Whew A Long Month!

Yikes so much has happened since last time but I've been struggling with uploading pictures and finally today got them here to share with you :)

After Jax came home he was in with George, Jess and Razz in the pasture.  Then we had to wean so they had to get out of there so we could get our cows home through there.  No problem it was time to move them to winter pasture anyways so they came in for a few days.

(hmm I think she ate the whole bale)

(this pic makes me laugh makes George look huge!)

(And he is kinda lol, they are best friend, only 3.1 hands difference)

 I was brave and turned out Easy and Trio and Pally in the winter pasture.  That was hard for me to let him out there when I don't think he's ever seen barb wire and such big places.  But boy was he happy!  If he coulda giggled that day I'm sure he woulda.  Made me happy to watch him.

Then a week or so later I had a lady ask me about Trio, I had her listed for sale on a couple sites, a little interest but not a lot.  She was looking for a colt with out too much handling that wasn't gonnna kick her head off.  They run a grazing coop and her husband has lots of experience starting colts but she doesn't and wanted to.  We talked a lot she liked her and in a couple days her husband was coming by with the trailer and if he liked her then she would go with them.  So he came one foggy morning and he liked what he saw, was really just looking for quiet and straight and she passed.  So off she went.  I did the fall horsemanship challenge with her and never got my hours in with her cause she sold before it was over, but I'm glad.  Makes my life a little less complicated right now.  Although I will say I have never had an unhandled colt that was so desensitized, she was weird but cool.  Rope around belly no big deal, rope on foot leading her around no big deal,  First time I haltered her just walked up to her in the pen and put the halter on.  And within minutes she was leading (following really but at that stage I took it)

So now I'm down to 5 (and Neil's George) and its working well.  All the geldings are out for the winter and the mares are in.  I'd really like to have only 3 but I have 5 I really like right now.  Although have debated on selling Pally next July after branding season but we will see.

We got our cows weaned and preg checked and dries sold.  We are gonna buy a few more bred cows but the sales don't start till December.

(Huge bunch of steers sold together it was cool to fill the ring)

The weather has been so nice this fall, was 25*C today.   That's unheard of in November should be negative but I am not complaining I love it, been riding quite a bit, haven't even got my arena membership yet cause its too nice out.

(helping a friend with a colts first ride out)

(Neil and George)

(Weaning at the neighbors, I had bronchitis 

but he needed the help so I went 

and he let me stay on my horse in the corral rather than on foot)

(even took a couple lessons)

Also went to a tack sale and sold a lot of stuff, might go again in March if I have time.  AndHalloween, how can I forget??

(geese headed south west)

Am way ahead this fall compared to most years cause we have had an extra moth of nice weather so I love that!

Camera Lens

So I was heading to Drumheller to do the MS Walk on the first and sometimes before I go I like to look and see whats on the buy and sell for that town cause I'm going and can pick it up easier than trying to make plans to get something when I wasn't going anyways.  Actually worked well that day cause it was the first of the month so the groceries were 15% off at my grocery store as well.
Anyway the walk was pretty successful, they raised 22,000.  I guess its down from previous years but the economy is too so not surprising.  Wasn't a real well organized walk, you could do 1,4, or 6K but no one kept track or even made sure you did walk.  They sorta had the paths marked but not very well, no one knew where the different lengths started and we knew the path so we were lucky it worked out well.  But they had lunch donated afterwards and it was really nice day so am glad I got to go with friends and walk.  We did the 6k, I probly coulda done more but that was a good walk and I had a blister from my new shoes rubbing where my sock fell down.

(here's the crew of us, and the picture taker I dunno why hes not in the photo)

Anyways I saw a lady advertising a camera like mine with regular lens and a zoom lens, and on the off chance I just asked if she would split them and just sell the zoom.  Took her forever to get back to me but she said she would.  Yay!  Way cheaper than new price so I was super excited!

I hooked it on my camera and needed to try it out right away, not much was around to take pics of but got a few when I got home fixing the fence so the horses could have a bit of grass.

(Bull laying down outside fence)

(wishing I would let him in)

(Closeup of the eye)

(Couple geese I think nesting in bull pasture)

(the one didn't even get up, no nest that I could find)

(our calf that was starving, hes felling fuller now)

(the cow, her bag was really chapped and dry much better now)

(Trio)

(Dee)

(mmm grass)

Turned out the horses hoping to get some fun pics but they couldn't lift up there heads.

Farrier Day

We are a bit more settled in this week. Although I messed things up again yesterday.  Farrier came out and so everyone got trimmed and wormed (except Easy, he can wait another month, kinda  a pain but hes down doing other feet in the area so will stop by and do his and check on Pally's crack and I don't know when he was wormed so he got skipped this time, will have to ask)He loves Easy, says he has heel horse written all over him.  I said hes not for sale yet :)  And he said if Pally was a gelding he would take her home today....umm no I still want her too.  Wish he wanted Dee or Trio would be easier to make a deal that way.

(Easy and Pally stood side by side 

all the time the farrier was here, 

I wasn't too worried 

hes been tied by lots of strange horses before and is fine)

 And then I put Jessie, George and Razz in the north pasture.

 And Dee in with Trio. And Pally in with Easy.

(his arched neck protecting Pally haha)

(she looks at me like really in with him?)

(Trio shes so sweet unruffled by all the craziness, 

and Easy being silly in the background)

(Dee in one of her rare fast moving phases)

They got along perfect, he herds her a bit and she just moves away and ignores him.  But boy did he not like Dee in the next pen, he would run at the fence at her and she would run away flag her tail and when he'd leave shes paw the gate so back he'd come.  Easy sure got his exercise!  This morning seems a lot more settled down.  Easy and Pally eating out of the same pile and ignoring the others, whew.  Never had this much hassle when introducing a horse to the herd.

Spent Sunday and Monday trail riding with friends on Jessie. Shes such a good horse just pull her out of the pasture load her and pick up a friend and go ride.  Then the back trailer tie is right beside the latch and we went in for coffee after a ride and the other horse must have got her halter caught on the latch and pulled back and it broke.  So we can't haul home with no door latch so we left the horses there.  Jess and Twister shared a pen and it was like they were always together, whew good thing it wasn't Easy.  Went Monday to Airdrie to get a part which they had in stock luckily and put it on and since we were there we went riding again.  Perfect 2 days in a row :)

(and a pretty sunset last night)

I'm trying to decide which shows I will go to.  Not going this weekend but maybe the central show on the 23/24. And probly central shows May 7/8 and the 14th.   Hopefully can do June 11th and July 2/3 too.   For sure the ACHA shows April 30-May 1st and June 18-19th.  June is a hard month for me cause of brandings.  I also found a Pony show in Red Deer on July 15-17th.  No shows then so maybe I will take Pally to that, not sure what we will go in yet but be fun and get to see more ponies too.

Turned Out!

Went and rode Easy yesterday again, he was soo good.  He was outside again so got him and got all ready, weather was so warm and sun was super bright just a good day to ride.  We warm up in the indoor and we were trotting around and then he spooked!  At the snow sliding off the metal roof.  All he did was lift his head up to the sky and went a little faster, whew no sideways so stupidness just faster, then calmed down and back to work we went.  All the horses were feeling a bit fresh cause of the warm weather.  Even after we worked cows and he was tired he still jumped at the snow even though we weren't in the arena anymore.

(the video of us cooling out from last time that wouldn't play)

(and him and the stall horse grooming each other, sounds painful)

He has only 2 cows in, one to work and one to sit in the middle and it was really good, I was amazed. I still gotta work on going right up to the fence and not leaning when I wanna turn but its coming.  He figured that was good we should stop but decided one more cow wont hurt, so we switched out and the next cow was a little different, she ad her head down then would just turn and run, we had to really pay attention to her, but it was good and we got lots of good turns on her and ended super happy!  Yay!!!  Then groceries on the way home, seems expensive but I shouldn't have to go for another month, well besides fruit and veggies and maybe milk.

And today the ponies in the corral are out of hay so I turned them out, gonna bring them in maybe beginning of March when it gets warmer out and for now just focus on Easy.  I plan on going every Monday, Wednesday and Friday there and the winter series shows so that should keep me busy. They were happy to be out and just to make sure no one was getting picked on I watched for a while, I was a little worried about Pally but Dee was super good and protected her.  They all met and a few squeals but lots of room out there and they were all looking for grass when I left so should be OK now.

(Dee just calm)

(Pally running towards me...and the gate)

(I love this!)

(wow 7 horses)

(so hard to see Trio but shes hiding behind George and Razz)

(Jess showing off with all her feet off the ground)

(Play time!)

(YeeHaw!)

(Trio, Bailey and Jess comin back)

(Jess favorite pastime)

(Trio and Bailey, love the mane!)

(Razz showing off her bendy moves)

(Trio Jess and Bailey coming back towards me)

(Razz posing)

(Dee protecting Pally from George)

(And Pally giving her thoughts)

(and off they go again)

I got way too many pics cause I was watching but its so fun!  So weird having 7 horses out there, been a long time since I had that many, just seems like work!  Good thing Easy doesnt know all my other horses are on rest, but he will be out there next winter I think