Kismet Performance Horses

12/24/2025

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the ranch, every creature was stirring as the cows had been given carte blanche.
The hay was stashed by the barn with care, while the cows were certain they’d been issued a dare.

The horses were nestled all snug in their stalls,
While visions of apples danced off the barn walls.
The dogs in their blankets, the cats in the loft,
Had just settled down after barking aloft.

When out in the pasture there rose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bunk to see what was the matter!
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Nearly tripped on a feed pan and slipped in the mash.

The moon on the frost of the wide-open plain
Gave the luster of midday to hoofprint and mane.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a herd of bold cattle with mischief and cheer.
With bellies full round and expressions so smug,
They’d busted the gate and went straight for the grain, ugh!

I knew in a moment, as they munched without fear,
Those cows took “carte blanche” far too literal this year. 🎄🐄

-a Christmas “story of my life,” brought to you by late nights with a newborn 🤣 wishing you all a merry Christmas! May your gates stay latched and your creatures outmatched!

12/20/2025

About a month after my first was born, I had a long fought for and much needed back surgery. So I was kind of forced to stay on the ground for a good 8 weeks. This time around, there’s been no stopping me 😆 it’s been a very different journey for me so far, both pre and postpartum, without the “proud” screws stabbing into my nerves. I’ve actually been able to enjoy it and feel all the things without the constant pain. While the weight of pregnancy was hard on the angry discs in my back, the first couple of weeks after were straight magical. Have you heard of relaxin? It’s a hormone our bodies make during pregnancy to keep our joints loose. It stays in your system for a couple weeks postpartum and after that experience I’ve got to say, they need to start bottling and selling relaxin! My body had never felt better, my hips were loose, my spine wasn’t stiff, my knees weren’t creaking, my ankles were no longer a reliable source for predicting the weather, annnnnd then 2.5 weeks in the hormone ran out of my system right as the first wintery storms hit and I feel like I got a dump truck of arthritis dropped on me 🤣 back to feeling my age and hard mileage, but it was good while it lasted and gave me a feel for my fitness goals for the year while I keep rehabbing this body!

12/18/2025

We’ve been following local cowgirl Onnika’s healing journey since hearing about her horse wreck here in Paradise a few weeks ago. We saw the ranch rigs and cowboy hats at Renown while I was there having Patrick, and it made my heart ache for this family to have to be there under such different circumstances. It’s been a slow but miraculous recovery thus far, but she’s had some set backs during her travels to a care facility, please keep Onnika and her family in your prayers.

12/18/25 - Day 24!
❤️ Evening Update ❤️

Onnikka spiked a low-grade fever this afternoon but we were able to get it under control. They are going to do another CT scan this evening as they continue to look for the exact source of the sepsis. GI doctors checked her PEG tube — it’s slightly loose but nothing definitive yet. They restarted her tube feeds at a very low rate late this afternoon to see how she tolerates it. The good news is she was very alert this afternoon. ❤️ Thank you all for the continued prayers and support. 💙
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🙏Morning Update🙏

The Lord sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness.” Psalm 41:3

Onnikka was moved into the ICU around 5:30 this morning. It’s been a scary night, but there are some encouraging signs.

Her white blood count has been fluctuating (1300 when leaving Craig, up to 2300 overnight, and 1500 this morning). She did spike a high fever around 5 a.m. (104.3), but it’s down to 100.6 this morning with treatment.

Her lungs are sounding good. Respiratory therapy has been in to suction her lungs and will continue working with her throughout the day. She is still septic, likely from the flu or pneumonia. Her chart shows she previously had a staph pneumonia while in Reno. She’s on very strong antibiotics right now, and doctors feel they are starting to wipe out the infection.

Specific Prayer Requests:
• Healing: Complete healing from sepsis, pneumonia, and any remaining infection
• Fever & Infection: That her fever would stay down and the antibiotics would fully eradicate the infection
• Lungs & Breathing: Continued strong lung function and reduced oxygen needs
• Strength & Rest: Deep, restorative rest and renewed strength for her body
• Medical Team: Wisdom, clarity, and discernment for every doctor, nurse, and therapist
• Peace: God’s peace to surround her and our entire family.

Thank you for all the prayers, love, and support. They truly mean everything to us. ❤️

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

12/18/2025

“If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” -Dolly Parton

I did need my arena watered 🙌🏼 the many rainbows of the day were just an added bonus 🌈

12/16/2025

Super cute bunkhouse available in Paradise Valley NV. Fully furnished, two queen beds (one in the loft), has private laundry, bathroom, and kitchen. Looking to house a part time loper and/or babysitter 😆 family oriented ranch, ideal position for somebody with a remote job and some spare time who doesn’t want to have to pay rent/utilities! For now it’s a few set hours a day in exchange for housing, pay on top if you want to keep going after set hours have been reached, with the opportunity for it to become a full time paid position come spring when we’re back in full swing!

12/15/2025

In honor of National Cupcake Day, she got to be my first postpartum pattern 🧁🥳🤩 I haven’t been around a barrel in about three months and Cupcake hasn’t been on them since last year! She had me grinning from ear to ear and giggling like a kid on a pony ride 😆 now when’s the next barrel race?!?

12/15/2025

‘Tis the season, and we have our first victim 😭 after years of soggy winters we’ve got the abscess protocol down pat: sugar + betadine, wrap with a diaper & duct tape, and wait. These horses are always preaching patience to me 😆

12/14/2025

All of the volunteers come out on farrier day 🐶

12/14/2025

Even I have a hard time remembering he’s not even a year old yet, because JUST LOOK AT THIS BABY!!! 😱 Copy is not a small guy, Sweetness is just an absolute beast at 10 months old!

12/14/2025

RESERVE 👏🏼 WORLD 👏🏼 CHAMPIONS 👏🏼 👏🏼 👏🏼
Who’s feeling inspired? 🙋🏽‍♀️ what an amazing year they’ve had 🤩

12/14/2025

Sweetness is sending out the best of luck to his daddy in round 10! This has been one of the most exciting NFR’s to watch, Adios and Tricia have been amazing all week long and we can’t wait to see how the week ends!

12/13/2025

“Jealousy is an ugly emotion.” In and out of the arena!

How much for the flashy golden palomino?

He’s not for sale.

Every horse has his price.

Not this one.

NFR rookie Tricia Aldridge bought Adios Pantalones as a weanling prospect. He was just a baby.

At 5, Adios is still just a baby. He’s also the winningest barrel racing stallion of all time. And he and Aldridge are just getting warmed up.

But seriously, back off with the offers. He’s not for sale. Tricia’s already turned down more than $10 million for her beautiful baby boy.

“I didn’t even consider taking it,” she said. “I can’t spend that money in prison. And the first time I see somebody jerk on him in the warmup pen, I’m going to be in prison.”

Aldridge and Adios have won two rounds and placed in five others here at their first NFR, for $156,080 already in the bank riding into Round 10 tonight. And they’re fourth in the average right now, even with a barrel down in Round 6.

“It feels amazing,” Tricia said after that first victory lap in Round 4. “I knew Adios could do it. He’s been super strong, and my team has been doing an amazing job in the back taking care of him. I joke that he feels like King Kong back there.”

I have been Adios’ mom for a long time, so I’m used to him being more popular than me.”

They struck again in Round 8.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all, because of Adios,” Tricia beamed. “I was really proud of him for taking care of us tonight. He feels amazing, and has stayed so rock solid for me. Adios is a real-life unicorn.”

Tricia talks to her “best boy” coming up the alley, and tells him, “you’re a champion, buddy.” His post-run reward of choice is blueberry Pop Tarts.

If every child was raised with as much love and positivity as this priceless palomino prince, this world would be a happier place. Don’t care for her wild, one-of-a-kind hat? Make jokes about her spilling bleach on it? Don’t like her hashtag, or her willingness to wear it all out there on her sleeve and talk publicly about it—all of it? The joke’s on you.

I don’t yet know Tricia Aldridge personally, but my very strong hunch is that her haters don’t know her either. She dares to be different, and they don’t like that. Why? Variety is the spice of life, folks.

My personal style is Plain Jane, but I can hardly wait to see what Tricia and Adios are wearing when they come flying into that Thomas & Mack Arena in Round 10 tonight—blonde hair flying on the both of them. Tricia and her World Champion Barrel Racer friend Fallon Taylor coordinated 10 outfits for them. Yes, Adios has a personal stylist, too. I was here to witness the blowback Fallon got for things to what Tricia hears about now, including wearing a helmet and being a smart businesswoman. Silliness.

I will leave you with a quote from my old friend Ty Murray. Being King of the Cowboys comes with a bull’s-eye on your back. And during his reign of rodeo terror, I remember it hurting my feelings more than it did his. I would ask him why in the world people would spout lies about him and take cheap shots at him. He would look me in the eye and calmly remind me, “Toots, jealousy is a very ugly emotion.” Ty has thicker skin than a rhinoceros, and it has served him well.

Keep living your best life, Tricia and Adios. You’ve built a beautiful one, and it’s better than most.

Thank You, Las Tunas Performance Horses + Reliance Ranches, for letting me be me!!