Once again, it’s time for Thankful Thursday! I hope this post inspires you to consider the things in your life that you are grateful for. If you have a blog, consider posting about it there and link back here. If you don’t have a blog, please feel welcome to comment here on what you are grateful for in your own life. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing, then just take a few moments to reflect on all that you have. If you’d like to tag other bloggers that participate, feel free to do that.

This Thursday, I want to say a special thanks to two awesome bloggers that have both nominated From The Horse’s Back for The Beautiful Blogger award.  This award is the very first that I’ve received since beginning this site last summer.  Upon seeing the other wonderful sites that were nominated as well as mine, I am doubly honored to be held in such fine company.  Thank you so much to Juliette over at Honeysuckle Faire and Jane at The Literary Horse for considering this site worthy of an award.  These sites are two of my all time favorites and ones that I regularly visit, waiting eagerly for a post.  If you haven’t checked out either of the sites before, please do so.  Juliette is a phenomenal artist (and all around wonderful chick) and her site always leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy.  Plus, now she has a new etsy shop where she’s offering some of her fantastic artwork for sale.  Jane has got to be one of the funniest human beings in the world and her blog brings me so much joy.  You just never know what you’re going to find when you head over there for a visit!  I especially recommend the Mr. Chips series of posts – but be warned, coffee spewing is a likely occurrence while reading!

Thanks again ladies, for such an honor and for being loyal readers even in the midst of my erratic posting! 

Happy Thursday to all and please visit these other sites that frequently participate in Thankful Thursday:

Akal Ranch, Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch, The Pony Expression, and Tired Dog Ranch.

Once again, it’s time for Thankful Thursday! I hope this post inspires you to consider the things in your life that you are grateful for. If you have a blog, consider posting about it there and link back here. If you don’t have a blog, please feel welcome to comment here on what you are grateful for in your own life. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing, then just take a few moments to reflect on all that you have. If you’d like to tag other bloggers that participate, feel free to do that.

Just one drop can change everything…

Photo courtesy of maddogmarquis, Photobucket

Back in October ‘09 I did a series of Thankful Thursday posts titled “Nostalgia” (you can read them here, here, and here).  I guess I’m feeling a bit sentimental again, because this week I have been thinking a lot about someone who made a big impact on my life many years ago.  He was the man that I credit with developing that competitive fire in me and showing me the fun and social side of horse shows. 

I don’t even remember how my family came to be involved with “Vern,” but I remember our first business meeting with him back in 1990 at a little restaurant in Ohio.  He agreed to bring his burgeoning training operation to the brand new horse farm that my parents were building in southwestern PA.  In a sense we started off together, although Vern had been an assistant trainer for several years and was involved with some very high profile people in the Appaloosa world.  Vern was really the one that steered my family, and me especially, into the national and world arenas of competition.  He was the one that found Tyler for me, the white wonder horse that made me fall in love with riding.  He was the one that brought Icy and Seeker to our show string – two equally dynamic, well known, and talented horses that my sister and I were very fortunate to have the opportunity to show.  I could even thank him for Tiny – because he was the one that chose Super (her dam) to be my very first game horse.  Vern introduced my family to so many people and because of him we got extremely involved in the horse show world.  We became active members of the Appaloosa Pleasure Horse Association, regional Appaloosa clubs, and 4H.  One of my favorite memories was when he and my parents brainstormed and created this incredibly huge Appaloosa show for the now-defunct Pennsylvania Appaloosa Association.  They had jackpot barrels and pleasure classes with money added, sponsors, you name it.  Back in the early 90’s it was quite a feat for a regional club to have such a successful show.  I truly believe that Vern was the catalyst that took us from casual horse lovers to serious and actively involved competitors, and he got the whole family involved in some fashion.  He even spearheaded an effort to have challenged riders classes added to show lists at all the shows so that disabled riders like my youngest sister could be involved too.

We spent five very exciting and productive years with Vern before he moved on to other things.  I wish I could say that I’ve kept in touch with him over the years, but as so often happens we have drifted away to separate lives.  I recently met up with an old friend of his at the Quarter Horse show in Tampa and he told me that Vern is healthy and happy and has a beautiful farm in the Pittsburgh area where he continues to coach youth riders and maintains a successful breeding operation.   I hope to reestablish contact with Vern, if for no other reason than to thank him for being such a great trainer, coach, and friend to me and all of my family during our formative years in the Appaloosa business.

Happy Thursday to all and please visit these other sites that frequently participate in Thankful Thursday:

Akal Ranch, Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch, The Pony Expression, and Tired Dog Ranch.

Once again, it’s time for Thankful Thursday! I hope this post inspires you to consider the things in your life that you are grateful for. If you have a blog, consider posting about it there and link back here. If you don’t have a blog, please feel welcome to comment here on what you are grateful for in your own life. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing, then just take a few moments to reflect on all that you have. If you’d like to tag other bloggers that participate, feel free to do that. 

This week something made me recall a poem that I’d first read many years ago that touched me deeply.  To this day, its words still resonate in me when I read it and I’d like to share it with you. 

Photo courtesy of Sparkygirl911, photobucket

Fern Hill

Now as I was young and easy under the apple boughs
About the lilting house and happy as the grass was green,
     The night above the dingle starry,
          Time let me hail and climb
     Golden in the heydays of his eyes,
And honoured among wagons I was prince of the apple towns
And once below a time I lordly had the trees and leaves
          Trail with daisies and barley
     Down the rivers of the windfall light. 

And as I was green and carefree, famous among the barns
About the happy yard and singing as the farm was home,
     In the sun that is young once only,
          Time let me play and be
     Golden in the mercy of his means,
And green and golden I was huntsman and herdsman, the calves
Sang to my horn, the foxes on the hills barked clear and cold,
          And the sabbath rang slowly
     In the pebbles of the holy streams. 

All the sun long it was running, it was lovely, the hay
Fields high as the house, the tunes from the chimneys, it was air
     And playing, lovely and watery
          And fire green as grass.
     And nightly under the simple stars
As I rode to sleep the owls were bearing the farm away,
All the moon long I heard, blessed among stables, the nightjars
     Flying with the ricks, and the horses
          Flashing into the dark. 

And then to awake, and the farm, like a wanderer white
With the dew, come back, the cock on his shoulder: it was all
     Shining, it was Adam and maiden,
          The sky gathered again
     And the sun grew round that very day.
So it must have been after the birth of the simple light
In the first, spinning place, the spellbound horses walking warm
     Out of the whinnying green stable
          On to the fields of praise. 

And honoured among foxes and pheasants by the gay house
Under the new made clouds and happy as the heart was long,
     In the sun born over and over,
          I ran my heedless ways,
     My wishes raced through the house high hay
And nothing I cared, at my sky blue trades, that time allows
In all his tuneful turning so few and such morning songs
     Before the children green and golden
          Follow him out of grace, 

Nothing I cared, in the lamb white days, that time would take me
Up to the swallow thronged loft by the shadow of my hand,
     In the moon that is always rising,
          Nor that riding to sleep
     I should hear him fly with the high fields
And wake to the farm forever fled from the childless land.
Oh as I was young and easy in the mercy of his means,
          Time held me green and dying
     Though I sang in my chains like the sea 

- Dylan Thomas 

Happy Thursday to all and please visit these other sites that frequently participate in Thankful Thursday: 

Akal Ranch, Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch, The Pony Expression, and Tired Dog Ranch.

Once again, it’s time for Thankful Thursday! I hope this post inspires you to consider the things in your life that you are grateful for. If you have a blog, consider posting about it there and link back here. If you don’t have a blog, please feel welcome to comment here on what you are grateful for in your own life. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing, then just take a few moments to reflect on all that you have. If you’d like to tag other bloggers that participate, feel free to do that.

 On Monday, I talked about my fun trip to the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse show.  What I didn’t mention is that the fun continued on long after I left the Florida State Fairgrounds.   One of my very first blogger friends, Juliette from Honeysuckle Faire, often spends her winter break in central Florida and we decided to meet up this year.  After I left the show, I drove down to St. Petersburg to meet Juliette and her family.  Now, those of you that know me on a personal level know that I’m fairly reserved and often quiet.  However, any nervousness I may have had about meeting Juliette was quickly relieved.  We had a great time chatting about horses and blogs, among other things.  Julie is a genuine and charming person and her family is great too!  I even got to meet her adorable cat Noodlebug, who won me over with the most precious face ever.  If you haven’t checked out Honeysuckle Faire yet, you should go over and take a look around.  Juliette is an incredible artist and her site features some of her work, as well as the story of her two boys Pie and Sovey. 

Michelle, Noodle, and Juliette

I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to meet Juliette, Brian, Maizie, Lake, and Noodlebug.  I had a great time and hope that we can get together next time in PA for Juliette’s dream of a blogger buddies riding weekend.  Ok, now who’s coming to Florida next? 

 Happy Thursday to all and please visit these other sites that frequently participate in Thankful Thursday:

Akal Ranch, Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch, and Tired Dog Ranch.

Once again, it’s time for Thankful Thursday! I hope this post inspires you to consider the things in your life that you are grateful for. If you have a blog, consider posting about it there and link back here. If you don’t have a blog, please feel welcome to comment here on what you are grateful for in your own life. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing, then just take a few moments to reflect on all that you have. If you’d like to tag other bloggers that participate, feel free to do that.

Akal Ranch, Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch, and Tired Dog Ranch.

Once again, it’s time for Thankful Thursday! I hope this post inspires you to consider the things in your life that you are grateful for. If you have a blog, consider posting about it there and link back here. If you don’t have a blog, please feel welcome to comment here on what you are grateful for in your own life. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing, then just take a few moments to reflect on all that you have. If you’d like to tag other bloggers that participate, feel free to do that.

Photo courtesy of David Singleton

As I reflect back upon the year 2009, I realize how much has happened in such a relatively short span of time.  One year ago, I could never have imagined that I would be at this place in my life today.  Time and again I am reminded that what we hold in our hand one moment could be shattered into a million glittering pieces the next, with only the slightest wrong movement.  While I would never have chosen to take this path, I am learning every day that I can use those glittering shards of my former life to create something new and beautiful.  Out of the remnants has risen this website, which has challenged me creatively.  I am so thankful for what I’ve already accomplished here and what is to come (more on that in the coming weeks!).  I have created and seized opportunities to meet new people and make new friends, both through this blog and in my everyday life.  I don’t know how I would have gotten through some of the darkest passages without the support of the people in my life.  So thanks you all of you:  the girls that drag me out when I’m feeling down, the family that comes anytime I call, and the loyal readers that keep coming back to read what I have to say…. When 2010 arrives, I’ll be toasting to each of you.  Happy New Year!  Best wishes to everyone for a healthy, happy, and horsey start to the new decade!

Photo courtesy of D. Sharon Pruitt

Akal Ranch, Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch, and Tired Dog Ranch.

Once again, it’s time for Thankful Thursday! I hope this post inspires you to consider the things in your life that you are grateful for. If you have a blog, consider posting about it there and link back here. If you don’t have a blog, please feel welcome to comment here on what you are grateful for in your own life. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing, then just take a few moments to reflect on all that you have. If you’d like to tag other bloggers that participate, feel free to do that.

Over and over I find myself singing the praises of living in Central Florida.  I’m starting to feel like I should be earning a commission from the Florida Tourism Board!  But it’s true – I feel incredibly grateful to live in a community with all the benefits of city life that still embraces green spaces and wildlife.  When many people think of the Orlando area, they think “Mouse Town!”  But in my opinion, far too many people are drawn here to visit Disney and fail to experience all the other gems that we have to offer.  Here are some of my favorite things about the place I call home:

Little Big Econ State Park

One of my absolute favorite weekend destinations (and one that I’m sure to be visiting frequently during my upcoming holiday vacation days) is the Little Big Econ State Forest.  Despite the funky name, this park is a great place to visit – either on foot, bike, or by horseback.  Grady and I have spent many a day wandering through the numerous wooded trails spotting wildlife.  I even went out once on Tiny, but we got a little lost and I think I scared Emma off of trail riding with me in the real forest for good!  We’ve seen a great deal of wildlife in these woods, including numerous bird species, alligators, snakes, bald eagles, and otters.  We’ve also seen evidence of wild pigs on many occasions.  In some parts of the park, the trail follows along the riverbank and you can sometimes find canoists camping along the banks.  This network of trails is an amazing, meditative place to spend a day exploring the natural world that lies just minutes from the downtown city of Orlando.

Fleet Peeples Dog Park

When Grady and I aren’t trekking through the wilderness, you can often find us hanging out at Fleet Peeples Park, easily the BEST dog park I have ever seen.   This 23 acre park is everything a dog could want and more.  The park is entirely fenced and has a large wooded section along one side with trails for walking.  A beach area borders the enormous lake where dogs frolic and splash in the water.  Pavilions with grills, a well appointed bathroom, and plenty of benches and trash cans make owners happy.  There is even a dog wash station where you can remove the sandy evidence of the day’s fun before heading home.  On weekends dogs can easily number more than 50, but generally things are all in good fun.  And the best part is that Fleet Peeples is just down the street from yet another of my favorite Saturday haunts:  the Winter Park Farmer’s Market!

Photo courtey of Natalie Maynor

Farmer’s Markets abound in central Florida and we have the option to be quite picky when it comes to the ones we frequent.  There are several wonderful weekend markets nearby, but I particularly like Winter Park’s Farmer’s Market.  Winter Park is a charming little locale and is very dog friendly.   The market is fairly large and offers a wide selection of produce, baked goods, cheeses, plants, crafts, and so much more!  You can often even find ethnic goods like Brazilian ice cream (mmm, the corn flavor is the best!) or British specialties.  My friends and I will often make a day out of going to the farmer’s market – do some shopping, nosh on some tasty treats, and meander over to the nearby Starbucks to finish up our conversations.   Great fun!

Finally, it wouldn’t be a Thankful Thursday if I didn’t make some mention of horses, right?  Since moving to Central Florida 10 years ago, I have become almost nonchalant about the sheer number and quality of horses, tack and feed stores, and trainers that populate this area.  I can recall the days of traveling anywhere between 5 and 12 hours to get to a trainer that could help me prepare for a National level show.  Since moving here, I have been fortunate enough to be selective about who I choose and why.  At one point, I used 4 different trainers – 3 of which were within a twenty minute drive from my barn, and all of which were champions in the style of riding I used them for.  Sometimes, when I actually stop and think about my horse life ten years ago I remember to be thankful that I can swing by one of the tack stores on the way home from work or call a neighbor to borrow an item I might need in an emergency.

All in all, I love it here.  I love the green spaces, the horse and dog friendly atmosphere, and the abundance of entertaining activities to suit any interest or mood. 

Happy Thursday to all and please visit these other sites that frequently participate in Thankful Thursday:

Akal Ranch, Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch, and Tired Dog Ranch.

Once again, it’s time for Thankful Thursday! I hope this post inspires you to consider the things in your life that you are grateful for. If you have a blog, consider posting about it there and link back here. If you don’t have a blog, please feel welcome to comment here on what you are grateful for in your own life. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing, then just take a few moments to reflect on all that you have. If you’d like to tag other bloggers that participate, feel free to do that.

Image courtesy of j_barakat_luver, photobucket

Ahhh, here we are, approaching the holidays at breakneck speed.  Everywhere I turn there are holiday tunes in the background, blinking lights on the trees, something to remind me how thankful I am for this season.  It brings out the child in me and takes me back to a time when purple ponies with sparkles on their butts arrived under the Christmas tree.  For the first 12 years of my life, my Christmas list started off the same:  Can I get a horse?  A palomino?  And can it live in the backyard?  Never did get a palomino, but I was fortunate to have horses in my backyard for many years.  And each Christmas reminds me of those days when purple ponies had to suffice and how, with a little creativity, they were able to fill my aching need for a horse.

Another of my favorite reasons for the season is the proliferation of holiday parties and festive gatherings.  As those who know me can attest, I have a long standing love for cocktail dresses that falls behind only horses, dogs, and chocolate on my list of addictions (no, chocolate and formal wear are not mutually exclusive in my world, at least at the moment).  Holidays also remind me of my childhood when my cousin Jenn would come to visit from out of town for the week and our parents would hit the malls for returns or after Christmas sales.  Invariably, Jenn and I would spend our time in the formal wear section trying on a multitude of dresses and dreaming of the events that we might one day wear them to.  That hobby blossomed into a full blown addiction that resulted in a closet full of formal dresses ‘just in case’ I ever needed them.  A couple of years ago I accepted that neither my hips nor my wallet (nor my closet, actually) could sustain that addiction any longer and I donated the dresses to charity.  Imagine my excitement when I was invited to an office holiday party this year by a new friend.  Even better, I had to go shopping for a new dress.  I’m afraid the addiction may have been rekindled…

Happy Thursday to all and please visit these other sites that frequently participate in Thankful Thursday:

Akal Ranch, Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch, and Tired Dog Ranch.

Once again, it’s time for Thankful Thursday! I hope this post inspires you to consider the things in your life that you are grateful for. If you have a blog, consider posting about it there and link back here. If you don’t have a blog, please feel welcome to comment here on what you are grateful for in your own life. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing, then just take a few moments to reflect on all that you have. If you’d like to tag other bloggers that participate, feel free to do that.

Image courtesy of John Talbot

Fall has finally arrived here in Florida.  The past couple of weeks has brought a chill to the air and crisp, clear mornings.  Most Floridians will tell you that while we love our tropical summers, by September we’re ready to cool off.  This year, fall was late in arriving as we sweltered on through October’s muggy, humid days.  So our “cold front” that traveled through here about a week ago makes my top Thankful Thursday moment this week.  Why? you might ask as much of the country is blanketed in snow and trudging wearily through winter.  This is one of my favorite times of year, that’s why.  I love the day when I realize I can put down my windows on the way home from work and feel the wind in my hair as I sing along to the radio at the top of my lungs.  I love opening the windows on a cold night and burrowing under the covers, curled up with Milo lying against me as we listen to crickets chirping.  And finally, I love sitting around a fire on a cold winter night smelling the wood smoke and watching the sparks jump from the flames.  Happy December to everyone!

Image courtesy of webhamster, Flickr

Happy Thursday to all and please visit these other sites that frequently participate in Thankful Thursday:

Akal Ranch, Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch, and Tired Dog Ranch.

Once again, it’s time for Thankful Thursday! I hope this post inspires you to consider the things in your life that you are grateful for. If you have a blog, consider posting about it there and link back here. If you don’t have a blog, please feel welcome to comment here on what you are grateful for in your own life. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing, then just take a few moments to reflect on all that you have. If you’d like to tag other bloggers that participate, feel free to do that.

Today, you lucky readers get a double shot of Thankful Thursday!  I have been remiss in my posting duties recently and I let last Thursday go by without mention.  Since this is a special week, I can justify a double feature, right?  Here goes…

Last week’s Thankful Thursday should have been about my dear friend Emma and her girl Abby.  Way back in the early days of this website, I talked about Abby’s experience with founder.  Poor old girl’s had a rough year, between a serious shoulder injury and the founder, and has been laid up more often than not.  It took longer than expected for Abby’s recovery this time around, and between family obligations and Abby’s bad luck, Emma’s been out of the saddle a lot lately.  Aside from the obvious reasons why this is sad, I selfishly miss our time together, trail riding and chatting for hours.  Imagine my joy when last week Emma told me she’s begun riding Abby again!  The countdown is on to our next trail ride/girl time!  Even more exciting is that Abby was thrilled to be working again and was even more responsive and well behaved than she normally is.  I am so happy for Emma and Abby (and for me) that they are finally nearing the end of the path toward recovery.

On a more personal note, I am very grateful this Thanksgiving week to be so fortunate in my life.  I am more than lucky to be surrounded by my beloved animals, loving family members, and fantastic friends (both new and old).  I am enjoying this point in my life more than I could have imagined.  I am also so thankful to all the readers who have jumped onboard here and made my transition into the adventure of writing so enjoyable.  I feel that my world is ever expanding as a result of the connections I have made through FromTheHorsesBack and I am greatly enjoying the ride!  As we stand on the cusp of a new year, I am looking ahead with excitement for all the things to come.  Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Thankful Thursday to everyone!  I hope you all have a great day.   

Happy Thursday to all and please visit these other sites that frequently participate in Thankful Thursday:

Akal Ranch, Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch, and Tired Dog Ranch.