Saturday, February 28, 2009

A cold and sunny day

We planned to go to Fish Trap to ride today but darn it was so cold we just could not do it. So it did not happen. And the truck would not start and the trailer had a short in the hookup lights so we decided it was not meant to be today.

Katie came and rode Pepper but I told her she had to start riding her own horse. She needs to work with her, only 2 months until her first show. Abby will do fine with her, just so she learns to go light on her mouth. Katie needs a big boost to her confidence for some reason. She is not a real aggresive rider. Maybe confident is a better word. She trusts Pepper but who wouldn't.

Do any of you want, or are able to go to Albany, Oregon with me on March 19th. to the 22nd. I want to leave Spokane about 7 AM. Both friends who said they would like to go can't now. I don't mind driving alone but sure would like someone to pal around with. Having someone to travel with would be wonderful too. Sharing expenses would make it much much easier on everyone. Have friends who are going but everyone has a friend with them. I have reservations at a motel. Do I sound like I am begging, well maybe I am.

Have a good evening.

Friday, February 27, 2009

A sunny Friday

But not warm. I loved the sun though. It is hard to believe tomorrow is the last day of February. Where have the days gone too. I am glad that we are inching toward spring. 22 days and it will officially be here.

I decided that with it staying light later that Bob can take over giving the cows their grain. Sweet little Candy has turned into a real pushy cow. She hooked me with one of her horns this evening on the arm. Nothing damaging but I am a little afraid of her. We opened the gate out to their pasture but neither of them has gone out thru the gate yet. When Bob puts another big bale of hay into the feeder, he will move the feeder out into that field. Then they will. It will let some of the mud dry up.

The horses are fine and dandy. Maybe tomorrow I will get on Ditto for a while. If its not too cold and the sun is out. I think Katie will be out tomorrow. Do have a good day. I am going to try.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Thursday

Until Jim comes this weekend to work on my computer AGAIN I can't get pictures to come up. In fact every thing I try to do I have to reboot in between. Just no memory to speak of. It is irritating me but I know it will be repaired over the weekend sometime.

We had a good Mustang Club meeting this evening. We have Mustang Days under control I think. Laura is going to check in about ribbons. Just getting a food vendor and I think things are progressing. If any of you want flyers to post for us, just let me know. I will get them to you. We had 3 new people. That was good. Am so glad that Andrea came again this month. She is a big help. She and Cathy are the computer people. We had someone donate $100.00 towards the insurance. It is 150.00. We have not paid it yet but just because I have not been way out in the valley for a while. We are open to donations. The buckles are not here yet but I know they are going to be lovely and something for everyone to compete for. We need some things to go with first place ribbons. We need 30 of them. I have a couple of things. Maybe we can get some things donated. Also we need things for the raffle which can't be called a raffle any more - its a door prize.

The snow this morning was a low blow. I am so sick of having to bundle up in muck boots, a heavy coat, hat and gloves to go outside. Most of it melted during the day. It is almost March for goodness sake. I know its winter but I am tired of it. I am glad Linda's snow is gone, ours is not. Other blogs talk about anxious to get on their decks and sit and have coffee. Well, I would like to be able to get ON the deck. It still is 3' deep or more on the deck and along the east side of our house. The arena is still covered. I was going to ride where it has melted but now it is supposed to be really cold at night and that will slow the melting process. Dang, I am whining again aren't I? Sorry.

Have a good day tomorrow.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Dreaming Time

This is a dream I had today. Lots of the ice is gone, lots of mud but it is ice that I was worrying about. I was going to ride Ditto but her feet are in need of a trim so decided to wait and Dixie is going to be like rideing a rocket and did not want to do that by myself. I could have ridden Pepper but my heart is set on riding Ditto more this year.

When I went out to do the feeding this evening the horses were running and bucking and snorting. It was so fun to watch them having fun. Liberty is a big girl and when she kicked her heels toward the moon, she is one big dudette.

We turned the cows out in the pasture today. The snow is mostly gone and both of them are due to calve in the next month so that will give them a better place. Their shelter is full of mud and poop and water that a baby would drown before it could get up. That worries me. Spot is getting really big, Candy is not so big but last year she had twins. We still have Molly and Polly which ever is which.

Tomorrow evening is our mustang club meeting. I hope we have a larger group.

Remember to go to Serenity Room. Most especially if you want a book about writing. That is her give away that ends Saturday night. Barbara is a sweet person and I encourage you to go to her blog and read it.

Have a great evening. What was the best thing that happened today in your world? The best thing here was no rain and watching the horses enjoying their lives.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Water water everywhere

And the rains came down and the floods came up, the rains came down and the floods came up, the rain came down and flood came up and the house on the sand when splat. I remember that from Sunday school. Actually our house is built on basalt so we won't go splat but there is alot of water and that makes alot of mud. We can not get to our mailbox unless we have high muck boots on. If we get more rain tonight it will be over the road.

Our son Tom is much better today. They gave him fluids because he was dehydrated and that helped alot. Christyn is doing better too. She expected to be all over it by now even though I told her that would not happen but what do I know, I am just the Mom.

I need to run to Big R in the next day or so to get Ditto's Senior Feed. It is expensive but she is old and needs it. Maybe we will go a little early on Thursday and stop on our way to Perkins and the Mustang Horse Club meeting. That will probaly work the best.

I do hope all of you in the area who can will come to the meeting on Thursday. We have lots to talk about. I finally have the class list done for Sunday of Mustang Days. At least the first list. We will go over it. Andrea will be getting it ready to be printed. I have the flyers printed. And the flyers just about the Mustang Club. Our meetings are fun and getting to gether is great.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Its Raining

Its raining, its pouring, the old man is snoring, he bumped his head on the foot of the bed and couldn't get up in the morning. Remember singing that old funny thing about rain. We have water, standing on top of mud, standing on top of ice. It is melting the snow though. At least some of it.

I felt so bad when I went out to do the chores this evening. The horses looked pathetic. However they do have shelter but most choose to stand out in the weather and look sad. Yuma is missing his old friend Sequoia. He will get used to it though.

Our son Tom is at Holy Family hospital. He was there almost 5 hrs. before he got in to see a doctor. They think he has pneumonia. He is a sick puppy. His wife will call in a while when the doctor gives his prognosis. At first they thought it was a heart attack. We adopted him when he was born and the biological mother gave us NO medical information. One of the hazards of private adoptions. This is not a good month for our kids.

What is your favorite season of the year. Mine is late spring. I would not care if we had spring, summer and autumn and forget winter except Christmas/New Year week. I miss being able to ride.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Sunday at last

I thought this week was endless. Some good things but just alot for one week. Sequoia finally left today. The other deal fell through at the last minute but he went today to 2 young girls who are so excited they can hardly stand it. He walked right into the trailer without a look goodbye. It was hard to hug and kiss him goodbye. He has been a great pony for us. He will love the little girls. She e mailed me earlier this evening that they arrived home just fine and he already had purple ribbons in his mane.

Kiyanna is doing well and our daughter is doing well. I can take a deep breath now and relax.

It is raining here and has been all afternoon and this evening. I am not a fan of rain but maybe it will help this snow to leave. We will be full of mud and water but the grass won't start to grow until the snow is gone. And the sooner the grass grows, the sooner the horses and cows will have pasture to eat and mosy around in.

Our Inland Empire Mustang Horse Club meets this next Thursday at Perkins at Argonne and Mission in the Spokane Valley. We will be talking alot about Mustang Days which is the last weekend of June at Valley Mission Arena at Mission and Bowdish. Saturday will be Come Meet our Mustangs. There will be mustangs to meet, pet, owners to talk to, some forsale and some for adoption. On Sunday there will be an Open Schooling Show. There will be open classes as well as mustang only classes. There will be awards for each class and then for the High Point Mustang and the High Point Open horse there will be engraved silver Belt Buckles. There will be no charge to come watch and please pray for a nice weekend. Last year it poured rain, not just rain, it poured.

Hope your week is filled with joy and love.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Saturday

Christyn went home from the hospital this afternoon. I think it was a little soon but guess that is the way it is now days. We went in to see her this morning and she was having trouble managing her pain without the little button to push. She would not take Oxycontin so I hope that being in her own bed resting will help.

It was sunny and beautiful today. I should have gone and rode my horse but had things to do inside. If its decent tomorrow I might. Do have some things we need to do tomorrow after church but I am hoping.

We will be leaving pretty soon for our Back Country Horsemen meeting in Hayden, Idaho. I hope I don't fall asleep. I want to have some of them put up posters that I have about the Albany Horse Fair in March. It will have and Extreme Mustang Makeover that I want to see badly and the Extreme Trail Race with Craig Cameron. Am looking foreward to see that too. I think Kathy Spring is going with me. It will be alot of fun. We have our motel reservations and I have accepted the fact that I have to drive in the greater Portland traffic. I don't like the thought of that but it can't be worse than Seattle and I drive thru there with no problem.

The following weekend in March we (Bob and I) will be in Lewiston at the fairgrounds at the Outdoor Show. Our back country group has a part in it. We have gone every year for 3 years I think. Do you live any place close to the fairgrounds Barbara?

It was fun to look out today and see all our horses either laying down basking in the sun or standing with their heads down enjoying it. The cows layed down and chewed their cud and Baxter and Clyde did that too.

Have a good evening.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Friday, February 20th.

Let me introduce you to Kiyanna Mae who was born at 7:15 AM this morning. She was about 5 hrs. old in the picture. She is our 5th. great grandbaby and the 3rd. girl in a row. It quite funny because the majority of our grandchildren are boys and they are producing girls. The oldes girl grand child has the boys. Any way she is precious. And her daddy when he called me this morning told me she was the most gorgeous, beautiful baby he had ever seen. Of course. Blessings to Robby, Tabby and Kiyanna.

Our daughter had her surgery yesterday. She is doing well. She was up sitting in a chair when I got there this morning but was glad to go back to bed and immediately fell asleep. She will probably go home on Sunday. I was so proud of her and how she has handled it all.

Nothing much with the horses. I was glad to go out and see them this evening. I am not sure they missed me but I missed them.

Not much else happening. That was quite enough for two days. It would be nice if they were both in the same hospital but of course not, clear across town from one another. I am tired and it is going to be an early night.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Wednesday

Rusty is a funny horse. Wish I had a battery for my cam corder. I finally had to go and separate her from the boys. Those poor young steers were kept moving at a trot. Baxter and Clyde were getting really tired. They had finished their breakfast but she gobbled up their scraps and then the race was on from one pen to the next. I went down and shut both gates so both could get some rest.

I called the Davenport vet who had given them their shots ect before we brought them home said 30 days isolation was best so we put up a pen and put a round pen feeder in it so we can just feed them a round bale and it will last a couple of weeks anyway. And they will have some peace and quiet. The round pen is a poopy wet slick muddy mess. I am not sure we will let Rusty go back out there until we get in there with a tractor and clean it up. Wish we could afford a couple loads of fine gravel and then sand in there. Maybe I will check on the cost. It is gross. Of course so is Rusty's pen. She needs out of there too. We will have to look around and figure out a place to move her too.

I probably won't be around tomorrow. Our youngest daughter is having surgery first thing in the AM and will probably be at the hospital all day and maybe spend the night with her. Why do they always schedule things like that at 0 dark thirty in the AM. We will need to be at Sacred Heart by 6 AM to be there when she goes in. It is extensive but not life threatening. Just pray for her please.

See you soon.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Tuesday

Whew, most all afternoon I sat here by my computer while Jim worked on it. He got alot straightened out and then took the side off. He checked out the memory boards. When he put them back in it would not work. He took one out and it worked fine. I don't have but about half the memory but he has a couple at home that he will sell me. He said the guy who built the computer for me did not give me enough memory. So he will double what I have had and he says it will be like a new computer. Wahoooooooooooooooooooooo. Thank you, thank you, thank you Jim Spring.

Sat here in the house looking out one of my bedroom windows and cracked up. We have Rusty's pen connected to the round pen by an alley way made from panels. We put Baxter and Clyde in the round pen last night and today when I went and put the horses out I opened the gates so they could get aquainted. Well Little Miss Cow Pony (Rusty) moved the steers all the rest of the days from the round pen to her pen and back again and then back again. When I went to feed this evening, I fed Rusty and then shut her gate and fed them and closed their gate. They need to relax and be able to eat, all three of them. It was funny to watch. Maybe tomorrow she will let them be. We will keep them in isolation away from the other cows for about a week.

I checked on the Wagonteamster blog site today and Bob is off the ventilator but not able to communicate yet. They have not told him about his 2 horses that were killed.

It is getting really awful outside. The snow melts and then the ground is frozen and the water has no place to go. Then it freezes at night. I want to see ground.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Monday

A good day with some sunshine. We went to the cattle auction in Davenport today. Bob got a couple of good buys and we now have a couple of new steers that will be ready for freezer camp this fall. Baxter and Clyde are nice boys. Don't know how old they are but weigh about 500 apiece.

I spelled the mans name wrong who was in the accident and he started in New Hampshire. I think I said Vermont. Well, my heart was in the right place. I still am sick at heart about him and the loss of his 2 horses Deedee and Dolly. Both were white percherons. Bob's dog survived too and is being cared for by someone there. He is in the hospital in Meridian, Mississippi.

Tomorrow my friend Jim is going to come and work on my computer. It is being weird. This evening it is working. Earlier it was awful. I know I need to put it in the shop but my budget won't allow that. Actually I would like a new one but that farther down my budget than putting it into the shop.

Our horses are just fine. Katie and her dad came out and rode for an hour or so this afternoon. Pepper tolerates Doug. He knows less than nothing about riding but he pokes around on Pepper and he just tolerates it.

Take care everyone, check out Sernity Gate blog, and see you tomorrow.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Sunday in the snow

No pictures again - Sorry

Yesterday we had a nice Valentines Day. We did not plan to go out or do much. Until our grandson Joel, his wife Heather and their "Princess" Lilliana came out and wanted us to go to dinner with them. It was much fun. Lily is 21 months and a character. We went to the casino for dinner. Her favorite things were the m & m's from the ice cream bar and the lemon slice out of her mothers ice tea. Oh well, she sat still for the most part and let us eat and enjoy the time with our grandkids.

I got all of our horses dewormed yesterday. I even did Pepper. I snubbed his rope up and dared him to do anything bad. He didn't. That was the easiest time ever. Dixie who has always been easy was the naughtiest. Liberty that a year and a half ago had not been touched in her 8/9 years and now leads and is very gentle. She will get ridden this summer. She led right up and let me put the tube in her mouth and squirt it in. then I gave her a treat. Yuma decided he would not get caught, he can run pretty fast and do acrobats in the air to keep from getting caught. We got him into the shed and I got a death grip around his neck and Bob got the halter on him. He had drug me about 25'. With my heels dug in. He didn't try to hurt me just did not want caught. We left him tied for a while. He just stood there and pouted.

Today I had a Northeast Zone Horseshow Division meeting. We have one a year. Quite a lengthy meeting but we did get a zone award for Mustangs passed. The state did it in November and now the zone has it. So anyone who would like to show their mustang in any classes and you sign up for points (after joining WSH) You will be able to try for awards. I don't know whether it will be a trophy or what. It will need to be something that can be passed down for years. There will not be Mustang classes but everything you show in will count.

Keep on your calendars our 2nd. annual Mustang Days. It will be at Valley Mission arena on June 27/28. Saturday will be MEET THE MUSTANGS. We will be there with our mustangs and people can pet them, ask questions, take pictures or whatever. On Sunday will be an open schooling show with Mustang classes, Showmanship, Halter, Western, English and Trail both In Hand and riding. Classes will be 5.00 or all day for 35.00. Stalls will be 5.00 per night. We want it to be fun.

I had a bit of rather upsetting news today. I read my cousin Joy's blog and read about the man - Bob Skelstadt (I think thats his last name) who was driving a 4 horse hitch pulling his house behind him. It was a well outfitted RV on wheels. I have been reading his blog every few days since last August following his adventures from Vermont to Mississippi. He was driving his horses down a highway this past week and a semi rear ended his RV, killing 2 of his percherons instantly, totalling his "house" and he is in a hospital in critical condition. His blog was Wagonteamster. I just looked today earlier and clicked on "Where's Bob" and there was no entry so just figured he had not logged on. I am sick to my stomach over that. There was no shoulder on the road and he had slow symbols all over the rear of the wagon. Remember him in your prayers please. I don't know him, only from the blog and thinking what a wonderful thing to do. He said he didn't know where he was going or how long it would take. Feel so bad.

Bless you all.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Friday

A sunny Friday. But not warm. I decided to go for a walk and took Skeeter. It was bloody cold. The wind was bitter. He barked at everything no matter how often I told him no and Maggie at home on her chain howled till I could hear her half a mile away. I want to choke her. She would howl and Skeeter would bark. It was good to get outside and move around today. I have been really battling depression and the sunshine was good therapy today.

So now we know that every single one of our horses have lice. Isn't that good news. Dr. McKinley told us to de worm them every 2 weeks for 2 or 3 times and that will clear them up. I imagined that if Abby had them they all would and they do. So today Abby got dewormed and tomorrow the rest of them except Pepper will get it. Pepper will when Bob is going to be here to do it. He turns into a rodeo horse when you come near him with it.

We went and got groceries this evening and had a Subway sandwich. It was good to get out of the house for a while. We got Bob a small brief case for work. He thinks he is some kind of executive. He even has been tutored on the computer because in order to keep his job he had to learn. It is cracking me up.

We got Smart Cards in the mail today to install in our cable boxes. We did it withouth messing up. Guess we are quite proud of ourselves. LOL.

Have a wonderful Valentines day tomorrow.

Friday

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Thursday

Not much happening today. I just talked an hour and a half with my oldest bestest friend, Louise. She lives in Denton, TX. Part of the sadness about not going to Mississippi this summer is because I was going to come home that way and stop to see her. Well we had a good chat about life, kids, retirement and a host of other things. It was great to hear from her.

Katie found out Abbys bugs are horse lice. The vet told her to worm 3 times 2 weeks apart and they would go. So, now we have to check all the other horses to see if they have an infestation too. So far she is the only one with any hair loss.

Other than balancing the checkbook ect. it was a boring day.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Wednesday

Just a quicky post today. The furnace is repaired and we have heat. And guess how the repairman fixed it. He popped a round thing with his plyers and put a few drops of oil in a couple of little holes. AND he did not charge us. All my worrying for nothing.

We spent the evening with a group of friends having dinner at Mama Mia's. The food was quite good if you like garlic and pasta. I had garlic chicken alfredo. It was good but enough for 3 people. It was good to visit and chat and laugh and reminiss with them. We promised we would do it again soon. Six couples. I will taste garlic for several days though.

Hope you all had a great day.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

A cold evening

I am sitting here with a blanket wrapped around me and an electric heater not far away. Our furnace went out this evening and we have no heat. I am not going to make this too long because I am looking foreward to crawling in bed with extra blankets. I thought it was just me because all this winter my bones have been cold.

Katie and I found what is causing Abby to lose all the hair on her neck today. We found her head crawling with little bugs. Either lice or mites of some kind. It was gross. We soaked her head and neck with mineral oil and will check it again on Thursday. It was gross.

Ditto is loving her Sr. Feed. She thinks she is really queen of the place. Well, I do too. I am going to ride her if we ever get rid of the ice. They predicted snow today and I guess some places got some but we didn't get even a flake. Not that I missed it at all.

Wondered why I had not heard anything from Nikki. Her puter died and she got it back from the repair place today. There is a computer guru in her neighborhood. I am waiting to hear from Jim so he can go over mine some more.

I feel a big bill coming on. Our furnace is 15 years old and sooooooooooo. Just when you think you are getting ahead but that is life isn't it.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Pepper

Here we go with the story of Pepper. Bob calls him his wonder horse. I call him a spoiled brat. However he is a great horse that anyone can ride. If you are experienced, he does well, if you are a beginner he takes care of you and if you are a child, he babysits. I have been giving riding lessons on him since he was five. I believe he is about 11. I would have to go look at his title. We adopted him in Burns Oregon when he was about 10 months old. Bob told me to go pick the best in the pen of yearling colts and I did. He wanted a dun but Pepper was the best I saw. It was at a Kigerfest. Pepper is a Riddle Mt. Kiger.

The picture is of Bob working with Rusty off of Pepper. He has been very good at that. He will pony a horse and really work at it. When I was ponying the horse that bucked Bob off last year, Pepper was doing all he could to help me keep ahold of the rope and pull the horse around. It was too much for both of us and that is when Bob went off.
Pepper in his stall. That is not his favorite place to be but he likes the grain he gets. Actually very little grain but its what we mix the supplements in for his eyes. He is going blind. I don't know what it is called but the colored part of his eyes are deteriorating. We kept it at bay for a couple of years but it gained on us this winter. He still sees pretty well. Good enough to trail ride.

This picture is at Valley Mission arena. He is in the rear behind Dixie and Katies horse Abby. We had participated in Mustang Days and after it was over we turned them out to run and roll. They had mostly been in stalls for 2 days and enjoyed the romp. We did have a little trouble catching them. Mustang Days this year is June 27/28. Saturday will be Meet our Mustangs and Sunday will be an open schooling show with special Mustang classes.


Pepper looks longinly over the fence after he watched me put in their grain and hay into the stalls. He thought I was being rude for making him stand there and take pictures when he wanted in to eat. We probably have more pictures of Pepper than of any other of the horses but other than Rosie and Ditto, we have had him the longest.



This is a picture off a our Back Country Horsemen calendar. Ryan our grandson who was 10 at the time rode him for a week in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana. They had a really wonderful trip. Ryans job was to take salt to the horses every evening after they were tied on the highline. I stayed home and babysat the farm.
I thought I uploaded a couple of others but they did not seem to come up. One is our daughter riding in the back country last summer on Pepper and the other is Bob riding him bareback and ponying Raven with Dixie ambling behind on their way back from water where we were camped. That place is my favorite place to go camp and ride. It is at Larabee Corrals on Craig Mountain south west of Lewiston. At one place you can see both the Salmon and the Snake Rivers. We are going down to Craig Mt. over Memorial Day weekend this year but we are going to Madden Corral's which is a great place too. So much fun and lots of good trails. We have seen lots of deer and Elk.
Today was grey and it looked like the snow that was predicted but did not fall, yet anyway. I made Valentines for our young grandsons in Arlington. I had to send Tylers W2 to him so sent them all together. I wish Tyler had returned but he is almost 21 and not going to do anything he doesn't want to at this point. I did pack all his stuff up though and he will need to come get it at some point.
I am anxious for the little truck to get a license on it so I am not stuck home. I might not go anywhere but when I can't of course I think of all the places that I would like to go.


















Sunday, February 8, 2009

Raven

A few weeks after we gave our filly Cricket who was a Kiger Mustang to our grandniece Caroline, we were told about a mustang mare that a lady wanted to give away. We called her and made an appointment to go see her at a stable not too far from us. When we got there she was eating. Bob took a hay string and put it around her neck and she came right with him. We looked at her and she had a calm gentle eye. We called the lady went over to get her title. She told us she had bucked her off and she was afraid of her. We thought we still would give her a try.
We did. I don't think she bucked, I think she spooked sideways and the lady fell off. She has never offered to buck at all but has some spook when you go on the first few rides of the season. Bob has ridden her hundreds of miles, he packed her once. She did fine in the open but that spook came out when the pack boxes hit a tree and she took off but came right back to Bob. He hasn't done that again but she would get used to it, I know. The top picture is Bob closing a gate that we had just ridden thru and the second picture is riding across a meadow down on Craig Mt. last summer.

Raven is the lead mare. Not mean just boss. She has gotten a steroid shot every day for 3 weeks now and she just stands there eating when Bob gives it to her. She knows I think that it is going to help her. Her upper lip is much better. It does not hang to one side near as much as it did. She has 3 more shots and then we hope it will get better on its own. Dr. McKinley said the nerve would regenerate about 1/4" a month. That is not very fast.


This is a picture of Bob and I. I thought it was Raven when I posted it but its Pepper. That is another day.
It was a good day. We went to church this morning and did some errands while we were in town. We went down to Shannon's and got her small pickup that she has just sitting there. We will pay for the license and insurance and I will have a vehicle to drive while Bob has my car at his work which is turning into a courier job and the car gets good mileage. I will like not being stuck here and Bob is going to put the gooseneck thingy in it for the horse trailer so I can go ride locally if I want. That will be nice this summer. The truck is automatic and I like that. We are so greatful for Shannon for loaning it to us. She gave it to her sister but she never came and got it so we borrowed it.
The sun shone today and more snow melted but we are predicted to get more but not much. I hope not, I like the sunshine.
Cathy can't go to Albany with me but maybe Kathy Spring will. I would love to have someone to share expenses and company for traveling. At least I have a motel room at LaQuinta.




Saturday, February 7, 2009

Saturday

When my telephone does not work, I don't have a computer because I have dial up. Sorry but thats how it is. Last night when I sat down here I discovered I could not get on line and when I went and checked we had no telephone either. That happens when it gets really wet.

This morning bright and early we went out to Centerplace to McKinley Equine customer appreciation day. A vet talked first about composting manure, shavings ect. into horse bedding. That sounds interesting. Bob is going to look into it. Each horse generates an incredible amout of manure in a year. I think 10,000# per horse. She also advises feeding your horses every 2 hrs. Not happening here. She recomends automatic feeders but they are pretty spendy. She writes books now about horse management

Also Dr. Bob Peters spoke about dentistry in horses and I learned ALOT. He was very entertaining as well as informative. He talked about a horse with a mishapen tooth that grew wide as well as outward and the baby tooth was still under it. He had to open her jaw and use a chisel and a mallet to remove the tooth. It sounded alwful but the poor horse had been in pain when she went to the trainer and of course that did not go well. He has to do some more surgery on her mouth soon. He had pictures and exrays.

Then we broke up into groups, One on emergency treatment till the vet gets there - one on colic, one on shots and one with the purina rep about feeding. It was interesting and informative. I did not get to the one on shots but did the other 3. Time ran out.

We had a nice light lunch/brunch type refreshments, all coffee and water you wanted. Lots of door prizes but we didn't win any. It was a good day. We stopped at Big R for some Sr. Allegra and some dog food and we ended up with some other things. Who can go to Big R and only get just what you went for?

Yesterday I went to a baby shower for the mother of our soon to be 4th. great grandchild. If the ultra sound is incorrect and this is a boy instead of a girl, he will look pretty in pink or she will have to return alot of things. Baby is due about the 20th. Like most first time mama's she thinks the baby will come early but its not usually what happens. It was good to see our grandson Robby. It has been a really long time and that has made me sad. He is the son of our son who died 6 years ago the 16th. of this month. Today would have been his 48th. birthday. We miss you Scotty.

Barbara at the Serenity room is giving away a book. I didn't win the Valentines Day prize, but I would like to win the book. Here's my entry Barbara. You are so generous.

I made reservations in Albany for the Horse Expo. I hope Cathy Johnson can go with me but if not, me and myself will go. I am excited. Not only to watch the Extreme Mustang Makeover but Craig Cameron and the Extreme Trail Challenge. Plus all the vendors and all the other clinicians. I am leaving March 19th. and coming home the 22nd. Its my exchange for not getting to go to Mississippi this year. No way can we afford that. So I am sad about that but glad for going to Albany.

See you tomorrow, God willing.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Thursday the 5th.

Sunshine and nothing bad happened. I went out and played with Dixie and Ditto for a while. They were having fun and so was I. They ran laps around the barn playing keep away. It was a good day.

The people with the chicken eatin dogs, happened to be friends down the road will make it right and the dogs are tied up. If they are caught loose, they will be incarcerated permanently. One of the hens that survived is the oldest hen we have. She probably doesn't even lay any more. She is blind in one eye and has a funny leg so she limps around. She got that way in the first dog attack we had several years ago and she got away. We thought she would die but she lived to survive an attack of a wild critter for life two. She disappeared that time and we thought she was dead but after a few days came hobbling out. Now she survived another. I was so glad to see her. We call her Lucky.

Bob calls our place the funny farm because of the funny animals we have. The horses each have their own personalities, the donkey is a clown, the goat thinks he is King Tut or something like that. His name is Oliver. We have the gimpy chicken and Pretty Boy the rooster with no tail left. He is embarrased.

Tomorrow I am going to a baby shower for the mama of our next great granchild. She is due to be born in about 3 weeks. It will be fun to have a tiny baby around again.

I just looked at the calendar and my oldest, bestest friend's birthday is tomorrow. She and I have been friends since we were 4 I think. Her name is Louise and she lives in Denton, TX. I will have to remember to call her.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Wednesday

Do you ever feel like you are in the middle of a black cloud hanging over you. One thing after another - nothing good. Or an attack from some evil force? We are in that place.

This morning, before I got up, and Bob had left for work, he got a call on his cell phone from a friend who lives down the road a ways and told Bob that a big black dog came out of our driveway with a dead chicken in his mouth. Bob called me and I went out to check and there were dead chickens all over the place. I saw the dogs, they were there with the chickens and I yelled at them and they took off. I got a little hysterical and called Bob back. I went walking down the road to see if I could see where they lived maybe. They were in the field next door. I came in and called Animal Control.

They sent an officer out, she took pictures and we saw the dogs next door just watching us. She went and caught one but could not catch the other one. He is still at loose. We think we know where he lives. Bob will go take care of it when he gets home. We have 15 hens and one rooster. We now have a rooster with no tail feathers and 5 hens. All traumatized and feathers all over the place. Makes me sick and MAD. If a coyote or some other wild animals gets them, they take them for food, don't usually kill for the fun of killing. These dogs did that. Just killed. If I could have gotten close enough I would have shot them but couldn't.

So thats been my day. Not fun.

Our horses are better. Even Rusty ate this morning. I put our horses out for the day. They are not 100% but well on their way. It took Ditto a long time to eat her breakfast but she ate it all and so did Rusty. The other two seem to be pretty normal this morning. That is a huge relief to me. I want to ride soooooooooooooooooooo bad. It is still too icey though except on the road and I don't like riding on the road.

Tomorrow Barbara of Serenity Room is drawing for her Valentine giveaway. Go and make a comment and you will be in her drawing.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Tuesday

Well after a night of watching the horses. Dixie in particular gasping, they all made it thru the night. Pepper was pretty much himself by midnight, Dixie started her turn around about 7 or so this morning, Ditto later this afternoon and Rusty still had not eaten at 5 but was up and moving around. She got another dose of Banamine.

Dr. Porter called about 4:30 today with the blood work results. Nothing in particular showed up. We are quite sure there was something poisenous in the bale of hay that got fed yesterday morning. They could not pin point it though. If she had not tubed the 2 mares they would probably have died. That flushed their systems and got it out before anymore got absorbed. So this evening they got some grain and a little hay that we knew was OK. Tomorrow we start them back on regular diet and watch them like hawks. The three in the barn will get to go out tomorrow though. Dixie and Pepper wanted to today.

If Rusty is not chipper tomorrow she will have to come and due some more checking. I am sure she will be though. For a barely gentled mustang she was wonderful about shots and all that the vet did last night.

We had fed about 2 tons of the very same hay and this one bale was bad. It makes us leary. We have bought hay from the same guy from the same fields for the past 6 or 8 years. Cannot imagine.

Anyway we all survived. I got very little sleep, Bob got less and bed will be very welcome tonight.

Today is our oldest son's birthday. We almost forgot to call him. Bless his heart.

This is the last week of Serenity Room blog give away. Its a great give away. Worth looking at.

Thanks everyone for your concern.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Not a good day

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Four of our horses are really sick and the vet does not know if Ditto and Dixie will pull thru it. Pepper seemed better this evening and Rusty is so so. At least she stayed on her feet. We have not an idea for sure what is the matter except they eat the same hay and the pasture horses eat another hay. They do not have good gut sounds, Ditto had barely any. Dixie's were not good either. They all four had blood drawn, and Ditto and Dixie got tubed, and all 4 got Banamine shots. As sick as Dixie is she had to sedate her but Ditto is so sick she just stood there and let the vet stick the tube down her nose. So $815.00 later we still don't know if the two mares will make it or not. they were fine yesterday but did not eat this morning. Dr. Porter thinks there was something toxic in that bale of hay but its gone so she could not take a sample of it.

Thanks loads for your good thoughts and prayers. I will keep you updated. Bob is taking the first stretch in the barn and I will do about 1 or so for the rest of the night.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

My Dixie Chick

This picture was taken by Romona at BLM at the Odessa Adoption last spring. Not many adopted but we sure fun riding. I had not ridden Dixie in several months and she was like a rocket ready to launch at any moment. Actually it was the first time I had ridden her outside the arena and about her 3rd. ride in 3 years. I ponied her behind Pepper one day and the next I rode her. She got a tumble weed in her tail and we did some real spins. FAST. I thought I was going off but didn't.
I rode her then next Memorial Day and she was full of it for the first halt an hour but then was great. She relaxed and just walked along the trail. It was great the rest of that summer. She is a great trail horse. Her big deal is she is quite herd boud and does not like to go out by herself.

The people who I got her from had rescued her. See the mark on her nose when she had a halter grow into her nose. I thought she might be a little shy with her head but she isn't. She is really good. How could somebody do that?


They gave me Dixie because I had my dream horse, Star. A big grulla mustang mare - I loved her and she took me anywhere I wanted to go. She did not like to go at any speed but a walk and that was fine with me. We rode all over that summer - up in the mountains of Montana, Idaho and WAS. We were up on Hoodoo Pass which is between Montanta and Idaho at about 8,000 feet. We were riding up a quite steep trail. We got up it OK and rode around up on top and started down and she started make a funny noise with every step. I got off and she was limping. I walked the several miles back and untacked her and took her to drink. She walked out into the middle of the cold mountain creek and stood there for most of an hour. The rest of the group rode for the next two days and Star and I lounged around camp. We got home and the next day I took her to the vet. He exrayed her front legs and the bones were nearly deteriorated from arthritis. they could have collapsed at any time. I cried two days, went to Leavenworth to meet our daughter and she was put down and buried before I got back. I just could not be here but Bob was.
So, our friends in Back Country Horsemen felt sorry for me and about 4 months later they gave me Dixie. A small horse in a plain brown wrapper that I could get on from the ground. Star was 15h2 and Dixie is 14h1.



This was my first ride on Dixie. It was 2 weeks after I had the stroke. I was so ticked off at my body and so ticked off being confined to rest ect. Bob was not sure about it but he lunged her and worked her from the ground before he would let me get on. She was fine and I felt much better after being in the outside and on a horse again.
Last night Katie and I went to the awards banquet for the Northeast Zone. She kept thinking next year that will be me. Bob and I our placques for miles rode. We did not get near as many as other years because all of Bob's accidents left summer.
I think I might do Raven tomorrow. I will have to see what pictures I can find. Hope this not boring to anyone. I am enjoying chronicleing our horses, how we got them and how much we love them.
Dixie is darling and other than being full of energy she is a great partner.