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.

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.

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.

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.

A Day of Rest

This is the banner that hangs in our front yard beside our driveway. I don't know if anyone will be interested enough to stop but just maybe.

Today was a day of rest for Sierra and me. It was 90 and we worked really hard all week. Bob fixed a small pasture for her with alot of grass and she could see the house and the other horses and she was contented all day. She came in willingly about 6. I went out and told her to come and she did. Put the halter and lead on her and just lead her in. Her supper was waiting. I will have to get up early to work with her early because triple digets are forcast. 22 days to go.

Bob took Katie and her dad for a little ride this morning. They left here at 7 and went down to Riverside State Park for a couple of hours. Katie rode Dixie. She did good with her. Dixie had been ridden by no one else but me since I got her and Katie is a timid rider. Bob rode Katie's horse Abby for her first real trail ride. She did great. Only one little episode over a big green sign but nothing major.

After they got home Bob took Tyler and I to breakfast and we have had quite a lazy day since.

Sassy Sierra

This was not a good day. She was more naughty today than any other day since I have had her. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. She did her trotting just fine, side passed the best she ever has BUUT then I took her to the arena to walk over the big poles and to practice backing. No no not today mom. She begrudgingly got thru the first two barrels, tried to bite me again, and when we came to the second barrell she said "out of here" and jerked out of my hand and went tearing around the arena snorting and bucking. When she slowed down I said come and surprisingly she did. That was the good thing. Then we had a repeat and this time she would not come so it was my idea to keep running, and bucking and running some more. I finally caught her and we tried again. Got around one barrel and thought, that is enough but no treats.

My hand is sore and my body is tired from chasing her. Remember I am 70 years old. The arena is very soft and deep. Soooooooo tomorrow we will try again. That is our big thing to work on.

But this evening when we were bbqing and sitting on the deck we heard a loud crash in the barn and our son and grandson went to check on her. They hollared loud for us and she was cast in her stall. Could not get close enough with her thrashing to get a rope on her to pull her on over. Scared me so bad. Finally she herself over and stood up. A little shaken but OK. She did get a treat then.

Katie came out and I gave her a lesson on her horse Abby. Mostly it was how to manage the horse without being scared. Abby can be really silly sometimes and Katie is a timid rider. She is a good rider but has gotten dumped off Abby and worries about getting hurt again. Abby is pulling her chain. I am trading lessons for yard work. Katie keeps telling me I need to do this and that in the yard so I told her we could barter. She, her dad and Bob are going for a ride in the morning. Tyler and I are going out to eat. We are one horse short to ride and 2 horses short in the trailer. So grandma is taking grandson out for breakfast.

No pictures today. I could not make it work for some reason and thats OK. Not so good pictures today anyway. Hope for better times tomorrow.