Heather Hamel's Blog, page 20

Rainy Sunday

We’ve gotten over 4 inches of rain in the past 18 hours.  Needless to say, I had to cancel the riding lesson I scheduled weeks ago with Ashley.

Now I have an entire day free!  Since it’s still raining and too mucky to do anything with the horses (Sugar falls over her own feet when it’s dry, I’d hate to see what she’d do in this mess) I think I’m going to have to break out the sewing machine and spend the day tinkering.

Keep your fingers crossed that 12/26 will be a dry, beautiful day so Kobi and I (as well as Sugar and Toni) can get the schooling we so desperately need!

Kobi’s Night Before Christmas

I found this on my computer from last year when I was struggling to get into the Christmas Spirit.  I thought I’d post it again – might help me get motivated this year as well!

This is an adaptation of Twas the Night before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore to fit Kobi and the Triple H Ranch:

Kobi’s Night Before Christmas Poem

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the barn

All the creatures were stirring, but they meant us no harm.

The stockings were hung on the stall boards with care,

In hopes that Santa Horse soon would be there.

Daisy was nestled all snug in her bed,

While visions of horse trailers danced in her head.

And Sugar’s in her blanket, and I’m in mine too,

Had just settled our brains for a short winter’s snooze.

When out in the pasture there arose a great fuss,

I sprang to my feet to see what was up.

Away to the wall I flew in rush,

Went on alert looking towards the brush.

The moon on the breast of the newly grown rye

Gave the illusion of summer to my wandering eye.

When, what to my startled eyes should I know,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight mini burros.

With a little old driver, so lively of course,

I knew in a moment it was Santa Horse.

More rapid than hawks his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

“Now Blossom! now, Bloomer! now, Scarlett and Achey!

On, Cricket! On, Cuzzin! on, on Dozer and Jakey!

To the top of the barn! to the top of the stall!

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.

So up to the barn-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of treat, and Santa Horse too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard up on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I spun in my stall, and was looking around,

Down the barn isle Santa Horse came with a bound.

He was dressed in all red, from his head to his toe,

And his clothes were all rumpled from being on the go.

A bucket of treats he carried in his hand,

Looking just like a beach dweller carrying sand.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His quaint little mouth was drawn up in a grin,

As he dropped some alfalfa in the bottom of my bin.

The stump of a toothpick he held tight in his teeth,

And wiggled it around in some amazing feat.

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I nickered when I saw him, in spite of myself!

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And both our stockings, then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up to the rooftop he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,

“Merry Christmas all horses, and to all a good-night!”

There is no place like home

The past few days I had a fantastic opportunity to promote Murder of Crows.  I was invited to my cousin’s Elementary School outside of Tampa, Florida to talk to her class about writing and share my book with them.

What a great time – and a great class.  After discussing what all good books needed (a great idea, details, and a cliff hanger chapter ending), I read the first chapter to them.  They loved it!  We talked about the process of writing, and especially revising.  I had them revise part of Under Sapphire Skies that I had been working on that morning.  They were full of such great ideas.

I stayed played with my cousins for another day before heading home.  Dorothy had it right: There’s no place like home.

Driving past the incredible horse farms in Ocala inspired me to continue to work as hard as I can, because you never know where life may lead.  As I turned off of I-75, I popped in one of my favorite CDs: J.J. Grey & Mofro.  It was kinda creepy – as I was driving through the tiny town of Lockloosa, J. J. Grey’s song about his home started playing.

I found myself driving even faster to my own little slice of heaven.  While it’s nice to get away and have experiences in the world – my favorite sight is coming back down my own driveway and seeing the horses look up from grazing to welcome me.

To Blanket or Not?

Every winter I wonder if I should blanket the horses here in Florida or not.  I usually hold out unless the temps fall below 40 degrees.  This year is no different – except Kobi and Sugar haven’t developed their winter coats yet.

Then this article from horse.com popped in my inbox: TO BLANKET OR NOT TO BLANKET? A COLD WEATHER QUESTION written by Luke Bass, DVM, MS.

It’s a really good article that pretty much said horses only need blankets when the temperatures drop below 10 degrees F.  Thankfully, we NEVER get that cold here (or I’d have to move!)

He also gives pointers on how to keep horses warm above that without blankets and how to properly blanket when it does get cold.

All said, when the temperature dips into the mid-30′s here at the Triple H Ranch, I guarantee you’ll still see Kobi and Sugar snuggled down in their blankets for the night.

Great Editor

A week or so ago, I was searching for an editor and asked everyone I knew if they could help.

Then the heavens shined down on a business card I already had on my desk from the Florida Writer’s Association (FWA) conference in Lake Mary, Florida last month:  Five Star Editing.

Jake was amazing!  We exchanged a couple of e-mails before he was off and running with Kobi’s manuscript.  Less than 48 hours later he returned it.  I’ll admit, I was nervous about the super-fast turn around time, but my nerves only lasted until I opened the file.  The errors he caught (and corrected) were incredible.  After dozens of people had read the manuscript hundreds of times, there were still things to find (like a missing period).

He also helped with the format which made uploading it to Create Space super easy (the program accepted Kobi’s manuscript the first time I tried – that has never happened before)!

So, if any of you are in need of an editor, please give Jake at Five Star Editing a shot – you’ll be amazed!

What I’m thankful for

This time of year everyone seems to want to stop and reflect on their life and give thanks.  The idea behind Thanksgiving makes it one of my favorite holidays.  I wanted to express my gratitude before the actual day because in my world the day is filled with more stress and anxiety than actual thanks. (I blame Norman Rockwell for filling my head with ideas of what life should look like – not what life is like.)

With that in mind and gratitude in my heart I know I have more to be thankful for than any one person has a right to.  Now in no particular order and I lumped everything together into five categories for easy reading:

1.  Family – This includes everyone: family that I’ve been given, friends close enough to be called family (you know who you are), as well as my four-legged children.

2.  Friends – We all know one of my favorite saying’s “It takes a village,” goes here.  Without the support of my friends, life would look different!

3.  Teaching career – As much as I complain about it, I’m fortunate to be able to work a steady job where I can help children learn.  The benefits aren’t too bad either!

4. My own house – Not only do I think I have an awesome house, it has allowed me the priviledge of keeping Kobi and Sugar at home with me.

5. My health – I am so fortunate to be healthy (aside from those pesky seasonal allergies and periodic back twinges from doing stupid things on horses when I was younger!)

I am so fortunate – thank you everyone, from the bottom of my heart!

Can horses be bipolar?

I was flipping through the latest Horse and Rider magazine (December 2013) and the Q&A portion caught my eye.  A horse owner was asking if horses can have a psychiatric disease, specifically if they can be bipolar.

The answer from Lore I. Haug, DVM, MS, DACVB, CABC from Texas Veterinary Behavior Services, gave a vague answer but said the possibility exists.  The reason is that while psychiatric diseases occur in animals (humans included), horses can’t verbalize what they are thinking or experiencing, so it’s difficult to determine exactly what they are going through.

While I started reading the article almost as a joke, I was glad I did.  We’ve wondered for years now if Sugar experiences some sort of psychotic break from time to time.  Some days everything is sunshine and roses, and other days she treats normal experiences (like taking off her fly mask or being hand fed apple cores) as something that is going to kill her.

I understand that I’ll never know what happened to Sugar to give her these episodes, but it alerts me to the possibility that something else is going on in that pretty Paint head of hers.

BTW, I tried to link the article here, but was unsuccessful finding it on-line, but Dr. Haug recommended the following two website for more information:

behaviorworks.org

stalecheerios.com

Breaking in a new saddle

I just realized breaking in new tack is like breaking in a nice pair of new shoes.  Which is why I don’t buy new shoes often either!

While trying to break in my new saddle, there were so many things I didn’t take into account (which is why the first ride was about ten minutes).

1. With different rigging, the same girth won’t fit the same

2. Stiff fenders make proper foot alignment tricky

3.  I must either wear jeans or full size boots until I get the stirrups moving right

4.  When trying to convince Kobi to trot – it was super difficult when the stirrup buckle hit the girth buckle (see issue 1)

I’m sure with some slight modifications (like a new girth & pants), things will be working smoothly by Spring…it’s just a sad day when you have to retire your trusty saddle that conformed to both rider and horse and experienced everything right along with you.

BLM Mustangs

I’m probably going to catch some flack for this one, but I have to get it off my chest.

This morning, while wandering around Twitter, I saw a post regarding the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) reopening the Nevada area for mustang round-up.  Thinking Aww, that’s Kobi’s people, I clicked on the link.

The article pretty much slammed the BLM for rounding up mustangs. I believe (and have to believe) that the BLM is doing what they feel is best for the wild horses.  I know anytime you involve passionate humans, beliefs and issues can get skewed – involving the government adds a whole new level of error (think educational reform or Obamacare).

But getting back to the horses – without outside intervention, these animals could die a slow death from starvation due to overgrazing and lack of water or become target practice for those who feel mustangs don’t have a place in the ‘wild west’.

Yes, I believe that.

What the BLM has given some of these horses (I admit, not all find good homes) is the chance to survive: they don’t have to worry about enough to graze upon, water to drink, or predators.  Without the BLM rounding up horses in Nevada I wouldn’t have Kobi – the main reason I do what I do.

I know there are several sides to every story, but I don’t think the BLM deserves to be condemned for what they do.

And yes, I will be attending the BLM adoption in two weeks in Green Cove Springs, Florida!

Link to the first article I wrote to BLM (scroll down to Kobi’s name)

Link to the second article I wrote to BLM

It’s an interesting world out there

It seems almost every time Toni and I get together, something fantastic enough happens to make me want to share it (as well as to prove life is stranger than fiction – you just have to look for it!)

Toni and I went to JoAnn’s Fabric – she wanted some awesome fabric to make into a dress and matching cape, and I was looking for inspiration for the crypto-zoology book covers.  After our carts were loaded and we checked out, we realized we still had time to kill before she needed to babysit.

That’s where things took a turn…

Since Toni and I share an office, we talked about getting a dwarf hamster or some other small, furry creature we could put in a ball and watch it run around the room.  With time to waste, we went pet shopping.

After finding a pet shop with dwarf hamsters, we were excited to see some were actually awake.  We talked to an employee about their furry friends and (warning sign #1) should have left when they couldn’t tell us what types of hamsters they had or the hamsters genders.  I asked if we could touch one (warning sign #2), the employee said her arm was too short to reach down into their pen.  I asked if I could reach in and pet one, since my arm looked longer than hers (warning sign #3), she warned they might bite.

Like I would let something silly like that stop me – I mean they’re less than 2 inches long (warning sign #4).  I reached down to run my finger down the back of one who appeared to be cuddling with another adorable, fuzzy dwarf hamster.

Like something out of a Monty Python movie, the cute, furry animal turned and latched it’s tiny, dull teeth onto my finger.

With a flick of my wrist, I dislodged the piranha hamster and sent him flying to the opposite end of his enclosure.

“I thought that might happen,” the helpful employee shared. (warning sign #5)

My finger tingled, but the skin wasn’t broken – so I shook it off.  Maybe the other one was friendlier (warning sign #6).

I stretched my finger down to rub the hamster’s back.  The ball of fluff spun it’s head around toward my exposed finger (it’s amazing how something so small can move SO fast), and jerked my hand back.  I pride myself on not being that stupid.

At this point, Toni was laughing so hard that she gave herself a headache.  (and no, I didn’t feel sorry for her one bit!)

Needless to say, we didn’t get an office pet and are exploring other options.