This arena is notorious for having HARD ground at the pro rodeo. So I of course took Jet. I was number 25 out so I was up there for the first few to run. It became very clear that I had loaded up the wrong horse this morning. Someone got very happy with watering the arena. They did do a good job disking it..but the water made it very deep and sucky..literally. Lol As soon as he set for the first I thought we were going to come to a stop, At that point I realized this wasn't going to go well, I picked him up and thought I could make it by it..but alas I couldn't and we hit it going into it..which in the 6 years i've been running him that is only the 2nd time that has happened. You could literally hear the ground making sucking noises while you were trying to turn.
Next stop- Beaumont,Tx pro rodeo for slack Thursday at 10am, then the pro rodeo at Deridder,La Friday night. Then leave there go home for the night, we'll leave around noon Saturday for the Marry Etta Madness show at Alvarado!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Since the last update
Went to a barrel race March 14th... got the 2nd leaving it again.
Then went to a RCA rodeo in Lafayette,La we got there Thursday afternoon the 19th to get the ground ready and such. Found out when we got there we couldn't keep our horses on the grounds enless we kept them inside the trailer. So we found a card from a guy we met at the pro rodeo in Lake Charles,La the month before that lived in the area. He offered to let our horses stay at his house. When we got there.. there was no way we could get down his driveway, even if we did there was no where to turn around at. So we left the horses there and went back to the coliseum. We then decided to rent a car due to the VERY narrow roads down there and driving the big truck back and forth would be no fun. Saturday morning the guy brought our horses to the arena for us. I ended up 2nd that morning in the long go. 13.7 won it and I was a 13.8.
They had to stay in the trailer all day..not that I think they cared any, they each had two spots, hay and water. That night I ended up winning the short go with a 13.4, closest thing was a 13.7 I think it must of been like the picture perfect run!
We left Lafayette that night around 12:30, about 2:30 I took over and drove the rest of the way home, we got to the house at 5am..and we just crashed after that of course.
Then went to a RCA rodeo in Lafayette,La we got there Thursday afternoon the 19th to get the ground ready and such. Found out when we got there we couldn't keep our horses on the grounds enless we kept them inside the trailer. So we found a card from a guy we met at the pro rodeo in Lake Charles,La the month before that lived in the area. He offered to let our horses stay at his house. When we got there.. there was no way we could get down his driveway, even if we did there was no where to turn around at. So we left the horses there and went back to the coliseum. We then decided to rent a car due to the VERY narrow roads down there and driving the big truck back and forth would be no fun. Saturday morning the guy brought our horses to the arena for us. I ended up 2nd that morning in the long go. 13.7 won it and I was a 13.8.
They had to stay in the trailer all day..not that I think they cared any, they each had two spots, hay and water. That night I ended up winning the short go with a 13.4, closest thing was a 13.7 I think it must of been like the picture perfect run!
We left Lafayette that night around 12:30, about 2:30 I took over and drove the rest of the way home, we got to the house at 5am..and we just crashed after that of course.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Learning by mistakes and how to scare your parents..and everyone else 101
I was 9 years old at a Josey clinic and they still had that deal where they put you into 3 teams and those teams compete and it was a 50 cent jackpot. Well the two loosing teams had to run the pattern on foot and I just wasn't going to do that. I tell my dad i'm going to win this thing! (you think from my previous story he'd know what was going to happen by now) He said Ok, you go do that. I had a pretty new to me mare and she was great. I was the first one out. I come flying down the alley and turn the first..I go running across to the 2nd and I knew you had to check her to slow her down to turn, but checking takes time away and how was I going to win if I slowed her down??? Bless her heart she turned anyways and lost her rearend. She tried not going down but finally her rear end slid way down and her front feet came out from under her..WHAM we hit the ground on our sides. The swells of the saddle caught my ankle cracking it.
Next I hadn't had my bay horse too long and we were winning quiet a bit. We went to a little show in Longview and I decided i'll run in the youth then the open. Well miss Spoon had been stepping off the backside of the 3rd and I decided i'd make sure she wouldn't do that today. The youth was first, went in and turned two good barrels and we're off to the 3rd. The ground is pretty deep but she handles it well. I get to the backside of the third and my plan to keep her from blowing off was to pull her. Pull her I did..right off of her feet. Wham we hit the ground all four feet out from under her at once. She got up stepping on my hip, then trotted back to my dad.
Now how to scare your parents..and everyone else.
I came running down the Marshall,Tx alley on Jet (for those of you that don't know him, he starts from the back 40 and comes to the first wide open) He drags his rear and about the time he goes to start his turn his back end comes out from under him. I went up and he slid out from under me. When he came back up I was behind the saddle. I knew there was NO way i'd make it across the pen, much less around the 2nd barrel like this. I see Paula Muirhead coming over the fence and she's yelling pull him around! So around and round the first barrel we went till she got him stopped and I slid back in the saddle.
Next I hadn't had my bay horse too long and we were winning quiet a bit. We went to a little show in Longview and I decided i'll run in the youth then the open. Well miss Spoon had been stepping off the backside of the 3rd and I decided i'd make sure she wouldn't do that today. The youth was first, went in and turned two good barrels and we're off to the 3rd. The ground is pretty deep but she handles it well. I get to the backside of the third and my plan to keep her from blowing off was to pull her. Pull her I did..right off of her feet. Wham we hit the ground all four feet out from under her at once. She got up stepping on my hip, then trotted back to my dad.
Now how to scare your parents..and everyone else.
I came running down the Marshall,Tx alley on Jet (for those of you that don't know him, he starts from the back 40 and comes to the first wide open) He drags his rear and about the time he goes to start his turn his back end comes out from under him. I went up and he slid out from under me. When he came back up I was behind the saddle. I knew there was NO way i'd make it across the pen, much less around the 2nd barrel like this. I see Paula Muirhead coming over the fence and she's yelling pull him around! So around and round the first barrel we went till she got him stopped and I slid back in the saddle.
How to do a front flip off a horse
I was 8 and I decided I wanted to be a big girl that night and I was going to go fast and ride just like all those HS girls that run in and leaaannn towards the barrel. I told my dad I want a whip! Why he ever gave me one is beyond me, but he did...don't think he thought i'd ever use it. I go running into the arena and around the first we go. I decided here's my oppertunity to whip! I spanked him and my little rascal caught a whole new gear I had never experienced. Now this is where I stop and tell you..he was the best kid horse ever, Always took care of me and my sister..but maybe he and my dad made a deal on teaching me how to do this right? Back to the story. I get almost to the barrel and lean to the inside when Rascal does a front feet stop.. I didn't stop. I went over his head..over the barrel, completed my flip and landed on my butt. I jumped up and my dad ran out, put me back on my horse and away I went. I did whip to the 3rd..but I didn't lean. I didn't lean on anything for a LONG time after that.
One PO'ed calf and a paint horse
Jan. 9th 08 my dad decided we just HAD to pen some calfs that morning to take to the sale for that day. It was soo cold so we bundled up. All I had to ride was the paint horse that we drug out of the pasture to play on or do crazy things like this on. Which might of been ever 4-5 months. Me and her never meshed but we made do. The cows were following my dad and one was missing so me and my sister go on the hunt for it. Never find it so we decide to hurry back to the house. We're running across the pasture across the terris and hills..when it hit me..ole paint has no breaks and were headed for a big ditch. I'm yelling at my sister to slow down, hoping mine does the same but that was happening. We jumped the ditch.. and I hung with her, with some pain but I made it to the house.
We now have all the cows in the pen, get the cows out and now have just the calfs in there. We're working on getting them down in the end pen to put them in the trailer and this one heifer doesn't want to comply. So I got back on my horse as I was on foot and she was acting like she was going to run me down (got run down by a cow a few months earlier..it only takes me one time) Me and my sister are moving them slowely when my sister stops and is like you go that calf looks ready to fight. PSSHHH you sissy! I'm pushing up on them when ole paint hangs her head over the arena fence and this calf sees a chance to strike. She hit the horse in her chest then went down her right side with her knubby little horns. Was fine till she got her flanks with those knubby little horns. At that point she rocks backwards and starts bucking..remember how I was bundled warm? yea..that was totally against me at this moment. The 3rd buck her head came up as mine was coming down and our heads met. I got knocked out, the next buck I went over her head, slid down the arena fence and landed on my head (yep..I'm pretty good at meeting fences and landing on my head) I rolled over and sat there thinking OOHH where is that calf! When I hear my dad yelling are you ok?? I was like uhh..I think so? He asks if I want to get back on i'm like uhh yea..I don't want to be on foot in here thats for sure! Then I reached up and felt my face. I had blood coming out of my nose and mouth. So I crawled out of the pen and sat there for awhile watching the blood pour out onto the ground making a pool. Then my dad calls my mom and says..you might want to come to the arena I think she got hurt. Hmm, ya think? I never felt any pain till I went to the ER and my face warmed up LOL. But I ended up with a broken nose and concussion. Skin tore off where the split reins ran threw my hand.. and blood ALL over my jacket. I do my best not to work with cows anymore.
We now have all the cows in the pen, get the cows out and now have just the calfs in there. We're working on getting them down in the end pen to put them in the trailer and this one heifer doesn't want to comply. So I got back on my horse as I was on foot and she was acting like she was going to run me down (got run down by a cow a few months earlier..it only takes me one time) Me and my sister are moving them slowely when my sister stops and is like you go that calf looks ready to fight. PSSHHH you sissy! I'm pushing up on them when ole paint hangs her head over the arena fence and this calf sees a chance to strike. She hit the horse in her chest then went down her right side with her knubby little horns. Was fine till she got her flanks with those knubby little horns. At that point she rocks backwards and starts bucking..remember how I was bundled warm? yea..that was totally against me at this moment. The 3rd buck her head came up as mine was coming down and our heads met. I got knocked out, the next buck I went over her head, slid down the arena fence and landed on my head (yep..I'm pretty good at meeting fences and landing on my head) I rolled over and sat there thinking OOHH where is that calf! When I hear my dad yelling are you ok?? I was like uhh..I think so? He asks if I want to get back on i'm like uhh yea..I don't want to be on foot in here thats for sure! Then I reached up and felt my face. I had blood coming out of my nose and mouth. So I crawled out of the pen and sat there for awhile watching the blood pour out onto the ground making a pool. Then my dad calls my mom and says..you might want to come to the arena I think she got hurt. Hmm, ya think? I never felt any pain till I went to the ER and my face warmed up LOL. But I ended up with a broken nose and concussion. Skin tore off where the split reins ran threw my hand.. and blood ALL over my jacket. I do my best not to work with cows anymore.
Walking to the house in the rain
Me and my sister were riding to the back to check on the cows, and it had rained off and on all day long. We're counting away when we see this dark cloud rolling in really fast. She goes Lisa we better go! I was like nahh it looks like its going to go around us. We start walking back to the house and it starts raining so we take off running across the pasture. When it starts POURING. We stopped under a tree..then my sister decides she has to go rrealllyy bad. I was like you can't wait?? Nope..So we both get off and I was holding the horses when my oh so lovely project that dumped me in the first story sets back and gets away from me and to the house he goes. Lightning booms and bye bye sisters horse! So we ended up running all the way back to the house..a quarter mile up hill.
Why are you staring???
This wasn't quiet a horse wreck..but it was funny..now atleast. We're in Ardmore,Ok for some barrel race and they had a big team roping going on in the back arena. I went to run my bay mare and she kind of hopped in the alley and when she took her last leap and took off..I couldn't get away from the saddle horn. My belt had hooked over the saddle horn, lovely! I finally got my belt unhung and turned the first and made the others. But I believe we smooth ran over the third. I wasn't too happy with her when I came out but I bailed off and loosened the girth and started walking back to the trailer. All these ropers kept looking at me funny and i'm thinking WHAT are they looking at??? Must have staring problems or something.I start unsaddleing at the trailer when I feel a cool breeze..where there should not have been one. I quickly dropped the saddle and ran in the trailer where I run into my sister who looks down and just starts laughing. I had ripped my jeans all the way across the front. There is a picture of that somewhere..
Ohh how I love Jet...haha
In mid December I was riding Jet.. he had been good for two days..big shocker there should've known something was up. The county extension agent had come to talk to my dad about planting grass. I climb on Jet and start for the back to exersize him..we're trotting along on a loose rein (should've been my clue something was up) when all of a sudden he takes off. I'm pretty sure I got slung backwards and jerked his head but he usually never stops...just that day he did. He slammed on the brakes and went right and I didn't follow suite. I remember seeing the ground thinking I am coming off. Then when I opened my eyes I was standing in my left sturrip with my left arm over his neck and my right hand on the horn with the reins in it. But alas I can't reach the ground..or atleast i'm scared to as my foot is now SHOVED way in the sturrip and i'm not sure if he'll be a retard and take off when I step down. So as he's backing up cause I have the reins tight..that i'm not turning loose of I think hmm I bet I can swing back up on him! He stops and i'm like Ohhh here's my chance! ....Riigghhtttt As soon as I went to swing over his back he started bucking..I'm pretty sure he went all diffrent directions at one time. But I wasn't turning loose..until his front end went up and I went even further up. I came down hitting the ground with a thud.. then had to walk a quarter mile to the house where he was waiting at the barn on me. But before I could make it to the barn my mom and the extension agent come driving by me..and she asks "Why are you walking???" Umm..Cause I felt like it??
How to get noticed
Ahh humiliating.. One would have to be about 3 years ago I was riding a problem horse for someone else. It was at a little summer series that it seemed everyone from our cowboy church went to. I finally get this horse to go down the alley, and i'm riding him in the open as my good horse was hurt..but he looked alot like my good horse so everyone was watching. Turn the first barrel (going left) and as we're going across the pen it feels like he slips, then he starts ducking to the right, then back to the left then does it a few more times. Each time I feel myself getting further and further out of the saddle, when finally we're almost to the barrel and he goes left like he's going to run up the fence. By all means at that point was it fine with me to go up the fence. As soon as he got to the fence he went right and I went off over his shoulder. I slid down the fence landing on my head. I thought wow..now that was embarrasing and I turn over so im now sitting on the ground about to get up when wham...the horse had turned back into the fence by the bucking chutes and he was now running over the top of me. He caught me with two feet in the back, one in the neck and one in the head. Now i'm rolled up in a ball, I finally stagger to my feet and quickly hurried out of the arena. But ahh the damage was done.. The next day the preacher stopped in the middle of the sermon and asked if I needed to go roll around in the dirt some more!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Ah the joys of being on the road.
So Thursday night after my run we put the horses in a little electric fence portable pen since there was no more stalls or anything. At about 6:45 I look out the window at them just in time to see my hauling partners black horse jump and go threw the fence taking it down. She had locked the trailer door and I could NOT get it open and she is slowely crawling out of the bed. I'm freaking out because there is a pretty busy road on one side and a highway on the other. Right before i'm about to dive out the window she gets the door unlocked. I bail out and grab my leadrope since the horses still had their halters on. About the time I come around the trailer her horses take off since they run from people EERRR! As i'm running...and she's walking. One of the service guys for the expo center comes by and gives me a ride, we get them cornered and I holler at my horse he freezes in his tracks. I start walking towards them and hers took off again but I guess mine figured he was probably in enough trouble he should just stop there. So I grab him and take off after her horses again. She finally gets her two caught. We tie them to the trailer and feed them. Then put my horse and her older horse back in the pens while we could watch them and tied the young one up.
I am going to run around 11:30 Friday night so around 11pm I start saddleing and getting ready. My horse is giving me a big attitude so I know he's going to run and turn her...I just didn't think it would be THAT hard. We have to come in a side gate, which I really hate on him. He bounced around awhile before I could get him to go forward and around the gate so he wouldn't catch his hip on it then he took off. We're flying down the hill into the arena and he feels like he's rating too soon so I stayed up over him to the first. I went to sit down and about the time I did he hit the brakes and turned back. All you could see was my butt in the air, my foot caught the back of my saddle keeping me on. All I could think was I haven't came off in a LONG time, and I'm NOT coming off this run. So I crawled back in the middle of him between the first and the second barrel. We kind of got by the 2nd but left it standing as the night before he rolled back over the top of it and cost me 3rd place. As i'm running to the third i'm thinking you really have to hussle him because he's going to try and rate too soon. So i'm over him pushing him when he drags his butt in the ground HARD and starts his turn. I was pretty sure I was coming off the outside when he kind of jumped out of his turns instead of completeing it was headed for the alley. I ended up running a 15.304 and a 14.9 won it. 4 out of the money.
Friday night we leave the horses tied to the trailer so we don't have to worry about anyone escaping again cause once was enough for my heart. Saturday was a pretty uneventful day thankfully. We just kind of hung out till it was time to run. I ran at 12:30 Saturday night/Sunday am whatever you want to call it lol. I decided I would bring him in the alley and turn him to the left and then go so he wouldn't leave me behind. I rolled him around to the left in the alley and we ended up going down the right side of the alley. NOT where I wanted to be coming from but we smoked the first barrel. I pushed him to the 2nd and once again caught the 2nd leaving it. I went ahead and let him cruise to the 3rd and kind of turned it funny cruised out and ran a 15.2 once again EEERRR.
So it's now about 1:30am by the time we get the horses all taken care of and everything and then the other girls horse decides itll start setting back. Finally she puts her in the trailer so we lay down to go to bed and at 2 the generator stops. We're in the other girls truck and trailer and she's like it shouldn't be out of gas but I don't know anything about it! I say oh well forget it and went to bed. Now i'm sleeping on her couch with a little throw blanket cause she snores...oohhh does she snore. About 3am I wake up and i'm FREEZING. It was 21 degrees outside bbrrr. I already had my hoodie on, but I went ahead and put my jacket on and curled up in a ball and tried to go back to sleep. I tossed and turned all night, never getting much sleep. Around 6:30 I finally gave up and went to feed the horses. Hauling partner decided noo we wouldn't feed them now we'd load them and go find a fuel station to see if running out of fuel was the problem. We get fuel..come back and that fixed that problem...froze all night long due to running out of fuel. We get the horses fed and go back to sleep for a couple hours. Then once again got to hang out all day cause she doesn't run till 9pm, then again at 10pm then i'll run around 11:30pm. Then we'll get to go home. I'm sure the horses are probably thinking FINALLY lol.
I won't make it to my house till probably Monday afternoon, and i'm sure when I do get home i'll just crash..maybe i'll be awake Tuesday.
I am going to run around 11:30 Friday night so around 11pm I start saddleing and getting ready. My horse is giving me a big attitude so I know he's going to run and turn her...I just didn't think it would be THAT hard. We have to come in a side gate, which I really hate on him. He bounced around awhile before I could get him to go forward and around the gate so he wouldn't catch his hip on it then he took off. We're flying down the hill into the arena and he feels like he's rating too soon so I stayed up over him to the first. I went to sit down and about the time I did he hit the brakes and turned back. All you could see was my butt in the air, my foot caught the back of my saddle keeping me on. All I could think was I haven't came off in a LONG time, and I'm NOT coming off this run. So I crawled back in the middle of him between the first and the second barrel. We kind of got by the 2nd but left it standing as the night before he rolled back over the top of it and cost me 3rd place. As i'm running to the third i'm thinking you really have to hussle him because he's going to try and rate too soon. So i'm over him pushing him when he drags his butt in the ground HARD and starts his turn. I was pretty sure I was coming off the outside when he kind of jumped out of his turns instead of completeing it was headed for the alley. I ended up running a 15.304 and a 14.9 won it. 4 out of the money.
Friday night we leave the horses tied to the trailer so we don't have to worry about anyone escaping again cause once was enough for my heart. Saturday was a pretty uneventful day thankfully. We just kind of hung out till it was time to run. I ran at 12:30 Saturday night/Sunday am whatever you want to call it lol. I decided I would bring him in the alley and turn him to the left and then go so he wouldn't leave me behind. I rolled him around to the left in the alley and we ended up going down the right side of the alley. NOT where I wanted to be coming from but we smoked the first barrel. I pushed him to the 2nd and once again caught the 2nd leaving it. I went ahead and let him cruise to the 3rd and kind of turned it funny cruised out and ran a 15.2 once again EEERRR.
So it's now about 1:30am by the time we get the horses all taken care of and everything and then the other girls horse decides itll start setting back. Finally she puts her in the trailer so we lay down to go to bed and at 2 the generator stops. We're in the other girls truck and trailer and she's like it shouldn't be out of gas but I don't know anything about it! I say oh well forget it and went to bed. Now i'm sleeping on her couch with a little throw blanket cause she snores...oohhh does she snore. About 3am I wake up and i'm FREEZING. It was 21 degrees outside bbrrr. I already had my hoodie on, but I went ahead and put my jacket on and curled up in a ball and tried to go back to sleep. I tossed and turned all night, never getting much sleep. Around 6:30 I finally gave up and went to feed the horses. Hauling partner decided noo we wouldn't feed them now we'd load them and go find a fuel station to see if running out of fuel was the problem. We get fuel..come back and that fixed that problem...froze all night long due to running out of fuel. We get the horses fed and go back to sleep for a couple hours. Then once again got to hang out all day cause she doesn't run till 9pm, then again at 10pm then i'll run around 11:30pm. Then we'll get to go home. I'm sure the horses are probably thinking FINALLY lol.
I won't make it to my house till probably Monday afternoon, and i'm sure when I do get home i'll just crash..maybe i'll be awake Tuesday.
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