Owls

Neil and his dad were out moving the cows this afternoon and he came in with a picture of some eggs.  He said they went by and an owl flew up and theses two babies were in the nest on the ground and the other 4 eggs weren't hatched yet.  Figure the babies were hatched this morning sometime cause they didn't move just a little flapping of wings.  There is also a dead mouse thier momma was probly gonna feed them.

Sunday

Well again I missed Sunday Stills, although I did have pictures of weeds, I may just have to erase them like there is no evidence. 

I rode Razz on the flag yesterday and she was sooo good.  She was so calm riding around and just doing what I was asking her and she tried really hard on the flag.  I even let go of the reins to see where she is at, and she turns with the flag (and stops with it), but she turns lazy, not enough shoulder movement if I don't help her.  I like that we try to let her do it every once in a while just to see where they are at.

This morning we headed out to East Coulee for thier once monthly Pancake Breakfast.  It is the best breakfast around!  Then on the way home we stopped at the neighbors to visit and he was just havin breakfast and asked if we wanted to join, we laughed and he says oh you just come from East Coulee right?  Of course we didn't want any more breakfast!

Then this afternoon I went and rode Razz, we rode inside for a while and decided it was too nice out to do that, so we went outside and wandered through the summerfallow fields.  It is nice to ride out there cause if you stay away from the water, there is no mosquitos.

We have been doing lots of yard work around here, just to catch up and make it look decent for branding.  Neil had been mowing with the big mower and rototiller, I have been killing weeds and working on the lawn and planting flowers.  I still have to trim some trees and rototill and plant the garden, but that will get done eventually (maybe tomorrow).

I also caught Jamaica the other day and he was soo good, he just let me walk right up to him, kinda walked back a little bit when I went to touch him, but pretty slow.  So happy with that.  And Jazz has a real name now, Strait Summer Jazz.  I have also been working with her, tying her up, picking up her feet and lots of brushing her.  She is gonna get her feet trimmed on Tuesday then probly come home and live in the pasture till I know what is going on with her.

I emailed the buyer back on Friday, asking why the change of heart and that since the EVH-1 is in both Alberta and BC and there has been no new outbreaks and the provincial vets were saying if nothing new by June 1, things will be back to normal and no chance on transfering it anymore.  I also sent the links to that but as of yet have not got a response.

Irritated

Well apparently I am crazy or I just don't listen well.  Either one I don't really want.  But.... it looks like Disco is not late, she was only bred starting June 27 last year.  No wonder she hasn't foaled yet!  So I guess I started the contest too soon, but since its started, I will keep it going.  I thought she would have been out June first cause that's when Razz was when she was up there, but I guess different stud and not a maiden mare.  I don't know what I was thinking but that's what I know now.

And there are some days I just want to get out of ponies all together.  Just a month or so a go one of the boarders at Jardis came and loaded her horses up with one days notice and took them somewhere else.  We were all surprised at that because she has been there 8 years.  She claimed her horses were skinny and not getting enough feed.  Well they were thin, but so were most horses this spring.  She told the animal cruelty officer Jardi was starving her horses and he talked to another boarder and told her to get her horses out of there and this lady (bless her!)  told him he was crazy and her foal was right beside them and she is fine as well as the other 3 horses she has there.  We figured he should not have been telling anyone without checking anything out and just going on gossip.  Not sure how this is going to end, but I can't believe someone would do that. 

And the lady I sold Jazz to emailed me and told me she is cancelling the sale, she said she called the bank and cancelled the check because her trainer told her she shouldn't be bringing in horses from other provinces right now.  We talked on the phone on Friday and we agreed I would keep Jazz at home for a while till things settle down and it is okay to move horses.  I don't know what the sudden change of mind is, but it irritates me.  First off all she didn't even have the courtesy to phone and talk about it, and second it has been over three weeks since we agreed she was sold.  As far as I can figure out, that means the horse is hers, whether or not she wants her now.  And I had already cashed the check, so I'm not sure how that will work.

And blogger is irritating me to, seems it wont let me comment on some blogs, Fern Valley, congrats on the book and I would like a signed one if I could.  It looks sooo good and so cool to have a book published :)  And 5 Starr's Farm, the hawk nest looks so cool glad your hawks got it back, we got one out by our corner that the hawks and geese fight over every year and sometimes there is a lot of feathers left over.  This year looks like the hawks are in it too.  Don't know why just those two (so far) won't let me comment, just keeps putting me as anonymous, then when I hit publish it makes me sign in and over and over again, grrr.

Postponed

We were supposed to test our bulls today, but since it is rainy and cold out, we had to postpone till next Monday.  So you will all have to wait till then to get all the pics and info about that.

In the meantime it has been cold and rainy here for the last couple days. I let the mares in the corral last night so they can use the calf shed cause if Disco is like my mares last year she will pick the coldest day.  And since it was only +2 last night I thought that was gonna be it.  I didn't see any wax on her, but that isn't necessarily a given, since I didn't see wax on Belle or Razz last year. 

Of course they come in the corral and check it all out and then they leave!  I was suprised.  But this morning I go out and they are standing by the trees in the pasture.  Well can't say I didn't try.  But no foal yet, so keep guessing cause only two guesses haven't passed yet.

And we had a fire the on Saturday night, looks like it was a god night to have it since every day since then has been cold and who wants to sit outside when it's cold.

Thinkiing

So I have been thinking lots lately about all my ponies.  I know I have to many and have been trying to get down to a reasonable amount.  So I know some are for sale and some will never be, at least not as far as I can see.  I really like Razz, she will stay, as will Kali.  So far Disco will stay, and her baby (if it ever gets here!) will probly stay unless it turns into a giant since I just read most of Chips foals are getting over 16 hands!  Of course I will have to see this baby if it ever decides to be born!  She sure fooled me, I sure thought she woulda had it by the 15th.

I really like Jamaica and I will have no problem if he stays, I have liked him since he was born almost, even though I wanted a  filly.  Especially since I have started him on halter breaking, hes not overly friendly, but he still does what I ask with little argument.  Even though he is not overly sure I should actually touch him yet, he still leads fairly well.

Bailey...I have thought lots about her, I am picky about where I ride her cause even though she is very well broke and she trusts me amazingly (so much so it scares me sometimes!) she is unpredictable.  Not to the point she will try to buck me off and leave or anything, but she reacts first then thinks about it.  It takes so much energy and focus to ride her.  If I had known how much work she would be when I got her, I'm not sure she woulda lasted this long.  Innocence really is bliss I guess.  I just didn't know what I was getting into.  Not sure anyone else would put up with her weirdness so will be a pretty hard sell.

Ummm and Dinero, well I really would like to like him so much, but he irritates me and I just don't want to do anything with him.  It took me a long time to admit it because he is so sweet and easy.  And I researched him out and I picked him from a lot of other horses.  I felt so bad about not wanting him but I have talked to others and find they have horses they don't really like for one reason or another and it's normal I guess.  I think the reason I don't want him around all the time is he is pesty.  He bothers the other horses and he can't just stand beside someone (human or horse) without them paying attention to him.  That is great if you have all day to spend with one horse, but thats not how I like my ponies.  Bailey was kinda like that for a while and it took me two years to get her over it and now she will stand nice by me for however long.  But it took  a long time to do that, and I had all day to spend with her.

Belle I think she has to go as well.  Even though I really like her and I really like her baby, I don't have a stallion and am not really in the business of raising colts, and I don't ride her so I can see no logical reason to keep her.  If I ever decide I want to have more foals, I have three other mares I like that I could raise a foal out of.  And while not having a baby I can use them.  I also never bred her this year, so that will be another year she will just be hanging around doing nothing.  If she was super friendly I might keep her, but she is kinda hard to catch and so I don't really want her around my other horses or babies to teach them that they first can run away before getting caught.  But again a hard sell being an open broodmare.

Then Neils horse, George, will stay cause he needs a horse a few times a year to ride and Jazz has been sold and Fly...Well he may have a new home here in the next week or so cause I am giving him away cause I don't want him and I never really did.  And since I thought he was sold and apperently he isn't cause they can't afford him and didn't bother to tell me until I asked this spring, after I had turned many people away because I thought he was sold.  I think I have a natural horseman who wants to have a project to play games with, so if he wants him he will have him.

Dinero and Jamaica

Well my two ponies for sale. I have had lots of inquiries on more pictures of the two and many people have refered them to my blog for pictures, so I thought I would post a few new ones taken this morning.  For those not familiar wih a blog, if you click on the names in the bottom beside labels, it will bring up all the posts with that label.  Kinda handy when looking for something specific.

Anyways first Dinero, he is a palomino paint.  3 years old and started and really gentle.  he can be left in the field and easy to catch and anytime you ride him he is the same as ever.  Even if it has been a long time.  He had 4 months riding last year, little arena work but mostly trail rides.  Alone and with others he is good.  Of course a little unsure when alone, but does what he is asked anyways.

Then Jamaica, he is out of my Belle mare.  He was born last year on May 23, and he will not be very tall, but he is solid.  He has been handled a few times and is okay with it.  He is pretty quiet and willing to work with you.

These two boys are pretty nice, but I just have too many.  It gets complicated around here where to put everyone and who to ride.  I didnt realize four horses is way more than I want to ride on a regular day.  I think two is enough, actually some days one is more than enough.

Oh and dont forget to continue to guess for the foaling contest, it will keep going till we get a baby here.  I was a little concerned yesterday when the mares never came up for grain, but nothing they were just eating.  I think they just thought I needed the excersize.

Thursday, May 18, 2011

Well the horses should be all ready to go for the year.  Well at least for a while.  I got teeth checked and floated on Bailey, Razz, Kali and Dinero on Monday and Tuesday.  They all got thier vaccines, and wormed on Tuesday.  And Bailey, Razz, Disco, Belle, and George got thier feet trimmed on Tuesday as well.  Oh and Bailey got a massage on Tuesday too.

I also got my back mostly fixed on Wednesday, I went to the chiro and you know its not good when he says "you sure did a number this time"  It sure felt better but he said there is too much to do at once, so I am going back tommorow again.

No baby from Disco this morning, but she is feeling a little more spry as she layed down and did a big roll, although not all the way over cause I dont think she would make it, lol.  But sure is a big belly view from the bottom.  Of course I never had my camera ready.

I have still been doing a little bit with Jazz everyday I am over at Jardi's, but I have been pretty careful cause of my back, but we tied her up yesterday and one little tug and she just stood there.  Even when we accidentally spooked her, she just spun around without any pressure on the rope.  So that was good, we plan to do that a few more times for really short and she should be good.  I still haven't really tried to lead her out of her stall cause I have been sore, but maybe this weekend.  I still have to get her to load too, but that shouldn't be too bad if she will lead good.  She picks up her front feet really good without a fight and I haven't been brave enough to do the back feet yet.

Ummm and the blogger ride.  I talked to Linda about it and we are not sure we want to risk horses coming in right now and gas is super expensive and it is a really busy time for some, so if it works sometime for you guys, we can plan it whenever.  It shouldn't take too much planning, and I am still willing to go around our branding as long as the risk has gone down for EHV.  Speaking of, we may have exposed our horses inadvertantly already and didn't know.  Where we go practice cattle, like we did Friday, there are cutters there who went down to the finals in Ogden, Utah where this outbreak started.  We are not sure they were at the arena, but we are keeping a close eye on our ponies thats for sure.  The arena phoned Monday to tell us they are not letting in any horses till its contained.  Which is good news, but a little late for us, maybe.  So far it has been seven days and nothing seems out of the ordinary but I am staying close to home till I know for sure.

Oh and one last thing, does anyone know a good chiropractor for ponies.  And has anyone used one, we are thinking since us humans go and get all fixed up, maybe the ponies need to too.  We get massages done on them, but we are interested in a chiropractor too, at least finding out more info on them.

Wordless Wednesday

Updates

This week I opted out of Sunday Stills, cause it is similar to one I did last year about getting low and looking high and I have lots more to say.

To start off with Disco has dapples!

Oh and she hasn't foaled yet, although she is uncomfortable and I'm sure she is hoping it will be soon as I am.

So the foaling contest is still on, and it looks like Mini Beginnings, and Janice and Brown Eyed Cowgirls need a new guess if you want, since yours have passed.  Well almost for BEC, but...

And we had a visitor for a few days here. Sandy came so Jardi's Dad could come ride with us on Thursday to move cows.

And we had visitors of another kind on Wednesday, although luckily they didn't stop here, just flew overhead.  Not sure why the army was flying over Finnegan, but there were 4 helichopters I saw.

And Neil has been fencing and last week his post pounder broke, so he was putting it back together and it looked really complicated what he was doing.

Oh and we have picked a branding date of June 6. We wanted the weekend, but since we need help and its a rodeo weekend, lots of our neighbors want to go to the rodeo to compete or work or just watch.  So it's a Monday, so if anyone wants to let me know what days they want to come for a blogger ride, we will try to accommodate you guys.  Its gonna be so fun :)

 

Long Week

This week has been really busy and long.  On Monday I went and rode Razz with Charlene and we played the mirror game in the summerfallow field.  It was really good for both Razz and Dude as they needed to remember that the cues mean the same thing outside as well as in the arena and even when we go fast.  On the way back the farmer had come by to spray his field and so we were running up the hill to get away from him.  I'm sure he woulda stopped for us, but that is the first time I can ever say I got chased by a tractor.  It was good cause neither of our horses got excited over it too.

Then after I rode Bailey with Charlene again and we went out in another field that wasn't being worked and still had some straw bales left in it and so we rode around them like a barrel pattern, and Bailey was good there, but as we were quitiing, she bucked!  What a brat!  I kinda knew something was up cause she was acting strange the whole ride thinking she should find something to spook at and I never did really get after her and she let me know that was a mistake.  It is a good thing she only did one buck and landed back in the same spot and I landed on her as well.  I lost my stirrup and I thought I was a gonner, but luckily I didn't land on the ground.  I did hit the inside of my knee on the swells, but otherwise fine.  We had a really good ride after that so that was good.

On Tuesday, we put up the fence rails in the yard fence and Neil briscit tagget the heifer and moved them out of the corrals.

Wednesday I had a lesson on the flag with Razz and she was really grouchy, not sure what was up with that, but she worked really good.

Thursday I rode down with One Old Cowgirl to help them move  the Charlois herd two fields. Razz was awesome!  I have never moved cows with her and I was very happy with her.  She didn't turn away from cows, wasn't silly when we left the other horses, and I think she was happy to run after calves and get them back to the bunch. 

Then Friday, we went down to Airdrie and worked cows, she was a little stiff going to the left, but to the right she was almost perfect.  She is getting there, and I notice we are getting better cause we need to be more picky about her being perfect, not just getting a couple good turns and quitting.  I also think I put my back out cause I got my leg caught on a stopped cow as we were going around and am pretty sore when I sit for a while.   Jardi rode Kali on cows and she is sure getting good, but she is pretty afraid of the cows facing her.  I am sure she will get over that, but only so much you can do with her till she gets more confidence.

Wordless Wednesday

Monday

This morning as I was doing chores, I left Razz and Kali till last and they were right put out about it.  I fed the colts and Disco and checked the pasture horses then watered the colts and then finally when I took Razz and Kali and took off blankets and put them out in the pasture.  They forgave me I'm sure.  They ran around for a while then settled in to eat.  Sure seem a lot happier eating in the pasture than corral.

They are in with Bailey and Disco for the day and I will probly put them back at night with thier blankets on, although its getting close to that time of year when they probly won't need blankets much more.

Yesterday I headed to Calgary for a mothers day lunch and Tony Romas with my Mom, sister and her two kids, Aunt and Grampa.  It was a fun day and always good food there.  And best off all there was enough leftovers that I had lunch for today as well.

On my way I stopped to see Jazz at Jardi's, I spent some time with her rubbing her all over and got her halter on and I think she's pretty much ready to lead.  She didn't like me touching her nose, but her belly and legs were okay.  I am gonna try and get her good enough that my farrier can trim her feet when he comes on the 17th.  I also have to get her good enough to load on and off the trailer for  new owners by a week after that cause she will have a long trip home.

Sunday Still--Door and Doorknobs

This week our Sunday Stills has to do with doors and doorknobs, mine is mostly doors as my favorite doorknob I havent seen in many many years...the glass ones.  My Great Grandparents had them on there house and I used to think they were diamonds, lol.

First off, our House door, nothing special about it besides I like the window beside it. And the cow doorbell :)

Then across the yard, the door to my tack shed with its cute sign and a window in which you can see a reflection of the house.

Then onto my woodshop door, which is a little fancier than a normal woodshop would have because it come from an old house and was just hanging around here and it fit, so we used it.  I too like the three uneven windows in this door, gives it interest.  Even though as I look at it now I realize it and the woodshop need a coat of paint.

Then on too the old houses that apperently don't have any doors any more (probly cause we used them on other buildings) except the little door on this old wooden grainery.

Then as I was walking back to the house, I stopped and got the barn door which is partly open waiting for someone to use it.

That is all I got this week cause I asked Neil to pose for the picture in front of his shop doors but he thought I was trying to use him as the doorknob so he wouldn't do it.  And actually I hadn't even thought of it, but it woulda been funny though.

For more go to Sunday Stills.

Friday

Its been another busy week here, but some good news. Jazz has been sold, she is going to BC to live with some nice people that are into reining and western pleasure. They are pretty excited about her, but since it is such a long trip, they aren't coming for a couple weeks. That should give me some time to get her halter broke and used to going on and off a trailer.

I have been planning to ride Razz and pony Kali while riding out then on the way home switch and ride Kali on the way home. So last night the weather got nice, so I went and got them, but since I was unsure about how they would be, I just saddled up Razz and took Kali's lead rope and out we headed. First of all Kali didn't know what I was wanting, but it didn't take long for her to realize if she stays up by me, I am not pulling on her rope. She kept wanting to stop and eat, but since Razz walks so fast, she didn't have a chance. I was a little worried what would happen if I had to let go of the lead rope and lo and behold it happened. Kali got in front of me and her rope got around my stirrup, so I just let go rather than get all tangled and in a wreck, and she just stopped and started grazing. That was exactly what I was hoping for, except she didn't want to follow even when I left, and she is too short for me to grab the rope while on Razz, so I had to get off and get a hold of her again. I understand now why you want a really broke horse to pony cause its a lot of work. Kali trotted a few times to catch up and this was hard for Razz cause I still expected her to walk, and she finally remembered she's not allowed to change gait unless I ask. I was very pleased with how it went and hopefully will get easier every time.

MiKeal, I don't know if either Disco or Chip carry the red gene, I do know Disco's mom was a chestnut, so she could. And Chip doesn't look like it for a ways back.  Oh and Shirley that is Fly and he is a charecter, and sooo big!  I can only imagine how giant he will be when someone rides him, and I hope he keeps all that athleticism.

Wordless Wednesday

Long Weekend

This has been a long weekend.  On Friday I headed up to the Mane Event in Red Deer with Linda from One Old Cowgirl.  We met her daughter and a friend of her daughters there and did a ton of shopping, and met Sherry from Fern Valley Appaloosas, and Cheyenne from Little Prairie Baby. That was really cool! 

I ended up buying a pink camoflauge cooler for Kali, a set of reins and a set of pink fringe gloves I had been eyeing up since last year. 

Then Saturday I headed up to Jardis to ride and take my ponies home for the summer.  I met Charlene there and we rode in the arena, she rode Cutting Dude and I rode Kali.  Afterwards, we loaded up Razz and Ricki and headed to my house.  We went on a ride down to the creek and around.  Then we headed over to an acerage that was for sale and then came home and had supper. 

Charlene stayed over and we went riding through the cows on Sunday morning cause Ricki is a little concerned when cows are around.  He did really good.  He was worried then we just ignored the cows and did some trotting and loping and rollbacks and turnarounds.  Then we headed home and he was in a hurry so we kept making cirles and he relaxed and we went back.  We had lunch then took him back to Jardi's.  I left Razz home.  We got there just in time to load 350 square bales into the loft.  After that, Jardi had made chili and ice cream cake for us and that was really tasty :)

I rode Kali in the arena with Charlene on Cutting Dude and then loaded Kali up and did chores for Jardi and then took Kali home.  She is in my round pen with Razz and she acted like she had been here a hundred times before, so calm.  Pretty nice for a 3 year old :)  I sure am liking her.