Book Review – Beyond the Homestretch

 

So Hurricane Irene is here, ruining my weekend with lots of rain and heavy wind!  Since I’m inside reading (and blogging), I figured I’d give my readers a review of a book I read and enjoyed earlier this year.  (And yes, it’s a horse book).

After reading Lynn Reardon’s Beyond the Homestretch, don’t be surprised if, as a horse lover, you want to run off to Texas and start your own off-the-track Thoroughbred horse rescue.  (James loves it when I read these types of books!).  Lynn’s stories about the horses up for adoption are wild and lively, painful and joyous, but awe-inspiring with a satisfied sense of happily-ever-after.

Lynn, a transplant from Maryland, moves to Texas to leave the 9-5 rat race behind her, (must be nice!).  She expects she will live an enjoyable and fulfilling life with her husband and finally have the time to focus on her true passion: horses.  What she doesn’t expect is to open a rescue for off-the-track Thoroughbreds who are beautiful and fierce, high on life and who knows what else.  But before she realizes it, she finds multiple four-legged friends in her care, looking to her to find them forever homes and second careers.

In Beyond the Homestretch, Lynn tells us of LOPE’s (LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-Racers) humble beginnings and introduces us along the way to a variety of amazing horses that are seeking a second chance at life. 

We meet Zuper, “a husky bay with an endearing splash of white on his nose, [who] exuded wisdom and Buddha good cheer.”  We smile at the thought of sweet Sugarfoot, “[who] was known for two things at the racetrack: an endearing habit of licking her groom’s bald head and her incredibly slow speed.  A small red filly with gentle eyes, Sugarfoot was oddly put together, like a toy assembled in a rush.”  We imagine Lynn’s panic as she pulls an all-nighter caring for Spider, the adorable three year old colt who was bit by a poisonous snake and lives to tell the tale.  And we completely understand why Lynn decides to keep Tulsa Mambo, a large black gelding and her first adoptee, for herself.

Horse owners can definitely relate to all the trials and tribulations Lynn is put through while caring for these accident-prone animals.  And while there will always be days of frustration, horses are worth the effort. 

Lynn continues to make these efforts every day and her LOPE ranch has helped numerous OTTBs find life after the racetrack.  For more information about Lynn and her organization, please visit: http://www.lopetx.org/ or http://www.beyondthehomestretch.com/.

I hope everyone is staying safe and dry during this storm!!  Happy reading!

Keep Cool

With about a month of summer left, we're still in for some hot, humid days.  Follow this cute foal's lead and keep cool.

He's a genius.

Equus Keepus Brokus

It’s a common misconception that if you own a horse, you’re rich. This probably couldn’t be further from the truth! Now – of course, the extremely wealthy do own horses sometimes…and they play polo or have a racing stable. But your average horse owner isn’t rich. In fact, she’s poor.

There’s a saying that I like – “If you want to have a million dollars AND a horse, then you have to start with two million dollars.” This is dead on! Horses are really expensive – so much so that I sometimes take a step back and think, why couldn’t I have chosen a different hobby? A cheaper hobby? A less dangerous hobby? One that is not such an emotional roller coaster? But it’s too late – I am afflicted with the must-always-have-horses disease and I’m okay with it!

It’s no secret that James and I are saving our butts off so we can buy a farm. I grew up with property and had my horses right in my backyard…and it’s only natural that I want to get back to that (this is how I justify it to James!!. I love where I board my horse…but I can’t get up and check on them in the middle of the night just to make sure they’re sleeping soundly. I can’t take a book and sit in the middle of their pasture and read for hours and watch them graze. I can’t do anything too permanent to the barn because it’s not mine…and I’m ready for permanent.

My darling husband enjoys pointing out that if we didn’t have the horse, we’d probably already have enough money saved to buy our farm. This – I don’t deny. But if we didn’t have Misty, I wouldn’t want property!

Once I asked a co-worker, who does not own any pets, on what she spends her money. I can’t imagine not having all my extra money already accounted for! (My co-worker’s answer: clothes…my response: Misty is so much cooler than a new shirt or dress!).

But anyway – back to Misty costing as much as my mortgage some months…

I pay board for Misty…so every month, that’s an automatic check. Then every six to eight weeks, Misty’s hooves need trimmed and she needs her front shoes replaced…and she needs to be de-wormed…then there’s grain, hay, vitamin supplements (the horse takes more vitamins than I do), lessons, tack, riding gear/clothing, horse show entry fees…and of course, the dreaded vet bills. Last year Misty had some eye issues (I promise I’ll do a posting specifically about it one day)…and before I knew it, I had spent $3,700 in vet bills in three months!

And then there’s the emotional toll having a horse takes on you…and any rider will agree with this! When Misty is bad and acts up when I’m riding her…my whole day is shot. I’ll come home in tears because my horse hates me/I’m a terrible rider/I’m a failure as a horse mom, you name it…I’ve said it. Poor James has much to contend with! But when she’s good (which, quite honestly, is most of the time), then weeeeeeee – life is great!!! It’s truly amazing how an animal can dictate whether I laugh or cry!

But at the end of the day, I honestly don’t know what I’d do without horses, Misty especially, in my life. She’s worth all the time, money, blood, sweat, and tears ten times over. When we have those days where everything just comes together and we work as a team…and I can see all of our hard efforts paying off, it makes it all worth it. And even when we have bad days, it’s worth it then too.

I love Misty...annnnd Misty loves to sleep.

Men in Grey Suits

As many of you know, it’s Shark Week on the Discovery Channel!  I’m kind of ashamed to admit it, but this is really the first year I’ve gone out of my way to make time for Shark Week.  How could I have missed this amazingness!?  For those of you who know me pretty well, you know that I consider watching tv a “tremendous waste of time,” and I’d “take a book over a tv show or movie anyday.”

But Shark Week is totally different!

The Great White - the stuff of my nightmares!

I’m not usually one for blood and guts and overall grossness – but sharks are just so cool…and freakin’ scary!

Shark Week is reminding me why I’m not much of a fan of the water and why I’m afraid to go out too far / too deep in the ocean.  I can’t get over how many shark attacks occur in such shallow water!

The Hammerhead - the coolest shark out there!

This week has also reminded me why I think most surfers are crazy.  While I like to watch them ride the waves, I can’t get over the fact that they’ll enter the water when they know sharks are around.  In one show, a surfer mentioned their code for sharks.  He said when a new surfer enters the water, he’ll say, “There are men in grey suits out here today.”

Umm…no thanks.  You can keep the water and your board…I’ll take the sandy beach and my book.

I love this picture because I know it's fake...this email hoax circulated around 2001.  The helicopter and diver were in San Francisco, and the breaching Great White was of the coast of South Africa.

 There is one animal in a grey suit that I love though – and that, of course, is Misty Mystique.  But just like the “men in grey suits,” Misty has been known to try and take a bite out of people in her way!!

Yes, she will bite you.

Maryland Polo Club

One of my favorite things to do during the summer is go to polo matches. The Maryland Polo Club’s grounds are located in Monkton, right behind Ladew Gardens, and matches are held every Friday at 6:00 and every Sunday at 3:00 from June until September. You pay $15 per car, tailgate along the sidelines, eat junk food, and watch the ponies – what could be better?! We usually pack a bunch of people into James’ Explorer, bring an assortment of cheeses, chips, and sweets (all the essentials, of course), and sit in our folding chairs to watch the match.

Polo is pretty laid back – there’s no need to dress up super fancy, but you won’t be out of place if you do. I usually wear a cute dress, or shorts and a fun shirt (and sometimes my Preakness hat!) and flip flops.

If Izzie didn’t love to chase horses, we would bring her for sure. So – if your dog is well-behaved and will sit quietly with you while horses gallop past, then by all means, bring him/her!

After the third chukker, halftime, the spectators are encouraged to head out onto the field to stomp the divots.  That's right - just like in Pretty Woman!  Here I am with my Preakness hat getting ready to do some stompin!.

Polo is a very fast-paced sport, but it’s easy to understand. There are four players on each team and there are six periods, called chukkers. Each chukker is 7 ½ minutes long. There are rules, of course, but the main one is that you can’t cross the invisible line that the ball makes. So if two players are flying up the field in hot pursuit of the ball, neither play can cross the line on which the ball traveled, making it illegal for one to cut the other off, essentially. That kind of behavior is just too dangerous on horseback! Each player has a number (1 – 4) and a different responsibility. Number 3 is usually the best player on the team – he/she can be thought of as the quarterback.

Grey polo pony!  Interesting fact - Misty was almost a polo pony.  A well-known Maryland Club polo player was coming to look at Misty an hour after my scheduled appointment.  He specifically wanted a "pretty grey"...but I snatched her up before he had the chance to see her amazingness!

Every time I go to a polo match, which is fairly often, I get an incredible urge to learn how to play…and I will, at some point. After I get where I want to be with my jumping and equitation, then I’ll switch disciplines and learn polo!

The best part of polo, if you play, is that you need 6 horses. SIX HORSES!! Yes, most people switch horses every chukker so their horse is fresh and ready to go. It wouldn’t be fair to ask a horse, who has to run hard and bump into others, to play more than one chukker per match.

So that’s right James – get ready – I WILL NEED SIX HORSES ONE DAY! Another cool thing about polo – men and women can play together. So I was hoping that when I learn to play, my husband will join me for some lessons too. Which means – WE WILL NEED 12 HORSES IN THE FAMILY!!

But if you’re looking for something fun to do on a summer afternoon/evening, head up to Monkton for a polo match. The sound of the horses’ hooves pounding up and down the field will give you chills.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

That’s right – summer is here and 4^th of July is just around the corner!  I look forward to this stretch of the year during the cold winter months.  I feel like the July 4^th holiday officially ushers in this glorious time of year and that’s why it has always been my favorite holiday, trumping Christmas, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.

 Here’s why this time of year kicks butt:

- The warm weather…yeah, I love not wearing a lot of clothing!  There’s no need to layer up – throw those hats and gloves and coats back (waaaay back) in the closet…I don’t even want to think about them!  Some shorts, a tank top, and flip flops – that’s it!

- The days last forever.  This equals more time outside riding Misty (which she’s always thrilled about).  I could stay outside doing just about anything from sun up until sun down.

- Crabbies!  Umm…sitting on the deck eating steamed crabs with corn on the cob drenched in butter and Old Bay?  Yeah – it doesn’t get more amazing than that.

Nom nom nommmmm!!!

 - Vacations…even if it’s just a little day trip or long weekend ‘downy ocean hon,’ it’s something to look forward to.

- Snowballs…old fashioned egg custard with marshmallow on top please…perfect after a long day of riding in the hot sun.

 - Outdoor events…concerts, picnics, cook-outs, you name it…everything is just better outside.  My personal favorite – watching a polo match.  Grab some food and some friends and tailgate for the afternoon alongside the polo fields in Monkton.

Grey polo pony!

 - THE STATE FAIR!  OMG FAIR FOOD!!...and SO MANY ANIMALS IN ONE PLACE…and sampling honey at the beekeepers’ station…and arts and crafts…and ANIMALS and FAIR FOOD!!!  The fair is also perfect for people watching…(Maryland – you may be small…but you are quite diverse)…and it gives me a chance to relive my sweet days as a cute, horse-crazy 4H-er.

 And finally…THE 4^TH OF JULY!  Cook-outs, parades, fireworks, volleyball…and of course, my wedding anniversary!  James and I will be celebrating 6 years of wedded bliss on the 4^th…gotta love that. 

Happy 6th babe - I love you!

I Want a New Horse Syndrome

I’m going through an ‘I need a new animal’ phase. You know how some people feel the need to buy a new car every few years...or even move into a new house? I’m that way with animals…every few years, I just need one. I haven’t added to my four-legged furry collection since July 13, 2008, the day I brought Misty home. That’s been almost 3 years.

THREE YEARS!!

Do you know how long that is in ‘Laurie needs a new animal’ years? At least 15.

This little filly will lighten up and grey out...omg I MUST have her!

What I’d really prefer is another horse. But as Misty can cost more than my mortgage some months (not joking), I’ll take a dog or a cat. But there is one large, red-headed obstacle between me and new animal bliss…James.

I'm dying just looking at this picture - there is nothing cuter than a long-legged foal!

James has recently started this ridiculously terrible and horrific thing called, “the budget.” And while I admire “the budget’s” ability to let us know if we’re on track with our savings goals, I also despise him for being a complete and total snake. He rats me out to James every month by delivering cold hard numbers showing EXACTLY how much I spent on the animals. It’s hard to make a good case for wanting – no – NEEDING another animal when “the budget’s” statistics get thrown back in my face.

Kittens!  Inspired by...Kittens!!  I sincerely hope he wreaked havoc with these brushes - LOVE bad cats!

And at the end of the day, despite my excuses and skepticism, “the budget” just does not lie. I hate him and his incredible accuracy.

My go-to line: “but if we’re not having kids, we can TOTALLY afford another horse!” James: “regardless of kids, when the “Animals” category is a very close second to the “Mortgage” category, that’s a problem!”

We obviously have two very different definitions of the word ‘problem.’

Yes...I WILL sneak a well-dressed duck into the house one day.

But no worries – I will wear both James AND “the budget” down. And as they say, it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission! ;)

And in case you're wondering - no - I don't want one of these!!  Haha!!