The Month of June

Hey everyone!

A post a day for four days in a row- Julia what on earth is wrong with you?? Did the rest of the world die and you are alone on Planet Earth with just your computer?

No sillies! Because if that was true, you wouldn't be reading this right now!
(Haven't you missed me? ;) )

With the first of June approaching faster than Sharlie running to a bucket of grain (this is factually impossible. Nothing is faster than Sharlie to a bucket of grain.) I thought I would give you a run down of what my month is consisting so you will understand if there is a lack of posting for certain periods of time.

Also, I just HAD to share the fact that the month of June also seems to be a very horsey month. (Trying to compete with last year's June which included 2 and a half weeks at Kara's. Fat chance.)

On the first of June, Robin Harris (2* Parelli Professional) will be coming to Mercy Stables to give me and another Parelli lady (from Signal Mountain I believe) a few hours lesson. (I think we will be doing 2 hours each.)

Now the reason I ended up doing this was because Robin Harris is coming up this way anyway to give Kara and Brita lessons as well. She is coming up on the Thursday and staying overnight. On her way home to Alabama, she will stop by Mercy.

I have decided to use this lesson as a way to prepare myself for what comes a few days later- Emily coming for 4 days here! June 4-7 Emily is going to come and stay for a sort of one-on-one camp, if you will. I am very excited because this will be the first time that Emily will actually meet Sharlie & Casper.

I hope to use these 4 days to advance and refine my horsemanship skills, as well as simply be able to ride both horses safely and enjoy it. Now more than ever because the opportunity has arisen to go trail riding on the battlefields as well as just on the 300 acres that is Mercy. Also, I'd love to take Casper to a hunter pace at the nearby stables Hidden Hills, just because it is such a great ride! But that is later in the year.

The day after Emily leaves I fly to Charleston, South Carolina VERY EARLY in the morning. I'll be there for a week! While that is not horse related, it is still worth sharing! ;) Jealous?

Aye aye aye...So to summarize.

June 1st- Robin Harris lesson. I am LEARNING.

June 4th- Emily arrives. We are SETTLING IN AND LEARNING.

June 5th- Emily is here. We are LEARNING.

June 6th- Emily is here. We are LEARNING.

June 7th- Emily leaves. I am PACKING.

June 15th (?) - Onwards- Group trail rides at Mercy & the Battlefield. WE ARE HAVING FUN WITH OUR PARELLI HORSES!! :D

They Said vs. The Truth: Sharlie

What they all said compared to the truth of now. A comparison.

A story of perseverance, hope, love, fear, and inner beauty.

In a few simple words.

-Sharlie-

They said she was not worth much.

They said that she could never be a child's horse.

They said she was a problem horse.

They said she would always need a halter on the ground, and a bit while riding.

They said she needed a tight rein. 

They said she needed to be controlled.

They said she could never truly relax.

They said she was an arena horse. 

They said she was a dressage horse, nothing more.

They said she could never 'hit the trails'.

They said she was afraid of open spaces.

They said she could never be taught.

They said she wouldn't understand nor be able to learn Natural Horsemanship.

They said she was disrespectful. They said that she didn't respect humans. They said that she would harm me.

They said she could never be happy.

They said that she needed to be controlled.

They said she would never be a winner.

They said she could never be beautiful.

Well, look at her now.

[**This post was once again inspired by the realization at how lucky I am to have this amazing mare in my life and that all she has done for me.

'The Truth' part of the comparison are the photos. Revel in the irony that is the human species.]

Summer Reading List: UPDATED

So you see, there is this thing called 'school'. And school has this thing called 'summer reading'. And it seems that I had forgotten completely about that.

So I am afraid that my 3 books for summer reading have been at least delayed until I read the REQUIRED books for school. Here are the titles, in case you have heard of them.

1. The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak (Fiction)

2. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America, by Barbara Ehrenreich (Nonfiction)

3. Class Matters, by Bill Keller (Nonfiction)

4. Buying In: What We Buy and Who We Are, by Bob Walter (Nonfiction)

Don't those sound simply FASCINATING? Alright, the Book Thief sounds good, but the others??

Oh and don't let me forget to mention that we must annotate the last 3, and then write 30 dialectical journals for each book!! That is 90 dialectical journals!! Excuse me while I go and bury myself into a cave and begin to read.... -.-

So I just wanted to let you guys know all book reviews, summer reading plans, and fun reading has been delayed or canceled...till I finish these buggers.

HAPPY SUMMER...not...

They Said vs. The Truth: Casper

What they all said compared to the truth of now. A comparison.

A story of strength, pride, determination, hope, and love.

In a few simple words.

-Casper-

 They said he was nothing. They said he was worth nothing.

He would not be caught. They said he would just rot out in the field forever.

They said he wasn't happy. They said he never would be. 

They said he was stupid.

They said he was a brat.

They said he was wild.

They said he was ugly.

They said he was old.

They said he was weak.

They said he could never be ridden.

 They said he would never listen.

 They said he could never be trained. They said he could never be taught.

They said he could never enjoy human contact.

They said he could never feel love. 

They said he could never show affection.

They said he would never find joy with a human.

They said that he could never show kindness.

 They said he was mean. 

They said he would never be gentle.

They said he wouldn't understand a small human life and its value.

They said he wouldn't understand.

They said he could never fly. They said he could never be free. 

They said he would never make it.

Well, look at him now.

[**This post was once again inspired by the realization at how lucky I am to have this amazing pony in my life and that all he has taught me.

'The Truth' part of the comparison are the photos. Revel in the irony that is the human species.]

Furnishing my Future Home

Hey everyone!

On a totally unrelated note to horses, we just left a thrift shop. We were looking for something to display my jewelry with for the Chattanooga Market.

Looking around I realized that with some hard work and good taste in style, I could probably furnish a home all by myself.

Looking to the future of course, this would come when I am going to get my first home the good news is that it could be done fairly inexpensively.

Also I've always wanted to be able to say that I got an item at a thrift shop, just to say something like "It was such a lucky find!"

And to say that about every single item? Bahahahaha ..

Anyway. School is almost over and soI am excited for this summer as well as terrified for junior year!

Cheers!

Julia