The Lady of the House

Sissy ,the epitome of sweetness
Sissy the athlete

Sissy the hunter

It's been a fast year to realize our Gordon Setter Sissy has been with us a year now.

She to us is a beauty queen, the sweetest and kindest dog friend anyone could ask for.

She lives her life wide open and wow does she love to hunt and point birds.

I love spoiling Sissy and Tony both.

I say often, I am a trainer of horses ,but a wrecker of dogs.

They own me thats for sure and I love every minute of it too!

Liz

Sad to Learn

Pryor Mountain Babies

It was very sad for me to get home and learn of Senator Byrd's Passing.

I had the honor of meeting him while in collage when he came and taught the Equine Law class for my Equine management course.

Very distinguished gentlemen with so much knowledge to share.

He introduced me to the "K.I.S.S." ( Keep it simple stupid) method in Law.

I have several family members that are also lawyers and have helped me over the year to be come better educated in this field as well.

I love learning about law almost as much as I do about horses,
and have spent many an hour in the legal library in government centers studying the books just for the fun of it.

The State Statute books being my favorite as they can keep you busy for hours!

A good Minnesota winter pass time.

Liz

The Family

I'm home for a day here before I head back out to Washington State, but wanted to share some fun photos I took.

When on this trip in WA I just came home from I was able to spend some time again with our dearest Tony's Mom and Grandmother who live in that beautiful state surrounded by what is called the fingers of the Rockies.

I will get the clinic photos up from that clinic as soon as I can.

This is our Tony, now 4 years old

This Is Tony's Mother Annie now 8 years old

This is Percy Tony's Grandmother now 12 years old.
Percy and Annie live next door to each other and share each others ranch visiting back and forth each day

Liz

Only at our House

This is a photo Dave took this morning, and I asked what are you doing?

He responded "Only at our house would I walk in and see a horse skull on the kitchen counter".

I had not thought about it and he made me laugh once again.

I had just finished processing the skull of a whole skeleton I'm working on and had to bring it in to scrub off the peroxide residue and simply had not gotten it back out to the shop with the rest of the pieces.

One never knows around here, a little scientist I am and will always be.

But more interesting is every skull and skeleton tells a story of a life and what it has been through physically.

Life is good!

Liz

Real Horsewomen Rule!

Anna Holstermann of Germany just completing a flying counter canter

lead change on her amazing stallion TWH Ya Hoo's Coin.

The busy season has begun, the new addition this year is I am carrying a much better camera that I love using and am working at getting photos of every event this year to share. Links to the slide shows of each event can now be found on the Clinics Highlights page of my web site. www.lizgraves.com

The Photo of Anna is special to me as so many have never experienced what was required to achieve in the youth Horsemanship classes of my youth and that was the execution of the counter canter, counter canter changes, and lead changes on a straight. Oh how we have reduced the standards of good horsemanship practices to accommodate egos and fears rather than advancement of our skill to be the best we can.

Before the clinic in Germany Anna was working on her counter canters and was what she wanted to work on with me while I was there, the signals required for departure and how to then do the flying changes.

Normally it would take a very long time for someone to learn this but for Anna who has grown up and lived the true lifestyle of learning, riding and running a truly successful ranch through her parents, it took less than a week to achieve this skill and do it beautifully in style and with grace on a TWH. I have never to date had someone learn it so quickly.

I believe I am her biggest fan and supporter, behind her parents of course. I see great things for this talented young horsewoman that has NOT marketed her way into the industry, She is NO "professional armature" as I call the players, but worked, and worked hard while doing so honestly in every sense of the word to be a true professional and a REAL horsewomen.

She has chosen a very difficult profession, not only in the labor of the work of a trainer, equine dentist, riding instructor and running a very busy breeding program but in what the human element will bring her in challenges. I am proud of her, yet feel sad for some of what she will be experiencing as well.

I hope her journey is easier than mine has been, and will do all I can to help that happen.

Liz

2010

Starting Us Young

Riding Tandem bareback on Dad.

That's my brother up front 14 months younger and was a great rider him self but has not in many years now, but when chatting with him I hear the itch in his voice to do so again.

Liz

More Memorial Day

Steve Luoni up on his TWH DJ with his TWH youngster Pavo

I so loved this photo Steve shared with me I wanted to share it with everyone else.

This is Steve giving tribute to soldiers past and present at the Brookfeild NY Memorial Day Parade.

I have known Steve many years now as a clinic participant many times over and he has become a friend. What moves me about Steve is he is passionate about doing , growing and learning with his horses. It has been thrilling for me to watch him evolve upward in his journey of discovering his continued advancement in his journey of Horsemanship.

He works hard and knows that is what it takes to get good and he has.

I also have to say Thank you to Steve for taking what I have had to offer as a teacher seriously and others that have inspired and influenced him to be the best he can be.

He does amazing things with his horses that keep us waiting for more.

Liz