My Horse" sign used to hang on Pippi's stall at our first Boarding facility, and we added her name in purple letters.

We are moving the spare tire out of the Dressing room asap, and I would like to decorate the rubber mat with some Krylon paint. And why not, right?

Disclaimer: In the future I will be selling "2-Point Bling" items from the Trailer at shows, and so I need the Dressing room to look cute. (Not that I am not crazy enough to have done this either way.) I have big plans, or rather small plans for a very small tight space, and will post more pics as I get things in order.

Miranda was a champ and cleaned the trailer with the help of the little girls that she watches as a nanny. What would I do without her? (Roll in the money I would have saved. Kidding.)

So are we in the running for Prettiest Dressing room or just plain nuts? 

Hitting the Trails West

I have heard of "putting the cart before the horse," but we went ahead and put the trailer before the truck.

I bought a Trailer!!!!! I don't have a truck, yet, but this is a start, right? Hubbies truck is too small, but once funds are replenished from this purchase, I can move on to buying a truck. YAY!!!

It is a 3 horse slant load,( you know, because we have one horse. Just thinking of the future, as I am sure Miranda will at some point acquire another horse, and so we will need the space) Adventure Trails West with a dressing room up front. Nothing fancy, but in great shape for a used trailer, and everything I dreamed of. After we get it cleaned up, not that it is at all filthy but I need to clean it to a spit shine to make it "mine," I will post more pics. The dressing room has a saddle rack and lots of hooks and bars.

The large sticker on the back door turned out to be a magnet, yay, and the other one peeled right off. Now all I have to do is remove the bronco rider sticker. I have a huge issue with stickers, really our whole family does and remove them whenever possible. (Often preferring sticky residue to the actual sticker, we have issues.)

Brought Kevin to get the truck, and not just because I needed him to haul it. I really wanted his opinion, and was nervous until he said "let's tow, and go." Miranda, Donna and I saw it last weekend, but with the storm, closed banks, could not go get it until yesterday. Kevin checked it out, as we had done, and found nothing to be concerned about. Some scratches, and minimal wear and tear, but that's was all. His opinion gave me reassurance, plus, as I told him, if it turns out to be a dud it is now his fault. Yeah, I prefer to blame others than at any point take any responsibility. It really is better, you should try it.

 So we hooked up, and towed it home.

After waiting for three years for this I felt like waving to strangers all the way home, and did tell everyone at the gas station to check out my new trailer. As is usual in our neck of the woods, everyone was kind and generous, and the attendant even watched as we pulled away, waving and smiling. When I exited my house this morning I was in awe; it was not a dream!!! I don't think anyone saw me as I ran to it, and stroked it lovingly calling it "my precious." But if they did, I don't really care, they are just jealous!!

Not much to report........

We were one of the lucky ones; lost power due to the storms for only 2 days, and had minimal damage to our house. A few shingles off the roof that hubby repaired, picked up a lot of sticks and such in the yard and we were back to normal. The barn and all the horses were just fine, and the power came back at the barn after three days. Fans are now blowing keeping them cool through the super heat we are experiencing.

We have ridden a little. The heat makes it less than fun, and we obviously do not want to tax Pippi too much. Mostly we have spent time making shirts, and I hope to deliver my first batch this weekend. Having lots of fun with that.

Hope to have some exciting news soon. So keep checking back.

Hint? Hitting the Trails West...........