So far this week, it's been riding nearly every day-- one morning devoted to splitting up some huge pine for my outdoor boiler... mostly to get rid of it. I had thought to use those logs for rough lumber, but with the price of oil-- it will be just as valuable to me as firewood.

OYY Raphael went out for some ring work in the deep snow. No matter how long he is laid off from work- he is consistent and steady, looking forward to his rides out. I made a short video of Raffi that you can view here- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bngZ4oJGugo He is such a handsome pleasant mount, always willing and loves his work.

OYY Cosette is a coming 3 year old sired by WCC Benjamin (Homefire Curlies). She is really too young for saddle work, but she was soooo ready, we have ridden her twice anyway. Cosette stands at the gate as we take her other pasture mates out for work or rides, and she wanted to to progress in her training badly-- I could tell ! She has many sisters under saddle-- all super forward, comfortable mounts.. Cosette is going to be a superb riding horse. She will make a nice endurance/competitive trail horse. I love her size (she's 13.3 hands now).

We started ground work with 2 more of Benjamin's offspring- both geldings. OYY Ivan is a smooth coated bay gelding, coming 3, 14.3 hands. He is in harness doing ground work in the indoor and learning quickly. He's a quiet fellow, very respectful, sensitive but not spooky at all.

Ivan's paternal brother, OYY Dante, is also being brought up for ground work in the indoor. He's a fancy very elegant little gelding out of Honeybee Gal, who has consistently given us winning foals. She has a "special" page on the web site featuring the accomplishments of her offspring http://www.vermontel.net/~top/feature_page.htm I am very proud of all of Honeybee's foals. Here's a photo of Dante, his first time up in the indoor.

Yesterday, in between work and lessons, my daughter and I managed to get in a quick jaunt on the trail. I rode Keri, she saddled up OYY Mercedes. We went back to the trail where Mercedes originally had issues with the frozen brook. Because of our present warm January thaw, the brook was no longer frozen-- but running pretty full, melting snow and very wet trail .. she was not terribly pleased about walking in that dark unknown-- but being the determined forward horse that she is.. became more comfortable with it as we rode.. no way around it anyway. My son had ordered a log load and had it delivered to my place (more room). The "cherry picker" as we call those log trucks, was parked on the side of the driveway as we headed out.. I wish I had had my camera with me. The driver was perched on that teetering seat, maneuvering the grabber-- picking up bunches of logs and setting them just over the fenceline. Noisy and potentially scarey-- as he did not see us coming up behind him and we had no way to ask him to let up for a minute while we passed. Every time he picked up a bunch of logs, the entire rig was tipping and tottering... I would not have wanted to be up in that little seat. The horses walked passed without incident.. happy to be going out. With this particular trail, we have to trot down the dirt road about a mile.. past a narrow spot on the road where there resides a little schnauzer type dog who is generally out on a run. The dog's name is Buddy-- but Killer is a more appropriate name. He lunges and barks and runs back and forth on that dog run-- making that "whizzing" noise that dog runs make... not something horses like usually. These girls just glanced at Buddy-- like-- whatever !! and trotted on. About mid-way on the trail, we switched horses- and I rode Mercedes home. On the positive side, I was on another horse and could spend my time admiring Keri-- a horse I am in love with... BUT-- I also have strange feelings of.. I just plain don't like anyone else on MY horse!!!

Enjoy your day ~