The Reed Ranch: June 2010

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Derby Weekend

April 30th, Derby weekend, This is usually a big weekend for us, or at least the first Saturday on May is. We always have friends over for a derby party, but not this year. This is a special event that the 4H girls have been working hard for all year (4-h year starts in September) they have to do a lot of book work, record taking, volunteering and writing essays. I find other activities for them to do to help get them more extra credit or points along the way. I was so afraid that the baby would come late and I would not be able to take them to the show. It all worked out and Todd drove the horses, (it was the first time he had pulled the trailer) with me, the girls and Chloe in the hybrid. After an hour and a half of driving we arrived at Clarcona Horseman's Park. We got a great parking place near the stalls, unpacked and set up the stalls for the horses, hanging water buckets and fans and then the tack stall. The girls got the horses worked and cleaned up and all braided for the show on Saturday and Sunday.

Chloe napping at the stall area, there was a tent and chairs set up for everyone in front of the tack/feed stall.

Me and Chloe at the arena watching the girls showing.

There was a wonderful photographer at the show so I couldn't resist, I had to have some pic of my boys (horses) at the show, the photos turned out wonderful and I missed the last day of competition. I got a CD filled with all there pictures, what a great keep sake.

May 1st 2010

1st class of the day was at 8am, Showmanship with 50 horses in the class this will be a long one. I wasn't able to make it there in time, but I did get there for the other classes.

Kari with Bee N Nifty in there showmanship class.
They looked great.

Bella and Enter Hale Bopp in their showmanship class, Bella and HB did get a call back out of 50 horses but did not place.

Next was the flat classes for both girls. They had a Hunter under saddle class each and a equitation class each.

Kari did hunter under saddle pony so he was in a class with his size not the big horses.

Bella in her hunter under saddle jr. rider, she was in there with the big horses just because he is 2 measly inches taller than Nifty. Enter Hale Bopp is considereded a horse.

May 2nd
Day 2 Jumping classes

Kari was in Working hunter pony and equitation over fences jr. rider, she placed 6th in her pony class earning her one point which qualified her to go to State.

Bella and HB were in hunter hack jr rider and equitation over fences jr. rider, she placed 4th in hunter hack and that gave her 2 points and qualified her for state as well.

Video of HB equitation over fences class.
The results are in, point sheet of placings and horses in each class.
Click on it to enlarge

A couple of pictures of the jump course, the horses have never seen jumps this fancy before I'm proud that they did well.

Massage

April 28th, Off the the chiropractor for a well needed massage and back adjustment.

My back had been so stiff and sore. It felt like someone pulled out my stomach muscles and my spine was replaced with a stiff board. My right side was the worst, and I have been getting terrible headaches. My back was so tight and knotted up that the massage therapist was working overtime trying to loosen up the the tension in my neck and shoulder blades. All this from the learning curve of breast feeding and giving birth also. This is my second treatment and second time away from the baby. I couldn't resist taking a few pictures of the big girl before I left.

Chloe posing for a quick photo before I left.

So small in the yellow rocker all dressed in purple.
She was over seeing what Todd was working on while I was gone. When I got back home I was surprised with a new walkway. Todd did a great job. We needed to add to the existing walkway now that the ac unit is much larger.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Two week check up

April 27th, Off to Orlando again for the Dr. duo Appointments for the baby and me, pictures below.

Dr. Rich's office
She was 7 lbs. 4 oz. at her 2 week check up.

A few of the birth center.

The sink

The tub

the room

Art in the room, this is on the ceiling right above the bed. This is what I remember concentrating on when pushing.

Off to the arena

April 25th. This is Chloe's first time to the arena. I had Kathy take the horses so that the girls can practice jumping at some added height before the big day (area 4-H). I took the car to the arena but on the way there I was hungry and knew that I would be at the arena for a while and better stop on the way there. I stopped in this gas station with a Subway. This is the complicated part now I have to fin-angle a car seat out of the car and in the gas station just to grab a sub. I didn't know how much work this entailed . I felt funny, this is a very rural part of town and I'm sure they don't see someone come in with a car seat very often. Crazy thing is when I got to the counter to order the lady said that I was the third one of the day to bring in a new born. That was so surprising, all I ever see is guys with there 4wheelers or 4x4 hunting trucks. I had to laugh, I wasn't the only one that had to cart there little one in there with them, as much work as it is, you know us lady's are really hungry if we got the the great lengths to do this just for food at a gas station!

I also got a new SLR camera for the kido, and wanted to test it out before the horse show. It is a Pentax K100 Super, here is the link to info on it if you want to read about it. Its been a while since I have had a SLR camera and a lot has changed since then, there are now so many to choose from with each company. I went with a Pentax, My first camera was a Pentax and I had great pictures with that camera. Pentax also doesn't have a slew to choose from year to year so it is easy to make a decision and it was in my price range. This is a great starter camera the shutter is a little slow, so taking action shots is not its best suit. One day I will know what I want and hopefully can afford it by then so this will work for now.

Pentax K100 Super pictures taken with the new camera below.

Here are a few pictures of the girls jumping. They needed to practice one of their classes required them to jump at 3'3" so they needed to see if the horses were up to it just in case they set the course to that height, let's hope not. The pictures get higher as you go down.

Bella and Hale Bopp jumping at 2' 6"

2'6"

Kari and Nifty jumping a 2'6" Oxer (2 jumps)

Bella and Hale Bopp same jump

Kari at 2'9"

Bella at 3'

Kari at 3'

I knew the girls could do it and the horses the higher they went the better the horses form was over the jump and the better the girls body position was over the jump. I love watching them get better with every ride,we cant wait till the horse show to strut their stuff.