My Theme Song!

It's hard to pick just one, but I think I'm Sexy And I Know It by LMFAO pretty much sums it up! I'm a seductress, a temptress, and way more alluring than any human deserves to be. And I Know It! ;) Just kidding!

Everyone had those awkward years growing up, or had low self esteem, maybe problems with family or friends, and I definitely did. I really think that Good Day To Ride by George Canyon describes a huge part of my life. Horses have been my escape since I was little. I began riding lessons when I was six and fell in love! The first horse I co-boarded was a wonderfully reliable old mare named Taara who I (and my mother) could trust completely. She took care of me and gave me an opportunity to learn and try new things in the saddle because she was always on her best behavior. My riding and self-confidence improved greatly in the two years that I rode her. She taught me just how good a horse could be. Whenever I would come home after having a fight with a friend, I would just ask to go to the barn and come back a much happier person!

A few months after that arrangement ended, I met the horse from hell. She was temperamental, obstinate, ruthless, vicious, too smart for her own good, nearly untrainable, spastic, unpredictable and dangerous. Every time I tried to ride her, she would try to trample or buck me off. I was in love! The beast I'm describing is my mare, Sabrina. Almost 5 years later, she is still hard to deal with at times, but for the most part she's a well-mannered, fairly 'safe' horse. And I've trained her to give me kisses for candy! We have an incredible bond, she's my best friend as well as a teammate (riding competitions), and it is such a confidence boost to see how far I've brought her in training and how much she's taught me and helped me to develop as a rider. She taught me just how bad a horse could be, but also how much hard work pays off. :)

Just chillin'...

Being around horses is so therapeutic, it helps me to forget about everything (mostly because I'm concentrating on not letting Sabrina buck me off!) Whenever I'm having a bad day, I just pull on my boots and head out to the barn because throwing a saddle on Sabrina, heading up the dirt road and letting her run is the best feeling in the world! To feel her moving so fast, hear the pounding of her hooves and know that I'm controlling a thousand pound animal (with an attitude problem who would love to throw me in the dirt) is incredible!
It's an escape from the outside world for just an hour or two, but it's been a huge part of my life. :)

Running Barrels!

Go, Turn! Go, Turn! Go, Turn! Go Go Go!

Barrel Racing. My favourite rodeo event! Three barrels set in the arena in a triangular shape. A horse and rider gallop out of the chute at top speed, turn around each of the barrels in a cloverleaf pattern and gallop home.A simple pattern, but so difficult to pull off. The rules are simple: go around all three barrels, don't knock any down. The fastest one wins. Sounds easy enough? Oh, and you're going incredibly fast while your horse's body angle is at a 90 degree angle with the ground on the turns. And if your horse falls, it could land on top of you, and cripple you.... and you could die. :)

The most important thing is to trust your horse. They've got a mind of their own so you really need to build a bond with them before you can work effectively as a pair. They're your teammate, partner, and the only way you're getting around the barrels. Like Batman and Robin, except Robin weighs over a thousand pounds and could crush you on a whim!

I love it! The rush of adrenaline is incredible! My horse, Sabrina (her show name is appropriately Deck's Need4Speed), and I are both very enthusiastic about this sport. She's my crazy little baby and I love her! A purebred American Quarter Horse, she's bred for speed events and working cattle (which is harder than it sounds). She can turn on a dime, stop, and give you back a nickel in change. I've been working with her for 4 and a half years now, and we've built up such a partnership that nobody else can even think about being able to handle her like I can. She's temperamental, stubborn, full of attitude, listens when she feels like it, and is way more intelligent than any animal has a right to be! Everyone says that we're such a good team because we're so much alike! As soon as she sees me dragging out the barrels, she starts prancing and snorting in anticipation because all she wants to do is run, and boy can she ever run!

So that's what I do in my spare time and to blow off steam, and earn some ribbons in the summer!