We got the last 72 bales of the alfalfa hay we got from Mike Illeaukas. I am glad we had paid for it previously. He didn't have too much second cutting. We have 3/4 tons of good grass hay coming too and then we should have enough. Bob is going to sell the cows before we have to begin feeding them.
Something killed another of our chickens last night. Bob is "positive" its a feral cat but I don't know. The free range chickens are now in the coupe with the fence. And he put the hen and her 13 new babies in the new tack room. (oh joy) but they will be safe in there. They are so cute.
And now to Sierra. She was in the arena most of the day to get exercises. She came to the gate to meet me when I went out there. I put the halter on her and we practiced with her trotting with me. She does OK but I am afraid she will run into me and knock me down so we will work on that some more. She did the backing thru the barrels really quite well. She side passed L to R beautifully but not as well the other way. She does it but not as well. She does yield her hind quarters well. And her shoulders, just doing it together. When she had her front feet up on the box, standing there surveying the world, I was really tempted to scoot under her but I am not as spry as I used to be. I may get my guts up yet to try it. I rubbed her belly bumped her with my shoulder and did everything but do it.
14 days to go.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
15 to go
A good day. Spent the day with out son Tom and his family. Those kids are country kids at heart that live in town. Particularly Sheya who is 6. I was cleaning stalls and that little muffin stayed right with me using a stall fork talking a mile a minute why it was important to keep the horses "house" clean. She rides like a little wild cowboy. I gave her a silver dollar for her help.
I worked Sierra with the gang waving flags and making loud noise. She got a little worried at first but then went up and tried to take the flags from them She did back the cloverleaf as near perfect as we have yet. She did the square OK and I was not up to trotting. I put her out to eat and then later I led her around the obstacles, up on the box and worked at side passing. She was much better. Then Sheya led her up to the deck where everyone else was sitting and held her while she ate.
Tyler went and got Pepper and led her around because I did not want her riding bareback with a halter out and about. Hers 2 brothers rode. Ryan has gone into the Bob Marshall for a week with his grandpa last summer so he is a pretty good rider. Hes 11. Seth is a little timid but he just got over a broken collar bone so his courage is waning. He is 9. I did not get any pictures. Bad Grandma.
I worked Sierra with the gang waving flags and making loud noise. She got a little worried at first but then went up and tried to take the flags from them She did back the cloverleaf as near perfect as we have yet. She did the square OK and I was not up to trotting. I put her out to eat and then later I led her around the obstacles, up on the box and worked at side passing. She was much better. Then Sheya led her up to the deck where everyone else was sitting and held her while she ate.
Tyler went and got Pepper and led her around because I did not want her riding bareback with a halter out and about. Hers 2 brothers rode. Ryan has gone into the Bob Marshall for a week with his grandpa last summer so he is a pretty good rider. Hes 11. Seth is a little timid but he just got over a broken collar bone so his courage is waning. He is 9. I did not get any pictures. Bad Grandma.
Friday, July 25, 2008
16 days
Whew 16 days. It is getting scary. Our Mustang Club had a BBQ here this evening and they came out and made noise which made Sierra pretty snorty. She had a good run after she broke away from me but she had already shown them what she can do. She backed the cloverleaf perfect = well almost perfect. But VERY good. She did not do the turn around in the square so good but was a little overcome by the noise the group was making. After her run she behaved herself and got down to business. I was proud of her. Her performance tonight is not top 3 quality. Tomorrow we will get back at it more seriously. HAD to clean house this morning and get stuff organized for tonight.
My day went smoother than yesterday. My sweet grandnephew is doing well after his grand mall seizure yesterday. It was very scary. For all of us. Particularly when you are 2,000 miles away and can't do anything. Things better today though.
My day went smoother than yesterday. My sweet grandnephew is doing well after his grand mall seizure yesterday. It was very scary. For all of us. Particularly when you are 2,000 miles away and can't do anything. Things better today though.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
17 days to go
Did not do the trail stuff with Sierra today. Had to take a grandsons keys back to him that he left in my car and he needed to go to work. My friend Cindy came by to see her just before I was putting her out to eat so she was kind of naughty. and not a good day. A great granddaughter Arawyn is in the hospital, My good friend Elsa from high school died, and Nikki just called and my special grand nephew was just life flighted to a hospital in Nashville, TN. It is very serious. Lord, what is going on here?
What I did with Sierra today was tie her up and let her stand there and I used the clippers with the new blades. She just stood there and let me. I only got half of her feet done because the clippers got hot. I will finish another day. Those are my pictures today - a pretty new bridle path, a clean face and partly clipped feet.
18 Days to go
Took our car in to KIA this morning for the day. Tyler followed us and chauffeured us around doing errands and Bob to the doctor. He is doing OK but they did not put a real cast on it. The doctor said if he did he thought Bob would do too much so he left it in the splint and we will go again in 2 weeks. No weight on it whatsoever though. It makes him house bound but it will make him appreciate the chores when he can do them again. LOL
Sierra got a pretty good workout this evening. She still is rebelling about backing up much but we are working on that. She side passes much better. I need to move the poles over a bit because they are not right for her strides. She needs to be able to step with one step or 2 but right now she is stumbling. We will go out first thing after breakfast (hers) and work on that some more. We have sort of a bow, better than none. Not just what I wanted but we will work on it. Can really do a lot in 18 days.
Sierra got a pretty good workout this evening. She still is rebelling about backing up much but we are working on that. She side passes much better. I need to move the poles over a bit because they are not right for her strides. She needs to be able to step with one step or 2 but right now she is stumbling. We will go out first thing after breakfast (hers) and work on that some more. We have sort of a bow, better than none. Not just what I wanted but we will work on it. Can really do a lot in 18 days.
Monday, July 21, 2008
A cool day
Loved today. I am enjoying summer but today our high was about 70 and made it nice to get out and do things. Did not sweat my clothes soaked cleaning Sierra's stall.
Sierra did OK both times today. This afternoon was better I think. She would still like to dash away when I lunge her in the arena on a longer rope. SO, its a short rope. Her best time to try to dash away is when I am backing her around the barrels and she gets tired of it. If I do it on a loose lead she leaves so we do it on a short lead. That seems to work. She will back a kind of lopsided cloverleaf pattern. The first barrel is good, the 2ND. not so good and the thirds is a battle. She got away from me the other day both times so I think she thinks that is going to work.
Bob is doing better today but scared me this evening. He almost fell. Crutches are a real challenge for him.
If you are reading this and are in the area, our Mustang Horse Club is having a BBQ at our house Friday evening July 25Th. Please come and get acquainted with the other Mustang owners in the area. We are planning a trail ride for Sept. 13Th. Come and find out about it.
Bob's "Wonder Horse" Pepper did something really uncharacteristic to him today. Our beloved black gelding wigged out and got Dixie in a corner and was kicking her unmercifully. She fell to her knees trying to get away. I am so glad I was out hanging clothes on the clothes line when it started. I was afraid to get in the middle of it but started throwing things at him and screaming at him and he backed off for a minute and Dixie, bless her heart got away from him. Don't know what set him off but he can't do that. I put him in the round pen for a while so things could settle down. Poor Sierra was in her little pasture next to them and it scared her half to death. I went out to get her and when I said Sierra come, she came. "I want to go to my house" she said to me.
20 days left.
Sierra did OK both times today. This afternoon was better I think. She would still like to dash away when I lunge her in the arena on a longer rope. SO, its a short rope. Her best time to try to dash away is when I am backing her around the barrels and she gets tired of it. If I do it on a loose lead she leaves so we do it on a short lead. That seems to work. She will back a kind of lopsided cloverleaf pattern. The first barrel is good, the 2ND. not so good and the thirds is a battle. She got away from me the other day both times so I think she thinks that is going to work.
Bob is doing better today but scared me this evening. He almost fell. Crutches are a real challenge for him.
If you are reading this and are in the area, our Mustang Horse Club is having a BBQ at our house Friday evening July 25Th. Please come and get acquainted with the other Mustang owners in the area. We are planning a trail ride for Sept. 13Th. Come and find out about it.
Bob's "Wonder Horse" Pepper did something really uncharacteristic to him today. Our beloved black gelding wigged out and got Dixie in a corner and was kicking her unmercifully. She fell to her knees trying to get away. I am so glad I was out hanging clothes on the clothes line when it started. I was afraid to get in the middle of it but started throwing things at him and screaming at him and he backed off for a minute and Dixie, bless her heart got away from him. Don't know what set him off but he can't do that. I put him in the round pen for a while so things could settle down. Poor Sierra was in her little pasture next to them and it scared her half to death. I went out to get her and when I said Sierra come, she came. "I want to go to my house" she said to me.
20 days left.
A bad day
Not too much with Sierra today. Did walk and trot her thru the trail course I have set up. She did OK for the most part. My heart was not in it. For one thing it was 100 degrees.
And the other thing is that Bob called me at 8 this morning that he had gotten hurt at his one day a week job at the stockyard. A bull ran over him fighting with another bull. He face above his eyes looks like a meat grinder got a hold of it. His left leg is broken just below his knee and the bull stepped on his back over his kidney and it is bruised. He sees our doctor tomorrow. I don't believe he will be going back there to work. I think our kids might duct tape him to a tree if he tried.
I don't think this will interfere with Reno but I may have to drive and I don't like driving our truck.
And the other thing is that Bob called me at 8 this morning that he had gotten hurt at his one day a week job at the stockyard. A bull ran over him fighting with another bull. He face above his eyes looks like a meat grinder got a hold of it. His left leg is broken just below his knee and the bull stepped on his back over his kidney and it is bruised. He sees our doctor tomorrow. I don't believe he will be going back there to work. I think our kids might duct tape him to a tree if he tried.
I don't think this will interfere with Reno but I may have to drive and I don't like driving our truck.
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