Giving Thanks

I know this is not a very original post since we just finished Thanksgiving here in the states, but it seems that I and my family are blessed and I need to spend time reflecting on all the things that make life so wonderful.

My family, of course!  We show love in many way, especially lots of teasing and bad jokes that others could find offensive. My kids still love to be with us and have found boyfriends and girlfriends who fit in as well.
We enjoy vacations and holidays that are filled with laughter though not much in the way of intellectual
discourse. Apples to Apples is as sophisticated as we get!



My animals, always!  Our family has never been without animals. They are an important part of our
life even with the cold morning feedings and walks and the occasion poop or throw up accident.  Ziggy and Fang, Relish and Bell, and Chuck (the cat) require constant attention. But what would life be without them? I am thankful I do not have to find out. Too many people must make that choice due to economy, weather, health or a change in their living situation.


The bounty of my life! My class just finished reading
I am Nujood Age 10 and Divorced, which is a memoir about a young girl living in Yemen.  Poverty, lack of education, and laws and religion create a living environment that is horrible for women.  For some lucky reason, I was born in the United States where all things are truly possible. I was blessed with a good family, a good brain and good health which helped me make choices that have brought me great happiness. I am thankful for all that was given to me and I wish that ALL children in the world could be so blessed.

What are you thankful for?  I'd love to hear.  Happy Thanksgiving all!
PS. I picked a winner for my book who did not respond. I hope that person goes back to the post and checks for her name!

The Chill Factor

If you’d told me four months ago that before the end of the year I’d be riding Qrac, my nine-year old Lusitano, alongside bulldozers, streamrollers and pneumatic drills I’d have said you were mistaking me for someone else.  If you’d insisted, gone on to say, “Seriously, Cesca, you’ll see; pretty soon you’ll be cantering around an outdoor arena while workmen dressed in fluorescent clothing clank about with tools and giant pieces of equipment! There will be a giant crane swinging overhead, lorries rumbling in and out of the property loaded with all sorts of building materials. There will be welders creating mini firework displays in dark corners, giant sheets of plastic flapping about in gale force winds. You name it, there’ll be it! And you’ll be riding in it!”

By then I’d probably have checked your forehead for fever, whereupon you might have nodded knowingly and carried on telling me fairy stories about Qracy and I plodding past cars and tractors and miscellaneous trucks on country lanes, reins long and loose. You might have mentioned us ambling past curious cows, trotting and even cantering along dirt tracks flanked by apple orchards swathed in anti-hail nets swelling and whooshing in the breeze.

Pff! At this point I’d have been really worried about you, potentially suggesting a quick trip to the hospital.

The thing is: those fairy stories came true. Since moving to our new stables in mid-August, Qrac and I have experienced all of the above and more. My spooky, pretty volatile Lusitano and I have had to learn to cope with living and working on a building site, with trail rides mandatory when heavy rain turned the arena into a gloop-fest.

I hadn’t planned on moving Qrac to the stables in my village before the beginning of December, when the new stable block and indoor arena are scheduled to be completed (by the way, they open this coming weekend! Woohoo!), but circumstances beyond my control decided otherwise: I tore the ligaments in my ankle while on holiday, needed crutches, and couldn’t drive the 60-odd kilometres to where Qrac lived. Luckily for me, someone moved their horse out of the village stables, freeing a box and allowing me to bring Qrac here four months ahead of schedule from one day to the next..

Frankly, when I took the decision I hadn’t given much thought about what it might be like working him in conditions that, at times, have been pretty crazy. If I had I’d probably have decided moving him early was far too inconvenient, not to mention dangerous, and I’d have sent him down to the south of France to his breeder (Elevage Massa) for a few months of training. Had I done that, right now I’d probably be on my way to Les Arcs-sur-Argens to pick him up, returning with a finely-tuned horse well-versed in the art of beautiful half-passes, magnificent flying changes, and in possession of a far more established, far more balanced extended trot. Viewed from a purely dressage point of you, this would have been great. But I’d have missed him like crazy.

And you know what? Now, less than two days away from the official opening of the fabulous new installations, I’m really happy Qrac and I were here to witness the construction almost from start to finish (the foundations were down before we came). Sure, there were some pretty hairy moments the first few times I worked Qrac in the paddock with bulldozers bulldozing away approximately two metres from the rail, and buses and trucks zooming by on the adjacent road. He spooked. He spun. He tensed up. He wasn’t always one hundred percent with me. But thanks to all this commotion we've both been forced way out of our comfort zone. Qrac has developed coping skills he never knew he had, and I've gained so much confidence. 

We've done more hacking in four months than in two years at the previous stables, heading out in beautiful weather as well as horrendous weather, learning that we’re quite capable of dealing calmly with things previously considered totally out of the question. We’ve done other “different” things too: we even had a jumping lesson, both thoroughly enjoyed it (Qrac quite fancied himself as a show jumper!), and will probably do more of that once the indoor arena opens this weekend! Oh yeah, and we did a dressage competition, too, ten days after I got back into the saddle after my injury, practicing the test alongside diggers and heavy machinery. We did ok, all things considered!

But I’m ready for an indoor arena now. The past two weeks have been particularly trying; the outdoor arena is pretty much frozen due to insane northern wind bringing us arctic temperatures. Hacking out is horrible, the wind so strong that Qrac has to put his head down and really turn on his rear engines to get us back to the stables. Still, seen from a positive perspective I know I wouldn’t even have considered riding him outside in such conditions! But when you’ve got to go, well, you’ve got to go. We’ve gone, been pretty blown about, got somewhat rattled in a couple of areas (the clanging flagpoles and flapping flags at the village dump, the hail-nets covering the apple orchards, the bamboo hedge near the vet’s house, and various renegade plastic bags), but made it back to the stables without too much ado.

The indoor!!!

So when the indoor opens this weekend, and we’re once again able to enjoy riding in the lap of luxury, I know I’m going to continue going out hacking as often as possible, trailering to different places, doing more cavaletti work. Variety really is the spice of life, but isn’t it funny how it sometimes takes an incident to make us realize this?

How about you? Have you been forced out of your equestrian comfort zone and reaped all kinds of benefits?

Something New

                                                by Laura Crum

            Today and tomorrow (Nov 27^th and 28^th) there is an Amazon “Countdown Special” on the third novel in my mystery series, Roughstock. Roughstock has always been one of the most popular novels featuring my protagonist, equine veterinarian Gail McCarthy. It’s rated 4 and 1/2 stars on Amazon. Roughstock is regularly priced at $2.99 as a Kindle edition, but as a Thanksgiving deal, it will be 99 cents today (the 27^th) and $1.99 tomorrow (the 28^th). On Friday the 29^th it returns to its previous (quite reasonable price) of $2.99. So now is the time to get a great deal on the Kindle edition of one of my best-liked novels. Click on the title to find the Kindle edition.

            To give you an idea if you would like this book, here is a brief synopsis and a couple of quotes from reviews.

While attending the annual Winter Equine Seminar at Lake Tahoe, Gail finds one of her fellow horse vets dead, and another accused of his murder. The trail leads back to Gail’s hometown of Santa Cruz, California, and through the twists and turns of the team roping world, plunging Gail into a confrontation with an unlikely killer. An endurance ride, a horse in trouble, some tough cowboys, and a thrilling horseback chase scene on an isolated beach all add up to a must read for horsemen of all disciplines who enjoy whodunits.

“A very American spin on Dick Francis’s racing books…Crum’s lifelong love affair with horses permeates her writing. For those who like whodunits and horses, Crum knows the equine industry and it shows.” –Western Horseman

“A fascinatingly detailed look at the life of a veterinarian…with Gail’s bright personality and Crum’s illuminating conclusion. It all adds up to a satisfying mystery with lots of heart. This one is a must.” –Publisher’s Weekly

For reader reviews of Roughstock on Amazon, as well as more info about the book, click on the title.

            I’d like to point out for those who are shopping for Xmas gifts for horse loving friends, that today, Weds the 27^th of November, you can purchase the first three novels in my horse-themed mystery series for 99 cents each as Kindle editions. Cutter, the first book in the series, is set in the world of cutting horses, Hoofprints, the second book, revolves around skullduggery in the western horseshow arena, and Roughstock centers on team roping and endurance (quite the combo, if I do say so myself). All three books are 99 cents each today, Weds the 27^th, making a great gift for less than three dollars for anyone who reads on Kindle and likes horses and mysteries. The entire twelve book series features equine veterinarian Gail McCarthy, following her through twenty years of her life.

            Those of you who have read Roughstock, (or any of the other books) I would love it if you would add your insights in the comments, including what you liked and didn’t like about the book. Endurance riders, feel free to tell me what I got wrong about endurance—its not my sport and I included the endurance aspect because I thought/think it was interesting. My only research was chatting with endurance people and working as a scribe for my friend who is a vet, on one endurance ride. So yeah, I may have made mistakes for sure, and I don’t mind being called on them.

            Anyway, if you haven’t read it and you read on Kindle, get Roughstock today for 99 cents. I’m betting you will enjoy it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Claiming Christmas: a New Holiday Read

by Natalie Keller Reinert

Happy Thanksgiving week! I hope everyone has already cleaned their houses from top-to-bottom, gotten all their groceries ready, and is preparing to strap on an apron and get cooking bright and early Wednesday morning.

(Oh, wait, I'm talking to horse-people here. I hope everyone is excited to have Thursday off for extra riding time! Don't forget to pick up some take-out for dinner on the way home!)

Of course, last year I was in the barn on Thanksgiving too, prepping the NYC Parks horses for their march in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I marched in it too, but I'm very happy to be spending the holiday indoors this year! It's supposed to be frigid and blustery. This year, I'll be doing the cooking thing in my warm kitchen, and thinking of all my chilly friends out there on horseback. I'm from Florida, people. I just wasn't built for cold weather. I hibernate, I write, I cook. See you in spring.

And so it's probably inevitable that as the leaves fell and the temperatures dropped, my thoughts turned to the greener trees and balmier climes of home. Most holiday stories concern themselves with sleigh bells and snowfall, but when I wrote Claiming Christmas, my new holiday novella, all I had on my mind was a mild Florida winter. No snow need apply, and the only sleigh bells are on carriage horses trying to look Christmassy on an eighty-five degree afternoon.

Claiming Christmas is an Alex and Alexander novella, picking up where Other People's Horses left off. It's late October, and the Christmas songs are starting to play in the stores, but Alex is on a self-imposed vacation from the world, only paying attention to her horses. Then she's tapped to fulfill a Christmas wish for a local girl with a tragic past and a future that's less than merry and bright. Grudgingly, Alex takes on the job -- and finds herself ready to do anything to give the kid a merry Christmas at last.

Writing this story reminded me of some of the dedicated riding instructors I had as a child, and the relationships we developed. I was a determined rider without a huge bank account to fund my ambition; along the way I met trainers who saw how hard I was willing to work, and they found ways to see me through tough times and keep me in the saddle. Alex has never had that interest in people (or children) but in this story, she finds out what it feels like to be a role model, and to hold the key to someone's happiness -- and she likes the feeling.

And so as we descend into the madness -- I mean the spirit -- of the season, I hope you all have people (and horses) in your lives that remind you of how much you give every day.

Claiming Christmas is available for 99 cents as a Kindle or Nook ebook, or in virtually any format your heart could desire at Smashwords.

Announcing: THE WINTER KITTEN

by Linda Benson

Ahh - it's cold out. 23 here this morning, and my ducks uttered a few choice words when they jumped in their pond this morning and hit ice. Yikes! But it is the season for snuggling up by the fire with a good story to read. Which is why I hope you'll allow me the liberty of announcing my new short read called
THE WINTER KITTEN.

No, this one is not a horse book (although, there are horses briefly mentioned.) But I do know that most horse lovers also are animal lovers in general, so I hope this book will appeal to you. Here's the blurb:

Brianna doesn't know how she'll make it through her first winter in Portland. It rains too much, she misses her mother and the country life they once shared, and with Christmas coming up she's having a hard time adjusting to life with only her dad. When she finds a kitten trapped in their garage, Brianna is sure things will get better. But nothing goes as planned, and Brianna wonders what she's gotten herself into.

This short story from Linda Benson, award-winning author of books about the human-animal bond, will surely warm your heart in any season.

THE WINTER KITTEN is available on Amazon for only $0.99 as a Kindle eBook, so if it sounds appealing, I hope you'll give it a try. Don't have a Kindle? You can download the Kindle app for free right from the product page of this book, and read it on your computer, tablet, phone, or other device. Cool, huh? Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Winter-Kitten-ebook/dp/B00GD4TDCI

After five novels from two different publishers, this book is a first for me - my first try at publishing on my own (with help from professionals on both editing and cover design) and my first try at publishing short fiction. And I believe there may be demand for shorter reads. With our busy lifestyles and (sadly) shorter attention spans, a complete, satisfying story that can be read in just one or two sittings might be appealing to many.

I hope some of you will pick this one up and let us know.
Is there a future for short fiction? What do you think?
Give us your opinion!

The Difference Between People and Horses

                                    by Laura Crum

            Horses are honest. If a horse looks mad or scared or happy or hungry or curious or excited or what have you, he is. Once you learn how to read a given horse (they’re all different), you can pretty much tell what he’s thinking most of the time. You may not be sure how you want to respond to him to get the results you’re after (this would be the skill of horse training), but you know where he’s coming from.

            People on the other hand…people are deceptive. The smile and act as if they like you and it often means nothing. Inside they might feel quite negative towards you, even as they mouth those pleasant phrases. A lot of the time they aren’t even honest with themselves about how they are feeling, and so it is literally impossible to have an honest conversation with them. They don’t know how. Not only can you not read them, they can’t express an honest emotion.

            And then there is that particular sub-group that are drama queens. Not only are they not able to be honest and straight forward, but everything is ALWAYS a big deal. They express a lot of emotion all the time but none of it is particularly honest. They are usually not speaking to someone or at odds with someone in their immediate context. The drama changes, but there is always a drama. They seem to feed on this.

            At this particular moment in time I am fed up to here with the dishonesty of people and their silly dramas. This isn’t exactly a relevant subject for a blog post on an equestrian and writing themed blog…or then again, maybe it is. I am betting that many of you horse people out there know exactly what I mean and possibly even feel this way yourselves from time to time.

            Speaking for myself, I relate to the world more like a horse than a person. I know, that sounds weird, but it’s true. If I smile at you and say something friendly, I feel friendly towards you, if I look sad, I am sad, if I look annoyed, I’m annoyed…etc. I don’t pose, and I don’t pretend to feel what I don’t feel. If I don’t like a person I mostly avoid that person, but if the person chooses to confront me, I am honest about how I feel on any given subject. I try to respect other people’s space and their feelings as I would like to be respected, but the bottom line with me is honesty.

            This doesn’t always work out too well. Some people like me because they always know where they stand with me, and others find me too blunt. I’m OK with this—the ones who find me too blunt aren’t usually people I am drawn to, anyway. I like direct people. I like people who are like horses, if you see what I mean. Easy to read. What you see is what you get.

            Usually when I get a “false” vibe from a person, I avoid being involved with that person. But sometimes life circumstances force a relationship with a person who doesn’t give you a good vibe. And in my experience this always leads to trouble.

            Whether it is a co-worker, or your child’s teacher, or the new barn manager at the barn where you have always boarded, that niggling feeling that “this person isn’t being totally honest with me,” is always a red flag. But it is sometimes very difficult, verging on impossible to avoid said person.

            My recent experience with this sort of situation has just blown up in my face, causing me to reflect once again on the fact that I do much better with animals overall than I do with people. Thus I have a lot of sadness, and a good deal of bitterness in my heart this morning…and thus you get this blog post.

            I am trying hard to focus on all the good things in my life, and there are really so many good things. Gratitude is the right response. I’m also trying to believe (and I actually do believe it) that this particular door is closing for a reason and that it will help guide us to the path we are meant to be on. I’m aware that the bitterness will pass. I am, in general, a happy person, and my husband and son are also happy. This is a small thing in the big picture. But at the moment I prefer horses to people, thank you very much.

            Anyway, on that note, I am grateful every day that my 33 year old horse, Gunner, is still with me. I don’t know how long this can last—his arthritic issues are getting worse as he gets older. But I give him pain killers and hang out with him, and I learn a lot from his honesty. He’s still playful and spooky, just as he was as a young horse, and yet there is a deep wisdom and acceptance there, too. Looking into his eyes reminds me that all I can do is be honest myself and roll with the punches as they come along. Tomorrow is another day. (I’m sure I’ve heard that somewhere before.)

            And so, I give you Gunner’s gaze. I think this photo says it all.

           

            

A tale of two horses... and their owners

By Gayle Carline
Author and Horse Lover

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only." - Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

A friend of mine hates Dickens because his main characters never take charge of their own lives to alter their course, and of course he's right, but I particularly love this opening line/paragraph because it perfectly describes how various people view the world. To some, the glass is half full and it is the best of times. To others, life is always tipping toward the worst.

In 2008, I was longeing my beautiful black gelding, Snoopy, in the round pen. He was running, not bucking or jumping or acting crazy, when he began to limp. After some initial assessment by the vet who had stopped by because she's a friend of the ranch owner, we took him to the equine hospital down the street for x-rays. I still remember Dr. Klohnin's soft accent as he pointed to the picture on the screen and said, "Do you see the white line? He has broken the sesamoid bone."

He said a lot more, although once he said the phrase, "fuse the joint" my brain got up and left the building. Even so, I kept interpreting each sentence as positive. They could operate. (They've done this procedure before.) Snoopy could come back to full health. (Many horses had.) The procedure was successful about 85% of the time. (Better than 50/50!)

It took almost three years to get Snoopy's leg back to being fully functional, but I always believed that it would. I wasn't going to give up until one of his vets took me by the shoulders, shook me firmly and said, "It's over and done and we can't save him."

I guess you could say I see things as the best of times.

Recently, one of the horses at our facility managed to knock a goodly-sized portion of his hoof off, exposing the soft tissue underneath. He is in a box stall, which the entire staff has inspected, and no one can figure out how he did it, although I must add, he is quite the kicker when he thinks there might be food available.

As you horse owners know, having the foot exposed is a danger to infection, so Niki (the trainer) tried to call the owner, couldn't reach her, and made the executive decision to get the vet out. Dr. Garloff came out and flushed the wound, packed it with antibiotics and wrapped it tightly.

I was there when Niki finally contacted the owner. I could only hear one side of the conversation, but it was pretty easy to interpret. The owner was crying hysterically. Her horse, in her mind, was irreversibly broken. Niki kept having to reassure her that she would not have to put the horse down. The hoof will grow back. It will take a long time, but it will grow back. There is no reason for sadness and worry, as long as they follow the vet's instructions. Cleaning, antibiotics, wrapping every other day.

A week later, the owner was still expressing worry.

"I've been worried about your horse, too," she told me. (Snoopy has been having some issues that seem to be solved with different shoeing.)

I felt like telling her to keep her worry blanket off my horse. I save my worry for problems I see as insurmountable, and Snoopy was going to be fine. Just fine.

What does the world look like to you? Do you live in the spring of hope or the winter of despair? Do you believe in the power of positive thinking? Or is it all in the hands of science or fate or some other force of nature?