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7/19/2011

Funny Cide

There is a signed print of this horse in the doctor's offices of my Mom's work. Yes, I was in New Jersey this past weekend...my Mom is a trooper to the extreme, and she is going to be fine, thank God. She is now recuperating from the surgery to her 3x broken ankle, and she is looking forward to getting on her feet again. Thank you so much everyone for your good thoughts and wishes!

On my way home from my old home (New Jersey) I exited at what I thought was a rest-stop...what I found was Saratoga Springs. I’d never been there before. It was perfectly quiet down Union Avenue on this Sunday evening and I could see the track and barns from the road. Further down, we passed huge, fabulous houses and a fancy restaurant or two.

I forgot everything. I was transported to a time and a place where Man O' War was sold as a yearling... I could see the barns he walked through (Secretariat and many others, also. And many still do.)


Saratoga race track from Union Ave.

Saratoga Race Course opened on August 3, 1863.

It is the 
oldest organized sporting venue 
of any kind 
in the United States.  

Saratoga is typically open for racing from late July through early September. I guess that is why it looked so immaculate: they are preparing for the season to begin any day.

I imagined the early 1900’s-- ladies strolling the sidewalks in long gowns, with gloves, fashionable hats, and parasols. Cool drinks in tall glasses for the women and tinkling aged whiskey on the rocks for their gentlemen escorts.

Saratoga in 1907

Saratoga was also known as The Spa for its rejuvenating springs and spas. At the turn of the century, the cool mountain air of the northeast was the place to be in summer. There was no jet-setting across the Atlantic. You went up to the country.

I know, because my Mother's family owned and operated a boarding house resort in the Catskill region. As a consequence, my Grandfather brought his family to the races at Saratoga quite frequently. My grandparents loved the races.

Like many other race tracks, Saratoga is not without its tragic stories.  
Go For Wand is buried there.

When we got home, I told my Mom about seeing Saratoga.


(Distorted Humor x Belle's Good Cide)

A Danzig and Seattle Slew horse. 
And too many more champions to list...(you name it).
Highest earnings of any New York Bred in history.


Because he was born with an undescended testicle which made him uncomfortable when he ran. 

 

7/11/2011

RoughN' Tumble

After finishing the grazing pastures (May), in which the final one was held up for two weeks while Scott’s back was out, we had a month of baseball (June). My computer was also down for about three weeks for a swipe and updating.

The horses enjoyed the new pastures and had some riding.

As soon as baseball was over, I prepared for my New Jersey Family’s Second Annual Camping Weekend at our house (camping out in our soccer field). We had a wonderful time; it was over July 4th week end and the weather was beautiful. We enjoyed the property, the pool, the rivers, and each other. I rode Dream for my Mom, and Aislinn rode Ebony, and my nephew (age 4) had a pony ride which Ebony wanted to give.

Unfortunately, the morning they were leaving, my Mom stepped wrong off the steps and fractured her ankle in three places. She has surgery in New Jersey this Friday, so that is where I will be this weekend. Yes, it makes one absolutely ill to consider the pain that someone you love so much is in. I keep reminding myself that this is temporary, can be fixed, and she can heal. My mother will be 70 this year. As usual, being near the horses offers the utmost in feelings of "right now is okay"-ism.

me and Dream  July 2011

So far, I am meeting certain goals with the horses. Dreamer and I have been as far as the bottom of the arena. I’ve been having issues with him working alone too far from the barn. You cannot see the barn from the arena because it is two fields away from, and lower than, the barn. Dream asked to go to the bottom of the field with the arena in it. We were riding outside the arena. I figured if he could go comfortably around the arena, he’d be better off inside it.

The first time I brought him into the arena, I left the gate open; I showed him the open gate. He was to be lunged with tack on. He panicked and called for Ebony as soon as I led him into the arena. He trotted nervously on the lunge line. When he was able to walk and hoe on the lunge on both directions with his focus on me, we ended. It did not take long to reach that point.

My rides on him have been pleasant with a lot of discussion. I went off once when he was exploring an area near Scott’s vegetable garden. Something moved in the bushes, and I was not ready as he lurched violently to the right. I am fine from the fall.


Ebony worked well and honestly for me in the arena. My goals for her, besides her diet (more on that after), are her ability to maintain a gait and maybe learn to carry a rider at a canter this year. Here she is with her favorite rider.

Aislinn and a slimmer Ebony  July 2011

Ebony has not resisted the grazing muzzle. Her new reduced weight is being maintained with the muzzle on during grazing hours, except for one hour at evening. When they come down for the night the grazing muzzle comes off. They both get a little hay before and after grazing, and they have access to the barn and water during all grazing hours.

If anyone needs a grazing muzzle recommendation, I definitely recommend the Shire's brand grazing muzzle.  You can read my review of it here. I did sew moleskin onto ours, as Ebony developed a sore under her jaw, but the muzzle came very soft in materials initially. Ebony healed right up.

I hope to visit blogs. All of the nice weather hours are spent in advance, it seems. I hope everyone is having a wonderful, SAFE summer. I really want to see what is going on with everyone.




(Free For All x Roused)
Whisk Broom, Bull Dog, Teddy, 
Spearmint, Ajax, St. Simon,
Maid of the Mint, Flying Fox