Meanwhile Back at the Coliseum

Posted on November 17, 2013November 17, 2013 by Dusty Roads

A clinic was going on. Stacy Westfall (A noted horse trainer and performer) was teaching “neck reining” and “Spinning”.

I almost hate to say this but it reminded me of the many “coaching” lessons I had in ballroom dancing except the goal here was to get your horse to put his feet certain places.

The talk of the technique and how your horse’s body needed to move a certain way, well it was surprisingly similar to teaching a couple to execute a good pivot.

Who knew that there was footwork and technique for horses too! Back feet together, right crosses left, etc., etc. 🙂

A Horse Whisperer

Posted on November 14, 2013November 14, 2013 by Dusty Roads

After I left the Arabian Stallion behind I wandered into the “Coliseum”, one of the other large buildings.

This one was like an auditorium with tiers of seats and high ceilings. The center of the big building was a dirt covered ring. This is where they would hold “Fantasia” later in the evening.

In the center of the ring was a young filly and a trainer. For a moment I thought I’d walked in on Monty Roberts, The Horse Whisperer. The movements were the same, all calm and flowing. The trainer was wearing a head set and explaining everything as he worked. Once more the feeling that I was watching Monty Roberts hit me. Clearly this trainer was a student of that training philosophy.

If you ever get a chance to watch this type of trainer in action don’t miss it. It’s a beautiful thing to see. It’s so calm and gentle and the progress is astounding.

I wish I had been familiar with these techniques back when I was a kid and had a young handful of a horse.

I wanted to watch the whole training session but the Arabian was being brought out to a small ring and it was going to be my one chance for pictures without bars.

When a horse was moved from a stall to a ring two people did it. One when ahead through the crowd calling out “Horse coming through” and the visitors got out of the way. Then the 2nd person led the animal along the open path. Made me think of the way cars clear a path on the highway for emergency vehicles.

As I was trying to photograph the Arabian, another visitor told me I had to see the “Celebrity Horse” presentation. This is a brief presentation of a horse that has earned championship status. The horses being showcased were the crème de la crème, a different horse each day.

So saying goodbye to my beautiful Arabian I headed back through two huge buildings to locate the “Youth Pavilion” and today’s Celebrity Horse.

Reading, Writing and Real Estate?

Posted on May 4, 2013May 4, 2013 by Dusty Roads

They say no news is good news but it makes for boring writing.

That’s kind of where I am at the moment. I did hear back from the magazine publisher. I must admit they were very kind and encouraging. They told me they had decided to go with someone with “proven credentials”. They went on to suggest that I submit ideas and articles as a “Freelancer”. Once I’ve been published a few times doors will open for me or so they say.

So onto the next and that one is a clerical-type work from home position for a real estate firm. The job I applied for required a salesperson license, which I do not have, so I coughed up the $400.00 for the course fee and have been throwing myself into it with single-mindedness. I need to complete the 40 hour course which is being doled out in 4 hour increments to get a certificate that will let me take the state exam. That’s another $100. Then if I pass he exam there will be another fee for the license.

The firm decided to speak to me about another position that would not require the license to start but if I get that job I would still need to get the license eventually so I might as well bite the bullet and do it. Having the license will open up additional opportunities. I actually got in the door for a face- to – face interview for that position. The manager promised I’d hear by May 10. Fingers crossed but at the same time I kind of believe that if it’s meant to be it will be.

Unemployment found a position for me. The only one they had was for a bilingual dispatcher. The only problem is that I am not bilingual. English is my only language and sometimes I wonder about that! 🙂

The weather has been sunny and warm and the air is filled with pollen. Even with allergy pills I’m sneezing, coughing and dealing with itchy, runny eyes. Ah how we suffer for the beauty of flowers!

The 3 cats are doing better together. Smokey still tends to “Mix things up” with Buddy which is stupid on his part.

Buddy is probably 10 years younger and 2 lbs. heavier, which is a lot for a cat, plus Buddy has claws and Smokey does not. (I did not de-claw Smokey, he was that way when I got him). I think you can see that this isn’t going to end well for Smokey so I have been intervening. Rocky holds his own. I think in his case it’s just rough play.

Other than that I’ve done nothing but fret over my weight (but done nothing), read novels, and try to figure out where to go for new material for photos and this little corner. Judging from my lack of posts this week I think you know how that’s been going.

Counting down to the Alaska cruise.

I don’t know how the WIFI connection will be on the ship and I don’t plan to pay an arm and a leg for it so my posts may be spotty then too. But I’m sure the Alaska posts and photos will be worth waiting for.

Well, now you’re up to date with my life. I hadn’t forgotten you. Aroundustyroads is always on my mind. Thanks for hanging in! 🙂

The Saga of a Stray Cat~ Chapter 2

Posted on March 12, 2013March 12, 2013 by Dusty Roads

If you’ve been following my blog here you’ve seen my cruise ship adventures and my escapades in the Everglades so you know the plight of the black and white stray was not “top of mind” for me. But occasionally I did wonder how he was settling in.

Once I got back home and unpacked I reached out to my friend for an update. She said she and Mittens were doing fine regaling me with the way he sat next to her or at her feet or helped her type on her keyboard. That she hadn’t yet taken him in for a check up was my only concern. It was time for life to begin to get back to normal… for another week.

Just about a week later, out of the blue I got an urgent message from my friend that she couldn’t keep “Mittens” any longer. I was shocked. The reports had been so positive! She had discovered she was very allergic to him.

We met up half way between her place and mine and I transferred Mr. Mittens and all his stuff to my car. In the approximately 3 weeks my friend had been a cat mother Mittens had accumulated a cat bed, a scratching post, a scratching mat, a covered litter box, cat food, grooming brushes, catnip and so on. Clearly Mittens would have been one spoiled kitty if he has stayed there. My car was full!

But Mr. La Chat was not going home with me…not yet…he needed a clean bill of health before I could let him mingle with my “boys” so off to the vet we went. He was confirmed as a “He”, a neutered male, and was disease and parisite free. He was good to go home to meet his new family.

But first I had to figure out how to do a slow introduction. I boarded him overnight while I searched for a training crate to keep him in until I could get everyone accustomed to each other. I was determined to avoid the cat fights I’d had when Smokey was introduced to Little Joe.

My dog owner friends came through with a large kennel. So now as well as cat trees and scratching posts I had a huge dog crate in my living room. I was beginning to feel like I belonged on that TV program about the hoarders or Buried Alive or whatever it’s called.

The vet gave Mittens , now known as Tippy (for the white tip on his tail) a clean bill of health so home we went and into the crate. Tippy could peek out and Rocky and Smokey could peek in. They could hiss and sniff but they couldn’t hurt each other.

Tippy is a big cat almost 2 lbs heavier than either Rocky or Smokey but he has this tiny, little meow. It is such a sad sounding meow. After a little while in the crate that plaintive sound began . Shortly after that the hissing stopped. Everyone just sat staring at each other.

After about 4 hours of this I couldn’t take it any more. It was my lunchtime so I opened a can of tuna and drained the fish flavored water off into 3 cat bowls. I let Tippy out and put all 3 bowls in a row. Success! What self-respecting cat can resist tuna fish! The first hurdle was over.

I let Tippy stay out for the rest of the afternoon with close supervision. Smokey liked to walk by Tippy and hiss his displeasure. Tippy would jump like he was startled but there was no fight. Rocky was more accepting finding he had a playmate in this big stranger. I let all of them mingle when I went to bed. I figured if they started fighting it would be hard not to hear them.