Wow, I have really got keep this thing updated more...over a month since my last post and many things have happened since!
First things first: I have finally started taking MJ, my mare, to her first few barrel races! YAY! After putting in two and half years' worth of work, time, and effort into her and it's finally paying off. We're not winning many paychecks yet; in fact, we've only just won one, but we are getting back into the game. Still have to work through several issues (the biggest one being her trying to balk at the gate), but other than that, her pattern is SOLID! Couldn't have asked for a better partner...even though she does like to push my buttons while at home!
Snazzy, on the other hand, has been off of work for several weeks now. Last month, I noticed he was seriously limping in the front (looks like right-front lameness) and immediately asked my farrier if we could shoe him. But that quickly became a hassle considering Snazzy kept throwing his left front shoe almost every week... couple of times even twice a week! So long story short, after weighing the options, we decided it was best we take off his shoes entirely since it is becoming not a hassle financially, but going around constantly with three shoes might make whatever is going on his foot worse. Come next week, he's got an x-ray appointment with vet to make sure that it IS just a foot soreness and not anything worse, God-forbid. My worst fear is founder from the lush spring grass he has access to. Fingers are crossed and prayers are being spoken, so hopefully, everything is alright.
Now for the BIG NEWS! As I have already mentioned, I am doing an apprenticeship at the barn I work at, Southern Oaks Equestrian. Well over the past couple of months, my trainer/boss has been talking to me about an event called the Extreme Mustang Makeover. I'll do another entry explaining about the Extreme Mustang Makeover later on, but in a nutshell, it's an event hosted by the Mustang Heritage Foundation to get the mustangs who have rounded up into holding pens adopted out to loving homes. Unfortunately, there aren't many people who can correctly train a mustang, so the MHF created the event to help get these mustangs trained and adopted out. There are about 200 trainers (I'll have to check it and make sure I got that right) who are selected to participate in this event. What happens is, when it comes time to pick up the mustang (or mustangs; there are several trainers who do at least two or even three if they can), the trainers have exactly 90 DAYS to completely halter-break, saddle break, and teach the horse to walk, trot, canter. Then once the 90 days are up, the trainers take their mustang to the Extreme Mustang Makeover Competition, showcasing the work they have put into these once wild horses. Once the competition is over, the horses are put into an auction where they are then sold to the highest bidder. Once the horse is sold, the trainer receives a $700 trainer's fee and 20% of the commission from the sale, plus whatever cash and/or prizes they receive during the competition, if they get any. Of course, it isn't the money that is the attention-getter in this case; it's the experience and reputation the trainer receives when they do this event. It is basically the once-in-a-lifetime experience to work with a wild mustang. The competition is also shown on national television, on channel RFD-TV.
So, as I mentioned before, my trainer and I have been talking back and forth on this event and after weighing my options on everything (mostly if I would have time to not only work my horses but add a mustang that I would be working two-three times a day), I decided to enter into the Tennessee Mustang Makeover in October. The competition will be held in Murfreesboro, TN, and Marsha and I will be picking up our mustangs (cause she's doing one alongside me) in the middle of July. So needless to say, my summer is going to crammed pack but it will be completely worth it! I am very excited for everything that is going to be happening starting July!
In order to keep everybody updated on the progress of not only my horses but my new mustang that I will be getting in July, I will be trying a lot harder on updating my blog and also, not only posting on my Facebook but also my new Twitter account. Many exciting opportunities are starting to open up for me and I want to make sure to keep everybody posted on what's going on!
Until next time...
Shabbat Shalom,
Jessi
P.S. Before I forget, here's the URL to my new Twitter account. I'll probably be getting on that more than Facebook, unless I'm posting pictures:
https://twitter.com/#!/Browncoat_Proud
So there you go! Enjoy and Happy Easter!
Shalom!
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