I'm there.

It is official. There is only one chunk. I have lost 47 lbs. Only 3 to go. I look pretty good as a size 6. This is the me I see in my head, the person I feel I am. And now I am still there when I look in a mirror. It's time to celebrate a little bit. Tonight I am eating AND drinking the good stuff. Tomorrow I am fishing with great friends. After that I will ride Diesel. (And finish Christmas shopping!) Life is good.

Nutcase?

I will be the first to admit that I am overprotective with all of my animals. It comes from a good place, though. I am so attached that it is almost unbearable to lose one. And to see them hurting makes me physically ill. So what do I do that makes me a little bit of a crazy person?

I do not leave my dogs outside while I am gone. There is no fence that will keep them 100% safe. Scruffy can climb anything. If he gets out and heads to the neighbors where there are birds he will be shot and the birds will be lunch. Not good. As a result, my furniture and walls pay a price. Scruff vindictively pisses when he's left alone. He waits until he sees me come home to do it. If I sneak in and he doesn't see me he does not leave a mess. I've been told countless times that dogs do not have the capacity to be vindictive. I disagree. This dog is smart. He is also disturbed. He has major separation issues. And, because he makes messes and does not come when called unless it suits him I cannot take him with me. I miss having dog buddies that go-go. I also get majorly annoyed by the fact that my couch now stinks. I clean and clean and clean. It still has that distinctive odor.

The cats are now held captive in the house, too. Of course, most of the time they are perfectly happy with this. I do let them out during the day sometimes. Takes Blue about 5 minutes to howl to come in. Pumpkin will go exploring but will be at the door at dusk as if she knows how dangerous it is out there.

As for the horses, I rarely take them anywhere because I do not have a decent trailer. Mine has rusted to the point that I consider it dangerous. The frame is good but there are too many sharp edges up high. I put off taking the horses in for their annual as long as I could. Finally, a few weeks ago, my vet actually picked them up in his trailer and took them to the office for a float. Diesel's teeth were awful. I may get a much better result riding now that it is fixed. I feel bad that I let it go so long. The trip to the vet was successful with only a minor scrape on Becca from a little freak out when loaded.

I also have left Diesel out in the big pasture alone since Priss bowed tendons last winter. He is too rough and too playful and he kept pestering her. This means on nights like this where it is cold, wet, and windy he is miserable out without any shelter. I hope to build a shed for him next year. This year the priority is replacing the last section of fence. This will happen in the next month. But, tonight I caved. I let him in with the girls. Priss is in her stall and they all have a ton of hay to keep them occupied. This is a test to see if he can behave enough to let him into the barn in the future. As I type I hear the clang of his feet kicking at the stall. In addition to picking on Prissy, he bullies Becca out of the barn. Of course, everyone bullies Becca out of the barn. She is completely submissive.

Do I take it too far? My "rules" keep me grounded and unable to take off and go for fun. On holidays I have to leave early and get home to tend to my crew. I never get to have a weekend away. But, all these little friends are what makes my life blessed :)

Thankful

The best life lesson I have learned is to be thankful. I am thankful that Diesel lunged perfectly yesterday. I am thankful Miss Priss is comfortable and happy and is still with me. I am thankful for such a kind, loving horse I have in Becca. I am thankful for a peaceful home with dogs and cats to keep me company. My life has always focused around my pets.

This holiday I am thankful for the people in my life. You are not forgotten. I don't say it very often...or at all. My people are really the most important. And Miss Priss :)-

Baby Steps

My fear has been simmering for several years now...5, actually. I love riding but have lost my nerve. This is not good with one rideable horse who has very little training. So far I haven't messed him up too much. I really do need to send him and myself off for training this spring.

In the meantime, I am working on my own chunky monkey-ness. I am officially down 30 pounds this morning. It is fun and exciting and I hope that I am strong enough to maintain the loss. I do feel much better now that I'm eating healthy. This is alot of incentive. And my saddles are much more comfy! Clothes shopping was actually fun last week. I am not completely done losing so I only bought one pair of jeans and one shirt. I will stop losing when I am happy with my shape. I think that will be about 15 pounds more. If only the good parts didn't shrink along with the rest of me :) Oh well.



I've reevaluated my personal relationships recently. Not that there was anything serious. But I am streamlining the not serious ones. With it comes a sense of loss and accomplishment. I'm proud of myself. I only miss the man I wished he was. Again, I hope I am strong enough to maintain. I feel very good about it.

So, yesterday after some strong words were said out loud I rode Diesel. With the frustration I pushed my limits. I rode him out in the big pasture again...all the way around. He was good. He picked his head up and listened for anything to send him into a frenzy...but he didn't. I need this horse to get my exercise. I need this horse for my sanity. Riding out is a big deal for me. It shouldn't be but it is. My life is blessed.

Live to Ride

Tuesday was a good day. I rode Diesel for an hour and a half. Mostly walk, a decent amount of trot, and a smidgeon of canter. Canter did not go so well. However, he was sound!


Shoes and time off have helped. Now I must ride through the laziness. He did a few mean crow hops. I rode it but am not happy about it. I need to beat his butt instead of giving in. I did make him continue for a bit before asking for the stop. But we both know he needed a whoopin. Not good.

On the up side, I have lost 22 pounds and my lard butt fits in the western saddle much better. Still need to lose quite a bit. I didn't pinch the nerve in my hip/thigh until an hour into the ride. Usually it is instantaneous. This means my issues are weight related. Keep on pluggin.

Regardless, riding felt good. The sun was shining and the temps were perfect. My life is blessed.

Murder

The last week we've had at least 18.5 inches of rain. One morning the guage was full so it really was more than that. As a result we have had two mosquito outbreaks. We had 3 days of rest after the really hard downpour while they had to start over. My life has been revolving around murder.

My strategy: malathion twice a day around barn, deet-based aerosol spray for bodies with a gentle repellent for faces. The horses get sprayed down as often as I can. They tell me in no uncertain terms when they need it. Seems to be 2 am when they have a meltdown. They are miserable.

This weekend I am having a mosquito spray system installed. We can't wait. In the meantime, they use a mudbath for relief. And that causes their hair to fall off when it dries. Always something.

My life is blessed.

Same Grind

We are still not ready to ride. It makes me sad that I only have one horse to discuss. I hope it stays that way. The girls are comfortable. There is no riding in the future. I feel like I lost my friends. Our relationship is special but different now that we can't move together. That's what riding is. We move as one. Non-horse people couldn't possibly understand. Horses have always given me the satisfaction that I could never find with another human. And that is as personal and deep as I care to get. This is not me. I deal in facts.

We are soaked after Tropical Storm Hermine dumped a ton of rain. I can prove 7 1/4 inches of rain today but the gauge was full and I suspect that is a very low estimate. The horses are living in slop. Even the stall in the barn is flooded. I pray that Diesel stays sound through the muck. I am ready to get back in the saddle.

I feel good on my diet. I have energy and determination. Losing 12 pounds so far is inspirational. I have a long way to go. Why did I let myself go like this? I can't wait to be thin(ish). I already feel better. It is hard work carrying this weight around. People change when they have to. I reached that point. But I'd kill for a piece of bread....with butter and roasted garlic. And a cheeseburger. Lord, give me strength. My life is blessed.

Relief

It hasn't taken long to feel comfortable again. After 1 week on Medifast I have lost 8 pounds. My clothes have stopped hurting me. How did I get so big?

I am now at my early summer weight. Oh goody. Now it really begins.

I am excited about losing weight. It is not as hard as I thought to stay on track. I'm learning to love veggies...very slowly. My weight loss is slowing down. This is normal and the safe way to do it.

I can't wait for Christmas. I'll be sporting a hot, new look. I can do this.

Will it ever be NOchunkymonkies?

We have been 2chunkymonkies for quite some time. It's down to Becca and me. Bec has an excuse- Equine Metabolic Syndrome. She spends 24 hours in a small pen (~100 x 200ft). There is minimal grass and she eats hay and a low starch pellet specially designed for this disease. She is much more comfortable and the risk of founder is much decreased. As a result, she has lost a few pounds but is still much too heavy. Her shoulder and back injury from her accident is managed but prevents much exercise. We'll stick with this plan as long as she is comfortable.

That leaves me. I love food. And I love cooking. I love a good drink in the evening. All this adds up to an extremely high calorie diet, often more than 3500 calories a day. All these good times have packed on lots of pounds. For a long time my opinion was that good living was worth it. And thankfully, I carry my weight well. But, I went overboard. I started cutting back when it was convenient. I have NO willpower. It didn't work. I love food. I keep saying that. I love it. This past summer I started using restraunts as my social time. Almost every day I ate out with a friend. Good times. And now my clothes don't fit. I'm uncomfortable in my skin. I just don't fit. It's time to make a change.

I have a friend who is on a "health plan" that is very successful. She looks great. I'm finally at the point where I have to really put effort into doing something. So, last week I began Medifast. I feel very bad about tempting this friend with food all last summer. I do not have to give up meals with everyone. I do have to order a healthy salad. There will be no more cheeseburgers and chicken fried steak without guilt. It helps that half of my food buddies are now on this diet. I'm sorry, "health plan". Yeah right. It's a diet and the meals are snacks.

The plan calls for a meal every 3 hours with 5 of those being prepackaged powdered "meals". They are suprisingly very good and filling. Once a day you get a Lean and Green meal of fresh food- a good portion of lean meat with 3 portions of lean veggies. Since you eat every 3 hours and drink large amounts of water you do not ever get really hungry. My stomach tells me when 3 hours is up but I can say I'm no more hungry than before. The big difference is calorie intake. I'm down to 800-900 calories a day with limited carbs. I feel good. I'm 5'7" tall and 187lbs. This is the worst I have ever been. I weigh in every Tuesday. I'm not supposed to weigh myself constantly. I have not cheated with food but I have cheated on the scale. I started this diet 5 days ago. I've lost 6 pounds. The weight loss will slow down very soon. The program claims 2-5 pounds lost the first week with 1-2 pounds loss every week after that. I can do this. I hope to lose enough that my butt fits into my western saddle again. I like that saddle. Instead of replacing it with an enormous saddle I am going to spend the money and get me healthy.

My life is blessed.

Luck Turn

With horses it is always something. It doesn't matter how many you have, there will always be times when there is not one that is rideable. Priss is doing very well. She is pasture sound and happily cranky. Becca is improving but I really think she fractured her spine in that fall way back. I fear she is a beautiful pasture ornament along with Prissy.

This week the farrier put front shoes on Diesel. He thinks our lameness is leg related. He said there are mild navicular changes on the outside and that this is fairly normal in a very large horse. This is not really good news. We are not dealing with just tenderfootedness. To add insult to injury, we get to add an injury this evening. Diesel's hind legs are stocked up quite severely. There is not external sign of trauma. His legs are hot. So tonight he got the works- lengthy hydro-ing, bute, and a DMSO sweat. We'll see how it looks tomorrow. I think this will pass quickly. And I think he will still be lame on his front end. I'm ready for my luck to turn.

Regardless, my life is blessed.

Long Time...

This summer I have made major progress. I got tons of fencework done. I have 4 pastures with lovely horse safe fence. I have plans to do more. Of course! I plan to run water lines and add a wash rack later this year. And I plan to finish the last 1700 feet of fencing.

Riding has been sporadic. I have come to terms with the loss of riding Prissy. I have come to terms with the loss of riding Becca. That was hard to say. I've lost my two favorite mounts. Priss is very comfortably pasture sound. She only requires restriction when it is muddy. Becca's metabolic syndrome is managed by keeping her in a dry lot with only hay and starch controlled feed. She is much more comfortable. There is no turnout in her future. Her shoulder injury is tempermental but managed. Stretching for a trim is tough but otherwise she, too, is pasture sound.

Diesel lives alone in the main pasture. He is lonely. He grooms Bec over the fence in the mornings. They love each other. Priss loves him, too but she doesn't have the patience to stand there for lovin. She's not the sentimental sort. I've ridden Diesel several times lately. He is confused and lazy with a little pain thrown in for fun. His cut on the heel of his right foreleg is still not healed completely. And he's sore on his left foreleg from the mystery injury. And he's tenderfooted. I've given him time off and he gets shoes on the front this week. I hope this gives him some relief. I am itching to ride, baby ride.

And the biggest news...instead of buying a bigger western saddle I plan to shrink my butt. My diet starts next Tuesday or Wednesday. I signed up for Medifast. I've never dieted before but I've got the support of great friends and a tough coach. I want to feel pretty. I'm ready for this. Wish me luck, say a prayer!

My life is blessed.

Goals...

I did not meet my goal of opening up Bubba by the end of June. The weather has not cooperated. However, I did something I never thought I would be ready for. I rode him bareback this evening and watched the sun go down. He is such a sweetheart. He was clearly confused but played along well. This is only the second time we've gone bareback. I miss those frequent bareback rides on Miss Priss. I miss Priss. Hah! He's a long way from filling her shoes but with time it will happen!

My life is blessed.

Good Times

I rode Diesel late this evening. It is still hot, hot, hot. He was a bit lazy but not as bad as normal after so much time off. And he was cranky on his left lead. Lots of head tossing and stiff movement. OK to the right. We laid off of it and had a very slow, easy ride. He's an amazing beast. My life is blessed.

Frustration

Tonight Becca did not come up for dinner. No biggie, not unusual. She gets almost no cardboard-tasting-diet pony food and there is lots of grass out there. But, she acted interested. Uh oh. Now I see the characteristic hop of lameness.

I fear tendon involvement. It is on her right foreleg near the pastern. I have her hydro-ed and wrapped. She is now in the stall. You know she is hurt when she relaxes in isolation. I am praying for lots of dry weather. This mud is deadly.

I really wish I had more facilities. I really need to get a horse barn built...and paddocks.

Worn out

I'm recovering from absolute exhaustion. It started with emotional exhaustion, then physical, back to emotional. I finally have permanent fences up. After the construction, Hurricane Alex drowned us. There was no violent weather, just 11 inches of rain. The rain gave me time to rest which is a blessing. However, I need to move electric fences and begin planning for the last stage of fencework. All that remains is a straight stretch along the road. I will have to pay for the entire project this time. My family cannot handle the strain. This last project has left me wiped out. I have not ridden Diesel in months. My goals are shot. I have been spending lots of time with Priss. She is my lifesaver.

What it means...

What does it mean to be a horse owner? It means endless hours of joy, excessive sweat and hard work that doesn't seem like work. It means juggling a job, land maintenance, and basic care with a few rides thrown in for fun. It means dealing with the old retiree who still takes your breath away despite crooked legs and scarred tendons. It means mystery lameness that disappears as fast as it showed up. It means tender feet and a sore leg. It means ending your day with grit on your face and a perfume of fly spray. And, you can't forget the shirts that are splatter painted with the mysterious brown flecks and brushed with green slobber.

For me, lately, it means endless hours stripping cedar bark off of fenceposts in preparation for a beautiful no climb horse fence. It takes 100 cedar posts, 32 corner posts, 6 gates, 35 rough cut planks, and 10 rolls of wire. And this is how we feel about all of this:

(The lovely view from the kitchen sink on Saturday)

A day in the life...

I have a fairly nice sized place. It is 25 acres of beautifully cleared pasture. Right now it has very little grass because the native blue stem that grows here is just beginning to come out. But, it is sprinkled with wildflowers. It is a rider's heaven. I had no problems riding the fenceline on Prissy. I had no problems taking her anywhere. She is safe. She is, of course, unsound and retired.

I had taken Diesel out only twice before. Today after a nice, short ride in the new heat of the year I decided to take the big Bub out. He was hesitant headed away and I cut across the pasture toward his buddy as soon as he began to relax. He settled into a nice, lazy walk on the buckle. We passed Bec and kept going. I followed the fence and felt comfortable continueing on. The next thing I know we are almost to the back of the pasture and I hear Bec screaming. I expected her to come full out towards us. Bub turned to look at her but kept pace. I ended up going all of the way around the place. It was perfect. I meant to go to the corner and back but instead whooped my goals completely. What a nice ride.

Upon returning, I hosed him down to wash off the dirt and sweat. He immediately dropped. So....I cleaned his sheath for the first time myself. Doc always does it when he does his teeth. It was really bad but he allowed me to dig and poke and prod without so much as moving a leg. I'm glad I did it because he had a good sized bean in there plus lots of flakes. Yuck.

The next big deal was the spook...or lack of one! The neighbors pulled in fast with a noisy trailer. Becca took off in fear but Diesel just raised his head and turned to see what was going on. All of this while tied. We finished up with a shampoo and condition. He's a pretty boy.

Not wanting him to roll immediately and mess up his hair, I decided to push him even further. He is anxious in new places and is not entirely perfect being led while upset. He is strong and stubborn with far less give to pressure than I'd like. Still, he deserved a treat. We walked around to the road to eat rye grass out of the ditch. He was a gentleman. And so funny! He could see the neighbor working in her yard through a few trees. He was mesmerized. Such a nosy fellow.

I am so pleased to be riding regularly again. I'm riding 3 times a week now, mostly on Bubba. I'm finding him a pleasant ride compared to Becca. Go figure. I like that he bounces me up at a trot and I'm getting much better at a sitting trot. Becca is so inconsistent these days- my fault for not riding much.

Diesel will be my next Prissy. I am sure of it. He is gorgeous and smart and has a fantastic personality. I'm getting very comfortable with him and he can tell. Not that I wasn't before but time is making us close. He is enjoying our outings, too. No matter where he is he will come to me when I call. He knows we are going to go out and work but he heads in anyway. He's a willing partner. I am so lucky to have found him. My life is blessed.

Keep it up

I've ridden Diesel three more times. It has been great. Every ride he gets even better. We've worked on his laziness and balance and transitions. I'm riding with spurs but don't have to use them but once. He gets it. Smart boy.

I've taken him out in the pasture to cool off twice. This is my problem. I have fear issues. The first day I took him halfway to the big culvert and turned back before I lost my nerve. Yesterday I took him to the first corner. This is about 1000 feet...not bad. My goal was to ride to the culvert and we went twice as far. He looked around but did not spook or rush. I feel safe on him.

I have a goal. I want to open him up by the end of June. This horse has power. I have never felt all of it. We have to get both of us in shape. He makes me look good.

Becca, on the other hand, makes me look awful. I rode her today for the second time this year. It was ugly. She remembers how to slide to a stop and that's about it. We weaved and rushed and her head was up and down and bent and it was not fun. She was worried...about everything. This is normal but the inconsistency is not. Gonna have to try this again.

I've ridden 3 out of the last 4 days. I hope to keep it up. It feels good. My life is blessed.

Perfection

Sometimes everything comes together and works. IT WORKS. I rode my lovely Diesel yesterday in raging winds. I found the time and the energy, quite rare for me. I am still high on that hour long ride. He was amazing. There might have been some shameless dancing involved last night...with the dog and cat...but we won't talk about that!

Diesel was solid and responsive and forward and it felt great. He didn't shy or spook or get lazy. I'm not saying he doesn't have lots of room for improvement, just that it was a vast improvement over our last few rides. I really enjoyed myself. I didn't want to end the ride.

Afterwards, he got a haircut and lots of hugs. He loves the attention. I am so proud of my little boy. His brain does not act like a 9 year old on the ground but he was all about business during the ride. Maybe someday he can be my Prissy. Gotta hit the trails if I want to get him there.

Priss is doing relatively well. She cannot go without her legs wrapped and is unstable but she is improving. She loves to go out to eat in the back yard where there is a bit more grass. Yesterday she trotted in. I hope she is not paying for it today. My life is blessed...by many.

Find Some Down Time

We are all busy. For me, it means no spare time as long as the sun shines. If I do manage to sneak a little me time in I like to fill it with a good book. This is my newly discovered treat:




Laura Crum has outdone herself again with her latest book, "Going, Gone". In this eleventh book of the Gail McCarthy Mystery series, Gail continues to grow with her family and explore even more creature relationships. This is a story everyone can relate to. Crum is inspired by real animals and portrays their personalities and quirks so well you think you know the animals yourself.

The mystery the Gail finds herself involved in is exciting and fresh with old characters involved anew. While vacationing with her family, Gail finds her friend and former boyfriend, Lonny Peterson, accused of a double homicide. Her childhood friend, Bret Boncantini, is caught up in the middle of this baffling mystery. Unable to resist, Gail follow the leads in the Sierra Nevada Foothills to her own Monterey Bay. As usual, there is excitement and insight along the way.

This is a series every animal lover should follow from the beginning. I became a fan just last year after discovering Laura Crum on the popular blog, "Equestrian Ink". I have read all of her books several times since. The release of this book is a much awaited treat for me. If you love a good mystery this is the author for you.

When Did That Happen?

I became the owner of an elderly horse recently.

Don't worry. I didn't get a new horse. Priss just seemed to get old overnight. She's cute as a doll and has that great personality but she is old, way too old for a 23 year old.

She's feeling this nasty weather. However, she has alot of good days and it is getting easier for her. It's slow but she's accepting her disability. She tried to canter in for dinner yesterday. She's paying for it today.

The more time she spends out grazing the better she does. Can't wait for it to get dry. I'm thankful for every day I get to spend with her. My life is blessed.

TB Friends

Today's TB Friends post was very moving. Tomorrow it will be replaced with another. If you don't read http://www.tbfriends.com/ already, you should check it out. I have never been to California and I don't know Joe but I read this every day. Enjoy this one here forever.


Wednesday, March 24th... The Look. For years now, horses have found new homes because of The Look.I think it was 2004 when all this started. A hot summer day, and in our yard a young girl gave The Look to a small chestnut gelding. A hundred or so horses on our ranch, but it was only the small chestnut gelding who received The Look. You can easily imagine. Love at first sight. Never saw it coming. Like getting bonked in the back of your head by a barn door. You must have an agreeable parent. Which the young girl had. We made all the arrangements. Gave the parent and young girl dozens of options, including bringing the gelding back if there were problems. Soon the chestnut gelding belonged to the young girl. She still sends us pictures. And later this fall, when the girl moves away to college, her horse is going with her.Perhaps 30 times since, because of The Look, a horse from our ranch has found a loving home. Two have been returned, both because of money problems.The oldest person 65. The youngest 9. I remember The Look from each. It is impossible to witness The Look and not react. You see The Look, you must do something about it. On my website I have not once written about The Look adoptions. Until now. No way to write about this without sounding like we are above everyone else. Plus, for us anyway, The Look adoptions are private. We only charge a dollar for the horse. And we make the person come back at least 5 times before it becomes official. The person spends time with the horse in our yard. Always their love grows stronger. Always there is The Look.Okay, after all of the above, I can get to the point. Earlier this year, in rain and wind, a girl gave The Look to a mare on our ranch. The girl was only here to bring us grain from Costco. The girl saw the mare, and there was The Look. I said take the mare for a walk, and she did. Both the mare and girl soaked from sideways rain. I said you can go into the mare motel and groom her. The girl did. The mare had just arrived from a race track, and was on her toes. High strung with me, but quiet and sensible with the girl. It was easy to see the connection between the two. The mare stood quietly while the girl introduced her to a blanket. I found out later, this was the first time the mare had worn a blanket.We made all the arrangements. A nice place in Davis. Financial concerns taken care of by the owners of the nice place. The girl is a student with money woes. The owners of the nice place were happy to help.The mare was transported to the nice place. And less than a week later, she was crippled.The rain went away, the sun came, and horses were turned out to play. The mare took a bad step, and broke both her ankle and sesamoid. A vet at UC Davis told the girl, you have to put your mare to sleep. The girl decided to seek a second opinion. And so the mare was taken to a vet hospital in another town. The girl told the doctor, she has little money. But if something can be done for her mare, she promises to pay for the rest of her life.Well the doctor had done the same kind of surgery many times before. It involves screws. The horse has no chance of passing through airport security. The doctor performed the surgery, and only charged the girl for meds. Unbelievable. She only had to pay for the medicine. There is rehab, which includes hand walking everyday for the next 4 months. The mare should be fine.I phoned the doctor, and told him what a wonderful person he is. To do this for the girl and her mare. And this is what he said: How could I turn the girl down? You should see the way she looks at her horse.
Joe

Sore Everything...

Not just the eyes. What a lazy horse! I'm gonna need some tools next ride. The boy took alot of persuasion to stay in a trot and canter. We had a much more responsive ride today than the last one. I'm not saying he's responsive, just better. He's such a goofball. He drops his head and slows when he's tired of working. So far, no buck. I think he likes the attention a bit. I had to use every muscle in my body to keep him forward. After the ride I took him over to the hose to remove the last bit of mud from his legs that grooming missed. I am wetter than him. He just had to drink from the hose. Most ended up on me. Goofball.

I have to start riding alot more often. Diesel is my only riding horse now and he needs miles. I want him to be my Prissy someday. I think he could be special in his own way. My life is blessed.

Sight for Sore Eyes

Prissy got to graze in my back yard this evening for an hour. Her eyes bulged out and she went a little mad when I unclipped the lead rope. It has been one day shy of 3 weeks since she has been able to walk around. She's gonna tear up my yard with her hooves. It's a small price to pay for a bit of sanity. She is sore enough to only walk but she was giggling on the inside...it was clear she was ecstatic. The dogs didn't understand why she got to go out but they didn't. I just hope the weather holds so she can go out tomorrow. Sure beats hand grazing her for an hour.

I've been forced to neglect the young-uns. All they've gotten this week is a few hoof cleanings and twice a day once over. They are both head to toe dried mud. I look forward to the weekend time. My life is blessed.

The Week

This week has been long and eventful. Last Thursday morning I was happily cleaning Prissy's stall before the sun came up. The dogs were playing in the back yard. I heard an unfamiliar bark coming from my own dog, Gretchen. She is a very affectionate, submissive animal but what came out of her mouth was anything but. I look up to see a figure standing between the barn and the house. In a moment I realize it is a coyote. I am not one to be worried by a few wild animals. I raised the pitchfork I was holding and hollered in my toughest voice "Go on. Get out of here". It didn't move, didn't even look distressed. I walked out of the stall toward the house. Still hadn't budged. At this point, I think rabies. I grab a gun but by now it has moved a few steps over and Diesel is directly behind it. I took a shot well clear of the horse and the coyote to scare it off. It disappears into the pasture, hidden by the tall grass I've been unable to mow all year.

Later that evening I find Diesel pestering Priss over the top of her pen. It continues overnight. I didn't get much sleep and was almost ready to give Diesel to the cowboy across the street who loves the idea of a big horse to rope off of. I know the fun would wear off and he would not be loved enough. The solution: cross fence the pasture and remove Diesel and Bec from the barn area. Friday evening was spent putting up fence. Now my two sound horses have no shelter. Good thing the weather is mild here. They rewarded me by rolling in the mud.

Saturday was spent visiting family and selling my soul for a few bales of stemmy hay. Before I can get it unloaded I look up to see at least 3 coyotes at the fenceline. I call the neighbor but he is out of town and instructed me to "get out there and shoot them before it gets any darker". Ok. I can do this. I'm alone and I have to walk out to a pack of coyotes with the sun sinking fast. Needless to say, I severely wounded the one that did not run off. Is it the one from the other morning? Who knows? I feel very bad that it was able to crawl off. It immediately headed for the herd of cows after being shot. I lost sight of it. Sneaky creatures. I've heard the packs howling day and night for days with a few yips during the day. This is too many. They have threatened me. I take it personal.

Sunday I walked out to find a body or evidence. I found nothing but a healthy coyote saw me from a huge distance and ran away. I watched it dogtrot to the treeline. I found its hiding place, though. It was bedded down in a brush pile that I've been unable to burn because of rain and wind. In the evening, I got a friend to assist in a stakeout. For the first time all week we heard and saw nothing. I hope my presence has moved them out. My cats are tired of being locked in the house.

As for Priss, she is now taking a walk to the mailbox twice a day. She is still spending most of her time lying down. I hope the sunshine and blue skies lift her spirits so that she can continue to recover. It is slow going. I cherish every moment I have with her. My life is blessed.

That Look

Priss has a wide-eyed look like she is about to go insane. Chances are, she IS about to go insane. We took our first real walk today, about 5 minutes. Her friends ran around the pasture at break neck speeds the entire time. They worked up a sweat. I did, too, worrying about more bowed tendons. To my relief they were fine. The exercise probably did them some good.

The farrier put wedges on Priss and squared up her toes. It has done wonders. This second bow is nothing compared to the first. But the damage is done. It will be a very slow recovery. I hope I made the right decision. What kind of life is it to be stuck in a stall....?

Pissy Prissy

Prissy is acting closer to normal today. She's making faces at Bec and kicking the walls. This is a very good sign. For her it means she's feeling better. This is the Prissy I know and love. Gotta love the Appytude.

Most of the swelling is gone with the exception of the actual bowed tendon. She spent a hour and a half up this evening. Much better than the 5 minutes yesterday. She's still only getting 1 gram of bute in the morning. No more than that because she's got a sensitive tummy and I don't want her feeling good enough to move too much. Walking is still painful and she trips every few steps. However, the only growls I got today were when I pulled her away from grass, none when touching or re-wrapping her legs. Not much in the way of green around here. She's eaten every bit of clover near the wash area while hyro-ing.

I am hoping we are past the worst of it. How in the world am I going to keep her sane locked in a stall? She's got to stay out of the mud and it is the only dry place here. There's no end to the rain in the foreseeable future. I also need to figure out how to cross fence to protect her from the ever playful Diesel. Someone is going to lose access to the barn. Too bad I can't afford another barn and permanent cross fences. It's just not an option, yet.

Looks like she's gonna pull through this quick enough to justify sparing her life. I've never felt more blessed. Never riding her again is a small price to pay for having her for a few more years.

Hope

Yesterday was bad. Prissy barely got up. She did eat, drink, and poop. But her eyes told the story of her pain. I wondered if it was right to make her go through this. Today, she is slightly better. Lots of hydro and bandaged legs. She spent more time up and more time sitting rather than laying flat. She even woke me up before dawn kicking the walls. That's my girl. She has a long road ahead. The farrier came out and traced her feet for wedges and checked her angle, 55 degrees. He's going to talk to Doc before he does anything, wants to be clear on the directives. We may have to sedate her to do anything. In the meantime, rest and hydro. I wish we didn't have rain coming. This is breaking my heart.

Nightmare

Today when I came home I found Prissy down. She had been struggling to get up for some time. I thought I'd lost her. When I got near she screamed at me. It was chilling. She stayed down for a further half hour. She was not in mud, amazing considering the current mess we have here.

When she finally pulled herself up it was clear that she had bowed a tendon in the good leg. Now she has a bow on each front leg. She bowed the right front tendon just before the cold snap right at a month ago. The strain of favoring that leg led to a bow on the left today. The vet is hopeful. I can expect her to lay down most of the day for some time. I made her a stall in the barn, 12' x 24' with lots of cushy shavings. I can't help but worry about her. She's eating, drinking, and pooping but the pain must be horrendous. The vet thinks she'll be fine with time. I'm worried because this horse that has been completely sound her whole life is having multiple major injuries.

This mare is the love of my life. She's my first good horse and has been with me since I was 16 years old. I may talk about my relationship with Diesel and Bec but Miss Priss is just different. At 23 years old she is too young to be done. Losing her is my biggest nightmare.

Me Time

It's the rainy season. The pasture has wet spots and wetter spots. One thing is for sure, it is too wet to ride. The horses are in heaven with the extra grooming without a lick of work. So what do I fill my time with? The long evenings are wonderful but work does not sound great.

I have two authors I read religously- Janet Evanovich and Laura Crum. I have read each series many times. Each year I start back at the beginning before a new book comes out. Last weekend I began re-reading the Laura Crum mysteries. I've already read the first FIVE books. This isn't taking as much time as I expected. Can't wait for "Going, Gone" to come out in
April. I'm hoping to get an advance copy. If you are not familiar with this author I would highly recommend it. Horse people will relate. And on that note, I will retire to the recliner with "Breakaway". My life is blessed.

True Love

I don't usually discuss my personal life here. This is for the horses. However....it is safe to say that Valentine's Day is a killer on my personal life. And this year is no different. I am recently single... again.

What I can count on is my love for the ponies. And their love for me. As that ugly Valentine's Day creeps closer I find a renewed love for Diesel. Being able to ride helps remind me how lucky I am. All I'm sure of is that a horse will cure every broken heart. Only horse people understand. I am in love with a big, goofy, orange horse.

Goofball

I hate to jinx it but Diesel is still sound. It was quite chilly today so I lunged instead of riding. He looked great. My big Bubba really is a stunning beast. He has that lean thoroughbred look with a long, graceful stride. The cold weather instigated several bucking fits, all meant in play. I also lunged Bec. It occurred to me that Bubs really is my only truly sound horse and it is definitely off and on.

Becca is great at a walk-trot but never did recover enough to be sound at a canter. That shoulder just won't stretch comfortably. I tied Diesel up not so much to cool off after such a light workout but to work on patience while I lunged Bec. He immediately began chewing on his lead rope. He chewed and rubbed and played with it but did not spook at himself. Very good. Near the end of the workout I glanced his way and discovered he had untied himself. Once undone, he just stood in place without so much as moving a foot. He stayed that way even after I retied him. This horse is a goofball. He is cooperative but his mind needs constant action. He has personality in spades. And to think, he has spent most of his life ignored. How could you not love an animal like that? He's lucky I found him. I'm lucky to have him. My life is blessed.

What's that SOUND?

Can you hear it? It's Diesel. He's sound! I am very pleased to announce I rode my horse today. This is big news. Hasn't happened in a long time.

Diesel has a great ho (whoa) on him. It's the go we have trouble with. And the bending and turning. After 20 minutes he started to remember. We stopped and walked around out of the round pen to celebrate. He was good but lazier than ever. I'm just glad he had no temper tantrums. I had to get tough with him several times to keep forward momentum. He responded by doing what I asked. I was pleased that I reacted without thinking. There was literally no fear. It felt good. Too bad it will rain tomorrow. Regardless, my life is blessed. Someday he will be my Prissy.

Muck Me

It is a muddy mess out there. How could a year that started recordbreaking dry end so wet? I am thankful for the generous shelter my horses have. All three fit under it with room to express their personality... kick, make faces, escape. Bec is usually banished to the corner of the barn. Wimp.

The horses battle the mud but spend lots of hours drying their hooves out of the wind and on dry ground. They watch the world go by in comfort. Sadly, today they watch the fire trucks go back and forth. A wonderful family down the road has lost their home. No details but the trucks keep coming and going. The horses seem to sense the loss. Otherwise, they would be tearing the barn down begging for dinner. Becca is riveted. She has always been the most aware.

It is getting late and I must go feed and clean. I can hear the piles calling out, "Muck me"!

My life is blessed.

Count on it

There's something you can always count on with horses. The problems are never convenient. On the coldest, most miserable night of the decade something will go wrong. Always.

I came home to find a fence down and no horses. No biggie. They are just at the back. I call and shake some feed. Nothing. So, go find a flashlight and spot their eyes. No flashlight that works. No biggie. Get on some warmer clothes. Oh crap! That's a big ass spider hiding in there. Survive the scare and go out into the pasture.... Is that skunk I smell? Of course, it is. OK. It's too wet to drive out there. I'll just use the headlights. No horses. Starting to get really worried. Be patient, they'll come. Nope. Find a small headlamp and study the ground around the downed electric fence. No footprints. Likely they bumped the wire and the insulator popped off. The bottom strand is intact. Still no horses.

Good thing. I think I'll kill them when they show up. As if I wasn't worried enough that the cold weather would make them uncomfortable, now I have to worry they are wandering about the county. Great.