IEA Regional Awards

A couple of weeks ago we drove to Wilmington, OH for the regional IEA meet at Wilmington College.  The night before the meet they region had a pizza dinner and a little awards presentation for all the kids and parents.

On the way there we spotted this sign.  It made us miss our Stanley!

Equestrian Girl's team did really well up to this point with almost the whole team qualifying for the regional meet.  This is half of them.

This is the other half.

Getting Dizzy

I do this on a regular basis.  Just watch.

Vrroom, Vroom!

Buns

A few weeks ago Equestrian Girl got her hair cut. And then we realized that it just might be too short for a bun!  Uh oh.  It was a little too long to just leave it down and a little too short for a real bun. So we made a fake on!  We got this little donut thing that you slip over your pony tail and then wrap the hair over it.  That left the short pieces sticking out all over so the hand-dandy hair net was wrapped over it and VOILA!  A perfect bun!

A Long Mane

This is Brandy and Charlie.  They are our friends and are both just so cute!  Charlie is like the Farrah Fawcett of Paint horses with this mane - usually because most show horses have clipped manes.  They are clipped to about 3 inches long and banded like this - but the hair is short.  Sometimes it's braided - they do that for English only horses - meaning they only show in the hunt seat classes.  Charlie gets a french braid when he goes English!

Stanley doesn't have to deal with any of this - his mane is what is called "roached" meaning it's all shaved off.

Happiness is....

A bouquet of daffodils!!!  I LOVE my daffodils and all the many varieties that grow in my garden every spring.  These are the late bloomers but they are also my favorites because some of the smell really, really good.  Like vanilla beans. Or something like that.

A Rare Shot

A really rare shot of sibling love.  Almost didn't get this one - had to act fast!

Horse Teeth

Not everyone knows that horse teeth need to be cared for just like humans.  Although in a very different way.  They actually grow sharp edges on their teeth that can hurt their tongue or the insides of the mouth.  So an equine dentist grinds them off.  Our vet is an equine dentist and he uses power tools for most of the work and hand tools for the finishing touches.

This is Stanley getting his teeth cleaned.  He's in la-la land after a good dose of anesthesia so he doesn't mind this horribly barbaric contraption on his face that holds his mouth open.  The ropes go over the cross bar at the top of his stall and hold that white buoy looking thing under this chin. This helps hold his head up and then the vet goes to work with the little light on his head so he can see good!

We love Dr. Esterline at Kern Road Veterinary Clinic and Stanley does too!

First Race part 2

I took over 400 pictures at this race! I have to use a FEW more before I move on.

This is why you wear goggles. Where is Motocross Boy/Man??

Oh, here he is!

First Race of the Year! April 8th at Portland

The first year of the race is always pretty exciting but this year maybe just a tiny bit more-so since Motocross Boy/Man has a new bike - a Suzuki 125.  It's blue.  I kept forgetting that though and took more than a few random pictures of yellow bikes.  I should wear my glasses when I do this!

I love the colors at the starting gate. Funny how they are ALL blue, yellow, green or red.  And each of those colors stands for a certain brand of bike.  We've had one of each except red.  Red is Honda.

And they are off!

Check out that rooster tail of dirt!  Guys like this.

Kinda cool when you get someone jumping through your picture!

Love this shot!

Air shots like this look way scarier in pictures than they do when he's actually riding.  I gulp when I see them after the fact!

The greatest kid..

Love this!  I love that my boy takes time to talk to the little guys.  These two were up talking to him at the starting gate and checking out his new bike.

Love him

This one is the wind beneath by wings.

Love her

I love this girl.  She makes my heart sing.

Man Cave

Motocross Boy/Man has one.  Futon. Check.  TV.  Check.  xBox.  Check.  Posters of man stuff. Check.

The best thing about Ikea...

Is this massively huge sign that cracks us up every time.

Trip to University of Findlay

Last weekend Equestrian Girl had a lesson with Mark Smith at the University of Findlay. We've been there many times before but I had an urge to take pictures this time!

We weren't on campus obviously but out at the farm grounds.  Its landscaped so pretty!

Cool lampposts with UofF signs line the driveway in.

Hard to see but these were goats.

 And this side of the field had sheep.

 One of the lamp posts.

 A cute horse that was in the round pen out back that just HAD to say hello to Equestrian Girl.

The horse is Josh.  He was a lot like Stanley - even looked a bit like him!

 After lunch we made a side trip to the Smith's house to see Slipper and her foal, Ella.  Ella was shy.

 And didn't want to hold still at all!

 She'd dash away just as I tried to click.  But she is as cute as can be and lopes around like a real western pleasure star!

Main Street, USA

Who can guess what city this Main Street is in?  If you get to the last picture and still don't know...it totally gives it away.

Leslie - that sign is on the stadium!!  You should see the remodeling - the place is HUGE.

Spring!

When you first think of spring you usually think of pretty blooming trees and flowers like this one.

Equestrian Girl thinks of buying cute summer dresses.

Road Trip!

What do teenagers do on a road trip?

Sleep was on Motocross Boy/Man's agenda.

Equestrian Girl kept entertained with her Nook.