Triple H Horse Farm

Pretty, But....

2011-01-13T21:00:00.004-05:00

Our newest storm has come and gone, leaving behind some beautiful scenery. What was originally supposed to be 2 to 3 inches off to our west, turned into just a tad under 8 inches here. It was a dry, powdery snow. Not at all like the wet, heavy stuff we usually get when do get any snow at all. Only problem was, late Monday and most of that night we had light freezing rain that compacted the snow and left an 1/8th inch of ice over everything. It has now been three days and we are just now seeing the normal drab, brown grass starting to return to view. The horses have not been happy with the crusty mess at all. Our Boxers loved playing in the snow, but once in crusted over and re-froze, they quickly became obviously tired of having to negotiate through it. As for us, it was pretty, but we are tired of frozen pipes and transporting water. I promise to be a little bit more tolerant of this coming summer's heat.

Global Warming?

2011-01-09T09:25:00.009-05:00

Last winter was tough. Overall, it was the coldest winter we could remember in quite some time around here with some periods of bitter cold as well as a six inch snowfall which is an exceptionally rare event in these parts. We lost our entire water system in the barn last winter, due to damage from frozen pipes. This winter has started off to be even worse. December closed out as the coldest on record for this area. We have already had a mild icing event as well as a four inch snow and are now bracing for a new storm late tonight, to be followed by a week of frigid weather. We have taken temporary (and expensive) measures to insure our horses have access to drinkable water but this summer will be spent putting the entire water system underground and installing frost proof hydrant style spigots. We will also be completing our electrical overhaul of the barn which will include underground service to all of our water troughs to allow easy use of trough heaters and/or heated buckets. Hopefully this will be our last winter of ice busting and water toting.

Gators move to 2-0 in TRC

2011-01-08T22:59:00.020-05:00

The Lady Gators returned to conference play Friday night with a home game against Red Springs. After struggling in their last several games, the girls hit the floor looking like the Gators we are used to seeing. After a quick start that put 35 points on the board at halftime, the girls only managed five points in the 3rd quarter but finished strong to come away with a 53-21 victory. B played what may have been her best game of the year finishing with 10 points, 5 steals and several nice passes for assists. A few quick clips of B (#14) can be found here . A local news clip from WECT TV can be seen by clicking on the title of this article and scrolling to the bottom. The win put the Gators at 6-3 on the year and 2-0 in the Three Rivers Conference. The girls will have to wait a bit to hit the hardwood again as the next game in not until Friday, at St. Paul’s.

Gators Bounce Back

2010-12-11T21:42:00.007-05:00

After suffering their first loss of the season to start the week, the Lady Gators finished the week with a solid conference win on Friday at West Columbus to move their record to 3-1. In a game that saw considerable playing time for the reserves, the Gators cruised to a 59-33 win. B was a bit off on her jump shot and finished with 8 points and 4 assists. She did have a very good night on defense with 6 steals and 1 blocked shot to go along with 3 rebounds. A couple of clips of her (#14) play is included below. The Gators do not play again until next Friday when they host in-county rival Whiteville in a non-conference game.

Lady Gators Fall to Eagles

2010-12-07T20:52:00.004-05:00

Monday night the Lady Gators faced off against the defending East Regional Champion and State Runner-Up, East Bladen. The Eagles and their all-star center led from start to finish and pulled away to an impressive 70-48 win. B played a solid game despite having an off shooting night. B finished the night with 10 points, going 5 of 13 from the floor. She also had 4 steals, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 turnover. A few clips of her play (#14) can be found below. The Gators will be back in action on Friday night at West Columbus in their first conference game of the young season.

Gators Move to 2-0

2010-12-04T11:46:00.008-05:00

Friday night The East Columbus Lady Gators moved their record to 2-0 with a non-conference win over South Columbus. The Gators played stifling defense from start to finish and held their turnover count to a minimum in route to a 44-18 victory. B had a very good game going 5 of 10 from the floor including 4 of 5 from the 3 point line. Along with her 14 points, she had 3 steals, 2 assists and 2 rebounds. The best stat she had on the night was ZERO turnovers. A couple of clips of her (#14) play can be found below. What looks to be the toughest task of the season will come Monday night when the Lady Gators travel to last years state runner-up, East Bladen.

Off to a Quick Start

2010-12-01T20:26:00.019-05:00

The East Columbus Lady Gators got the new season off to a quick start Tuesday night with an impressive win at North Brunswick. After losing a starting guard and their spotlight post player to graduation, the Lady Gators came into the game as a concensus underdog with a young starting lineup that included two freshmen and a sophomore. Early on, the Gators looked to be filling that role as the Lady Scorpions jumped to a quick 7-0 lead. After shaking the early game jitters however, the Gators steadily fought back and pushed to a 25-23 lead at the half. The second half belonged to the Gators as they quickly pulled away to rack up a 55-38 win and put a solid "W" on the board to kick the season off. B played a solid floor game and despite a slow shooting start finished with 8 points as well as numerous assists and rebounds. A couple of quick clips of B's play (#14) can be found by clicking here . A TV news clip of the game is below. The next game is Friday night at home against in-county rival South Columbus. We can't wait to see these young ladies hit the floor again.

It's Hardwood Time Again

2010-11-17T20:22:00.009-05:00

It's basketball season again and the East Columbus Lady Gators kicked it off by going 3-0 in the East Bladen High School Preseason Jamboree with wins over Clinton, Lakewood and West Bladen. As was to be expected, play was overall ragged and all teams envolved have much fine tuning to do before their season openers. My early assessment is that the Gators will have the edge on most anyone they play this year when it comes to raw speed. The general rule that speed kills is a basic staple of basketball, but it is only lethal when it is coordinated and controlled. Therein lies the biggest improvement opportunity for these ladies this year. B played well at times and showed the early season rust as others. Here is a couple of quick clips of some of her play (#21).With about two weeks till the opener, it will be interesting to see how much these girls can jell.

Missing Rocky

2010-09-15T21:21:00.009-04:00

While sorting through some old cell phone photos, I ran across a couple of Rocky and was reminded how I miss him. Rocky was one of the occasional strays that seem to make their way to our farm. For a dog, or any other sizable animal, it's not as easy as you might think to simply wonder onto our property. Other than our lengthy and narrow driveway, the rest of the farm is surrounded by wire fencing and gates. Anyway, Rocky appeared from nowhere one evening in the summer of 2008. He was a pitiful sight. He had obviously not had a real meal in a long time and was suffering a number of injuries such as scrapes and lacerations. His left ear was split in two and infected. With his condition and him being a pit bull, we were initially worried that he may be violent or even rabid. As it turned out, he was one of the most gentle, large dogs we had seen. As with our previous strays, Rocky was well fed and his injuries and intense flea infestation were treated. It didn't take us long to settle on the name Rocky, as it seemed the best fit for his rough appearance. As best we could figure, it looked as if Rocky had been used (abused) is some sort of dog fighting. Anyway, Rocky stayed with us for several months. In the end, we had to find a good home for him as he was somewhat destructive with whatever he perceived to be play toys. He also liked to dig large holes to lay in, usually in the worst possible locations. C was able to place Rocky with the family of a co-worker. Although the end result was best for Rocky and us, I do find myself missing him from time to time.

Vacation??

2010-06-28T21:09:00.014-04:00

One of our main projects while we were on vacation last week was supposed to be replacing a run of fence along the small pasture area that leads to our barn. The old wire fence along that run is way beyond needing replacing, as is many of the poles. On Monday, an overcast day held temps down so we jumped on the project. A couple of rain showers slowed our progress so we figured to finish it on Wednesday, since Tuesday was given to running errands and shopping for project materials.
By Wednesday however, we were well into what proved to be the hottest week I can remember. After Monday, the entire week produced a daily heat index in excess of 105. Ultimately, we cancelled the fence project and moved to some of the items on the barn "to do" list as a means to stay out of the Sun as much as possible. We did manage to install the piping for the automatic water system in the stalls. We lost the whole system to freezing this past winter and this time we installed it with insulation. I also installed a tap for future use when we build our wash room. We also got one more of the stall fronts replaced. Part of our shopping on Tuesday was to purchase our remaining four stall fronts. We found some at Agri Supply in Lumberton but they were mix-matched as far as the doors, some were damaged and all were pretty well weathered from being left to the elements, apparently for some time. After determining there would be a good bit of work to be done on the stall fronts for us to be able to use them, we managed to get a pretty good deal of about 1/3 off the posted price. Overall, it was a pretty productive week despite the extreme heat and humidity but I must admit I was pretty glad to get back to the real workday world complete with air conditioning and minimal labor.

One Down, Four To Go

2010-06-12T19:52:00.013-04:00

We have been planning on replacing the stall fronts in our barn ever since we moved in 5-1/2 years ago. We did actually purchase a stall front from Tractor Supply about two years ago. Since that time it has sat under our shed. Today, we finally got around to replacing the first one. In planing for the task, I was convinced it would be at least a two day effort to tear out the old front and install the replacement. We actually completed the whole job in about six hours. I had been concerned about how we would secure the panel at the bottom, but setting a railroad tie for the footer and bolting to it worked great. We still have some final tie in to the existing poles, but that should be a piece of cake. It was exceptionally hot today and we were basically non stop on the project in a heat index over 100 degrees. It proved to have been too much for C as she struggles with high heat anyway. B stuck it out all day and we were so proud of how hard she worked with no complaints and constantly looking for whatever she could help do. When it was all said and done, I realized that during the day, which involved a couple of other small projects as well, I had consumed almost two gallons of fluid without ever needing a restroom break. That's a lot of perspiration. Anyway, we were well pleased with the look of the new stall front. It is certainly a nice improvement over the original. Hopefully it won't take us quite as long to get around to making more progress on our barn makeover. We are talking about making a significant dent in it by summer's end. But then, we have always been great at making plans. It's actually getting around to executing them that we struggle with.

How does your garden grow?

2010-05-12T19:25:00.008-04:00

For three years running, C's parents and ourselves have tried to grow a productive garden. Keep in mind that our property is for the most part, white sand and/or a powdery black substance that is supposed to be dirt, but basically resembles talcum powder. In either case, it is not nutrient rich by any stretch of the imagination and holds water for about half a day. Additionally, there appears to be some sort of curse on the property that prevents any appreciable rain from falling during any time of year that we may wish for something to grow. The combination of those two maladies have resulted in the first two garden attempts failing, miserably. This year however, is so far, looking promising. We had a good deal of rain this winter which I think gave us a good jump start despite the fact that once again, this spring has been extremely dry. Lots of watering has thus far kept things looking good, but we are in dire need of some substantial rain before the seriously hot weather sets in.

Spring Fling

2010-05-03T22:23:00.005-04:00

The Wilmington Hurricanes had their first "big" tournament of the spring last weekend in Greensboro. The was an AAU "showcase" tournament where college coaches/scouts have access to look for potential talent. We did see a number of them around, but there didn't seem to be an over abundance of them. Anyway, the tournament was held at the Greensboro Sports Complex which is an amazingly HUGE and BUSY place. There are eight bball courts which are only separated by curtains, literally. That and a minuscule walkway. All of the courts are surrounded by numerous indoor volleyball, hockey and soccer courts. All of the whistles and players/parents moving from court to court, etc., made it very taxing on the brain. At least from a parent's standpoint. As one would expect at such an event, the competition was very stiff. On Saturday we had our first game against a team from West Virginia that jumped to a early 12 point lead on us. The girls settled down, however, and came back to take it to the wire. Trailing by two points with about 15 seconds left, B got the ball on the inbounds and drove full court for a short jumper to send the game into the first overtime. Yeah, the first. We finally prevailed after three overtimes! A great game and a great win. The problem with three OT's is that tournaments are played on a tight schedule and we had just played our way into the start time for our next game. A three overtime game and playing back to back? What a way to kickoff the weekend. Needless to say, the girls eventually ran out of gas in the second game and wound up dropping a close contest to the Lady Phoenix. We all did have enough energy left for an enjoyable team dinner at Texas Roadhouse before hitting the hay at the motel. Sunday was an afternoon game against Phoenix South. It seemed that half of the teams there were some sort of Phoenix. The girls played hard, but were well over matched. Instead of discussing the final score, I would prefer to leave it with "that which does not kill you will make you strong". In the end, it was a good trip and B played well overall with her best effort being 16 points or so in the first game. It was good experience for her both from the court time as well as seeing what a showcase level tournament is like.

Tank Goes To School

2010-03-22T19:52:00.008-04:00

We decided it was time to get Tank started on his transformation into show material. A short trip to Holly Ridge would put Tank in the capable hands of our trainer, Roey Mobley, at Milestone Walking Horses. Roey, as do we, believes Tank could well be a diamond in the rough. Roey run a fine establishment with a great stable of students. We will be making periodic trips through the process for lessons and to see how she is coming along with polishing Tank's rough edges.

Lady Gators Week 1

2010-03-18T20:26:00.017-04:00

After having their first four games of the year rained out, the ECHS JV Lady Gators finally got the 2010 season rolling with four games in three days. In the season opener on Tuesday, B started and pitched a complete game 10-1 win over East Bladen. B struck out 10 and walked none while also getting three put-outs on come-backers. A double header at South Columbus on Wednesday concluded in a split with the Lady Stallions. The Gators dropped a close 5-3 decision in game one, leaving the bases loaded in the final inning. ECHS came back strong in the nitecap, hammering out a 9-2 win. B started the first game and went four innings allowing only one run. The Gators wrapped up a successful week on Thursday with a 15-1 pasting of East Bladen in an away rematch of the season opener. B started and picked up the win, going four innings and striking out 5 while allowing only one walk. The Lady Gators look to have a well balanced squad with good hitting and solid defense. Going 3-1 in the opening week is a great start and should make for a fun spring.

First Show of 2010

2010-03-15T19:35:00.010-04:00

B and I had our first horse show of the year on March 13th & 14th. It was truly one of the best times we have had. Considering the many hurdles we had to get past. We had to do this show solo as Dad was working an outage and wasn’t able to go with us. Due to B having a game scheduled on Friday evening, we decided to take the horses up on Friday morning to get them settled in and set up the trailer for spending the weekend. We usually try to get to shows on Friday so we can practice and get the horses familiar with their surroundings. On Friday morning we were going to tie up loose ends so I decided to let B go to school a little late, but she had to be present so she would be eligible to play Friday night. The forecast was calling for rain so I told her that if it rained and they cancelled her game she could go with us. Just before time for her to go to school we received a text from her coach saying the game was cancelled. So B got to stay home and we loaded up the horses and headed to Camden. .

Since my truck driver was not able to go to this show with us, I would have to drive the trailer home from the show by myself…..something I have never done before. We have a 3 horse trailer with living quarters. It is pretty big for me. Yes, I drove to Camden for practice and R followed us in his car to help us get set up. We arrived safely, got the horses settled in and started hooking up the trailer. Water immediately started pouring all over the floor. We ended up with a broken water pump. Of course, there was not one to be found anywhere. So that meant we had no water. No big deal. We’ve camped for years so we are no newbie’s when comes to a shower house.

We got everything squared away and R left for home. We hung out with our trainer Roey Mobley and others that were showing with her. It was so much fun being “barn buddies” with them. There were a total of 4 horses in our stable showing together. Gus, Moonie, Mya and Missy. We all did very well in the show ring. B and I both got a 4th and 5th place ridding Missy.
We are looking forward to our next show in Raleigh. Oh, and by the way, my drive with the trailer… piece of cake!

We Got the Big One

2010-03-14T21:09:00.003-04:00

We got the biggest snow our area has had in quite a few years. It was a good 6-1/2" which is a major event in these parts. As is usually the case this close to the coast, it was a heavy, wet snow, which brought down quite a few limbs. Our power blinked a time or two but stayed on. C's Mon and Dad, next door, lost power for almost half of the day right after a transformer just down the road blew. It was beautiful on the farm and I think the horses even enjoyed it. Especially our new Percheron, Midnight, who promplty took a roll in the snow as soon as B let her out of her stall.

A Tank for Christmas

2010-01-01T20:02:00.009-05:00

A Happy New Year to everyone and hopes that all had a very Merry Christmas. As has been the case with us for the past few years, Christmas was kept on the light side this year. Not much under the tree and just a bit of family gift exchanging. B did get her #1 wish for the Holiday though...a new food processor whose official name is Flashy Cuts Rebel. His short name is Tank. The Flashy part seems to suit him best as his a black beauty with what looks like it will prove to be an eye catching gait. He is a 5 year old Tennessee Walker that we purchased from the N.C. Boys and Girls Home in Lake Waccamaw. That may not sound like your average pipeline for quality horses, but you can never judge a book by it's cover. They have many very nice, well cared for horses. Tank is green as a gourd relative to any type of showing and will need a good deal of training and ground work, but looks to be well worth the effort. Task one will be getting him introduced to the current residents and seeing how things work out between him and our reigning ban boss, Apollo.

Times are Tough

2009-11-29T20:05:00.013-05:00

For the past almost 20 years, our favorite vacation venue has been the Pigeon Forge, Tennessee area. Not only for our family, but for our Inlaws as well. During that time, we have visited the area as many as four times in one year. We currently own a time share there and have done everything from numerous camping trips, cabin rentals to quick weekend getaways at a last minute motel. The trip this weekend was a spur of the moment trip that was special. For one thing, November is our Anniversary month and I spent this years Anniversary time in Florida due to a work assignment. Aditionally, we had not been to the mountains in two years due to our incredibly busy schedule what with all of B's hore shows and ball games/practices, etc. Anyway, the point is, having not been to the area in two years, we were very much unprpared for what we found. Pigeon Forge has always been the shopping mecca of the free world (at least to us). We were greeted, however, by front row parking at lots that had been previously full to capacity regarless of season or day of the week. Malls that had always provided endless shops of every genre known to man, now sit with well over half of their spaces vacant. The state of the Factory Outlet Mall, better known as the Red Roof Mall on the Parkway, was the most shocking. If you've ever been there you know that only a few years ago there were dozens and dozens of shops with everything from tools to towels or dishes to Dolly dresses. Of the sixty some shops that used to make up the mall, only fifteen are currently occupied. A number of those are in the midst of going out of business sales with many isles stripped bare. We found it really sad and depressing to see these places, with so many memories wrapped in them, left to waste, awaiting better times that may, or may not come.

Varsity Debut

2009-11-19T22:42:00.008-05:00

B had her first varsity bball game tonight. As a freshman playing on the varsity team, I think she understands well that she is in a rare position and that playing time will be minimal as she develops and adjusts to the many challenges of a step this big. ECHS opened the season tonight at home against North Brunswick. One thing that surprised B (and us) was the size of the crowd. By the second half of the game, the gym was around 3/4 full, and getting hot. The ECHS Gators took a strong run at the Scorpions late in the game, after falling well behind early. In the end, the Gators came up on the short end of a 62-54 decision.

A Fair Day

2009-10-19T20:07:00.012-04:00

This weekend we made our annual trek to the N.C. State Fair Horse Show at the James B. Hunt horse complex. This year, in keeping with our effort to reduce costs, we did not overnight which saved quite a bit with no stall fees or camping charges. We also only showed one horse (Missy) and kept a short class sheet, which was helped somewhat by a limited selection of options for our particular niche in the Walking Horse world. By far, this was the largest crowd we have seen at the fair horse shows since we have been going. And that not only in participants, but in spectators as well. Although we only participated in three classes, the smallest class we were entered in contained 19 participants. Our first of the day was the Non-Trotting Go As You Please English or Western. B and Missy finished a very respectable 9th place out of the 19 entries. In the Non-Trotting Pleasure English or Western (No Canter) she came in a solid 4th place out of 21 riders. To wrap up an amazing day, B participated in the Non-Trotting CHAMPIONSHIP English or Western (No Canter). Of the 26 entries in the class which included some very formidable competition, B shocked us all with a super 4th place finish. WOW!! A Fair day, if I do say so myself.

Back to Back

2009-09-22T19:46:00.004-04:00

B guest played with the Impact again this past weekend in Florence, SC. For the second tournament in a row they went undefeated in bracket play and walked away with the NSA 6th Annual Fall Classic Championship. The tournament was held at Freedom Florence which is one of the nicest venues for a softball tournament I have seen. Ths was probably our last tournament playing with the Impact. We have been trying for some time to establish a team focused in our immediate area and things appear to be falling in place to make that happen sooner than later.

Pine Rock Fun

2009-09-14T22:20:00.011-04:00

B participated in the annual Pine Rock Fun Show this past weekend in Kittrel, NC. As usual, the facilities looked great, the hosts were super and the turnout outstanding. We got off to a slow start in the morning events without placing in our first several classes. C had planned on participating but scratched her classes as the day progressed and proved to be a rather hot day for the middle of September. In the double show format, B brought home a 5th and 6th place ribbon on Missy in the Youth Trail Pleasure Western 2 Gait. Riding Red, she collected a 5th and 6th place in Country Pleasure Western Youth 2 Gait as well as a 5th place in Country Pleasure Western Open 3 Gait. Her best effort of the day was a 3rd place ribbon on Red in Country Pleasure English Open 3 Gait. In the Games portion of the show B and Red took a double 5th place in the Egg and Spoon class.

First Jumper Show

2009-09-03T20:58:00.012-04:00

Despite being very nervous and far less than confident, B and Peanut exceeded all of our expectations in her first ever jumper show at Wonderland Farms on August 22nd. Compeating in only four classes, B brought home a 2nd, a 3rd and a 4th place ribbon. B completed her classes, again, with no faults and no penalties. I think her confidence, as well as ours, got a big push in the right direction.

Perfect Weekend

2009-08-30T21:55:00.006-04:00

This past weekend B once again played with the Impact. After finishing 3rd in their last outing due to a rain shortened tournament, they came away with the gold this time. Playing almost flawless all weekend, the team went undefeated in pool and bracket play, with a 7-0 record, giving up prescious few runs ans rarely being challenged. Another great weekend for Mom and Dad, behind the backstop, even though it was again hot and humid.

A Mid Summer Night

2009-08-29T20:23:00.001-04:00

Our first show of the season at Wonderland Farms was the 2009 Mid Summer Nights Schooling Show on August 15th. B showed on her favorite Wonderland horse, Peanut. Despite being uneasy about her first competition over crossed rails, B performed very well with no faults and no penalties for being off course. I could study that course for a whole day and still not remember it. B did not place in the crossed rail event but did bring home a couple of ribbons in her other two events. Overall we were pleased with her first show at Wonderland. Next week will be her first "jumper" show at Wonderland.

A summer at the Farm

2009-08-22T19:29:00.007-04:00

Wonderland Farm, that is. B spent most of the summer working at Wonderland Farm in Leland. She served as one of their horse camp counselors and helped with the day to day workings of the farm. Mike and Karen have a really nice farm with excellent facilities and a love for all things equine. The summer job was terrific for B. She learned alot about caring for horses, equipment and facilities. As the summer wore on, the things she was learning were relected at our own farm as she began keeping our own things better organized and cared for. As a manner of payment for the work they performed, the young ladies working the camp got free lessons. The lessons have already made a marked improvement in B's riding. All in all, this experience has been a huge positive for B and has paid dividends for us as well. Many, many thanks to Mike and Karen for the opportunity.

Public Housing

2009-08-07T21:56:00.010-04:00

This summer we made our first effort with bird houses. Basically, it only happened because we were given the house as a Christmas gift. It laid in the barn until it was technically too late for Bluebirds, but we put it up in mid summer anyway. We also did not recognize that the access hole had been made undersized.

To our surprise, within a week or so, there was a nest under construction. Shortly, the established nest had five eggs in place, in spite of the difficulty we had observed mom and dad having getting in and out of the doorway. A brief check today found five little babies tucked as neatly and snug as eggs in a carton. These little ones should have no trouble making their way out into the world soon....provided mom or dad don't get wedges in the front door.

Guest Again

2009-08-04T10:23:00.004-04:00

We had another great weekend of watching B guest play for a local travel team. She has played with most of these girls in the past so it was a good fit. After hitting the losers bracket right off the bat, they fought back with five straight wins on Sunday to finish in 3rd place. They were playing to get into the championship game and had a 4-1 lead when the rains came and washed the remainder of the tournament out. B pitched in four games and only gave up one run. Her work with Coach Bryon at the K-Zone has been making quite a difference.

The 4th and the Firecracker

2009-07-28T21:20:00.022-04:00

As we have done for the past several years, the 4th of July weekend was spent in Williamston, NC at the Firecracker Jubilee/Liberty Bell Classic. The Senator Bob Martin Horse Complex in Williamston is a superior venue for an equine event of any sort. Due to limited lessons, practice, the economy, or just plain penny pinching, we submitted a very limited class sheet. Very limited. In fact, B showed in but two classes and C in only one. This was our first trip with our new horse trailer, other than brining it home from Alabama last January. It was a relief to make a trip without having to worry if the left rear brakes were going to melt the tire off the rim due to locking up. Or how many leaks there would be if it rained.

Anyway, I can do a piece on the pros and cons of the old dinosaur at another time. Just suffice it to say that the new trailer was great. Anyway, once again, the results for the weekend were pretty decent (JMO) despite limited practice. C brought home a double 4th place finish in her lone class and B captured a double 4th in one class and a 3rd and 5th split in her other. Again, not a bad outing. With regards to the practice/lesson issue, the current state of the economy, fuel costs, etc. has forced us to begin looking at several options for a closer to home solution.

Guest Play Means Being Dad

2009-06-24T21:59:00.006-04:00

This past weekend B guest played with an area 12U team in the NCUSFA State Tournament for 14U travel softball. With a break in our sports for a bit, B had the chance to guest play and I got a chance to sit my wife C and be a Dad for change. Our softball weekends have seen me being coach/manager for as far back as I can remember. It was a nice change. This young bunch of girls had a good weekend as well, finishing 5th in a 14U tournament.

First thing Saturday morning,one of our girls sent a line drive screamer to the foul side of third base and struck one of our Moms just behind her right ear. Upon answering questions and a quick checkover by a bystander that was an ER nurse, we belived all to be well. Within the same inning, she had lost conciousness and began to aspirate. In the end, she was taken to the hospital and later released with thankfully, only a concussion. Bottom line, any blow to the head should be assumed to be life threatening. No matter how minor it may seem at the time.

First Show of '09 Under Our Belt

2009-06-12T21:19:00.006-04:00

It was a long time in coming, but we finally got enough clearance on our calendar to actually sneak in a horse show. Our first of 2009. School and travel basketball as well as rec and travel softball have dominated our "free time" since last fall. Friday evening we visited Wonderland Farms for a quick practice warmup. Saturday we kept to a simple class sheet with only four entries. With very little practice or lesson time in recent months, B and Apollo came home with a 3rd, 5th and 6th place finishes out of the four classes. Not too shabby, all things considered.

A Sight Seldom Seen

2009-01-19T14:24:00.005-05:00

Anything more than an occasional flurry or a light dusting of snow is a rare event in southeastern North Carolina. Since moving to the farm some three and a half years ago, I cannot recall even an honest dusting. This week we got an legitimate snowfall. We love it, the horses, I think, don't.

A Child is Born

2008-12-23T21:06:00.002-05:00

Christmas has always been about the birth of a baby. This Christmas added a new twist. Our first Grandchild, Hunter, was born to our middle Daughter, AB, on December 23rd, just a few minutes before 4:00am. It was a long labor but all went well. I do want to give kudos to the new children's wing and birthing facilities at New Hanover Regional Medical Center. It is a fantastic facility with a great staff.

'08 Lady Pats Start Hot

2008-11-29T21:56:00.006-05:00

B's middle school bball team opened up their season this past Monday with a 49-14 win over Waccamaw Academy. B is the starting PG this season. Despite only getting to play for the first quarter due to the coach not wanting to run things up, B scored 11 points had 4 assists and 5 steals. The 2008 WCA team is loaded as we all knew they would be. They only lost one regular season game last year and then lost the championship game of their tournament. And the thing about it is, they are even stronger this year. It should be a load of fun. Two of our toughest games are next week on Monday and Thursday. Can't wait!!

Starting Our Arena

2008-09-14T21:09:00.004-04:00

After talking about it a lot and dreading it even more, we finally got started on our riding arena. The tractor upgrade and purchase of the PHD attachment will prove to be a lifesaver, I'm sure. Longer range plans will include, hopefully, installation of lighting and running a water line to the arena. Materials will not be a challenge for the project as all of the rails will be constructed from the materials recycled from our stables that we disassembled when we moved to this location. I'm sure my back will give out long before the substantial pile of 2X6's runs out.

Still Here

2008-08-17T21:09:00.003-04:00

Seven months since my last entry and only one in thirteen months. Lots of excuses. None of which hold much water. Lots of changes. Obviously, there's no way to catch up thirteen months in a single blog. Well, unless you have a lot less going on than do we. As I get back into the blogging mode, I'll catch things up a bit at the time. My first update will be on Brady. The hope we had for Brady's recovery when last I posted was not to be. Within a week of his return home from N. C. State, his condition worsened and one of the toughest decisions of our life had to be made. Brady was special. Brady was loved. Brady is missed and he will never be forgotten.

Hurricanes take 2nd in Myrtle Beach

2008-05-10T22:03:00.004-04:00

This summer is the first year of travel basketball for B (and us). As if she (we) don't already have a bountiful plate what with horse lessons/shows, travel and school softball, etc., now we have entered the world of travel basketball. In this part of the state, travel basketball teams, especially for girls, are few and far between. Since WCA softball has ended, we agreed to join the Hurrianes which play ot of Wilmington, NC and do the majority of their practicing at Cape Fear Academy. This weekend was our first tournament of the season, in Myrtle Beach, SC. A bracket reacord of 2-1 was good enough to get us into the championship game at The Sports Zone which is a pretty nice multi sport facility. In a matchup with the Forest Heat from somewhere in central North Crolina, we kept it close for the entire contest but came up a bit short in the end. For the first time out, being a runner-up in Myrtle Beach was not bad at all in my book. Way to go Hurricanes.

Patriots deadlock with SOL

2008-03-11T22:32:00.005-04:00

The WCA Lady Patriots played to a tough 5-5 tie with Spirit of Life Academy in a middle school softball game. B made only her second middle school start and went five innings giving up three runs on four hits, with 7 strikeouts and 5 walks. At the plate, B went 2 for 3 with a walk and scored one run.

Out in the Cold

2008-03-10T23:09:00.014-04:00

We participated in the West Wateree Ropes & Reins 4-H show in Camden, SC this weekend. A long trip with a late arrival led to an early wakeup on Saturday to a windy mix of cold rain and sleet. The weather did break and improve in the afternoon, but we never got a break in the show ring. A long day resulted in a single 5th place ribbon for B and Red in the TWH Youth Trail Pleasure English 3 Gait.

A sidebar to our show plan was to visit a resident near the area that had been advertising boxer puppies for sale. We had been shopping around for a new boxer pup, although the reality is that we had absolutely no need for another.
With a break in the afternoon show schedule we took off to see what they had to offer. The only pup they had left was a cute little boy that seemed as though he really wanted to come to our house. What was left to do but oblidge him? So, welcome to the Triple H Horse Farm family.... "Max Man".

Gone to See About a Dog

2008-02-10T21:53:00.011-05:00

After the passing of Brady, I think it was a given that we would shortly be looking for a new pup. Brady being gone left a big hole in our little world. After a bit of time we, mostly C, began looking around in papers, internet, etc. Without even being aware of it, I believe my heart was already set on anther brindle boxer, much the same as Brady was. C found one on the internet and at the first look we were very taken by him. The biggest hitch with this deal would be that he was in Mountain City, TN. Now, as anyone that know us is aware of, we are pretty much up for trip to Tennessee at just about any time. But making the trek simply to pick up a dog seemed, even to us, a bit much. Anyway, after some soak time, we decided to make the trip. We even decided to take Lexi with us. This was her first road trip of any real distance and certainly her first over-niter. We searched the web and made reservations at a pet friendly motel in Mountain City and headed up on Saturday. We were late arriving and picked our new pup up on a cold night, well after dark. He was being kept in a dark and isolated stall and being the last of the litter, looked very alone and sad. Immediately there was no doubt, it was a done deal. With our new brindle boxer we were off for a late checking at the motel and a quick pizza. Lexi and our yet un-named pup did great overnight and both traveled well on the way home on Sunday. During the trip we decided his name should reflect his coming from Tennessee so we finally settled on Bristol. Upon our arrival home, it became quickly obvious that Bristol had a lot of learning to do. He could not negotiate steps and did not even know what a hole in the ground was as he almost immediately walked off into one when we turned him loose in the back yard. So, to sum it up, Bristol is special in more than one way, much the same as Brady was and always will be. But in the end, Bristol will be unique in his own way and he is now in a place where he will loved cared for. Too bad, so many pets never make it to a place like that.

2007-08 Lady Pats Finish 2nd

2008-02-09T21:12:00.010-05:00

After finishing in 2nd place in the conference regular season, the Wilmington Christian Academy (middle school) Lady Patriots hoped to pull out a championship in the post season tournament. After wading through the first two rounds it came down to a championship matchup with Harrells Christian Academy, the regular season champions. The Pats had split their two regular season matches with each team winning on their home court. In the end, Harrells simply had the edge with more physical play and a deeper bench to take the championship in at ##-## decision. The Lad Pats finished the season with a respectable 14-3 record and the 2nd place trophie. Looking ahead, there will be great expectations for this group as the team will consist of the most talented collection of young athletes that anyone can remember at WCA. Only time will tell....

DCM and Brady

2008-01-23T19:57:00.004-05:00

Dilated Cardiomyopathy, aka heart disease. DCM is a disease of the heart muscle that results in weakened contractions and poor pumping ability. As the disease progresses the heart chambers become enlarged, one or more valves may leak, and signs of congestive heart failure develop. The cause of DCM is unclear in most cases, but certain breeds appear to have an inherited predisposition. Primarily, the Boxer, or in this case, Brady. DCM is inherited and thus is present at birth. It is a progressive disease and normally takes years for the symptoms to become a problem. In Brady's case, DCM did not play by the rules. Brady is not yet two years old. But he has spent the last five days going from emergency vet hospitals, to the vet, to the North Carolina State University Veterinary Hopital and finally back home today. After a number of collapses for Brady and a rollercoaster of ups and downs for us, he is home. The short term for Brady is somewhat promising. With test results still pending and a plethora of meds to tweek for optimal heart rate, the long term is yet uncertain. The biggest challenge of immediate concern is how to limit the activity of a 68 pound boxer who loves to run and wrestle with Lexi, his 60 pound boxer buddy, while maintaining his quality of life. But for now, of most importance, Brady is home.

Solid Season Opener

2007-11-27T21:22:00.007-05:00

The Wilmington Christian Academy middle school basketball team had a successful season opener as the Lady Patriots defeated Myrtle Grove 32-15. After jumping to a big lead early, the subs played the biggest part of the game. In fact, we only tallied 2 points in the fourth quarter. B had a great outing defensively but struggled with her shooting. She did have three steals and broke up several passes and blocked out very well despite her being the smallest player on the team. She played point guard for about one quarter over all and ran the floor pretty well. Not bad for her first ever school basketball game if I do say so myself. Their next game is Thursday night.

Harvest Jubilee

2007-09-08T22:13:00.006-04:00

We attended the Four Beats for Pleasure Harvest Jubilee show this weekend. The weather was quite warm but beautiful. With the all of the dry weather, the arena was a veritable dust bowl. The complex we were at is a converted dairy farm so there were no hookups for overnighting. Having the generaor in our horse trailer was big plus. We certainly advise anyone shopping for a trailer with living quarters, to consider adding that option. In the afternoons, being able to use the A/C made for a refreshing break between classes. B participated in a number of classes and finished with a pretty good weekend. She posted a 3rd place finish with Captain in the Youth Model class. Riding Deuce she finished 3rd in AGB Novice Western GAYP 2-Gait and 4th in AGB Western Open GAYP 3-Gait.

My Kingdom for a Washer

2007-07-30T17:16:00.000-04:00

The nature of the equine life dictates that a good deal of time must be spent searching for the right piece of equipment, attachment, tack, decoration, etc. One wouldn't think that should also be the case for basic farmstead hardware.

Deciding to install twelve foot swing gates on each end of the barn isle seemed to pose no unexpected challenges. Mounting of the gate latch plate to the rounded corner of the support pole at the isle wall would only require a quick trip to the local hardware store for a couple of 5/8" hot dipped angle washers to fab up a square fit. A week and a half later, I finally cut the ribbon on this 'low hanging fruit' project. Pair of twelve foot gates: $116, two sets of 12" lag bolt hinges: $24, pair of heavy duty support thumb latches: $32, eight 5/8" HD galvanized angle washers: Undetermined. Trips to Agri Supply, Big Blue Store, Tractor Supply, two Lowes, Best Hardware, Stewart Hardware, McPhersons Hardware, True Value Hardware, and even Wal-Mart tallied around 250 miles on the not so diesel friendly F350 dually. Much to my dismay, was I not only surprised to find the widespread unavailability of these babies, but I was additionally taken aback when I found myself having to describe what they were and why there would be a use for such an item anywhere in the universe.

The final resolution was an on-line order from a company named Fastenal which was turned around in a matter of two days. I suppose wit a bit of time on a calculator I could render a final price tag for my beveled buddies but the cost in cash would pale in comparrison to the anguish I suffered in trying to understand why something so simple could be so hard.

Any port in a storm......Not

2007-07-27T21:57:00.003-04:00

It has been an unusally dry and typically hot summer for our area. Our annual rain deficet has been gradually increasing each week. The numbers will show we did a lot of catching up today. The truth is, most of it wound up in the river. I was off today, babysitting one of our house horses, Lexi, a 65 pound boxer fresh off of surgery. In the early afternoon I passed off a few distant rumbles of thunder as yet another summer shower that come close but yet so far from our dry pastures. In a surprisingly short period of time we were beset with the most severe thunderstorm we have had in this area in some time. Frequent (and close) lightning, heavy rain and hail prevailed for almost four hours. Under the conditions, it was some time before I could bring myself to wade out to open the barn and bring the horses in to what would surely be a most welcome respit from the unrelenting rain and hail. Whether it was the deafening pounding of the hail on the tin roof or the sensing of my uneasiness, the almost unanimous concensous was the world was a better place out n the storm. The only decenting vote was from Captain, our eldest Walker who was probably confused and beleived it to be dinner time. Soggy, I returned to the house, more convinced than ever that the term 'horse sense' may be a bit overstated.

Coming up to speed....slowly

2007-07-25T21:20:00.002-04:00

Never been here, never done this. Bloggin' that is. I'll start things slowly and keep it simple for my own sake, as well as that of anyone who may stumble in here. We are located in the southeastern region of North Carolina. A year and a half ago, we purchased a farm which had been used for horses and donkeys, mostly. Quite a bit of history got us to this point, but I'll work through most of that in forthcoming posts. Although the place was a dream come true for us to purchase, it is a place which is in need of much repair and upgrading (pics forthcoming). At present, we have five horses. Three Tennessee Walkers which are my Wife and Daugther's show horses, a pushy Arabian which has much to learn and a Halflinger who is basically retired in place. Our learning curve for all things horses is still a steep climb. Pasture care has been a focus for this spring and summer as our pastures had been left to their own resources for about two years. Barn renovations, shed recovery and arena construction are the major projects of priority at present. Each has been getting only token attention to date but we have settled for concentrating on the arena as the lack of one is having a detrimental affect on our show training and preparation. That said, the biggest challenge of all is probably that time management has never been one of my strong suits.

A Happy 4th of July

2007-07-08T21:42:00.011-04:00

Over the 4th of July weekend we attended our first Firecracker Jubilee/Liberty Bell Classic horse show in Williamston. The event is held at the Senator Bob Martin Horse Complex. It is a terrific facility with plenty of stalls, parking and hookups. The event is actually two shows rolled into one. Each class has two judges who render their own results, so two places, or ribbons, are issued. One judge represents the Firecracker Jubilee (FJ) and the other represents the Liberty Bell Classic (LBC). By far, this was the biggest show we have been envolved in to date. The only drawback was the heat, but the 4th of July in coastal North Carolina...what else could one expect. The show was busy but our results made all of the work worth it.

When it was all said and done, C had taken a 2nd (FJ) and 3rd (LBC) in the GAYP Novice Rider Adult 2-gait on Red. Also riding Red, C took a 6th place finish from both judges in the Country Pleasure English Adult 2-gait.

B stunned us all with a double Blue Ribbon while riding Red in the GAYP Novice Rider Youth 2-gait. She also posted a 4th (FJ) and 6th (LBC) in Youth Model Geldings and finished a solid 2nd (FJ) and 5th (LBC) in TWH Trail Pleasure English Youth (13 & under) 2-gait. Even considering her double blue ribbon ride, what was probably her most satisfying effort was a 5th (LBC) place finish in the TWH/SSH Trail Pleasure English/Western Youth 2-gait Championship Class against a large field of accomplished riders and horses. It was a weekend well spent that garnered us a fistfull of ribbons and a bundle of memories that will last a lifetime.

New Neighbors

2007-01-31T20:52:00.002-05:00

After what I know had to seem like an eternity for them, C's Mom and Dad finally have seen work begin in earnest on their new home, right next to us. We are so excited and relived about having them here in the country with us and I know they will be glad to be away from the rat race that Leland is turning into. The footers have now been poured and some measurable progress should now start taking shape. This has been their dream for a long time and we are so happy to be able to share in it coming true.

Deuce Comes South

2006-11-25T21:45:00.008-05:00

After what seemed like hundreds of emails and numerous phone calls the deal was finally sealed for us to get Deuce, our newest Tennessee Walker, all the way from Wisconsin. For the past couple of years we have been vacationing the week of Thanksgiving at our time share in Pigeon Forge. In order to make the pickup, we took our horse trailer on vacation with us and scheduled the pickup to coincide with our trip home. We met the seller at a rest stop just outside of PF, on I-40.
It was a smooth exchange with no problem loading him on the unfamiliar trailer and we were on our way. No doubt is was a long hard day for Deuce. I'm sure he will be in for some more long days this spring as he begins to acclimate to the southern climate. He come to us with a thick winter coat which he will certainly need to get rid of, sooner than later.

Close to Home

2006-11-17T20:57:00.006-05:00

Regardless of where you live, every region of our great country brings its own specific hazards when it comes to Mother Nature. Living here in the immediate coastal region of North Carolina is no different. Hurricanes would be our most prolific threat, followed by heat/humidity and sand nats (no-see-ums). Tornado watches are not that rare here, but the actual occurance of a seriously damaging tornado is pretty seldom and is typically only a threat in the early spring when weather patterns are changing, or in the summer when severe thunderstorms roll through. I guess its one of those things you think about as always happening to someone else, that you're glad you don't have to worry about. The idea of a tornado occuring in these parts in the month of November would be about the furtherest thing from one's mind. This week that mindset changed for us and our neighbors. At 6:30 in the morning, an F-3 tornado touched down less than three miles from us and tore a path through an area of rural farms as well as the main highway that serves the area. In fact, I had just passed through it's glide path only 30 minutes earlier on my way to work. C came through on her way to work only minutes after it happened. Eight people perished in the storm, including a family of three. One of the fatalities was a local fire fighter who was leaving his home to man the fire station when the warning had been issued. As the twister missed the heart of town by less than two miles, it could have certainly been much worse. But then I'm sure you would have a hard time convincing those who lost loved ones of that fact.

Help Arrives

2006-07-01T20:58:00.009-04:00

Facing our first spring/summer on the farm, we knew a tractor was going to be a must. We did a great deal of shopping around and debating over what size would best suit our needs but fit within our budget. We finally decided on a compact Massey Ferguson with a Hardee Panther bush hog and front end loader (FEL). This model has hydrostatice drive which makes manuvering a cool breeze. Time to start putting in alittle seat time.

First HACC Show

2006-05-15T22:41:00.004-04:00

B competed in her first show at the NC Boy's and Girl's Home arena. Her and Captain faired very well. Many thanks to our trainer Mary Miller for all her help and direction before and during the event. We stayed overnight on the ground in our camper which made the show even more enjoyable. This is a convenient venue for local shows with plenty of facilities for overnighting. We look forward to many more shows here.

The First Roundup

2004-06-12T21:33:00.009-04:00

Getting our first horses required a long weekend trip to Selmer, TN with a return through Franklin, NC. As we didn't yet have a horse trailer of our own, B's horse trainer at the time, Charlene, was gracious enough to loan us her trailer and accompany us on the trip. Lord knows, as green as we were at the time, we were glad to have the epertise along. As my luck would typically have it, the trip was made without the benefit of trailer brakes. For some reason, the trailer did not like the connection with our truck and we had to defeat the brake system.
Overall, it was not an issue, but it did result in added time coming back through the mountains of western North Carolina. That, and a few extra white knuckles. First on board was Thunder Jam (TJ), a 3yo registered Quarter Horse. After driving all day, we over-nighted in Fayettville, TN and picked TJ up first thing the next morning. It was quite an ordeal getting him to load, but having an experienced hand along certainly made a difference.
Next it was on to Murphy, where B test drove Apollo, a 3yo Arabian, and we decided he was a keeper. Apollo proved to be a much easier 'load' and we were soon on our way home. After spending the night near Maggie Valley, it was on home to unload our first horses at Charlene's, where they would be boarded for the near term.