A Grace Day

Ber in the middle of a turn on the forehand.

Today was a very good day. Grace Owsley, the riding instructor I worked with last year, visited from Twin Falls, and we were lucky enough to get to work with her today! Here are photos, taken by one of Ber's favorite people, who also visited today (see picture below). Thank you so much for fitting us in, Grace. Can't wait for the next time!

Ber with the photographer, Dora! He thinks she's really nice. He's right.

I already knew that Ber was doing and feeling better, but having Grace here really kicked things into gear. We had (gasp) forward in the trot. Actually using those hind legs. And he was really thinking, and enjoying the work. I believe we pushed past some of the sullen resistance, and he realized he could do these things, it wouldn't hurt, and he'd get a lot of positive kudos for it. We ended with leg-yields. Yay.

Switching whip hands. Ber is carrying himself lightly. Such a big boy.

Ber walking in front of Grace. Love how round and soft he is.

Ber looks so happy here. He knows his job.

Giovanna had a great Grace day, too. Gio's on ride six, perhaps, but only the third time under saddle since November. Spaghetti horse is what she is. And a flexible little noodle, at that! We were working on straight and forward, and moving off of leg. Gio has soft, supple and giving down, I think. Again, Grace pushed the envelope, and we ended with trot work. First trot ever. Holy Cow, talk about an engine! She launches into a trot, all from behind, just beautifully. Forward impulsion to die for. The picture does not capture how cool it was, but it is placed here for posterity--like a picture of a kid using a bike without training wheels for the first time. My job with her is to stay out of the way and let her go forward. Easier said than done, but I'll keep working on it. Pictures below.

Talking to Grace, but look at how light and lovely Gio is...

Giving my Good Girl a well deserved pat!

WOW. We trotted. It isn't lovely, but soon it will be. No, my arm isn't flailing, that's the edge of the roof of the house. lol.

Soft and forward, straight not spaghetti!

Em and Gio, actually in sync in the turn! (We were spiraling in to a smaller circle, I think)

Oh, and Happy Birthday Berhwood. The big SEVEN.

Another Hurdle

This is my Research Committee. They are Relieved the defense is over, I think.

After the Pilot Study defense 3 weeks ago (With Dad and Stuart).

Well, I passed another hurdle, this time the defense for my dissertation proposal. I've attached it in Google Docs for anyone who was interested in seeing what I proposed to do. Dissertation Proposal Document When I uploaded it, Google Docs messed the paragraph indentations up, and changed it to single space, but otherwise it's good. The first page (Introduction) will give you a good idea of what I'm looking at.

Thankfully, my committee said I was good to go. Boy, did they grill me. Basically, this whole presentation I'd created go thrown out the window, and I ad-libbed in response to their questions for most of it. For over an hour I was on the hot seat. Threw me off, but they said it gave them a more real understanding of my understandings and proved to them I knew what I was doing. They asked great questions, and I have some things to work on. When it was over, amazingly, they did not ask me to leave so they could debate whether I passed. They just signed me off and said good luck. I hope that means I did a good job, and not that they were just tired of the whole thing!

One of the team was concerned about the amount of time I had committed to this, and wondered if I'd be able to do it. I keep telling them, I don't have a life right now. This IS my life, so I have a lot of time to devote to it. LOL. They were skeptical about my original plan of finishing the coursework in 18 months, though. Who knew I could actually do it?

Thanks for your support and encouragement. Could NOT have done it without all of you!
:) Em

Beautiful Flowers. Thanks Jen & Company!

Home Stretch

Last May, Happy Girls!

Headed into the home stretch here in Idaho. Enjoying looking back on this venture, and the life-time of memories squeezed into a year plus a few months (that's 5 months, Stuart. lol). I decided to do some posts commemorating this time. A "Best Of" Boise. I'll start with the girls. How often do senior dogs go on such a journey? I'm grateful for Arcy and Georgia's company, and this blog post is for them. Laughing, happy, leaping, grinning, sniffing, adventuresome pups. Here is a series of shots from a day last May, when the grass was dog-high. Enjoy.

Doggie Schooners, Full Steam Ahead!

Georgia really IS the leader of this crew!

I love the angle of this shot. A Dog's-eye view of sorts.

Double Yikes!

Fence at sunset (taken by Stuart)

Well, the next ten weeks are going to be super intense and busy. So I may not get back to blogging for a while. I just got back from a week in Humboldt County. Had a great time, though it rained almost the whole time I was there! Go figure. So much for riding at the beach. lol. Did get a lot done, but not exactly what was intended.

Possibly found a great pasture for Gio and Ber. Am in the process of talking to the land owners and working out an agreement. It is a short ride to the beach, and trails. Beautiful land. We'll see what happens. I have a place to stay (my brother's house in Trinidad) either permanently or short term. I'd like to be closer to where the horses will be, but that may not be in the cards. I am set to move the first two weeks of June, depending on transportation for the horses and my stuff. Woohoo!

Pretty braids, busy teeth... (picture by Stuart)

Approaching weather, coming up the pasture (photo by Stuart)

However, a lot to do until then. I have my dissertation proposal defense Tuesday, April 13th. I stand up in front of my committee and any audience who comes, and explain what I intend to do and why. They grill me with questions, and then send me away while they discuss. After I pass the proposal defense, I can start collecting data. I am not real confident about passing this defense, from where I stand right now. Monumental task.

On top of the defense, I have a poster to put together for an education research presentation next Wednesday, and I need to work on the research projects I'm doing with the professor I work with. Yikes. And I need to finish up the work I was doing for my independent study classes. Double Yikes. Oh, and did I mention I'm going to Washington D.C. for a week, to supervise a high school student? Last week of April, something my professor hooked me up with. Will be a great experience, but it warrants a Triple Yikes at this point! lol.

With the weather warming up, and the arena drying out, I plan to start riding this week, as my diversion from this massive pile of work. lol. We'll see how that goes. Needless to say, I need to get off of here and get back to work. The house is so quiet, and I miss my girls. I may be taking my work in to the university and setting up shop at the Library from now on, to avoid this empty house. Until I grow accustom to the silence, I guess.

See you all in a while... Oh, and Happy Birthday, Stuart!

Arcy's Moon.

Georgia's Moon.