Weather and Prep Work

We’ve had gorgeous weather the last few days. I get a little spoiled doing chores in 80 degree weather. And to think, it’s only the end of April. In years past, I would still be in my coveralls and here I am wandering around in shorts.

Unfortunately, the nice weather only lasts a few days around these parts. A cold front is already moving in this morning. I haven’t paid close attention to the weather but I’ll have to tonight to make sure I know when to put a sheet on Queen. She’s the only one I worry about getting wet. She doesn’t have the ability to warm up and dry off. I need to go in search of Rabbit’s sheet she managed to take off. I keep forgetting to go look for it in her pasture. Apparently she’s not the type of girl who requires a massive wardrobe.

I had thought about pulling Maverick out and working him last night but I opted to work on the pasture instead. I know it’s only the end of April but the grass isn’t coming back as quickly or as thickly as I’d like. So Mike and I headed out to the pasture to do a little bit of fertilizing. I don’t think we can afford to have someone come in every year and fertilize it so we are trying to come up with a solution that is in our price range. I think we may have come up with something but it’ll take a little bit of fabricating to get it to work. I’ll leave that part of the problem for Mike to solve. I cause the problems, and he fixes them! Works for me anyway! I’ve been meaning to spread even just one little bag of fertilize on a small portion of the pasture for a couple of weeks now. I don’t know how much good it’ll actually do but I’m willing to try just about anything these days.

I need to spend tomorrow afternoon/evening getting Zeke and the trailer ready for this weekend’s Handi-Rider/Horse Power Horse Show. The drill team is performing and I think I’ll try my hand at a couple of classes. All proceeds go to Horse Power so no qualms at helping out such a good organization. Unfortunately, the weather is supposed to be nasty but at least we’ll be inside so it won’t be a bother. I’d rather have nasty weather outside so I don’t feel guilty about staying inside for an entire day. We are supposed to have a trail ride on Sunday but we’ll see what the weather is like and if I can handle a second day on horseback.

Knock on wood, it’s been pretty quiet at Borderlands. I’m sure I’ll jinx myself for saying that. It’s nice having some quiet downtime after so much hubbub last year. I think this is a year to recoup and re-center my focus and spirit so that we can go in with guns blazing next year. Rescue/sanctuary work is mentally and emotionally exhausting and it’s not an easy job (although I’m sure it looks like it from the outside looking in).

I’m about ready to pull Jim off my watch list. Once he’s on pasture, I’ll definitely pull him off my watch list. The beet pulp has helped put the weight back on and I think the pasture will top him out and he’ll be plump again. I put Zeke on the watch list only because he burns through so many calories during drill team practice and performances. He’s pretty much had an entire month off and will have had only one ride since the Horse Fair. His past is going to catch up to him faster than others. How anyone could have starved him, I’ll never know. All I can say is that I’m glad I wasn’t witness to his starving. Makes me angry just thinking about it.

Bo is still on my watch list and probably always will. Queen is also on the watch list permanently. She’s going downhill a little bit but I think once she’s out on pasture, she’ll perk right up. She was made at me last night that I didn’t let her out on the grass while we were in the pasture. Thor is also on the watch list but what I’m seeing now is simply what he’ll look like from now on. Age is starting to catch up with him. I am pulling Babe from the watch list. She is fat and sassy. Of course, she keeps her head buried in the round bale 24x7 these days so it’s hard to justify keeping her on any watch list.

Mike went out last night and groomed down a majority of the horses. I’m sure some of the horses were in heaven getting groomed. The winter coats are flying these days. Even Rain, who never had a decent winter coat, is shedding out what little he has left.

Unfortunately, Skippy is NOT shedding out. He’s still a walking furball. I asked the vet a couple years ago if there was something wrong with Skippy. He said some horses just don’t shed out very well. I hope it doesn’t get too hot too fast for him. But we may break down and shave him. Depending on if Babe sheds out more, we may have to clip her too. I haven’t had her tested but I have a feeling she has cushings. I need to do a bit of research on it to see what I can do to improve her condition, if anything. But I expect Mike and I will be practicing our shaving skills early summer on those two.

I’ve also started Skippy on his antihistamine medicine. It’s different than the antihistamine that Rabbit is on for her heaves. Skippy is on medicine to help with itching. Every year it seems to get worse. He’ll itch the hair right off his face, neck, and chest. No one else has the issue so it’s nothing contagious or dangerous to the herd. It’s just something Skippy has. I’ve already noticed that he’s rubbed the winter fur off his face. Hopefully the medicine will start working fast. Otherwise, I may go in search of a gigantic bottle of calamine lotion and see if that works. I’ve tried aloe vera but that doesn’t do anything. I’ve also tried nitrufurizone, which seems to help just a little bit. I want to nip it in the bud immediately so I’m willing to try anything.

I’m hoping the weatherman is wrong about the weather. I don’t mind a little bit of rain but I hope it’s a warm rain. There’s simply too much to get done before this weekend to have nasty weather.