Paige at the J-6

IMG_1506, originally uploaded by torri_g.

I know that she isn't on a horse in this picture, but this is one of my favorites of Paige from this past Saturday. I mean look at her...just perfectly comfortable looking standing inside the practice arena, watching everyone warm up.
Paige being my complicated young woman is actually off of the horse because the huge crowd made her very nervous and upset. Which lead to it all getting her in brain, which lead to her horse Bob feeling her anxiety, which lead to Bob being fairly hyper. I was very proud of her though because she got off of the horse and talked to Dad, and talked to Mom and spent some time just watching and getting her mind settled. I took time to talk to their teacher/coach and then she spent extra time talking and calming our Miss Paige down. It is funny to me that Paige who doesn't let many people in finds great comfort with her teacher. Which was truly a
blessing on Saturday.
Paige won 2 third place, and two fourth place ribbons. She had one time thrown out because of the back end of Bob crossing the timer plain, which disqualified that time for the ride. I think Paige enjoyed the comfort and encouragement from her sisters, her teacher, and Todd and I enough to not let that one ride set back get her down though. Her teacher was very proud of her for getting back up on Bob and riding though, and for pushing through the whole day. I think everyone needs to look out though because now Paige knows what she needs to do to prepare herself for the next riding event.

3 G Girls

3 G Girls, originally uploaded by torri_g.

The girls rode in their first J-6 riding event this past Saturday, and oh what a great day it was! Being Mom I could not have been more proud of my girls than what I was Saturday, and not just because they brought home a ton of ribbons. Their support of each other over the course of the day, their support of the other competitors, and just watching how much they have grown in ability over the course of the last year. WOW is about all I have for that.
The flip side of it was the photographer in me was in pure joy overload with all of the beautiful horses to photograph. Over the course of this week I will post favorite pictures of each of my girls and share how each on of them did, and of course post some of my just favorite pictures of other horses and riders.

Sibling Sunday

IMG_0600, originally uploaded by torri_g.

I once upon a time used to be able to snap pictures of the girls together for this post, but it seems that those days are very long gone. Any time I'm hit with the thought that I would like a picture of them, by the time I get my camera one to all of them have left. It is a busy life with them all anymore and it just seems to be getting even busier. Oh well, it is what is supposed to be after all so let's do some updates about things going on with the girls.

Cheyenne was off this past week for fall break and the end of the first quarter has happened. Which mean just one more quarter of her being at Buena. Due to her unhappiness with class sizes this year, and my overall just not happy with the school, we have talked and decided that it is time for the run there to come to an end. With the start of the new semester in January she will be heading to new start at Tombstone. In the mean time there is a list of DECA activities and other that will be added I'm sure in the next couple of weeks. She had a great birthday Friday though and I'm sure that I'm about to start hearing the count down of 6 months till she can get her learner's permit. Outside of school stuff there are her riding lessons which she is just oh so very good at and in her spare time aside from that telling me hourly that she is just oh so very bored.

Stephanie is still in the busy routine of work, school, work, school, riding lessons, work, work. Although she has found that having her own car is a great freedom that she truly enjoys having. She has found that she now has the ability to spend some of her sparse free time with friends, which is something that she didn't have before.

Paige's routine is picking up here slowly now that she will be primary trainer of Kisses 4 days a week, plus her classes. Yesterday I got a call from our neighbor about hiring Paige to travel with her for a horse competition in Phoenix as a groomer. It is a two day event and with it is the youth expo which Paige would have the ability to attend during her down time. It will be an all expenses paid deal for her, and sometime here this morning she will need to give an answer as to whether or not she wants to do it. I'm pretty much fingers crossed that it will be a yes because I think it will be a great opportunity for her to network with some people. Heck just to be given the opportunity is great.

I think that is about it for this weeks update about the girls. I hope that everyone has had a great weekend so far and that today is one that brings lots of smiles and laughter.

Horse Training 101

IMG_0602, originally uploaded by torri_g.

Wednesday started the girls and Kisses training. The girls were taught how to view the horse and look for any conformational flaws or trouble areas. They quickly learned how to spot training flaws and their first training issue to work on is working with the lunge line with Kisses. Everything is fine with the lunge line till you actually get it to close to her hind quarters, then she kicks. There was a correction to her age because she is 7 and not 4. Overall her submissive training for things like backing up, lowering her head, lifting her hoofs, and moving to the side were all very good. The girls have tons of reading material, and even some dvd's to watch over the course of the next 5 weeks.

They have also set up with their riding teacher Redhead to come out to the property and do some waste management for her during this time period or other odds and ends jobs. We are going to be heading out there tomorrow for a day filled with nothing but horses and work actually since Friday proved to be a difficult day to get Paige's riding lesson in. You know the scene from the Scorpion King in the desert with the sand storm? Or from any western set in the old west with the dust storms? Well we had that happen yesterday. This was no little dust devil that came up it was full blown sand blast your face dust storm followed by torrential down pouring of rain! So tomorrow Paige will go for her lesson, and while she is doing that the other two are going to put in some time working and then they will all get their next lesson on working with Kisses. Sounds like a great way to end the weekend to me.

Graduation

Well for anyone that is waiting the news is that by Wednesday of this week we found out grades for Paige and she will be walking with her class next Thursday! I have no idea how she did it, or the even better question to be answered of why she would have created the problem to being with, but she pulled that grade up and passed! Yesterday was her last day of school, and now all that remains is three rehearsals and a graduation. I can honestly just about happier than she was heading into the school yesterday. The thought that I no longer have to try to convince her that this is important or that just because she feels the need to mess with a teachers mind she doesn't get to is the best for me right now. Today I will make yet another attempt to get a cap and gown photo of her and see about finishing one last graduation project.

I hope that everyone has a great weekend!