My Calendar Pin Up Hunk

Tuesday January 24 2017

Four magazine covers (Southern Racehorse, The Horsemen's Journal, The Washington Thoroughbred, Washington Thoroughbred Breeders Association Summer Yearling Sale Catalogue) and now two calendars for the WTBOA - Washington Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners Association - in 2016 and 2017 for my pin-up boy Stormy, The Most Beautiful Horse On The Planet.

Stormy was delighted to be the December and January pin up boy again in the WTBOA's new 2017 calendar, that features the Washington Thoroughbred industry (I was Stormy's groom when he ran at Emerald Downs in 1997-98).

But who's counting? Stormy's not… he'd rather be eating. 

But of course I am delighted! You can order these calendars by contacting the Washington Thoroughbred.

and yes, that is Stormy rearing up on the right, and his FBFF Tex (aka Linda's Ted) on the left!

Happy Birthday, Old Man!

Wednesday April 13 2016

It seems like suddenly, he's gray, hairy, swaybacked, and old. Stormy, The Most Beautiful Horse On The Planet, turns 25 (!!!!!!) today. 

For the first time, he didn't hold his weight over the winter; his belly sagged and his spine sharpened. He may have a touch of cushings disease, because he won't let go of his thick winter coat. Some of us think he might be getting a bit senile, though if you saw him heading for his grain bucket or the grass pasture, you might not think so.

Gray hairs have sprouted on his face - around his mouth, over his eyes, at his temples, places on his back and butt. 

He still has a couple of short sprints left in him, though he's hardly ever in a hurry (except for his grain!). If the herd leaves him behind sprinting back down from the canyon, here comes Stormy a few minutes later, waddling down steadily, because he knows he'll eventually get here and his treats will still be waiting for him.

I can't believe I've had this lovely horse for so long. I got him as an 8-year-old in 1999 after his racing career (I was his groom at Emerald Downs). He joined me in California where I worked for the Forest Service on trails; he did some work leading pack horses in the mountains, and carrying wranglers on a dude ranch in the summers (he loved the girl wranglers best). In the winters he hung out with endurance horses - a couple of them somewhat famous - swapping racing tales with their endurance tales.

He later joined me here in Idaho, where he hangs out with more endurance horses. His only jobs now are eating and getting smooched on. 

He may be an Oldie now, but he's a Golden Oldie. And no matter how hairy, how dirty, how scruffy he gets, he's still The Most Beautiful Horse On The Planet.

Happy Birthday Stormy! 

Golden Oldies

Thursday January 8 2014

They’re both at the distinguished age of 24, soon to be 25 (!!).

One is a gentle stout giant, half Orlov Trotter, half sweetheart; a retired endurance horse of Steph’s who saw the world. Tevis was his first 100. He raced in the 2001 Dubai World Cup. He finished the 1999 Pan American Championship in Canada and the 2000 World Endurance Championship in France. Now Krusty is ‘retired,’ though no good endurance horse is ever really retired in this life. That means he’s still used as a guest horse and trail marker, and he’s still doing occasional Limited Distance endurance rides, and doing them well (he got Best Condition with Steph in his last one in November).


The other is a towering handsome Thoroughbred; a retired racehorse, a former Forest Service pack string leader and dude ranch cowboy horse, who stole my heart and ended up in my modest stable of one. That he happens to be The Most Beautiful Horse On The Planet is pure coincidence.


Stormy is brought out of retirement once or twice a year, to either give Sarah a lesson, or to give a friend a first ride-of-a-lifetime, or to mark trail up the canyon and back.


Since they both deserve it, they get special treatment - Krusty gets an extra meal every night, and Stormy gets lots of extra treats. (He wanted me to make sure you all know German Horse Muffins are always at the top of his Christmas Wish List, in case you were wondering.) Sometimes he gets turned out in the yard to wander around and help with the yard mowing.

The Golden Boys are both so dignified that it’s a surprise and a treat to catch them playing together. Mostly it’s a good ol’ nip on the butt (Krusty is quite handy with his big teeth),

but now and then, I’ve caught them really going at it, baring teeth and rearing in mock battle like wild mustangs (that’s Stormy towering above Krusty up top).

They just make me smile - they’re Oldies But Goodies.

Top Ten Reasons You Need Soul Deep in Horses

Monday October 27 2014

Top Ten Reasons You Need Soul Deep in Horses


10. Winter is coming (just like it is in Game of Thrones!), and you need a good book to cozy up with by the fire.


9. Christmas is coming, and of course you are looking for the most unique gift for your horse-loving, or travel-loving, or adventure-loving, friends and family.


8. While Stormy, who is featured in much of the book, is The Most Beautiful Horse On The Planet, but who is not a narcissist, he appreciates honest admiration.


7. You can ride a fabulous stallion around the pyramids in Egypt without getting sand in your ears.


6. You can travel to other exotic countries, like, say, France, Ireland, Zimbabwe, a beach in New Zealand, and Egypt, on horseback for a fraction of the cost. 


5. You can ride one of the country's highest-mileage endurance horses with The World's Greatest Horseman (which would not be me!)


4. If you can't, right at this moment, smell a horse, pet a horse, or hug a horse, this book is the next best thing. If you can right now smell a horse, pet a horse, or hug a horse, this book will make you want to do it between chapters!


3. You'll cry, and laugh, till it hurts.


2.  You can actually get the book for less than $398 (!)


And the Number One reason is:
1. The Owyhee Herd loves it!


To order a soft copy or ebook from Amazon, or read the reviews:
http://www.amazon.com/Soul-Deep-Horses-Equestrian-Vagabond/dp/0991346068/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1414382237&sr=8-1

To order an autographed copy:
http://www.theequestrianvagabond.com/SDIH_Buy_autographed_copy.html

Stormy Water Dragon

Wednesday July 16 2014

I was astonished to see my horse Stormy playing in the water. All these years, I'd never seen him do that. He's a rather dignified old retired racehorse; I've rarely see him play at all, although Jose the Social Director has taught him a few glamorous moves that Stormy pulls out of his hat once a year or so.


But water? Stormy is a Water Dragon? I never suspected!

We have the perfect little pond where Stormy can teach the rest of the herd a thing or two about playing in the water.

Video here:


(or link):
http://youtu.be/SSVlJf4WMgk

Stormy, The Most Beautiful Horse On The Planet, is the star of Chapter 23 in my book, Soul Deep in Horses: Memoir of an Equestrian Vagabond, available on Amazon.

APPALLED

Saturday May 17 2014

If you've read Chapter 23 of Soul Deep in Horses, you might have gotten the impression that my horse Stormy, The Most Beautiful Horse On The Planet, is a bit lazy (in an ever so charming kind of way), and you'll understand his reasoning behind it.

And so it was that he was absolutely appalled when I used him to help mark trail for the Owyhee Trail Challenges with the other Old Man, Krusty. From Stormy's point of view, you see, I took him out of retirement once again.

Look at his face!

Besides the indignation he feels at being un-retired, Stormy has always hated being cinched up, no matter how gently or slowly I do it. He pins his ears and will try to bite, if I'm not careful. I can only think it brings back memories of being a racehorse, and having that stretchy cinch cranked as tight as it will go, to hold that postage-stamp-of-a-racing-saddle on his back.

Pinned ears! Mad face!

I couldn't help myself; I took a video as I saddled Stormy up. You can see by the expression on his face how appalled he is that he's being saddled; and when I cinch him up, you'll see him pin his ears at me - even though it's not tight.

He wears his rather offended face until I mount up, but once we got going and out on the trail, he forgot that life was so bad - particularly when he found excellent grass to munch on along the trail.

The Two Old Men spent a couple of days marking trail up the canyon, and Stormy decided that it wasn't such a bad unretirement job, after all.

The video:


(or link)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZRbEDho5k8&feature=youtu.be

You can get Soul Deep in horses here!

Bragging Rights

January 3 2014

Normally I'm not much of a braggart… I don't have that much to brag about.

But my 2014 New Years Resolution is to brag the heck out of my horse Stormy, The Most Beautiful Horse On The Planet. It will be an easy resolution to keep!

Completed! NaNonFiWriMo!

Saturday November 30 2013

November is the month of NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month - and NaNonFiWriMo - National Non-Fiction Writing Month - and on November 1st I committed to finishing my horse-life memoir.

I not only finished it but I sent it off to my editor today!

So far Stormy, a main character in my book, is quite pleased with what he's heard, particularly the chapters about him. So far my editor Pat Barnhart peeked at only the Prologue and…(heart in throat)… she loved it! (Actually the words she used were "LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!")

The Owyhee herd is excited and can't wait to sit around a campfire this winter and hear some of the stories.

Stay tuned… I will have updates here on my blog, including title, cover photo, inside excerpts, and publishing progress!

The Black Helicopters

Tuesday November 12 2013

They've been flying directly over us in this Owyhee desert for weeks now, day and night. The black helicopters.

Claude Dallas was an outlaw in the 80's who shot and killed 2 game wardens, and hid out in the Owyhee desert for some 15 months before he was caught. Maybe they're searching for another outlaw?

They're clearly doing something besides just flying. They've flown directly overhead way too many times for it to be a coincidence. Sometimes they fly high, sometimes low. Sometimes they fly slow, or fast, or they hover. Sometimes at night they use spotlights. Some might think they are black military helicopters.

I think not.

They are masquerading as military helicopters, but I know what they really are.


Paparazzi! You know how they fly over movie stars' houses, right? Here they are obviously spying on The Most Beautiful Horse On The Planet, having finally discovered where he lives, trying to catch him in some compromising position. Today two of them flew in a box directly over me. Then one flew back and forth, back and forth over me. Trying to figure out exactly which brown blob was TMBHOTP. I didn't let on which one he was.


Well, it won't happen anyway. Whatever Stormy does, he's beautiful, never compromising anything. Even first thing in the morning, without his makeup, he's beautiful. Even in his winter fat, which isn't quite there yet, he's beautiful. Even when he's rolling in the dirt, he's beautiful. Even when he's tried to scratch himself on the bushes, and has saltbush stickers in his tail, he's beautiful. Even when he's passed out in the poopy uneaten hay, he's beautiful.

So, the helicopters can fly and spy all they want: Stormy has been, is, always will be, in any position, The Most Beautiful Horse On The Planet.


And on a serious note with Veterans Day just past, I am so grateful I don't live in a war zone, where the constant sound of helicopters brings fear, not curiosity, where one expects accompanying machine gun fire or the explosions of bombs, and I'm grateful for those veterans who have, do, and will give their lives, in legitimate and even illegitimate wars, so I can live with my Most Beautiful Horse On The Planet.

Committed: NaNonFiWriMo

Friday November 1 2013

NaNonFiWriMo - for non-fiction writers - developed as a response to fiction writers' NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month.

I can't fiction-write my way out of a tube sock. So, non-fiction it is. I've gone and done it: committed to NaNonFiWriMo - finishing my memoir by the end of November. Parts of it have just been sitting there and ...aging (like a fine wine, perhaps words get better with age?) for …months… years… but now I'm committed to finishing this work of nonfiction in 30 days.

Stormy, The Most Beautiful Horse On The Planet, has been waiting for this commitment for quite some time (for about 20 years). Since he's featured in my memoir, he wants his story out there, "and hurry up already," he added.

And what better time of year but fall, when it's cool and inspirational and most beautiful, with Stormy looking over my shoulder, prodding me along. He'll be monitoring my weekly progress.

I'm sending this blog link to my editor, Pat Barnhart!

OK, You Can Put It On My Resume

Thursday April 4 2013

Since his retirement from the racetrack (last year running: 1998. First year with me: 1999), Stormy has been less than thrilled with the post-racing careers I thrust upon him.

He hadn't planned on being a pack string leader for the Forest Service; he hadn't planned on being a wrangler's horse on a summer dude ranch.

Since moving to Idaho, he provides services as the Owyhee Handyman, Owyhee Bookmobile, Owyhee Mailman, Owyhee Building Inspector, and (his favorite) Owyhee Lawn Mower.

With Sarah visiting this week, he has been shoved into the new vocation of Riding Lesson Horse. Yesterday, he was not elated with this new posting.

Today, Connie set up an obstacle course for Sarah to (try to) maneuver the big handsome retired Thoroughbred ex-racehorse around at a trot.

At first, Stormy thought he was in heaven, with 6 grain buckets lined up in a row for him to eat out of! Alas, the buckets were not only empty, but the obstacles on the course.

I saw the finished product: even with the added obstacle of me, squatting by the last feed bucket, and with zero encouragement from Connie and the whip, Sarah got the old racehorse bucket bending (think: pole bending) - trotting non-stop in figure 8s through the buckets,

circling around the last one (and me)

and bucket bending back up the lane,

turning around and trotting the length of the buckets

and around the last one (and me) and trotting back up to the start before turning and coming to a halt.

Sarah and the Racehorse have got it down - and he is rewarded handsomely with a treat in one of the buckets!

OK, Stormy says, You can go ahead and put this on my resume!

Thumbprint of the Prophet

Monday April 1 2013

I've always known that Stormy was special (besides being The Most Beautiful Horse On The Planet), but I've recently discovered another reason why:

He bears the Thumbprint of The Prophet.


According to an Arabic folktale, this birthmark, an indent usually found on the side of a horse's neck, indicates a descendent of one of the five Arabian broodmares so treasured by the Prophet Mohammed above all his other horses, that he marked them with his thumbprint.

Ilil Arbel, Ph.D. tells the folktale of The five mares of Mohammed (Her page is here on Panthon.org.):

The hot desert wind blew against the tent, driving the dust inside. Fatima walked softly in, carrying an earthenware jug full of cold water, and handed it to the Prophet. "Please, stop tormenting yourself, Mohammed," she said, "drink some water!"

"I will drink when the test is over, and the horses can drink, too. I cannot drink knowing they are thirsty," said the Prophet to his daughter.

"I do not understand this test, nor do I like it," said Fatima angrily. "Depriving the horses from drinking for three full days is cruel. I cannot believe you would do it, a man who loves animals better than himself!"

"I must. Allah commanded me -- would you have me disobey God? The spread of Islam depends greatly on the loyalty and strength of our horses. The best of these horses, said Allah, will be honored till the end of time... But it is the evening of the third day now, so let us go to the horses and conduct the test."

He took a horn that hung at the tent’s entrance, and walked toward an enclosure where about a hundred horses were confined, a little distance from the water hole of the oasis. The horses looked reproachfully at their beloved master as he quickly opened the gate. Tormented by thirst, the horses galloped to the water hole, but before they could reach it, Mohammed raised the horn to his lips and sounded the call for war.

The horses ignored it. They were so thirsty that perhaps they couldn’t even hear it, and went on galloping toward the water. But not all of them. Five mares stopped. Without hesitation, they turned around and returned to Mohammed, ready to do whatever was required of them.

The Prophet stroked their silky manes, tears in his eyes. He led them to the water and envisioned the glorious future as they drank. He knew that these mares would foal the finest of Arab horses, the only horses of pure blood, the horses that would help bring Islam to every corner of the Earth.

It is said that The Prophet marked each of these mares with his thumbprint, and any horse today with the Thumbprint of the Prophet has descended from one of these fine Arabian mares. This only confirms my knowledge that there is no other horse like Stormy!



(And this is what Stormy thinks of my newly-discovered fame for him.)