Thursday, March 31, 2011

Pink & Green Thursday: Equestrian Edition



I was inspired by Pink Preppy Lilly Lover to participate in Pink & Green Thursday! Since I'm a horse person, I thought I'd make it an equestrian edition. Even better since Miss G is quite the princess.

Lime green saddle pad & polo wraps from Wild Horse Colors
I think this green is gender-neutral enough for Mr. Moe to wear!


Pink & Green Daisy Halter from Wild Horse Colors
TOO CUTE.

Pink polo wraps from The Tack Room
These are more Princess G's style.

Oster® 7-Piece Equine Care Series™ Pink Kit
Oster Grooming Kit from Dover Saddlery
For the pink-loving equestrian in your life!

Lime green Protech splint boots from Rod's
Perfect for splashing through the mud on XC courses.

So much pink & green horse gear! I don't know if any of it is really for me- my equestrian style is much more subdued (think navy, white, black)- but it sure is fun to look! Happy Thursday!




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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Boots, Boots, Boots

My line of work is a dirty one. Horses aren't particularly neat creatures, and I really notice it when I'm mucking stalls or paddocks. The equestrian center has a lot of chutes and pens that get muddy when there's a mere drop of precipitation, so it's important to me that I have the proper footwear to deal with these conditions. I've already sung the praises of the Sperry Topsider Cormorant boot, but the time has come for me to buy a new pair of Wellies. My old, adorable pink-and-green plaid pair just gave up after two months at the barn. With Oklahoma's wild spring weather, I just know I'll need a new pair soon (before it starts raining again)! Here's what I'm considering:

Hunter Huntress Boot, $125


Sperry Topsider Pelican Tall Boot, $70


LL Bean Bean's Wellies, $59

Thoughts? I would love to hear your reviews/opinions/ideas on Wellies!




Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Fundraisers

Part of my job at the therapeutic riding center is planning fundraisers. Since we're a nonprofit, our funding comes mainly from grants and private donors. We're lucky enough to receive money from a local university (we're part of their community outreach program) as well as local public school that send their students to us for lessons. However, the struggling economy has caused foundations to reduce giving and state and federal government cuts have reduced our contract with the schools by $35,000. So this year, it's more important than ever that we have successful fundraisers! I speak for everyone at work when I say we love what we do and we want to continue to serve our special needs riders!



Boots, BBQ, and Boogie, our oldest annual fundraiser, is now in its seventh year! It's held at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is full of good food, great music, and live and silent auctions. This year promises to be better than ever, as Paul Bogart is returning to entertain us, Trail's End BBQ is providing dinner, and we've got a whole slew of wonderful items to auction off. If you'll be in Tulsa on Saturday, June 11, don't miss it! If you'd like to buy tickets, don't hesitate to send me an email.

In August, we're partnering with the Arrowhead Polo Club to put on our first annual Chukkers for Charity! The club will play a match just for us, and there will be barbecue to buy, beers to drink, a champagne toast sponsored by Land Rover, and fun for everyone! And of course, like any good polo match, the halftime divot stomp is a must!!

After such a busy summer, we're planning to relax on our benefit trail ride in October on the beautiful Williams Ranch in Skiatook, Oklahoma. It's a two day ride, with a chuckwagon supper, campfire, and wagon rides on Friday night, and riding and lunch on Saturday. There will also be belt buckles available and lots of door prizes.

I am so excited for all of these fundraisers- not only are they fun events for everyone involved, they're benefiting a great cause! If you're interested in sponsoring, donating, or participating in any of these events, please let me know! You can reach me at prairieprep@gmail.com!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Gilt-y Pleasures


Gilt Groupe is an amazing sale site- they have deals on everything from clothing to hotels to homewares. I absolutely love them! If you're not a member, just click here for an invite. There are sooo many things to love right now:
Hula Tumblers by LSA Glass, $15 for set of 4
Leaf & Chain Drop Necklace by Leslie Danzis, $89

Bone Bead Coasters by Kim Seybert, $38
MIA Pump by Botkier, $99
So many goodies!











Thursday, March 24, 2011

Subaru Forester

It's been three months since I bought my Subaru Forester, and I thought I'd give ya'll a little update on how it's doing: AWESOME. It is a seriously amazing vehicle. I am totally satisfied with it, and here's why.


  • It's a nice size. My old car was a 1994 Chevy S10 Blazer, a smallish, boxy, four-door. SUVs these days are absolutely monstrous it seems (seriously, folks with a Toyota Highlander...what is going on?), so I was really pleased to find a similarly sized vehicle in the Forester. It's large enough that I can easily put bags of shavings or hay bales in the back (true story), but not so large that I feel like I'm driving a boat. 
  • All-wheel drive. The Blazer was four-wheel drive, but I didn't find myself using it much. Still, my equestrian adventures sometimes require that I drive through off-road or muddy conditions, so I am really thankful for the Subie's AWD. It was pretty deluxe to drive over icy, snowy roads during last month's blizzard, and I never have to worry about getting stuck in the puddles at the barn. 
  • Comfort. For its time, the Blazer was pretty swank. It had faux-leather seats, cruise control, A/C, power locks & windows, remote keyless entry, and a bangin' stereo system. (That last part was thanks to an ex-boyfriend.) When I was shopping for cars, I was appalled to find that these features aren't standard on some vehicles! This is 2011, Ford! Air conditioning needs to be standard!! All of the Blazer's amenities (save for faux-leather seats) are included in the base trim line of my Forester. No extra charge. While I would have liked to add and sunroof and heated seats, I can live without them. Especially at the price I got the Subie for.
  • The company. Subaru is a neat company. Their Indiana plant was the first auto assembly plant to achieve zero-landfill status, which means nothing from the manufacturing process goes into a landfill. They regularly have "Share the Love" events, where $250 of the purchase of your vehicle is donated to charity/charities of your choice (you're welcome, ASPCA and Ocean Conservancy). Their owners' magazine is full of cool articles about owners' events, Subaru initiatives, and travel. They sent me some awesome owners' badges for my car after I bought it. And their obsession with rally is kind of awesome. (Johnny owns an Impreza WRX, one of their little rally cars. It goes zooom!)
If you're going to be in the market for a new car soon, take a look at Subaru! They have SUVs, sedans, coupes, and whatever the Outback is currently classified as (wagon? sport wagon? crossover?). Subies are so much fun to drive and you'll feel like part of the cool kids' club when other Subie drivers wave at you. 

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Adorable Buttons

I'm really a cat person. That isn't to say I dislike dogs; I just don't have much experience with them. Growing up, we always had several cats in and out of the house and the barn, but only one dog. That dog died when I was 13, and was never really replaced. I acquired cats of my own in college and took two of them with me when I moved to Kansas. I like cats. They're good company, don't smell, are neat, and manage to snuggle without salivating. 

After about a month of living with a puppy, I'm not sure if I'm much more of a dog person. They're so much more involved: feeding them at regularly scheduled intervals, taking them out for bathroom breaks, having to amuse them. Add in chewing shoes, smelling wretched even after a bath, and an obsession for face and toe licking, and I don't know why anyone owns dogs. 


Oh, yes. That's why. They're terribly adorable, generally happy to see you, silly to the point of endearment, and just plain nice. But still rather smelly. 

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Current Must-Haves

I've been on a bit of a shopping hiatus lately, as all of my free money seems to be tied up purchasing odds and ends for the horse. (She NEEDS treats, ok?) This little break has made me appreciate some things I already have and can't seem to live without.

Lunch tote by Built. I snagged 2 of these snazzy neoprene totes at Target for $4 last month, and they have been absolutely invaluable. They stretch to fit all kinds of containers and do a great job of holding my standard lunch of sandwich, chips, and Diet Coke.

Sally Hansen Hard As Nails in Toffee. Spending 5 days a week at a barn means I don't waste money on professional manicures. Instead, when I want them to look nice and have a spot of color, I lacquer on some Sally Hansen. It's inexpensive, doesn't chip, and comes in sooo many colors. I'm currently in love with Toffee, a muted rose color.

MyFitnessPal.com. Don't know about ya'll, but I feel like I'm continuously trying to lose weight. This site, which is free to use and has apps for Android, iPhone, and Blackberry, makes it SUPER easy to keep track of what I've eaten throughout the day. On the Android app, I can also scan the barcode of foods I want to add, and poof! Like magic, it's added to my log. MFP also has an exercise tracker, can help you set goals, and features an active and friendly community of users.

Sperry Topsiders. I currently own a pair of Bluefish boat shoes, and let me tell you, they are indispensable. I'm wearing them more often now that it's precipitating less frequently. I wear them walking the dog, gardening, around town, even to the barn occasionally. Absolutely perfect as far as a casual shoe goes.

What's on your must-have list right now??


Monday, March 21, 2011

Planning Mother's Visit

My mother announced she's coming to visit next month, which came as a serious surprise to me. I haven't seen her in about a year, since the last time I went home to Tennessee. She's brought up coming to see me in Oklahoma before, only to change her mind and tell me she hated the prairie and didn't think there was anything to do out here. (She is most definitely wrong on both counts: the prairie is lovely sometimes, and Tulsa has an endless amount of things to do.) So when Mother mentioned she was planning to come out here next month, I decided I'd better come up with a plan to keep her entertained. (Also decided I needed to get serious about losing weight, since I don't want her to tell me I look fat. Again. Ugh.) Here's what I've come up with so far:

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1. Shopping at Utica Square. Upscale shopping in a gorgeous outdoor area. I love love love strolling through the park-like area and popping in and out of places like Miss Jackson's, Saks, and Williams-Sonoma, or getting a bite to eat at The Wild Fork or Stonehorse CafĂ©. Maybe I can schedule some spa time at Ilhoff. Who knows.

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2. Wandering around the Philbrook. Art and gardens. What else do you need? Since my mother will be here in April, the weather should be really nice and everything in the garden will be looking good. The current exhibit, American Streamlined Design, will be here through May, and it's a nice departure from typical look-at-this-painting art. Might catch lunch at the nice little restaurant here too.

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3. Gamble at Hard Rock Casino. I never knew my mother was into slot machines until last year. When Johnny and I went to Memphis, she tried to get us to go to Tunica to hit some casinos with her. I think she'll enjoy the Hard Rock- it's the newest and nicest casino in the area and has about a million slot machines for her to play.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

March Madness

I'm not much of a college basketball fan; I much prefer to watch NBA games. This year, however, I made time to watch my alma mater tackle Duke in the NCAA Tournament. The University of Tennessee at Martin women's basketball team made it to the big dance for the first time, and while we lost, I was proud to cheer on the Skyhawks!

So proud of my fellow Skyhawks!
In the men's tourney, I was rooting for Memphis. I have a soft spot for the city and the game against Arizona was played right here in Tulsa. While I didn't get to attend, I did watch the game right down to its frustrating finish. Now that Memphis is out, I'm left without a horse in the race! 

Who do you have winning it all?

Sunday, March 13, 2011

66ers Saturday

Now that I have Saturdays off, Johnny and I have more opportunities to do fun stuff like catch Tulsa 66ers basketball games. Both of us are NBA fans and it's nice to have a D-League team nearby. Tickets are always inexpensive, the level of play is much better than what you'd see at a college game, and the mix of athletes makes for interesting games.

Last night, the 66ers faced the Sioux Falls Skyforce. There were a lot of exciting plays from Tulsa- impressive dunks from Jerome Dyson, Latavious Williams, and BJ Mullens. The Skyforce didn't disappoint, either, with Patrick Ewing, Jr. laying down slams and Raymond Sykes sinking some shots. It was a foul-filled contest, though, which made the first and third quarters drag. The 66ers were victorious in the end, winning 115-100 and bringing their record to an excellent 29-11.

We splurged and got $15 seats (haha!) and had a fantastic view. Unfortunately, we were also in prime real estate for the audience-obsessed camera guy. Johnny and I were on the big screen twice! Eek! I would have worn something better than my black Patagonia fleece if I'd know that would happen. We had a good time, though, and I hope we can catch another game before the season ends!

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Buttons!

Cutest puppy ever!
Presenting the newest addition to our household, Buttons! She is half Corgi, half Daschund puppy. I brought her home Friday evening and she's been nothing but (the good kind of) trouble ever since! Johnny and I have begun teaching her all sorts of stuff, from her name to "heel" and "leave it". She's done pretty well so far and seems to really be enjoying rawhide chews, belly rubs, and sleeping on the couch. I'm afraid Johnny will spoil her something awful, but I suppose I can't get TOO mad at him. Just look at that face!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Meet Moe


Allow me to introduce you to Moe, my good-natured Thoroughbred gelding. Moe is my three-day event horse, or he was until I moved away from Tennessee and had to leave him behind. He is sixteen years old, about 15.2 hands tall, and isn't very smart. But he's sweet and likable and a very good jumper. 

Yours truly aboard Moe at a jumper show!
My parents bought Moe- or Richnfree, as his Jockey Club papers state- when he was eight and I was seventeen. I was in dire need of a new eventer. My old horse, Spike, couldn't handle the stress of competition and had been sold to a nice family with several children who wanted nothing more than to ride him bareback in a field. My friend and fellow Pony Clubber, Kim, suggested I take a look at Moe, who was currently being worked with by her trainer. I met Moe at a horse trials (where he'd just taken first place in the Beginner Novice division) and instantly loved him. Negotiations were made, and Moe joined my horse Buster at our small farm.

Over the next few years, Moe and I traveled to horse shows in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama. We weren't the most winning team- Moe's dressage wasn't great- but he was definitely the best horse I'd ever had. Moe came to college with me, where he lived with the same group of horses for three years: Wyatt, a bossy Walking Horse gelding; Ginger, a competitive Standardbred mare; and Sim, a nervous Arabian gelding. Moe and I didn't do much eventing in college- I rode him on long trail rides and we raced Ginger across soybean fields regularly. Sometimes we'd enter a local fun show to keep our jumping skills sharp, but we were more often found riding to Sonic for a limeaid or beating barrel horses at hayfield races.

When I moved to Kansas, I left Moe in the care of my father on the family farm. I never found a place to keep him in Wichita, but here in the Tulsa area at my therapeutic riding center job, I've been lucky enough to find a place for him! The director offered to let me keep Moe out at the center for a very reasonable monthly boarding fee. I am so excited! I have missed Moe dearly and once I arrange transportation for him, he'll be back in action! 

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Cross Country Course

A horse and rider on a cross-country course
Cross country, the second phase of three-day eventing, is arguably the most difficult. It requires a brave horse with speed and stamina! Horse and rider are required to negotiate a series of natural obstacles in a set amount of time. Courses are often over two miles long. Riders receive a course map and are able to walk the course before the event, but horses see the obstacles for the first time on the day of the show!

This is the phase I am most concerned about with Gina. As a hunter/jumper horse, I doubt she has been exposed to many logs or ditches, and I don't think she has ever been ridden outside the confines of an arena. It will be a challenge to get her used to these things at our current location, too- we have a large hayfield available, but it's full of holes and there are no jumps. It will be tough to get my girl used to cross-country if we never have a chance to school it!

That said, there are a lot of things we can work on in that hayfield. Walls can be created out of moldy hay bales. Regular jumps can be set up in the field. Some barrels can be rolled out and jumped over. And of course, just getting Gina used to going out and about outside an arena is invaluable experience!