More Ponies and Crafting

Seems all I do these days is crafts.  I been crocheting of course, cant show my last make till next week as its a gift, but I also made a shawl and a sweater and a baby blanket.  Since I signed up for a craft sale in May I want a few things made up that I can have there,  Also gonna make some unicorn purses, some baskets, scrubbies, dishcloths, scrunchies and face cleaners.  Also gonna have some wood stuff there too.  Not sure what as there is still a 4 foot drift in front of my wood shop so its out of use for now. 

But its been -20 or colder everyday (except 1) since the first of February so I turned out Pally and I had planned for Rayne to go to the trainer on Feb 6th for a couple months, get started and going good so when its nice (ish) here in April I can ride out on her.  Well it was -34 when we were supposed to load and so I wimped out and we decided he wasn't doing much anyways so wait till the next week.  A little warmer, only -21 and Rayne was so good, shes kinda a pleaser anyways which helps a lot.  but shes only been loaded once before when I went to pick her up.  So I asked Neil if he would help and I brought Jessie too.  we walked up tot he trailer, I had shavings down and she thought she would eat them silly girl.  I could get her front feet in without even asking but she wouldn't take those last two steps and she just stood there.  I tried bribing her with cookies which I don't normally do but it was cold!  Anyways swung my lead rope and she backed out but no biggie, just walked front feet in and stood again, not worried just hanging out.  I was cold, Neil was cold and I finally said to Neil you have any ideas I don't know what to do.  and kinda just gave up.  Well up she hopped in.  So lots of scratches and there was a hay bag there too and we tied her up and closed the door.  All in all was only 15 minutes, I was surprised at that felt much longer.  Got there and we put her in the indoor arena to run around and she was excited to run without snow and ice everywhere it was funny.  He said he does that a lot then they can check out everything and its not a scary new place when he takes them in there.  We visited a while then I headed home and got home before dark and turned out Jess.  Got an update the other day, they did say I can ask but I don't wanna bug them everyday, well I sorta do but trying not too.  He said she was pushy and tried to run him over which I knew she definitely did try that here too but he said shes coming along pretty good. 

(Dixon and Huck)

(Rayne and Jessie)

(George, Jax, Nita, Razz)

(Huck and Dixon)

Otherwise just feeding colts and trying to stay warm.  And started up paint class again, started with something fun Luigi :)

My Birthday Ride and Rayne

Well it was my birthday today and so I got to do whatever I wanted. Since I was feeling a lot better today finally.  Turns out there was about 6 people who got sick after the party on Sunday, noone wants to say who was sick then and I don't blame them lol.   Did chores this morning and then waited till it got warm enough and thought I should go for a ride.  But I really needed to check the fence in the winter pasture before the horses move there Sunday or Monday.  So I took Jess and we went around it, no reason we can't do 2 things at once.  It wasn't bad, a spot where the bulls went through, a couple wires needed stapled up and a couple posts needed.  But all in all nothing my horses would go though.  The bull spot was covered in panels and Neil plans to fix that this week.  I will nail the staples in and he will pound the posts then I will put the staples in there too.

(Love adding photos to map my run :))

(found a cacti under her belly before I rode, 

glad I looked or I might not have had such a great day)

(Stinkin bulls go right through the fence when the gate was even open)

(I love riding her out :)  I'd like to think she does too )

I got a bike carrier for my birthday I love it!  I been wanting one for a while now so my bike doesn't just get thrown around in the back of the truck and this will work fantastic!

And Shirley was asking about Rayne, well I haven't had much time to do stuff with it being weaning season and all but after Wednesday I think we are pretty well done for the year.  I did figure out she has a lack of respect for space, but that's normal shes young and testing.  She got pretty upset at me the other day when I would not let her eat out of my oat bucket and kept crowding me and of course had nothing with me to chase her away with she eventually turned away and crowhopped.  Just frustrated didn't know how to deal, but not toward me to that is OK, she will learn.  And when she was near me and got chased away when I was opening the gate she ran into me....not acceptable that time I had a lead rope so I just stopped opening the gate and twirled the lead rope it hit her butt and she eventually moved away and I stopped and went back to the gate.  Slower than I normally do of course but I think she was thinking it through.  She is very sweet wants lots of attention so I been giving her a little, after next week I think I am gonna keep her and Jess in and get her ponying and then she can come out and see the big world.  I may take her out on her own as well we will see how much nice weather we get.

(you can see the bite marks on her side, 

apparently not that good at moving out of horses ways either)

(But shes so cute and sweet she will leave her oats to come see me)

I don't wanna do too much too soon but I think she is ready for more so I will probly get her saddled and bridled and long lining and stuff this winter, will wait till spring to actually get on her but lots of stuff to do before then.  I'd also like her to load better so I can haul her to Brooks when I go down there and ride.

Riding and Riding

Well its fall. I should remember every year that October is always a busy month but somehow I seem to forget.  We are well into weaning  although I think we are the last this year.  We hauled cows home from the community pasture, I took Razz and she stumbled and fell into some brush part way into the ride and something must have got caught in the cinch/breastcollar area and it rubbed her.  I didn't notice and she come home with a pretty big sore spot. I felt pretty bad for her afterwards.  I kinda was unsure of taking her cause we been working on so much stuff and she really wasn't ready and now I worry I set back with her again.  Well I have all winter I guess.

(up early to be there by 8)

(we found cows)

(got them in mostly)

(Her favorite treat, yard grass)

(my breast collar fix after our stumble it broke. 

 I was surprised it held, guess those saddle strings had a use after all)

Then I helped the neighbors preg check her cows that was a good day, weather was so perfect and cows worked really well.  And we hauled home from the Stettler place and that worked pretty well too, except we hired a guy with a stock trailer to haul some calves and he charged just as much as a liner.  We sure won't be getting him again.  Might as well hire a liner and we won't haul any.

(someone was here and started a fire in one of the good buildings)

(the house up there, not too liveable anymore)

(so I stole a piece of the chimney flue think I may have a spot for it in the garden)

(the coal mine digger is pretty close to the road)

(they built this special giant culvert/tunnel 

so the coal trucks go over top and don't interrupt traffic)

I also had another paint night and we did greyscale paintings,  not sure I love mine but I did get the shapes and colors in, just the details are not right.  She wants me to do another one this week, so hopefully I will feel up to it tomorrow or Friday.

(she musta liked our day as she wanted to hang with me 

instead of the herd that run out to the pasture. 

 This pic reminds me that yes she is orange lol)

And Neil went to one neighbor yesterday and I went to another and both those worked well too, this warm weather is pretty nice.  Was 23*C yesterday.  I took Jess and we gathered and sorted off horseback it worked well.  Then after lunch I wasn't feeling very good and I think I have the flu.  Good thing we don't have to help anyone till Sunday, hope I feel better by then.

Whew its Done

Man that was one busy week, I am not very good at having something planned every day anymore.  All started a week ago Friday.  We sold our calves at a presale they sold really well we are pretty happy with the prices.  We are not weaning till Halloween, having a Halloweening haha.  And so those buyers will send their trucks here and pick them up and the leftovers (small and whatever else no one wants) will go to the sale the next day.  Then my Mom had planned a scrap booking evening so I headed over there and got that done.  I had headed home early cause Saturday was the Horse Parade.

I like going there mostly because its all horses but the parade doesn't start till 10:30 so I left home at 9!  I got to sleep in even that was weird.  Jess was super good as usual, she was even a little lazy but that is just fine with me.  Only thing she looked twice at was a team of minis, it was funny like she couldn't figure out what they were.  They had made a shorter route cause the rodeo comittee decided they wanted us to stay on Main Street case lots goes on there and if we go on other roads people just watch from their houses.  But the road was dug up all summer and so we had to go around some of it.  But then they ended it early was only about half hour, kinda short and they didnt go by the nursing home and hospital.  So a bunch of us made our own parade and went by there, it took a little longer and we got thanked by lots of people who were waiting there for us.  A few teams and wagons, maybe next year Jax can go :)

Then Sunday was East Coulee breakfast, the first one since May and it was good to go again. Then I finished up cooking the crab apples and making juice and pulp.  Still have to make it into Jelly and sauce but that can happen when its wintery outside.   Monday I skipped yoga cause I was just tired.  Although I did ride Razz, she was so fun, she is so brave now its cool doing stuff with her.  We started in the arena but that was boring so we went and rode half way around the North pasture then around and saw antelopes.  Then back but she didn't wanna go back so I let her pick the way and she headed East away from the horses and whatever then we went around the house and between the steps and garage and over top of the gravel pile.  That was weird haha then I decided I was done and so we quit.

Tuesday I shoulda hauled horses down to the arena before theraputic riding but I woke up with a sore throat again and so I just didn't.  I did go but not with horses.  Then Wednesday was the clinic I wasn't sure how much I would get done but I went anyways.  Took Razz and we had so much fun.  And Char got some cool pics of me!  Finally a few pics of me riding :)  We did it a little different, we each had our own session in the morning and I got the start of some lift from Razz that was cool.  We also worked on our backup making it softer.  Then in the afternoon we all got together and started with a few obstacles and dragging stuff and going over tarps and jumps and stuff.  Then we went out in the field and did some of the same exercises it was super good.  So much so we booked another day on October 11 to get him again.

Then I had planned to go to Calgary Thursday but we went to the Supreme instead. Then I went to Calgary after and got up early to get in line to buy a Super Nintendo.  We got one too :)  we were 2nd and 3rd in line that was cool.  Then we did a bit of shopping and then went to the football game that night.

 And today headed up and had a look at a yearling.  Which I need like a hole in the head.  But she was cute.  Tomorrow I need to go grocery shopping cause its the first and then paint night Monday Im excited for that but I need to rest first. ANd also we had the cement guy come out and start our sidewalk and garage pad.  And the deck guy came to put the roof on the deck and build Neil an overhead door for his shed.  So much in one week.

Breeding Mares

I made a plan a long time ago that I wanted to breed Jess this year.  I had pretty much decided last spring who I wanted to breed her to on the suggestion of her previous owner, so all last year we watched his colts and liked them, they are decent, and they look good and they are winning.  So I phoned up the owner and made a date for Jess.  Took her down last Friday and got the tour and left her there.  Bit weird not having her at home here.  Pretty excited about this foal, I'm not even sure I care if its a colt or filly.

(Jess was just happy for grass didn't care about a whole lot of other stuff going on )

(Dually Cat, he has a big pen right by the house)

I also don't really like one foal they seem better when there are 2 so I was on the look for another mare I liked, probly said this before but I was planning on buying this fall an in foal mare but then along came Nita and shes perfect (except she jumps Texas gates) I can ride her, she is short and she is decently bred.  And now I can get my Hesgottabefamous colt that I have always wanted.  So I took her down Friday as well since its sorta on the way.  I just love going down there I always come away with more knowledge then when I got there.  She knows quite a few of the stallions on her papers, her cousin even owned one of them so that was kinda cool.  They were collecting off a stallion when I was there, the new guy Fix N To and he was so funny, rather noisy and excited until he was done he fell asleep on the dummy lol.  Then they bred a couple mares, always something going on there.

(they gave me a whole folder full of info)

 

(the stallion poster)

(Barrel incentive, not sure I will get any of this but kinda cool anyways)

(and of course the new guy)

After we went out to see Famous and hes so quiet and nice, I still like him.  She said his offspring are not much taller than him, and willing and handy.  Sounds perfect.  Said a race barn in Edmonton has 4 in right now and they are so easy a monkey could ride them.  Sounds perfect for me :)  I decided to put her in the group and Carol said if it doesn't work she can be in her own pen but she likes her herd so I think it will be best.  I'm hoping for a colt out of this cross.

(they are already cutting hay down south, I know they are ahead of us but wow crazy)

Super excited for next year and the couple years after that!!  Fingers crossed all goes well and both get bred easy.  My worst fear is Nita will catch and Jess won't.  But I will be patient and try not to worry.