Baby Steps

The first cool cold front of the year has been here for a few days. EVERYONE feels great. I've had the windows open since Monday. The result is frisky horses. Not stupid frisky, just feeling good- move a little faster-frisky. Priss took out of the front pens like a mad woman today for no reason. No one started it. No one followed. Just feeling good. Diesel trotted out to Bec when I released her for the evening. It really is a big deal for the lazy boy to trot out unless someone else does first. The big news....not quite as lame. Still a bit lame. Baby steps towards soundness. I'll take it.

Another baby step happened today. I went out to the new place to take the boards off of the barn windows. A miracle happened. I have electric poles. I applied the first week of June. Now, we just need to get them out again to wire the temporary pole. You know...the pole that Tilson hasn't put up, yet. I did get to the title company today to see about fixing the mess-up on the title policy. There is no pipeline on my property, thus, no reference to it on the survey. They are going to revise the policy. I'll be moving into my not-yet-started home soon. Just you wait.

Relief

Tonight, Emmie came to visit. I hadn't seen her for over a week. She was very distracted by Pumkin. Pumpkin proceeded to attack. They rolled around a bit until my yelling interrupted them. Pumpkin got a spanking. Emmie got some soft words. Everything settled down and I gave everyone hugs. I'm just glad that Emmie is doing fine. She is actually gaining weight since her spay. She needed it.

All is well here. My crew of 12 is doing fine. I did pull 6 ticks off of Diesel. We'll see what he looks like tomorrow. One spot is already starting to swell. So, when I say the crew is all well...I mean all is normal. Always something. Regardless, my life is blessed.

Imagination? Not so chunky?

What do you think? I swear that she is losing weight. Not enough, yet. Making progress. Restricted pasture, diet food, and exercise. Much harder to get weight off than on. Funny how that works.

Before

Now

There is still a rather thick layer of fat. She has mostly lost gas. She farts nonstop. We're getting there, though. She is ready to get back on the grass. She gets 2-3 hours a day right now. Not nearly enough for sanity but she is holding up well. Plus, she is getting better with the herd-bound issues. Win-win.

Scared the Poop out of Everybody

Ike was headed straight for us. We evacuated. On the way, the horses pooped and pooped. Mountains of it. But, everyone behaved. They knew. Travel, both trips, was uneventful. I have discovered that 3 horses and a 2 horse trailer are not a good thing. Had to leave too early so I could make 2 trips. Next time we wait an extra day. We went toward where the storm ended up landing. It turned.

70 mile/hr winds and rain. No one hurt, no structural damage, not even a tree limb down. Amazing. We only lost power for 2 hours. Wharton County Electric Coop is amazing. They went out in the worst of the storm to restore our power...used spotlights to find the problem.

It was still safer to be at my parent's house than at my rental...landlords have junk piles of tin and lumber dangerously close to the pasture. This stuff is left over from Hurricane Claudette in 2003. I live in a land of exquisite beauty and occasional devastation. I do not hesitate to leave.

All 3 cats peed themselves. Blue is a house kitty. He had to have a bath. We did the pillowcase method under the tub faucet. Baby shampoo and quick rinse. He took it like a champ. I dried him off and gave him extra hugs. Mom found a pile of poop in the corner of the pillowcase when all was done. None on him, thank goodness. Two baths would have done him in! Scared the poop out of him. I was unable to find Emmie to take her along. I still have not found her. The neighbors have seen her and have been feeding her. I'm still worried about her.

I took both turtles. They pooped due to stress during the ride.

I didn't sleep at all during the storm. I didn't sleep well when all was over. I kept thinking of all the people of Galveston and Bolivar Penninsula who didn't leave. I kept thinking of the people who had no home to go home to. When you live on the coast you know it will happen. Just not when.

I am building a home in a coastal county. I bought land in one of the highest places here. It has never flooded. Ever. I am 4 miles from the nearest bay...and it is an inland bay. My house will be built on a 3 foot concrete slab. Extra hurricane straps. I will still leave for the big one. No question.

Despite having a long, stressful evacuation, I still enjoyed spending time with my family. Below are pictures of the horses in the backyard, there. Not too stressed. Lots of fun things to watch. More grass than they needed. Bec was very limited in grazing time.

Still a Lady

Becca is confined to the round pen. I expect this to be a relatively long-term arrangement. She has lost a few inches of gas belly. It is the blubber layer that is of concern. She has eaten every blade of grass within reach. And now she is resigned to eating that nasty hay I left for her. Much of today she pouted and refused to eat.

Of course, she was undoubtedly tired from last night. The farmers burned the corn field behind the house and next to the pasture. I got home yesterday evening to find it burning with no one watching it. I kept an eye on it all night. It still smolders this evening. Thanks. Thanks alot. Who cares if we burn down the neighbor's house and horses? The fire is safely in the middle of the field, now, with no fuel to spread. Last night, it inched it's way toward my house...disturbingly close. I am all for controlled burns...just disc around the field, please. The horses were all on edge today. Rightfully so.

Bec is getting exercise every day. Lunging or light riding...bareback, of course. Fatty patty. She is acting like a lady despite her imprisonment. Gotta love that gal. She is too sweet to describe. And never pushy. She walks toward the gate when I enter or exit but never tries to get out. I love her responsiveness. Touch her and she gives. When riding, a little leg has her sidepassing nicely- bareback in a halter.

I know. I can't afford to get crunched. She is solid. She is responsive. She is not crabby or jumpy. Even when the tractors and combines go by and the other horses are running around. She doesn't miss a step or change her pace. She's a great horse. Except for the constant weight issues and the sore back. She is fine walk, trot. Even with the weight of a rider. I never work her hard when I ride. She is not ready for that. Mostly walk. Lunging is different.

How could such a fit horse be so fat? Lunging, she hardly breaks a sweat. It is 80- 85 degrees in the evening. She doesn't even breathe hard. 5 minutes walk, 20 minutes trot, 5 minutes canter, 10 minutes trot, 5-10 minutes walk- changing direction to work each direction evenly. That's quite a workout. And yet, no weight loss. Just lots of farting :)

Gotta stick with it. Poor gal is lonely. I may have to let her out to graze with her buds a bit in the evenings. She has never been a problem to catch, even after confinement. We'll see. Still too much grass in the pasture to let her out for long. Diesel is hanging out near her and grooming over the top of the round pen. She's not completely alone. Not bad for two horses that used to hate each other. She rarely pins her ears at him and shows her teeth. Not true love, but friends, maybe.

Nothing Like It

Nothing in the world compares to watching the sun go down from the comfort of a horse. Today I cooled off Bec after a good workout in the round pen. She's completely sound walk/trot but is sore at a canter. She's back to living in the round pen. Chunky elephant. Chunky hippo. Chunky whale. Chunky monkey just doesn't cut it.

Diesel is still lame. But doesn't hurt so bad that he can't buck and run in the pasture. Figures.

Blue is spending more and more nights inside. No problems except the dogs are mad at me for letting him in bed.

And as for me...I am struggling to keep myself in good spirits. Work is so frustrating. The kids will do anything that allows them to sit and be entertained but ask them to prove their understanding and it is another story. Some will not even attempt a simple assignment. And then they get offended that I call them on it. They are embarrassed. Just try already. Jeez. Why can't we kick some butt? Why won't their parents kick their butts?

Time

Where does it go? I understand that managing a rented property/pasture and preparing my own property is a big job. Why can't I find daylight hours to work with the horses? I found a half hour today.

Diesel is lame on his good front leg. What #%&? I am concerned that he'll need shoes once his hoof grows out. That's the non-lame leg. He lunged wonderfully around once each direction. One lap. No buck while reversing. Good boy.

Bec is a fatty patty. The recent rains have made extra grass. No good. Tonight the horses eat down the round pen. Tomorrow, Bec gets locked up. Again. Fatty.

Blue is sleeping on the blanket next to me. He's a house cat. No denying it. His girlfriend, Emmie, is getting her stitches out tomorrow. Maybe I'll get home in time to lunge Bec. And grade 150 tests. Yeah....right. Regardless, my life is blessed.