Fourth-of-July!

 Here I am, alone for the first time ever on the Fourth...  After all the years of kids, grandkids, horses etc. it seems a bit strange not to at least have Butch home!  But - the good news?  He will be here in a couple days!

In the meantime - I couldn't help but take a look back.  It was July 2007 & our oldest Grandson Ben was quite a horseman!  At least when it came to his very favorite mare - Jasrada!  They'd already had a couple years of riding in the Arlington, WA Santa Parade.  This year we decided they would make their debut in the Lake Stevens Fourth-of-July parade.  Jas would be the "Fireworks Pony"!

Heading to the trailer~

After grooming his mare, he led her down to the horse trailer.

In the trailer~

Jas absoutely adored Ben & would do anything for him!  She'd been taking him on rides since he was a baby.

Jas gets to graze at the parade staging area~

Ben was experienced by this time in parade riding.  He also always enjoyed going for a good trot!

Jas was known for her beauty & perfect tail carriage~

It didn't take long to get Jas ready.  What did take forever, was the wait to move into position & out onto the street.  This year, the parade committee had decided the horses would bring up the end of the parade.  It was a huge parade, so we had a very long wait.

Ben, Jas & Butch

Finally though, we were on the move & I was too busy to get any more photos.  Ben put on his best parade smile!  Jas was busy doing her airs-above-the-ground trot!  They looked so cute!  Ben was super happy when he & Jas were awarded the first place trophy in the Mounted Horses Division!  

Just a month earlier, Jas had another Cowboy, our Grandson Mason in her saddle for the Duvall Days Parade! 

Papa makes sure Mason's helmet is tight!  Granddaughter Cassidy in the pink hat!  

Mason had told his classmates he'd be riding a horse in the parade, but no one thought it could be true.  Even his teacher was doubtful.  It hurt Mason's feelings that no one believed him...

Mason & Cassidy with Jas~

 Jas for whatever reason, maybe the new venue, was as high as a kite!  Prancing & dancing & keeping me busy - while Courtney did her best to keep Mason balanced in the saddle!  He wasn't in the least concerned!    The parade staff decided Mason & Jas would lead the parade, right behind the car with the local dignitaries.  

Mason waving to the crowd!

Behind us though - was the marching band!  The sound of the drums did nothing to calm Jas!  Courtney kept saying;  "Mom!  Can you slow her down?!"  I couldn't!  Mason kept up his parade wave all the way through town!  His arm dropped a little lower though by the end of the ride.  He was one tired boy, but not too tired for ice cream!

The following Monday, Mason was the star of his school!  All the non-believers had seen him in the parade!  The school principal even made an announcement over the PA system to congratulate Mason on his ride!  :-)

We miss those days!  Gone by way too fast!

Good Horses~

It's time...  I need to write something about horses again.  I miss that so much.  Not as much as I do Farah, not as much as I do riding...  Still - always my favorite topic since my earliest memories, a topic I love to read & write about.

Our friend & mentor Dean Essex, DVM used to say;  "In your life, if you're very lucky, there will only be one or two good horses."  He was right.  Their are a lot of horses, but only a very few, are good ones.  The ones you trust to use their brain, to focus on the task, focus on you, give you what you ask for & agree to partner up.

Farah - June 9, 2015

 To my relatives, coming from the farm, horses were a part of everyday life.  Horsemen prided themselves on their horses.  The norm, thankfully, was well-cared for animals, who knew their jobs & did them well, day after day.  It wasn't until mechanized farming life got easier & horses became a luxury.

My Great-Grandmother Lucy Huffman's father & my Great-Great Grandfather Jones~

 I'm so thrilled to have the few photos that I do from that era.  These horses were magnificent in stature.  Breeding was about a good build & a useful animal.  As you can see above, Grandfather used a shank for control.

On the lead, my maternal Grandfather Arnold Kralik, with his stallion~

 I don't know the year of either of these photos, maybe one of my Aunt's might know who the other two men are.

Connie on Topsy, June, 1966

 My first mare, Topsy, was a good horse.  She taught me how to ride, or at least, how to stay on!  :-)  She would remember me from one year to the next & we flew down the sides of Iowa's country roads.  Summer on the farm was a dream come true for a city girl, living in Boulder.  I expected all horses, to be like her.  It was dejavu, when Farah & I did the same, so many years later.

Uncle  Bud Huffman's stallion, Sundown~

 I was always ready to talk horses.  Uncle Bud brought me the photo above of his stallion.  It holds a place of honor - as the first photo in my first photo album.

Donnie & Rocky Ridge Ali

 The next horse to impress me - Pat's stallion Rocky - sired by Ruminaja Ali.  The sire of my second mare Alexi, a gift for my 40th birthday.  Rocky had presence, as the good horses do, whether mares or stallions.  There are good geldings, but I've yet to meet one with real presence.  JMO

12-18-08 Tropic Lightening - owner, Dean Essex, DVM

Tropic Lightening was our friend Dean's Thoroughbred stallion.  If not for an injury, he would have been a star on the track.  He sired many good runners in his years at stud.  A gentleman in all respects.  My photo of him graced the month of December 2011, in the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders Calendar. 

8-31-1997 - Jasrada & Connie

Jasrada was our second Arabian & the most opinionated!  She was Butch's mare first, but in 95, she & I went over to the dark side - Endurance, from a few years at Competitive Trail.  It was never as much about the ride to me, as it was having a relationship with my mare.  Our horses always came first & we gave them our best.  The miles I shared with three good mares & my love of the Equine species, will stay with me forever.