Wild child

Grandma, this is just for you!

My grandma has a strange sense of humor. After I spent a day with her, I now realize where I get my humor from! This character should be left in the book, seeing it in real life is...kind of...disturbing.

Thank you for spending the day with me grandma!

~Katie~

P.S- Now I have seven followers, I'm so excited! :) 

In other news...

It has been reported that my Mom has the "oh look at the cute baby, I think we should have another one" look in her eye. 

• Witnesses report hearing her ooh and ahh over babies in the nursery, even to go as far as look through a Babies R Us catalogue.  (gasp)
• One bystander told of several babies being "kidnapped" from their poor mothers and held until the poor infant fell asleep, possibly due to "Boredom"; as one witness described.
• There has been no official word from my father on the matter.  He has repeatedly answered "no comment" Our staff psychologists refer to his reaction as denial, or maybe self protection.
• The current Lenhart children are threatening to go on strike claiming "cruel and unusual" punishment. (although they ALWAYS say that for everything, so I don't think she is listening)
• Stay tuned for further details as they develop......and folks...prayer might be a good idea at this time.

This is Katie,  reporting to you live from
My Life.


Katie

P.S. I love my mom, and it wouldn't be too bad. As long as they have a girl and she likes horses :)

Back to the Begining...

TODAY...was NOT... a good day.

Okay, so being the positive person I am, I can see many good things about today....but right now, I just want to be grumpy....SO... be prepared to be grumpy with me and join in, in my little pity party...All are invited :/

I had my first lesson today at my new barn....and it didn't go well. Oh, Roberta is a great lady, and a great instructor....but apparently I am not a good student (today anyways) She didn't say that, I just feel that way.

I have a lot of work to do...working on my seat, and my center of balance, using my back and my knees to control the horse...things that I learned when I was 8,...but I am getting sloppy...and a little lazy (Okay A LOT lazy) .  I am using my reigns too much, pulling on the bit, and Kissie is reacting to that.

Funny how you can get out of practice....I have been riding all summer focusing so much on endurance, and control, I forgot the basics....like trying to build a house on sinking sand (for all of you sunday school teachers out there) But I am just a little frustrated to have so many builders on site trying to build the same house using different blueprints.
Roberta is my 9th instructor...yeah 9..I have been ridin since I was 7 and I am almost 14.  (you do the math because I hate math more than this day) For the most part, they all have different ideas on the correct ways to ride, saddle, groom, everything....its insane and VERY frustrating.

Okay....enough whining...I had a bad day, I am feeling a little defeated but I am glad to have Kissie, glad to have Roberta, and Grandparents who are able to give me this time with them both....and I am even glad for those 9 instructors.  I learned something from each of them, and I am thankful.  Time to put on my muckboots and start working....I am not going to let one bad day get me down.

Okay, party is over.....Time to let things go and move on....thanks for coming...really...A pity party isn't very much fun when you are all by yourself. :)

Almighty...

Sometimes we forget.....

Forget how blessed we are,

How quickly life can change,

That God is in control,

How much people really love us....

Then....GOD reminds us....

Sometimes He does it softly, and quietly...

Maybe we feel a soft breeze on our face...and remember who made us...

Or watch a report on the news about a far away country...and remember how blessed we are..

But sometimes....in a split second of time,your world is forever changed in a tragedy....and you remember that GOD is still on HIS throne....Still in control...

Its easy to forget that...we always want to explain things away, or make sense out of every thing that comes our way...but we cannot possibly understand it all, possibly see the entire picture like God does.

Then we are reminded....that People love us...and no matter what, God does too.

"Be still, and Know that I am GOD" Psalm 46:10

Looking me in the eyes! :)

Me and my Buddy!

Giving me a hug, awwww!! :)

"Please, feed me more treats." :)

Finally, she is looking at the camera!

I know you have more treats in that pocket. :)

Kissie and Huggie :)

I love you Kissie!!! :)

Kissie's Kisses.

Yesterday I went to see my Best Bud, Kissie, with one of my Best Friends (another horse lover like I am).

When we got there, she was excited to see me, but also very curious to see a visitor with me.
Kissie can be skittish around new people. People haven't always treated her nicely, so sometimes she can be cranky or nervous around them.

However, my friend is a horse person. She has this sweet gentle nature with horses. She looks into their eyes and talks soflty, and I know that they really hear her. Kissie loved her. She immediately recognized a horse person and began to frisk her for treats. I know, SHOCKING!

After giving her treats, and kissie practically wrestling us for more, we learned a new trick...
Well...I learned this with my instructor last summer,  it's Parelli style, which I love, but haven't practiced in awhile. (that's another story)  I didn't tell Roberts this, I could use the refresher, and I think you can always learn something new and not feel like you know it all....trust me I do not know it all.....

Roberta taught me how to use voice commands and hand signals to tell your horse to back up or walk forward....
Teaching your horse to back in ground work...

• First you take a crop in one hand and the lead line in the other.
• Then you take the crop and tap gently on the horses chest, and use the word back.
• Back her up a couple steps, then make her stand still for as long as you want her to, by using the word stand.
• If you do this process everyday, your horse will eventually listen when you ask her to back.

Teaching your horse to walk forward when you ask her to... 

• First you take your lead line and pull the end behind you so it's close to the horses butt
• Then you take the end and shake it toward her butt and say walk.
• Repeat this process until she learns to walk when you say walk.

There is more to it than that. If your horse is stubborn, (ahem) like Kissie, it takes a while. There are other things to do if she doesn't stand or walks away from you. I actually like the Parelli method better, but we need to brush up on our skills, and implement voice commands so she knows what to do when Roberts asks.

 I had fun with kissie, I can't wait to work Parelli with her again.  It's going to be so much fun!

Katie

Warning...

Beep.....Beep.....Beeeppp.....

The following has been provided to you as a paid public service announcement....

Treats  should not be placed in the same pocket everytime...horses (especially the smart ones) will search and search until they find it.  Ever been frisked by a 1,000 pound animal? Yeah, it isn't pretty...:)

That is all.....

****No horse owners were harmed in the making of this public service announcement.....however, some were severly slobbered on.

Katie