You're Trying To Poison Me.

My mustang, Ranger, has never liked the worming paste required to keep horses in captivity healthy.  Actually, that's not quite right.  He HATES the stuff. It's a major battle the 3-4 times a year he gets the stuff injected into his mouth.  For such a little guy, he can sure go through the lead ropes and halters, pulling back until they pop, then standing there, looking at me saying "You like it so much, YOU eat it".

Today, I snubbed him up good and tight to an iron pipe rail, so the side of his face was right up to the pipe, and pulled the syringe out of my pocket.  I expected the usual violent reaction.  Nothing.  I pulled the cap off the tube, and expected him to jump. 
Nothing.
 I put the tube into his mouth and pressed the plunger. 
Nothing. 
I pulled the now empty syringe out and re-capped it. 
Nothing. 
I untied the lead rope, and stood back holding the rope. 
Nothing. 
And I do mean nothing.  He stood there, with his cheeks bulging with wormer paste, refusing to swallow.  Soon, the yellow slime mixed with horse spit began leaking out of his hay-hole onto the ground, lead rope, my foot, his chest... but no other movement.  Just standing there, staring at me, and oozing.

"All right, Ranger, if I take you over to graze in the yard for a little while, will you PLEASE swallow that crap?"

Ever hear a horse say "Okay" with his mouth full?

Bill

1st Annual High Country Rendezvous (HCR); part 1.

OK, here's a first stab at trying to explain how much fun we had; it was totally unlimited!  Mostly because the company was fantastic.  In our wildest dreams we had not thought it would work out so well, just with how well everyone got along and 'clicked'.  Right from our first meal together....

...the laughter was never-ending.  It was like everyone had known each other for years and was having a big family get-together!

Since the high-light of HCR was supposed to be the ride, I am focusing this blog on that - so let's get started.
After a lazy weekend breakfast, we headed over to the corrals at the Livery to get mounted up.

'Mom' on Timber, Rachel on Baggins, RockCrawlinChef on Gem, Bill on Ranger.

Killashandra on Rahja, me on Jesse, GunDiva on Estes.  Yes, Rahja spends a good deal of time being angry at other horses, so she is really giving Ranger the evil ear.  This is exactly why she was chosen for the ride - a good training ride.  Killashandra did a great job with her and they turned into a good pair by the end of the ride.  Thanks a bunch, K.

We start right out with a highway crossing and steep climb to the top of the first cliff.

After lining out at the top, it's a good idea to have a cinch check.  Notice Bill's technique for holding Ranger's lead rope in his mouth.

Next....  Notice 'Mom's' hands are talking all the time!  We also have some fun pics of the proper way to mount a bareback horse, but saving those for another time.

Let's try out those cinches with a little boulder climbing, on our way to the beaver ponds....

Rachel's horse was having a head-tossing festival, so Mom opted to trade her.  We had a quick switch and life got better for all parties.  We will be letting the Livery know he needs a better fitting bit.

At our first water crossing, Ranger had to demonstrate a desert Mustang's ability to drink the whole stream!

Yes, that's Rachel sitting on a horse in the middle of Rock Creek.  I don't think she ever quit giggling.  I hear her horse only knows one way over water - jump!

A good stopping place for tonight.  To be continued.....

Focus on HCR

Last weekend we had several of "bloggers" come stay with us for the weekend here at the lodge.  "High Country Rendezvous" is what we called it, and it was a great deal of fun.  Many, MANY pictures were taken and shared at the end of the weekend.  I wanted to give everyone else a chance to post their own pictures on their blogs before stealing them for mine, so I will use only pictures I took on this post.


Sadly, my camera was having "issues" (don't you love that code word for horrible problems) and locked out of focus for huge numbers of pictures.

I'm not sure what was happening here, but it looks kind of cool if you click on it...

I believe a horse with a rider was drinking from a stream in this one.

Several horses and riders crossing the same stream.

 Not...too...sure...

I have absolutely no idea.


OK- I have to stop.  This is nauseating.  Will one of you with a good camera post some pictures please?

Bill

ASAP

If any of you Equi-Bloggers coming to the HCR happen to check this before leaving, think about bringing your download cables for your digital camera, (if that's on the list to bring).  Thought it would be fun to combine all our pictures into a single file for everyone.  Isn't the digital world great...and this from an anti-computer person.
Juanita

EDIT POSTING 8/24----------------------------------

Man, this is one dorky posting to leave up for so long after that great visit from our bloggy friends.  Guess we ought to put up something else someday...
Bill

It's Here...The High Country Rendevous

Finally, and I am so excited to meet the other bloggers, and ride and eat and ride, and have Dr. Siemens show us how to fit saddles and why, and did I mention, ride?

Bill and I rode with Dave Siemens and a lady friend of his for 2-3 hours on Tues..  No saddle fit problems; we all rode on sheepskins and covered a lot of ground.  I haven't had time to download the pictures yet.  The weather was perfect and we had a super time.  I know you will all enjoy the information he has for us, but don't get him too wound up or you could have trouble with his Canadian accent!

Cheers, all.
Juanita

Sheepskinin' It

We have a friend who rides on a sheepskin when he does bareback, instead of a bareback pad. Looked like fun and much less fuss than the pad, besides neither of my horses really like their bareback pad because of the silly 'fishing line' stitching on the cinch buckles. So yesterday, Bill and I tried out some pieces of sheepskin we had left from our motorcycle days. It's great! I loved the feel and even the look.

 Washoe seemed to really like the freedom as we tried a short trot cross-country.

Gun Diva says Ranger looks like a shamam horse.

For Rent: Highly Skilled Snake Wrangler

I've noticed that several of y'all are having problems with snakes recently.  Let me offer the assistance of my niece, Asset...

August Recipe: Cheese Filled Pastry

Cheese Filled Pastry 375 degrees 25 min.
2 pastries 6 - 12 servings

1 pkg dry yeast
1/4 c. lukewarm water
1 t. sugar
Mix & let stand 10 minutes.

2 - 8 oz. pkg cream cheese
1 c. sugar
1 t. lemon juice
Beat until creamy.

2 c. flour, sifted
1/4 t. salt
3/4 c. margarine
Cut margarine into flour & salt.
Add yeast & egg mixture, lightly knead into dough.
Divide into 2 balls; roll ea. into 8" x 10" rectangle.

Spread ½ cream cheese mixture on each rectangle. For each pastry:
fold ea. long side toward the middle, overlapping slightly. Fold ea. end
up about 1 in. Place on cookie sheet and bake until golden brown. When cool,
sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with canned fruit, such as pie cherries or
apples - or drizzle with chocolate sauce.

½ of dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap & foil and refrigerated for up to
a week. Only make cheese filling ½ at a time when ready to use.

Stick Horse Herd

             (_)
            (oo)\______   
            (__)\            )\
                  ||------- |  \
                   ]]         ]]  

             Ranger


             ^---^
            (o  o)\_______   
            (___)\             )\
                   ||_______| \
                    ]]           ]]  

               Jesse
              
             ()()
            (OO)\ ________  
             (_) \                )/\
                    ||--------- |   \
                     ]]           ]]  

              Washoe


Juanita is supposed to post another recipe, so this is sort of... visual elevator music.  Not really very good, just  a place holder until something happens.

Bill

Summer Shopping Spree

I just don't get out of the lodge too often during the summer months.  Loads to do around here, and when grocery shopping needs to be done,  Juanita usually goes to town so she can visit her mom after buying the stuff we need that week.

This week I HAD to get out, so I went to town to buy tea, apples and eggs.  About $250 later, I found myself going back to the store to buy the eggs.

I bought plumbing supplies, socks, an electric fence spring gate for the horses and LOTS of other cool stuff.

                           Including this really nifty door mat.

The warden may never give me a work-release pass again.

Bill