January 10, 2006
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Hello Everyone and Happy New Year!
I guess I have now caught my breath from our adventure to South Dakota, the holidays, and getting back in the swing. I am tired and refreshed at the same time, full of new hope, sad for some things, and on a diet with exercise plan to shed some wnter pounds!!
I am sending some pictures from our family to yours - I realize there are no pictures of me because no one in my family takes any, and I would be selfish to ask them to, I guess. I did get Craig to snap a shot of me on my steed Randy (now 24) in the Black Hills, but it was less than flattering so I chose to spare you all the agony of looking at it. Instead, enjoy the scenery that we saw as we rode in 60 degree weather that day with azure skies!
As I write the preparation is being made to bring John Lyons to our farm on Saturday, July 22 for a fund raising event. I am so excited that I can hardly stand it, and have already made contacts with local radio stations for public service announcements and ticket sales. It will take a lot of organization and much sponsorship, but I believe we can do it and we will! John Lyons is also glad to be coming here - I have been following him and his practicing his techniques for about 16 years now and have worked his clinic in the past, so this privilege is the dream of a lifetime. We are seeking vendors to offset some of the expenses related to hosting John Lyons, so if you have any ideas please feel free to contact me. We will soon announce ticket prices and more.
The horse fairs and expos are coming up quickly - once again this year we hope to be at Illinois Horse Fair, Iowa Horse Fair, Mid West Horse Fair, Minnesota Horse Expo. and this year will add the Black Hills Horse Expo and South Dakota Horse Fair.....Lord willing! We had an opportunity to haul a Standardbred to his new home in Canistota South Dakota recently, and the veterinarian who adopted him thought it would be good to attend one of the South Dakota Horse Fairs in order to promote the breed more. We agree!
Kennan's Jeffrey, who made $56,000 before retiring late in 2005, was personally transported by our family to his new home in South Dakota. I cried all the way from Canistota to Mitchell - that melancholy, bittersweet feeling once again. Why can't I just be the person to pick up horses instead of dropping them off???? AUUUGHHH.....but after a few rocky days Jeffrey has settled in with his pal, Henry, who is a QH/STB cross and who he will be teamed up with to do parades this year. Jeffrey has already been hitched up to cart and harness and done really well for his adopter......so I believe Jeffrey will have his forever home despite his knobby knee! A happy ending...............
So who is next? We have so many waiting in line to come in and not enough foster farms or adopters - but slowly things are picking up and more homes are being found - good homes - great homes - and we are thankful for that!
Therapeutic riding lessons and girl scouts and day camps continue, with two new special needs youth being added by March. We are so happy about that too! Things just seem to be falling in place, but we continue to need your prayers and support for the new year....
Wish me luck on dropping a few pounds!
Until next time,
Susan
