Oh hurray - I hope everything keeps working out well!!! 

 Sounds lovely RC I thought I could see the Aladdinn he tends to shine thru - now you must get him cause Aladdinn is lil ones Grandfather on her Dams side - we wil be related  thats close enough to say sisters just about!

When do we get to see the pics?

Link: Family Tree

Oh RC, I sure do hope everything works out. And just maybe if I can ever get the time so DH and I can finally get out to Sedona like I want to, I can come visit and I could take a spin on him. LOL.

SS- Seems like Glis is related to Starz also. She has Forta and Witraz on her sire's side. Sweet.

YEAH RC!!!!!!

I have never done a vet check myself. I've never spent over $1000 for any horse I've ever owned and for me, and what I do with them, it just doesn't justify a vet check.

If I won the lottery and decided to splurge and buy myself  $20,000 show horse, I would invest in one I suppose. But from what I hear, most of the stuff they do for a vet check, you can do yourself. But if you want to go deeper and do X-rays, radiographs and such than you'd have to have the vet do it.

Congrats RC!  I like him very much, such a kind face, well done!!!!!

Vet checks, mmmmm never bothered myself, there is ALWAYS going to be something turn up on a vet check no horse is a 100% perfect.  You can go down the x ray path etc etc but at the end of the day if hes what you want and will do what you want, then buy him.

If you were wanting to compete at the olympics etc then yep go do xrays, but even THOSE horses are'nt 100% so whats the point.  You only need to know what YOU can see, so if his conformation is a tad off you know you might have joint problems or foot problems etc most things can be managed. 

So I keep missing people in chat over the weekemd, my only chance to get on line, work is still very busy, but now that I have settled I really enjoy it and the other team members are really good, basically becuase we are all in the same boat, only at different stages, yesterday I gave a motivational talk to the latest lot of trainees, I think they appreciated it (I know the trainers did!) many of them were feeling like me when I was at the end of the 2 week training period, smashed with more information than I could compute and ready to chuck it in! They seemed releived at the end!!!!

I have a lesson soon, the boy I am glad to say is back to his old self, I have to be so careful what I give him, the joint food I was feeding him sent him a bit gah-gah! coupled with the BIG kangas that have decided to move in, early morning rides are getting quite exciting!!!!!

We are also off to get hay this arvo, and its going to be 90+ today, ah! summer, its on its way!

Well as I have a relatively easy day I will pop back in later to chat and see if anyone is around until then dear friends, Ciou!!!!

O

remmer:

I went to a 2 day Clinton Anderson Clinic early this Summer.  He always says "he is a better teacher than he is a trainer".  It was easy to understand his methods and he made "sense" to me.  I think he sometimes gets a little more "severe" with the horses than I like to see.  His methods seem very similar to Pat Parelli.  I went with a friend who has all of Clinton Anderson's tapes.  I prefer to stick with Parelli.

Congrats, RC!  I personally am a big believer in a vet check, irregardless of the cost of the horse, I would still do it even if the horse only cost $5.  Getting a good impartial vet to look at the horse can tell you a lot, actually, especially if your eyes are blinded by love.  $300-400 up front is worth it to me for a physical, a few x rays, and a movement analysis.  I learned a lot from Solo's PPE -- of course, all horses have issues, but wouldn't you rather knew as many as you reasonably could going in?  It seems like a lot of money at the time, but in retrospect, it was minute compared to what I've spent since.  I like to at least xray feet, get a basic neuro exam, palpate every muscle and tendon they have, watch them move mounted and not, check teeth and eyes, and check TPR before and after work.

I'm still up in MD at the moment -- spent Wed-Sat volunteering at our Area II Training 3-Day Event.  It was incredible and I HIGHLY recommend anyone even the least bit interested in maybe someday eventing your horse, go to one!  The long format is just invaluable and as a learning experience, it was irreplaceable.  Plus since we have the good fortune to be in the Area that holds the nexus of eventing, all kinds of cool folks show up to share their knowledge.  I had dinner with Karen O'Connor and her groom Max gave a talk on XC care of the horse.  Dr. Kent Allen also talked to us (he used to vet lots and LOTS of Olympic Teams, USPC, and other international stuff).  Steven Bradley and Karen both gave XC course walks.  I had a blast and I swear, me and Solo WILL compete there someday!

Congrats on the new boy, RC.  He sounds loverly! :)

Solo, sounds like you've had an awesome time in MD! I am soo jealous!

Well, in a week I may be able to be online a little more often! The plant I'm working at is going to switch back to 12 hour swing shifts instead of working 8 hour shifts at 7 days each swing. My paycheck will indeed be smaller (i.e. less than 40 hrs most weeks), but at least I'll have 2-4 days off and won't be driving to Christiansburg as much. 

Some of you already know this, and I don't remember if I posted it here, LOL, but a week ago Friday  I wrecked my car when a tire blew out (lost control and went through a sign post in the median). Fortunately the damage was mostly cosmetic (except for the wheel rim) and my insurance co. is paying to fix it instead of totalling it out. The body shop reports that my car should be ready middle of this week.  Thank goodness for that, because I'm not liking the rental car.  The suspension is too mushy for both my taste and the twisty roads around here. Icky.

Hope ya'll are having a nice, safe weekend with your horses!

 Glad to hear you are getting the new Arab, RC and some more training - lucky you!  Personally I have never done a vet check.  I understand and agree with the reasons pro and con  but always figured that even if the vet check is fine I could  have an injury occur from the trailering or a condition start up within a few days of arriving home.  Knock on wood - so far so good.  I wonder sometimes though if our first horse, Mercedes, had some sort of heart or other hidden condition that she died so suddenly after we had her only 10 months.  On the other hand we might well have bought her anyway as she and my DD fell in love at first sight and their 10 months together was absolutely fabulous. 

It is that brief time of year when the weather is almost decent and there are so many things to fit in before it turns unpleasantly cold - so here is to more riding and more cottage time over the next week! 

 Great dancing last night - really smooth, flowing and fast tempo!!  Great fun!  And a good dance crowd!

 Good news on the Arab RC- now for a name . . .

Blue so glad you are ok and the car is getting fixed.

SH never a dull moment for you!  As far a decent weather we seem to have missed that boat here - nasty  and rain all the time to cold nasty and rain all the time.

As far as the Vet check question I tend to fall in Solos camp - better ro know what you have then not.

Now my news - It seems to have finially come my way  - I have joined the ranks of the unemployed today - so I went to the unemployment office and straight out to the barn for a ride  Oh well  - I needed a restart anyway - the schedule was just about to do me in. 

 well that sucks SS.  AT least you'll get un-employment for a while and with your training you'll be more marketable.  Right proorities there too.  Going for a ride right away.  

WOW....   so much goes on when I'm not here.  

Sorry to hear about your job SS.  

RC  congrats on your new Arab.

Solo  You are always seeming to have a good time :-)

SH it was good to chat w/you yesterday, and your life always sounds like tons of fun.

JG thanks for chatting w/me this morning

Blue I'm glad you're OK from the wreck and things are going well for you.

I now have a new personal pc...  no more borrowed or broken...   woo hoo.   The horses are great, well, except for DH's cranky ole mare.  She injured her leg somehow in the pasture.   Vet came... she needed stitches but not enough there to stitch.   I am really dreading doing the bandage maintenance on this horse.   I really think she hates me    LOL.   Both girls are riding EVERY single chance they get.   I think they live on those horses.   It does my heart good to see it though.   They have the lesson barns fun show in a couple of weeks.   They are really looking forward to that.   They are going to take Ryan's trusted steed, Po.    Hope to catch up with all of you soon :-)

 Well, CRAP, SS.  But, you'll have some good company!  Lots of riding time....  Are you going to take a break before you start looking?  What's the job market like in your area?

So, RC - where are the pictures of Mr. Wheeler?  He sure is nice looking.  I'm glad you found him!

Glad you're okay, Blue and it was just the car that got hurt.  Hope you enjoy the new schedule - do you start any later?

Your trip to MD sounded wonderful, Solo.  Do we get pictures?

I guess you know the winter is coming when SH has to close down the cabin.  It's definitely fall here, with all the cottonwoods turning color and seeing the aspen in the hills change too.  I love the fall days of temps in the low 70's and bright and sunny.  I don't, however, like the short days - less time to play with the ponies when I get home.  AND, next weekend, it will get worse....  Who thought setting the clocks back was a good idea?