horsegirltv® adventures with angelea

Picollo finally got to meet, nose to nose, Roxy.

Roxy is one of two Great Danes living next to us and sooooo friendly. She got up close and personal (and down to his height) as you’ll note from the picture.

Our neighbors are volunteers with the Northern Virginia Great Dane rescue. They have an awesome website at: http://nova-magdrl.org/ so check it out!

Dogs to the lay person but we’re talking HOUNDS! What a great day this past Saturday! I think the last time I had this much fun watching horses was at the Gold Cup in The Plains and how ironic the comparison! It was a last minute shoot as Joint Master of the Hunt for Old Dominion Hounds phoned me back on Friday night telling me of a hunt the next morning that was a fundraiser to stop the expansion of the power lines out past Foxhall Farm in Flint Hill. I quickly rearranged my schedule, couldn’t find a last minute Directory of Photography so opted to play all the roles myself and “wing it” and it came out beautifully.

ALL my misconceptions about fox hunting and fox hunters were completely dispelled! I have NEVER in my life met a more welcoming, down to earth group of people as in this field! By the end of the day three different people offered me horses to take out if I wanted to try it at some point in the future and MAN!.. do I? Are you kidding the hilltopping experience alone looks like an adrenaline rush and so amazingly fun and the range of ages was incredible! From one year olds on lead lines to who knows how old jumping past the little kids and everywhere in between. When emailing a dear friend and mentor about this she replied that “They are the salt of the earth” and how true!

Needless to say, I am so excited for this next episode “Introduction to Fox Hunting” to launch as well as shoot the series we’re planning. I must say it’s a big thanks to my interview with Robert Banner at The Chronicle of the Horse because our conversation and his passion for fox hunting and point-to-point really lit a fire under me to pursue this intro episode! This oh too cute picture of me shooting video of Gus and field member was titled “Proof that we survived” by this wonderful camera person I met. Karen Myers (along with some kind other folks) sent me some great images captured (as that is all that was captured being the fox got away!) that day. You can see Karen’s fabulous photo journal at http://www.karenlmyers.org/huntingdiary!

I had a GREAT time and a big education talking with Robert Banner, publisher of The Chronicle of the Horse! It was a huge honor to receive an interview from Robert and all too exciting to learn about fox hunting! I’m excited to discover more about this amazing sport that I’m thinking teaches you real riding abilities! I hope you enjoy the episode and to watch a better quality version of it, check it out at http://horsegirltv.com/episode17.php

Happy New Year HorseGirlTV too! I received the sweetest email from Joewell! Yes, Joewell, the horse, this past Christmas Eve Day and I have to be honest, it bought more than one tear to my eye. I’m sooooo happy to see that Joewell (or Jo as I’ve come to know him) is happy with his new family down in SoCal. Jo is part of the Barrows family now and what an amazing family it seems like. As you can tell from the picture, there is no lack of doating on the old boy and from what I hear Joewell will ride out his Grand Prix years with this family and then retire with them! I don’t think he could have gone to a better new place and I’m happy things worked out as they have.

Joewell’s email to me received on Christmas Eve Day…
Hi Mom,
I love my new home, but they make me wear this silly hat! It’s alot warmer here, about 70 degrees every day. I’ve made lots of new friends. My favorites are a black lab named Daisy and a 5 month old colt named Cosmo. Elliot is pretty heavy, but I’m struggling through it. I’m going to get him to lose lots of weight. I’m going to be very happy here. I hope you and Joel are fine. I miss you. Merry Christmas.
Love,
Joewell

Getting to be back in Oregon for the holidays was great! As a Texan by birth I have a love for the state and it’s proud people but I’ve always felt like I was going home every time I have returned to Oregon since I first moved out west years ago.

We are back home in Virginia now and I’m pretty excited to be interviewing the publisher of The Chronicle of the Horse tomorrow! I’ve heard Middleburg is lovely and the COTH is “THE” sport horse publication stateside so it’s an honor!