Hung out for a couple hours at an Endurance Ride....

Ozark County Endurance Riders - Spring Fling

This past weekend was an endurance ride and I wanted to go check things out!  The weather turned off ugly...we missed the early morning departure but heard that it was storming, hailing, lots of lightning...just ugly out!  But those tough riders went out anyways!  We got there about 10:30 and it was pouring rain.  We did not know anybody there....we were crashing the party!  I asked Brian if he wanted to go check it out with me and I got a big fat NO WAY!  Ha ha!  He thinks they are crazy for riding 25 or 50 miles in that stuff.  And when he saw the age differences...young to not so young...he was even more amazed!   

I got out and stood around a while, then started chatting with people.  I wish I could have stayed the whole weekend, but we were not prepared to camp out in weather like that.  Here are just a few of the pictures I took....I think I would have just as much fun being a photographer for a ride as I would as a rider.

I got to see horse/rider teams go thru their vet checks, come in and get heart rates taken, new groups going out after mandatory rest periods, and other groups coming in....I loved it!!!

This was the warmest place on the grounds! 

This horse reminded me of an Arab I had a long time ago...he had a canter like no other I have ridden and he had a heart of gold.  I miss him.

Nothing but rain coats, helmet covers and blankets for the horses...very cold and windy!

Check out this rig!  I am likin' it!  LOTS!

This fellow was quite tall!

I love all the bright colors.  I would go broke getting one of each!  :-)

The little gray sticking his head out is Echo.  Echo was saddled and ready to go this morning when his person decided that she would crew for her friend instead.  She is one I chatted with for quite a while.  How I wish I could have stuck around for more riding stories!  Echo was not happy to see the other horses going out without him.

The heart rate taker is Echo's Mom.

I never did talk to this guy, and I wish I would have.  Everyone was so busy taking care of their horses and I did not want to disturb them.  I am sure I will see him at another ride.  I loved his camo/hunter orange rump rug for his horse, plus I just think he is cute! 

 

Loved when he smiled and waved as he went by.  I think some thought I was the official ride photographer...I posted all my pictures to Facebook on their site, so hopefully enough of the riders see them and share.

This is my favorite one of the fellow....love the colors and the mystery of a lone rider going into the woods on a trail unknown...

 Riders coming in from an 8 mile loop.  The 50 miles had to do this loop twice.  I am not sure how long the other loops were or how many there were.

I did get to hold a couple of horses...this one was more than happy to do self portraits!  :-)  The browband on the bridle almost looks like little goggles pushed up.  Ha!

Wish I would have seen this saddle pad sooner.  I don't know if she was a 25 or a 50 miler.  Either way...that is a long way in weather like that on a pad.

These horses were very vocal about being left behind.  Some riders chose to stay in on Saturday and ride only Sunday.  I have not heard how the Sunday weather was.  Radar showed snow.

After my two hours of horsey fun, we headed to Brian's bee seminar that was only 10 miles away.  They had 4 cancellations so I got to sit in.  It was a very fun full day!  I can't wait to go to the next one!  I really want to do this, and the big joke now is I have to learn how to ride a horse again!  Ha ha!  Seeing as I have turned scaredy cat, I am thinking that riding 1 mile out of 25 would not be so much fun.  HA HA!!!  No worries....I am working on it....and time will heal.

Until later....Karen and Tripp who says that Wyoming would be better at this than him.  :-)

Pot Luck of Pix....

Wyoming was peeking in the barn door at me....look at the boo-boo on his nose.  Don't have any idea how he did it.  Almost perfectly round (and almost healed).

We went to an auction and the place had this neat windmill.  It actually worked!  The faster that thing turned the more water came out of it...beautiful day....  

Halo and I were playing on one of the nice sunny days.  She thinks it is a good idea to rest her head on mine....

Okay, enough games....time for a Horsey Diva pose....Halo, not me!  :-)

She wanted me out of the picture....did not want me to distract you away from her total cuteness.

Joker wants to join in the fun!

Millie says "WHAT ABOUT ME???"

Susie and Rico...Mom and son....

This is going to be a bookmark....

After a nice sunny day what do we get?  Snow!  This has been a weird weather season so far.

Even Millie is sick of snow....she was snoozing under the canopy when I came out that morning.

It was snowing and so pretty out!  Time for a smoochy self portrait!  I have to confess it really is hard not to laugh when we do this!  :-D

\

Snow from my view in the passenger seat....

Brian clearing the car windows....

 Wyoming wanted you to get a better view of his boo-boo.  He still won't tell me what he did.  Something about not being a tattle tale!  Ha!

The weather has really been up and down.  Cool sunny days, warm sunny days, cold and windy cloudy days, then more snow.  We got more this past weekend and have more forecasted tomorrow night...but no accumulation.  Whew!  Flowers are starting to bloom so I am getting excited for Spring!

Hope everyone is doing well!

Until later...Karen and Tripp who is worried about my talk of 25 and 50 mile rides!  :-)

An array of the past couple of weeks...

We get some of the best sunsets....the beauty of them just makes me swell with awe and happiness inside.


Wyoming....

Boom....he is his old self.  Most of the time looks away when he sees me pull out the camera.

Chase the Drama Llama, or the Jolly Llama....just depends on his mood.  This time he was the Drama Llama...I was hearing him singing "I'm - too sexy for the sunset - too sexy for the sunset too sexyyyyyy!" 

Ajax and Zjax are letting me know to hurry up...we are losing the pretty colors in the clouds and they are feeling a little short changed.  Wyoming is in the background like the little kid who jumps in a picture at the last minute...minus the funny face.

WYOMING:  "Hey!  Watch this!"

WYOMING: "Rolling, rolling. wiggling to get the itch, rolling some more...."

 Batman is a trouble maker.  He and Chase were playing on a gorgeous afternoon and Chase was feeling more energetic than Batman.  Batman, being the smart little guy that he is, pulled in and parked  behind Boom, knowing that Chase will get popped if he pushes the issue! 

Boom and Batman hung out for a while...

We put a Bale Buddy out for the burro/horse/llama group, and once it got eaten down a bit, Chase used it as a pedestal.  He likes to be tall.
The Bale Buddy was a test for this group - we used this, and we used the round bale feeder that Brian made.  There was MUCH less waste with the Bale Buddy.  We will be putting a 2nd one in and pulling out the other feeder.  I pull the sides down so the shorter ones can reach.

This is Chase giving his "I am cute and innocent and would never chase Batman to exhaustion" look.

Ahhhh yes, signs of Spring!

LOOK!  It is a 2 headed horse!

Guineas on alert! 

Nevada smooching on Brian....

Batman....this little guy is so cute and sweet (most of the time) that he literally brings tears to my eyes. I was sitting on a barrel reading a book, and he came up and watched...

I am reading The Shack, by Wm. Paul Young.  I am almost half thru the book and I am loving it!  Anyways, the day was gorgeous so I put up a barrel to sit on to enjoy the weather, enjoy the horses, and to enjoy the book.  Batman cracked me up...it was like he was the little kid listening to the best story in the world!  Even Wyoming came up and stood next to him for a while...that was before I was smart enough to grab the camera.  :-)

Weather was good...running and playing was in the cards!

BOOM:  "Yee Haw!!!!  Out of the way!!!  Coming thru!!!!"

WYOMING:  Whew, that was a good run!  Hey, look at us looking good!

WYOMING:  "Race you to the llama!"

WYOMING:  "It is over there!"
BOOM:  "No, it is over there!"

WYOMING:  "Maybe they won't notice I am here."

There is a lot more solid ground out there right now, which means traction is good, which means more playing!  I can really see the difference in how they have acted the past few days...they are loving life!

Until later....Karen and Tripp who thinks he would look better with a pretty sunset behind him!