The Horsepower Homestead

 The herd is growing. We added some cattle this past year. And they’re awfully cute.  Mama cow, black angus cross: Tilly  this is her 4th calf she is a great natural mama. Dark brown/spotted heifer: Darla. She is going to be our future milk cow. She is half jersey and half Longhorn. Red Bull calf, red angus: Early, we were told he was due in the fall, he was born 08/08.

I purchased this helmet over the summer from SmartPak Equine for $56.95.  The Troxel Liberty Riding helmet comes in various solid colors. I purchased the "Duratec" color in the Medium size. The Duratec color is a dark turquoise/teal shade. My previous Troxel helmets (Legacy model and the Rebel) were both size medium and fit me very well. This one has the dial system and fits well. I even have enough space to wear a slim beanie with it in the winter (on a larger dial setting than I normally wear it).  I wear this helmet 3-4 times each week and it is holding up well. The color is still vibrant. I keep my helmet in a hat box when I'm not wearing it and it looks almost new with minimal scratches, seems to be quite durable. I chose this particular style of helmet due to the fact that I'd be wearing it to lessons. It's appropriate for schooling shows and not as flashy as the Troxel Rebel, while still being available in fun colors.  Troxel Liberty...

Something about seeing baby horses turns me into a kid again. I will stop the car to admire them. I will shout and point them out to my friends. Creamsicle   One of my neighbors has a few mares, and they each have a foal on their side right now. Cute precious things that I have nicknamed all silly names. It's my favorite sign of Spring, seeing the baby horses.   I grabbed some quick picture of them to share the cuteness. Hope y'all enjoy. Little-feet Chessie

1. You find hay in your bra. Your socks. And sometimes may have to dump it out of your shoes. 2. Sometimes you find treats in your pockets and there's no horse to give it to. Because you're at work. Or at school. And how did this treat get here? 3. Your boots have special designations. Muck boots. Riding boots. Show boots. Rain boots. Dancing boots. Fancy boots. and Date night boots. 4. You regularly check Craigslist, Ebay, and the Facebook Market for saddles. Just in case. You don't actually need one. 5. Your computer background, phone screen wallpaper, etc. is horse themed. 6. You have barn clothes, show clothes, and "regular people" clothes. But we all know which ones you wear the most. Even when you're not at that barn. Just in case you end up there. 7. You try to "whoa" things that aren't horses. Dogs. Boyfriends. Children. Vehicles. 8. Your mom voice and your horse voice are the same thing. 9. You learned to braid (or want ...

I had my Colliegate saddle repaired at Texas Boot and Saddlery in Fort Worth. They re-did my knee pads and conditioned all the leather. It looks fantastic and it's even more comfortable to ride in.

For my birthday this year I was in Florida. But I couldn't imagine spending the day without at least seeing some horses. So I found a family friendly trail ride. The whole family tagged along, including my little brother, who is autistic, and we all had a fantastic time. The place I found for us is to ride was horse rescue. And all the money they collect goes back into the care of the animals. I thought it was a great sentiment. The trail ride was beautiful. They took us through trees, around the lake, along the swamp, and down some trails. I saw plenty of volunteers and the horses seemed very content.  For those that are interested, it's called DreamCatcher Horse Ranch and Rescue in Clermont, Florida.  This is Faith. I rode her during the trail ride. She was fun. She had a peppy step and leg yielded great. She is 17 and has lived at the rescue for a few years. She came from a neglect situation in which she was alone (no human or animal contact) for years. She was nea...

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...

This is a review for Ariat Half Chaps, the "Breeze" model. Material: Leather/Suede Size: Large Priced at: $89.99 (at time of purchase). Current pricing is $129.95 Available at Dover Saddlery and Ariat.com I’ve had these half chaps forever. They were my dad’s but he gave them to me when I started riding more than him. This should also give you an idea about my leg size. These half chaps fit the both of us, however, I probably could have benefited from a shorter length. (But free is free). I was probably about 15 years old at the time I got my half chaps from him. He had used them for about a year. I wore these half chaps a few times a week up through my first year of college, about 4 years of continuous use. Then they got tucked away in a closet. They have been back in use for the past 2 years. Now 12 years old with about 7 years of good use on them, and they still look fantastic. They are described as: "Exceptionally soft, these unisex chaps work wit...

Most equestrians when they picture the perfect show horse, they see something bright, flashy. Lots of socks, perhaps a big white blaze. Not me. I think of Precious. Solid brown. The tiniest single speck of white, a penny sized bird catcher spot on her cheek. She was a liver chestnut, brown like a chocolate bar. Only turning the slightest hint of red in the summer sun by mid July. Precious was my favorite lesson horse. She was flawless. Built like an athlete. She'd carry you over anything you pointed her at. Sturdy and fearless. Extremely versatile. She taught me how to jump. She never refused a fence. I also did play-days with her and once did a local pole bending completion with her. I was convinced she could do anything. She wasn't anything special. Very plain to look at. No special blood lines. Not a special breed. Just a simple colored Appendix Quarter horse. But she was special to me. Precious   And now, as an adult re-rider, I wish she was still around. ...

For Christmas, I had a bracelet and keychain made from Apache and Sonny's tail hairs. I ordered these items from Equine Keepsakes. The turnaround on these items was quite fast. I mailed my tail hair out the day after I placed my order and then received my items about 10 days later. The bracelet is beautiful, high quality materials. I wear it frequently and it looks as good as new.   Bracelet, Style Chancellor Inlay with Chevron braid Price $30 The Keychain was a gift, and it has been much loved.  Loop Keychain, Rope style braid $17 The prices at Equine Keepsakes are reasonable. She offers a ton of options: bracelets, necklaces, keychains, etc. The owner, Aimee, also offers custom design consultations. She also does other pet related keepsake jewelry as well. Another plus, all her items are covered by a Warranty, which is a great deal. You can learn more about that here . Her website is detailed, and easy to navigate. I recommend anyon...

As this year comes to a close, I find myself grateful for its events. I find myself looking forward to 2018, eager to see what wonderful new adventures it may hold. I have spent much of 2017 surrounded by horses and doing what I absolutely love. And Although 2018 will likely involve some big changes for me, I know that in the end, it's all going to be worth it. That it's all a step in the right direction, leading me to my goals and dreams. After all, the horse nose best.   Apache nose Sonny nose

**This entry was transcribed from my handwritten journal, dated from December 11th, 2016. I thought it would provide interesting contrast to how things have turned out now. Enjoy. There are days when Apache is so perfect, that I imagine that she must be my soul mate. That no person or thing could complete my life more than she does. They say when you find your heart horse, you'll know.  And I would swear, that I knew it from the moment I saw her. Which, ironically, is more than I can say about any man that's ever been in my life. I've never looked at one of them and decided "yup, that's the one." Maybe that's part of the problem.  Apache isn't perfect. But we know how to communicate. I've learned her language. And she's learned mine. We respect each other.  I trust her. She trusts me too. Trust is a hard one for me. I find her easier to trust than I find most people. Even though she's an 1000 pound animal with the e...

My horseback riding instructor was old when he started teaching me. I don't say that lightly or to be mean. Nor am I exaggerating. It's simply fact. He was in his 60s when I started riding with him. And now, he's mid 70s. He's funny though, you wouldn't know he's old. He refuses to age. He has however come to terms with the fact that he can't ride anymore. Although it's not so much that he isn't mentally capable, more like his two metal hips, and metal knee making mounting up very challenging. He can't break colts like he used to. He still starts them, but he needs someone else in the saddle these days. That's where I come in. He's had some health issues and family stuff the past few years. We haven't seen each other much. But I always call around Christmas. So I called him last weekend. And he was so happy to hear from me. Because he'd been thinking of calling me. But he wasn't sure I had time for "an old man and hi...

 I purchased these reins on Amazon for $12. Tractor supply sells the same brand for a similar price in a variety of colors as well. The online listing describes the item as: "Exciting color combinations give this poly roper rein a fashionable look you'll love! This quality roper rein features durable, weather resistant russet harness leather water loops at both ends with alum tanned leather laces and nickel plated scissor snaps. You'll appreciate the great feel this rein has in your hands. Measures 3/8" x 8'."   Roper reins     I purchased these reins after watching a string of training videos by Little Red Cowgirl . She uses a very similar set when she is colt starting. She also appears to have a set that she uses on her horse, Chobit, on occasion. These reins, despite being made out of what appears to be colorful rope, are quite soft. They are also durable and effective. I like the length of these reins, not too short and not too long....