I've been a little down on life lately. The past couple of months I've suffered from depression occassionally. I get everything going good, get in a good mood then something happens to bring me down. I'm sure life could always be worse though. First I had to leave my boyfriend behind to move home and it was hard not getting to see him everyday. Just as I began to cope with not having "R" around, our relationship unraveled quickly. No surprise since I'm in Illinois and he's in Canada. He turned out to be a jerk anyhow. I finally said enough was enough when he totally blew off my birthday. I deserved to be treated better. I didn't care for "R" as deeply as I thought I did anyway. I never shed a tear as I called him and ended things between us. Then I met this really super cool guy "J". At first I just wanted a friend, but then I spent a little bit of time with "J". He's everything I've been looking for. One problem, I don't think he likes me as much as I like him. Everything went great for about two weeks then I got the whole lets be friends I don't want a serious relationship speach. Its absolutly killing me, but thats where we're at, friendship. I think we may have been rushing things though, and every great relationship starts as a friendship right. I'm hoping that if I give things a little time, "J" will give me a chance at a relationship. I also have the stress of deciding what to do for the winter. After spending last winter in Florida, I decided I have to go south again. I'm thinking along the lines of Arkansas. Its fairly warm there in the winter. Or possible Texas. That sounds real great. It would be warm and thats my kinda style Texas. I love the western lifestyle. I just took a week vacation in San Antonio and loved everything about the Lonestar State. So I just grin and bear my problems so to speak. After all, my life isn't nearly as rough as some others have it. Until next time, keep one leg on each side

Well its been a long time since I've been on here. It seems like life has been very busy lately. Unfortunately I had to say good bye to a couple of my dear friends. I recently had to sell both Ace and Tops. The price of gas, feed, and hay has hit me hard on top of some other finacially issuses. I so hated to part with my two boys. Tops was my first horse and I always promised him a good life and a good home. I recently realized that I was being greedy and unfair by keeping him. I had picked him up from the vets farm and brought him to the track. My farrier "T" worked on his feet and had him moving more sound. Then I hit my money problems. And I began to notice that poor Tops spent most of his days in a stall with little attention beyond the necessary care. I found out my cousin was looking for a good riding horse for his son. The perfect new home for Tops was discovered. He is back to relaxing his days away in a pasturse of grass with a young child to love on him and shower him with attention. Plus I can go see him anytime I want and if he is ever sold, I get first chance at him. Ace also had to be sold due to lameness issuses. He was doing really well and "T" helped him a bunch for awhile then Ace came up dead lame. Upon xraying his bad foot we discovered the old wing fracture was still present and he had a lot of other issuses. "T" informed me that he could get him 90% sound as a riding horse but it would take a lot of time and money. So I found Ace a home with someone that can put the money into him to fix him. It absolutely broke my heart to sell Ace again but I had no other choice after all I can't afford to keep them all. I still have my pride and joy though. Scout's a big help in pulling through this hard time. He's the only one that will never be for sale. Hopefully someday I will be able to own horses that don't have to earn their keep but until that day arrives I guess I gotta do the best I can for myself and my horses well being. Until next time keep one leg on each side

So the other day I mentioned I had to go look at a horse a friend had for sale. Well, the story behind the horse for sale is kinda interesting. Two years ago I purchased a beautiful chesnut quarter horse that was broke to death. After two months of working at the track as a lead pony, I fell in love with the big horse. He was one of the best lead ponies I'd ever rode. Then he came up lame. It broke my heart when the vet said Ace would need a year off due to a wing fracture in his right front hoof. After the year passed, I started riding Ace, but realized right away he still wasn't 100 percent sound. So it was back to the vet for more x-rays and some bad news. Ace's fracture was only half healed and the bone was growing back improperly. There was a chance he would never be sound again. I did the only thing I could as I was due to travel to Kentucky in three days to work for the summer. I called a collague and offered Ace for a ridiculously low price as a mount for her daughter. Recently I was talking to this collague and she informed me Ace was doing great. After several additional months pasture rest, a different shoeing method, and some really expensive supplements, Ace is sound. Shortly thereafter I got my job offer and the wheels in my mind began to turn. Ace had been the best horse I'd ever rode working at the track and I sure would like to have him back. A quick phone call to "D" revealed that she would indeed sell Ace back to me. I could even take him on trial for a week. So I hitched up the trailer as quick as I could and sped out to her farm to pluck my boy from her pasture. I closed the deal today and Ace is now once again mine. I am so incrediable happy that not only have I returned home to my family and friends, but I also got my beloved horse back for a very fair price. "D" sat down and figured up how much she has spent on Ace in the last year to generally care for him, then she sold him back to me for that amount. My collague made absolutely no profit from the sale. It's great that kind people still exist. "D" knew I didn't have much money to spend and I still had to work out a payment agreement with her, and she still sold him for no profit. She breaks even on the money she has invested in Ace in the last year. So my beautiful boy now hangs his head out the stall every morning when I arrive at the barn right along with my other beautiful boy. I have just one more horse to bring home, my 10 year old unregistered paint. He's currently two hours from my house relaxing on my vets wonderful farm and teaching a couple of collage girls how to ride. I'm working on finding a way to bring Tops back home so I'll have my trail partner by summer. Once I get Tops home, all of my special boys will be with me to stay. Well I've got to head for bed, its getting kinda late. Until next time keep one leg on each side.

Well, its been a little while since the last time I was on here. A lot has been going on. I moved from Florida, back home to Illinois. I'm back in the house I've lived in my whole life. My parents own two homes, and they let me live in the old house rent free. I got a good job offer at the local racetrack, so I packed up my clothes, load the horses in the trailer and headed north. And now I'm wishing I would have stayed in the Sunshine State. It's cold up here, or at least it is to me after spending the winter in Florida. Of course I got a horrible cold as soon as I got here, and have been so sick I haven't felt like doing anything at all. Some other news since my last post, is I got a new horse. I traded the 13 year old qh gelding for a 6 yo bay qh gelding that is decently bred. I haven't had time to mess with him since acquiring him due to moving and everything. I think my dad might decide to take him in trade of some money I owe him. The little guy is at the trainers right now getting a two week tune up. I didn't have time to mess with him, and Dad has decided he's getting to old for such things. My new job is going really well so far but I've only been here a week. The job lasts until the end of August and I already almost can't wait until the end. I love being back home with all of my family and friends. There is just one problem. My boyfriend is still in Florida, and he'll be heading to Canada soon. This is horrible being away from him. I love him with all my heart and I won't get to hardly see him until September. He'll get to come visit once or twice but that's it. At least I get to talk to him everyday, but still this sucks. I guess for now I just have to stay as busy as possible so the days pass quickly. Well, I gotta run for now, I have to go look at another horse for sale that a friend owns.

Well the weather has been great in the sunshine state. I was supposed to drive an hour and a half north today to look at some horses for sale. Turns out the gentleman who has the horses for sale had to go to Georgia today, so I had to reschedule the trip for tomorrow. I am hoping to be able to trade my 13 year old quarter horse for one of the horses this gentleman has. This change of plans threw my whole day out of whack though. I thought about going for a ride since its a nice day and I might still do just that. I've had Scout, my 5 year old qh, for almost a year and I've never taken him trail riding. All I ever seem to do is work. The racetrack takes up a lot of hours of my day. I spend four hours in the morning exercising horses, then go home for lunch, and often return in the afternoon for the races. When I work the races, I have to be back at the track at least a half hour before my race starts. When I'm not working it seems like I always have a huge list of things to do. I have no idea how so many people work "regular" jobs of 8 hour days and still find time to ride after taking care of their families. I think I am going to start making more time for myself and Scout to hit the trails. I've just got to find some trails near Tampa. If anyone knows of any good trails in the Tampa Bay area, let me know. I also plan to go to Ocala to trail ride on the Greenway before I leave. The one trail up there has a bridge over the interstate. Its an overpass that has trees, bushs, grass and everything on it. It looks so cool when you drive under it on I-75. Yes indeed, it is such a nice day, I am bored and have no plans, so I think I am going to head to the farm and go for a little ride. I need to get some pictures of Scout also to post on here. Well, gotta gallop off now so I can go for a little ride.