Omgosh… more

 6/30/23

There have been a lot of changes again in my life. Yeah, again!  I moved from Maryland to Southern Pennsylvania a few months ago. I have come to the conclusion that I really do love PA. The land is beautiful and peaceful, the humans seem to be nice enough even though I try to stay away from many and again, the land…. 🩵🩵🩵🩵.

One of the best things is that I have a new job. I’m a tour guide for a small business that offers buggy rides through the countryside to learn about the Amish culture and way of life. So far, it’s been great. I get to be around horses and meet different folks from all over the country while they are on vacation. 

It’s the horses that attracted me and the fact that I know how to drive. At least I thought I did. Some of the rides are along peaceful country roads but some? Being on a Very Busy Road with a horse and a buggy full of passengers is quite different than a show ring. At first I was pretty much sure that it was not going to be a good idea to drive on a road like that. Eventually I learned about some of the horse’s’ personalities. Which were lazy or a little frightened to be in the midst of heavy traffic. It’s entirely different from showing! It was not long before I was getting the hang of it all. Learning how to ignore people who were much better drivers and would be the first to tell you…for example.

The horses are a mix of breeds needed for the job they were to do and all kinds of dispositions hangups and soundness . From huge draft crosses, to Dutch Harness horses and a couple of other mixes. Of course I had my favorites.. and some were dropped from my list due to showing who they truly were. I’ll be sure to add some pix to some as this story develops. 

It’s a long drive to get to work but to me? Doing what I love and know is a little more important. I never needed a lot of money…enough to get my bills paid and that’s about it. So, so far so good. I’m enjoying heading to work daily and like what I do. 🩵🩵😁😁🩵🩵

Below is one of my favorites… I believe he is a Dutch Harness horse named Commander. 

“I just wanna ride”

 6/30/23.

How many times have I heard that. With over 40 years of teaching people how to ride, I don’t remember. Many times at least. One simply needs to start at the bottom and move up the ladder to be able to “ just ride “.

As stated in the note below, it’s imperative that you begin with the basics and start learning. Learning how to enter a horse’s stall, how to use the many safety precautions required for not being killed… how to clean a stall properly and safely with a horse in it.Learning how to groom a horse in a safe correct way.

There are so many things to learn that we horse people don’t even think about anymore due to learning it all  correctly. Safety precautions will prevent a bad kick or more. You need to learn how to halter a horse and then lead it to any area.

Just simply knowing how a horse thinks and will behave is huge. What does your horse see when being anywhere… What will a horse react to, remembering that they are prey animals. 

I remember teaching my students how their horses are not as brave as they seem to be. That given a chance to flee from something they perceive as a threat, they will run right over the human to save them selves. Most horses are basically frightened of things they don’t understand or remember from earlier in life.

So when I hear about how one just wants to ride, I have to chuckle. There have been times when I brought a very quiet horse into the aisle of my barn and told the “I just wanna ride “ student, okay, let’s just ride. Often times they’re not going to have a idea how to even get started. It takes all of my patience to not tell them what to do. Most of the time, I find something else to be doing so I don’t.Every single time, they will stand there helplessly, waiting for me to at least give a hint. Nope. Soon, I can’t stand it and we’ll end discussing the why’s behind how important it is to learn from the beginning. 

All of a sudden, I have a student who is very interested in learning it All. From “horses are very dangerous to be around, all the way to mounting correctly, and having a good time. 

If you “ just wanna ride” next time, go to a local trail riding place and pay for a ride. Chances are going to be great that you will Still be given the basics on how to ride.

                                ****************************************************

‘I want to just ride’ - Say this to any seasoned professional in the game and they will look at you like ‘Oh honey’ 😂 

   You have to learn to be a rider, groom, horseman/women, business owner, lead a team, handle clients and alongside all this you’ve still got to muck out and pick a broom up until you can earn enough money to have someone help you do this whilst you are doing something else to earn this said money. 

‘I want to just ride’ doesn’t exist and  if you see someone doing that you have no idea how hard they worked to get in that position. So get sweeping my friend ♥️ 

#reality #horseworld #equestrianlife #horseriding #horserider #dressagerider #truth #equestrianstyle #equine #horsemanship

What the Heck?

 6/28/23

It gotta be a long time since I was in dating mode but I still remember how it goes. Now either person can ask the other person out, and usually they have some enjoyable things lined up to do… right?  It’s called a “ date “. People get to know each other slowly and learn about each other’s thoughts and feelings.

  I also understand about “ hooking up “ To me it’s just a meeting of two people who are attracted to each other basically to have sex. Sometimes not even attracted to each other . Nothing more… no emotions needed..Back in my day it wasn’t called that, but it was the same thing.

So, what the heck is the point of it all? I don’t believe things have changed in a kazillion years one bit. It’s still pretty much the “ I want your body “ with perhaps a little finesse added called a date . Why would someone want to give something that has been around for centuries a new name?  I know my generation did it and I wonder what it was called say, during WWII?

From what I understand it’s pretty much the same game but with a different name. Sighhh….and chuckling at the same time. Preferably I enjoy getting to know a bit about another person before jumping into bed with them. Used to be I wasn’t like that ,but now? Slowly getting to know another is a lot more important and enjoyable. Maybe I am truly old fashioned or maybe just old ? At any rate, don’t tell anyone else < grins> 

Have a great day tomorrow!

Men & Other Things

 6.23.23

Shhhhhh! It’s a secret but I have met a most wonderful man. My sorta-kinda want list IF I was looking for a guy ( I’m happy with being single but it would be nice to have someone who wants to be around me that doesn’t have 4 legs 😊) has grown exponentially. Slowly, with more being added as I meet men who I don’t want to be around.

You see, I have known that I am rather picky about living things in my life for a long time. Dogs, cats, chickens, and of course, my beloved horses.  Now? Add men. For my whole life I have never been one to hang with women, I always thought men were more interesting.Ahhhh, she just  likes the attention, you’re thinking… No, really; Men have more interesting things to say than many women I know. I enjoy talking to them and learning from them. Yeah, well it helps if he’s a bit more than good looking. A while ago,I made one of the worst mistakes I could have in choosing a man. I chose the Wrong one.  Life lessons learned! 

Anyhow, back to the “ list “

* He needs to be smart. Not just ‘book-learned’ smart as in having a PhD in something or a swank college degree, but smart in other ways too.(fill in the blanks here) Unintelligent people are boring after a while and I find myself wandering off mentally.This in turn, gets me in a world of trouble. 

* Well traveled. I would love to see some of this grand planet before I am too old. Having a person who knows his way around is a huge plus.

* A good conversationalist. I’m tend to be quiet until I know someone…. Sitting and listening. Observing. Once I get to know the person better, I will be more chatty, maybe. I also might get up and politely wander off. ( see note before)

* High ethics, morals and values… standards. As I have gotten older I don’t want to hear that he ‘seened’ something for example.

         🤪   See? Told you!😛

* Oh,  preferably taller than me.  Used to be it was difficult to find a guy who was most of the above and be taller. Especially in heels. (Sadly I can’t wear heels anymore because I blew my ankle out a good while ago.)

* Reasonably in good health… we all know how things creep up on us ‘ older’ folks, 

( like the ever popular fat/fluffy areas) but I enjoy being able to get around a little. 

*Pretty much I like a country man. Nooooo, not a red neck,but a man who loves the country life. I have had my fill of the City Men. Oh my gosh.. lesson learned there too.  Someone who understands how a gal might be forced to break a date because she has a sick animal and not pout. Someone who is loving and affectionate to all living things … also not afraid to show it.

* A guy who treats a woman as she wants to be loved/ treated. One who doesn’t do that to gain ‘ brownie points’.Not a fake… if he is the sort who has more than one woman, then I am gone. 

 Okay so back to this guy… He’s not a scammer or a con man- Yayyy.  He’s a little younger than me but I don’t mind. At our age, it doesn’t matter. ( omg, I’m a cradle robber!!! ) I can click pretty much all of the boxes above . The ones that are not clicked are due to not knowing him that well. 

There you have it. Finally a good person who is willing to be in my life and has no hidden agenda. It will be great getting to know him as time passes. I hope that he wants to stay in my life for a long time, too. 💜🤗

                      In case you’re thinking about the below photo being the perfect guy for meeee? think again.

                                                                 😅😅😅 😅

Farmer Cheese?

I saw this  and wondered if it is a good idea for making Farmer Cheese. For those who are interested in making it or those who have made it before, what do you think?  It looks pretty involved.

A good recipe or do you have a better one?

Farmer Cheese

Ingredients

1 Gallon of Milk (it doesn’t matter if it’s raw or pasteurized. Whole milk makes the best tasting cheese, but you can use 2% or skim milk too)
1/2 cup of Lemon Juice, Apple Cider Vinegar, or White Vinegar (I use a mix of fresh lemon juice and ACV)
Salt, Pepper & Herbs To Taste (I typically use chives, garlic powder, and parsley)
1 or 2 Large Pots
Cheesecloth
Colander
*If you’re keeping the whey (which you should!) you’ll need a few mason jars and a funnel

Steps

Heat Milk To A Boil
In a large pot, heat the milk on medium-high heat until it’s at a rolling boil. Be sure to stir continuously to avoid scorching!
Quickly Turn The Heat Off and Add Lemon Juice, ACV, or White Vinegar
Once the milk is boiling, turn off the heat and quickly add your lemon juice, ACV, or white vinegar.
Be careful! It can easily overflow and make a huge mess!:
The pot I use to make this farmer’s cheese is a standard large pot, and it usually overflows once I add the acidic ingredient. For that reason, I immediately move the pot to the sink before adding my lemon juice and apple cider vinegar!
If your pot is large enough, this won’t be an issue for you!
The Milk Will Immediately Separate/Curdle
After adding your acidic ingredient, you should immediately see the milk curdle and separate into curds and whey. Stir it around a bit.
Line A Colander With Cheesecloth
Line a colander with cheesecloth and place it in the sink. Using a wooden spoon, add the curds to the colander and add salt, pepper, and herbs.
*If You’re Keeping The Whey* – Strain The Whey Into Mason Jars
You can strain the whey into another pot to get the rest of the curds out, or you can do what I do:
Place a small piece of cheesecloth over the top of a mason jar, then add the ring to hold it in place. Allow enough slack for it to hold the bits of curds that are still in the pot.
Put a canning funnel on top of the mason jar and pour the whey in.
I recommend keeping the whey! I’ll write an article about it’s various uses, but a quick Google search will show why it’s worth the extra step.
Hang or Press Your Farmer’s Cheese
After mixing the herbs, salt, and pepper into the cheese, grab the sides of the cheesecloth and twist to squeeze out the remaining whey.
Then, hang the cheesecloth on a cabinet with a large bowl underneath to catch the whey as it drips. Alternatively, you can place the cheese and cheesecloth on a dish and put something heavy on top of it to press your cheese.
Don’t over-press or allow it to hang for too long or it will dry out! It takes some experimentation to get it just right. I tend to over-press, so I prefer the hanging method. I usually allow it to hang for about an hour to an hour and a half.
Shape or Crumble Your Cheese and Refrigerate
I prefer to leave my farmer’s cheese in whatever form it takes while hanging, with a bit of pressing at the end. Some people serve their farmer’s cheese crumbled. Either way, it’s delicious!
Wrap the cheese in a beeswax wrap, wax paper, or an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy!

See? Told ya so!

 6/17/2023

This morning I woke up with a bit of a panic. I’d glanced at the clock and saw that it was late! Late when I was supposed to feed my horses. Oh my gosh… that woke me up fast. Then I realized that I didn’t have any horses to care for anymore. 😢 

I flopped back on the bed and felt sad for a while. Not being one of those who allows sadness to really get to me, I began thinking of how far I had come since 2000. 

Sure I was doing without my own horses for the first time in my life but I was alright with it. I once again counted my blessings and faced my day. 

Do I miss the life I had before? I DO! I’m just not able to do all the heavy things I used to do. That was a very difficult fact to deal with. I’ve never not been able to get things done, and this knowledge really didn’t help a bit. 

Such is life, though, right?  Getting to be “ older “ totally sucks most of the time. Being positive, I do happen to be around horses who are older too. 

And that’s alright with me! 

Apologies

 6/16/23

I owe you all an apology... 

I have not been around due to personal life changes... Things got really tough to deal with but thanks to some positive folks in my life, it's looking much better.  😀

I had no signs of how to support myself and Simone, when all of a sudden, I was emailed a list of jobs relating to horses. It was a Buggy business... wanting to hire drivers. Noooo, not an exterminators' job,but a real honest to gosh Job with horses. Well, I called and they called back almost instantly, and I was hired almost the next day. I Do know how to drive.

Or so I thought. Let me tell ya- driving hack horses on roads is FARRRR different than training and driving show quality horses.  They come with their own set of hangups and bad manners. Of course, I wanted to work with a few and create a happier horse but I have quickly realized that it isn't happening. I so wish I could and was allowed to work with a Dutch Harness Horse mare but, she was unsound when I began and is now unsound . I feel horrid for her and would Love to own her as I know exactly what to do to help her heal those tendons. Pounding for hours and hours on pavement will eventually break down legs, joints, and tendons to pieces and it's what had happened to this lovely mare long before I was working with her. What she needs is time off, poultices to help remove the pain and inflammation, proper wraps nightly and time.  A  Lot of Time off, so those legs can heal. She'll never be as sound as before,but completely usable. Just no more pounding that gawd awful asphalt. I don't think that will ever come to fruitition but I'd love for it too.  My own precious mare who I could adore... 

In the meantime, I'm slowly getting my credit cards paid off, bills caught up and life is good. Oh, I met a wonderful man too!. He's kind and is oh so similar to me in tha we seem to feel the same about many things. Who knows where that will go, but I hope it keeps becoming more positive daily!

I hope to keep up here a lot more. I promise.

Regards #3

6.16.23

Over time, we got to know each other very well, Regards and I.  She flourished with kindness, good care and down time. In the evenings, I was the one to bring her back to her stall from being outside all afternoon in the winter. Mornings were spent with re-learning how to behave like a proper horse. She learned how to stand to be mounted, how to accept a bit without a big arguement... and so much more. Apparently her former owners had just wanted the results and of course, the money from winnings. Regards had to relearn so much! 

She also had to get past being ring sour. The boss's daughter was the one schooling her and they had some major discussions over how to enter any ring even if it was the one at home.  It wasn't long before Regards learned being there was kinda fun. This lady had a never ending pocket of sliced apples! Regards was offered one every time she did something correct, no matter how small. Eventually, this big red mare couldn't wait to get to the ring. They practiced so many things that she already knew but had gotten rusty on, like trotting all three speeds of a huge trot, stopping gently when asked, to stand quietly outside and inside the ring...lead changes at a canter and gallop and more. I was amazed at what this mare knew . One day, I told myself, I will know how to ask those things of a horse. One day.

It wasn't long before she was deemed ready for a small show. She'd been gaining confidence and muscle also. Regards wasn't the same dangerous, unpredictable horse who had arrived almost a year before. When I would come in the barn mornings before anyone else was there, I heard nickers, but just one waited to hear my voice... when I would tell them all "Good Morning!!"  then I'd hear a get that deep loud whinny saying 'HELLO' back to me. 

The day of the show dawned bright and sunny. A beautiful late Spring day for a new beginning.  Regards backed off the trailer, looking around as though looking for a friend. We doubted she would find any as this was a very small show, not the bright lights of the big time shows. She stood quietly as she was tacked up and all but put her bridle on by herself. Yes, Regards hadn't forgotten but still looking for something or someone in the distance though. Surprisingly enough, I was told to warm her up in the open ring, so off we went. Oh what a glorious mare I was riding~ anything I asked for, she responded perfectly. A happy 25 yr old and a happy chestnut mare.  I was in heaven.

Soon it was class time. Open Jumpers, 3' 6" -- 4'.....  There were some huge fences in the ring and now, they were being raised higher. Regards watched the fence crew changing the height of the fences, and seemed to be checking out each one carefully. They were number 4 in the ring. No clear rounds and it was time. They entered the ring at a walk, calmly wandering about through the fences. Regards was soft and  quiet as they picked up a canter. a circle and towards the first jump. Over she sailed like it was a beginner jump. The next two were difficult due to some very tight turns and a mistake of dropping a hind toe allowed a pole to go down. She realized that she had made a mistake and corrected it. The rest were clean and clear. The other horses had faults enough to count them out of the competition, so it was Regards and the other horse who had only one pole down. There were only four jumps to take and they'd been raised another 2". Was Regards ready for such a high jump with difficult angles? The clock was set and the other horse/ rider entered the ring. I was standing outside the ring, beside Regards and watching. She was too. As they came to the two jumps at a very odd angle, a pole almost went down..but it held on. There was a time fault though...

It was Regards' chance to do what she'd been trained and bred to do.  Win. They again entered the ring at a walk and I heard murmers about how odd it was at a medium level show to just wander about. Her rider asked for a slow canter as they did a circle around to be sure of the jumps... My boss's daughter then aimed Regards at her first jump.  The rest was a blurr to me as I watched the time clock ticking on. Last jump of that tricky sequence  and they were done. Regard's rider pushed her over the jump as kids learn at those first jumping lessons.  " throw your heart over and your horse will follow". Regards kicked into another gear and cleared the jump and as they thundered past the timer, they were two seconds ahead of the other horse!! 

As applause thundered around the ring that day, I was cheering and clapping for that glorious red mare who had all but attacked me that first day. Of course, as they did their victory gallop, Regards' head went down and gave a mighty buck, almost unseating her rider,  letting anyone who didn't know it that...                                                                   

" Regards Was Back!!!" 

                                                 with thanks to CarlyJ for this wonderful photo!