My Cowgirl

Ride 'em Cowgirl!  This is my sweet, teenage daughter with her mare.  This horse was given to my daughter after my daughter's horse died unexpectedly and broke her heart.  She and her trainer broke this horse to ride (with my daughter doing the riding) last summer and they've just started teaching her to go over rails in preparation for jumping.  All our horsey pictures are at Cowgirl Up.  She rides English so she doesn't wear the cowboy hat (though she has one to go with those snakeskin boots she's wearing). 

My daughter has been just a big sweetie during my gallbladder attacks and my attempts to eat healthier!  She has been eating healthier along with me because she doesn't think it is fair that anybody eat anything in front of me that I can't eat myself (though she said she caved once and got nachos because she said, "I was sooooo hungry."  She's funny.  She's also noticed during this health kick this week that the school lunch menu isn't healthy at all.  She says there aren't a lot of healthy options for her to pick from.  The school lunch menu should be all healthy, but she's right; it's not. 

Here's my cowgirl again:

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Stress Reliever Ideas

Who has some really good ideas on how to relieve stress? We all deal with just because of the nature of our family dynamics here. Being a step-parent is difficult. Being a step-parent with a difficult ex to deal with on top of the "usual" stepfamily stuff makes it, by far, the single most difficult thing/role I have ever had in my life.

Here are some things that I do:

• I go to the stable and spend time with my horse. She has been such a huge stress release for me the past three years. It's not about riding (which I actually don't do that often), it's just about putting myself into a different situation (at the barn) and spending time loving on this huge animal, pushing thoughts of the daily stresses away, putting my head up right against hers and just breathing her in.
• I lock the bathroom door and soak in a hot bath. It'd be nice if it was a jacuzzi bath, but it's not. Lighting some candles, like WoodWick Candles, which sounds like a fire crackling, makes it all the better. That's assuming the kids can stop pounding on the door for me!
• I write. For years, I went to my stepfamily forum and it was my venting place. I still have it but since blogging, I don't use it near as much as I used to. I have both a private and public stepfamily forum and the private one is safe for me (and my members) to vent all we want without worry about who is reading it and what they think because they understand. Most of the time, like I said, I blog here instead now.

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Equestrian Riding Apparel

My daughter is a horse lover (like myself). I ride western so I throw on a pair of jeans and my boots and I am good to go. My daughter rides English.

After her horse passed away in August, I wasn't sure how long it would take her to get back on again. She was devastated when Rex passed away. It took her a month to get back on but once on, she was rearing to go. She is just starting the basics to learn to jump. I am going to have to get her riding apparel ready for her because I have a feeling next year is going to be her first show year.

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Daughter's Hobby

I usually post these types of pictures at my other blog, but wanted to share with readers here my daughter's next step in riding - jumping. She has just started learning some of the basics to help when it is time for her to soar over them. I am seriously thinking about valium for me and bubble wrap for her:)

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My Daughter's Best Friend - Her Horse

My oldest daughter is a horse lover. Her horse, Rex, is her best friend. She rides English right now and hopes to jump one day.

Her love of horses isn't the only reason why I encourage her with lessons. I am hoping that her love of horses will keep her out of trouble over the coming years when teenage angst hits. Having a horse is a large responsibility and I am hoping it will keep her busy enough that some of the trouble teens can get themselves into won't seem so attractive to her.

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She Got Them Pulled

My daughter and I went to the stable last night to be my filly when she got her teeth pulled. I was more worried about the anesthetic than the actual pulling.

They gave her a shot to sedate her. Her eyelids got real heavy and head droopy. It didn't stop her from throwing her head when they started trying to pull those babies out though. So, she got a pain shot too.

I got squeamish when they gave her a shot. My daughter's eyes got teary when they started working on her. She was afraid she was in pain.

They pulled both of them. It was a good thing because they were hooked and would've caused her a lot of pain (and training issues when putting a bit in her mouth).

She was out of it for a bit. She walked to me and I rubbed on her awhile. Then she started to wake up and move around a bit more which I was glad to see.

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Pulling Teeth

I have to go back to the stable later this evening because my filly might get her wolf teeth pulled. They will sedate her and then cut into her gums and yank those babies out. I hope I don't pass out. I really don't. I am squeamish when it comes to things like that (except where it concerns my own kids...weird) so I hope I don't black out and fall in horse manure or anything, lol.

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The Horses Today

Today was a busy day at the stables. The farrier was there to trim hooves. JeeNee did good considering it's been six months since her last trim (she has awesome feet that wear down naturally). She only tried to kick out once before settling down. Jack was okay too. I didn't get there in time to see him done but I heard he made them work to catch him though. It'd been about the same amount of time for him. They have great feet but I guess he wasn't crazy about seeing the farrier today. He needs some tuning up from having too much time off over the winter to be a horse. I brushed him after they were done to help get that winter coat off of him and he was such a loving guy.

This pic is of JeeNee after I braided her mane. She didn't much care for it.

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