A busy weekend over

Poor Sierra did not get worked much this weekend but got handled a lot and got to graze quite a bit and that is what is really important at this point. We kissed out kids, grand kids, great granddaughter goodbye and collapsed. Love them and love having them. My beloved former pastors wife Norma Lelacheur once said "I have seen the lights of Paris and I have seen the lights of Rome but the best lights of all is my children taking their children home." That has stuck in my mind as our family grows. Love them all soooooo much but it is wearing.

I am sending along some pictures of our week long camping trip. Nikki, our oldest daughter who is a good rider but does not get to ride often is the first picture. She is riding Bob's" Wonder Horse" Pepper. He took good care of her. He is fun to ride however slow.

The 2ND. picture is of Deer Creek falls. It was about a 12 mile ride round trip and a hike down to the falls. It was worth it though. We ate a leisurely lunch and the horses stood tied in the shade till we were ready to go back. Its a lovely time of year to ride in the back country this time of the year because the flowers are beautiful.

The last picture is of Pepper, Raven and Dixie. they were grazing in the corrals there. We hobbled them and let them out to really eat for a couple or three hours every night and an hour in the AM before we left. Dixie is proving to be a wonderful horse for me. Love her so much. Not only is she small enough I can get on from the ground which is wonderful for my aging short legs. but she goes absolutely anywhere I aim her.

So a couple of days late but it was a great time and fun to ride. Saw lots of deer. Lots of ground squirrels, chipmunks and squirrels. Lots of pictures too. But way too many to post.

Saturday

Having company is tiring but its been great today. Nikki and her husband Carmen and their boys are here, one of their older boys, his wife and baby were here, our daughter Christyn and her partner Wendy were here and all three of Chrissy's kids and their cat were here all day. We BBQ'd and had a great day.

I did manage to work in a good workout with Sierra first thing this morning. She was receptive to everything we tried. I just keep trying to think of things to add so we can may an impression on the judges. This evening I got another excellent workout with her. It was rather impressed with her actually. We did the trotting over the poles for 15 minutes and then I said whoa. She said what, I think I will wander around. I got a hold of her halter. She gave me that look only Sierra has and I walked forward with my hand under her chin a ways but no rope. She walked, trotted and backed with no rope, just my hand in front of her. Several laps of the round pen and then we did figure eights and stopped and set up square. I bounced the big green ball all around her and off her back and hip and under her. She just stood there. I walked her some more free and then tried the side pass and to the left she did wonderful. Then to the right not so good, I had to take ahold of her halter. But all in all WONDERFUL. We leave one month from today.

The other mustangs all got the day off to rest and recoup. I promise to put the pictures on tomorrow.

Till then

Its late

Its very late and I am very tired. We got home this afternoon from our week of camping on Craig Mountain at Larabie Corralls. It was sooooooooooooo fun. We rode and rode and rode and lazed around and got sunburned. I will add some pictures tomorrow. It is only about 30 miles out of Lewiston, Idaho and well worth the drive. Our mustangs thought we were nutty some of the time but went anywhere we asked. Our daughter Nikki thought we were taking her on "A Man from Snowy River" ride some of the time but she survived.

Was glad to see Sierra. She was antsy to get outside. I just let her out to eat and then put her in. I just didn't have it in me to work with her tonight. Tomorrow, Sierra, tomorrow. I think I have the music picked for Reno if per chance we make it into the top five. I think it will be Will You Remember Me, I will remember you. I don't know if that is the name or not but that is the just of the song.

Tomorrow -

Getting ready to go camping

It has been a VERY long day. Bob started at 10 this morning to do something with the pressure tank on our well and after discovering some leaks, they just finished and came in. It is midnight. They meaning our grandson Tyler and Bob. We are supposed to leave in the morning for Craig Mountain with our horses for 4 days of camping and riding. I don't think we will get out of here too early.

Today Sierra and I trotted together at a nice trot. That is a first. I had my stick in hand but did not touch her with it. It has been a struggle to get her to trot. I had this aha moment when I was lunging her on the line and shortened up the line and started trotting with her. I trotted closer and closer until we were side by side. We stopped and started many times and then went outside the round pen. Was so proud of her. That is something that I had not gotten her to do at all.

Another big step today was she took a treat out of my hand and ate it. We use packer pellets for treats and she had never taken one. But today she did. I was proud of her.

I think I have found my music for the freestyle if I would happen to get into the top 5. I am not expecting to but have to be prepared. Can't remember who its by but the song is "I will remember you." It will probably make me cry because she and I are so bonded but I promised Bob I would let her go.

I will be gone a few days - see you all later.

Saturday, July 5th.

A nice day. Sierra followed me up on the deck today. Silly filly - went right over to the fountain and took a drink. Laughed myself silly. She is also developing magic lips and got out of her stall again today. Just eats around in the yard. She gets so upset to be put in a pen but eats in the back yard and does not go anywhere else. I do leave her halter and a drag rope on her but when she lets herself out, she has neither. Tyler caught her tonight and then put a small chain around the post so she can't get out.
We are still working on the side pass, want it nice and smooth but we sure are not there yet AND she still won't trot with me. She is too lazy I guess. Bob said he would help me some tomorrow get her going. I wears me out trying to pull her a long. When I use the stick to make her trot I would have to be able to run a 3 minute mile to keep up with her. One month and 7 days until we leave.
I wish I knew how to add my list of sponsors. Anyway, so far they are Kim Marboe, Katie Hewes, Nikki Edgerton and Lorysue Enterprises. Thank you each of you. My paypal account should be up and running this week.

Happy Fourth of July

I can't get my picture to download today. I get so irritated with my computer.

We went this evening into Spokane for the fireworks and it was beautiful as always. We walked around for a while and then found us a spot and just relaxed for a while. A fun evening for Bob and I and Tyler.

Sierra did her trotting this morning and we worked on side passing. That is not coming as easy as some of the other things. Both ends don't work at the same time. We worked on whoa too. She only seems to think that works when we are leading or she is free lunging in the round pen. I want her to know it means anytime. Tomorrow is another day.

July 3

The picture is when Sierra followed me up onto the front porch and played with my poodle Skeeter thru the bottom of the door.

Another hot day and I just did not have it in me to do too much with Sierra today. I did put her in the round pen for her half an hour of trotting. She did not object. I have 5 poles in there about 5 strides apart and she rarely clicks them. When she does I speed her up a little and tell her to pick up her feet. We practiced whoa mostly. Some days it is excellent but some days not so much. 6 weeks to get it all down. Did let her out to eat for an hour while I cleaned her stall and rebedded it and then just watched her. I just leave the lead rope on her and turn her loose in the yard. If I put her in a pen she paces and gets upset so I just let her free range for a while. She never goes far from where she can see me and is happy. She is eating her grain just fine now. She is getting a supplement to help her with weight gain, a scoop of ground flax seed, a coffee can of oats and 2 1/2# of soaked beet pulp topped with a vitamin mix. She gets a can of oats in the morning and then the concoction at night. She seems to be putting on a little weight. I know she needs to compete in the conditioning phase. She seems to like it all.

Had a little disaster this evening. Katie came out to ride Abby and Abby decided to be a total jerk, ran away with her in the arena. She rode the running fine but when she made an abrupt stop Katie came off and landed on her back. She is kind of a timid rider anyway but was making progress. Don't know what got into Abby. She spooks at stuff. Katie tried to pull her ahead around but she just bowed her neck and would not give. It will be back in the round pen and work on some of these things. This was the first time we have let her go out and ride without one of us being there. We were eating. Her parents are going to be so upset. Very protective and this will be difficult. She was OK, just her back hurt.

We have a small pasture full of young goats. One is ours, the rest there to help eat the weeds. I went out to check their water this evening. One of the little guys had his head stuck in the fence. Its a field fence and he has little horns

Another thunder boomer is headed out way. As dry as it is, fires are always a problem.