Pasture Ponies and Texas

Yesterday I went to the dentist again :(  I guess I shoulda gone more often and it wouldn't be so bad, but now I got 2 appt for cavities, well fillings I guess and I gotta go to Calgary for a root canal cause my jawbone is getting eaten away.  Somehow none of this hurt or I woulda gone sooner.  But anyways after I got home I saw all the ponies close by and thought I should have a good look at them since its been a few days.  I went out there and they all look pretty good, fat and furry.  And I guess the cold don't bother them but brr I was chilly.

 

I got a few pics of them to look at when i am down in Texas at the Futurity so I wont be thinking I need another pony, I know I will see something there I like!  But no new ponies for me this trip.  But am sure excited to go!!!!  We are gonna make a stop in at the AQHA World show in Oklahoma city to see my friends sisters horse go in the finals that should be cool.  And of course the stockyards at Fort Worth and the cutting!  Oh I just cant wait!  Lots of pics will be taken and oh so many memories.  I do kinda wish we were gonna be there for the finals and some of the sales, but oh well maybe next year :)

Fridays For Sale --Ponies

So since I will have more money and time wrapped up in Jessie this year and I already had too many horses last year than I wanted to ride, its time for me to become serious about who to sell and who to keep.  If it were only a money issue I wouldn't worry about it, I can live pretty frugal and its pretty cheap for me to keep a horse here cause they are on pasture all year and with feet and worming and vaccines I think it costs me $225 per year per horse, so not really gonna save  a lot by not having them here, I would prefer they are somewhere they can be used.  I am thinking pretty much all of them are for sale, except of  course Jessie and Neil's horse George, and probly not Razz, but if the home and price are right I might reconsider.

First off The Broke ones :

1.  Bailey aka Baileys Coffee.  She is a registered AQHA mare, red dun in color and 9 years old this year.  She has done pretty much anything I ever do with horses, arena riding, outdoor riding, trails, mountains, barrels (somewhat, lol) ranch work, can throw a rope off her, if I get team roping this summer I will probly end up taking her.  She has a lot of energy and needs a job, not a horse to get on once a week for a plod around the property, the more she gets ridden the happier she is.  Super easy to catch (comes when called ), easy to trim, has never had shoes, easy to worm and vaccinate.  Leads, ties and loads easy.  Just a nice horse to be around.  Really like people.  But not for a beginner as she has waaay too much energy and too smart for a beginner.  If you know how to ride, you will like her.  Asking $4500 for her now.  More info on here here or just search her name in the search box.

2.  Kali aka  Dual Rita.  She is a registered AQHA mare, bay with a stripe.  She is out of Dual Pep and a Smart Chic Olena mare.  Super well bred, super cute, athletic and kind.  She is only 5 years old right now but in a couple years she will be an awesome kids horse.  She has had some cutting training, has the ability, just doesn't want to.  Nice arena horse, slower.  Good outside but doesn't like water puddles.  Has had lots of riding and just a generally nice quiet horse.  Asking $4500 for her.

3.  Disco aka Play Like Disco.  She is a registered AQHA mare that is out of Hottrodders Disco, a wonderful cutting stallion.  She is bay with very little white.  She is 18 this year, was rode till she was 8 or so then became a broodmare for a while.  She has had one foal here and then I got on and rode her a few times.  She was a little herd bound but otherwise  just walked and trotted off like it was no big deal.  Think it would take very little to get her back riding again or she is plenty healthy enough to raise a few more colts.  Asking $1500 for her, open right now.

4.  Jazz aka Strait Summer Jazz.  She is a registered APHA mare, black in color with 4 socks and a white face and 3 years old this year.  She has not been started under saddle yet but I plan to this spring get her started.  She is a sweetheart, has loved people since she was born.  Is halter broke and has had her feet done although needs a little more consistent work on that.  She was raised here, out of my Razz mare and a Strait From Texas stud who had to be put down from injury.  Asking $1500 for her if sold before started.

5.  Magic aka Miss Magic Hickory.  She is a registered AQHA mare, 5 years old and a pretty sorrel in color.  I had great plans for this mare, but ran out of time.  She is halter broke, kinda hard to catch need lots of work but I think will come around quickly if consistent.  Asking $1200 for her.

6.  Belle aka LT Belle San Tivio.  Belle is a AQHA registered mare who is sorrel with the rabicano gene.  She is halter broke, leads, ties, load super easy.  Has not been ridden in 6 years and is just scared when ridden so I never have done much with her, just cause I had 2 others at the time I could ride easy.  She has raised an awesome sorrel colt that is 3 this year and lives in BC now.  She is 10 years old and could easily raise lots more colts, she is a really good mother and easy breeder, easy keeper.  Not a troublemaker and stays out of trouble.  Asking $1000 for her open right now.

7.  I hate to put her in but we will see.  Razz aka Little Summer Razz DC.  She is a registered APHA mare, papers say buckskin but she is smokey black.  She is 7 years old and a awesome ranch horse.  She is super athletic, has lots of energy, no buck, willing to go all day everyday and not tire out.  Super sensitive and yet sensible at the same time.  And pretty to boot!  She also has done everything, super well broke, rides in a bosal, hope to get her in a bit this year.  She does not like the snaffle bit but will work in it.  She has done some cutting, lots of ranch work, trail rides, sortings   Asking $5500 for her to the right home.

So I am in no hurry to sell, but I really would like to get down to 4 or 5 here, I think that is a reasonable amount for me to have and that is what my summer pasture will hold (it can hold 6 if the weather is gonna continue to be wet like it has been)  I also am gonna list them on Northern Horse and on my Facebook page. I feel bad I don't have the time to spend with them all, otherwise I would keep them as pasture pets, but I know most of them, mostly Bailey, do not like that, they want to go and do something.

Wednesday

Not a lot going on here now, its so wet we can't get much done, but we did haul 2 bulls out to our heifers and 2 up to the community pasture.  Nice to have some of them out of here,  but I sure wouldn't mind calving a little later, specially the community pasture ones, but I am not in charge so this is the way we do it.  I guess I was a little misleading yesterday as we did not have our power go out, but the power company was testing poles and he said ours were in excellent shape.  Which is too bad cause we wanted to move it cause its right in front of the living room window.  Said they are testing 7000 poles this spring.

Anyways in between packing and cleaning and organizing, I got my walk in and the ponies in the pasture were just looking at me and started comin over.  So I thought I should go out there and see them, but then I hesitated cause no one really friendly in that group except Jazz and she is still kinda unsure sometimes.  But I went anyways and scratched her neck and that was good and under her chin she liked.  And its that time of year when the bugs get bad on the belly so I thought I would try to scratch her belly.  I started at the shoulder and moved back then underneath.  She has never had a problem with me touching her belly before and she didn't now either.  Then I got the itchy spot and she really liked that.

Then Belle kept inching closer and she usually doesn't like being petted, but I know she wanted me to get her belly to so I scratched her chest then moved to behind her front legs and she walked forward so I got her itchy belly.  It was funny from a horse that refers not to be touched.

And meanwhile Disco stood just on the other side, she hasn't figured out that sometimes people just come out to pamper ponies,  I don't know if she ever had anyone do that before, she just waits for you to come to her and she is fine, but doesn't really seem to enjoy it...yet.  And Magic was on the other side of me kinda just watching to see what I was gonna do, she seems interested but not quite sure if I should be able to touch her out there yet, but she will come around I'm sure.

And after I left I seen scatchy horses, guess Magic was feeling left out after all.

I also saw that our cactus are just about to bloom, I will have to check in a couple days to see if the flowers are opened.

And the willow I saw the other day now has fuzz on it and I still don't know what it is, but should be easier to identify I would think now.

And I got a short video of the bird flying around, I did break down and look it up and I think its a Willet.  As far as I can tell that's one of the only shorebirds that has black and white wings and looks grey on the ground.  And if you have your volume up you can hear it calling and also the frogs in the background are pretty noisy!

Fridays For Sale -- Belle

This is a hard thing for me to do to list this horse.  For some reason I really like her and I cant explain it.  I got her as a 4 year old from a sale and she was started at 2 but not done much since and she was out with the stud but never got bred and I didn't pay much for her.  Thought maybe get a baby out of her and maybe ride her.  But no baby and I went to ride her and she was terrified of everything.  So pretty much she did nothing around her till I called the people I got her from and decided to get her bred by one of their studs.  He was a pretty buckskin and all I wanted was a filly, a buckskin filly would be perfect, but of course got a stud colt that was sorrel.  And I didn't really want to like him but I really did and he was a sweetheart, just as quiet and gentle as possible for a baby.  He ended up going to BC in a trade and she loves him.

(her foal as a yearling)

Other than that I don't ever do much with her but I love her conformation and her head is about perfect.  She is not very tall (about 14.2) and that's perfect for me too.  If I had more knowledge when I got her and no broke horses I probly would have rode her but I didn't have the patience or the skills at the time and mostly was just unsure so she got left.  I am really tempted to take her back up this spring and get her bred back the same way as Jamaica, but I am trying to cut down on horses here right now to a usable amount so I can concentrate on them and showing as well.

(Dec 2011)

She is a little hard to catch cause she is very timid and prefers you on her right side, but in a small corral I can just walk up and get her no problem, no running around, she just stays far enough away.  She is perfect for picking up her feet and getting trimmed, and she loads really easy.  She actually will load herself if the trailer is open, was sure a surprise as I was loading Bailey and turn around and Belle is in the trailer behind me!

(Sept 08)

She is easy to worm and vaccinate and is up to date on all that.  She is a really good mom and will mother other foals as well (no nursing, just care).  She is sorrel with no socks and a white stripe.  She also carries the rabicano gene and so has roaning through her flanks and on her tail.  She is timid in the herd but knows how to take care of herself, she rarely has a bite or scratch on her.

(Sept 09)

Her pedigree is on All breeds as LT Belle San Tivio.   I am asking $1200 for her and can have her bred back if I know before Mid May at the lastest.

Also linking up with Farm Fridays over at Fresh From the Farm.

A Few Updates

Yesterday I headed to the dentist then then went riding, well I actually didn't ride but I treated Jessie with MTG again and koppertoxed her feet and I think the girth area looks better, and the gall is starting to grow hair back, so that's a good sign.  It was a fun kinda day just hanging around and visiting and of course seeing the ponies.  When I got home I had a look at my ponies here at home and I caught them unaware, but before I could get the pic of Duchess and Belle sleeping with heads down, Bailey seen me and whinnied.

So of course they lifted their heads to see what was going on and then they saw me and got up fully.  Silly girl, she is a talker that's for sure.  I fed them some oats as a treat and today Neil gave them another bale.  On April 5 I got the farrier coming and so I guess that's the day they get to move to different pastures and I can get to working with them :)

Since Neil left to take the ice out of the curling rink then to a vaccination meeting, I also had a look at the heifers to see if anything had calved.  Sure enough there was a new calf in there.

A few days ago Neil moved all the heifers with calves into another corral and all the ones to still calve into the close corral so its easy to check who has calved and who hasn't.  He left the stitched up cow in and she is sure easy to tell apart too!

I went in the house and this one cow kept bawling and I was just ignoring her cause I knew they were almost out of feed and thought she was complaining, but after a hour or so I figured I should go check and then felt kinda bad cause her calf got up on the wrong side of the fence and so I opened the gate and chased (well pushed) it back in.

Pretty Ponies

So as I was out taking pics for yesterday I got a really beautiful head shot of Belle, even if there is distracting headless horses in the background.  And I am on her shoulder (didn't notice that till it was posted here.

I also got one of the weird spot on the side of her  head where she sweats if stressed.  Don't know why but its always that one spot.

While I am trying to take pics, I got this one of Shasta that actually turned out not to bad, I think she really wants to come up and be friendly but she is too worried about being to close to the other friendly horses there. 

I have a hard time getting any pics of Jazz cause she is always close by, and Tuesday was being a pain as I had a halter on Bailey and she just kept grabbing the rope with her teeth, was kinda a surprise for her when the rope hit her nose though (oops, lol.  I just meant to swing it by her)  But didn't seem to deter her too much, she came back and was right close again.  I wish she was a little better halter broke and I would take her down when we go riding at Silver Sage and just get her used to stuff and maybe pony here, but that will have to wait a bit cause I don't want to keep her in the corral for now. 

Last time we went down to Brooks to ride (Tuesday)  I took Bailey cause she was just begging to go and I had planned on Shasta but wasn't sure how much work Bailey was gonna be so I got lazy and took Kali, I knew if I was tired I could just walk on her.  And Bailey was really good, we walked and trotted lots then I quit cause I was afraid of getting her too sweaty (and with her I know its really easy)  Then rode Kali and we did just walk cause Linda brought the grey horse and was afraid he was gonna take off so we just walked quite a while till he was relaxed and then she trotted a few steps a couple times, it was good. 

( I was really trying to show the frost on her lips, but I wish I hadn't got so close

and cut her ears off cause its kinda cute, even more so when its bigger)

I hope to keep going down there, but next time I sure hope the wind isn't as bad!!  Temp of only -2 but super windy I was frozen and exhausted when I got in.  Then yesterday was -14 and I spent quite a bit of time outside, feeding cats, turning out Bailey and Kali, and taking pics, and when I come in it still wasn't that cold, but the big difference being wind.

Pasture Ponies

Its been a while since I had a really good look at the outside ponies so on Friday I went out there.  They were happy to see me, specially Bailey. Should have had the video camera on right when they seen me cause she always calls then comes running as fast as she can towards me.  Silly girl. 

(Bailey sees me and Duchess looks towards the other horses)

(Bailey comes running :)

Then everyone else comes too.  Well no worries out there, they are all fat, probly too fat, but they will lose that if we ever get snow cover and it gets cold and they actually have to work to get feed.  I like them a little fat this time of year cause they seem to lose weight by spring.

Duchess was acting weird when I fed them she would just paw a pile then move on and paw and move on.  Thought it was weird and of course trying to look at her and she was hiding from me and I couldn't figure it out until I ignored her and then I seen a cactus in her nose, Ouch!  so I walked up to her and just brushed it off, apparently she isn't used to cactus being around.   

(I was being watched by this guy, probly couldn't figure out why they were running in )

Jazz is looking big, I think she is as tall as Belle is (which isn't that tall, lol I think Belle is maybe 14.2) but then they stand nest to Duchess and they look little again, but she is probly close to16 hands. 

(Happily eating, George, Belle, Jazz, Duchess)

(Rolly Polly Bailey)

Afterwards I went over and caught Disco and Shasta and brushed and fed them and then rode Razz.  I was pretty lazy and she was not so we were done in a short time.  We were gonna go for a lesson on Saturday but Doug was busy all weekend.  Char thinks she will be busy the next two weeks so I may have to ride alone.  Which won't be too bad cause I may go in the daytime when its a little nicer. Maybe even ride outside.

Sunday Still- The Letter B

This week we have to come up with the letter B.  Every time I write that I think of Sesame Street, "and this is brought to you by the letter B! "

Anyways since I have missed a bunch of the last Sunday Stills I thought I best get in on this one or everyone will be wondering where I am and if I am still doing Sunday Stills.  Well of course my favorite subject (horses in case you were wondering) has some that start with the letter B, so here they are.

Belle:  She is Jamaicas mom and she is just hanging around for a year or so, was thinking of breeding her this summer to Jardis stallion Tangle, but she gelded him, which is better for them, so no foal next year from her, and I do like her, but she may get sold anyways for the amount of foals I would ever raise off her, I would probly be better off buying ones I want.

And Bailey.  She is my ranch horse deluxe.  I can do anything I want on her but am not using her much this year, so she will probly get sold as well.  Seems silly to have a horse around that is sooo good and yet only gets ridden a handful of times a year.  I think its been 4 so far this year.  She is awesome and brave, but she needs to actually be ridden, not just going along for the ride.  It is a hard decision to make and she may stick around a while cause I am emotionally attached to her even if I don't pick her to ride most of the time.

For More, go to Sunday Stills, 

Horses

So since I been going out every morning to treat Razz's foot, I get lots of oppertunities for pics.  Sometimes it's kinda like a mob though.  I do sometimes get something kinda cool.

Kali was kinda an outcast, but now Disco has the foal, she kinda doesn't let anyone near here and so Kali is accepted into the other bunch.  Jazz would hang around Kali sometimes cause Kali doesn't pick on anyone.

Then when I get out there, thay all gather around cause I have something in my hands. It doesn't seem to matter its only a hoofpick and some koppersol, they have to smell it every time I go out there.

All it seems I get pics of when they are that close is noses.  Kali, Belle, Jazz and Razz.

So I thought why not feet, first Razz, and then Jazz,

Funny how much more black Jazz has than her mother and no cute spots either.  Just another fun day with my ponies.  It's pretty nice to not even have to halter Razz when I treat her foot she just stands there.  I think they are just happy to have someone to rub all the bugs off them.  I actually killed a horsefly yesterday out there, sure not looking forward to too many more of them around.

Catching Up

I have to appologize to all my blogger friends cause I feel like I haven't been posting regularuly.  There is no good reason for it, I just haven't had a lot of time.  Besides my camera being left in Ponoka cause Vic couldn't remember what safe place he put it in, and my computer only working for about 15 minutes before it shuts off, and taking time to ride, I just am not motivated to post.

But hopefully that will all change.  I have been reading everyone elses blogs I just haven't been commenting very often.  I am planning on getting back into a routine again here soon, I am hoping anyways.

Well on Saturday we headed up to pick up a gelding for Charlene, he came home with us his name is Cutting Dude and it is very approriate cause he is a cutter :)  Hes pretty sweet.  He got a hock injury last fall and is almost better, there is still some swelling and its got a small scab, but he was never sore on it and so she is conditioning him by riding about 15-20 minutes a day fro this week and a little more next week and so on.  She won't be cutting as soon as with the others she tried, but she has liked him for about a year and so she is okay with that.  Now we just got to talk him into selling me Karcy (who I don't need, but I sure liked her)

On Sunday I moved my horses, Belle, Dinero, George and Bailey to the pasture North of the house.  Last spring I moved a few there so the mares could foal in peace.  This year I left Disco in with the foals and they are sure not gonna bother her.  On Monday I decided to take Dinero over to Jardis to ride for a bit again and so I loaded him up from the pasture and thought maybe Jamaica should come over and get a halter on and some handling cuase he really need his feet done.  So I got Neil to help me get him out and he loaded really good, he was harder to seperate from his buddies than load.

So we put him in a stall and I scratched him a few times yesterday and today I am hoping to get his halter on.  He wasnt even worried standing in the stall in the barn, even when all the other horses were put outside he was okay.  I think he will come around quickly and then maybe I will bring another foal over.

I also rode Razz and I am so amazed at her rollbacks how much improved they are, I remember hating to practice them cause they were so awful, and now I enjoy doing them cause she actually does them right.  Whata  difference!

Theses pics are all from my phone, the colts with Disco, Jazz, and two of Neils funny cards.  I am not very patient when it comes to pics with the camera, but it seems to take okay ones.

Sunday

This week I tried to work on Sunday stills, but I had 4 pictures loaded and blogger said I reached my storage limit. I'm not sure what that means, but it wouldn't let me load anymore pictures, which is kinda irritating cause I know I have had more than 4 pictures at a time on one post.  So I am not submitting it, just thought I would try again tonight and see cause I only got to March with these 4 pics so far.  This may be more than one post long.

Betty-Sue and Lady In January.

Belle and Dinero in January under a sunrise.

Razz in fog in March.

Razz with her fat belly in April.

That's all it will let me post without purchasing more storage and I am not going to do that, so that's all the pictures I have today.

This weekend we have spent lots of time riding.  We rode the flag yesterday, which she is way improved and still a little scared of it, but not so much that she didn't want to work it.

Today we worked the flag in the morning and she is getting better and better, we got to work on rollbacks more.  Afterwards Jardi got us all to try a spin which I have never really done with Razz and going right wasn't very good, but she got a couple steps, but going left she was awesome, we got a whole turn!  That is the way I have been practicing the counter bend, so she moves off the left leg really well and I was pretty happy with her.  Then we took about a 2 hour break and went over to the neighbors arena and worked on lead changes.  I didn't do very well cause it still hurts to lope to the left, but Razz did pretty good, I think she would have done better if I hadn't quit riding after the change cause it hurt.  We also did a mirroring game where one rider is the cow and the other is the horse and its a lot harder than I thought.  We have to keep up with the cow and turn and catch up before they get away.  Sure makes the horse watch though.  It was fun, we might do it again just for practicing.