Wha'sup with this weather? Sunny this morning, down to one layer on while trimming feet, then a snow squall came through and everything is white and slippery. How many more days till the indoor arena will be up?!

The bulldozer got fired up this morning and when I left there was already a huge topsoil pile. The indoor arena could be up by late Dec. - early January. Another great reason why a fabric covered truss arch building is the way to go...they go up quick and excavation work is minimal. Oh yay, I can't wait. The next month will be all about hauling hay and water through snow till we are moved into the indoor. Can't wait Can't wait Can't wait.

Looking for donation of free to inexpensive building lumber to construct 10'x12' run in shed. Utility poles, beams, framing, siding, roofing materials needed. Thanks!

Giving thanks.

That's such a cliche' but it works. There are many things to be thankful for. The obvious ones are my family, good health and the blessing of friends. Then there are the horses and all that surrounds them.

Hoping everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!

Steph and the ponies

The Center is now on Twitter. Tweet, Tweet! Look for us @ America1sthorse.

Not only that, our renovated website will be up and running very soon. Hundreds of combined hours between us all to create an amazing site! I'll post AS SOON AS it's live and ready for the world!

Big news is there are two excavating machines in the field waiting to move dirt around for the new building. Woo-hoo! I am getting a little excited now in comparison the immense overwhelming feeling that I've been plagued with. Pretty much walking around glazed over lately. It's lifting.

Monday morning is our ribbon cutting publicity photo. It's supposed to rain but it rarely slows us down around here.

check list

New winter pasture fencing up and ready. Check.
Rearranged barn to make two run in sheds for half the horses. Check.
Last revisions to new website. Check.
Confirmation of Dancing with Horses Workshop in March. Check.
FINANCING APPROVED FOR INDOOR ARENA!!!! Check.

We're moving forward! Couldn't have done it without all The Center fairies tending to their tasks!

I was warned

omg.

I was warned by a professional financial consultant about a year ago that starting up a non profit organization was going to be the hardest thing I'd done. She said I would put in long hours, do things I didn't think I could do, and sacrifice some things along the way. Well, I'd pretty much been doing that already so I took on the task.

She's right.

It's still not THE hardest thing, but it's been a LONG and winding road for sure. And we're not there yet...but alot closer.

These last few weeks have been kinda tough. "It's all good" as the younger generation says. We, as in those who are the backbone of the organization and development of The Center (the board of directors and I) are doing some really big stuff which will lead us to the next level. New website, getting a barn up, paperwork galore, bank accounts, meetings with NRCS, VSBA,FSA, board meetings, getting hay, fundraising, planning for the future, new fencing, AND tending to the horses needs, since they are the ones this is all for.

Will it slow down? Will there be a time when I can sit back and say, WOW, look at what we've done and then go out and ride my horses? Hmmm, I'm not sure if this is a reality or not. I guess I'll keep moving forward and see if that time comes. I know, I know, "we make our own reality"! This is mine for right now and God willing I can hang in there a little bit longer.

I could never have done this by myself, by the way. On my own, I would have thrown in the towel a while ago I bet. You all came along at JUST the right time to save me from myself! Thanks :)

Over half way done with fencing project. It takes longer than I think, even with helpful volunteers. Thanks to Ashley and Ashley from Johnson State College, and Alicia, dedicated weekend volunteer, for their time and energy to get the task done!

I'll be able to finish up in a day or two if the weather holds. Not like I've never put up fence in the rain before, but it's sure more enjoyable when it's dry and mild. The horses are going to enjoy the new space.

Next on the list is the run-in shed project. We are looking for donated lumber /materials to construct a 10'x 12' shelter for one of the new pastures. Little Creek and Minko will most likely be living out all winter and they'll need a place to get out of the elements. A local family makes small wooden sheds at a good price, and can deliver them, but it's still an expense we can't cover right now.

So if you have any building lumber sitting in your yard that we could use...please contact me!

progess

Along with being so busy all day and a really slow computer, blogging has been difficult. Things seem to progress and change everyday it's even hard for me to keep up!

On Friday 100 cedar posts were put in for winter pasture down in the lower field parellel to the driveway. I felt very spoiled not having to pound even one post! It was money well spent to have a strong young man do it and Steph2 came from Burlington to help out. She's strong like bull! Saturday is being spent stringing fencing and burning the huge brush pile. Volunteers coming to participate in the fun :)

With the most recent news that financing is being approved for a small indoor arena/barn which will be constructed soon, we have a lot in store for the winter. These plans and initiatives we've been hanging on to for a while are able to come to fruition once the structure is up. I'm still holding my breath till I see the construction starting though. I'll be doing the happy dance then!

The horses are enjoying our unseasonably warm weather and I'm grateful for the sun. Hunting season opened this morning and 8 yards of blaze orange fabric sit on my table awaiting my sewing machine. Making neck covers for them to keep them safe. Little Destiny looks just like a deer with her light dun coloration and white streaks in her mane and tail. She prances around like one too. Tonight I'll have them all done so they can wear them for the next two weeks.

I look so forward to having some time to spend with the horses instead of the continuing fence projects. After this, the last big project is perimeter fencing of about 20 acres next spring. Woo-hooo!

The horses now live a gated community! After the theft of our generator on Thursday we got buttoned up today. Huntin' season opens Saturday morning at dawn and I'm sure there will be a few suprised hunters who drive up to see a locked gate. I don't have anything against hunters, or hunting, just too much risk with the horses living out in their pastured round the clock.

MaryAnne, Elsie, Cherise and Jo deserve a big thanks for helping with the gate and posting the property task. It was kinda chilly out later in the afternoon, and WAY too dark too early.

Little Creek is settling in well and prompting Thunder to play the nippy face game. Thunder is 19, LC 3, so the game gets old after a while and he let LC know. But then he comes back for more and initiates the game so I figure if he was tired of it he'd go find something else to do. They'll work it out.

This week will be about gathering materials to put up another big fencing job. Saturday will be volunteer work day if anyone can make it! Weather dependent, maybe burning the big brush pile the JSC students made.

Little Creek

The Center has a revolving door. Just as soon at two horses leave, another one appears! I brought Little Creek, my three year old Choctaw colt home today. He's been at Joanne's house since May keeping Gavilan company. Many thanks to Joanne and Andy for watching after him, I know he brought a lot of joy to their lives.

LC is stunning! He's grown up a lot over the summer and the resemblance to his sire Iktinike is remarkable. He has the same quiet demeanor and like and dislikes as his sire too. It's pretty amazing actually to see how similar they are. Pictures to follow on Facebook soon!

For those of you reading this who don't know LC's history, he was one of the offspring from the Choctaw Indian Pony Conservation Program I managed at Red Road Farm. He is 100% full Choctaw pony. Eliza and I watched LC be brought into this world. His dam is Red Creek, a lovely bay mare and his sire is Iktinike, owned by world reknowned equine geneticist Dr. Philip Sponenberg who spearheaded the Choctaw Program. The herd of Choctaws I cared for and trained hold a special place in my heart. They now live at Return to Freedom in California.

Minko comes from the same herd and he and Little Creek were born 32 days apart. Today was the first time they've seen each other since they were weanlings. Minko sure made a big fuss about that! All 12.2 hands of him puffed up and he was going to take Little Creek on from over the fence. LC stands about 13.2 but has a very big presense about him, as does Minko but LC finally turned away from him, after some squealing and striking. Interesting dynamics and I'm not sure now that they are going to be pasture mates until they work it out over the fence. I don't need any accidents or broken fences. So for now LC and Thunder, who is a distant cousin, will be roomies beginning tomorrow.

What amazes me most about LC is his coloring. He appears white, or grey, but you can see the tobiano pattern he boldly displayed as a foal by his grey skin when he's wet. He was a dark brown and white tobiano when he was born. He's now a varnished roan tobiano with sabino markings on his legs. Pretty amazing. And his ears are very darkly roaned, plus his one blue eye and mottling around his eyes and lips makes for a real visual treat!

He's our homegrown boy and I look forward to spending more time with him now.

Galan and Logan left today and are back with their moms. I'll miss their cute faces! I was really fortunate to have them for training and learned from each one of them. They learned a lot too.

Putting my energy into tightening up the Center and ordering a good, user friendly gate. For now, all valuables are stored safely. Kara suggested I get a guard dog...but we've got Oscar and Destiny! Actually, they are safely pastured these days now that hunting season is approaching.

Stay tuned for our new website soon! MaryAnne and Elsie have been working full time on it the past number of weeks. I'm just about done with my homework assignments writing content and finding photos. I'm very excited for when we go live--we have lots of information and ways people can get involved.

My big dissapointing news is that our generator was stolen last night. This is our only source for pumping water out of the well to water the horses. I've been putting the word out locally, but I really doubt it'll show up. The sheriff's office has all the pertinent info. What really stinks is that now I'm worried that they will be back for other things. A locked gate is going to be installed ASAP but still, if someone wants to get in, I'm sure they could.

The generator was only 6 months old, still paying it off. Really a bummer. Of course most of the troughs were near empty so to get them watered for the night I had to haul water in my truck from the neighbors house. This is one time I'm glad it's raining...they won't drink much over night.

Just feeling really sad about all this. For many reasons. Nothing like a good cry to get the morning started.

Looking on the bright side though I have some free help 3 days a week now for a few hours a day and making progress on getting a day off in the near future.

Logan and Galan have been here for training for almost a month and both are leaving tomorrow for their homes. I've learned alot from them and look forward to working with them and their owners again next year.

Moving on...