Picture Night

I realized just today that I haven't taken any horse pictures since Memorial Weekend. I'll have to go out some morning or evening when the light is just right. The herd is all slicked out and in their summer coats. I love it when they are nice and shiney.

I've been too tired lately to get much down around here. So instead, I'll leave you with pictures from Memorial Weekend.

I couldn't resist throwing in a few relaxing pictures from our quick getaway out to the Black Hills. I secretly called it my mini-honeymoon since we didn't get one when we first got married. Now that the weather is hot (at least for me anyway), looking at waterfalls is relaxing and cooling. Hope you enjoy.

Roughout Falls 

 Spearfish Falls

Another Farrier Night

We had another farrier night last night. I was exhausted before we started (and not feeling all that great) but at least two out of the three behaved themselves like old pros (which they are). My farrier was rather tickled with both Jim and Zeke. I sure wish the rest of the herd was like that. Perhaps this winter I’ll have more time and energy to get a few of the problem children to act like old pros.

Jim decided that he wasn’t going to play nice after the farrier visit. He ended up staying out in the pasture alone because he refused to come back in to the drylot. I guess that’s what I get for catching him when he was the only one up by the barn in the afternoon.

We also had the farrier work on Maverick. He’s got a crack I’m worried about. Unfortunately, he didn’t behave himself. I really need to work with him because I have a feeling that crack is going to persist until I can get a shoes on his front feet. The way things stand right now, shoes aren’t an option because Maverick won’t stand still. He amuses himself when standing tied and because he thought he was standing tied during the trim, he used me as his amusement. Maverick likes to put his nose on stuff and then rub it back and forth. He decided that my arm would be that “stuff”. Noses are supposed to be soft and velvety but after about 30 times of going back and forth on my arm, Maverick’s nose didn’t feel so soft and velvety!

After the farrier left, I figured I would move the ponies around so I could let them out on the lawn for the day. I should have held off. I was already too tired to mess with the fences but did it anyway. I was worried the thunderstorm would ruin my plans. Nope, not the thunderstorm, the darn ponies. I went to put them in a different pen while I moved fences around. Skippy managed to push the corral panel out enough for both he and Tommy to escape. It’s the same pen they escaped over the weekend. I should have known better. Luckily they stayed in the half way fenced in area until we went to put them back in the pen. Then Tommy decided he was going to blow through the electric. It wasn’t on and I think he knew it. The electric fence is going on tonight! It’s a good thing Skippy is so much easier to handle. I was able to grab Skippy and Tommy followed us into the barn. Mike and I fixed the pen and I decided the ponies would have to stay in the “timeout pen” all day today until I could fix the fence and get the electric fencer hooked up.

By the time I finished with chores, it was dark and I was beyond exhausted. I simply don’t have the energy or the stamina to get everything done like I used to. I’m hoping I’ll be back to my normal self in a short period of time so that I can tackle some of the bigger projects still on my list. But until then…

We’ll just see how tonight goes.

Busy

It’s farrier day today if the rain holds out. We had one wicked storm roll through this morning. Luckily it rolled through early enough so that I could stay in bed, although I did contemplate going out to let the big herd into the pasture before the storm hit. I wasn’t sure how long it would last. Glad I waited because I missed getting drenched.

I realized today that I haven’t posted much this month and it’s already the middle of June! Unfortunately, not much is going on at Borderlands. Work is running me ragged. By the time I get home, I’m simply too tired to do much. Now that the big herd is out on pasture, my chores are cut down drastically.

I’m hoping to get the ponies out on grass this week. They’ve been out enough to graze all day and come in during the night. It’s just a matter of finding the time and energy to move the temporary electric fence around. I doubt it’ll happen this week. Every night this week, Mike and I have something going on (sometimes horse related, and sometimes not).

Mike surprised me with a mini-honeymoon over the weekend so we weren’t around to get anything done. It was relaxing to get away from the place even for just a day or two. Although we did get a phone call from Mom Saturday asking if I had intended on leaving the ponies out on the lawn. Umm, no. Apparently Skippy decided he didn’t want to be in that pen anymore and pushed the panel out. Luckily they behaved and followed Mom into the barn with no fuss.

When I went to check on the herd after getting home, the big herd was nearby. I didn’t have the energy to wander through the drylot and out to the pasture, so I just stood and watched them from the mares’ pasture. Bo saw me first and made his way over to see me. Of course Zeke is attached to Bo so he came over too. Then King decided that he needed to see what was going on. Because Dude is the jealous type, he decided that it was his turn to get the attention and Chaos followed out of curiosity. Maverick tried to get some attention too. I know the rest of the herd would have been willing to come up and say hello too had Dude not been in the way. It was such a nice Welcome Home greeting from the herd; makes me love them that much more. I definitely am spoiled.

Last night we had drill team practice. Unfortunately, I’m grounded from riding for a little while. I sure do miss it but I think Zeke is enjoying his “vacation.” I really want to get Bo into drill team too. Maybe this fall I’ll be able to work with those two to get them back into shape.

I’m not sure how much more I’ll post this week. I’m so far behind with the paying job that there’s not much time to do much after a long day at work. I’ll be glad when life slows down a little so I can play catch-up. I’m hoping if I can get caught up in one area, that I can focus my attention on another area and get that caught up too. We have so much to do this summer and it’s already the middle of June. I’m nowhere near getting anything accomplished this summer. If I can find a few minutes, I may try to post a few pictures from our trip this past weekend.

Ghandi

I was reading another blog, The 7MSN Ranch. She quoted Ghandi and I thought it fitting to remind people of the saying also.


The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. -Ghandi

Enough said.

Best Gelding Herd in the World

I have the best gelding herd in the world! In years past, when I would walk out into the pasture, the gelding herd would scatter. Not any more. Now, they come right up to me (or passed me to the drylot) even with no incentive like grain or treats.

Last night the farrier was out to trim Tommy, Skippy, King., and Rain. I didn't get the chance to pull King before the farrier showed up so I had to scurry out and catch King. What do you know, he's at the far corner of the pasture passed the little creek. I have been too tired to walk down and check on the little creek to see if it's dried up or still a muddy mess. I think it's dry based on the clean hooves that ran through it.

It took less than five minutes of hollering for the boys before they decided to come and see what I was up to. I'll definitely say it is a little unnerving to have ten horses galloping up a hill right at you. At one point, I thought Dude was going to run me over. But my boys know better and swerved at the last minute. I swear they like playing chicken with me. Problem is, I don't budge. I am Boss Mare. If you want something, you'll have to go around me. If I want something, you'll have to move.

Because King is so fat, he stopped loping up the hill half way and just trotted passed me. I wasn't sure if I would be able to catch him but he was pretty good. His only concern was someone coming up behind him and biting him in the butt (that darn Maverick).

By the time the farrier was done with King, half the herd was back out into the pasture. So we missed out on trimming Zeke but we'll catch him next week along with Maverick. We need to schedule an appointment with the chute and the farrier to get Thor trimmed up.

After the farrier left and I had some time out of the sun, I headed back out to do chores. I figured I would have a hard time getting the big herd to come back in after having them come up earlier in the evening. Zeke and Maverick were already and up and Dude was on his way. I was able to coax everyone back in even without grain or hay. I really do have the best gelding herd in the world. No treats, no grain, no incentive other than a pat on the nose and a "hello and good evening" to each one.

I had just enough daylight after going back out to do chores to worm everyone too. I'm so far behind. I should have done it months ago but it took until last night. So now we are at least caught up on that aspect. Everyone was really good except for Bo. Bo really worked me over trying to worm him. Whoever had him before really mentally screwed him up. He's not headshy until you go to messing with his mouth. Bridling him is an effort and giving him wormer is a workout. I can give him a hug and a kiss on the nose and he's perfectly fine. I guess it's another thing I'll have to work on. The others that I thought would give me problems didn't. We'll see what happens the next time though.

I've also realized that I have the craziest filly in the world. I've been letting Queen, Rabbit, and Mayhem graze by the red shed. Wouldn't you know, that darn Mayhem would rather eat hay from the round bales or the hay I toss for evening meals rather than the grass. Here she has all the grass she could possibly eat and she'd rather eat hay. I'm planning on putting those three out on pasture this weekend so I wont' have to throw any more hay to them. I'm still working the ponies up to it but I have to be brave and actually leave the ponies out on the lawn for a day with electric on before I feel comfortable. I need to do that during a weekend so I can keep an eye on them.

It's supposed to be a scorcher this weekend. Hopefully Rain is smart enough to get in out of the sun for a little while. I still worry about him. We had him trimmed last night and the sweat was starting to pour off of him and it wasn't that bad. He will always be more senstive to heat. I expect he had heat stroke at one point. Now that we are in summer with temps in the 80s, he'll be "on leave" and not be ridden until the temps drop down to the 70s for the highs. I am thinking of ordering him a flysheet to see if the sunlight would reflect off the white sheet rather than be soaked into his black coat. I'm willing to try anything to keep him comfortable. My only hope is that no one demolishes the sheet. The other night we threw a blanket on Queen because she was wet and cold. She managed to demolish that good blanket. I'm not sure it's even repairable. I've discovered I can't have anything nice. I'm going to have to go through the different tubs and take an inventory to see what blankets and sheets we have left and who needs what. Always money going out and always no money coming in. I guess that's what happens when you take care of horses!

Happy Anniversary

It's hard for me to believe that two years ago today I married my best friend, the love of my life. What an amazing day and what am amazing two years we've had. I have truly been blessed.

I'll leave you with just a few pictures from our special day.

Rambling

Where to begin? The last few days have been a blur.  I feel like I'm playing catchup and not doing a very good job. The big herd is out on pasture so now I can focus my attention on getting the ponies, Rabbit, and Mayhem adjusted to grass. I've had all four of them out on grass a little bit these last few days. It's so nice to watch them graze.

I had Rabbit and Mayhem in with the ponies yesterday but they decided to take the fence down and eat closer to the red shed. I had to fix the fence and decided to let them eat where they were instead of fight them. Turns out, Mayhme put herself back in the pen when she was done eating and Rabbit checked out the hay shed and grass by the hay barn before snoozing on the concrete by the blind pen. I really want to get Rabbit on grass to help with her heaves. Every year they flare up and even the AntiHist doesn't seem to do much now.

Queen coliced again last night. I pulled her out to eat grass last night and saw her down. I thought maybe she just rolled (although she very rarely does). Mike walked by not long after that and said she was down again. So she once again coliced. I'm starting to think it's the hay. We pushed a bale in on Friday and she coliced on Sunday. She'd only had about two mouthfuls of grass so it wasn't the grass. I have to go back through the Facebook posts. Someone suggested something to try or look into and I'm drawing a blank. I'm willing to try anything. But I need to face the facts that she is 34 years old and wont' live forever. She's lost a lot of weight. My only way to get the weight back is to start graining her twice a day, which is the plan. But if she doesn't pick up the weight by this fall, we will have to consider the alternatives.

She could have been colicy earlier this weekend but Mike and I snuck away for a mini vacation for the weekend. I had such high hopes that everything would be fine when we returned. I guess not. Teach me to try and sneak away for a break from all the stresses as of late.

Speaking of stresses, I can't seem to catch up. Work has me buried and by the time I finally get home, I'm too exhausted to do much with the horses. There's so much I need to do with them and yet, I can't seem to find the energy to do more than pull the big herd in from the pasture and throw hay to the others. I'll be so happy when I don't have to throw hay and just pull horses in from the pastures for the night. I'm sure to get spoiled when that time comes.

The boys are getting used to coming up for the evening. I am getting rather spoiled about it. All I have to do is yell out to the herd and someone comes up. Of course, I try to give each of them a little treat for coming up so I don't have to convince them all to come up. I'm not sure if they missed me while I was gone this past weekend. It sure seemed like it but maybe I'm reading too much into it. I know I sure missed the "kids".

I probably won't post much more this week. The paying job has me so busy I am not sure if I'm coming or going these days. What little time I do have, I want to spend with the "kids," so if I don't post much here or on Facebook, it's not that we aren't around, it's just that I'm trying to get things accomplished and it's just the boring day-to-day activities going on.