Snow Day!

"We don't often get or take the time to have the fun that everyone should. I will tell you this, it renews your soul, feeds your heart and strengthens your resolve with the best gift there is - LAUGHTER!

The recent storms may have crippled movement in and around our area, leaving many without electricity, phones, etc. Stuck at home? Work done? I've got an idea!! Let's look at the up side of these storms and make the most out of what they give us instead of what they take away.

Sledding!

Crashing into the soft stuff and laughing all the way home. No T.V.? Try a puzzle by candle light, mending that mountain of broken halters or writing those long-overdue letters. But FIRST - get out into that snow. Where the air is a little sweeter, laughter bursts and bubbles down the slope, and a friend's smile is a little more beautiful with the addition of soft white highlights on chilled, ruby cheeks. When you're done, warm your frozen pinkies by the fire and laugh a little more while regaling the tales of your snowy adventure, wonderfully exhausted by the effects of creating this forever winter memory." -Victoria

Hey folks,

This is simply reminder that you can call Victoria if you are interested in any of the horses posted here on the blog or on our Website http://www.lastchancecorral.org/. She can be reached 740-594-4336.

Stay warm fellow equestrians!

Leah

Amber

AMBER is a 4 year old Reg. Quarter Mare. Sound and Safe. She will be a superstar in some lucky 4Hr's heart or faithful family friend. She was broke by a 12-yr old boy and has been trailridden. Amber is still green--hey, she's 4 years old! Easy going, just needs more miles under her feet and hours under a saddle. She's a plain brown wrapper but good things come in all colors...even the plain ones! $400.

Got Snow?!

Greetings from the fantastically frosty midwest! We are like any and everyone else, at this time of year, battleing frozen pipes, buckets and fingers. I love the cold-REALLY, I excel in the stuff. Winter is probably my favorite time of year.

It is the only season, during which, I can have my favorite ride. If I was only allowed one opportunity per year to ride, it would be in the winter, with snow on the ground...under a full moon. If you have never done this, you have not truely lived! The road, a magical ribbon of moonlight...quiet, peaceful...MAGICAL! So if there is snow and a moon, you know where you will find me!

The foals have not started in yet, but we are fully prepared for the arrival! All the supplies are lined up, stalls cleaned and bedded, my whisk stands at the ready for that first call to arms! We have our new driver, Tammy, on standby for the hauls back and forth to KY. She's used to driving those big logging trucks, so a mere horsetrailer should be a snap. Actually she has spent years chauffering her daughter and her horses back and forth to shows. I count us lucky to have her services at our disposal.

Lauren is still in Florida, grooming dressage horses and making some money (regrettably, we can't pay very well here at the corral...) and making more connections while learning. I KNOW her days are long...from 5am to 7pm! But I'm sure she's maintaining her usually sunny, bubbly self. Leah is filling in for Lauren in her absence. Really filling in--she's even living her her room, cuddling up at night with Miss Kitty (our feline matriarch).

Karen (Xena) has taken on "Zen" as her project. We hope to have him looking "spankingly sharp" by Spring.

Leah has been practicing her riding on Isaac, who poses a series of non-stop challenges for her. He is an opinionated block-head sometimes. I prefer to think of him as a great educator! Hard won lessons!

Time out for a little fun!

Yesterday, Karen (that's Xena, Princess Warrior to you...) and Karen (Karibou) took a few of the boys out for a test drive. Xena on Bob...who is now known as Solid Citizen, or Zen (I agree, Bob just didn't do him justice...) and Karibou on Issac. (the name fits him). Zen was just a dream, but needed a little reassurance to go down an embankment, and a lot more patience near the creek. Karen stood fast, and got him to put his toes in the mud, and it was deemed a successful day. He moved across the field beautifully, practically floating! Not hard with the warrior princess on your back, I'm sure! Issac gave Karibou her lesson in horsemanship. Nothing major, just a teenage butthead trying to test a fairly green rider. A few quick circles, a firm word or two, and he figured out he better behave. I wasn't gonna let him get one over on me, and kept him in check everytime he tried to tense up and scare me off. (Remember, he's the lazy horse who got sent back...I'm' guessing he figured out a few tricks to get greenies off his back.) Within the hour, he was riding very well, remembering that he knows how to neckreign, and has a really sweet, smooth trot. I'm pretty green, so you can be sure he's ok for a confident newby. I'd say we both packed in a lesson this time around. I'd post pics, but haven't figured out how to post them in the blog. Lauren!!! We need you!

Happy New Year!

Well, this blog is being posted by Karen (Karibou), while Lauren is enjoying a little vacay, and I only get down here on a weekend now and again, so this blog is making up for lost time. It's been BUSY here over the past few weeks as you can guess by lack of blogs...Parties, weddings, the festivities seemed to be ENDLESS (and so did the preparations and cleanups for everyone!) Needless to say, the foal barn is ready for 2009! Fluffy shavings are awaiting for the first batch of foals, and the first delivery of milk is stacked away in the barn ($4K) like our own Fort Knox. One bag would feed one foal for one week. So multiply that times 10 or 15...over and over from now to June...you get the picture...We'll be needing another shipment all too soon. Along with that, we are desperate for some soft, green timothy/alfalfa to feed the babies. Spread the word to all your connections! The satellite concept was just a success, maybe we could do that for the babies. A few bales here and there, tucked away for a bulk pickup (or delivery!) adds up to happy, healthy foals!



CeeCee goes for surgery on Jan 6th at Milliron Clinic to remove the huge kidney stone that's the size of a basketball. (No wonder he had incontinance issues!) Thanks to the generous donations from his current and previous owners, his surgery bill is covered, and he is expected to make a quick recovery. Isn't it nice when we get happy endings?



Kathy Lee from Rhode Island has a Belgian and a 16h Palomino Qtr. horse ready to head west. If anyone is heading that way, we have someone willing to meet us half-way in PA, and could sure use the help. Time away from the farm is less time for the babies that will be arriving any day now.



Victoria has been wrestling (...armed with only a hoe and shovel, mind you!) with the endless drainage problems around here, and is engineering a system along the lower barn entrance that will hopefully prevent the quagmire we normally get at the base of the driveway in the winter. Repair and improvements are neverending! I hate to think of what needs to be done this Spring...the lower barn and many fence posts were put in using untreated lumber...so now they are rotting loose...we've already lost a few gates to this engineering shortfall. Construction is not the place to cut corners, so Victoria is taking it upon herself to get it done right this time. Little by little...If you have contruction materials, or time/equipment you can donate to help preserve what we have before it deteriorates beyond repair, STEP UP! Electrical, plumbing, engineering expertise...we need it all here!