Oldies but goodies!

Deniserita asked for some pictures from 'Way Before" so here are some I dug up.

This top one is Mimi and me. It was Goat Rock in Bodega. She was two.

Here is Lil Mama when she was two.

Mimi used to ride- a lot. That is what we did. This POA was given to us. His name was Peanut and he was about 25 when we got him. All the kids rode him and there was never a better pony anywhere! This was at a 4th of July Parade,circa 1994.

Lil Mama's first real horseshow. She was about eight and she is riding my good mare China. Lil Mama was showing against adults- she was the only kid in the class, and I have other photos of her with her little jaw  just set, trying so hard!  

 Here is Lil Mama with Princess Diana Raleigh, a mare that was by Sir Raleigh and out of a Smooth Town mare. She was owned by a friend of mine. I sponsored this mare until she was about 25- a good ten years. Again, all of the kids - mine and every 4-H'r within 50 miles, rode and showed or had lessons on this fantastic mare.

Daddy Jesus before the long hair and beard.Working at UPS kept him trim and tidy for 30 years!

This picture has a story- but we won't go into that! But the horse,Radar O'Reilly, isn't really a pony. He was 14'2hh. Daddy Jesus was meeting him for the first time. Love the shorts and socks!!

Me on the day I married D.J. in Lake Tahoe California.

Mimi and Peanut.

Me and Radar. I was just about to graduate High School. I was riding across the field ( I won't say where!) so the student photographer could take my picture for the Yearbook.

This is Radar O'Reilly. He was by a stallion called Little Brown Jug, and a grade mare. No papers, but I'll tell you- this horse was the best horse I ever owned. He would have climbed the side of a building for me.

I bought him after my other horse had been hit by a train ( yep I said train!) and the train gave me $500 to buy another horse. This was the horse. I was about 14 when I bought him, my mom had to drive me out to the country to do the deal. I saddled him up and jumped on. He threw me twice. My Mom said " Oh honey, lets go home." I said " Give the man the money and tell him to bring him to our house tomorrow."

The back of this photo is written in my childish hand ;

Radar O'Reilly, Show Horse, Future Grand National Champion winner.

China AKA-Somebodys Streak-was a grand daughter to Cutter Bill. I bought her as a long yearling, wanted to go to the Snaffle Bit in Reno with her and even had her entered. BUT I got married and pregnant ( in that order thank you very much!) and so those dreams were put on hold. She was a pistol, but the kids all rode her and I kept her until I had to put her down at age 26. Here she is at age 11.

So that is my walk through history. Hope you enjoyed it!

Today I am Thankful that I live in a world where good horses are just as far away as the end of my arms and bound only by my dreams.