Farewell Old Friend and Hello New Year
Unfortunately there is some sad news to tell. Zel, my grandpa's first horse, was put down on the 29th of December. I want to say he was going to be 29 or 30 years old this year, which is quite good for a horse. It's sad, but he had no teeth and he's spent his last two years see-sawing back and forth with his weight because of it and winter was hard on the old man.
He was a chestnut registered Arabian gelding named Hazel, but everyone just called him Zel. A mellow guy who could move, but would rather mozie about at a walk. He loved head scratches. I learned to ride on him and the old chestnut gelding will always hold a special little place in my heart.
I can't say I'm tremendously heartbroken as I've been expecting it for the last couple years, but it still saddens me and the ranch won't be quite the same without the old man ambling about in it seeking a good headscratch.
The year 2008 has just begun and is spread out before me.
I am excited, mostly because it marks my last Spring semester as a full-time student (Spring '09 should only be two classes), and it brings me that much closer to closing this chapter of my life and finaly moving on again. I admit that this last year I felt quite stuck even though I had moved onto the big university level.
My resolutions are a little less demanding than last year:
I will write daily, at least five minutes, it doesn't matter what, but I will write!
I will ride or work with horses at least twice a week outside of teaching lessons.
Along those lines, something from last year: I need to focus more on groundwork and better learn how to use the long lines. I need to go on "walks" with my horses, i.e. put them in the sircingle, on the long lines, and work them around the neighborhood, along the road, down Mews, in the front of the property, etc.
I will do art daily.
I will finish at least six pages of Shifting Times. I fell down on it a bit last year, but I need to buckle down and put at least a little bit of time into it every week, get into the habit again.
I will post at least once a week on one of my communities relating to my projects (Kashian, Lemyes, and Tae-Kahn).
I will not allow school to stress me too much.
He was a chestnut registered Arabian gelding named Hazel, but everyone just called him Zel. A mellow guy who could move, but would rather mozie about at a walk. He loved head scratches. I learned to ride on him and the old chestnut gelding will always hold a special little place in my heart.
I can't say I'm tremendously heartbroken as I've been expecting it for the last couple years, but it still saddens me and the ranch won't be quite the same without the old man ambling about in it seeking a good headscratch.
The year 2008 has just begun and is spread out before me.
I am excited, mostly because it marks my last Spring semester as a full-time student (Spring '09 should only be two classes), and it brings me that much closer to closing this chapter of my life and finaly moving on again. I admit that this last year I felt quite stuck even though I had moved onto the big university level.
My resolutions are a little less demanding than last year:
I will write daily, at least five minutes, it doesn't matter what, but I will write!
I will ride or work with horses at least twice a week outside of teaching lessons.
Along those lines, something from last year: I need to focus more on groundwork and better learn how to use the long lines. I need to go on "walks" with my horses, i.e. put them in the sircingle, on the long lines, and work them around the neighborhood, along the road, down Mews, in the front of the property, etc.
I will do art daily.
I will finish at least six pages of Shifting Times. I fell down on it a bit last year, but I need to buckle down and put at least a little bit of time into it every week, get into the habit again.
I will post at least once a week on one of my communities relating to my projects (Kashian, Lemyes, and Tae-Kahn).
I will not allow school to stress me too much.