I don’t know about you, but it’s been a week here. So, I am providing some comfort. Something we can all agree upon. Cute. Animals. (And other animals in general.)

Take this blog as your comic relief of the day and breath of fresh air. I get heavy a lot, but that’s not all of who I am. Because I like to laugh, too.

And we’re currently building a farm- Tree of Life Hollow! We are in the beginning stages of creating a conservation program of our own, specializing in the Choctaw strain of Colonial Spanish Horse. So you’ll see a lot of new faces in the years to come! I want to include daily life into this blog so we can have a bit of fun and get to know each other better.

My life took a sudden turn within the past few years, and I’m now surrounded by animals. For those who are new to the blog, I figured I’d introduce you all to my furry family. Or reintroduce you, as it were. We’ll go by acquisition order.

My bubby. The Beeberson. Sir Edmund Perceval Shoemaker of Smithfield, Earl of Isle of Wight County, seated at Bunckingham on James. Resident grump but secret brooding love bug. 3/4 Pembroke Welsh Corgi, 1/4 Cardigan Welsh Corgi. All mushy love. We got Edmund as the result of a bargain. “You move me away from Washington D.C. to small-town Virginia, you get me a corgi,” I told my husband. Well, here’s the result. This crafty boy who can run forever if motivated. And by motivated, I mean going outside. If we let him, he’d permanently live outside- except for bedtime. Which also means he’s impossible to catch offleash. Heathen.

My beebette. The KWEEN. HRH Elizabeth “Lillibette” Regina von Shoemaker of Smithfield, Queen of Isle of Wight and Surrounding Counties, Seated at Bunckingham on James. She is made of pure love. And pure jealousy. And is purebred Pembroke Welsh Corgi. You will have no other dogs before her. She is perfect. She is YOUR queen. So bow down and give her snuggles. You will be very glad you did. We got her because Edmund was lonely. As you can see from the picture, he immediately regretted feeling lonely. And is no longer the only child. Both of our dogs have royal titles. Our horses, however, do not. I offer no explanation, because it lacks logic.

I ask her every day, “Who’s my pretty girl?” as I walk up. And she always knows that she is. Rosa marks the lasting return to my first love in life, horses. Before I could spell my own name, I wrote “Horse” instead. Tells you the kind of person I am- a true horsey girl. And I adore Rosa. She has been the toughest challenge of a horse I’ve had (and I have 14 years of riding experience and multiple horses under my belt before her). She is also the most rewarding. People talk about the incredible bond you can have with mustangs, and they’re right. It’s special, unique, and worth every ounce of effort. Rosa was rounded up by the BLM in Nevada and is a register American Indian Horse. I am freest when on her back. I look forward to many years together. And she is also the floodgate to…

Moodles. My “Chata Isuba”. Handsome Manny. He is our Medicine Hat Choctaw gelding, and we’re obsessed. Spirited, but also the most curious and playful horse I’ve ever met, Manny constantly communicates. It’s been great to learn more about horse psychology and herd dynamics, because we can better understand how often Manny seeks to engage in play with people, when it could be misinterpreted so easily. And although he is primarily my husband’s horse, I truly love working with him. Manny craves to be around people and helped us really fall in love with the endangered Choctaw strain of Colonial Spanish horses. His eyes light up when he sees us, and he’ll call back when we call his name. What an incredibly special horse!

Momma’s Boy. ‘Chukma. My baby. Achukma is our stud colt and the biggest lover. Brushing his hair might as well be his drug, because he loves it so much. Cuddly, curious, and crafty, Achukma is a horse who quickly wins your heart. He is our foundation stud for our future breeding program to conserve Choctaws. And I couldn’t be happier about it. We can verifiably trace his ancestors to horses that carried Native Americans on the Trail of Tears. This is a great privilege we do not take lightly, and are undertaking conservation with reverence. Achukma’s disposition is wonderful, and while he knows he’s a stallion, he first and foremost is interested in being with people. Particularly if you’re me. Achukma waits for me all day, and whinnies with excitement when he sees me approaching his pasture (and will even call when I ride by on Rosa). He is a fast-learner, too. And his sire is a miracle horse- a survivor of a deadly coyote attack that almost ripped him to shreds. You can read his story here.

That’s all for now! And I’m happy to answer questions you might have about this new conservation endeavor. Believe me when I say it gives me great joy to be a part of something so special!

And tell me about your pets- what are their names? What are they like? And most importantly, what are their favorite schmakos?

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