In theory that would work but in reality it wouldn't. The owners are doctors and rarely home...need special permission to go over... 10 horses in all. I wouldn't feel comfortable with it. :( I just hope removing the pony works.

So it's not going so well tonight :( I can't see on that far side of the pasture but our neighbor (original owner) can. She says that Cadence and the pony are running back and forth and crying to the other horses on the other side. She said we can't risk injury. We are going to try to move the pony back over and see if Cadence calms down. She hopes that maybe the pony is amping up Cadence. I don't know how I will tell Raelee that this is not working...she is on top of the world right now. My heart is breaking.

Ok, we have the horse in our pasture now. We moved a poney over with him for company and will be getting a donkey soon. We went to a great little feed store by us and stocked up. Senior feed, supplements (they advised...they know the horse so they helped us a lot) some tack, etc. She is going to bathe him (something she has always wanted to do) here in a bit then leave him be for a while to adjust. He is already following her around..lol I don't plan on letting her ride him for a few days. Thanks for the great tips and hints. I am making note of them.

What kind of senior supplements would you recommend? Are any of you on Facebook so we can keep in touch and I can ask questions?

ah, I see what you guys are saying about the reigns. I think some of it is that she only got to ride once every few months. This was a doctors horse and she was very very busy so raelee didn't get much saddle time. I think that if we give her lots of saddle time, we'll see a lot of things change. If she still has a few issues, there is a person I can call that lives pretty close that will help us.

We actually did that right after these pictures..lol There were 3 kids riding and the stirrups kept going up and down. We need to get her some real cowboy boots too. She has always had some but the last pair she grew out of 2 months after we bought them!

I keep calling it a her...it's a girls name to me...but oh well..lol We ALWAYS helmet. She won't get on a horse or 4 wheeler without one. Bike is another story *sigh*. Good points about the bit. This is a soft mouthed horse apparently and doesn't need much man handling so hopefully that'll be in her favor. If you have any other tips or forums for new horse owners or websites, we are all ears!

My 10 year old daughter is smitten over horses...has a complete passion for them and has since she was itty bitty. She has a respect for them and no fear at all. We knew this day was coming. We finally got land but it's not fenced so I figured it would be a long while. My mom's neighbor has 10 horses and there is 1 that Raelee is in love with and rides as often as she can. Today, after talking with us at length beforehand, she gave Raelee Cadence. She is SO excited and is so love. Cadence will stay at my mom's house (10 acres fenced) until we can fence. I have NO idea how to care for horses..only have a girl who is totally in love so we are going with it. We are going to learn as we go..lol We will have guidance though..so never fear! Raelee REALLY wants to barrel race but I think we are a ways off from that...this horse is 20 and is a good trail horse and very very easy going and very much laid back and will do anything you ask of him, as long as it's not super speed..lol Our plan is to get him a friend when we get to that point..one she can barrel race. Here are some pictures with Raelee and Cadence:

I went to EuroDisney a few years ago and yes, it was fun but you are right. Just not the same. The paint on the rides was not bright or worn down...many rides closed and weeds all around them...in the states, they would have had a clever cover over it. There was no 'lines' for characters..just a free for all. All in all, it was great but yes, different.

Ok, I just battled this myself. We moved 12 hours away to be closer to my parents. We were looking at houses up to 50 miles away. Ultimately what it came down to is convenience. Why would we move from 12 hours away to be an hour away..still not convenient for visits very often. Not convenient for 'need to run to the store to get meds for the kids, can you come and watch them right quick?" Not convenient for us if either of us wanted to travel and needed somebody to watch over pets and house. Know where we ended up 6 months ago? 2 miles away. My mom is a meddler big time and I worried like mad over living this close...that it would be a HUGE problem for us and need to lay ground rules. Guess what? It has been fabulous...convenient for both of us. We can travel again and not worry about the farm...my daughter has her granny in biking distance. Easy to borrow food. Easy to do many many things. I love it. Food for thought. Good luck with your decision.

My almost 10 year old is wanting to learn about Native Americans. We have just moved to a very Native American heavy area and it has spiked her interest. I don't want the rosy "they all sat down to a lovely thanksgiving meal" version. I want the real stuff...what really happened. She's delayed in reading and listening comprehension so keep that in mind. Where do I start in looking for this? Thanks Stephenie

Give them a treat around the time you want them to be in at night..something special. Mealworms, boiled eggs (They LOVE this), Sunflower seeds, etc. The only time they get that treat is then. Feed it to them in the coop or close to it. They will eventually do it naturally. I have a solar door that closes at dusk. Mine all go in naturally before that door closes. I have a new batch of babies and they all do it to (much to my surprise). Good luck!

I'm so sad that Amanda's mom died before she was found..she'll never know. I'm almost even more sad that probably one of the people she looked forward to seeing the most was her mom and she has to learn she has died. :( Her heart broke probably.

Sounds like you either love them or hate them...lol I will give them a try and if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out, right?

I bought a house that was owned by professional landscapers and there are at least a dozen pretty flower beds...most are up by the house and not really fence-able....border beds and what not. The veggie garden is something we need to fence to keep wild animals out of but haven't had time due to just moving. I would love to start over with chickens and get the kind that don't tear things up but I've got a bunch already and they are destructive..lol

We just moved to a 'farm' and are having a TERRIBLE problem with ticks...more like an infestation than a problem. It's bad. We are working on keep the grass down, etc, but want to get guinea hens to help out too. I know NOTHING about guinea. I have 18 chickens so I know about them. I can't let my chickens free range because they decimate my gardens...within 10 minutes they are scratching and tearing down all of my flowers and veggies. This doesn't work for me, so they are fenced in. I hate it, but I don't know how else to keep them from tearing everything up. Will I have to worry about this with guinea's? Will they scratch everything up and eat my plants, etc? My husband seems to think that when they grow up, you just let them go and they roost in tree's, etc. I'm more inclined to think that they should come back to the coop at night. I know you have more loss if they are in trees. We DO have predators here...lots of them. The coyotes run right by my house all the time. I was thinking about getting 12, knowing we will loose a few. I don't know why but this makes me incredibly nervous!

Oh no, I'm so sorry...

Everybody weathered the storm ok? That was our first big storm up here and whew..was it scary. A tornado passed less than a mile from me. I felt the pressure change in the house and it blew doors open. We are safe. Waiting to hear from a friend in Haskell. We weathered the storm 'together' talking it through on facebook. She made it through the storm last night but I think has damage. She's assessing now. So scary!!! (my town is one that is listed over and over as receiving damage on News on 6). Check in you guys! It was a rough night *yawn*

I'm trying to decide on whether or not to invest in a storm shelter. We just bought this place. We are about 15 miles east of Tulsa. Hardly anybody here has one. It would be a huge financial strain if we did get one, but our lives are worth it. You talk to people around here and nobody has used theirs (IF they have it, and most don't) in years and years.

I think I'm on the edge of where they were felt. I didn't feel them but my daughter woke up right at the same time as they said one happened so I wonder if that's what woke her. She doesn't remember. Stephenie

I have come across that before. I have to ask, what is the blog address? I spent a lot of time in Singapore and I'm missing it. I would love to see her pictures!!! You can PM me if you would like.

I'm in the absolutely not category and I'm not super modest by any means. I just do not see the need for a child to wear one...even as old as 16. I have seen WAY too many boys oogling at a 13ish year old girl that has developed quickly and appears older...or even a girl younger than that. Men looking at 16 year olds because they look older and are much more revealing in a bikini. If I lived in Hawaii or something, I might feel differently. My 9 year old's swim suit has to be a tankini unfortunately. She has an EXTREMELY long torso and we can't find one piece's to fit her. I'm ok with her belly showing a bit in the tankini because unfortunately with her long torso, that's all we can find. She keeps asking me when she can wear a bikini. I tell her "When you are 18" She get's all excited b/c that means she WILL get to wear one some day. She has just started understanding what I mean by that...lol Stephenie

One question....is it ALL the time or just some of the time? My husband suffers from that also but only about 1 week a month. To the point where I can't be in the same car with him. He's also a mouth breather so that made it even worse. It was putting a big wedge between us. Know what I finally, after YEARS of this, figured out? About 1 week a month, maybe 2, my sense of smell becomes really intense. My husband comments that I can smell a mouse fart a mile away. My sense of smell is strong anyway but just before 'that time of the month', it is incredible. Now that I recognize that, it helps both of us. I ask him to close his mouth and breathe...or we joke about it and I roll down the windows in the car and say I need fresh air...he gets the hint and shuts his mouth to breathe. It helps me to know that I don't always have to harp on him about his breath...it's not HIM..it's me. For some strange reason, it helps.

If anybody has any other recommendations, please let me know!

I remembered it!!! Jane Kirkpatrick http://www.amazon.com/All-Together-Place-Kinship-Courage/dp/1578562325/ref=sr_1_15?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362407857&sr=1-15&keywords=kirkpatrick (EXCELLENT book series!)