The Schedule

So, I'm in Oz, but this is no holiday. I've decided to shed some light on my daily activites. Ahem...
6:00-6:30am Wake up, eat breaky. Can you say early! I would never wake up this early for school, not for all the mallows in me Marshmallow Mateys. Heck, I haven't woken up this early since my junior year in high school, but as is the life to live a dream.
6:20-7:00 get picked up by Nat to drive out to Harden, a 50 minuite drive
8:00 arrive at the barn, start feeding the horses and get the first horse out for riding

8:30-12:30 During the day I get nine horses tacked up, wraps on their legs, and ready for Nat to ride them as well as untacking them after being riden, hose them down, put their sheets back on and attend to any cuts or randomies. It's tricky business having horses go in and out. I have to be efficiant in getting horses ready and timed correctly that Nat comes off one and I am handing her the next horse all ready. Plus, I have to know which of the five saddles to use for which horse in conjunction with saddle pad and knowing each horse's bridle. But I almost have it down pat after just a couple days!

After all of Nat's horses are riden I might ride one or two of them and then it's time to work with my own two horses. Timmy and Tommy are quite the handfull with the occasional squeal and kick up of the heals, but they are just ninos letting out their wiggles. One to two other horses might be added to that as other competition horses for me.

Other jobs I do around the barn during the week include cleaning out the tack room, mucking out stalls, cleaning tack, and all round tidying of the area.

When all the horses have been riden and taken care of we grab a quick bite to eat and then head out to teach lessons, give clinics, or ride other horses for people.

On a good day I'll get home around 5-6, but already I have had a 10:00pm arrival home. I love it here and it's beautiful, but it's work. I knew that before I came that this was no semester off for vacation. To top it off this is all done in 37-41 degree celcius weather. Look up the conversion for that one. It's hard work, no lies. I come home everyday buggered! I take a cold shower, eat some food, catch up on the tennis and usually so tired that I'm in bed asleeep by 9:30 to start it all again, 5 days a week. I do work weekends when there is a comp, but that's a future post.

I love what I'm doing and I'm learning a lot! Don't let this sound like I'm a slave. I do what I'm doing to be able to get instruction from an olympic level rider and compete my horses. It's my adventure of a lifetime! But I did want to clarify that I'm not just here mucking around (no pun), it's a lifestyle that can only be worth it if you have the passion, and well I've the epidemic called horse passion fever! I can't wait to start competing my boys! So many adventures ahead I wish I could break out in song n' dance, and seeing as my life is a musical Disney sitcom I might just do that! Tata for now!

Crazzzzy Names

So, I've been in here Australia for about 4 weeks. I can't believe it's gone so fast, but one thing I've noticed and loved is all the crazy names of things. Utah has it's fair share of unusual names e.g. Scipio, Laverkin, Eureka, and such. But I love the names and I have to always say them in my head, some are long, some are just a jumble of letters, but I love it. The names sometimes make me thing of things that it sounds like. I adore these different names because it means that I'm in an amazing place!

Names of my favorite places so far:
Cootamundra = all the people there have Cooties
Tangmangaroo = A man that had a pet kangaroo Skippy would go and drink at the Tang filled billabong
Juglong
Burrinkjack
Wee Jasper
Garangula
Murrumbateman
Bongongalong

Walk Baby Out That Door

Last night held an adventure I have never experienced before, I walked out of a movie. I went with some friends to go see a movie and decided on Role Models. I didn't know what the rating was and the ratings here don't match up and the commercials looked funny so we went in. It started out questionable and there was probably one part I laughed at. Before it was a third through the movie, I just got up and left. It was kinda nice though. I went and found a comfy seat in the lobby and kicked backed and listened to my iPod. I haven't had a lot of time to listen to my iPod so it was really nice. I even made a new playlist! Quality iPod listening time.

Walking out of a movie like that was a first in my lifetime. But it really was for the best. I didn't feel comfortable, and it sucked. It did cost me $16.50, but is that worth the loss of the Spirit? I would be bold enough to say, Not in this Lifetime!

I love movies and it really blows when you see how much effort is put into making trash movies. With real quality movies there is a big price I would pay. Even if tickets were 20 bucks you know I would still be first in line to see Prince Caspian, or musicals of many shapes and forms including those of the high school genre. There really isn't a price you can put on quality.

Go Fight Win! Rah Rah Rah! And may the sun shine on me and make me tan for the rest of my life!

Disclaimer to Previous Post

The previous post came out a little harsh. I don't mean to discredit anyone's blog. That's the beauty of blogs that you can keep in touch with everyone's day in and day out activities, isn't that fabulous! And they don't even have to know that you blog stalk them, it's natural. If they have a blog it's open to all. Keep on journal blogging you journal bloggers you! :)

Loop-T-Loop

I hate knowing that I am missing out on things. Even when I am having my own advendtures it just stinks to know that people are having fun without you. But a decision was made and I am going to make the most of my opportunity here. I get to ride and be around horses and get paid for it! It's the best thing to ever happen! I love my ponies, even if Timmy does squeel and kick up his heels to the world and yank that lounge line right out of my hands, not once, but 4 times. I love him still, and Tommy, my little project horse. I can't wait to ride intensly and really dive into work!

Blog or Personal Scrap Book on the World Wide Web

So, pretty much 95% of my friends now have blogs. My own personal definition of a blog is a place where you can write down more than just events in your life, you can write about your opinions about things that can have no meaning, put into words feelings about something seen that just won't leave your head. I don't really see a blog as an online journal. My journal is mean for only one pair of eyes to ever see it's contents, and those would be mine (but some selections may be shared in controlled situations).

Everyone is getting blogs to keep people informed and post pictures of themselves where ever they are. Isn't that was facebook is for?
Putting up pictures and movies and captions under each picture? Or do the people want others to have the instant ability to go to one site and see every activity they've been up to? Maybe instead of saying that they have a blog they should sy they have an online scrapbook page. Or better yet I should make a business of a personal online scrapbook website, now I'm thinking...

Either way I think that just to have a blog to keep others informed isn't going about the true purpose of a blog. This came from the Wiki site "Blogs often become more than a way to just communicate; they become a way to reflect on life or works of art. Blogging can have a sentimental quality". And I agree. It in the words of Gurkin "People's Punisher is not about being read it's about being written".

Well that's the obeservation of the mornin'

Signing off- Skadoosh!

In My Top Ten Best RIdes!

So being in Australia is A-Mazing! And I've been riding with a friend on the farm she rides at and we have been on some super awesome rides that totally come into my top ten ranking.

The first we went out to a field and rounded up some cows and after we got them lil' doggies into their right pasture we rode up this hill. Now this wasn't the you're granny's hill, this was almost straight up vertical, and the tallest hill in the valley. We just hung on and tried not to get in the way of the horse. I ride Raylene (the Machine). We got to the top and the view is 360 degrees. It was so gosh darn amazing! I could see the town of Yass where I live, out to the Snowey Mountains (that I might have a chance to go ride), to Canberra the capital and all around. It was so cool. The landscape there looks like what you would suspect the Australian bush to look like, kind of dry plains and trees. Pictures to come for sure!

Ok and the next day we went out for another ride. We went to the far side of the farm. We started cantering nice and easy, then my friend came charging up from behide me, and Raylene likes races, so we took off and just thundered up the hill. My little Raylene really is a machine, every hill from that point was a race. An automatic smile just came to my face as we were riding. How could I not have a smile, I am doing my single most favorite thing in the world in an amazing countryside. It feels like you are on a safari. There are cockatoos, parrots, and kangaroos for the matter just everywhere. Totally different spectrum from the Utah profile, and way different from cowboy country.

Well, I guess that's that, this blog post comes to you live from Yass, NSW.

Beginning the 2009 Adventures

It's official! I'm in Australia and I'm here for good (or atleast 4 months)! I love it here! The second day here we went out the beach to soak in some much needed rays! The ocean was amazing! Crystal blue waters, hot sun! What more can I ask from the earth?!

So, New Years! It was amazing! I went with some friends into the city of Canberra (pronouced Canbrah) and we went out to some dance clubs to count down to 2009! It was so fun! Can you say Cantina?!

So ya yesterday had some fun times as well. I got all unpacked and put all my things away then I went out riding with a friend out on a farm. Different riding than I am used to, australian stock saddles, but it was fun just to be in wide open spaces. And on our way home I saw my first live kangaroos! Like a whole bunch of them, and some joeys with their mums and then they just hophophoped away it was so cool I was practically screaming! But I guess by the time I leave here they won't even phase me to see them.

Well I love it here and that's that. I hope I can keep updates coming! I love being in the warm weather and the new year! But you know 2010 is coming up you better watch out!