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Showing posts from July, 2011

Massachusetts Horse Magazine

The August/September issue of Massachusetts Horse magazine is online! Check it out at: www.mahorse.com This issue spotlights Quarter Horses...

Aha Moments

I had a great ride on Secret Saturday. Seriously, one of the best rides I have had on her in the last two years. Its no secret (haha) that this mare can challenge me in ways the other two don't. She is incredibly athletic, with a ton of potential. But she is also a diva with a lazy streak. We've butted heads on more than one occasion, and I will be the first to tell you that she has taught me a lot. So, what changed? I rode her in the ring on Saturday for the first time in weeks. Truth be told, we've spent two hours total in the ring all spring and summer. We've been doing a lot of trail riding (where a fair share of training goes on - she's not a natural trail horse) and she has had several breaks while I have been busy with work, running, or kayaking in Montana. I rode John first on Saturday, a quick half hour trail ride to see if the new bit worked better with the LaSalle bridle. It did. I'm going to need to find a biothane bridle the same size as

Coffee Break

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In the midst of a busy schedule last week, I took John out for an evening trail ride (before the heat wave began). Call it a coffee break or a brain recharge, but it worked. And of course, took more "ears" shots. To me, this is one of the best views in the world.

A Couple Pictures from First Descents

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A view of the North Fork of the Flathead River - we paddled this. My brother from another mother and me, goofing off before we headed to the river. Boa, one of the other campers, goofing off at the airport.

Recharging The Soul - A Week with First Descents

For the third summer in a row, I attended one of First Descents whitewater kayaking camps for young adult cancer survivors in Montana. This year, as in the past, I came close to canceling the trip. I won’t pretend that the last year has been easy. I have had some incredibly great opportunities, along with huge losses, and a hectic schedule. As I waded through grief over the winter, the application process opened up for First Descents camps and I applied. A few months later I bought a non-refundable plane ticket, knowing that I might later feel the urge to stay home. As the date for camp drew nearer, I wondered why I was going for a third year. I am two years out of chemotherapy, busy with work and an all-consuming equestrian hobby. But I have also felt constantly pulled in a million different directions over the past few months. I’m sure you all know that feeling, the to-do list keeps getting longer, but there is only so much of yourself to go around. In trying to keep up with

Summer Solstice Trail Ride

This blog post appeared on Equitrekking.com - One cancer survivor's efforts to raise money for the organization that taught her to live again By Stacey Stearns Diagnosis and First Descents I was diagnosed with cancer in 2008, at the age of 28. To tell you the truth, I was somewhat relieved; I was in constant pain and had been through two years of misdiagnosis. I finally had answers but still took a healthy case of denial into chemotherapy. I rode my Morgan gelding throughout my six months of chemotherapy treatments. Many times he babysat me as I played the role of the passenger, but I truly believe that riding helped me cope with chemotherapy. A few months after treatment ended, I attended a whitewater kayaking camp for young adult cancer survivors in Montana with the organization, First Descents. First Descents is an organization that provides young adult cancer survivors the opportunity to “defy their cancer, reclaim their lives and connect with others doing the same” by particip

A Few More Pictures from Acadia

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Again, these pictures were all taken by Wanda Clowater - www.clowaterart.com

Pine Tree

We went to the Pine Tree Endurance Ride on June 25th in North Waterford, Maine. I trailered up with my friend Megan and her two sons, it was the first endurance ride for all of us. I guess the best way to sum up the two days in Maine is to call it a learning experience on many levels. We were still in the middle of one of the multi-day rain spells when we arrived. Luckily there were some small stalls left in one of the cattle barns (ride camp was at the fairgrounds) so we took four of those. We built temporary gates for the horses with the electric fence we had brought, but didn't electrify John and Minnie because their stalls were on the opposite end of the barn from Dolly and Coco. John ducked under the gate and was loose within five minutes. There were some large round pen panels laying in the grass, so I borrowed one of them and made him a gate with that. Around 11:30 that night, I was very grateful for the stalls as there was a thunder and lightning storm with heavy down

More Pictures from Acadia

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These pictures were all taken by Wanda Clowater - www.clowaterart.com

More Summer Solstice Pictures

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