A rainy evening.

This is our Katie with the horse she is conditioning to sell. Lena is a registered paint mare. About 15h3. She and Katie are hitting it off good.

Rusty did better today with me. She let me touch her with 2 hands unless I tried to touch her face and then she left. We had a little episode of turning her rear to me but the rope helped that. As usual when Bob went down to work with her she was much better. He got all the dread locks out of her mane with his fingers. She let him. But when he tried to touch her face she left for him too. I think she is trying to avoid us taking control with a halter again. Bob thinks so too. We just have to continue to convince her that we are not going to hurt her and it will be OK. She is really much more relaxed with Bob than me for some reason. It is so different than with Sierra who really loved me and wanted to please me. Rusty would be happy if I never went into her pen again. Maybe that is the difference from a yearling and a 3 year old. I don't know. I love her anyway.

Monday

Today was another really nice day. I went out to the fair to watch some friends do showmanship and halter. Did not stay to watch their riding events. But it was nice to go and to see them.

The picture is of Rusty just before she had a temper tantrum. She really had a relapse with me today. She did not let me touch her and swung her rear at me when I got close. I picked up the rope and popped her on the rear until she turned and looked at me. I could not get my hand on her though. Bob went down when he got up and walked right up to her. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR. I told you she did not like me too much. I will be glad when Bob can do more with her and get her past this swinging her butt at me. It is too disrespectful. May need to get her into the round pen when she has no corners.

All the other horses are just fine. Our Mustang Club ride is this next Sat. Hope we have a good turnout. Its our money maker for the year.

A lazy Sunday

A lovely last days of summer. Love it like this. Abby and Pepper came home from the fair but that was the biggest event today. I went to church and came home and laid around. Took a long nap but not restful. Had an awful nightmare and woke up sweating and could not breath. Hate that.

Went out towards evening and went to see what Rusty would do today. I walked up to her but she said nope not today. So I got the rope and we worked with that a while. Tyler asked me if he could try and I told him sure. Bob got home with the horses and he took over. We were all tired and Bob has to work tonight with about 3 hrs. of good sleep. Tomorrow I will try to have pictures and maybe I will have had more ambition.

Fair day

Katie had her day at the fair today. She did very well. She got a red ribbon in showmanship. She needs to learn to not be tentative and to present herself with the horse. She had never done it before so it was good and a learning experience.

In halter with both Abby and Pepper she got the top blue just under the two championship horses out of 8 or 10 horses. I was proud of her and of the mustangs. It was an all other breeds class so there were Tennessee Walkers, Morgans etc. in the class. She presented the horses well and they cooperated. Pepper has done it all before and is totally bored but Abby had never been to a show before.

I meandered around the fair for a while, ate some lunch and meandered some more then came home and wilted in the recliner until it was time to do chores. Rusty had a total day off and I am not sure she liked it. When I took her hay into her she looked at me like "well where have you been"? I talked to her a minute but was tuckered so came back in and sat around until Bob got up. I guess he had a hard time sleeping today so he slept later.

I am off to bed. Besides being tired still have the remnants of the headache. Hate it when I have one of these bombers.

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.