A cold, wet one

Friday I went for a ride with some of my "gals", wife Juanita, our oldest daughter, and both of our oldest grand-daughters. It was a nice sunny day when we rode out. Juanita and the younger of the grand kids riding double on Jesse, Tel on Estes, our oldest granddaughter on Washoe, with me riding drag on Ranger. We rode for nearly an hour in the nice weather, but about the time we got to the beaver ponds in the national forest, it clouded up and the wind picked up. All dismounted to put on rain coats (except me- Ranger was buggy enough just watching the "wind in the willows" that I didn't want to add to his worries until we were outa there). About 10 minutes later we stopped so I could put on my slicker. Between the time I had climbed off and the time I had remounted, the rain and hit! A good, hard, soaking rain. The next half hour we rode back in the wind and rain. The temp had dropped about 15 degrees, and the wind was whipping the rain around pretty well. We got back to the lodge cold and wet and grinning like monkeys. What a blast.

Bill

Refreshing Ride

Just got back from a nice, relaxing ride on the mountain. We decided to head out bareback with a picnic lunch - the horses' favorite type of ride; they get to try the mountain grasses while we eat our bagels. One problem with bare back: how to get back on? My years of abusing my body have left me anything but agile, so I started looking around for something to climb on. The best I could find was a cliffside next to the trail. You just can't say enough about a horse who will patiently stand on a very steep slope, let you climb behind her butt up a cliff and then drop onto her back, all the while rocks are cascading around her feet (from your not graceful climb)!...I do love my Jesse Mustang.

We took a backpack with ponchos as it looked (and sounded) like rain, but when it did rain we opted out. On the way home Bill saw something laying in the trail, so he hopped off. Should have seen the look on his face when he tried to hop back on a slightly wet, very slippery horse! He ended up using a bank as a mounting block, also. We passed a livery ride on our way back, so Bill told the kids to keep an eye out for the saddle he lost out there. I think some of them actually believed him. We laughed the rest of the way home as the soft hail was bouncing off our hats.

Calm day...

I took a hot-wire and ran it around our back and side yards yesterday. Then I turned Ranger and Jesse loose out back to do some mowing.

You can tell that Jesse has been on a dry lot during the summer most of her life... when the little birds were jumping around their faces looking for stirred up bugs and such, Ranger would just ignore them and eat. Jesse would shake her head, stomp in frustration, and then finally run off. The Bird would of course follow her adding to her frustration. She wasn't going to quit eating, though.

More Flashing Lights

Yesterday afternoon we got swarmed by the Allenspark Volunteer Fire Department again. This time it was for the riding livery across the street. The wranglers were breaking down horses at the end of the day, when one of the horses, "RC", decided it was time to eat. NOW. So into the low roofed barn it went at a dead run, with a wrangler on its back and full into its mouth. A beam to the forehead will take you right out of the race...
We had some guests go for a ride this morning and they said she spent the night under observation, and should be back to work today. OUCH.

High praise for the volunteers here in town. Fast and professional.

Bill

Flight for life

Last night a couple neighbors, father and son, were riding their dirt bikes (motorcycles). no lights, down the road from us and hit each other head on. They each ended up with major broken bones and flight for life was called in. When the choppers went over, I could hear Ranger saying "Oh no! It's a round-up!" and chasing the others around the corral. I went out and tossed a couple flakes of hay and he said "Oh... never mind" and ate quietly with the others during the return flyover. Chicken Little does Allenspark.

Bill

Vet Check Day

Today, everyone got their yearly shots and well-vet-check. Dr. Flinchum showed up an hour early, so I didn't get a chance to "pretty them up" before he got here, but it's always better to have a vet that arrives early instead of late. The shots went remarkably well. Caught up Washoe first. Doc had brought his dad as a helper; dad had treats (the same ones we use occasionally)and Washoe had his shot before he even knew it. In fact, I'm not sure he ever did know he got a shot! After checking his teeth, we decided they would get floated next month, just to stay on top of it.

I tied Washoe to the rail and went to halter Jesse. What a rodeo! I was bringing the horses out through our small corner pen so we wouldn't bother the livery rides that were going out. The minute I got Jesse into the smaller pen, she raced to the fence, looked over to our parking lot and seeing the vet's truck, decided no way was she going. She's had a couple of bad experience's with shots and does not like her vet. After racing around the small pen several times at full speed, she finally decided I wasn't going to leave and let me halter her. She looked like a little kid resigning herself to the worst. After all that fuss, though, the shot went really well this time and maybe she won't remember it so badly next time. Doc said Jesse's teeth were great, and that's probably why she out-weighed all the others! She definitely needs to take off a few more pounds. We've been working on that for a month; the more weight I get off her, the more energy she gets and I can hardly keep up with her now.

Estes was next and took her shot like a champ. He said we should check her teeth for floating at the end of the summer. Finally, we get to Ranger, who is usually pretty good, but today there was just too much activity. Lots of noisy things going on just when we wanted him settled and doc had to rush a little, but all still went pretty well. He thought all the horses looked to be in good health and we had a fun chat.

Weeding Day

I got lawn/weed duty today, so while Bill was away doing the weekly grocery shopping, I let each of the horses have 20 minutes on the end of a lead rope, in a huge patch of aggresive dandelions. I tried reading my lessons while they ate, but, darn, it kept spitting rain at us, so just had to watch as they "mowed". Interesting observations. First was Estes, who was very dainty and ladylike, picking several large stems into her mouth, then giving a gentle tug. Think I will have her teeth checked, as she should really be doing a little more "cutting" than pulling. Next came Jesse, who methodically and literally "mowed" a section about 8 ft. sq, very level and exact. Now comes the kid, whose mowing entails lots of up and down motions of the head, so his mowed section looks pretty uneven. Will have his teeth checked, too, mostly because he has already had some pretty serious tooth problems, so we like to keep on top of it. Finally, we get the old gent, Ranger, who eats about half what the others did, because he so relishes all his food. He has no tooth problems, mows nice and evenly, just likes to take time to chew and enjoy. You can see it in his expression as he stares dreamily off into the distance as he chews.

Tomorrow, they won't like me so much. It's vet check day...and shot day. Until then.....

June Recipe: Hockey Puck Sausage Patties

Juanita may never post one for this month so...


Hockey puck sausages.
Cut a roll of Jimmy Dean Sausage into plugs. Cook straight to death.

Bon Appetit! (bone appetite?)
Bill

Lawn Care

I did a little yard work yesterday. Set up a hot wire around some of the grass out back, and let the horses in one at a time to mow. Made all of us happy.
Bill