The Horsepower Homestead

This past weekend I attended the Fort Worth Stock Show and had the pleasure of watching the Mustang Magic event. In this event, a number of trainers work with mustangs for 120 days and the top 10 compete against each other in a free style event.   I very much enjoyed the show and think that one day perhaps, I'd like to try it for myself. It was also quite amazing how versatile and smart these mustang were. The trainers were interesting as well, multiple styles and preferences. My favorite trainers from the event were Kristen Mew, Kaitlyne Wadman, and Brittany Mayer. I enjoyed their performances very much, and had I been in the market for a mustang, either of those three would have been quite the catch.  For more information on Mustangs, their history, how you can protect them, and how you can purchase/own one, please visit:  http://mustangheritagefoundation.org/

Sonny and Apache eat almost entirely hay, and mostly coastal hay at that. They graze/have free access to about 35 acres. They receive occasional flakes of alfalfa (once a week), and in the winter they get soaked beet pulp twice a week. So much pasture... For my beet pulp mixture, I soak 2 cu ps of beet pulp in 1 cup of water and 1 cup of Aloe Vera juice (for each horse). The Aloe Vera juice is good protection against ulcers which Apache is more prone for in the winter time. These two are quite spoiled and also receive a handful of treats, which usually consist of some combination of baby carrots, granny smith apples, peppermints, and Manna Pro Biscuits. Sonny and Apache are not high performance athletes and do not require grain. They both maintain weight and have excellent hoof/coat health. They get de-wormer monthly. A trick that I learned early on, is to use an empty syringe (similar to the one that de-wormer comes in), fill it with apple juice or applesauce and g

Ariat Heritage Contour Field Zip Tall Riding boot. Size 8, Medium height, Wide Calf. Price at $195.95 Ariat Heritage Contour Purchased at the Dover store. My legs are 16.5 inches tall with 16.5 in calves. I'm square (Ha!). It took me a while to find a boot that fit. Fortunately, the only one in the store that did fit me was also on clearance! The Ariat Heritage Field boot is being re-designed for next season. (This likely means that by the time I need to replace these boots, the new Heritage Contours won't fit me, oh the joys of short round calves.) Regardless, in this moment, I'm in love with these boots. I'm still in the process of breaking them in. This is my first pair of tall riding boots. I've always worn paddock boots and half chaps before (or cowboy boots). I will also comment on Dover Saddlery's store. I went to the Dallas location for Dover Saddlery, on a Saturday, and it was a holiday weekend (New Year's). They were moderately busy.

**This entry is transcribed from my handwritten journal. This entry is from June 2017. It has been too cold to ride this week. So enjoy this entry instead.  The neighbors have this filly. She's cute. Unhandled. They had stuck a halter on her so that they could catch her and left it on all the time. But then they still couldn't catch her. They asked me to halter train her for them. Her name is Lucy. She's almost two. Lucy in the late February 2017 Lucy in the late February 2017, featuring Sonny's ear. It took us a while to earn Lucy's trust. She was out to pasture on 20 acres with a herd of cattle. I had to use some grain to bribe her initially. But she quickly learned that people equal food and scratching and she liked food and scratching.  I was reminded that often, young horses just need quality time. It was easy. I moved slow. I was patient and we practiced a lot. She's come a long way. No more bribes with treats.  For those interested

I've worn the same pair of Ariat paddock boots since 2007. They're roughly 11 years old. The toes are finally starting to peel apart a little. Cold air and sometimes water leak in now, but on a dry day in the Texas heat, they're still perfect. The zippers still work. They're a perfect fit with my half chaps. Ariat Paddock boots, ~10 years of wear I've worn these boots at least twice a week every week for the past 10 years . Even when I wasn't riding much, I'd occasionally slip them on for some reason: rain, mud, winter slush, etc. When they're clean and polished the black leather looks sharp.  To be honest it's been so long sine I purchased these I'm not sure if they're the Scout or the Heritage or the Devon Pros models. They're 100% leather, with rubber soles, and metal zippers.  They're comfortable, and up until recently were water proof. I could likely get a few more years out of them if I got them re-soled.  T

I've had these boots since 2012. They are snip toed cowboy boots. They feature full grain foot and shaft, with intricate embroidery. The color is listed as "washed out adobe". The Style number is 10009554. The outsole is rubber with "Goodyear" welt construction that allows for re-soling. These boots are quite beautiful. I use them as my "dress shoes". I have worn these to weddings, parties, and many vacations. People usually can tell that I'm a Texan. I like looking the part. Waiting to catch a plane, sporting my Ariats. These boots are also great for riding, if you can bear to get them dirty. The snip toe and slight heel fit great in a stirrup. The boot has a nice weight to it, aiding in keeping the heels down. The shaft is firm, and doesn't bunch up. The boot is a 13 inches tall, which allows it to sit properly while in the saddle without catching on anything.  I enjoy wearing these boots to the rodeo. People often thin they

I purchase these boots in the summer of 2014 as a graduation gift to myself. They are the Tony Lama 3R Saddle Brown Travis boots (Style#  RR2015L ). When I purchased these, they were on clearance, so I paid $162.55. They tend to run about $190. These boots are quite tall, at least for me and my short shins. They come up to the bottom of my knee with maybe an inch or two of space between the top of the boot and my knee cap. The uppers measure 15 inches. It's a square toed boot with Mahogany leather welt, white double row stitching, and a pink flower design. The insole is orthotic and the outsole is made of rubber. My boots are an 8.5 B in size. This is pretty standard for me. I usually am a B in boots, and I wear an 8 to 9 depending on the brand. So I would say that these are true to fit. I have ridden in these boots twice. The rubber sole is a bit much for the stirrups in my opinion, but it does work and does not pinch. The upper part of the boot is too tall for long tra