Remembering 9-11-01

I remember like it was yesterday. I was awaken by Bob turning on the TV in our bedroom and telling me to wake and and watch. I remember wanting to throw up when I realized the objects falling from the Towers were human beings. I remember sobbing when the Twin Towers fell. I could not, and still can not imaging how human beings could do that to other human beings. What a loss of lives, of peace, and of hope. Its a day that will be in our great grandchildren's history books.

Enough...................Just a day of reflection.

I worked with Rusty. Bob did not get up in time. She does not like me. I had to run her around the pen several times before she let me touch her. I got the rope on her and she threw one of her tantrums. Bob says I am letting her win but I don't think so. I just can't seem to make headway with her. Spent about an hour with her trying to just pet her and rub her head. She just won't have it. I can walk up and lay the rope all over her but when I reach out my hand its bye bye. I finally got petting her neck down but I could not touch her face and that is where she let us touch her first. It is getting to be a battle. I try to keep my emotions in check. What I want to do is yell at her. The only time I have raised my voice is when she turned her rear at me and took a pop with a hind foot. I yelled then and got after her.

Katie had a great lesson on Lena today. I made her ride in her own saddle. She sits in it so much nicer. She likes one of Bob's but her equitation stinks in it. We worked on up and down transitions from walk/trot/walk. Tomorrow she can just ride in the arena or across the the road and relax with her. We are trading yard work for lessons. It works for both of us.

Wednesday

No pictures today. Took some but they were no good so deleted them.

Bob worked with Rusty today for quite a long time. I stayed out of her pen. He was able to get the rope around her neck and put it around like a halter. She did quite well until Yang, the barn cat came and crawled into the tarp at the side of her pen and moved around. She was quite sure that blue tarp was going to eat her. He kept a hold of her though and she let him pet her on both sides. He also took in a brush and brushed that beautiful long flowing mane. She did not seem to mind too much. She certainly likes and responds to Bob more than me. Oh well...........Life is tough sometimes.

Nothing much else happening today. Katie filled out the paperwork for a couple of things she is going to do with Lena. I got her papers today so I could check her pedigree out and see how old she is. She is 11 and in top form.

I am weary, although did not do much outside today. We did some cleaning up down around the barn. It seems the more we dig out the more stuff that accumulates. It does not help that Bob is a pack rat.

A rainy evening.

This is our Katie with the horse she is conditioning to sell. Lena is a registered paint mare. About 15h3. She and Katie are hitting it off good.

Rusty did better today with me. She let me touch her with 2 hands unless I tried to touch her face and then she left. We had a little episode of turning her rear to me but the rope helped that. As usual when Bob went down to work with her she was much better. He got all the dread locks out of her mane with his fingers. She let him. But when he tried to touch her face she left for him too. I think she is trying to avoid us taking control with a halter again. Bob thinks so too. We just have to continue to convince her that we are not going to hurt her and it will be OK. She is really much more relaxed with Bob than me for some reason. It is so different than with Sierra who really loved me and wanted to please me. Rusty would be happy if I never went into her pen again. Maybe that is the difference from a yearling and a 3 year old. I don't know. I love her anyway.

Monday

Today was another really nice day. I went out to the fair to watch some friends do showmanship and halter. Did not stay to watch their riding events. But it was nice to go and to see them.

The picture is of Rusty just before she had a temper tantrum. She really had a relapse with me today. She did not let me touch her and swung her rear at me when I got close. I picked up the rope and popped her on the rear until she turned and looked at me. I could not get my hand on her though. Bob went down when he got up and walked right up to her. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR. I told you she did not like me too much. I will be glad when Bob can do more with her and get her past this swinging her butt at me. It is too disrespectful. May need to get her into the round pen when she has no corners.

All the other horses are just fine. Our Mustang Club ride is this next Sat. Hope we have a good turnout. Its our money maker for the year.

A lazy Sunday

A lovely last days of summer. Love it like this. Abby and Pepper came home from the fair but that was the biggest event today. I went to church and came home and laid around. Took a long nap but not restful. Had an awful nightmare and woke up sweating and could not breath. Hate that.

Went out towards evening and went to see what Rusty would do today. I walked up to her but she said nope not today. So I got the rope and we worked with that a while. Tyler asked me if he could try and I told him sure. Bob got home with the horses and he took over. We were all tired and Bob has to work tonight with about 3 hrs. of good sleep. Tomorrow I will try to have pictures and maybe I will have had more ambition.

Fair day

Katie had her day at the fair today. She did very well. She got a red ribbon in showmanship. She needs to learn to not be tentative and to present herself with the horse. She had never done it before so it was good and a learning experience.

In halter with both Abby and Pepper she got the top blue just under the two championship horses out of 8 or 10 horses. I was proud of her and of the mustangs. It was an all other breeds class so there were Tennessee Walkers, Morgans etc. in the class. She presented the horses well and they cooperated. Pepper has done it all before and is totally bored but Abby had never been to a show before.

I meandered around the fair for a while, ate some lunch and meandered some more then came home and wilted in the recliner until it was time to do chores. Rusty had a total day off and I am not sure she liked it. When I took her hay into her she looked at me like "well where have you been"? I talked to her a minute but was tuckered so came back in and sat around until Bob got up. I guess he had a hard time sleeping today so he slept later.

I am off to bed. Besides being tired still have the remnants of the headache. Hate it when I have one of these bombers.

Friday

This was the day that Rusty got to shed her halter. I worked with her a couple of times and did not need to pick up the rope to touch her. We worked with the rope some more and she was really fine. She REALLY does not like it when you approach her right side. She is OK when you finally get there but she will do about anything to keep you from there. I petted her clear to her tail on both sides. She is coming along. Bob is working nights at the fair so he did not get up until about 3 so I had done the work and took the halter off and then he came and just did the petting. Oh well, someone has to be the bad guy.

I am struggling with a fierce headache this evening and I have to be at the fairgrounds by 8 to hold Katie's hand. That's OK. She thinks I know everything and who am I to tell her otherwise.