Wednesday

Well Wednesday is not gonna be wordless this week cause I am feeling really bad right now and need to share.  I went to ride last night and as I was brushing Jessie I noticed she has what looked like a cinch gall.

 It is kinda in a weird area though and I wasn't sure what was going on, so I put my saddle on anyway just to see where is hits and it doesn't.

 I wonder if I pinched it or if it just rubbed.  I am thinking I may need to go back to my cotton cinches.   I always was suspicious of the neoprene but everyone was using them and I never had a problem before.  But I know I have never had trouble riding all day in the cotton ones so I think I will go back to that.  I did ride her a little since I was there and it wasn't really touching the sore but she wasn't overly cheerful so we quit early and I put goop on it.  I am thinking I may bring over my ranch saddle today and try it, I think the cinch sits in a little different spot and hopefully wont irritate it.  On Sunday morning she was being really grouchy to all the other horses and I thought she was maybe going into heat but now I wonder if she was just sore.  I took her back to the stall and unsaddled her and left her a couple hours and then resaddled for cow work afterwards, but she seemed to ride fine.  Now I am paranoid about stuff.  Hope she gets better soon and I don't do it again.

Cutting Clinic

Well I had a blast at the cutting clinic last weekend.  I learned lots and I could see lots of improvement.  I realized that I was really lucky to get my horse.  Partly because she is very forgiving when I make mistakes and the better I work, the better she works.  Perfect for me to learn on.  I don't think I fully appreciated that till someone else told me.  On Friday we rode and worked the flag, then left our horses with the girl who was gonna haul.  We got there Sat morning bright and early  and off to the clinic.

Both days we worked the flag in the morning and then cows after lunch.  I was kinda dissapointed there wasn't more cow work, but in the end I really like the flag work first.  It sure shows up the problems we have and they can be fixed in a controlled situation.  But I also know I don't focus on the flag as much as a cow, but I probly should.

The first day my flag work was pretty good although they run the flag quite a bit different than Doug especially when I told them I was just begining and just got my horse recently.  But I think they maybe were just trying to see where I was and what problems I have and need to work on.  I know I need to sit up straighter cause I tend to move my body forward when I want to move faster.  I have always been like this and am trying really hard to fix it cause I end up over the neck if she stops.  I also know I tend to use my reins to much and need to use my legs.

The first day on cows we only worked one at a time and they were pretty pushy and so it was hard but I think Jessie likes it better when they really play hard.  She doesn't like to go to the ends and seems like she is kinda bored over there.  Which makes me work and get her over to the walls.  I also noticed I like the riding a little in mornings then a little warmup before we go work cows.  Both days we were never overly sweaty and wasn't silly.  Still working on how much warm up we need.

Then we went for supper with a group and Gerry and it was really good -- turkey dinner!  and raisen pie, mmm.  Then off to our hotel and had a nice visit and went to bed. I didn't sleep very well but was pretty excited for the next day so it didn't matter.  We got started a little later on Sunday but went through the flag a little faster.  I wasn't having a very good flag lesson and was feeling pretty dissapointed. 

Then onto the cows, I asked another girl to video it even if I didn't know how it was gonna go.  I learn quite a bit watching it over again and since she was up by the speaker I got all the coaching in it as well.  They sent one cow out at a time and then just left them in the arena and we worked the new cow.  I was 4th in so 9 cows were in there when I started so it was a nice little herd.  My first cow seperated itself and so that was easy.  I was quite a bit of short runs and then I finally got her to the left side. 

The second cow was quite a bit slower which was a nice change up and we didn't work it very long.  But was pretty good. 

The third cow I went to cut it out and I couldn't get it seperated from 2 other ones.  I didn't see it at the time but watching the video I can totally see how I could have easily gotten her apart.  So I tried again and had no problem.  That cow was a challenge and we stepped up and worked really well.  I was pretty impressed that I could do it.  It was pretty fast and not much time to think but I sat back a little better and just went.  I now can tell when she makes the barrel turn and when it is correct. 

We left and headed home and actually I was home by 7:30.  Jessie and Dude we pretty happy to be back home and back to thier round bale.  I sure was tired however I am sure Jessie wasn't at all.  I spent all day trying to edit the videos because it was one long 9 minute video that included all the time they were moving a new cow in.  Eventually I just cut it and played the working part.  I think it would have taken 9 hours (or something stupid) to load the whole video anyways.  I am sure not very good at the editing part, but probly would be if I did it more.

All Trimmed Up

So yesterday I got my new tires.  They are so grippy and rubbery smelling :)  I am so glad I got them, even though I think tires should last for more than 50, 000 km, I guess the tire people don't so it was time.

And when I got to the barn yesterday it was crazy busy!  There was about 10 other peole there taking kids for rides, then Lu came then the lesson girl came.  It was so unexpected cause we are ussually the only ones there.  So since it was so busy to ride and all week long I have been thinking of trimming Jessie's legs, I did.  I imagine she has been trimmed before but I don't know for sure but she was sooo good.  I didn't even have her tied up and she just stood there even when other people would walk by. 

Looks so different now, and so much prettier, except the lump on her leg sticks out more, but I will keep boots on her this weekend so it won't look as bad.  I forgot to get a before picture, but the amount of hair that came off was amazing!  You can see all the hair on the floor, it was crazy.  I also did her face, just all the long hairs under her jaw and she looks so nice now :)  We did ride afterwrds, but it was kinda a short ride cause I was tired from standing on my head to trim her legs.

I am so excited for this weekend, it should be a lot of fun, Everyone I tell about the clinic thinks it should be a good one and I hope so.  It will be kinda fun cause there are 3 of us(that I know) going together so that will be nice.  I wonder how many people from last year will be there? 

More Horses....and Cows

So it seems like we are officially back in business, the cow/calf business that is.  Actually for a couple days now and don't know why this heifer was so early, they should maybe be starting this weekend and noone else looks close, but its alive and healthy so who are we to complain.

And so cute.  I don't understand how such cute little calves can grow up to be cows.  Just cows.  not cute anymore just a cow. 

And while I was out there checking heifers I thought I should check on the ponies too, or rather they thought they should check on me ;)  And they look good, enjoying the bale I am sure.  And they don't even look as thin as they did the other day, actually there really is only 2 on the thin side and I realized later it was the two that have never spent a winter foraging for themselves. 

(a not thin Bailey, comin to see me)

I was kinda suspicious when the youngest (Jazz) and the oldest (Disco) were fat.  Then it came to me.  It was a pretty easy winter and lots of grass out there, no reason to be thin.  Until I decided they just didn't know there was no other food coming.  But now they look good and we will keep feeding them for a while till the grass grows probly.   Then I will probly end up feeding some anyways cause I will have them in to ride.  Might just switch them out every few weeks and so I am not riding them all at one time.

(a horrible pic of one of the thin ones)

And while I was out there I had a pretty good look at everyones feet and most of them look good and short, except the two that never got trimmed last fall.  November I think it was last time.  And unfortunatly Jazz probly won't get done this time either cause I have nowhere to work with her and she needs work before I attempt to get her feet done again.

(odd pic of George and his feet)

And then after I was out there and everything looked fine, I look out a couple hours later and the horses were in the calf corral!  Not impressed.  So I go and chase them out (it was easy they knew they weren't supposed to be in there)  and go find out how they got in.

(a not thin Belle, she takes good pictures)

Turns out Neil never tied the gate rope right between the horse pasture and the calves and the calves just rubbed it off.  The rope was laying on the ground still tied up.  That made me upset cause it was useless.  So I locked the calves in and opened the gate and the horses ran back and I fixed the gate better, no calves will rub it open again.  No wonder I am partial to wire gate closers, even if they are harder to close they STAY closed!

(I find it hard to get good pics of Razz, not sure why but this is probly the best one I have)

And then it was all fine and I went to go riding and left a little early and get no more than a quarter mile down the road and I have a flat tire! AHH  I shoulda just stayed in bed.  So I get that all fixed and call the tire place and this afternoon I am getting new tires.  I had been putting it off cause Neil was gonna organize it but I am sick of changing tires every week or so cause they are wore out.

Jazz stands so close all the time and she sure wants me to pet/scratch her all the time, so I usually do, even on her nose which she doesn't really like, but she doesn't leave so I just so it a little everytime and she is getting better about it.  Sure wish I had somewhere so I could do some work with her, but her leading skills are not real good yet so I am pretty sure I couldn't convince her to leave the other horses and so I am not even gonna try till I know I can succeed.

(Kals looks good, I think she is enjoying her time off)