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.

A very busy day

No pictures today. Was so busy I didn't take my camera out with me. Bob and I both worked with Rusty this morning. We began tossing the rope all over her. It took about 3 tosses before she said, OH OK your not hurting me. Bob is much more adept with the rope than I am but I got it better later.

Katie came to get ready for the fair = bathing 2 horses etc. I think she got it all together OK. I know its tough but no one did it for me when I was getting ready to do the same. I gave her a list of stuff to bring and trust she did. I had to go to a meeting at 6 so left before she and Bob did. He called a while ago and she is all settled in. She really wants me to come out Sat. AM. I think I will try but I am not going to do all the grunt work for her. She will only learn by doing it. I know she thinks I am being obstinate but she needs to do it. I did help her bathe and get organized.

I am very tired and this is Bob's first night at the fair. He is working nights as security in the cattle barn.

A normal Wednesday around here

Yeah. I got pictures to upload. The top picture is Rusty sneaking up on her supper on the tarp. She would really rather I did not put it there and gave me a series of dirty looks. She really sneaks up on it, it is hilarious. She gets put out when we laugh too.

The second picture is Pepper without his cast. We took it off this afternoon. He walks with no sign of a limp at all. He has another week of stall rest though. Katie is taking him to the fair to do halter and showmanship with. Jed said that would be fine. Jed is our vet. No riding for a while though and we are all sad about that. She is disappointed about that but like is life.

The bottom picture is of Abby getting ready to go to the fair tomorrow. She had never been clipped other than her bridle path with the clippers and she did marvelous. I think she would stand on her head for Katie. Her back is almost healed. Probably in a couple of weeks she can ride her again. Katie needs to learn to be more forceful when she rides or Abby will run off with her over again. She is learning though. Am proud of her. She is a senior at Mead High School.

And she is training to be a vet assistant at the skill center. After she graduates she is going to Vet Tech school. Maybe at some point to Vet school.

The other critters here at Calico Acres Farm are doing well. The baby chicks are almost old enough to go out with the other chickens. We have kittens under the tack shed that we don't know where mom is. They are a couple of months old so should be OK.

A lovely day in the neighborhood.

It was just about a perfect day out today. Not too hot, not cold, just nice to get out and work in it.

Rusty got the day off kind of. I put a blue tarp over the fence. She about had a coronary but settled down. I rattled it every time I walked by. She freaked out each time but always swung around and looked at it. I put her supper up against it. She looked at me like darn you. Now I have to go toward it. She snuck up on it and grabbed a bite. It was funny.

I helped Katie work with Abby. She needs to look at some videos so she understands from someone else why and how. Abby is very quick to catch on. When her back is healed she will start riding her again. And we worked on Peppers mane some. Tomorrow his gel cast comes off and we will see if he is not limping. I think he will be fine. No riding for another month though. She will just show him at halter and do showmanship with him. That will be OK.

She rode Lena today and is in love. She will condition her and get her ready to sell. She is a big horse, much different than the shorter mustangs she is used to. She will ride her western but she has been ridden English a lot too.

No pictures today, did not take my camera outside except to take my daily picture. It is of our hay.

Labor Day

I can't get pictures to upload tonight so its no pictures. Darn. I rode my old paint horse today for a while and it was like coming home. She is the most smooth horse I have ever ridden in my life. She was glad to have me get on her. When I got off she pressed her head against my chest and just stood there. Made me get teary.

Tyler did not get on Liberty yet but was all over her. She loves him and when its right I know she will just let him.I know he is a little nervous about it.

Bob and I both played with Rusty some. Mostly though she had different people all over around the pen and trucks going by, four wheelers and strange horses. I put Sierras big purple ball in with her and the wind blew it around. She is getting used to it. A blue tarp blowing caused some trauma but she will get used to it. Bob can go in and pet her w/out picking up the rope. I was going to change her halter today but too much else going on around here. We cleaned up all the scrap metal that is recyclable today and loaded it on a trailer. Bob will take it in latter this week.

A neighbor gave Katie a project. They have a paint mare they want her to ride and help sell. They got her for their foster daughter, gave her lessons, paid for shows did so much for her and in turn she wrecked their pick up and ran away and is telling people they kicked her out. Not so. Anyway they want to sell Lena. She is a big nice mare with a lot of training. They want $2000.00 for her and that is a bargain. Katie has her mustang Abby to ride too when her back is totally healed up from where she went under something and scraped it pretty deep the morning that the entire group ran amok, thru a fence about 3 times so who knows what she did to it but she has to stay off her until it is healed. This will give her something to do.

Sunday evening

Rusty let me do more with her today. She lead pretty well 3 laps around her pen. She let me walk right up to her when I picked up her rope. This week will be the week we change halters and leave the drag rope off. I am so proud of her.

Tyler was going to ride Liberty today but Liberty had other ideas. She bucked like a real bronco when he put the saddle on. He worked with her for quite a while and left the saddle on for a while. Maybe tomorrow. She is so bonded to him but did not want him on her back. He so bad wants to be the first on her but she bucked hard today and he wasn't about to try it again. I would not have either for sure.

Bob worked with Rusty a couple of times but otherwise we did not do too much. Katie came and messed with Abby for a while. They are a good pair too.

Saturday

Today I thought I would show you all of our other horses. Besides Rusty I mean. Rusty is doing wonderful. I got her to give to rope pressure and "lead" across her pen this evening. I can rub her back to her hip on the right but the left only to her shoulder before she thinks I am going to eat her. She is sweet. That is the best I have gotten from her however Bob has gotten her to do that without as much pressure as I needed to get her to respond. She is very sweet though and never a kick or bite. Just feet frozen in place.

The top picture is of Dixie in her stall for her supper. Not too good of a picture but its her never the less. Dixie is from Jackie's Butte and is about 20 years old. Still is full of energy and will go all day.

The next picture is of Pepper. Still on stall rest and Butte. Pepper is a Riddle Mt. Kiger and is 11 I think. He has an eye problem that continues to get more advanced but he is here for the rest of his life. He can go all day and anyone can ride him.

Ditto is my old Paint mare. She was the best horse ever to ride. I showed her western pleasure, Hunt seat and drove her. She does not like to drive. I won a lot on her. She is 27 this year and is retired. She ran a stick into the sole of her foot into her navicular bursa (sp?) and can only be ridden lightly. She loves retirement and sometimes I saddle her up and ride her just because I have to. She does not like men but loves me.

The very next picture is Wild Rose aka Rosie. She is a pinto pony - welsh/paint cross. She has done lead line classes, walk trot classes and is a champion driving pony. We won just about everything we could driving. She loves to pull anything we hitch behind her including a sleigh.

The burro's name is Yuma for the area he was gathered from. He is just a pet. He was my mothers day present about 8 years ago.He is a sweetie. He talks to us every time we go out the back door.

Liberty is the horse that the neighbors abandoned when they moved to Oregon. I don't know what HMA she is from from its CA some place. when we got her over here she was 9 and not handled. It has taken us a long time to get her really quiet. I think Tyler will ride her yet this weekend. they are really bonded with each other.

Raven is the next one in the line of pictures. She is 7. She was given to us by a lady (and I use that term loosely) who said she back bucked her off. I think she shied and she fell off but I wasn't there, just from experience since we have had her. She is from the Ravendale, CA HMA. She is a wonderful mare and loves being ridden. She has a little spook at first when you start down a trail but is sure footed and honest.

The quarter pony is Sequoia. He is for sale. We want $1,000 for him. He is about 20 and a wonderful kids pony. Our 6 year old granddaughter rides him by herself. He boarded here for about 6 years and then he girl outgrew him and we bought him. He needs a kid who will ride him often. He loves to go.

The last picture is of Abby getting ready for a show. Doesn't she look happy? LOL. Not. She is owned by Katie. Katie has come and helped with the horses and rode for several years. We gave her Abby a few months ago. She boards here. Abby is from the Sheepshead HMA in Oregon and really a true black.

So that is our lineup. When I talk about them you will know who I am talking about. Of course and Rusty.

When I got down to what I was so sad about yesterday- in the middle of the night I realized I missed (among others) Sierra. I miss her but what I miss is the going about and working with a yearling that I can make progress with. Rusty is Bob's but another horse is really not practical. BUT we did find out they are gathering in the Pryor's and they are gathering a lot of yearlings. So maybe - I would love one of those gorgeous grulla yearlings like we saw last year when we visited there.