Dobush Farm

Annual Mount Ephriam Ride

Every year we take a ride up Mount Ephraim.  Many astrologists know this mountain due to the Stellafane Observatory.  From our house it about a three hour leisurely ride.  It is great for young horses.  This trip I brought a three year old filly I have in training.  It was her first group ride.  She was great,  even lead through narrow gullies and through water.    This  year my friend Wendy came with her six year old Trakehner, Lorry rode her Quarter-horse mare,  Jan my boyfriend rode Noodle our 19 year old Appendix, and I rode a three year old Quarter-horse.

After that Jan and I went to the Windsor County Agricultural Fair.  It is a great little fair to experience a taste of rural living.  I really like the Ox Pull.  I think horses are big, one team was over 6,000 pounds.  They are so docile too.  Just like with horses,  the handler makes all the difference.  The calmer the handler,  the more cooperative the animal.  Just like in the "real" world. 

 I gave a riding lesson to a 9 and a half year old girl today.  Gianna quoted  "the more patience you have,  the better the horse is"  I told her that is only the tip of the iceberg.  Kids really have an amazing perspective on things.

Stepping out of the Norm

 Summer is usually to hectic to even think about relaxation.  John and  I decided to take a little break before we were just consumed with work.  With soaring gas prices and beautiful state,  we explored Vermont for a get away.   First we went to the Shelburne Museum.  I highly recommand going,  it's a family affair.  As usual,  we were not prepared when we went.  We arrived an hour before they close.  So the first event of our vacation,  was, as usual,  rushed.  I saw a lot of great things,  unfortunately I didn't get to read about any of them.  The other enlightning fact I found out about at the museum was that the "Big" Barn is not at Shelburne Museum,  but rather at Shelburne Farm.  This "Big" barn is something I have wanted to see for years.  I was determined to see it.

The next day we hiked Camels Hump Mountain.  I was suprized how well I felt that morning considering we slept in our friends driveway,  in a tent, with our dog,  in the rain.  I haven't really hiked much since college.  Hiking is nice because it gives you lots of time to think.  It is kind of like a solitude shared with a friend.   Just the thought of hiking makes me think back to the time my father and his "girlfriend" now wife,  and I hiked Mount Marcy in the Adirondacks.  Not only was it a very long hike,  we were consumed by black flies.  It was like a slow,  frustrating torchure.  I wanted to cry and just make it end.  Even when we got to the top there was no relief,  so we just took a picture and then turned around and went down.

Back to this big barn.  After the 8 mile or so hike up and down Camels Hump,  we were off to the Shelburne Farm.  Again we arrived at the farm an hour before it closed.  Its something like 700 acres,  very spread out.  The young man at the  counter told me I could walk the mile trail to see the big barn.  I wasn't that psyched about the idea of an other mile after four hours of hiking.  But what are you going  to do.  We walked the 10 minutes and arrived at a very lovely barn and courtyard.  I remember telling John that I expected it to be bigger.  He said, "Yeah and it looks like a ski resort"  He was right,  I was a bit disapointed,  especially since it had been a goal of mine to see this barn.  We went inside to ask a few questions.  The hosts were definately college interns.  It was 5 minute to closing and they were looking at us like they had wished they had locked the doors before they turned off the lights.  After a couple exchanges of words,  I felt like we were talking to each other but both of us on different topics.  But I did find out that this wasn't the Big barn!  Yeah I felt,  maybe I hadn't been let down yet.  Of course it was another mile that way.  I felt like we were chasing a Unicorn.   When all I could think about was my burning thighs,  we finally came to the big barn.  It still looked like a ski lodge,  but this barn was a mamouth.  100' by 400' it stood with no center posts.  The pictures I had in my mind were those  that I had seen on VPT or somewhere.  The barn would be a host to horse shows and fairs.  As we walked thought the archway,  high enough for a horseman,  I felt like was walking through a porthole into the past.  While the building itself was beautiful it didn't hold the ambiance I was looking for.  Now it was a mere shell,  for storage of trucks and gravel and such.  I walked into one of the 12'x16' stalls.  The doors were huge,  the handle was intricate,  a pice of art work within itself.  Pieces of the wood had been chewed,  by nervous or bored horses.  I could close my eyes and fill the place with horses, and proud owners.  The barn felt like it had a million stories to tell me,  I just needed to find a way to comunicate with it.  We left the barn,  not really feeling like all expectations had been fulfilled.

A Great Day at the Office

Today was a great day at the office.  It started with

 my boyfriend and I going for an A.M. trail ride.  This picture is Pumpkin,  check out the photo album of his progress. 

Then my first horse off the farm went well too.  "Tango"  is suffering from anxiety when mounted from the ground.  With a little more "sacking out"  or "desensitizing" as all the natural horse-people call it,  Tango is getting used to the idea that standing still really is the best option.

My second horse off the farm is a beautiful Andalusian-Arab mare.  Two breeds that couldn't be more romantic.  Alexis is a very smart horse,  maybe too smart.  She is going through a little rebellious stage in training.  Like a teenager,  Alexis has to think it was her idea in order to co-operate.  By the end of the lesson,  she was happy as ever to trot around the ring with no hesitation.

My third horse is definitely a favorite.  She is a very intense filly.  Bred for speed and accuracy,  I don't think I could ride this quarter horse in a competition she is bred for.  So willing to please,  but wound so tight.  After more ground work than the average Joe,  today I "backed" Hickory for the first time.  Hickory is smarter than the average Joe.  I feel honored to have been allowed into  Hickory's trust.  Things couldn't have gone smoother.

My day ended with taking Pumpkins' owner Shannan,  and Shannan's sister Carrie for a trail ride.  It was a perfect evening.

First Show for 2008

  This  Saturday and Sunday I had my first horse show of the 08 season.  Zenon and I competed at Green Mountain Horse Association in the Schooling Jumper level.  In the four classes we had,  we had an O.C. fourth, eigth and a second.  I am very lucky to have a supportive family.  Earlier in the week my mom sent me a card reminding me I was in her thoughts.  Saturday my father, Basil and his wife, Donna made the two+ hour trip up to watch.  On Sunday my sister,  Tatiana and her boyfriend Troy,  my boyfriend Jan and my friend Margaruite all made it.  It is so great to have such a support group! 

Zenon was the real star of the weekend.  This was his first Jumper show.  Although we have many things to learn,  everything he knows as of now,  he put his heart into.  He also made up for my mistakes when I rode him in too close to a jump.  I read a quote,I believe in the book " The de Nemethy Years,  One Man's Influence on American Riding" by Paula Rodenas.   By far one of the greatest horse trainers of modern history, Bertalan de Nemethy said "You can teach a horse 80% and the rest is up to him."  Everytime I make a mistake and my mount corrects it,  those words pass through my mind.

I like the second photo best.  It shows how form can be a little crazy early in the season.  A photo says a thousand words,  for good or bad!

The Start of a New Season

   If we think this winter was powerful, spring has also come avenging.   We had snow two feet deep accompanied by two weeks of almost 70 degree weather, then everything was dry.  Now vegetation is sprouting or blooming.  Along with the increasing signs of spring are the endless phone calls of everyone wanting their horse trained.  I love this time of year.  I get to see who retained their previous training, who is new for the season, and of course new foals!

I will introduce present and past horses into my blog.  Every horse teaches me something new. I thrive on the new experiences I will encounter. 

To start this season I will introduce "Chip." He is a Baskir Curly, a breed I have become very fond of.  Honestly, I had never heard of the breed until I bought a farm down the road from one of the best and largest Curly breeders in the world.  Betsy Lirakus owns Top of the Hill Farm. Chip is one of her foundation Stallions.  Not only does Chip possess quality Curly genes, he also possesses traits that everyone would want in a horse.  He is cool, calm and collected.  Chip knows when to work and when to play.  In my photo album, I will include pictures of Chip as his training progresses and other favorites from Top of the Hill Farm.

Demolition to Renovation

I finally did some long overdue renovations to my kitchen and living room.  I have wanted to do this for a while,  but I need to ponder over change for a long time before I make a move.  With help from my friend Shawn,  Honza and I took down the wall between the two rooms.  A few years earlier,  I had replaced an original  girder in my cellar and had saved it.  This girder that was used to build my house in the 1850's  is now a centerpiece of my kitchen and living room.  The contrasting colors between the two rooms couldn't be better.  The dog loves the new room because she can always keep an eye on us.  We scraped up the old linoleum in the kitchen to expose the wide pine wood floors.  If it had been a town house and not a farm house,  I am sure the floors would have been maple.  Even 150 years later,  this house still reflects the frugality of its current residents. 

Ahhhhh more beautiful snow.

Although today is my Birthday,  as an adult it doesn't have quite the same excitement as when you are a child.   I do enjoy it though.  I can't believe I was a little baby at one point!   I was excited to see how much snow we had gotten the night before.   Only about eight inches,  but enough to make everything beautiful.  So much has slid off our roof this winter it is already more than half way up the first story windows.

A Little Reality Check

                           Last night my horse had a medium bout of colic.  I have never had this happen to me as an adult.  It happened to me as a kid but the memories are fuzzy now.  Anyone who doesn't know what colic is,  it's basically when the intestine of a horse gets crimped,  twisted or even knotted.  The pain is so intense,  horses bite at their sides,  paw the ground,  kick at there bellies and roll,  roll, roll.

For two hours straight,  I walked my 1100 pound friend.  I was trying to convince him that laying down wouldn't help at all.   Such a large animal leaves us feeling more helpless,  unable to give aid.  If you aren't familiar with horses,  just know,  they don't show emotion like other pets.  Horses don't whimper,  cry or scream in pain.  They are silent.  It is almost harder for a  witness to bear, than the agoney of stoic creature in our presence.   Once the vet came and administered a sedative and pain killer,  emotions calmed down.  I will spare you the gory details that are involved with a colic such as this.

I have had this horse since the day he was born 15 years ago.  After a long pleasant life,  I always imagined I would bury him on the farm. He couldn't die somewhere  else,  in the middle of winter!  Everything and Anything was going through my head.

Zenon,  my horse pulled through.  The whole experience was a good reminder to slow down and appreciate everyone you love.  Take time to pet the barn cat,  smile to your chickens  and stay in bed just a little bit longer with the dog.  Of course, human companions can't be forgotten either.

Another day in paradise.

Today was a great day.  It started with eggs and bacon right from the farm.  Followed by an hour and a half snowshoe with the dog.  Then a nice little horseback ride with my boyfriend.  After the ride we came into our wood-heated kitchen and poured ourselves some soup.  What a Sunday.

Horses at Dobush Farm

Noodle and Zenon are the Keystone of Dobush Farm.  These two geldings have been "Dobush Farm" since they were at Marcia Dobush's farm back in 1993.  After that,   Noodle and Zenon and I moved to Vermont.  We trekked around until we settled in Springfield.