Sunday Stills - Texture

This week's Sunday Stills Challenge is Texture.  Being an animal lover, I, of course, can't resist lots of pictures of the various critters that come into my life.  What better texture than the long hair of a dog or the blowing mane of a horse.

My Border Collie, Bandit

An Arabian gelding, Zhivago

My Border Collie/Aussie Shepherd puppy, Zoey

The fabric on my blazer for work

An Arabian gelding, Romeo

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Skywatch Friday - Season 4 Episode 29

Yesterday morning we had a "surprise" snow squall that started at 5:00 AM.  The weather forecasters completely missed this one and it wreaked havoc with the morning commute.  My trusty Jeep did just fine but every major highway had accidents and were shut down at one point.  The school bus didn't show up so T walked back home.  When we checked with the school, they said that some buses were going to be delayed by up to an hour so we decided that she could stay home.  The bus eventually showed up 50 minutes later than scheduled and only 3 kids got on (out of about 15 that normally take the bus).  The temps warmed up later in the day and the snow melted away but the winds kicked up and the temps dropped.  It was 11 degrees F this morning and it supposed to stay very cold until next week. 

At the height of the snow

 

Check out skies from all over the world at Skywatch.

Cooling Down

She made him all sweaty working in the ring and running up the hill so we took a nice walk in the woods to cool down.  Zip is filling out and building muscle and really starting to look like a gaming horse.

Wordless Wednesday - Follow the Leader

Waiting for the Judge

I was going through my photo archives and updating pics on my Photoreflect site and found a picture that I always meant to go back to and play around with.  There's something about it that always struck me.  This is my friend's daughter in a Western Pleasure class at a show in May of 2009, waiting for the judge to announce the placings.

Macro Monday - At the Cistern

From my archives, February of last year.  One of the horses drinking at the cister.

You can see other contributors to Macro Monday here.

Sunday Stills - Sports

This week's Sunday Stills Challenge is Sports.  Anyone that visits this blog knows that we are very involved with our horses.  My 13 year old daughter, T, competed in her first full seasons of gymkhanas last year.  She focused on showing at Buxmont Riding Club since she was doing so well in the point standings.  She finished the season as Reserve Champion in her division and will be receiving a riding club jacket at next week's banquet.

Riding is her sport and she does it well.  This are my favorite pictures from each of the 6 shows at Buxmont last year.

April 25 - Pole Bending class

2nd place, Reserve Champion for the show

May 16 - Bend and Jump class

1st place, Grand Champion for the show

June 13 - Opening Ceremony

Grand Champion for the show

July 18 - Birangle class

2nd place

September 19 - Keyhole class

1st place

October 3 - Bootlace class

1st place

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Skywatch Friday - Season 4 Episode 28

T jumping Jet while Daisy and I watch

Check out skies from all over the world at Skywatch

Yee Haw!

Daisy Cantering from CTG Ponies on Vimeo.

T having a blast with Daisy

Wordless Wednesday - Arabians

Mud Bath

Jet and Zip enjoy being out in the pasture with the herd and somehow always manage to find the muddiest, dirtiest spot to roll around, especially Zip.  It's a good thing both of them are dark colors since it hides the dirt :)

You can see the mud on his face.  He really grinds it in.

Don't let the pic fool you - I hosed the chunks of mud off of his legs.

Macro Monday - Her Eyes are Changing

Zoey's eyes are slowing changing.  They were very bright blue when she was younger and are changing to a much lighter blue.  I think the eye that is two different colors may end up being completely amber.  And her colors are just intensifying.  It's fun to watch her grow and change.

You can see other contributors to Macro Monday here.

Sunday Stills - Moods and Emotions

This week's Sunday Stills Challenge is Moods and Emotions:

This challenge is for you to get a shot that enables a response in the person who views your pic not one that is your personal emotion. 

This is what I came up with 

Zip and Tinker playing

My daughter on Daisy

Belle sleeping in the pasture 

(no, she's not dead - she got up as soon as she realized I was there)

Sunrise on my way to work

Bandit barking

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The Girls

Skywatch Friday - Season 4 Episode 27

Sunset over the riding ring while Jet and Zip play

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The View from Up Here

It was freezing last weekend (actually it was below freezing) and I didn't want to do too much with the horses to avoid them getting sweaty.  After we did some games and some patterns with Jet and Zip, we let them walk around the ring where ever they wanted to.  Most of the time, neither one of us steered them.  We just let them amble along.  We took turns taking pics and videos.

T on Zip

Me on Jet, once again bundled for the Arctic

Wordless Wednesday - Around the World

It looks like a carrot...

"Hey, that thing really looks like a carrot"

"I'll just taste it and see"

"Blah, it's not a carrot!"

Macro Monday - Remembering Spring

It has been very cold here with windchills in the single digits at night and howling winds.  Another clipper will be blowing through tonight with the possibility of a dusting of snow.  I wanted to remind myself what a few short months will bring - blue skies, green grass, warm air and flowers.

You can see other contributors to Macro Monday here.

Sunday Stills - Your Best Shot of 2009

This week's Sunday Stills Challenge is Your Best Shot of 2009. I have quite a few favorite pics and it was hard to choose just two.  Of course, the two that I picked are horses.

From Happiness Is...

A pic I took on a trail ride at the Green Lane Reservoir

One of my favorite things to do that I don't get to do often enough

Montero spotted something across the water that caught his interest

From Rule of Thirds

One of my favorite overall pics

This was one of those times where I just itched to have the camera in my hand

It was the first time that this mare saw the other horses in the neighboring field

I love the composition of it

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Skywatch Friday - Season 4 Episode 26

T on Daisy after last week's snow fall.  The sky was the same color as the snow and the wind was blowing.  We're in the middle of a cold snap and it's snowing once again this morning.  At least each day gets longer and I am no longer leaving work in the dark.

Check out skies from around the world at Skywatch.

Snoozing

I fell asleep earlier in the evening on New Year's Eve and Zoey decided that I was a comfortable spot to sleep on.

Wordless Wednesday - BBRRRRR!

One of the Advantages to Being Short...

You still fit on ponies!  It was cold with a fresh coating of snow but I managed to get on Daisy to get a feel for her.  And once again, I look like the StayPuf Marshallow Man - hat under the helmet, big quilted jacket with at least 2 layers underneath, breeches, full chaps, paddock boots, and heavy leather fleece lined gloves.  And she didn't even notice.

I'm catching up on blog postings and comments so if I haven't visited lately, I promise I will get there sometime this week.

Macro Monday - Puppy Paws

When we first got Zoey, her legs and feet were white with black pads on her feet.  As she is getting older she is getting all kinds of speckles and color especially on her legs and feet.  Her feet are almost the same size as Bandit's.

You can see other contributors to Macro Monday here.

Pony Princess

Daisy in the snow

This pony is so pleasant to be around!  

Skywatch Friday - Season 4 Episode 25

Happy New Year!

A hint of blue skies after last week's snow storm.  Rain later in the week washed away all the snow.

Check out skies from around the world at Skywatch.