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.

15 to go

A good day. Spent the day with out son Tom and his family. Those kids are country kids at heart that live in town. Particularly Sheya who is 6. I was cleaning stalls and that little muffin stayed right with me using a stall fork talking a mile a minute why it was important to keep the horses "house" clean. She rides like a little wild cowboy. I gave her a silver dollar for her help.

I worked Sierra with the gang waving flags and making loud noise. She got a little worried at first but then went up and tried to take the flags from them She did back the cloverleaf as near perfect as we have yet. She did the square OK and I was not up to trotting. I put her out to eat and then later I led her around the obstacles, up on the box and worked at side passing. She was much better. Then Sheya led her up to the deck where everyone else was sitting and held her while she ate.

Tyler went and got Pepper and led her around because I did not want her riding bareback with a halter out and about. Hers 2 brothers rode. Ryan has gone into the Bob Marshall for a week with his grandpa last summer so he is a pretty good rider. Hes 11. Seth is a little timid but he just got over a broken collar bone so his courage is waning. He is 9. I did not get any pictures. Bad Grandma.

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.