Monday, August 3, 2009

June's Wolverine Morgan Open Horse Show

















Back in June I was named the offical photographer for a local horse show and actually had a wonderful time for two days.
Here (to the left) is a picture of a black and white American Paint Horse stallion that I got a chance to photograph after his win as Stock Horse Champion.











Here is another of a beautiful Morgan Gelding and his rider in Western Pleasure








Here is the same Morgan gelding with the same rider in Saddleseat Equitation.














Another wonder part of the weekend was to be able to
photograph my favorit "god daughter" Zoe and her
American Quarter Horse gelding Stormy. Zoe had a wonderful
successful weekend in the ribbons all weekend.









I will be back to post more pictures
Wendy



























































































Tuesday, July 7, 2009









Are right, it has been a few long months since I last posted. I have been very busy finishing my education and have finally, as of yesterday, completed that journey. I finished my very last class last night. I does feel a little strange that I am now finished with school after doing it for four years. I now have a bachalors in Criminal Justice Administration to go with my Associates of Criminal Justice Sciences. Yeah!!

I am going to try and do a posting atleast everyother day. Life has been very busy, some good some not so good.
I know that this is a very brief post but I will add more very soon.






Sunday, March 15, 2009



As usual my life with my animals has many twist and turns. Last week my 11-year-old boxer mixed dog Sally was injured in while playing with the smaller dogs in the family, the Chihuahua and the Jack Russell. One of them had tugged on Sally's ear causing the blood vessel in her left year to break without breaking the skin. She had to have surgery to repair it. Dr. Whitney, the vet, had originally thought it would heal itself so we left it a lone for a week. However, it didn't but instead it got worse.



This is a picture of poor Silly Sally the day she returned from the animal hospital. She didn't like the E-Collar at all. She was bumping into things including us. Once she got trapped in the bathroom when she went in, turned around and caught the door with the E-Collar shutting it. Then she whined until I went and opened the door.



Poor Silly Sally. This is the third surgery that she has had to have in the last few years. She has cancer, as I am told is one of the defects of the Boxer breed, and has had to have tumors removed a few times. The worse being the one on her right thigh. Dr. Nelson (her other vet) said that it was very deep in her muscle and was very difficult to remove, but he did remove it all and it has not returned.



I have to say that we have been very luck to have Silly Sally as long as we have. She will be 12-years old this coming July 4th. She is in her senior years for the kind of dog that she is and she runs and plays like she is a pup. She rarely barks and she is such a wonderful dog. She is so good with Scooter, the Chihuahua and allows him to play and jump all over her. He is so small that she will lay down on the floor so that she is on his level. It is so funny to watch them play.



I hope to have Silly Sally around for some time. She is a wonderful friend.

Wendy

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Today I went over to my Mom's farm to meet up with a student that I have been teaching about showing and driving miniature horses. Here is a picture of Hannah Joy W. with miniature mare Crossroads Silver Rose aka Hannah Joy. Hannah (the girl) is the daughter of our pastor at Mt. Zion Worship and Family Center. Hannah Joy (the horse) is the name sake of the girl. My mom has this thing about naming her animals after people in her life.



The two Hannah's are going to try their hand at showing this summer. Hannah (the girl) is eleven years old, and Hannah (the horse) is six years old. We started teaching Hannah (the horse) to drive last fall. We kind of let it got through most of the winter because it was just plan and simply too cold, but today we harnessed her up and she stepped right back out there like we just drove her yesturday. When we first start out Hannah (the girl) always takes her horse out for a walk just to loosen her up. This is when I took this picture today.




The two Hannah's walk up and down the plowed drive-way since that is the only place to be even at this late date to walk without being knee deep in snow. Hannah (the girl) is very excited to be able to try her hand at showing this summer. I am just hoping that the snow is gone soon enough to get Hannah (the horse) hitched to a cart. We never did that last fall because the snow came in so early and we were reduced to the drive-way up and down, up and down and it is too narrow to correctly turn a horse in a cart.

I didn't keep the camera out once we harnessed Hannah (the horse) because I had to help Hannah (the girl) since neither are fully trained and ready to be set free. Plus it was so slippery out I didn't want Hannah (the girl) to slip and fall and loose control of Hannah (the horse).

We worked on some showmanship skills while we were out and about with them. The pair will hopefully be ready for the show in Cadillac in June. If not there are a couple of other shows later in the summer.

Enjoy
Wendy



Monday, March 2, 2009

It is finally March

No this not a huge mountian, it is a snow drift that showed up just a few days after our nice February thaw. Since I live in Michigan we just have to wait a day or so and everything will change.

The tempature in early February was in the high 40s and now the second day of March we are breaking record lows because we can not even break the mid teens. It was -22 below zero this morning when I woke up.





Here is my miniature horse stallion standing in front of that snow bank a couple of weeks later. We had a huge snow storm just a few days earlier dropping over a foot and a half of snow in 36-hours.

I know that I am really getting tired of this snow and it needs to go away and take the bitter cold weather along with it!!








This last Saturday February 28th I spent the day manning a booth at the local tack sale to help promote the Wolverine Morgan Horse Associaton that I have belonged to for many years.

This is the table (booth) that I ran for eight hours. My friend Shirley sat with me for several of those hours. We have known each other for several years through the club but we had a great time getting to know each other even better. I found out that Shirley and my husband's Uncle Bob worked together for over eight years. That was funny.

I got to see many old friends and make a few new ones as the day went on. I also got to buy a few really good buys too, but it is a good thing that I didn't take a whole lot of cash with me bacause I would have over spent!!
Take Care,
Wendy



Sunday, February 22, 2009




As the winter storm sets in around us here I thought I would go through some of my photos from past springs and dream a little. Here is my most favorit picture of an Iris I took when I went to a friends house to see her new miniature horse foal about five years ago.


Then here is an beautiful flower that I snapped a picture of at a friends garden center some many years ago.

I just thought I would brighten up the day with some nice spring flowers.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Feb. 20th

Wow! has it been ten days since I last checked in? I guess it has. Going through some on my stock pictures from my photography job inventory I found this one. I took it in November of 2006. I don't use any filters when doing nature photography so this is what the sky looked like on that November night two and a half years ago.



Today was another day that God's blessing shined down on me. I have to give him glory when my day has been as great as it has been today. I got a chance to sit down and talk with a friend that I haven't had the time to speak with in a while. It was a wonderful talk and I was so glad to have the time to talk with them.



When I got home from my visit I got a great phone call about my job interview that I went on last week. I got the job!! PTL. I will be going back to work for the grocery store whee I started my baking career 23 years ago. It will be strange but I am excited. It will just be part time but that is what I need so that I can still do my Photography and enjoy my horses. I will be working again for Ray Haase, who was one of my supervisors when I worked at Prevo's where I spent ten years as a baker. I haven't seen Ray yet but I did talk to him a few months ago. I am excited to be going back into the bakery world. The store that I will be working at is just a few miles from the house so I won't have to travel over twenty miles like I did when I worked for Tom's before. This store will be brand new and opening the doors in April.



Winter has returned sadly. Today was not as cold as the day before but it was still cold compared to the 50s we had ten days ago. We are suppose to have more snow coming in tonight.



I had a small accident with my seven year old gelding last Sunday. My friend Trina was coming to pick me and Missy up to go over to Janet's to ride for the afternoon in Janet's indoor arena, and for some reason Sammy decided to spin and kick out and caught me right in the middle of my lower back. It hurt for a few minutes but then I went riding and felt better.



Well for being gone for so long not much has happened with me so I am going to close this post with just saying that the Lord is wonderful and I am so Thankful that he is in control of my life.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Tuesday Feb. 10, 2009


Tuesday Feb. 10, 2009
Today is another beautiful day for just being the tenth day of February it is absolutely beautiful and in the 50s. I decided to grab a bridle and get a quick ride to the end of the road and back while I could. So I took Missy out for that quick ride. I didn't even saddle her since we just would be out for a quick ride. I jumped on her bareback and headed out. Luckily I still have her borium shoes on from our trip to Washington DC because though it is sunny and warm there is still a lot of ice in our drive-way to get to the good ole dirt road that I live on. Once out on the dirt road it was easy riding.
I haven't ridden bareback for more then just a few minutes, in twenty years. It felt good to get out on my trusty mare Missy and enjoy the sun on my face and the wind through my hair. I even let Missy trot a little. I was happy to just be able to stay on her as she trotted along. She actually has a nice trot on her. We did a trot and walk, and a trot and walk thing for a little while. Our road is only a little over a half mile long one way.
At the end of the road in the field stood two deer. Everyone just stood and looked at each other wondering who was going to move first. Missy snorted a little but didn't spook. Though she is 18 years old, she still likes to act like a 2 year old at times. After just a few minutes the deer decided that they would move and trotted off into the woods and down the hill.
The weather is suppose to be cooler this coming weekend and we have a parade to ride in with our friends Janet and Trina. Even though it is suppose to be cooler, it still won't be as cold as the parade experience in DC:-)
Well back to school work I must go. So until the next time I post, have a good day everyone.
Wendy

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Spring like day in February



Saturday Feb. 7, 2009

Today was an beautiful day. The temps finally rose high enough to actually get some things done around the place that has been need done for several weeks but the cold tempatures were hindering it.

Today the horses actually spent the entire day out in the pasture and the dogs were out playing instead of sleeping on their chairs. It just makes a body ache for spring and train riding season to start that much sooner.

The picture that I posted here is one that I took of my Morgan stallion Quinn last summer in the early morning sun light. He is such a beautiful horse, and no I am not saying that because he is mine, that I love to take pictures of him. I knew after a few mornings of seeing him in the early morning light that I had to get his picture. So I planned one morning ahead of time to take the camera with me when I went to do chores. He always stands in the corner of his paddock and talks to me until I take him his breakfast. I can hardly believe that I have owned this wonderful horse for fifteen and a half years now. Hopefully he will be around a long time to come yet. He is a dream to ride and I plan on riding him a lot more this summer.

Spring is just around the corner, you can feel it in the air:-)

Wendy

Sunday, February 1, 2009



Today was a beautiful day, if you were inside looking out. The temps were in the high 30s but the wind chills brought it down just a little bit.

I went to the Wolverine Morgan Horse meeting today. It was held this time at Sarah's house north of Kalkaska. What an amazing place Sarah has. My friend Trina was suppose to go with me, wish she had, Sarah has three beautiful German Shepherds and Trina has one too. Sarah's big male dog is just beautiful and we are talking BIG.

I was voted to be the photographer at the annual show in June. I am very excited. I have been wanting to do it for years. I just hope I don't let anyone down.

While I was at the meeting my husband had called to tell me that my mare Missy had gotten loose when he tried to bring the mares in out of the wind before he left for the Super Bowl Party at his brothers house. When Missy gets loose she can be a pain to try and catch. She made several circles around my stallions paddock causing him to run around and around and then slamming into the six foot paddock fence, in the cammotion on board was broken and several came off the post. Phil wasn't very happy by the time I got home. The meeting was an hour and a half away so I couldn't just run home and help him out.

I don't think I will be asking Phil to help me out with my horses anytime soon:-)

Thursday, January 29, 2009


Today is another cold day here in Northwest Lower Michigan. It is only in the 20s. I am about fed up with winter. It has been snowing blowing and cold since early November. We have had a few days of alright weather but nothing to write home about.


I am still thinking about my trip to Washington DC, one week ago today I was sleeping at this time of the day trying to recover from the 12 hours non stop on the road. It was a trip that was worth every heartbreak and frustrating moment that it took to get there. My mare still has her shoes on from the trip because now I might be riding in another parade here in Northern Michigan during the Beulah Winterfest on Feb. 14th. I haven't ridden in that parade in several years but it will be fun if I can ride in it this year with my friends Janet and Trina. The last time I rode in it it was just with Trina, but we had a blast!!


My horses are in the barn today because of the wind. With the wind chill factor and that we are on top of a hill it is hard to have the horses out in the cold and the wind at the same time. Another reason why I would just like the spring to get here. I am tired of having the horses in the barn more then they are out. Horses are ment to be out running in the fields not locked up in a stall, even though my stalls are very large.


I have a meeting with the Benize County Sheriff's Mounted Unit tonight. I might be going back to riding with them. I would love to ride with my home county once again. I miss everyone that had become such great friends over the four years that I rode with them before. It has been a year and a half since I rode with them officially and but it seems like five years.


I am also trying to get the Wolverine Morgan Horse newsletter started so that after the meeting this coming Sunday I will be ahead of the game and just have to ad the minutes from the meeting.


My friend and I will be starting our Christian Trail Riding group next month also. We are looking forward to having a summer full of trail riding and praise to the Lord while we are doing it. The Lord gave us the horse to enjoy and we have to remember they are a gift from him and we should thank him all the time for this wonderful gift. Also if we can help bring people to know the glory of the Lord through our love of the horses, what a wonderful thing.


I will try to post later tonight and post the out come of the meeting tonight and rather or not I am going to be riding with the Benzie County Sheriff's Office Mounted unit again or not. I really hope so.


Wendy

Wednesday, January 28, 2009




Trip to DC Part 5…………..

Well we successfully striped the horses of their shipping gear and replaced it with saddles and tack. We were directed to a secured holding location where we had to be searched, and swept with a medal detector. Once inside that secured area we were allowed to get on our horses. At this time it was just a little after 10am.

We knew that we would be out there for a few hours so we had to stay warm. We rode in circles between the two parking lots that we are secured areas. We were penned in by a ten foot tall fence all around. We were joined there at first by the United State Border Patrol and the Crow Nation Native Americans. There were in our wave of horses that came in.

Soon our transports moved out of the secured areas and were gone. We were then joined but other mounted units that we didn’t meet at the barns because they came from local areas.

Soon the hour or two that we knew we would have to wait turned into three and four hours. Then we were finally told to move into line. While we were in the secured area of the two parking lots we at least had the sun shining down on us and keeping us a little warm, especially when the wind died down. Then the fourth hour turned into the fifth hour and where we stood now we were getting really cold. My friend to the left of me was starting to get so cold that her leg muscles were cramping up. Mike Foote from the Michigan Horse Council talked her into getting off her horse and walking around. While another rider from the Eaton County group was even colder she was taken off her horse and placed inside a Washington DC police car to try and warm her up.

Matt Kempt from the Muskegon group decided that we needed to start moving our horses so he stared calling out drill movements that we performed in the space of 50’x60’ area of the street. It got the horses moving and warming up some, which in turn started to warm us riders up.

Once we stopped and started the waiting process again we got to do the watching too. As we stood at the area of 4th Street and Independence Ave. we were still behind the 10’ tall security fence. There was fence as far as we could see went all the way to Pennsylvania Ave. However there were gates closing off Independence Ave. from traffic, foot and car. Every once in a while the military would open those gates and it was like the flood gates or the parting of the Red Sea, which ever helps you imagine the amount of people that pushed there way down Independence Ave. to the other side of the road. I am only assuming that the people had themselves had been locked on the Mall since the actual inauguration just a short time prior and were just wanting to move down to the parade route or to go home. Then the gates would close again. This process was repeated several times. After about two hours we were finally moved across Independence Ave. just three blocks to go to the start of the parade.

We really thought we were on our way, but no. We inched along slowly as the sun went down behind the sky line of Washington DC. As we crawled along we got to see the US capital build come alive in the evening lights. This made for some wonderful photo opportunities. Those photos however were taken with my friend Judy’s camera so I don’t have them yet but I will soon.

It seemed like hours and hours before we finally made it to the start of the parade but we finally did make it. Though it was dark by the time we got most or the way through the parade it was still an exciting moment in life. Again as it was when we where sight seeing the day before to be actually riding our horses down Pennsylvania Ave. in the Nations capital was amazing. We rode by the National Archives building, the Ronald Reagan building and International Trade Center, the FBI headquarters and several other famous buildings.

Then we turned the corner for the final leg to the White House the street was lit up by hundreds of flood lights. The excitement was unbelievable. Closer and closer we got to the President and his family. Then we were there. He and Michelle were standing behind a glass (bullet proof I am sure) enclosed room. They both waved to us as we rode by. Then within minutes it was all over.

We then were directed down to Constitution Ave. were the Hughestons were waiting with the trailers. We quickly reversed the process that we had done some eight hours earlier. The horses were once again packaged up for shipping. Tack and saddles were loaded into the equipment trailer and the horses were loaded onto the stock trailers.

We then all climbed into the vehicles that we came in and headed out of town, just happy to be in a warm vehicle again.

End of Part five.

Trip to DC part 4, THE FUN REALLY STARTS

We were ordered by the Armed Services to be at loaded by 7am, which meant we had to be at the barns at 4am so that the horses could be feed and watered prior to leaving. This also meant that we had to leave the hotel at 3am!!! We set up for Kyle’s wife to meet up with my friend Sarah and her husband downtown so we had to put her on a Metro, which added to our adventure to find one open at 3am that would take her to where she needed to go.

Once at the barn and the horses were feed and watered we had to start packaging them for the trip into DC. This means we had to put the leg wraps back on, with shipping boots and bell boot, the whole works. There horses were packed in like sardines into these trailers. Plus now we had to squeeze in the extra large Toronto horses, which just happened to be packed into the trailer my horse was on.

Once the horses were packaged up we had to change into our uniform in the tack room and then do our last potty break (in a real bathroom, with heat). The Hughestons showed up at 7am so they hooked up the rigs and we started loading. Hughestons were great and had the whole process down to a science. Missy went in first again with her buddy Banjo in next to here. The process in Eaton County was repeated.

Since we were told we were only allowed seven vehicles into the staging areas we had to condense everyone, up to that point we were driving nine vehicles. The entire Manistee Unit climbed in with Nate and his wife Lori (one of the horse transport drivers). So we had six people in a crew cab truck. It wasn’t too bad; Kyle (who is 7’ tall) sat up front and he finally had some leg room.

We were given orders to get into line in the upper parking lot of the PGEC and wait. Several times a military person came up to Nate’s window to give him the same order that the previous military person had just given him and that was, “once we start moving do NOT stop for anyone or anything.”

We sat there for about an hour or maybe a little more and then we started moving. Now remember that Nate was given orders not to stop for anyone or anything. Right as we were getting to leave the PGEC one of the tour buses hauling parade workers pulled right out in front him causing him to slam on his brakes. It is very hard to stop a trailer loaded with 32000 pounds of live horses. Nate was a little vocal about that one. But we got on our way.

We had a police escort and then there were police officers closing all on ramps coming onto the highway, needless to say there were a few angry people at the ramps arguing with the police officers at times. The line of horse trailers and other vehicles was about three miles long. I got a good picture of the line as we crossed the Potomac River going into DC.

Once we got closer to the Mall the real fun started, at least during the transport of the horses into DC. Every time we even slowed to a crawl pedestrians were rushing the streets and trying to cross between the vehicles. One time Nate was still moving at about 5mph and he had people walking out in front of him. 5 mph may not sound like much but remember he had 32000 pounds of live animals in his trailer so stopping on a dime was not an option.

One intersection some how got forgotten by the police and since we were going through on a red light and Nate was concentrating on staying close to the bus ahead so that he didn’t have people trying to cross, a taxi who had the green light came barreling through the intersection. Everyone else in the truck saw him coming and we started yelling. Nate said he looked just in time to see yellow streak across in front of him. He said “I think I need to change my shorts now!” Then because he slammed on his breaks there was a gap between us and the bus people started crossing the street. He at that time was at a complete stand still because people were in his way. He finally had to stand up and was half out of his side window yelling at people to get out of the F*&^ing way. His wife started pulling him back into the truck before he got himself killed. People just looked at him and kept crossing so he just started moving and they did get out of the way.

At another intersection where we got a yard or two behind people started crossing and the police this time was around us on foot and they were yelling at people to get out of the way and one lady decided to keep going and she was tackled by the military right in front of us. We felt like trout trying to swim up river in a heavy current. It was crazy.

Then as we headed down Independence Ave. we did end up getting stopped on a down hill slide. We sat there for what seemed like forever. After about 30 minutes of sitting there I am sure the horses toward the front of the trailers three sections were getting squeezed even tighter. The trailer started rocking back and forth because the horses started getting up set and pushing back. One time the trailer was rocking so hard that Nate jumped out to check what was going on. The trucks emergency brakes couldn’t keep the trailer from pushing the truck forward and we kept moving slowly toward the bus in front of us. Lori ended up jumping over into the driver’s seat and stepping on the brakes.

We finally made it to the staging area. Once we started unloading the horses we found out just what was going on in the trailer. One of the Muskegon horses got loose, out of it’s halter. The halter wasn’t broken, just too lose .

We had 45 minutes to unload and have the horses saddled and all the shipping things put back onto the trailer because they had to leave to allow the next wave of horses and trailers into the area.

End of Part 4

DC trip part 3

Monday morning came quickly. The pair of Toronto Canada Police Officers that were invited to ride with us finally arrived late on Sunday night but were up and ready to spend the day in the DC area and have fun. They had performed the drill with us in 2007 and we told them if we do something like this they would be invited to go too. I personally haven’t seen Rob or Jeff since that ride in 2007 but it was great to see them again.

We went to the barn and cleaned stalls and feed the horses and took them out for a morning walk. Renia and I had to have a small interview with the Secret Service but that went very well and they told us to have a fun time in the parade. It just added to our experience. To be asked to sit in a black SUV with two SS agents and be questioned is something I will never forget.

We were then told by the drill master that we were free to roam at will until 2pm. So the Manistee group headed for downtown DC. The traffic didn’t seem too bad considering it was the day before the inauguration and Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We grabbed lunch at a local Applebee’s before heading into the downtown area.

As we headed into the heart of DC we looked at and took in a lot of scenery. It was a lot to take in. The buildings are some of the most amazing that I have seen in my life. The history alone behind some of those buildings is amazing all in itself. We crested a slight hill on the street we took into the capital and straight ahead we got a wonderful view of the US capital building.

Traffic continued to get heavier and heavier as we got closer and closer to the downtown area. We played out the complete roll of tourist and rolled our windows down and took a lot of pictures. I said we look like Japanese tourist!! We got about a block from the Mall but then the traffic got so heavy we started to worry that we would get stuck there and not be able to get back to the barns on time. So we did a u-turn and headed back out of town. We stopped at the edge of DC and parked, ran across the road and took our picture at the “Welcome to Washington DC” sign.

We headed back to the barn for our 2pm practice with the drill team. We got to the stable in time to saddle up and ride. We rode in formation around and around the PGEC. We determined our order of ride since we had to have that in place before we stepped out onto the parade route and we had to stay in that formation. We had three horses at the front to carry the American Flag, Michigan State flag and the Mi. Horse Council flag. I was placed in the third line, second horse in from the left. I had Jeff from Toronto on my left and Judy from my group on the right. Jeff rides an 18.2h Clydesdale/TB mix gelding so his foot and sometimes his spur was kicking my calf muscle, talk about busies!

On our last few travels around the PGEC we picked up a few more riders when the members of the US Border Patrol joined into the formation. They did great. We started talking to them and found out that they were from Spokane Washington and they ride nothing but Mustangs. Beautiful horses by the way. They had four buckskins that looked like they could have been twins. They left the Spokane area on January 9th and got into the PGEC on the 16th, and we thought we had a long trip!!!!

Once we finished up our practice we went into grooming mode. I had to put some finishing touches on Missy. We had to hoof black everyone and make sure every hair would be in place for the parade the next day. Some people actually bathed their horses but I chose not to, it was only 22 degrees outside (they bathed inside but still our stalls were outside in a shed-row type barn) and I was not out to make my horse ill, she has a thick winter coat because she is in an open air barn up north. The entire Manistee Unit chose to just do some really heavy grooming and our horses looked great in the end. Plus it helps to have a black horse.

We again tucked the horses in for the night and went back to the hotel for uniform preparations. First though we stopped at Chili’s for dinner. That was even better then Applebee’s earlier in the day. I had baby back ribs, mmmmmm.

We tidied our uniforms, made sure every pin was in order and every button was in place. We then went to sleep since we had to be at the barn at 4am we decided to turn in extra early.

End of part 3

My trip to DC part two

DC Trip part 2

Once we had horses settled, about two hours later, we went to the hotel (40 miles away on the west side of the Potomac River) and settle ourselves in. We then all went to a find some lunch. Not as easy as it sounds on a Sunday morning two days before the inauguration! We ended up in a little family owned restaurant that apparently just opened. It was a nightmare. I never did get anything to eat there. It wasn’t that the food was bad or that the service was bad either, it was more the fact that twenty people walked in unannounced to a small family restaurant that didn’t have the staff on board at the time.

While in the DC area I traveled around with my core mounted members. We ended up leaving the restaurant without me eating. On the way back to the hotel Kyle stopped by a KFC so I could at least get something to eat and it was so good and I was so hungry. We went to the hotel where we rested for a short time and then headed back over to the barn to see our horses.

My friend Sarah came to visit. Her and her husband used to be our neighbors here in Michigan. We miss her and Nick so much but I didn’t get a chance to see Nick because he works so much.

We rode around for sometime exploring the PGEC (Prince George Equestrian Center), what a place! This is the same place that the Washington International Grand Prix show is held at.

We tucked the horses in for the night and headed back to the hotel for a good nights sleep.

Once we arrived at PGEC the rest of our day want by fairly quietly. Once I took a shower and laid down in a real bed (instead of a van seat) I was sleeping before 9pm, which is unusual for me who normally stays awake until midnight or later.

End of part 2

Part one my Trip to DC

I know everyone has been waiting for word our how the trip to Washington DC went.

Day one, Jan. 17th I left here with my friend Judy, from my place at 8:00 am. My brother came with his wife to haul us down to the meeting area for the entire group which was a four hour trip south to Eaton County Michigan just north of the Indiana/Michigan State borders.

At noon on the 17th we arrived at the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office and we met up with all the others. We had a short press conference and then loaded up the twenty horses in the two trailers, ten horses in each trailer. My horse Missy was the first one on, with her buddy Banjo right next to her. The trailers were open stock trailers, but the holes in the walls were blocked about 90% so though the trailer was open air it was still fairly nice for the horses. There were no dividers between most of the horses. There was a divider closed behind every fourth horse. There heads were tied to the driver side wall and the next horse placed tight next to them.

The weather was not going to co-operate with us at all. We left in a middle of a blizzard with wind chilly well below zero, but we continued and it was a slow start at the beginning. At 40 mph it took almost an hour to travel the 30 minutes to the State line.

Though the passenger vans were traveling at 40mph the shipping company did not seem to be fazed by weather conditions and got about 150 miles ahead of us. We did finally catch up with them near Toledo Ohio and the rest of the way we were able to stay in a good caravan trip formation for the remainder of the trip to Upper Marlboro Maryland where the horses were stabled.

I separated from my core Manistee Sheriff’s group and was assigned to a passenger van with three other people from three other counties, Larry from Oakland County, Leslie from Macomb County and Denise from Eaton County. We had a GREAT time. I had only met Leslie back in November when she first joined the drill team on her little Morgan mare Jezebel. As we talked back in November we found out that are horses share the same Grandsire and Jezebel was born up in Northern Michigan near me.

Leslie drove for the first two hours; the Denise took over through most of Ohio. Once in Pennsylvania Larry took the wheel which ended up being a God send because we came into the storm system that had started our trip out of Michigan and by this time had traveled east it caught us again. I was also lucky enough to have been asleep through this part of the trip. Even the livestock transports wanted to stop and check into a hotel because they felt it was getting too dangerous to continue, but we did continue and finally drove out of the weather as we traveled. I took the wheel in Central Pennsylvania and drove to Maryland, were then Larry took over and drove the rest of the way to Upper Marlboro MD. We arrived at the stables at about 8:00am Sunday Jan. 18th.

End of Part 1
This is all new to me. I hope to be able to share with everyone things that are fun and interesting.