Sierras day or rest - 10 to go.

This morning we loaded up 2 of our mustangs - Pepper and my Dixie. We meaning our grandson Tyler, Bob and I. We headed for the top of 4Th of July Pass - just east of Couer d'Alene, Idaho. About 60 miles from home. We joined about 25 of our friends from our Back Country Horsemen group. Bob got settled in a chair to watch. Our friend April's husband Mark was not riding so he and Bob hung out together keeping an eye on every ones vehicles and trailers. The rest of us set out on Cross Country Ski trails. Nice riding in the summer. It was about a 12 mile ride - 3 hrs. My body hurt when we got back - think I need to ride more often and I am 70 after all. Darn.

Tracey liked her trail picture with her horses ears. So here are mine. No steep trail but it was fun riding.

Tyler enjoying Pepper. Peppers eyesight has gotten very much worse recently. He loves to go though and is still a babysitter horse.

And the last pictures is my sweet Dixie's face. She kept turning her head and looking back. Love the picture

My great granddaughter - 15 month old Lilianna just arrived, just to give her GG and big hug so gotta go do that.

30 to 40 mph winds - 11 to go

Did not think it was too wise to try to do too much with Sierra today. It was an ugly day, no rain, just clouds that looked like rain and WIND. Of course the West Plains is notorious for its wind.

I did put her out in her little pasture after her breakfast this AM. About 4 I decided to go get her and see what we could do in the round pen. It is sheltered a little. I set her off to trot over the poles and she set out in a gallop and didn't stop for quite a while. After she came down to a trot I told her whoa. Know what she did = nothing kept right on going so we changed directions for a while and tried it again, still no response. That went on for 45 minutes, whoa, change directions and off again. Finally she came down to a walk and she looked at me for the first time and said OH is that what you want and came right up to me. I wanted to bop her but instead petted and hugged her and told her good girl. We did some side passing. Some good, some not so good, yielded her hind quarters on both sides, gave me her shoulders and we called it quits.

I do have a CD player now - the cheapest Walmart has - and will start practicing with the music. I won't need it unless I am in the top 3 or 5. Have read both, and I just can't wrap my brain around finishing that high no matter how much we have practiced. Keep thinking I must have missed something.

12 days to go

I was going to give Sierra her last day off but decided not to. We are going on a trail ride on Saturday so that's her day off. We meaning Tyler and I. Bob has been trying to think how he could but I threatened him with something fierce if he even tried. Let alone thought of it. Sierra will have Saturday to run and buck and role in the dirt.

Today I fit the show halter on her. She did not like it too much but will be used to it by the time we leave. I thought I had sold all my show halters but going thru our tack room to get rid of stuff we don't want or need, lo and behold there was one I got for a Quarter Pony. It fit Sierra perfectly and looks really pretty on her. Am really glad I lost it until today.

The only residual results from yesterdays debacle is a couple of big bruises. One on my side and one on the outside of my knee. Don't know where that one came from The one just below my ribs was where her foot and I connected.

After working with her in the round pen with the show halter, I caught her again and put her rope halter on her. Then into the arena to work. She did just fine. She backed the cloverleaf in the barrels, over the bridge, in the square and later trotted over it, she walked the larger poles that are in the arena but said she did not want to trot them today and I had trotted all my legs would so we came to an agreement on that. She did step up on the box and moved her rear end around it about half way. I picked up her feet and we worked on her bow. then to the trailer and she got right in as always. I backed her our the first time and then she wanted to go back in and we turned around and she walked out. I hugged on her and let her go to her stall and fed her supper. I have cut her food back some because I read someone say they did not do well in the conditioning because their horse was too fat. She isn't fat but she is in good condition. I want her to stay just like this.

Tomorrow Tyler and I will load the horse trailer. The ride is over on 4Th. of July pass between Idaho and Montana. I think my saddle is still there. I will probably ride Dixie with a mechanical hackamore. I was told she liked that the best. Will need to fit her though so its OK. don't want to have to do that when we are supposed to be mounting up.

13 days and not so lucky

This started out to be not such a good day. My body is telling me so this evening too. First of all, putting this in order - Sierra did not want me to put the halter on her in the stall. I had to be really stern with her. I just thought she was getting even for me going down about 2 AM when I could not sleep and waking her up. I finally got the halter on her and she was kinda of jumpy in the 30 mph wind when I put her out in her little pasture. The wind had calmed down some and she had eaten a while so I went to get her to work with her. She came to me when I called her and had the same sweet look on her face.

I reached up to put the halter on her and a big gust of wind came and she thought she was Pegasus I guess and whirled and bucked and caught me with her hind foot in my ribs. Knocked me head over tea kettle. Scared me more than hurt me and then she came up and put her nose on me while I was on the ground like "why are you down there". Pulled on my shoe laces and stood there. My camera had gone flying and I did not know where it was. Tyler saw me on the ground and came dashing over. He got my camera, helped me up and petted Sierras face and told her she was a bad girl.

I went to the house for about half and hour and then went to catch her again. She still was not going to be caught. I finally got her and we went to the round pen and she trotted both directions changing directions. She was head high , bug eyed for a while and then she settled down and obeyed. When she dropped her head and started listening. Don't know what got in to her today. The wind?

Later, I went and got her out of her stall and we went to the arena and she was great. Did everything I asked except side pass from right to left. She did it but not near as nice as the other way. Tomorrow I am going to go and get a cheap CD player so I can work out with the music. I was proud of her this last time but she is not going to get out into her pasture when the wind is blowing.

I got an e mail from Kali today and need to call the Reno show grounds tomorrow. She said we are to check in on Thursday and the other last e mail said we could on Wed. I wanted a day for her to settle in. I am getting nervous - so many directions. Be here, be there.

My side is bruised from the kick and my left arm and hip are sore from where I hit the ground with a thud. I bruise so easily because of the blood thinners I have to take since that dumb stroke in December. I may look spotted tomorrow.

14 days and counting.

Well Miss Sierra did not like me taking her picture I guess. She was playing in the water and I was talking to her.

She started the day off being really naughty. I mean really naughty. I had not trotted her in the round pen for a few days and it was cooler today so thought that would be a good thing to do. She forgot all together how to do that. She ran into the fence, swung her rear at me and worked herself into a a real lather. When she had gone around twice without any fits I told her whoa and she came right to me. I asked her to side pass and she did that really well surprisingly. Then I put her in her outdoor pen and let her nibble for 3/4 hrs.

Later after I took a nap because I had a throbbing headache, I caught her and worked with her in the arena. She did really well. Trotted with me when I asked her. On a loose reign too. She backed OK, we did a figure eight instead of a clover. She did well. She trotted over the poles and did the best she ever has in the arena. THEN I asked her to step up on the box. She loves doing that. I finally ducked under her. She did not care in the slightest. Don't know if we will do that or not. She side passed well and we trotted some more. I am so very proud of her.

Probably will be one of the most difficult things of late that I will do is to let her go. I have really gotten attached to her. I am praying for a loving home that is going to take her to her full potential.

Day 15

Well humans bob for apples, Sierra was bobbing for a small piece of board that floats in the the water for birds. She chased it clear to the bottom trying to get it in her mouth. Did didn't get it. She did have her front feet in the water too but I did not have my camera with me then. She is a water pony.

I gave her a real bath today. She did well. I had not done that for a while. Then I took her up on the lawn to nibble a while before I put her away. Later we went into the arena and went thru our mini trail course. She does it just fine. Her backing around the barrels was not as smooth as yesterday but OK. Her square circle was better today so its even steven. She did her walkovers perfectly. She sidepassed from L to R perfect. R to L isn't as smooth but better than it was. Today was the first time we did it over a pole. I was impressed with her. Almost went under her when she was on the box but lost my nerve. Just need to have better knees. Maybe tomorrow. She was a really great girl today.

Sunday - A windy day

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.