I got an early Xmas present today from my friend Lauren U. I can’t tell u in words on this blog how much I love it. So I just decided to attach a pic of it. It’s a painting from my favorite picture of Cook. First weekend after Xmas when the farmer’s market opens up, I am running out there to get it framed.

So I got most of my shopping done. I still wanna go by triangle horse sports though to try on GPA’s. I gotta know my size so I can keep an eye on ebay. I want one bad but I don’t wanna spend the $$.

I “rode” Cook tonight. I put that in quotes cause mostly I just tried to stay on. There was construction going on at the house by the ring and the sound of drills, hammers and workers was more than the Thoroughbred can handle. LOL. Plus it was dark, plus it was muddy. Cook was just scared out of her wits. Poor pony. Tomorrow will be better.

Today I pretty much did NOTHING. I need to go to the mall and etc to finish my xmas gifts but it was cold out there and rainy in the AM so I just couldn’t get myself out. I went to the grocery store to get some items so I could actually cook dinner instead of us eating out or Eric grilling out. I don’t think I have made dinner since Eric got here.

Anyway I stopped by on my way from the store to see Cook. She was good. Finished her breakfast. She will be happier today when she’s outside and it’s 50 degrees.

Leaving u on this note. Isn’t Birdie the cutest dog ever?

Fun Day. I went out early to do the barn with Laura, Alexis and Eric. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Eric is doing good at his barn training. Picking it up. The funniest thing was our drain clogged and Eric was investigating what was clogging it. Reluctently, he he dug into it with his hand. So after cleaning out it (gross!), Eric said “This is a real life fear factor!”

I rode in with Alexis in her lesson with Lauren Upton. That was fun. Although my legs hurt. Thanks, Lauren. Lauren set up these poles that we were supposed to do a clover pattern on. Cook not so swift with the poles. I was trying to get her to trot nicely over them (stepping over them) and she was trying to resist and monkey jump them.

Here is a funny pic of Cook having issues over the poles.

So anyway, Cook did pretty well. We did alot of flat so that was able to wear her down a lil. She was on the Up side cause it was cold. We jumped a few jumps but she was just so excited and hadn’t jumped in a while so she was just jiggy up to the jump and then over-jumping it. She just needs to get back into the swing of things. Still my favorite girl.

OH and Eric rode Elvis!! it was awesome!! Look in the gallery for Pics…

We came in and she ate dinner. Had no problems with breakfast this morning as well. She’s back to eating normally.

Eric and I fed dinner. Went shopping. Christmas is coming too fast.

Rich found a dog. I hope he keeps her. That would be cool.

I rode Cook today. She was good, actually even more so cause she was good after not being ridden for a week. It was a good warm up for tomorrow’s ride. It was really muddy in the ring due to yesterday’s rain so we had to be really careful cantering. I wouldn’t have cantered except um, that’s not really a choice sometimes with Cook when she’s up. Cook likes the cantering. it was fun, she was good, I stayed on. all is well in horsey world.

Cook is still having issues in eating so I watched her eat dinner. She was fine. gave her an extra 1/2 scoop of food and she ate that too. and 2 mints. I think she’s a big faker. she wants me or aurin to babysit her while she eats. I hope she just gets over it and starts eating her meals like she is supposed to. we’ll see.

I got a nice Christmas surprise from Ma and Pa Baker. I love it!

2 books - Learning Their Language - Intuitive Communication with Animals and Nature and Why Do Horses Do That? - A collection of Curious Equine Behaviors

AWWW… it made me tear up a lil. I love the opening quote.

“God didn’t give man wings, so he gave them horses”

I absolutely love it. Means the world to me.

Farrier today. Of course Cook was a star for Loren (the farrier). Yay.

So still wouldn’t eat breakfast this morning.

Nikki gave her some food about 2-3pm and she ate fine.

I went out after work, bought applesauce and mixed it in. SHE LOVED it! applesauce is her friend!!

so we will see but I think she’s being a big faker. she has no signs of colic. I think she’s just being picky. and this is coming from her mom that freaks out at a bug bite on her. she knows that I will do cartwheels to get her to eat and shes’ secretly hatched this plan (prolly in cohoots with Aurin) that she will skip some meals and then Mom will put an array of treats in her food to get her to eat.

If u are wondering why skipping a few meals is cause for worry, it’s because 1) it’s harder keeping weight on older horses and 2) it’s harder to keep weight on in the winter.

Cook is older.. and it’s cold as crap.

So I’m happy! She ate her dinner. She was starting on her beet pulp when I left.

On another note. we got some video captured last night. We (eric) found a better way to capture video. I left the sound on cause the sound of her galloping is really neat but I TALK ALOT. UGH. I hate the sound of my voice. I don’t shut up! I was just trying to get the photographers out there to get the pics I wanted.

Anyway look how cute Cook is. Click here.

This second video is where Cook will canter and then swing around to me. She did that a couple of times. Click here.

And another one, Click here.

Cook has been picky about her food in the last couple of days. we might try a different couple of things to get her to eat her meals. I’m not overly concerned but I don’t want her to lose weight cause it’s winter and she’s older so she needs all the fat she can get.

I went in her stall and shared an apple with her. She was excited about her apple so I think she is just being picky, not that she has any problems.

Eric got a firewire card to make the capture of video better. he’s still working on the galloping video.

oh! and an update on the Jeep, it was fixed last week. Turns out there was a loose ground wire. Eric found and fixed. So that was good.

Hope all is well with everyone.

I was getting ready to go to the barn when Emily from the barn called to tell me that Cook wasnt’ eating breakfast. For non horse people, not eating can be a sigh of colic. So I went out and well… she wasn’t eating. Not even a little. I took her out to see if she would eat a lil grass and she did. She took a dump, so that was a good sigh she was fine as well. So after a lil while and observing her and Cook looking at me like I was insane, I let her out in the pasture. She ran around, reared up and chased a Patti the Pony. I figured she was feeling good enough to be mean then she wasn’t colic-ing.

I wanted to ride Cook but she was COVERED IN MUD. I knew I had to hose her later and I couldn’t hose her and then saddle her. So I just rode Missy and Early instead.

So now I’m sitting in bed, sore. Still haven’t recovered from the Moss apparently.

Changing subjects.

Everyone knows how I am “adjusting” to Trevi, Eric’s dog being here. He’s soooooo good-looking (that was for u Seinfeld fans). Anyway, don’t u think that Trevi (pictured with my dogs) looks like Rizzo the Rat from the Muppets. Look and compare for urself!

ha!

Lauren called me Saturday AM to suggest we skip the JC show and head out to the Moss. had a really good time. Cook was pretty good for not having been worked in a week. She was jiggy about 3/4 of the way and she bucked a few times but overall she was good. We went up this galloping hill….. SOOOOOOOOOO AWESOME. I went faster on Cook than I ever had. WOW! Pony can move!! Elvis hung right in there with us. The hill started out as a canter but when Cook heard Elvis coming up beside her, she kicked it into the top secret 6th gear. Here are a few pics we took on the trail.

For the complete set of pics, go to the gallery under the Moss Foundation.

Thanks Lauren! Good times.