Saturday, January 23, 2010

I want to share a great review for my book: The Horse That Wouldn't Trot  ( http://www.rosemiller.net/ )by Connie Fenner who owns the Paper Horse Magazin http://www.thepaperhorse.com/  


"You don't have to have a Tennessee Walking Horse in your barn to become engrossed in The Horse That Wouldn't Trot, a memoir of one woman's journey to success from the show ring to the breeding shed.

Success usually comes with a price, and the author paid that price with sleepless nights, countless tears, and heart-wrenching decisions. When you operate a sizeable boarding, breeding and show barn, and you truly love the horses, it seems heartache is always lurking just around the corner, but likewise, the joy.

The narrative dares to discuss the breed's abusive practices to produce the controversial exaggeration of the Walking Horse's original smooth gait. Rose Miller bred her horses for excellence through natural talent and training, yet was forced to compete against those who used illegal practices.

The well-written narrative is both revealing and inspirational as the author struggles with her daughter's brave battle with breast caner, and the stillbirth of her first grandchild. She turns to prayer seeking answers and direction...for her family, her animals and herself.

The Horse That Wouldn't Trot is suited for horse lovers from 12 to 100, and is full of charming anecdotes of the author's horses and their personalities. You'll meet "Nugget," a successful show mare who wanted nothing more than to be a mother (yes, the author regularly uses an animal communicator), but could not seem to put healthy foals on the ground.

You'll follow her journey with "Praise Hallelujah," her nationally-known stallion, and soul mate, who was awesome in the show ring and produced many champions to carry his name. Learn why the author decided to geld him.

Rose Miller's message is this: follow where you are led, go through doors that open, and trust that even in adversity, you can be blessed."

Review also shared on Amazon

Autographed copy of the book is 14.95 plus 3.00 economy shipping. check website for details:  http://www.rosemiller.net/

Monday, January 18, 2010

Zenyetta to run again in 2010

by: Jack Shinar   http://www.bloodhorse.com/




After conferring with owners Jerry and Ann Moss, a decision has been made to run the champion mare Zenyatta in 2010 rather than breed her, trainer John Shirreffs said Jan. 16.



The undefeated Zenyatta, a finalist for 2009 Horse of the Year, had been working weekly at her Hollywood Park base since becoming the first female to win the Breeders' Cup Classic in electrifying style Nov. 7. She has posted three half-mile workouts at Hollywood recently.



"She's just been training so well since the Breeders' Cup. You know Mr. Moss is such a great sportsman and he really wanted to see her run again," an overjoyed Shirreffs said while confirming Zenyatta's un-retirement, first reported by Daily Racing Form.



Of a possible meeting with the other 2009 Horse of the Year finalist, Rachel Alexandra, Shirreffs responded, "Obviously, that's something everyone would like to see."



He said a plan for the 6-year-old Zenyatta, who has won all 14 of her lifetime starts and was the Eclipse Award-winning champion older mare of 2009, "has not been discussed." He said the schedule would likely be quite different than the one the strapping mare experienced during the prior two years, when she mostly stayed in California.



"Like last year, we would want to take it one race a time," Shirreffs said. "But she's a lot farther along right now than she was at this time last year. A lot of options are open to us."



The Mosses said Zenyatta was only keeping busy at Hollywood while they waited for the weather in Kentucky to improve before transferring her to be bred. But the temptation to bring her back to the track was apparently too much.



Jerry Moss told HRTV, "That's just it. Annie and I just watched her jog on the track this morning. She's so radiant. She seems to still be growing, if that's possible.



"She's a real star. We love to watch her run. So we said, What are we doing? Listen, let's run her."



Moss said Shirreffs was fully supportive of the decision.



The Dubai World Cup, worth $10 million, will be run on a synthetic track for the first time March 27. But Moss said he was unsure if that would be Zenyatta's next major goal.



"We're open to all sorts of races," he said. "She needs to get into a little bit better shape and John will let us know when she's ready to run."

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Women and Their Horses: I Ride

Subject: I ride





I did not write this, but I wish I had.....

I Ride....



I ride. That seems like such a simple statement. However as many women

who ride know... it is really a complicated matter. It has to do with

power

and empowerment; being able to do things you might once have considered

out of reach or ability. I have considered this as I shovel manure, fill

water

barrels in the cold rain, wait for the vet/farrier/electrician/hay delivery,

change

a tire on a horse trailer by the side of the freeway, or cool a gelding out

before

getting down to the business of drinking a cold drink after a long ride.



The time, the money, the effort it takes to ride calls for dedication. At

least,

I call it dedication. Both my ex-husbands call it 'a sickness.' It's a

nice sickness

I've had since I was a small girl bouncing my plastic model horses and

dreaming

of the day I would ride a real horse. Most of the women I ride with

understand

that meaning of 'the sickness.' It's not a sport. It's not a hobby. It's

what we

do and-- in some ways-- who we are as women and human beings.



I ride. I hook up my trailer and load my gelding. I haul to some nice

trailhead

somewhere, unload, saddle up, whistle up my dog and I ride. I breathe in

the

air, watch the sunlight filter through the trees and savor the movement of

my horse.



My shoulders relax.



A smile spreads across my weathered face. I pull

my floppy hat down and let the real world fade into the tracks my horse

leaves in the sand.



Time slows. Flying insects buzz loudly, looking like fairies. My gelding

flicks

his ears and moves down the trail. I can smell his sweat and it is perfume

to my senses. Time slows. The rhythm of his walk and the movement of the

leaves become my focus. My saddle creaks and the leather rein in my hand

softens with the warmth.



I consider the simple statement: I ride. I think of all I do because I

ride. Climb

rocky slopes, wade into a lily-pad lake, race a friend across the

hayfield... all

the while laughing and feeling my heart in my chest.. Other days just the

act of

mounting and dismounting can be a real accomplishment. Still I ride, no

matter

how tired or how much my sitter bones or any of my other acquired

horse-related

injuries hurt. I ride. And I feel a lot better for doing so.



I think of the people, mostly women, that I've met. I consider how competent

they all are. Not a weenie in the bunch. We haul 40 ft. rigs, we back 'em

up

into tight spaces without clipping a tree. We set up camp, tend the horses.

We

cook and keep our camp neat. We understand and love our companion--, our

horses. We respect each other and those we encounter on the trail. We know

that if you are out there riding, you also shovel, fill, bathe, wait and

doctor. Your

hands are a little rough and you travel without makeup or hair gel. You do

without

to afford the 'sickness' and probably, when you were a small girl, you

bounced a

little model horse while you dreamed of riding a real one.



"My treasures do not chink or glitter, they gleam in the sun and neigh in

the night."