Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

It was our kid's first experience with pumpkin carving ... he LOVED the "guts."  We fed pumpkin chunks to Rhulain (she loved them) and to the goat (she warmed up to them).  

All in all, a great day!

Rhu Teaches Me Another Lesson

29 minutes - 1.15 miles - Rhulain

Rhulain and I walked about half a mile before I hopped in the saddle and asked her take me home.  

Had an issue with her racing towards home.  Anytime she went faster than asked, I had her do circles until we were at a pace I liked. Then we moved forward.  Took three or four circles, but we settled on a pace that we both liked. 

I fed her as soon as she was untacked. It dawned on me that the hustle home issue was me, not Rhu.  If I feed immediately upon returning home, of course she's going to hurry.  Sigh.

Thanks for the lesson Rhu.  I appreciate her willingness to be patient with my stupidity.

Got home early today!

34 minutes - 1.22 miles - Rhulain
30 minutes - 0.93 miles - Wasabi

We were asked to leave work early today because the final presidential debate was being held three miles from our office, and the roads were going to be closed.  Go home?! No problem!  I raced straight home, grabbed Rhu, did a few minutes of ground work, then saddled up and headed out.

We were having a great time and neither one of us wanted to go home. Every time I steered us towards home, Rhu would angle back out to the open area.  I agreed in spirit, but had to pick up the kid, so I couldn't comply.  Rhu had lined up perfectly to allow me to open and latch the gate. A little sad, I closed the front gate behind us, rubbed and hugged her, then put her away. 

LOVE these photos ... gave the kid a granola bar and Wasabi was pleading for a bite.  The kid was completely baffled as to the attention, but sure wasn't giving up his snack.  I gave her some of my granola and headed over to the trailer.

Wasabi wasn't sure, but she was willing to stick her fronts in if asked.  We worked for a few minutes and I was content with the progress.  We headed off for a walk, though there was lots of tail wringing and pushing forward.  She's forgotten her manners and needed a few reminders. All in all, not bad.

Happy to Oblige

26 minutes - 1.11 miles - Rhulain

Rhu called out to me as my car pulled in the front gate.  She fixed me with an intent gaze and late me know she was ready for a walk.  So, I changed clothes and went out to oblige.  She hung her head over her rails and waited for me to affix the halter and head out for fun.

We trucked out to the sand dunes and stood for a while watching the world go by and the sun slink behind the mountains. I'm glad she asked to go out, I really enjoyed doing absolutely nothing with Rhu.

Mondays with Morgan ... and Sundance

23 minutes - 0.53 miles - Morgan & Kid, Sundance

 Bill asked me to pick the kid up today because he needed to purchase a new water heater.  No worries.  I picked him up and he asked if he could go for a horse ride.  Wait, what?! Of course we can go for a ride!  I decided to take Sundance since we wouldn't be going off property and she needed to stretch her legs a bit.

Morgan has the patience of a saint, I swear.  Look at him brings those reins all the way to his chin although she had already stopped.  I will give him credit, he dropped those reins like they were on fire when I asked him to put them down.  We worked on turning right and left with rein aids and he was able to keep Morgan from dropping her muzzle in the feed bins as we passed by.  Not bad!

After untacking everyone, I hopped on Morgan and had her walk me to the mare motel because, yes, I am that lazy.  Plus it's nice to see where her brain is after he rides.  She's in heat and partially grouchy, but quick to listen to leg aids.  Good girl Morgie.

I fed everyone and then headed to the goat pen to check on Lips' wound.  She came right over for snuggles.  She's funny ... I held the camera and said "who's a pretty goat?" ... she promptly mugged for a picture.  Cleaned out her wound and gave her some raspberries with her dinner.  She's going to be ok, but she's certainly nervous about the dogs now, which is sad.

Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad, No Good Day

Today was de-worming day for the horses.  Four of the five were no problem. But Sundance made up for the ease of the other four.  Sigh.  She kept burying her muzzle into my arms and looked so sad.  After 20 minutes of patient touch, retreat, pet/rest, repeat we were able to get her to take the medicine.  I exited her stall and she shoved her big ol noggin up next to my face and proceeded to lick my ear.  Apparently, she was thanking me for the extra effort.  

The goat was playing tag with the doberman.  For some obscure reason our other dog Bosco decided to join in the game and bit the goat on the tail.  I had to smack him on the head with a shovel to get him to release.  Lips took off running, and Bosco chased clamping down on her butt cheek.  I ran after them and smacked Bosco again to get him to release, then had to get between the two of them so she could make it back to her stall.  I locked her in and went to get the first aid kit.  When I returned I saw the blood trails on her cover, and about started crying.  I love that girl and was upset she got hurt on my watch.  I cleaned her wounds as best as I could, then snuggled her and apologized before dog-proofing the goat pen.

I got Rhu a new saddle pad and had her try it on for me.  When I went in the tack shed to grab her headstall, the doberman spooked her and she took off running around the yard with him hot on her heels. She jumped the panels that had just been taken down and cleared them quite beautifully before running back to the safety of the mare motel.  I did some ground work to settle her, trailer loaded her, and then put on her headstall and took her for a quick lap just to test the saddle pad fit.

All in all, not a spectacular day.  The wind made it impossible to ride, the dogs were flat out stupid, goat got injured, neighbor's dog got in our yard (again), and if that weren't enough ... the water heater went out so I couldn't take a shower to get the day's sand out of my ears.  Sigh.

Moving Day

This is now the view from my front porch ... Sundance, Rhulain, and Wasabi on this side, Morgan and Majesty on the other.  I love that they come to greet me as soon as they hear the front door open!

Bill finished the mare motel and moved the last two horses over.  Everyone's settled in well and has plenty of room to move about.  Now, on to building the new turn out, round pen, and new living quarters for the goat!

Mondays with Morgan, Majesty, AND Rhulain

1.80 miles - 40 minutes - Majesty
1.59 miles - 30 minutes - Morgan
0.75 miles - 26 minutes - Rhulain

 I went outside with the intention of taking a nice, long ride.  With the wind kicking up, there were only two horses I trusted ... Majesty and Morgan.  Majesty pushed the stall door so I knew he wanted to go.  He was patient while I adjusted the fit and stirrups of the Aussie saddle.

 It was a nice, uncomplicated ride.  He wasn't sure about the path I chose (too rocky for him), so we opted to follow washes.  He was good as gold until I turned him towards home ... then he wanted to trot.  Turns out, I have no idea how to sit a trot in this saddle. Ha!

 I exchanged Majesty for Morgan and headed back out starting down the same path.  However, she didn't like the path either and veered west.  Well, ok.  We wandered through the sand dunes (which surprised me as she usually hates them) and ended up in the area I call the salt flats before heading home.  She, too, wanted to trot home.  Had only marginally better luck sitting the trot ... I'm leaning way too far forward and reaching for a horn that isn't there. 

After lunch and a nap, I figured I had enough energy for one more horse.  Rhulain met me at the gate and was anxious to get out.  We did ground work, trailer loading practice, and then saddled up.  I had to retrieve the neighbor's dog out of our yard and return it while Rhu stood patiently waiting for me at the front gate.  We did a short half mile since the neighbor's dogs kept getting out and chasing us around.  So, we went home and did a few figure 8s in the front yard while I worked on trotting in this saddle. 

So glad I have patient horses.  Love them all!

Wasabi the Escapee

 5 minutes - ground work - Wasabi

 

 Bill looked out the kitchen window and saw Wasabi wandering around the yard. What?  I went out and she walked right up to me for snuggles.  Checked the gate, still locked. Checked all the panels and it looks as though she might have stepped through one after kicking down a bar. Sigh.

Since she was out, and I hadn't worked with her in a while, I decided to spend a few minutes working on trailer loading.  It took a few tries, but soon she was loading her front half in the trailer willingly.  Bill called from the front porch and told me lunch was ready, so I rubbed her big head and put her in the turn out.

Bot Fly Infestation

Received word that a Bot Fly infestation had been identified in our valley.  We inspected all of our horses and found eggs on Wasabi, Rhulain, and Morgan.  We had to cut the eggs out and then bleached the area where the eggs fell.  I'll keep an eye on them over the next few weeks. Hopefully we caught it in enough time.

Quick one Rhu

17 minutes - 0.63 miles - Rhulain

 I didn't ask her, I just grabbed Rhulain and saddled up.  Rhu didn't seem very pleased with my idea.  We walked a quarter of a mile, but the light was fading too fast for much else.  

I had to ask her to hold still three times so I could mount.  She was clearly anxious to get going.  I hopped in the saddle and we boogied home ... where we heard Bill dropping food in everyone's bins.  No wonder she was in such a hurry!

Three For Me!

40 minutes - 0.58 miles - Rhulain
16 minutes - 0.63 miles - Majesty
21 minutes - 0.28 miles - Wasabi

 We had all the brush removed and the front yard leveled.  Which means, it's a blank slate just waiting for hoof prints.  Lots of hoof prints.

 I grabbed Rhulain and took a few passes through the yard.  The wind was blowing and since there was no brush, the dirt kept blowing into our eyes.  After I was sure she was comfortable with the new area, I saddled her up and took another pass or two through the new yard.

Rhu was fine, but bored.  I handed the kid my phone and he had a great time taking pictures.  I didn't include the pictures of the horse poop.

I put Sundance and Morgan in the turn out.  Sundance started to roll, but half way through she fell asleep.  Adorable.

 Later in the afternoon, I decided I needed more horse time.  I ran outside and grabbed Majesty.  I let him choose his path and pace and once we left the front gate he ambled around the block.  He fully believes in slow and steady.  I was really glad to spend time with the old guy.  He's pretty spry for 33.

I figured I still had a half hour before I couldn't see anymore, so I grabbed Wasabi.  Gave her a quick refresher on the bitless bridle, saddled her up, and wandered around the front yard for a bit.  She definitely needs more saddle time ... she is rusty, but willing.  She got confused when I asked for turns with leg aids, she kept changing speed. I added rein aids and we were able to communicate and work through it with a little patience.  After I hopped off, she gave me a snuggle.  I like this horse, she's got spunk!