Why is it that everytime I promise my return some thing always gets in the way? How i've longed to update ya'll...but the computers at the library forbid me to access this website for stupid reasons and that's my only means of computer access at the moment! Ugh!

Anyway..the farm has been going great.We have gotten a couple of more horses, sold a couple. I went to a horse show for the first time since March and it was a lot of fun with my green bean Thoroughbred. We got second in 2ft jumpers! It may not seam that much..but since I have been working with him on teaching him just to canter only 8 months ago..it really is a lot! I also got a full time job at a fox hunting/eventing barn as a full time trainer/exercise rider. It seemed as everything was going great. Me and Erich were great, the horses, job, even timing was great. I guess that's why people say never get too comfortable with the routine of life because it could all change in the blink of an eye..and literally it did.
Let me explain..
So I was recouping from a night out with the friends one saturday morning..to tell you the truth I wasn't feeling so good. Once my head cleared I made my way into town to get something to eat and just like that...BAM!!

Those last few seconds will haunt me for the rest of my life, and so will the effects it has on me. Wondering what happened? The combination of speed, metal, and an adolesent driver which resulted in a car crash. It really could have been a lot worse, but I will remember this for the rest of my life.

What happened was someone didn't yeild after stopping at a stop sign at a two way stop and pulled out right in front of me, so I T-boned him at 55 mph with no time to brake, and no seat belt. They had to pull me out of my mangled car and rush me to the hospital. After two days the diagnosis: A shattered heel, broken elbow, deslocated ankle and shoulder. I think I have to have surgery on my ankle, that will be determined when I return to the doctors.

I will heal, yes..but the emotional distress it has had on me and my persoanl relationship with Erich has been devestating. I may lose it all. I may lose the farm..I may have to sell all of my horses (besides Teuer, I will put her in my closet if i have to). I may have to move into an apartment and not have anything to do with horses for the next 6 months. Why do I have to make these sacrifices when it wasn't my fault? I will be out of a job, financially we will suffer. Not only will horses be stripped of me, but also art. My right arm is of course out of comission so I'm pretty much useless. I'm sorry, it may seem like I am whining, but this is the first time horses have been taken from me. Throughout my whole life, with all the turmoil and bad situations i've been in I have always had my horses. Now I feel naked and dependant. It is a feeling i'm not very open to invite.

It will be a struggle, the emotional and physical healing I will be enduring these next few months and really the only things I will be able to turn to are my friends and family. Even though I may end up with a fair settlement when it is all said and done but it will never, ever be worth it. No amount of money would I even for a week give up riding or horses, or even art. So I will hover DA and respecfully admire all of ya'lls beautiful art work, and maybe that will be my motivation. Thankyou, thankyou.

As you know I have Teuer and will always have her, but I also have a couple of additions I need to fill you guys on. Most of you know of my yearling quarter horse gelding, A Southern Touch because of the picture I submitted of him.

Another new one is a 5 year old paint gelding named Gus. I guess technically he's an overo, but he has very sensational markings. He is such a babysitter, dead broke. He'll be a great lesson/camp horse when I get my business up and running.

I also have a 6 year old quarter horse gelding named Boss. Boss is the ultimate western horse. He just has that rodeo horse look to him. He is almost liver chestnut with some dapples showing. Neckreins to a tee, sliding stop, great personality/manners. I would love for him to be my gameing horse (ie barrels, roping, team penning..etc) so i will have a lot of fun experimenting with him. For right now he's my great trail horse.

J-Bez is a dark bay 16.3 off the track throughbred. He is just a project and will hopefully be sold within the next two months. He is green right now, but I'm going to start training him as a jumper. He'd be a great eventer...he should sell pretty easily.

Lady is a very pretty Tovero paint mare. This is a weird situation...this lady still owns her but we have her on a free lease. The lady couldn't afford to keep her and we needed a beginner safe horse so we struck a deal. Basically I take care of her as my own, pay the bills, and the woman never comes to see her so to be fair I just call her mine. She's a smooth ride and looks great english/western, so she fits right in.

We can't forget our little Muffin. Muffin is a 11yo grey mini that I got for my little brother. She's a great little girl, just loves my little bro. Super cute pony, muffin will always have a home with us.

Well that's the family! I also have a black Pygme goat named Jiggy, A Cane Corse (mastiff) dog named Gator...(((My black lab Rebel was stolen from me last year if yall remember him )))) And my little chow/shepherd mix named Mable. So the family has expanded greatly! I will of course upload lots of pics for you to see

If you are a good little watcher you'll be the first to know that the drafterx has returned. After the death of my horse, getting rid of africa, moving to a big horse farm-mine-, a new boyfriend, a new job, and most importantly a new begining I have officially returned for good. Although I can honestlly say I have not drawn anything since my last drawing here, I have dusted away the cobwebs and am ready to jump back into it. I'm starting school back up in the fall and decided I wanted to major in art, so I better get back to practicing! I figured after being here three years I owe it to the oldtimers to return. Whether you are new or old, write me and let me know how everything is going. Can't wait to hear from yall again,
Drafterx

For those who know me, know my horses, and know how much i love and give them my all this will be quite upsetting.

Although i don't have access to a computer very often, I thought i should let me loyal friends and watchers know what is happening, since ya'll have gotten to know me, my art, and my animals quite well. Monday, October 30, 2006 I lived my worst nightmare. I have made up my mind long ago that if i could put my life on the line for my horse, I would. i wish i could have done just that that late october morning. I would have done anything to change places with him if only God would have let me. I would never wish this upon anyone, not even my most hated enemies. To see him standing there, knowing I could do nothing for him was more self tourture than i have endured my whole life. Here's the story:

You all know Pistol, my goofy, beautiful, personable, photogenic, lively little stud muffin. All the hard times I had with him trying to get him sold and his health issues. Some of ya'll have been here when i first started working with him. It was a dream come true to be able to personally own him last December, where we started our journey together. Ya'll have seen pictures of his only daughter known to date where at least she can carry on his legacy. I moved him to my private barn where he had free run of 5 acres and his own barn (teuer and Africa where turned out somewhere else) for 2 whole months for the first time ever. When i moved my mares there i thought it'd be a good idea to geld him, so maybe that could help me sell him too. So I gelded him 3 weeks ago today and wow what a difference. So quiet, gentle, nice, and easy going he became. i certainly don't regret it. it got so good to where I was able to turn him out with my other horses and there he stayed for about a week. A week too short, that's for sure. I had my first potential buyer come and ride him. She was 13 and quite good for her age and he took perfect care of her. She fell in love and I knew he was to have a loving home. She couldn't get him for 2 weeks, so I waited it out. But we only got through a week before the unthinkable happened.
I came to feed them breakfast, they always came running when they saw me. But he didn't. he didn't move, not a step. I became worried when i saw him in the back field just standing there with laboured breathing not even thinking of what I might walk up upon. If the Gods are on my side they weren't that day. To my utter horror i found my Pistol, my baby boy, God's hand painted beauty with a shattered and torn broken leg. His front right leg had been snapped at the fetlock and left it laying at the side, merely holding by his skin. I collapsed. My body lost all support and I broke down. I cried for him, for our memories, for what could have been and what will never be. I rolled in the grass unable to control my feeling and emotions pouring from my heart, from my soul. I went through the stage of 'why'..but quickly recovered because i knew this was about him. I knew immediatley i could do nothing to save or help him, not even if i had the money to do it he was just not saveable. I had a friend cut a piece of his tail, mane, and forelock for me. I have his last worn shoes, his halter and all of our wonderful memories. I felt it my obligation to let ya'll know because some of ya'll loved him like i did. He wasn't just a horse..he was my kid. My bestfriend. My companion and now he's jumping the coulds of heaven. He belongs to the dirt he is buried in, and his memories belong to me. Never will I forget everything about him. His brilliant white face, his devil eye, his love bites, or his horny noises. I love him, and I had to say goodbye. I hope none of ya'll have to go through that, but at least i got to say goodbye and i hope he doesn't forget to remember me-

I have a lot more updates, but i feel that to be most important. I hope ya'll had time to read because I know some of ya'll will miss him like i do.

I am BACK for real this time! ;D I am back living at home for 2 weeks and then guess what!

I got that little house I was telling you about! It's a 3b/2bth ranch with a nice front porch and 5 acres! It has a small barn that I am going to make SO cute and my horsies get to live with me All are happy, healthy, and sound! I just cannot wait. the horses gte moved in next monday (jul 31) and im starting to move in now. Its a dream come true! I am calling the farm Trinity Farm..in dedication to my three horses that have helped me keep it together haha. I am so glad to be back here on DA, I finally get to start drawing have ppl to show. Ive missed ya'll!