Pkin and Liz
Pkin and his dog Friends

Photo By Dave Genadeck

PKIN
6-20-1991 to 11-25-2009

It is sad news for Dave and I to share in that Pkin passed last night at age 18 after what was believed to be cancer. He died shortly after his evening soak in the tub while drying in front of the fire place, his favorite place where he could be warm and in the mix of the evening play time with Dave and the dogs.

It has been a great time we have shared with him. I acquired him in the state of Virginia at one day old and he was the size of a jumbo cotton ball.

He made the move with me back to my home state of Minnesota in 1995.

His best friend was "Softy" a female rabbit in which they were never apart until she passed at age 7 and he was with her till the end. He never would accept another rabbit as a friend again.

He hated other ducks and wanted no part of them, I'm not sure he ever really understood he was a duck.

His best horse friend was a little black mare I once owned named "Lacy" in which he would hang out in her stall and she would ever so gently rub his feathered back with her upper lip.

Lacy was here a couple of years ago for a saddle fit and I was gone

so I missed the short reunion. Dave took Pkin out to see her and I understand they recognized each other right off and we're happy to see each other again.

His least favorite acquaintance was a crow named 'Mangalo" which was brought to me by a farm family that found him as a tiny baby blown out of a tree for me to try and save. Which I did and raised Mangalo with Pkin and they were very jealous of each other . Mangalo would hide Pkins toys in the hay and drag Pkin around the barn floor using his beak by Pkins leg. Pkin was delighted when in time I was able to get Mangalo accepted

by a local crow community that lived on the back of the ranch property.

Pkin loved the dogs, being with them , playing with their toys and once in a while grabbing the hair on the back of their legs for a pull as they went by, his game of some kind in which they all understood was to be accepted.

For many years when I would push the wheel borrow around full of hay at feed time, right behind me would be Pkin waddling along, followed by Softy the rabbit and good old Duker Dog bringing up the rear. A rather fun site the neighbors got a big kick out of.

So in closing it's been a wonderful 18 years with him and we are so thankful to have had such a special duck as Pkin.

Liz

Today I ask for prayers for Bob and Charlotte Blackwell

Bob is now fighting for his life and I have been asked by Char to please put Bob on any and all prayer lists you may know of.

Liz

Sharon and Her Paso Fino Mare Rita

The above video was taken in Northern CA at a private advanced clinic I do every year.

This is a group of folks in which we have been working diligently on the 5 essentials of horsemanship and putting them to new challenging tests to refine them.

Sharon is one of my favorite people to work with in that she is one of the most dedicated workers and knows she has to come through as a rider, for the horse to come through in performance.

She understands, to advance one must go to that new place and sometimes uncomfortable place known as "risk" and just go for the 'Try".

She has also and will again spend time here at Shades of Oak Ranch doing the trainers internship. Every time I work with her it's like the rest of the world just melts away for awhile and it's just she, the horse and myself encased in this wonderful bubble of living in the moment, sharing the experience and going for what ever direction our horsemanship takes us.

It's a great place to be!!

Liz

Awesome Cones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love working with cones giving horse students and people students a visual to direct them by.

1. I like the colors to direct human students through patterns easily.

2.The 15 inch height is perfect in cases such as half passing or side passing over, they don't touch the horses abdomen.

3.They are heavy enough that the wind does not blow them over , which we put to the test this past weekend at the workshop, yet light enough to easily to pick up and move around to new patterns.

The company that sells them has many fun creative patterns to challenge horse and human and keep both engaged.

These are my favorite cones by far and can be found at: www.horseswannahavefun.com

I also just discovered a great source right here in the Midwest for
soy oil supplement for horses.

www.soynaturale.com

Tim and Jenny Meyer

Cameron, WI

715-296-1120

Strykers Old Saddle

Stykers New Saddle

My special fella Stryker now has a new saddle!!

This time I went with a slick fork and straight back cantle for him.

I have a slick fork for Major already in a leather cordura combo which I love.

Looking forward to spending the winter breaking it in!

Liz

Pop Wagner & Liz Graves with Bear Paw Cinch
The saddle it was made for.

I finally completed my first cinch for a client, finished off with horse hair fly swisher and leather cinch safes.

Pop was here this weekend doing another cinch making clinic in Dave's shop which I was not able to participate in as we were also holding my " Work our Butts off Workshop" but I had to have a photo taken with Pop as he is my teacher in this art of cinch making and I am pretty pleased with the results.

The saddle it was made for was designed and build by Dave and Viv Gluzinski about a year and a half ago and the cinch should make a nice finishing touch to it.

Liz

I miss the Elephants!