Traveller – Another Sassy Grey

I’m late with this post too – this one is about my mom’s horse, Traveller, another very sassy grey.  I can remember life before Trav, but just barely.

My mom rides Traveller Western, but he is trained English as well.

Traveller is an Arabian and was born 23 years ago at Imperial Egyptian Stud, a beautiful farm in Parkton, Maryland.  I’m not sure of all the specifics since I was so young at the time, but apparently Traveller was born without Arabian show-quality features, and therefore his owners didn’t want him.  My mom had lost her first horse, Pepper, about nine months prior and was ready to bring another horse into the family…and this one was free!

I remember the day Traveller came home – he was only a yearling and was a funny roan color.  Basically, he looked pink with a black mane and tail.  We were told that he would “grey out,” which, of course, excited me, and my father, being a Civil War buff, suggested the name of Traveller (the name of General Robert E. Lee’s favorite horse who was also a grey). 

For my brother and I (Andy was 8 at the time, I was 6), Trav was like a big, fun dog.  We’d play with him in the field (Andy would flat out try to wrestle him), we’d chase him with our bikes (and then he’d turn around and chase us back!), and, of course, we helped my mother take care of him.  Sometimes I would drag a chair out to the barn, and sit by Traveller’s stall and read.  Trav would stick his head out the window and just watch me – he has always been super inquisitive.

I remember sitting outside the barn, hanging out with Trav while my parents were inside fighting (which was a regular occurrence).  I remember saying to Trav something like, “if mom and dad get divorced, don’t worry.  I’ll make sure we keep you.  If I have to get a job and pay for you, I will.”  I think I was about 7 at the time…always willing to work for my horses.

Sure enough, when I was 19, my parents divorced, but of course we kept our Traveller.  We moved him (and Komie) to the farm where we board now, but now our herd has grown from two to five!

Me and my "Crazy Man!"

One note about him though – Trav likes to bite.  He’s the one horse we have that we can’t turn our backs on.  But even though he can be a brat, you will not find a better trail horse.  Traveller has always been very reliable, a good, sturdy trail horse who loves to get out and see new things.  I showed him a handful of times as well; we always did great as he was very flashy! 

He turned 23 in July and is still going strong…just watch those teeth!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope all of you had a great day filled with lots of turkey and family time.  I'm feeling especially blessed this year, and I hope you are too!

F. Scott Fitzgerald

There’s not a time in my life when I can remember not reading, not loving books.  When I think about the two things I’m most passionate about in my life, I can say without skipping a beat, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that if it weren’t for horses and books, I’d be lost.

Trips to the library or a book store were almost on the same level as trips to the tack shop – sheer Heaven.  I can lose myself in Barnes & Noble for hours, sitting on the floor of the Fiction section, paging through the latest best-seller or one of the classics with a latte by my side.  Sometimes I like to think that I own the store (for, honestly, who appreciates books more than me?) and will get a little irritated if the place is crowded.  Who let all these people into my sanctuary?

I remember on Christmas Day how disappointed I’d be if I unwrapped a box full of clothing from Santa…but how beside myself with joy I’d be with new books and horse stuff!  Interestingly, several of my books would disappear after I unwrapped them and I only learned several years later that my mom would hide them because I’d read them too fast, flying through them all while on Christmas Break, only to turn up “so bored” the following week.  So my mom would hide a few…then they’d gradually reappear, giving me something to do during the long, cold, winter weeks spent indoors.

Like any avid reader, I have my favorite authors, my most hated books, and lists of that sort.  After reading The Great Gatsby in 11^th grade, a book that quite honestly, changed my life, F. Scott Fitzgerald sealed himself away in my heart and firmly holds that place of honor as my most favorite author.  Since then, the man who led a most turbulent life and died young at the age of 44, has been a large part of my literary life.

Since The Great Gatsby, I have read every single one of FSF’s novels and all of his short story collections.  I have poured over The Great Gatsby so many times that I’m surprised my copy is still intact.  I make references to the novel so often, but almost no one gets them!  When talking about someone new, I’ll say something like, “I heard he killed a man,” in that suspicious tone Gatsby’s party guests use when speaking about the host they’ve never met.  And at night, when I shut the curtains in my bedroom, I look across the way to my neighbor’s backyard to see the green light they have on their back porch.  Only I would see that and think of Gatsby standing on the edge of his dock late at night, arm outstretched towards the green light from the dock of Daisy’s mansion across the water on East Egg.

I spent the last year of graduate school completely surrounded by Fitzgerald as I decided to devote my Thesis to him, my favorite literary genius.  I focused strictly on his short stories, but of course, referenced his novels from time to time.  I immersed myself in his stories, his novels, and his many biographies.  I even wrote a short article that later appeared in the Fitzgerald Society’s newsletter (because, yes, like any good nerd, I am a member of the Society).

Finally I completed and successfully defended my thesis, which was entitled (starting with a quote from FSF himself):

“Show Me a Hero and I Will Write You a Tragedy”

F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Art of Chronic Failure

It was a few pages shy of 80 and capped off my graduate career, but to me it was a year’s worth of late nights, constant edits and revisions, and many, many, many tears.  But it was also a labor of love.

A Kentucky Poem

Even though I’ve only been to Kentucky once, I’m missing it…Lexington especially.  As some of you probably read in my earlier blogs, James and I went to Lexington last summer to celebrate our 5^th wedding anniversary.  Don’t I have the best husband in the world?  I mean, he definitely enjoyed himself (naturally), but maybe not quite as much as I did. ;)

Anyway, here’s an excerpt from a poem I really like by James Tandy Ellis:

Back in Old Kentucky

I want to get back

to the old time hills

Where the corn juice runs

from the old distills

I want to get back, yes,

the good Lord knows

I want to get back where

the Bluegrass grows

Back in old Kentucky.

A Horse of a Different Color

Obviously, I love grey horses.  Dapple grey horses have been my favorite for as long as I could remember.  There’s just something so beautiful, classic, and flashy about a dappled grey – so different from all the other brown, bay, and chestnut horses out there.

However, when I was in the market for a new horse in 2008, I didn’t rule out any color (and still wouldn’t).  But when I got a call from a friend of a friend about a dappled grey soon-to-be ex-racehorse, I knew I had to see her.  (Actually, I hesitated for a few days because I wasn’t sure I’d have the skills to retrain an OTTB – off-the-track-Thoroughbred).  Anyway, once I buoyed up my courage and went to see Misty, it was love at first sight.  She was (and still is) literally the horse right out of my dreams.

The only problem with dapple greys, however, is that they never stay that way!  Unless grey horses are kept in their stalls for most of the day (as racehorses and show horses are), their coats fade.  Below are some pictures of Misty through the three years I’ve had her…and yes, though I HATE to admit it, she’s turning white (though white, in terms of horse colors, is always considered grey).

Bah!  Misty – stop it!!!

Here's Misty on her first day home (summer 2008) - she's so dark!

My sweet little 4 year old, fresh off the track and ready for a new life as a Berglie.

Misty in a field of buttercups the following spring...you can see her face has already started to lighten up.

Misty in spring of 2010, one year after the previous picture.

And here's my girl this past spring...almost all of her dapples are gone...I'm devastated!

Rockin’ the Red

 

While I love to play sports, I have a hard time sitting down and watching them on TV…especially during the afternoon if it’s a nice day and I could be outside.  But I do try to keep up with two sports: tennis and hockey. 

I played on the Varsity tennis team in high school, so I love watching the four Grand Slams.  James and I are already getting our schedules together for next year so we can make it up to Flushing Meadows to catch a few matches at the U.S. Open.  Roddick and Federer, you’ve been warned!

And, of course, I’m a Capitals fan!!  I got into hockey when James and I started dating in 2001.  James is a goalie and played for years before we met, and his parents have had season tickets to the Caps since the mid or late 90s.  If they’re out of town, we love getting the tickets and heading down for some action on the ice!

My favorite Caps players:

Brooks Laich.  He's a redhead...what can I say?  (My husband is a redhead for those who don't know!)

Alex Ovechkin, The Great 8.  He's kind of the man...and I like how he's not afraid to throw some punches and take some hits.

Mike Green.  He's just plain cute, rocks a faux hawk AND is an awesome defenseman.

C-A-P-S CAPS CAPS CAPS!

An Equestrian Fashionista

 Anyone who knows me, or who has seen me, knows that I’m not exactly a fashionista.  Of course I like to wear nice clothes, but you’ll almost never find me in the mall, hopping from store to store, looking at the latest trends and trying on outfit after outfit.  Every so often I’m in the mood to do that sort of thing – but only like once or twice a year.

However, I do love clothing lines for the equestrian (there’s a shocker!)…not that I have the money for these fancy things, but I do keep up with these trends!  My favorite company is Dubarry and below are my two (one day) must-haves.

This coat is out of my budget as it retails for about $500…but it’s so beautifully crafted and simple, I can’t imagine it ever going out of style.

Below are the classic Dubarry boots – I’ve had my eye on these for about five years now.  These, too, retail for around $500, but they are totally worth it.  They are completely waterproof and will last forever.  There are always Dubarry salesmen who set up booths at the Maryland Horse Expo.  You can find them perfectly groomed, decked out from head to toe in their brand, wearing these boots, and standing in a large bucket of water.  They stand there ALL day to show potential buyers how wonderfully crafted these boots are – that they can withstand a lot of abuse (which they’ll certainly get if worn around horses!), and that they’ll last for years.

The only thing about these boots – they are just TOO pretty to wear around the muck and mud you’ll find at a farm during the winter!  However, after I get my farm (and pay it off!!), I’ll probably invest in a pair of these…love them!