Poker and I at Talisman
after a good brushing!
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Yes, at last, spring has arrived! Spring means shedding, hair and inhibitions.

While shedding inhibitions can be scary especially at my age, it can be the first step to transform one’s life and follow a dream.

When my daughter was eight, she joined 4-H. I shed my inhibitions and purchased a steer. I didn’t want to force my love of the horse on her, so I stepped out of my box when she showed an interest in the Beef Club. This was a scary year as a single mom, and I could only afford a mediocre steer. Our steer, named Blackjack, unfortunately, lacked not only in beauty and personality, but wasn’t the warmhearted, loveable steer other 4-Hers groomed to win the championship at the end of the year.

Instead, Blackjack was a mammoth, mean soul. He would stampede any living being over like an 1100-pound freight train, kick like a bucking bronco and wrestle the lead to be freed as soon as he heard the snap click. So, I had to do most of the work to protect my 40 pound eight-year-old from possible injury. Although, my daughter rose to the task, (because in 4-H parents are not allowed to enter the ring to assist) I cringed every time she showed him with only the aid of an older 4-H'er. To make the learning experience even more horrible, steers have other problems. One could never have enough stock in paper towels. No steer is exempt from the sh%$$#%^ts, a constant stream of loose, runny cow patties out the rear. Everyone is constantly yelling “paper towel”,  “I need paper towels” because no one wants to enter the ring with a rump caked in…well you understand.

That year (of shedding inhibitions and a mom shedding tears) had two outcomes at the final championship sale:

1. Through our hard work with Blackjack and seeking out our own incredible sponsors, my daughter’s steer out bid the reserve champion steer when sold. An impressive feat. Some beef club members wouldn’t speak to us at the next meeting, (they did get over it when the leader commended us on on how to raise money through hard work) and we sure made a lasting impression. Most of all, we created irreplaceable memories and an example of how to shed inhibitions.
2. We knew we loved horses!

JJ winning the Ranch Riding at  the 2017 4-H championship!
What great  memories!

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At the recent 2026 Horse Expo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania book signing, I shed inhibitions and managed my own booth! What a successful event! Beautiful readers and horses created a lasting memory! I will be back next year, hopefully with new novels, Silver Cowgirls Go Gold and Private Mom II! The women in Silver Cowgirls and in my books emulate shedding your inhibitions. Be strong, try a change even if it is only by the tip of your high heel like Ava Kennedy in Private Mom!

 

Keep an eye out for my featured articles in On The Bit Magazine spring and summer issues coming soon. Thank you to for all of the support and readership. You all keep me going.

So good luck, go shed your own inhibitions to face new adventures and chase your dreams! Don’t forget to reach to me and tell your story. Who knows, could be the next theme of a novel!

Me and my bestie at the Horse Expo:

Thank you to all who attended and congrats to the winner of the door prize Sylvia M! Sending soon.

I would love to see you in Denton Maryland, on May 2, at A Novel Idea Book Fest  with Fran Severn Levy, Riders of a Certain Age!

Happy Reading!