Daily Archives: November 24, 2009

Amber Mostoller on Mighty Mouse

So where do I start??  First off, I would like to apologize for the lack of updates this summer.  It has been CCRRAAAZZZYY to say the least.  I got a new traveling partner at the end of July (Sherry Sunden) and when I say we traveled….we TRAVELED.  There was anywhere between 2-7 people with us on the weekends, and we went from IL, IN, MI all the way to St Gabriel, Quebec (which for those of you who do not know where that is… I mean how could you not (YEAH RIGHT) its all the way ABOVE MAINE in Quebec.  We visited Quebec three or four times from the end of July till September which ended with the best rodeo ever in St Tite, QC. 

I ran JB Absolute aka Abby all summer and she continued to amaze me with her grit and her heart.  There were many rodeos that we pulled into as the barrels were getting ready to start after long hours on the trailer and she consistantly would draw me a check.  I did jump on a good friend of mine (Teresa Quay) horses a few times to let Abby rest and did well. Up through Labor Day weekend I won $7155.87 which had put me securely in the Top 15 of the IPRA World Standings.  Over half that had come from the end of July till Labor Day weekend.  I knew I still had some HUGE rodeos the following weekend of Sept 11-13th and then of course St. Tite.  I had made the short go in St-Tite every year I have been up there and was confident that with the way Abby was working I would do so again. 

Well they say all good things must come to an end and that it did when we got to the first rodeo in McDonough, GA Sept 11th.  We pulled in very late the night before and built pens for the horses.  The next morning I left very early to visit my grandpa who lived three hours away who was dying of cancer.  I received a phone call that afternoon that Abby had gotten loose and her back left leg was swollen and she couldn’t walk.  When I finally got back to the fairgrounds and the vet got there, he diagnosed her with a SEVERELY inflamed and bowed tendon in the back end, but said that she would need re ultrasounded in a couple weeks once the swelling went down to make sure.  Regardless she could not be ridden and my weekend was done before it even got started.  The owner of Abby at the time lived very close to McDonough and his daughter was entered that night, so he went ahead and took Abby home. 

I considered just getting a plane ticket home, but knew I could not vet out of St Tite and had to pay my fees anyway.  I decided to go on and help Sherry drive if nothing else and show her the ropes up there as she had never been before.  The experience of St Tite is always fun, although my runs up there were a disaster on the horse I borrowed lol.

After St Tite, I just prayed that the money I had won in the short 3 months on Abby would hold up to make the IFR.  I figured if it did hold up that it was meant to be and if not…well we would try again next year.  The season is now over and I ended up 14th in the year end standings and will be headed to my 3rd consecutive IFR

After St Tite, I got back Docs Idaho Gold aka Mighty Mouse back to ride for a little while to sell!!  (I sold this mare at the IFR in 2008 and she just keeps finding her way back to me)   Stay tuned for “THE ADVENTURES OF MIGHTY MOUSE”  coming soon!! 

**Video of the last rodeo I placed at on Abby