"...because my horse is my legs."

Okay so South Point Super Show just passed a few weeks ago.

So many things I wanted to let the world know about...

1. I ran a 15.014 on my friends 22 yr old horse! (that put him in the 2D, out of the money but still the 2D! unreal)

2. My friend Jen AND her mom both ran and had AMAZING runs!

and 3... (which obviously is what my blog is going to be about : ) )

3. Matt helped a girl that inspired not only me or him, but a ton of people!

I had an amazing weekend... I was given memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life, but I wanted to make this blog about this young girl because she is what being a cowgirl is all about.

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When we first unloaded our horses and got them settled into their stalls, I noticed we were next to a young girl who was in a wheel chair.

We were all running around trying to get ready for time only's, and the weekend ahead of us, that I didn't think I would see her again.

I wanted to know what her name was so I could watch her run and cheer her on... but I didn't catch it.

I had my run Friday night, I was super happy with my time, but I hit the first barrel so I was given a no time.

I was down and out and being hard on myself inside my head.

So on Saturday afternoon we went to the barn and decided to walk the horses around to stretch their legs out to get them ready for their run that night. I noticed the girl I mentioned earlier was on her horse standing by her stall.

I didn't know if she was waiting for the other young girl she was riding with or someone else.

After 10 mins or so she asked Matt if he could help her.

I was putting the horses away and watched Matt get her wheel chair out of her horse's stall, unbuckle what looked like a seat belt and put her in his arms to bring her down to her chair.

She then started to untack her horse.

I was so touched by her in SO many ways.

I began to wonder "does she KNOW how influential she is?"

I mean, I don't even know this young girl's name and she left me leaving that barn thinking about her...and Matt kept thinking about her too!

We talked about her a few times in our home. I would keep telling Matt "I wish I got her name."

Well...I woke one morning and my friend Jen, who was obviously thinking about her too, found a story through one of her facebook friends about this girl!

Amberley Snyder's Story

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Click on the link above to read about Amberley Snyder and her true love for rodeo.

You will take so many wonderful messages from this brave cowgirl, but I wanted to let everyone know what this young girl, Amberley Snyder, someone who I never shook hands with, someone who doesn't even know who I am, has done for me.

.     .     .     .

Like I said, the day I watched Matt help her, my thoughts started just racing through my head.

The thoughts didn't become words until Matt; over supper one night asked me, "Do you remember that girl I helped off that horse?"

I knew right then he was having the same thoughts as I was so I just blurted out all my feelings (as I always do).

I was so upset about my run not being the best it could have been to the point I was obsessing over it.

I think God intended for that exact moment to happen with Amberley at that exact time.

To teach me about bravery, dedication and what the love for rodeo really means.

To try and get me to understand that we are all going to have bad runs and sometimes we are going to have bad runs ALOT more often than good runs.

To help me learn that others are fighting other battles then hitting the first barrel.

To get it through my stubborn head...never let your failures define the rest of your journey!

I love in that story when Amerley says, "You feel really free when you're on a horse. I feel very content, and I feel very at peace when I'm on my horses. And, especially now, that is the place where I feel the most free, because my horse is my legs".

Is that not amazing?!

This is a young girl who is completely paralyzed from the waist down and was told she could never walk again is proving all of her doctors wrong.

She is walking, running and barrel racing again thanks to her four legged companion.

If you are still with me, and I hope you are, take this moment to appreciate the amazing things and moments in life.

I want to say THANK YOU AMBERLEY!

You over came the obstacles from your car accident and are still running out your dream.

You have taught the world and personally myself that hitting barrels is not an excuse and "I can't" is not an option.

You are a TRUE Cowgirl!

The heart of a Cowgirl

Oh me, oh my!

Busy, busy, busy!! That is the only way I can describe my life right now.

We decided to do everything in the house ourselves. Save some $$!

Just to demo our shower and the walls we wanted replaced we got quoted a couple grand, we did it all for the price of F.R.E.E!

However, I won't have a master shower for quit some time, but the dry wall guy comes this Friday to quote for dry wall repair and painting of my kitchen!

Despite all the hectic vibes we have going on in the house, I still managed to make it out to a double header barrel race this weekend.

The relationship between a horse and rider is like nothing I can explain.

Trust, loyalty, partnership and love.

Missile and I have had our ups and downs.

Her going in and out of being lame, and me not "helping" her enough around the barrels. We both have a long way to go.

I haven't, in a long time...if ever, came out saying, "that was an awesome ride."

I am most of the time leaving the gate thinking "what was I DOING!"

Well, the race this weekend, I was in the holding pen waiting for my drag (five runners per drag) and notice that I was about to run in the same line up with Jill Moody.

Don't know Jill?

She is a PRCA Camp and has made it to the NFR multiple years in a row.

She's one heck of a cowgirl.

So as IF that wasn't pressure enough the runner right before me clocked the fastest time they had that day so far.

Of course she did.

In my head I am thinking about all that I have been trained to do...

"don't hold her back, kick, slide your hand, look, GO ON"

Simple enough?

You would think! I completely blew past not only my first, but my second and did more of a roll back then a turn on my third.

I CHOKED!

I was (and still am) so angry with myself.

Here comes some honesty...

The first thoughts that went through my head were, maybe I'm in the wrong sport.

Let me elaborate...

I am by NO MEANS aggressive, so being an aggressive rider? Will I ever be that?

The second thought I had was about the condition of my mare. I think about her well being obsessively.

Her age.

the fact that she has the potential to go lame (aaaalot easier then other horses)

Her arthritis.

Do I ride well? Yes! I know I do. I ride center, I ride quite, I FEEL my horse.

I finally call myself a good rider after Matt brought home Atlas and I was able to make him a better horse (even though he still has "holes")

The horse I have and the knowledge I have been given by my trainer have made me a good rider.

But does that make me a good competitor?

I am trying to keep up in a high speed, competitive sport.

I try to keep telling myself that every one of those cowgirls at NFR has blown past a barrel.

Every one of them has HIT a barrel.

They have had their bad runs, their great runs, runs they wish no one else saw.

But they NEVER gave up.

As I am writing I am still frustrated and at the point where I want "to take a break"

Focus on my fiance and his needs and wants in life because I know most of his time goes into me and my horses.

But then I go back to, if I take time off, that is only going to set me back!

Although I am having feelings of doubt, frustration, anger (at myself) and feelings of wanting to give up, I know its not what I really want deep down in my heart.

I feel that some people search their entire life trying to find happiness, what they were meant to do, who they were meant to be and I am blessed to have found the answer to all those.

I have loved horses my entire life and I knew after the first time I did barrel racing, even though I almost flew out of my saddle, it is all I wanted to do the rest of my life.

I may not be a pro rider.

I may not be the greatest rider.

I may not have the fastest horse.

But I AM a Cowgirl, and I will NOT give up.

This is who I am, and who I was born to be.

Now...if I could ONLY enter the gate with that much confidence.... ;)

I love ending things with a quote, especially if it is relevant, which, this is.

"Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it."

When does a Cowboy become old?

Happy Birthday Matthew!!

Today is my fiancé’s birthday!

We celebrated last night by eating a home cooked Paleo meal, opening gifts and sharing a piece of cake from Freed's Bakery.

It was nice to enjoy time together through the hustle and bustle of the past couple of days.

I have always teased Matt about being "old" but he really is far from it!

Despite all the bumps and bruises this cowboy has endured, he still raises a little hell every now and then, riding tall in his saddle and working till the sun goes down.

Every day with Matt I still learn new things about him.

Things he did, things he broke (mainly) things he wish he did.

So in honor of his day,I thought I would share some Matt Facts!

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1. No surprise, Matt is an ex-bull rider. But did you know he rodeoed in Europe?

2. He's a Veteran and fought in 3 wars.

3. He's is an amazing cook!

4. He plays random notes and chords on the guitar and says he knows how to play...yes, dear.

5. He was a "pirate"? I still don't understand this one all I know is he was Captain Jack Handlebars.

6. He used to have a lip ring and wear eyeliner, boy have things changed!

7. His laugh is contagious.

8. He's deaf in one ear, I'm sure this works in his favor when I'm nagging.

9. He can build/fix anything, and if he doesn't know how, he figures it out.

10. The only movie that can get him choked up is 8 Seconds.

11. He plays with the goat by using the top of a trash can as his shield and a stick as his sword.

12. He trained his wild, uncontrollable dog in German. Worst idea ever!

13. He's the most loyal, honest and trust worthy person I have ever met!

.     .     .     .

I wonder when age will get to him?

When will he finally say, "No, I need to sit this one out"?

When will he finally rest and let those old injuries heal?

Well, the honest answer to this is as long as he's breathing, you won't be able to keep him out of the saddle.

.     .     .     .

There's a hundred years of history
and a hundred before that
All gathered in the thinkin'
Goin' on beneath this hat.

The cold flame burns within him
'Til his skin's as cold as ice
And the dues he paid to get here
Are worth every sacrifice.

All the miles spend sleepy drivin'
All the money down the drain,
All the 'if I's' and 'nearly's,'
All the bandages and pain,

All the female tears left dryin',
All the fever and the fight
Are just a small down payment
On the ride he makes tonight.

It's guts and love and glory,
One mortal's chance at fame.
His legacy is rodeo
And cowboy is his name.

Happy Birthday Matt! I love you!

xo

Getting our Spring on!

I haven't had a recipe worthy of posting.

Just kinda been cooking simple (paleo) things.

How's my challenge?

EH.....diet wise...FABULOUS...gym? ha.

I have every odd going against my motivation right now.

One, day light savings is the greatest day ever for those with horses.

Perfect riding weather when I get home.

Two, the weather being so nice has made it perfect timing for us to say bye bye dirt lot hello greenery!

In order to get sprinklers to our back yard we are having to tap the line in the front yard.

I wasn't the happiest camper digging a trench for our wash rack so we decided to rent something to make it a little easier....

Has this made the process easier?

The digging part...yes, but over all...no.

Matt not only cut one, or two BUT three electrical lines.

Oy vey! We are that couple that something else always breaks or goes wrong during renovations.

Can I blame him? Not really, he didn't lay any of the lines in the yard so it’s not like he knew where they were, did I blame him? Yes.

I'm an accountant, I have a budget, and I want to stick to it.

Matt's a true cowboy and knows that it's life, and it will never be perfect.

We are set back a little on time line for when we wanted this done...HOWEVER...trenches are dug for our grass, sprinklers for the arena AND lights for the arena.

It has been a stressful weekend, full of go wrongs, accidents and young couple bickering, but after sitting together on our porch last night, it will be worth it.

(Notice my succulents are still alive : )  Notice they also have a barrier around them. Why? because I own a puggle that eats everything....everything!)

Wash rack open for business!

With the weather warming up quickly I realized, MY HORSES ARE FILTHY!

We decided to build me a wash rack since last time I created a muddy mess in the yard.

Here are pics of our hard work, before and afters, love them!

Like my outfit? Yoga pants and cowgirl boots  : )

Had to redo it a few times thanks to puppy paws.

I want to add a little comedy to this blog by pointing out Lil' Bill in some of these pics (Billy is my famous goat, well, famous among my friends)

My friend Jen just LOVES this goat.

She wants him to have his own T.V. show.

Not going to lie, he is the center point of our entertainment most of the times

So, you will notice in the picture below, Matt had to, ONCE AGAIN, reassemble Billy's house

You can see he is sun bathing. House is together, where it's supposed to be.

Now in this picture, which was taken 10 mins after the one above, Billy has relocated AND the roof of this house is now ajar.

Billy is again sunbathing.

In the next and final picture you will see that Billy's one house has now become two bottoms.

Billy is sunbathing.

Before/After

I'm talking about my goats house.

The white part is now his boat while the grey is his bed.

My vet always tells me that goats are the most pointless animal.

Did you smile while reading this post?

Not so pointless then : )

 Next project is........GRASS!

Have a FAB Monday!

xo

Cowgirl on a budget

My fellow horse owners...why do we do it.

Why are our horses eating top of the line grain and supplements and we're eating left over spagehtti...AGAIN!

Why do our horses have every color polo wrap and splint boots and we've been wearing the same boots for 5+ years? I sear mine are talking to me.

We can never explain why we do it, all we know is that we love them unconditionally, and that is usually a good enough answer.

Well I am going to share with you my "Home Made" shine and conditioner spray! To help everyone save $$$!

Whoo!

It doesn't seem like much, but to those that do own a horse know that these sprays can cost anywhere from $13-$22 and last us about...mmmm...2-3 weeks? How many horses each person has and how often they actually use shine spray very, of course.

With the winter months though, I go through it pretty fast, since I don't wash my horses because I don't want them wet standing in the cold.

What you need

A spray bottle

Coconut Oil

Conditioner (I use tresemme because it is cheap and comes it a pump bottle)

Instructions

1. Fill the squirt bottle up 3/4 of the way with filtered water (I recommend filtered, but that is a personal preference)

2. Add 15 pumps of TRESemme or 1/2 a cup of whatever conditioner you choose.

3. Add 2 Tbs. of coconut oil. Coconut oil solidifies if not at 75 degrees. So scoop out the oil and put into a measuring cup and put in the microwave for 30 sec. I recommend a measuring cup so the oil will be easier to pour into the spray bottle.

4. Shake untill everything is mixed really well

**IMPORTANT** If you keep the spray in your tack room during summer months, then you don't need to worry about the coconut oil becoming a solid again. However, in the winter months, I recommend keeping the spray in the house some where that gets heat that will keep the oil from becoming a solid again. I keep mine in the cabinets above my fridge or in the laundry room. Also, the oil and water will settle so be sure to shake well before using it each time.

Total cost for all this is approx $10 and it will last me for 6+ months!