Sunday, January 1, 2012

Let's Make New Mistakes!

Not much has been going on for me with my horses.  I decided they needed a vacation from work and just be horses.  Ollie has taken full advantage of it by rolling in the mud just about every day.   Toby and Ollie had escaped one day while coming in for feeding.  They enjoyed being "free" in places where they are usually not "free."  They both flagged their tails and did a quick tour of the area around the barn looking proud and mighty.  Toby became hungry and walked himself in to his stall and Ollie followed him along.  No worries.  HOWEVER, a few days later, Toby is 3-legged lame...  He got the abscess he deserved for parading around on the gravel.   He was fine within a few days but it's no fun to watch him go through it. 

My plans are to start back up with Ollie and see how he's going.  There is a February show that I'd like to try if we're progressing well.  

So that's our short term plan...  In the meantime, I'm working my butt off with photography.  I have a fun project for the Lexington Humane Society which I'll post about on another day.  I really enjoy the people and animals at the Lexington Humane Society. 

Just the other night, we had a gorgeous sunset.  Matt and I went out to grab something while we could...

Here is Toby's impersonation of War Horse.  He has always been jealous of Jag and evidently he still is  ;)


Rufus the barn cat was a good subject for us too!


Matt was into his version of horse power


But for me, the best shot of all was Ollie and the colors the clouds became as the sun was setting.  I think it's so dramatic and our off camera flash popped Ollie just the right color and amount (we had a 1/2 cut warming gel on the flash). 


Finally, here is my New Year wish for all of you.  I have copied this from Neil Gaiman's blog which you should take the time to read the entire post.  It's fabulous!

I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.


7 comments:

  1. I am dreaming of a new dressage partner after giving my wonderful, but no-longer-sound-enough-for-dressage, boy away to a perfect forever home. No budget to work with, but for the first time, thanks in part to you, I am giving serious consideration to OTTBs. One I really like the looks of at first glance is an Alydar great-grandson, built like a Mac truck. We'll see what 2012 brings!

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  2. Wendy, no fear about "making new mistakes" from here. I plan to make even MORE amazing ones in 2012. May you and Matt enjoy your 2012 and do keep blogging about your shows and your photography adventures.

    Michelle--you will NOT regret the OTTB. They are amazing athletes with hearts full of "try."

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  3. Michelle - I think Russel is the luckiest horse alive! He'll be so happy to have a "job" with his new family. I'm certain he'll be well loved too. He's a good boy.

    My Jaguar Hope was an Alydar grandson on his sire's side. He was built like a tank too! And smart as a whip! I'm happy you're considering an OTTB! And you won't hurt my feelings if the horse that crosses your life path isn't an OTTB. All horses are great!

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  4. Gorgeous shots. I especially like Rufus the barn cat :)
    Great advice re making mistakes. Happy New Year!

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  5. I LOOOOOVE these photos! Toby did a very credible impression of Joey, and Ollie looks gorgeous (even though he'd obviously been rolling) against that backdrop. The one of Matt made me laugh. Boys and their toys... :-)

    I also love that New Year's resolution. Definitely very good advice.

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  6. PS. Word Verification = "kablgall."

    Definition: the callus you develop on your thumb from hitting the remote to watch too much Cable TV. :-)

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  7. GASP! That photo of Ollie with the clouds...

    Nice excerpt from Neil Gaiman, fortunately for me making mistakes is a given ;)

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