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.