Daily Rides With Jessie

I am supposed to be riding every day and keeping Jessie in shape.  The longer I have to do this the more work it seems.  Pretty silly really since I really do like her and I really do enjoy riding her, but somehow when you HAVE to do it its not as much fun.  And I been riding by myself pretty much all year except a couple rides and lessons and brandings.  So to make it more interesting I try to have a plan in mind of where we will go and what we will do before the ride, last time was check the hay fields.

We go out North of our house and through the unused horse pasture, and then the gate is open on that end and we head East out towards the farm fields.  Neil has been cultivating again so its all nice and soft but we bypass it today.  Keep going and on the other side of the road is the first hayfeild.  The alfalfa sure is doing good this year, really seems to like the rain and cooler temps we been having (not like me).  It up past Jessie's knees already and still got a couple weeks to go before we think about cutting it.

I stopped and let her have a bite, pretty hard to resist that when its at nose height and since she doesn't try to eat grass on her own a treat is nice.  I also had a drink and a granola bar I had packed in my horn bags.  I have gotten so used to taking them with me everywhere, i love having a drink along.

Then we headed farther east and saw some Antelopes, for some reason they were kinda wild and run from us even though we were only walking.  Musta had babies somewhere although I did not see any.

Then we started our way home and we saw the school bus come into my neighbors yard, she is the bus driver and it always trying to get me to get my bus licence but I am trying to avoid it, lol.

And farther along we saw a curlew and boy was he noisy!  I wonder if we got to close to their nest, but never saw that either, finally he sat down and let me get a picture of him.

Then we headed home and since Jessie is terrible on walking in a straight line we quite often follow trails  out there to give her something to watch, but I still have to keep up with it or she is just wandering again.  So we do different trail training.

Then at home and the other girls are so happy to see us they make a big ruckus, wish the wouldn't that's why I have 2 in there but they still do.  Since it was kinda humid I gave her a hosing down and washed her tail and braided it  up, she looks all pretty like a show horse again :)

With her new fly sheet and mask on as well.  Never really used a mask but she seems to like it, I saw her out later grazing while the others were hiding in the shed.

Wordless Wednesday -- Hauling Bales

Visiting Day 2

Well after we finally made it to bed, the boys stayed awake super late, but they were in the tent and it didn't bother us :)  But they come in the house about 6 and said they were tired and fell back asleep on the couch for a couple more hours.  Then we had breakfast and they went out to play on the bales again.  Jaret was too afraid to make it on to the top of the second bale the first day, but no problem the second time around.

Then since they been begging if they could ride the horses, I went and got Jessie out and first Jaret rode around the yard.  he was having a little trouble getting her away from her buddies but he finally figured that out and rode around the yard.  Then Tristan had a turn and he thought he should "run" (actually a slow trot, lol) And so that was pretty fun for him.  They were both really good and never pulled on her mouth, which surprised me.  The Jaret thought he had to try this trot, but the stirrups were a little too short for him and so he got kinda scared, but Jessie just trotted up to us and stopped.  He decided walking is better for him.  I wish I had a couple horses I would feel safe putting them on, but I don't right now, maybe if I had been riding Kali it would be different, but its been a while and she is pretty young.  And and arena woulda helped, at least be in a little more control.  (And yes I know they are in shorts and runners and no helmets, but it was all we had at the time and thier mother was Ok with it too)

While we were out there, the cops drive in the yard, I was a little surprised at that!  But I guess our phone had been calling 911 and they couldn't get a hold of anyone cause we left our cells in the house and Neil was in town picking up a baler.  So she came out to see if everything was OK.  It was but just worries me if something is wrong they will just assume it is a mistake.  I sure hope Telus can fix that problem.
My cat Nintendo was hanging around all weekend and the kids thought he was so funny cause he acts like you can do anything to him and then he will just warn you by a little scratch or bite but he never leaves, just sticks around for more, just a little at a time he can tolerate.

We were bored after lunch and so we thought we would go down to the creek and we walked, which might have been a mistake, but we made it and stopped at the crossing and saw there are lots of chokecherries for the picking, I might make some syrup.  It was super hot, I kinda wish we had drove down, but we all come in the house and had a nap afterwards.

Then we had another fire after supper and we made smores, boy were they ever good!  I love them and even if I end up all sticky it is worth it.  We tried to get a couple pics of the coals, but they didn't turn out real great, guess I will have to have more fires.

Then Sunday they thought they should go home and so we headed there and we crossed the ferry and about Strathmore my truck said it was overheating, so we stopped and looked and it looked like maybe a hose was broke so we put in more antifreeze and went slow, but just before Chestermere it said hot again so we stopped in a parking lot and called Neil to come get us.  While we were waiting we had subway and shopped at the Bargain store.  Neil figured it was probly the water pump, and we don't know how to fix that on new vehicles.  So he picked us up, dropped Heidi and boys at home then we decided we should call Dodge and see if it is under warranty and they come and picked up the truck and took it to Clagary.  It sounds like it was something I hit on the road pierced the radiator and so I need a new one.  It was not under the powertrain warranty but he called the Chrylser rep to see if he could make a deal, but we needed it fixed either way so he ordered the part and is ready tonight and we will go get it tomorrow.  I really miss it, didn't realize how attached I am to my truck till it got broke.

Riding and Hay

Yesterday I was fillling up my truck with gas and this little guy was sneaking up to the yard, he/she was so cute I couldn't chase away even though they are a pest.

Then I went riding with Lu and rode Dot out and it was so much fun, I always forget how nice and relaxing it is to have a super broke horse to ride. They were both kinda dogging along and Lu says over there on the flat, we should do some trot to wake them up. So I agree and by the time we go to the flat, they both had sped up to a super fast walk, not sure if they knew work was coming or understood us or what, but it was funny!

After we had coffee, I thought I should ride the boy, so I got Rochelle to take some pics of me on him, I wanted to be riding, but she wanted me to stand still, so this is the best ones.



Then Rochelle gave me the camera for some reason, so I took it riding and I got a couple pics off him, but this one shows my fingers cause I was kinda trying to hurry before he decided what to do on his own.

We rode out of the yard by ourselves again and went west on an oil road that goes to about 4 wells with a nice big dirt spot in the middle, and we trotted some there, then we went back to the yard and headed south then back, then south, so he was figuring there was no point in hurrying back to the yard cause we might just go past again. Then I went a got his halter off the fence and left the yard again and got off him outside the yard and put his halter on and let him eat some grass.

After that was all done, Jardi asked if I would help her pick up some bales, so I went with her and one of her boys and she bought me supper in exchange for helping, it was Chinese in Hussar and super tasty! Who knew 87 bales could fit in a stock trailer? I was surprised so many fit!

Chores

First off, I put the new sheets on my bed that we got for our anniversary and haven't used yet. I had to share them with you cause they are too cool.

Yesterday I got a phone call from our neighbor who is visiting her daughter and grandsons in Manitoba. She called to ask if I would feed her dogs and check the chickens and collect eggs. So I went over and did her chores for her. Funny it sounded complicated on the phone, but I have done chores there before and it took no time at all.

Her dog Fred is so cute and giant! He is very friendly and loves people.

Since it took only like 5 minutes to feed the dogs and get the eggs, I went out back to see her mini donkey, Jake.

And this little guy who looks like a donkey, but is actually a mini mule! Jake is his dad and she has a sorrel mini mare, Penny, who is his mom.

And while I am visiting them around the corner comes her sons stud, Blue. Hes a lot friendlier than I thought he would be.

She used to raise turkeys to sell, but now only has enough for her and her daughter, its so much quieter over there without 150 turkey running around.

Around the corner from the chicken she put in a cute little flower garden.

Even the wildflowers at her house are pretty!

I think I came away with enough eggs to last me a while.

On the way home I drove by our hay fields and it looks crazy out there, everywhere you look is more bales.