Horses, horses, horses...

I have been stuck on horse mode for the past weeks and haven't gotten to do much fun rood adventures so let me catch you up!

I went to the Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association's Winter Round-Up and did extremely well! I was the Champion of the 5/6 Non-Pro on my horse, Hip Hip Roo Rey. Not only did I win prize money but I got the sweetest compliments from spectators all day long.

My horse has a little back story, let me share it with you. I am really big into the best care possible for my equine athletes so I had quite a journey figuring out how to get Hip Hip Roo Rey comfortable, read along...

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Hip Hip Roo Rey.

In 2009 Ally Dual Rey gave birth to a flashy Hick Chicaroo stud colt. Ally was never shown because she could not stand up to the rigors of training. She had trouble relaxing under saddle or even in her stall, she would work up and not down, could not focus long enough to learn anything. She was retired to broodmare life before her name would ever be announced through a horse show microphone.

As Hip Hip Roo Rey started his 2 year old training program he proved to be his mother's son and also became more horse than anyone wanted to deal with. He was flat dangerous and was sent off to a ranch, not once but twice to put in long days and wet saddle blankets. Knowing his mother's history it was our only shot and we were willing to give it our all.

At the end of his 3 year old year he finally became a horse that was showing signs of talent that would be successful in the show pen. We had him shipped back home and started to teach this 3 coming 4 year old how to cut, just as if he was a 2 year old on day #1.

Mid way through his 4 year old year he finally was ready to take to a show. Central Coast Cutting Horse Association put on a show at the Hearst Ranch so we entered him up. He looked immature, intimidated and totally out of his league. That day he marked a 68 through experienced showmanship and kind judging. We kept entering him everywhere we went and he never won a nickel. This was expensive and often discouraging.

Throughout this process of seasoning him to become a show horse I noticed there was something always off about him. He seemed to be uncomfortable when I brushed him, after a hard work and even - weird as it sounds - a very diluted linament bath. Tying up was always something I was worried about him doing and it became so often I started researching what could be wrong with him.

Research made me take a look at what I was feeding him. I have experimented with everything. Every wive's tale, witch craft or indian remedy ever documented, expensive equine supplements, cheap feed store products and even human medicines to try to see a positive change in my little show horse. The year slipped by without a remedy and we were looking at year #5.

And then he got hurt, really bad. The poor little guy bruised his hocks so badly during my finals run at the PCCHA Winter Round Up that it sidelined him until September. What a bummer, it seemed like such a waste for this horse. As he was laid off, I focused harder on my research of what to give my horse to help him withstand the rigors of the show pen, both physically and mentally.

I stumbled across a product on the internet that sounded exactly what I had been looking for all along. Performance Equine Nutrition proudly showcased their MagRestore and Focus Equine products and I couldn’t help but feel like they were describing Hip Hip Roo Rey as they ticked off the symptoms. I learned that Hip Hip Roo Rey was most likely deficient in magnesium and most likely he was born that way, his mother also being deficient. MagRestore could be purchased in pellet form and it instantly relived me because I knew Hip Hip Roo Rey was a very picky eater. I scoured their website and became intrigued with their second product, Focus Equine. As it read, Focus Equine was not just your typical horse calmer that numbed your horse out but actually made one focus and think clearly enough to know it was safe and could work to it’s maximum potential. I ordered the both of them on the spot and asked for them to rush delivery.

Three days before Hip Hip Roo Rey had to walk to the herd at the Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Futurity he got his first dose of the MagRestore and Focus Equine. My husband noticed an immediate change in Hip Hip Roo Rey after just the first day. He felt him get softer, took schooling in the practice pen easier and more quickly, there was a spark in his eye that he had never had before. He developed this swagger that only really confident horses have and it seemed unbelievable that this could happen so quickly with the new products.

Hip Hip Roo Rey ended up with a very successful show. He won over $6000, Non-Pro 5/6 Finalist, with checks in the Open 5/6 Gelding, Novice and Non-Pro divisons as well. This was his largest money earning show to date. We knew it was the MagRestore and Focus Equine that gave him the winning edge.

We continue to feed Hip Hip Roo Rey both products and have started supplementing our entire show barn with Performance Equine Nutrition. We have found the supplements to be amazing quality, palatable for the horses and totally affordable. In addition to the terrific products we have found the knowledge and one on one care you get from the staff at Performance Equine to be top notch.

Hip Hip Roo Rey and I encourage you to take a moment to research the products of Performance Equine Nutrition – www.performanceequinenutrition.com - if any or some of what I have talked about could apply to one of your special equine friends.

Thank you Performance Equine Nutrition for allowing Hip Hip Roo Rey to be comfortable, competitive and totally relaxed. He has finally blossomed into the little champion we knew him to be the day that he was born!

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I hope you enjoyed my testimonial. If you have a horse or know of a horse that might benefit from any of these products please do not hesitate to try them! It will be the miracle you have been searching for!!

A day in the life...

A day in the life of Melissa Good Taste has been full steam ahead with short bursts of horses, work, researching American War history (my new favorite subject since watching American Sniper) and squeezing in family and friend time. This is what I have been up to lately...

I was fortunate enough to be able to make it to my girlfriend, Nichole's Birthday celebration last week at the Old Creek Winery in Ojai. Our usual group, plus a few new gals joined in for the fun and it was a blast getting caught up on all the details in everyone's lives.

We made it a kind of potluck setting, with each of us contributing a little something to the group. I of course made the Broccoli Salad. I love my version so much mostly because it contains mayonnaise, bacon, cheese and sunflower seeds. It really should not even called a salad with all those fun ingredients!

I mostly love this location because of the tree I shot in this photo. I hope it stands there forever. 

 Back at the ranch...

 Meanwhile at the ranch, Scott and I have been preparing the horses for a quick show this Friday in Paso Robles. We will bring a full load for Cowboy Ron, Scott and I to show. We just recently got magnets for the doors of our big truck proudly wearing the colors of Performance Equine, a company we are endorsing for our equine supplement needs. Scott will be packing the rig up again this Sunday and headed to Texas to the Bonanza NCHA Cutting in Glen Rose, Texas.

If not on a horse, Scott has been on a tractor - discing, planting and covering up seed. He has dreams of our pastures knee deep in green grass for our horses and cattle to enjoy. I give him a lot of props because it has been a time consuming task.

Last night I had the opportunity to try something I had never done before, I made Blackened Ahi. The Ahi Tuna was screaming at me from the seafood counter and I decided to give it a try. I usually am not a "blackened" anything fan, because my past experience with it always left me with just a "burnt" taste in my mouth. I decided to roll the dice and created my own blackening seasoning with a combination of paprika, garlic salt, onion powder, cayenne and sugar. I pressed the mixture into the flesh until it coated the filet completely. With a thin layer of oil in a pan, I quickly seared the fish, maybe a minute if that. It doesn't require much. I was amazed at the ease and most importantly the taste! It was perfect. This will be a go to option for warm summer nights when you dread any heat from the kitchen. 

I hope all of you out there are doing well and just as busy as I am. Days roll into weeks, and weeks rolled into a month that just blew by without the blink of an eye. Hello February!

Busy! Busy! Busy!

Omg. Where have I been? What have I been doing?! I cannot believe I have left my nice little blog alone for an entire week! I woke up everyday convincing myself I would create a post and by the end of the day I have been to tired to even attempt turning on the computer. Sheesh, time really does fly...

 Let me catch you up on what has been going on. Scott took a load of the show horses to show at a cutting in Paso Robles last week and did extremely well. Skipper, Ruben and Scotty all picked up checks in their respective classes. Unfortunately, we did not get to dine at one the many fine restaurants in the area because the horse show ran really late at night. It was a Taco Bell kind of night, I even treated myself to dessert! I love the Cinnamon Twists.

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Back at home, we have just been riding and working on the ranch. Cassie my three year old is coming along nicely and has the sweetest personality. I like that her look is original with grey coat that has black and white dapples.

Elvis is down in Southern California with me and he too is quite enjoyable.  He has packed on the pounds and is really handsome. I am having fun playing around with him.

And holy smokes I have been quite the Pintrester. It is mostly with all things home decor because I recently did my own home makeover. Nothing serious but I did rearrange a lot of rooms with furniture from different places in the house. I switched up paintings on the wall, picked up a few trinkets and had fun. I worked my magic while Scott was gone so he could be surprised when he got home. I think he liked it but I am sure he was glad I didn't re-create the rooms from my inspiration board. 

Tonight is date night! Chat later...

Cutting + Cheesecake - Arizona

Greetings y'all! This was pretty much my Arizona "Jump Start Your Year" Horse Show outfit. It was chilly willy in the mornings so you know I had on layer upon layer. Bloggin' from our Ford 650...

I couldn't stand not taking a photo of these two dudes. Bobby and Scott have been friends for over 20 years. I love this photo.

Lunch at the horse show took a few trial and error runs but by the last day we finally got it right. They had a Pulled Pork Comb - Which included a sandwich, fries and a soda. I asked for the bun to be left off so I could make it a forked up meal. With each bite I snagged some sweet pork, a french fry or two and had it sauced up with ketchup and mustard. Now that was a meal. Washed down with Mountain Dew. Oh ya...

And for dinner? Why not another chain? On the scale of chain hood I would say Cheesecake factory is on the higher end. I have always had a good meal here and always left totally satisfied.

For dinner I had the Salmon Genovese and it was amazing! I was so pleased with order and ate every single bite. The salmon was a wonderful medium rare and rested on a bed of pearl couscous. The pool of almond pesto was so tasty, I wish I ordered a side of it so I could eat it up with a spoon. The sun dried tomatoes, green beans and artichoke hearts were all vegetables I could deal with. Order this and order this now. Delicious!

 How can you go to the Cheesecake Factory and not get a piece of cheesecake?!  I decided to go with the original version and was perfectly happy. Sometimes the toppings mask the taste of the good, old fashioned cream cheese so I was happy with my decision on keeping it classic. I was supposed to share with the table but I think I mowed down the most of it.

I love the Cheesecake Factory!

Eating through Chains - AZ

Scott and I hit the road late Monday night for Arizona for a 5 day horse show. While he drove I curled up as best as I could and napped during our drive into the desert. As soon as Scott decided to pull off the highway for a break, I instantly woke up and jumped out of the truck.

He pulled into a McDonald's and I was starting to configure what I was going to order before I even got out of the truck. I knew for sure I would grab one of their delicious Coca Cola fountain sodas. What made them extra delicious anyway? The hash browns are a salty treat, so I definitely would grab one of those but what else...

I had never had a Bacon McGriddle so I decided to go for it. It was sweet and salty with the bites of egg, cheese and bacon. I was throughly impressed with this breakfast sandwich! I am not much of a breakfast lover so this made our stop pretty much a success. Have you tried a McGriddle?

In Arizona where we are staying, it is like chain restaurant city and there is nothing wrong with that. As much as I enjoy fine dining, I also like to eat at everyday type of restaurants. They aim to please and are affordable. I hadn't been to an Applebee's in awhile so I was actually looking forward to it.

Ah, the good old Oriental Chicken Salad with extra dressing. This salad has ben on their menu for as long as I can remember and it always has been good. The dressing is creamy, but totally unique. They could bottle it and probably survive off the profits of the dressing alone. The crispy chicken with bites of shredded carrot, sliced almonds and crunchy rice noodles are just to die for.

Who doesn't love Texas Roadhouse? Have you been to one? They are the restaurant responsible for teaching your children to just throw their used peanut shells on the floor. I never understood the concept but maybe it made people feel like they were at home? Who throws peanut shells just on the floor? Ok. I am done ranting about the peanut shells, but I enjoy the salty snack waiting for me at the table as soon as we are seated. 

I was in the mood for a frosty beverage and thought a frozen margarita was just the ticket. The margarita itself was blended perfectly smooth but the mix itself was much too tart. A couple sips of the frosty concoction would leave you puckering your cheeks up tight.

My meal at the roadhouse was a very simple one. Grilled Salmon, buttered corn and loaded mash potatoes not pictured. The salmon itself was nicely cooked, maybe a little touch over done to my taste but it was nicely seasoned so it made eating it very enjoyable. The bites of corn and mashed potato were great sides and I couldn't have left more satisfied.

What chain restaurant do you just love? 

Chico's Cafe - Paso Robles, CA

There is nothing like a great breakfast! My Mom and I were waking up from a night out in Paso Robles and decided to treat ourselves to a sit down breakfast in the town square. I have walked passed Chico's Cafe a million times on my way to other restaurants so I figured today was the day to give it a try.

 My Mom ordered the Huevos Rancheros and said it was very tasty. The eggs cooked to perfection, salsa flavorful and beans a perfect consistency. The only suggestion was to crisp up the corn tortillas before layering them on the plate. A little bit of texture on the plate goes a long way!

I always order the same breakfast where ever I go! I like the dessert like qualites of the pancakes slathered with butter and syrup. The pancakes were very nice. I liked that there was a hint of sweetness from extra sugar in the batter. The eggs were over easy and perfect for dipping my sweet pancakes in for a savory blast. I like my bacon crispy and it came out just so.

A great breakfast place can be hard to find but look no further in Paso Robles. Their dinner menu sounded fantastic as well, with prices being totally affordable. A return visit will be in the works!

PCCHA Wrap Up - Paso Robles, CA

The Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association has come to a close but let me catch you up on what happened in the last few days of our event... The San Juan Ranch so kindly sponsored a Dinner and Draw Party for the Finalists of the major events left in competition. The view and building was absolutely stunning!

Thank you for everything! 

The party was held after I had just finished showing in one of my finals on my horse Scotty. My run was going really great until a naughty cow took me out of the class. I didn't let it faze me and continued to show my horse really well. I know I have a really good horse so I left the arena smiling and blessed to be given the opportunity to show him.

They had so much food at the party! My favorite was this appetizer section of crackers, cheese, salami, olives, nuts and fried shrimp. I love to eat a variety of bite sized snacks! It makes cocktail hour easy for communication with all our horse show friends! 

They were even hand passing the little morsels of goodness! We felt like royalty, the San Juan Ranch pulled out all the stops. 

 As if we didn't eat enough already, dinner was served! A whole array of tri-tip, chicken, beans, sauteed vegetables, french fries, salads, fruit and rolls were on display. I took a little of each and balanced my full plate outside to grab a seat.

My posse of Cowboy Ron, my mom and Scott all decided we would grab a seat next to the fountain. It was beautiful and it gave us room and the super packed house. This was the place to be!

 My plate was a unorganized mix of all the selection but I happily indulged! Everything was exceptionally good but my really favorite was the chicken! The skin was really crispy and perfectly seasoned!

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The next night was the night of the OPEN FUTURITY!

 Cowboy Ron and i grabbed our seats and watched Scott show his little horse, CD Skipper, in the field of 19 horses. She is such a cute little horse and she held all of her cows. Good work Skipper!

Scott ended up 11th and received a nice paycheck and buckle for his efforts!

 The next day, it was my turn.... I had to walk down to the herd and show my stuff. I knew I had to compete against a lot of great horses and riders so I was just happy to be there. My performance was not the most desirable but I got the job done, I didn't lose any cows and I showed like I wanted to win. I was rewarded for my efforts and ended up 4th place in the Non Pro Futurity and 2nd the 200,000 Limited Futurity. 

I had a tremendously successful show. I have never won so much money at an event like this in my life! My horses worked like they were supposed to, my parents great support and assistance from Scott and Russ made it all possible. On my drive home yesterday all I could think of was just how blessed I am.

 I will never forget this experience.

La Cosecha - Paso Robles, CA

Sorry bloggers! I have not been trying to ignore you but I have been busy doing the cowgirl thing at the PCCHA Futurity. It seems like my days go by fast, fast and then I go to sleep just to do it all again! I was lucky enough to have my three year old, Metallic Tears make the Open Intermediate Finals and Open Gelding Stakes with Russ Elrod so my mom and I had to go to lunch to celebrate!

 My mom is cute! She seriously is the #1 fan of cutting horses! Especially my horses! 

La Cosecha is located in the downtown square area of Paso Robles and hosts an outdoor and indoor dining area. Their food features mostly Latin cuisine and in tapas sized options.

 We  both were excited enough to want to cheers with an adult beverage so I ordered Tolosa Chardonnay and she went for one of La Cosecha's featured Bloody Mary's.

I went for the White Fish Special and asked to be served mashed potatoes served with it. The fish was cooked perfectly and the mashed potatoes were stunningly delicious. They should be able to be ordered by the bowl. The white wine, heirloom tomato and caper sauce that the fish was topped with was terrific as well.

The braised and grilled pork ribs caught my eye and I was glad to get in a bite off my mom's plate. They were totally fall off the bone tender, in fact it was a dish to be eaten delicately with a fork. It was featured saying it was to come with black beans but it was served with rice only much to my mom's delight!

My horse ended up doing great in the finals winning about $8000! I was so proud everytime he walked down to the herd for his performance! We have been having such a good show!

It is now my turn to deliver, I have made the finals on my horse, Hip Hip Roo Rey (Scotty) in the Non-Pro Classic Challenge and in the Non-Pro Futurity and Gelding Stakes on Metallic Tears (Elvis). I am so blessed and couldn't be more thankful to my family for being so supportive! my husband for coaching me through everything... and all my helpers! It takes a village!!

Odyssey World Cafe - Paso Robles, CA

I was so happy to have a little fan club last week during our stay at the Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association's Futurity. My cousin, Shannon, brought her little baby for me to play with and I was so excited to meet Brooke. She is so pretty! She took a nap during the cutting and then we decided to stroll off the grounds to get some lunch.

We decided to go somewhere kind of casual and that has pretty quick service just in case Brooke decided it was time to go! I mentioned Odyssey and Shannon had never been so we decided that was the place to go.

 At the counter as we ordered I saw a Carrot Curry Soup as the special and I jumped all over that. It sounded exotic and it was. I liked that it had the Indian spices that I have been craving lately since my visit to the Himalayan restaurant in Ventura.  

I also ordered a Salmon Salad complete with feta, red peppers, eggplant and pine nuts. It was the perfect lunch for visiting! I like taking bites of food and then getting involved in conversation. Salads are perfect for that! But, to be totally honest, I ate most everything on the plate besides the lettuce!

I talked Shannon into the French Dip because I have had it before and knew she would like it. She bounced Brooke on her lap in between bites and commented on the delicious bread made in house. 

For an easy, quick and affordable meal go to Odyssey and enjoy a meal from around the world!