A day or so ago, Ree over at Pioneer Woman said she "longed for boring". I hope when she finds boring she'll share her secret to success. I'd even settle for a little dullness around here.
When I went up to feed the main herd this morning my headcount came back one shy of a full herd. Where was Hunter? Why wasn't he up Mandy's butt as he's been since she got here this past weekend? There was food to be had, where was the food face? Sometimes the horses go into the back pasture and if there's any wind at all they can't hear me call if they're on the other side of the hill. So Thor and I walked to the top of the hill, expecting to find Hunter on the other side grazing. We did find three deer, which Thor decided to chase in hopes of catching breakfast. He's an eternal optimist.
I walked back to the house, let work know that I'd be MIA for a bit, then grabbed a halter and went out with Thor to search for the Hunter pony. I don't even want to tell you about all of the horrible things that kept going through my mind, especially as I heard gunfire come from the 1000 acre place behind ours. But somehow, I knew I'd find him safe and sound, maybe just a little battered and bruised from some misadventure.
Before I go further, I should explain the layout of our property for those that have never been here. Our 40 acres is shaped mostly like a long rectangle. The bachelor pad starts behind the house and stretches back to about 4 acres of woods that border the 1000 acre neighbor. Running from road, past the house, and along side the bachelor pad are the other two pastures where the rest of the herd roams. It's a good little hike to get from the house to the far reaches of what I call the top pasture (the highest elevation on the place).
My original plan had been to walk up the hill of death and start my search at the barn and work my way back. If I had done that, I would have never found the little guy. Instead, I started in the bachelor pad and worked my way back to the mid-way point where there's a gate going into the top pasture. As I turned to trudge up the hill to the gate, I spotted something white in the woods behind the bachelor's pasture. It looked a lot like Hunter butt. I called and heard a very faint whinny in response.
But why was he standing in one place and not at least turning around to see me? Why was he even in the woods in the first place? As I got closer I kept looking for injuries, blood, swelling, anything that might tell me why he was just standing there and not coming to me as usual. I crawled through the fence and made my way through the briers to get to him. Other than a couple of scratches on his legs there was nothing wrong with him. He gave me a happy little nicker as I put his halter on, then gently made his way between briers to follow me out to the gate. Once we got to the barn he ate his breakfast then meandered his way down to the hay where the rest of the herd was busy munching.
I think I forgot to mention that it's been pouring down rain all morning.
I should give up hoping for dull.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
There goes the neighborhood
I'm feeling rather irritated at the moment. Why? Because the cows are back again. Cattle baron came and led them away Sunday night, but they were back yesterday morning. Cattle Baron's younger sister came over with her dogs and traipsed around my yard this morning trying to push said cattle back home... again. This set my dogs into a protective frenzy while I was on the phone with a client. Five barking dogs trying to get through the window to kill the interlopers can be quite loud. Eventually, the cattle left, only to return an hour later. Apparently, no one around here knows how to repair their crappy barbed wire fence. And it's not that the Cattle Baron doesn't feed his cattle. He feeds them plenty. In fact, they have about 30 old, moldy, smelly hay rolls sitting in their driveway. The cattle march right past those rolls to get to our grass.
When the cows were here on Saturday the very hefty bull decided to break into our little shed where we keep hay for the bachelors. Not only did he eat all the hay and poop all over the building, but he put a rather large hole in the top floor of the two-story shed. Now, there is a heifer with a leg stuck in this hole.
And please note the mud in front of the shed. That was grass a couple of days ago.
And lest you think I'm being unfair to the Cattle Baron, let me show you a pic of this little heifer. She can barely walk because her feet are so long and curling up at the ends like elf shoes. Cattle Baron says she's been like that since birth and its a defect. I agree. But he's the defect. And the way he cares for his animals is defective. I tried to get a better pic of her feet, but Thor thought I was getting too close for comfort and caused her to shuffle away on her knees.
I called Cattle Baron's little sister today and told her to get her brother over here to get these cattle out of my yard and shed, and to keep them home this time. I tried to be nice because I really don't want to make enemies of people that I will have to live next to for the rest of my life. But enough is enough.
We learned something about our own crappy barbed wire the other day as we were walking down the road to go get the horse trailer. We have two spots where a tree has fallen and taken down the fence. But you know what?? Not ONCE have our horses escaped. NOT ONCE. Gee, I wonder if it's because we actually FEED them??
When the cows were here on Saturday the very hefty bull decided to break into our little shed where we keep hay for the bachelors. Not only did he eat all the hay and poop all over the building, but he put a rather large hole in the top floor of the two-story shed. Now, there is a heifer with a leg stuck in this hole.
And please note the mud in front of the shed. That was grass a couple of days ago.
And lest you think I'm being unfair to the Cattle Baron, let me show you a pic of this little heifer. She can barely walk because her feet are so long and curling up at the ends like elf shoes. Cattle Baron says she's been like that since birth and its a defect. I agree. But he's the defect. And the way he cares for his animals is defective. I tried to get a better pic of her feet, but Thor thought I was getting too close for comfort and caused her to shuffle away on her knees.
I called Cattle Baron's little sister today and told her to get her brother over here to get these cattle out of my yard and shed, and to keep them home this time. I tried to be nice because I really don't want to make enemies of people that I will have to live next to for the rest of my life. But enough is enough.
We learned something about our own crappy barbed wire the other day as we were walking down the road to go get the horse trailer. We have two spots where a tree has fallen and taken down the fence. But you know what?? Not ONCE have our horses escaped. NOT ONCE. Gee, I wonder if it's because we actually FEED them??
Saturday, December 6, 2008
It's never dull around here
Today was going to be hectic, busy, and hectic. Did I mention hectic? First we had a 9AM appt at the lumberyard to pick up 1000 feet of rough cut wood. Then we needed to unload the lumber in the barn, hitch up the trailer, then run over to pick up Mandy from Anastasia's for the parade. I really wanted to have a lot of pretty parade pictures to show you. Pictures of Quest all dolled up in red and gold with battery operated lights in his mane and a big Horse Haven Holler sign hanging on his butt. And he was really looking forward to it as well. Honest.
By the time we got back to our place with Mandy it had been snowing for about 30 minutes and the roads were just starting to whiten, but it had been a dry snow and the roads were still fine. We threw out some more hay for the herd and loaded Hunter in with Mandy, then I headed to town going the opposite direction we had just come from. I left Glenn at home to take a shower and break the ice on the troughs. Anastasia and friends were meeting me to start work cleaning and decorating the first two horses while I went back to get two more.
About a mile from our house is the infamous S curve where many hay bales have been previously lost. The S curve is downhill when headed to town and fairly steep. I put the truck into first gear and crawled down the hill at 5mph. On the left side of the road is a steep bank down, and on the right side is a deep ditch then a steep bank up. The trailer started to fishtail dangerously behind me and every time I tried to apply more brake it would go further to the right side. Another sharp curve was coming up and my speed was picking up. It was at this point that I began to worry. Seriously worry.
I shouldn't have worried. The trailer saved me by sliding into the ditch and slamming against the right bank. Oh yay. I heard a horse body bang against the side the trailer, but I had no time to think about it because I really had to get the trailer upright and out of the ditch before it took the truck with it. I gave the truck a little gas and it pulled the trailer back on to all four wheels and out into the road. Somehow I managed to slow the truck down to a snails pace and made it to the bottom of the hill without any more incident.
I turned around in a driveway, then got out to check on the horses. Mandy was fine and diving into her hay and Hunter was unscathed, but trembling. I suspect his little body was the one that slammed against the side of the trailer. There was no way I was risking anyone else for the parade, so I headed home only to find that Bertha Truck was NOT going to get that trailer up that S curve hill. Once again the trailer fishtailed behind me and Bertha struggled to gain some ground and find purchase on the icy pavement. We made it as far as the pull-off halfway up the hill. I parked the truck and trailer off the road, got the horses unloaded, hopped on Mandy bareback and ponied Hunter all the way home.
Both horses were wonderful! Mandy spooked at a large snow-covered pile of weeds and as she was sidepassing past it and giving it the evil eye, Hunter was trying to get to it to see if it was edible. Mandy blew and snorted several times and acted like there were monsters in the woods, but Hunter just kept going in his deadheaded way like there was nothing in the world that would bother him. I just love that little guy.
Once I got home Glenn and I walked back to the truck, but I told him there was no way he was getting that trailer home today. He got it 100 yards or so. When the truck wheels started spinning forward and the trailer was sliding backwards we both had a serious pucker moment and I wasn't even in the truck. I'm a big wimp, so had told him I'd follow him on foot and he could wait for me at the top. He did manage to get the trailer backed up to the pull-off again where we unhitched it and left it. We may be able to bring it home by Spring, but with what the weathermen are calling for, it isn't likely.
We had to turn around and go back into town because all that was left in the horse troughs was ice. We passed numerous vehicles stuck in ditches and heard from one of the adopters that there were 2-3 car pile ups everywhere. We eventually made it home, never going over 25mph and getting a lot of use out of Bertha's 4x4 low range. As we were pulling in the drive, there was a truck that had just pulled out of our drive. It stopped and backed up to us. It was Anastasia and her brother and his family. They had come over to make sure we were OK and to help out with the horses if necessary. They had already found the hay and fed the herd a few bales of hay.
They had also removed the 21 head of cattle that had been in our yard stomping through my gardens since yesterday morning. The cattle "barons" next door hadn't bothered to come and get them yet, of course. The neighbors that own the cattle are cousins to Drunken Neighbor on the other side of us. Are you picking up on a theme here? Anastasia's brother and his kids chased the cattle out of yard, across the street, and back into their own pasture. Then they fixed the friggin fence! They are coming back tomorrow to help us stack all the lumber we got today and build a couple of stalls in the big barn.
I just love that family.
Laci did make it to watch the parade and we heard from her mother that it lasted about 10 minutes. The kids were disappointed, but mostly just happy that their horses were safe. So am I!
By the time we got back to our place with Mandy it had been snowing for about 30 minutes and the roads were just starting to whiten, but it had been a dry snow and the roads were still fine. We threw out some more hay for the herd and loaded Hunter in with Mandy, then I headed to town going the opposite direction we had just come from. I left Glenn at home to take a shower and break the ice on the troughs. Anastasia and friends were meeting me to start work cleaning and decorating the first two horses while I went back to get two more.
About a mile from our house is the infamous S curve where many hay bales have been previously lost. The S curve is downhill when headed to town and fairly steep. I put the truck into first gear and crawled down the hill at 5mph. On the left side of the road is a steep bank down, and on the right side is a deep ditch then a steep bank up. The trailer started to fishtail dangerously behind me and every time I tried to apply more brake it would go further to the right side. Another sharp curve was coming up and my speed was picking up. It was at this point that I began to worry. Seriously worry.
I shouldn't have worried. The trailer saved me by sliding into the ditch and slamming against the right bank. Oh yay. I heard a horse body bang against the side the trailer, but I had no time to think about it because I really had to get the trailer upright and out of the ditch before it took the truck with it. I gave the truck a little gas and it pulled the trailer back on to all four wheels and out into the road. Somehow I managed to slow the truck down to a snails pace and made it to the bottom of the hill without any more incident.
I turned around in a driveway, then got out to check on the horses. Mandy was fine and diving into her hay and Hunter was unscathed, but trembling. I suspect his little body was the one that slammed against the side of the trailer. There was no way I was risking anyone else for the parade, so I headed home only to find that Bertha Truck was NOT going to get that trailer up that S curve hill. Once again the trailer fishtailed behind me and Bertha struggled to gain some ground and find purchase on the icy pavement. We made it as far as the pull-off halfway up the hill. I parked the truck and trailer off the road, got the horses unloaded, hopped on Mandy bareback and ponied Hunter all the way home.
Both horses were wonderful! Mandy spooked at a large snow-covered pile of weeds and as she was sidepassing past it and giving it the evil eye, Hunter was trying to get to it to see if it was edible. Mandy blew and snorted several times and acted like there were monsters in the woods, but Hunter just kept going in his deadheaded way like there was nothing in the world that would bother him. I just love that little guy.
Once I got home Glenn and I walked back to the truck, but I told him there was no way he was getting that trailer home today. He got it 100 yards or so. When the truck wheels started spinning forward and the trailer was sliding backwards we both had a serious pucker moment and I wasn't even in the truck. I'm a big wimp, so had told him I'd follow him on foot and he could wait for me at the top. He did manage to get the trailer backed up to the pull-off again where we unhitched it and left it. We may be able to bring it home by Spring, but with what the weathermen are calling for, it isn't likely.
We had to turn around and go back into town because all that was left in the horse troughs was ice. We passed numerous vehicles stuck in ditches and heard from one of the adopters that there were 2-3 car pile ups everywhere. We eventually made it home, never going over 25mph and getting a lot of use out of Bertha's 4x4 low range. As we were pulling in the drive, there was a truck that had just pulled out of our drive. It stopped and backed up to us. It was Anastasia and her brother and his family. They had come over to make sure we were OK and to help out with the horses if necessary. They had already found the hay and fed the herd a few bales of hay.
They had also removed the 21 head of cattle that had been in our yard stomping through my gardens since yesterday morning. The cattle "barons" next door hadn't bothered to come and get them yet, of course. The neighbors that own the cattle are cousins to Drunken Neighbor on the other side of us. Are you picking up on a theme here? Anastasia's brother and his kids chased the cattle out of yard, across the street, and back into their own pasture. Then they fixed the friggin fence! They are coming back tomorrow to help us stack all the lumber we got today and build a couple of stalls in the big barn.
I just love that family.
Laci did make it to watch the parade and we heard from her mother that it lasted about 10 minutes. The kids were disappointed, but mostly just happy that their horses were safe. So am I!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Fishing for Deer
By now you should know that we do things a little differently around here.
While I was coating some butternut squash with maple syrup, pats of butter, and brown sugar I heard Brie outside barking and growling at something. After I shoved the squash into the oven (oh my, the smells... mmm...) I opened the door and peeked out to see what she was barking at. Apparently, I have superhuman powers and can see in the dark. Glenn is a mere mortal so he had to grab a flash light to see what was going on.
We found Brie down at the pond barking at a deer that she'd chased into the pond. The poor thing was already wounded and wouldn't come out of the water. It was then my job to hold the flashlight while Glenn aimed his incredibly LOUD gun and pulled the trigger. I was in a panic because I was worried he'd hit Brie instead. It was dark, the flashlight was shaking in my frozen fingers, and I really didn't want him to shoot the doe while I was standing there watching. I knew it had to be done since she was already injured, but I didn't want to be a part of it.
One shot, the doe was down in the water. A split second later Brie was on the doe trying to make sure it was dead. In her excitement she managed to shove the doe out into the middle of the pond. Brie likes to swim, but that water is cold and even Brie isn't that stupid. So now Glenn is standing there staring at the doe wondering how he's going to get it out of the water. I watched as the light bulb above his head started out as a dim glow, then grew quickly into a brilliant spotlight. He had to add extra weight to the lure, but it only took five casts to hook the doe and drag her in.
Because we know what's in that pond we vowed never to eat anything we caught from it. Yet he's out there gutting and hanging the poor thing now. If he thinks I'm going to eat it, he's got another thing coming!
While I was coating some butternut squash with maple syrup, pats of butter, and brown sugar I heard Brie outside barking and growling at something. After I shoved the squash into the oven (oh my, the smells... mmm...) I opened the door and peeked out to see what she was barking at. Apparently, I have superhuman powers and can see in the dark. Glenn is a mere mortal so he had to grab a flash light to see what was going on.
We found Brie down at the pond barking at a deer that she'd chased into the pond. The poor thing was already wounded and wouldn't come out of the water. It was then my job to hold the flashlight while Glenn aimed his incredibly LOUD gun and pulled the trigger. I was in a panic because I was worried he'd hit Brie instead. It was dark, the flashlight was shaking in my frozen fingers, and I really didn't want him to shoot the doe while I was standing there watching. I knew it had to be done since she was already injured, but I didn't want to be a part of it.
One shot, the doe was down in the water. A split second later Brie was on the doe trying to make sure it was dead. In her excitement she managed to shove the doe out into the middle of the pond. Brie likes to swim, but that water is cold and even Brie isn't that stupid. So now Glenn is standing there staring at the doe wondering how he's going to get it out of the water. I watched as the light bulb above his head started out as a dim glow, then grew quickly into a brilliant spotlight. He had to add extra weight to the lure, but it only took five casts to hook the doe and drag her in.
Because we know what's in that pond we vowed never to eat anything we caught from it. Yet he's out there gutting and hanging the poor thing now. If he thinks I'm going to eat it, he's got another thing coming!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Manny goes home
We delivered Manny to his new home today. It rained all day, but once he met his new friend he didn't seem to care. Neither one of them did, actually. Megan put his brand new halter on him, fed him some grain, then the two of them walked and trotted around the pasture in the rain. Manny has two Arabian mares to charm, chickens to sniff, dogs to play with, and a human who thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread. Manny's new humans would also like to adopt Classy in the Spring. Okie dokie.
Manny's humans raise all sorts of chickens and have chicks all over the place. Of course, they are all adorable and friendly. They sent us home with six roosters for Glenn to butcher at his leisure. If he knows what's good for him he'll do the deed before I get too attached. I haven't named them... yet.
Oh! When Glenn was out hunting on Friday he saw the other four guineas that disappeared so long ago. They were full grown and happily sitting in a tree looking at him. Bonus!!
Back to work tomorrow. Ugh. I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend!
Can we have another? Please?
Manny's humans raise all sorts of chickens and have chicks all over the place. Of course, they are all adorable and friendly. They sent us home with six roosters for Glenn to butcher at his leisure. If he knows what's good for him he'll do the deed before I get too attached. I haven't named them... yet.
Oh! When Glenn was out hunting on Friday he saw the other four guineas that disappeared so long ago. They were full grown and happily sitting in a tree looking at him. Bonus!!
Back to work tomorrow. Ugh. I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend!
Can we have another? Please?
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Romantic Quest
We put aside all of our pending projects to take Quest to the North Bend Trail today to see how he reacted to bridges, tunnels, underpasses, and anything else that we came across before the parade this weekend. Glenn had the camera today, so be prepared for lots of pictures of my back.
He took the lead over Willow right from the trailer with this ground-eating walk that quickly left Willow moseying along way behind. He went over the first bridge and thought maybe the two cars coming towards him were going to run him over, then seemed astonished that they went under him instead.
He had no problems with the rock formations on either side of him. No problems with the squirrels running around in the leaves next to the trail. I think I spooked a few times, but he never did. The first time we cantered I let him blow a bit and go as fast as he wanted until he slowed into a nice comfortable canter. When we stopped, we had to wait quite awhile for Willow to catch up. Slowpoke.
Then came the true test. The first tunnel is 377' long, but luckily the sun was still low enough in the sky that none of the tunnels were pitch black in the middle. I thought we'd have to wait for Willow to catch up and lead us in, but Quest surprised me by just walking right in without any hesitation. He either doesn't know how to hesitate or he just doesn't see the point. We walked right into the first tunnel and he was a little nervous when he heard his own footsteps echoing back to him, but never tried to take off, stop, or misbehave in any way. He walked into the next two tunnels the same way. On the way home, one of the tunnels was pitch black in the middle and I couldn't even see his ears right in front of me. He didn't care, he was headed back to the trailer and hay - no way was he slowing down!
Most of the North Bend Trail is flat, but the last little bit on the way to the lodge is a ridge trail through the woods that is fairly steep in places. I noticed his saddle had slid back when going up one steep incline and he started swishing his tail and acting annoyed. I was hoping to make it to a flat spot before dismounting and fixing the saddle, but he had given me fair warning and I wasn't acting fast enough for him... he swung his head around and bit me in the leg! I hopped off, fixed the saddle, then just walked him the rest of the way to the lodge since it was only a couple hundred yards away. After lunch, he was fine and there was no more swishing or biting. I just love a horse that gives fair warning before misbehaving! And I really don't blame him for being upset with me since the saddle had slipped so far back.
He took the lead over Willow right from the trailer with this ground-eating walk that quickly left Willow moseying along way behind. He went over the first bridge and thought maybe the two cars coming towards him were going to run him over, then seemed astonished that they went under him instead.
He had no problems with the rock formations on either side of him. No problems with the squirrels running around in the leaves next to the trail. I think I spooked a few times, but he never did. The first time we cantered I let him blow a bit and go as fast as he wanted until he slowed into a nice comfortable canter. When we stopped, we had to wait quite awhile for Willow to catch up. Slowpoke.
Then came the true test. The first tunnel is 377' long, but luckily the sun was still low enough in the sky that none of the tunnels were pitch black in the middle. I thought we'd have to wait for Willow to catch up and lead us in, but Quest surprised me by just walking right in without any hesitation. He either doesn't know how to hesitate or he just doesn't see the point. We walked right into the first tunnel and he was a little nervous when he heard his own footsteps echoing back to him, but never tried to take off, stop, or misbehave in any way. He walked into the next two tunnels the same way. On the way home, one of the tunnels was pitch black in the middle and I couldn't even see his ears right in front of me. He didn't care, he was headed back to the trailer and hay - no way was he slowing down!
I rode the whole way on a loose rein. When we came to the creek crossing he plowed right in and immediately started pawing at the water while Willow took a drink. It took some convincing to get him out of the creek because he was having so much fun.
Most of the North Bend Trail is flat, but the last little bit on the way to the lodge is a ridge trail through the woods that is fairly steep in places. I noticed his saddle had slid back when going up one steep incline and he started swishing his tail and acting annoyed. I was hoping to make it to a flat spot before dismounting and fixing the saddle, but he had given me fair warning and I wasn't acting fast enough for him... he swung his head around and bit me in the leg! I hopped off, fixed the saddle, then just walked him the rest of the way to the lodge since it was only a couple hundred yards away. After lunch, he was fine and there was no more swishing or biting. I just love a horse that gives fair warning before misbehaving! And I really don't blame him for being upset with me since the saddle had slipped so far back.
On the way back we actually found something that scares the beast. A kid on a bicycle was going to EAT Quest, he was just sure of it. But all he did was throw his head up, stiffen up, and quiver a little. I asked the kid to stop and then Quest was able to walk quietly past the horse-eating bicycle. We then came to the walking parents and Quest wanted to stop and chat, maybe see if they had any treats or knew where his itchy places were located.
I guess since Glenn saw how well Quest behaved today my "he's a wild untrainable beast, so it's not safe for you to ride him yet" mantra is down the drain. I'm going to have to let Glenn ride him eventually, whether I like it or not.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Tag, I'm it. Again.
Maggie over at Mounted Archery tagged me again with that 6 Random Things meme. Don't you guys already know everything there is to know about me??
Six random things about me that yawl don't know yet.
1) I do an awesome Valley Girl imitation.
2) I used to work for Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus.
3) My mom entered me in a local beauty contest when I was knee-high to a grasshopper. I actually had to wear a dress. It scarred me for life.
4) I was the class spelling bee champ in 8th grade.
5) My maternal grandfather's family comes from Bari, Italy.
6) I've had 11 concussions, only four caused by horse-related incidents.
Wow, that was really tough. I was even trying to get Glenn's help on coming up with six random things about me that I haven't already told everyone. And here I thought that I was a chatterbox that couldn't shut up and everyone already knew everything there was to know about me.
I guess now you do!
I'm not going to tag anyone, but feel free. This meme has been floating around forever and a day, so I'm sure just about everyone has done it already. Oh, except maybe Moon Ponies! Tag Moon Ponies, you're it! :)
Six random things about me that yawl don't know yet.
1) I do an awesome Valley Girl imitation.
2) I used to work for Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus.
3) My mom entered me in a local beauty contest when I was knee-high to a grasshopper. I actually had to wear a dress. It scarred me for life.
4) I was the class spelling bee champ in 8th grade.
5) My maternal grandfather's family comes from Bari, Italy.
6) I've had 11 concussions, only four caused by horse-related incidents.
Wow, that was really tough. I was even trying to get Glenn's help on coming up with six random things about me that I haven't already told everyone. And here I thought that I was a chatterbox that couldn't shut up and everyone already knew everything there was to know about me.
I guess now you do!
I'm not going to tag anyone, but feel free. This meme has been floating around forever and a day, so I'm sure just about everyone has done it already. Oh, except maybe Moon Ponies! Tag Moon Ponies, you're it! :)
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Random Lunch 11/25/08
As most of you who have read my blog for awhile are aware, I am not the clothes shopping type. I abhor shopping for clothes and have worn the same pair of stretch jeans for the past three years. This last year I've been pulling them up every couple of steps and feeling like a big fat plumber in the process. I've pulled them up by the belt loops so often that the belt loops have all busted. And yes, I'm sure I could sew them back on if I had another year or two. But as I was telling Anne just this morning, put a needle and thread in my hands and I'll likely stitch a couple of fingers together.
So it was time. Time to toss the stretched out stretchies and get a real pair of jeans (or three). The weather here lately has made me lust for a pair of those fleece-lined jeans from L.L. Bean or Cabellas. Every time I hike up to the barn and top the ridge, the wind blasts at me and my thighs take hours to thaw. But what size am I now? I know I've lost a ton of weight since buying this farm (imagine that), but had no idea what size I was down to. Of course it would have made sense to go to a store and try things on. But that would have required going into a clothes store. So I just took a guess and ordered a pair of fleece-lined jeans from Cabellas that were three sizes smaller than what I was a year ago. At least I didn't order three pair all at once. What a pain it would have been to return them all, right?
I wish I had ordered five pair! I can't believe how wonderfully these fit! They're comfy in the waste, not too baggy in the hips or thighs, and absolutely toasty warm! I also bought them with a 34" inseam so they wouldn't ride up my leg when sitting or riding a horse. Can I say again how perfect they are?? Now I can't wait to go out into the driving snow and 28 degree weather to feed tonight.
But most importantly, do you know what this means? It means I don't ever have to set foot in a clothing store again! Somehow, I've mastered the art of clothes shopping on the web and will never need to try on another article of clothing again. Which means I can spend my shopping time in more functional places, like Lowes, Home Depot, Tractor Supply, and any tack store I happen to find.
Life is good.
So it was time. Time to toss the stretched out stretchies and get a real pair of jeans (or three). The weather here lately has made me lust for a pair of those fleece-lined jeans from L.L. Bean or Cabellas. Every time I hike up to the barn and top the ridge, the wind blasts at me and my thighs take hours to thaw. But what size am I now? I know I've lost a ton of weight since buying this farm (imagine that), but had no idea what size I was down to. Of course it would have made sense to go to a store and try things on. But that would have required going into a clothes store. So I just took a guess and ordered a pair of fleece-lined jeans from Cabellas that were three sizes smaller than what I was a year ago. At least I didn't order three pair all at once. What a pain it would have been to return them all, right?
I wish I had ordered five pair! I can't believe how wonderfully these fit! They're comfy in the waste, not too baggy in the hips or thighs, and absolutely toasty warm! I also bought them with a 34" inseam so they wouldn't ride up my leg when sitting or riding a horse. Can I say again how perfect they are?? Now I can't wait to go out into the driving snow and 28 degree weather to feed tonight.
But most importantly, do you know what this means? It means I don't ever have to set foot in a clothing store again! Somehow, I've mastered the art of clothes shopping on the web and will never need to try on another article of clothing again. Which means I can spend my shopping time in more functional places, like Lowes, Home Depot, Tractor Supply, and any tack store I happen to find.
Life is good.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Something wicked that way goes
Drunken Neighbor's friends finally showed up just now to take Appybutt and his little filly friend. They told animal control that they were coming out last night to get them. Of course, no one ever showed up. Meanwhile more fence needs to be repaired and my strawberry bed is totally stomped.
According to friends, Drunken Neighbor is incapable of handling her own horse and shouldn't even own him. They were shocked to hear that she never even knows when he's missing and doesn't care. They did say she was pretty upset when she heard from AC last night that he had escaped again. She got off work at 7pm last night. Apparently she wasn't so upset that she could come over and talk to us about him. On second thought, staying away from me was probably a darned good idea last night. Especially after Appybutt kicked me in the leg while trying to get to the feed I was carrying out to Quest and Stride. Glenn went out with me this morning to protect me while I fed. It's pretty sad when you live out in the styx like this and can't even walk through your own yard without getting mauled by your neighbor's food aggressive horse with no manners.
Drunken Neighbor's friends brought a horse trailer to move the horses several hundred yards. I kid you not. Appybutt loaded after a few minutes, but the filly would have nothing of it. Let me set the stage for you. Blond friend has horses of her own and thinks she is the only person in the world who knows anything about horses. Brunette friend knows nothing about horses and is terrified of them. Male friend is completely useless and chose to sit in the warm truck while the women tried to get the filly in the trailer.
Every time they would get the filly close the trailer she would rear up and back away. This is when Blondie would give her some grain. HELLO?? Here, let me reward you for rearing and not getting on the trailer. Maybe she was trying reverse psychology on the filly? When grain didn't work the filly was beaten. Blondie has apparently never heard of the three second rule. Punish the horse for no more than three seconds because after that they have no idea what they're being punished for it. Blondie decided that going totally ballistic on the poor filly for a couple of minutes would convince her to trust Blondie enough to get on the trailer. No really, it hurts me more than it hurts you. Trust me.
I was putting on some warm clothes and boots and preparing to go up and either beat someone up or get the filly on the trailer. Then I saw Glenn go up instead. He had been out in the garage working on his truck and I had forgotten he was even home. I decided to hang back and watch for a minute because I knew he wouldn't put up with abuse any more than I would. He got up to the trailer, took a lead rope and wrapped it around the filly's neck, then lead her quietly up to the trailer and let her stand there for a minute to calm down. One smack on the butt and she jumped forward and stood still. The second smack on the butt sent her front feet into the trailer. He took a minute to praise and relax, then wrapped a lead rope around her butt. He pulled one side and Blondie pulled the other. Up on the trailer went the filly!
I'm so proud of him! Especially since I got to stay in the house where it's warm. Now it's time for a nice warm lunch, then out to get started on the run-in shed for the bachelors. Yesterday the weathermen said it would be 45 and partly sunny. Today it's 30 and overcast. Please forgive me if my fingers are too frost bit to type for the rest of the weekend.
According to friends, Drunken Neighbor is incapable of handling her own horse and shouldn't even own him. They were shocked to hear that she never even knows when he's missing and doesn't care. They did say she was pretty upset when she heard from AC last night that he had escaped again. She got off work at 7pm last night. Apparently she wasn't so upset that she could come over and talk to us about him. On second thought, staying away from me was probably a darned good idea last night. Especially after Appybutt kicked me in the leg while trying to get to the feed I was carrying out to Quest and Stride. Glenn went out with me this morning to protect me while I fed. It's pretty sad when you live out in the styx like this and can't even walk through your own yard without getting mauled by your neighbor's food aggressive horse with no manners.
Drunken Neighbor's friends brought a horse trailer to move the horses several hundred yards. I kid you not. Appybutt loaded after a few minutes, but the filly would have nothing of it. Let me set the stage for you. Blond friend has horses of her own and thinks she is the only person in the world who knows anything about horses. Brunette friend knows nothing about horses and is terrified of them. Male friend is completely useless and chose to sit in the warm truck while the women tried to get the filly in the trailer.
Every time they would get the filly close the trailer she would rear up and back away. This is when Blondie would give her some grain. HELLO?? Here, let me reward you for rearing and not getting on the trailer. Maybe she was trying reverse psychology on the filly? When grain didn't work the filly was beaten. Blondie has apparently never heard of the three second rule. Punish the horse for no more than three seconds because after that they have no idea what they're being punished for it. Blondie decided that going totally ballistic on the poor filly for a couple of minutes would convince her to trust Blondie enough to get on the trailer. No really, it hurts me more than it hurts you. Trust me.
I was putting on some warm clothes and boots and preparing to go up and either beat someone up or get the filly on the trailer. Then I saw Glenn go up instead. He had been out in the garage working on his truck and I had forgotten he was even home. I decided to hang back and watch for a minute because I knew he wouldn't put up with abuse any more than I would. He got up to the trailer, took a lead rope and wrapped it around the filly's neck, then lead her quietly up to the trailer and let her stand there for a minute to calm down. One smack on the butt and she jumped forward and stood still. The second smack on the butt sent her front feet into the trailer. He took a minute to praise and relax, then wrapped a lead rope around her butt. He pulled one side and Blondie pulled the other. Up on the trailer went the filly!
I'm so proud of him! Especially since I got to stay in the house where it's warm. Now it's time for a nice warm lunch, then out to get started on the run-in shed for the bachelors. Yesterday the weathermen said it would be 45 and partly sunny. Today it's 30 and overcast. Please forgive me if my fingers are too frost bit to type for the rest of the weekend.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Intruder Alert!
Abbybutt is back and this time he brought a friend. The friend that they got so that Appybutt wouldn't get wonder lust again. They are trying to dismantle the fence as I type. The more squealing I hear, the angrier I get. I've called animal control, enough is enough.
The snow is coming down so hard I can barely see the top of the driveway from the house. The vet is due to come back out for Classy again this morning. She's not doing much better so it's time for a blood panel to be done. She's still eating and drinking and seems to be putting on a little weight, but she still isn't her normal self.
Glenn is fixing the 4 wheel drive on his truck tonight so we can get the trailer out of the pasture and deliver Manny to his new home this weekend. Did I mention that before? The owner of the feed store is adopting him as a companion animal. He'll have a pasture with two primadonna Arab mares who hate being caught. The young girl that lives there will just love having an attention whore like Manny to dote on! In the Spring they'd like to adopt two rideable horses. I think being adopted by someone who owns a feed store is probably the best stroke of luck Manny has ever had.
We're also getting supplies tomorrow morning to build the loafing shed in the bachelor pasture. We're hoping to at least have the posts and roof up by Saturday night, then I can work on nailing up the sides during the week after work and on lunch breaks. Saturday night we're headed over to Anastasia's so she can give me the "Barbie" treatment for the parade in a couple of weeks. The Christmas parade went from two riders to seven, including me. They want me on Quest with a red and gold Aussie type theme. I've just been sitting back and letting this happen since everyone else seems much more into it than I am. I think it's a great idea, but I'm more the sit back and watch it unfold type, than the be in the spotlight smiling for the audience type. I'm just hoping Quest is a spotlight type of horse and doesn't decide to trample the highschool marching band into little bits and pieces. I also hope he likes red and gold.
The snow is coming down so hard I can barely see the top of the driveway from the house. The vet is due to come back out for Classy again this morning. She's not doing much better so it's time for a blood panel to be done. She's still eating and drinking and seems to be putting on a little weight, but she still isn't her normal self.
Glenn is fixing the 4 wheel drive on his truck tonight so we can get the trailer out of the pasture and deliver Manny to his new home this weekend. Did I mention that before? The owner of the feed store is adopting him as a companion animal. He'll have a pasture with two primadonna Arab mares who hate being caught. The young girl that lives there will just love having an attention whore like Manny to dote on! In the Spring they'd like to adopt two rideable horses. I think being adopted by someone who owns a feed store is probably the best stroke of luck Manny has ever had.
We're also getting supplies tomorrow morning to build the loafing shed in the bachelor pasture. We're hoping to at least have the posts and roof up by Saturday night, then I can work on nailing up the sides during the week after work and on lunch breaks. Saturday night we're headed over to Anastasia's so she can give me the "Barbie" treatment for the parade in a couple of weeks. The Christmas parade went from two riders to seven, including me. They want me on Quest with a red and gold Aussie type theme. I've just been sitting back and letting this happen since everyone else seems much more into it than I am. I think it's a great idea, but I'm more the sit back and watch it unfold type, than the be in the spotlight smiling for the audience type. I'm just hoping Quest is a spotlight type of horse and doesn't decide to trample the highschool marching band into little bits and pieces. I also hope he likes red and gold.
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