Grumble

Most rides on Becca are good, if not great. Ever so often we have a bad one. I'm not saying she is misbehaving, just "off". Last night worked like that. We had a short, nonresponsive, kind of pissy ride. So I quit. I was feeling cranky, too. Not a good combo.

I feel like I'm wasting my summer. I only have one month left. I'm still waiting on a larger girth. Regardless, I have no good spot to ride. There is no flat area. The cracks in the ground could swallow a small child. Safety is a huge issue. Not to mention I have no one around if there were to be an accident. Shoot me. After all I've worked for I still am not there. I do have ideas about the arena placement. It is a huge job that requires more than just one person in triple digit heat. I have to be patient. It's hard to do. My horses are aging and not in training. I feel time passing me by. Just how long will I be able to enjoy the horses? I can't afford to keep waiting. I can't afford a new truck and trailer to haul the horses for lessons to who knows where. What am I thinking? Why am I way the heck down here with no horse people? Kick me. Hard.

Dream Horse

Have you found it? We all have that ideal horse in mind. Few of us find it exactly. I did find mine. It's a funny story. I searched for a BIG horse with presence. You know what I'm talking about. Diesel is it. My neighbors introduce me as "the owner of that huge sorrel gelding". He is something to brag about. Though plain in color, he has a look that grabs your attention from a distance. And personality, ta boot.

But, is he my dream horse? No. Simple as that. Not because he is lazy and has a mild attitude. Not because he's not bay, my fav. He's not my dream horse because he is not Miss Priss. It took finding my dream horse to realize I already had it. Miss Priss is just a plain, little Quarter Horse with funny Appy color that people mistake for roan. She's unregistered. She moves like a pony. She does not have presence. She's under 15 hh. Crazy eyes. Pretty damn good conformation, though. She's held up well, considering. Tough little gal. Done it all.

Miss Priss IS my dream horse. Because she takes care of me. Because she is a very pleasant ride. Because she is safe. Because we have a bond that only time makes. She is special. Offer me a billion dollars for her. I'll laugh and tell you she's worth more. And I mean it. My life is blessed. I found my dream horse.

*RANT*

I am having a moment. I have a beautiful new place where my horses are safer than they have ever been. I can not justify EVER moving again. Building a barn and house and fence is just too much, especially for a single, not-so-handy person. What have I done?

1. There are NO english riders here. I found an ad online for lessons. Got excited. The "trainer" is in jr. high and cannot sit their horse at a walk- youtube is enlightening, as always.

2. There are no tack shops within 2 hours. I am wasting my summer waiting on a girth that fits and dealing with silly returns. Misjudgement on my part.

3. I cannot afford satellite because new house, barn, fence. I have no tv today because of the weather. I get 4 channels on a good day and one is radar....course you don't get signal if bad weather is within 20 miles. (Not horse related but I am on a roll, here.)

What to do....

1. Suck it up and do something.

2. Get out the western saddle in the meantime. You know it will work in a pinch.

3. Quit crying, you big baby. You made the decision to stay here, deal with it.

I feel better, now.

Still...

Summer is flying by. I'm still waiting for my new, larger girth. Diesel is still tenderfooted on his single contracted heel. How does that happen? The other 3 have corrected over the last 2 years. If we had good footing I don't think he would be sore. It is sooooo dry.

I've been on Becca bareback. She is a lady. I love riding her. She is my primary riding horse these days. Go figure. Still don't have the weight under control. Still can't ride with a saddle. Still won't ride her out without it.

I am almost finished reading the last of Laura Crum's McCarthy series. If you like to read, this is a great author. I found a couple of the ten books to be a little dark but overall, I'm hooked. Horse mystery...how could it get better? I'm sorry to be at the end. How long until the next one? I feel the same way about Janet Evanovich. Another year to wait. Darn.

My guests are gone. I guess it is back to daily riding. Thank goodness. Love those guys. My life is blessed.

Summer Swamp A$$

It is hot. Really hot. I have been wet all day. Too hot to tack up. So I rode Bec bareback. Add sticky, sweaty, dirty horse to sticky, sweaty dirty person and you get the funk. I am kinda proud, though. I've ridden 5 out of the last 7 days. I am in love with ALL of my horses and with my life. Too cool.

Heat + Horse = SuperCrank

Today was farrier day. It is hot, humid, and calm. Not a good combo. Begin the morning with Prissy nailing Bec while she is tied. That is not playing fair. This has not happened in eons. Priss just doesn't pick on Bec. All 3 were fidgety and cranky for the farrier. Tug, tug, swish!

Everyone looks better. The dry weather is really hard on the feet. We are trimming every 5 weeks. Should have done them at 4. Crazy. Especially Prissy. I don't know if I should call her crank or crack.

FHOTD board suggests riding Diesel in a halter to see if head dropping, nose out is a tooth issue and if not, trying a different bit. Maybe he is sensitive from so much time off. We'll see. Later. It's too hot already. This evening will have a breeze. Sweltering hot right now. What a life?

2ChunkyMonkies

As I sit inside enjoying the a/c in my pajamas I realize...there are only 2ChunkyMonkies. Me and Bec. Geez. I work really hard to slim her down. Special diet and daily exercise. Mostly, she's just gas-ey. As for me, I'm a pig. Oink, oink.

I tried a new recipe for artichokes today. Absolutely divine. Saute artichoke hearts in butter and garlic. Add salt, paprika, and lemon juice. Good stuff. Really good. Oink.

Gotcha

Just when I am letting my guard down....

I lunged Bec this evening. She has got a stop on her. Wow. What a sweet girl. She tries her hardest to make you happy. Such heart.

Then, I brought Diesel over. The cat was in the round pen. This is not unusual. But not running out when I fuss at her is very unusual. And Diesel was frozen in place where I left him at the gate. Red flags all over the place. Kitty was staring at the grass. Uh oh.

Sure enough, laying in the tall grass is a 4 ft. speckled king snake. What to do? I try to shoo it off with the lunge whip. No go. Do I kill it? They are not only harmless but will kill other snakes in their territory. And this is rattlesnake alley. So I left him alone. Diesel did not get lunged. I did not ride Bec. And it was cool this evening. Only 85 degrees. What a waste.

I sometimes wonder why I accept responsibility for so many animals. I am a dog person. Hands down. I still love the kitties. I spend a not-so-small fortune on Blue kitty for his allergies. But, do I really need this much to care for? Yep. Cats rock. Punk herded that snake all the way off the property. And she wandered into the sorghum field to make sure it stayed away. This is the second time this year a cat has warned me of a nearby snake. Repeat, cats rock!

The Life

Bird nests with big, blue eggs, alligator gar, fiddler crabs, spoonbills, pelicans...This is the life. I enjoyed a peaceful, fun kayak trip this morning. I followed this with an afternoon nap that got out of hand. The five of us snuggled up under the fan. What a puppy/kitty pile! Pumkin took her nap in the living room.

I may take the day off from riding. I got my exercise already. I'm feeling a little sluggish. And my blister is still tender. It is hot. Tomorrow will be hotter. If this keeps up I will mildew before long. On the upside, hot ponies are lazy. The evenings are really not bad. My next ride will be Diesel. Need those boots comfortable. Or I could ride Bec bareback. Eek. Oh, the possibilities. Again, What a life!

Two-fers

I rode two days in a row! And I rode two horses today! Not so perfect rides.

I rode Diesel for less than 10 minutes at a walk. He is sound on the lunge. I felt him a tiny bit "off" at a trot under saddle. So we quit. He was very lazy and did not accept the bit at all. Too much time off. We start over. He was not bad. Just not responsive. But, like always, the boy has got a great "Ho".

I then rode Bec, again. Girth fit better today. Got it buckled on the first try. Ugh. It fit two holes higher than yesterday. Gas, be gone! She was not so perfect today. The others wandered away. She was nervous but not out of control. She didn't respond to leg near as well as yesterday. They can't all be perfect rides! It got dark on us before I was ready.

I managed to rub a blister on my heel after the first ride in the new boots. It was very sore today. I need to lay off the new boots for a few days. Maybe I'll ride Prissy bareback in sandals. Shhh. Don't tell. I promise to wear my helmet.

Today was horse day. The Boy hung out with me alot. Plenty of love. I pulled manes. Hosed twice. It was hot. Thank goodness we have a breeze. Of course, it blows in the skeeters. I use alot of fly spray. I've started mixing coat conditioner in with it. You should see the shine. They look great.

I'm loving the long days. It means I come in well after 9pm, soaking wet. By the time I get cleaned up and my hair dries it is very late. No worries, though. Summer = afternoon naps. Too hot to do anything that time of day, anyway. My life is blessed.

Aloof, Be Gone!

Becca has been reserved since we moved in February. She rarely seeks me out. After our ride yesterday I was afraid she'd avoid me even more. She let me halter her without a move in the other direction. She even sought me out after breakfast. Has she been holding a grudge? I remember why I love her. Wonderful, sweet mare. This evening she is going to get a haircut. Her mane has grown below her neck but is brittle with split ends. And it is thick and hot. We expect to reach 98 degrees this afternoon. Bless my wonderful A/C. First hose-down complete before lunch. Two half dirty horses. Why do they always roll? Priss has spots on her right side. Diesel has spots on his left side. They both rolled on only the left side. Get it?

Timing

It has been some time since I checked in. This month has been packed full of activities. My neighbors threw me a "Welcome to Green Lake" bash and invited all of the neighbors. It was a stunning success. Crawfish are my new favorite food. *Gotta love living next to a crawfish farm.* Summer began 2 weeks ago. I've done work around the house that kept getting put off. I've done work out in the pasture. I've done fun stuff like paint the planter my mother restored as a house warming gift (Go Mom!). Scruff got heartworm treatment. Poor guy. He's handling it quite well. Very busy for not having to work.

Something I hadn't done was ride Bec. New place, old fears. Last week, I went to Houston for the dentist and stopped by the saddle shop. It was across town ;). I now have new Ariat field boots and breeches. I highly recommend the Kerrits Breathe Tights. Worth every penny and you are glued to the saddle without the restrictions of traditional full seats.

I have an excuse to ride. I'm pumped. Last night I lunged Diesel to feel him out before I ride. No go. Mildly lame. No swelling but definitely off. Priss deserves a break. Maybe next time. This morning I woke long before the alarm. I have a couple of hours to kill before heading to see dad and grandpa for Father's Day. I go out to feed. The need to ride is burning in me. So, I catch Bec while she is still engrossed in feed. She has learned that 25 acres is alot of room to evade me. She always gives up but it may take up to 10 minutes of calm persistence. I take her to the round pen and attempt to tack up. I am in my new get-up. Girth is too short. There is no way the saddle will work. I am not ready to give up. I head inside for the old, too small for my lard butt Blue Ribbon.

After alot of sweat and swearing I manage to squeeze her into it. Minus the riser pad that she needs. We gotta work on this. Regardless, we had a fabulous 15 minute walk-trot ride. I remember why I keep this tempermental, disordered mare. She has the greatest ride. Supple, responsive. She did great. We never left the round pen. Baby steps. The crazy thing is I had no nerves at all. It has been a year since I've ridden her. She is amazing. So it begins. Baby steps until I can ride her out on the property. We've done it before.

Diesel stood at the gate the entire ride and threw a fit. Pawing at the door, chewing on the panels. He's jealous that I wasn't riding him. It is clear on his face. His time is coming. Just as soon as he is sound we'll start with the same treatment Bec is getting. We are all going to get in a shape other than round. My life is blessed.

Choices

Choices can change your life forever. The older I get, the more aware I am of the risks associated with my actions. I have built a very comfortable life for myself. I cannot afford an accident.

Regardless, I got on Prissy last night- bareback, in a halter, helmetless. I rode her with the lead rope as a single rein- not looped. How exhilarating! She maneuvers solely off of seat and leg pressure. Aren't I proud. This is not the first ride like this. Back when boarded I regularly jumped on and rode her this way w-t-c with no problems.

This mare is special. Not spectacular but definitely a once-in-a-lifetime horse. I have 2 others to give her a break from riding. I never ask her to open up anymore. I never allow her to even if she wants to! Her will is stronger than her aging body. I still find myself riding her ALOT more than the others. At her worst misbehavior I am not nervous. Her worst misbehavior stems from wanting to go-go. At 23, she is still in pretty darn good shape. I want her to stay that way. Gotta love her grunting, growling, cranky, aloof, wonderful, willing self. She may not follow me around looking for love but she has a huge chunk of it. Hard not to play favorites. My life is blessed.

Bliss

I spent the evening snuggling with Diesel. He hung around cuz he was hungry. I admit...I tricked him into hugs. He was just waiting for dinner. Nevertheless, we bonded. He is a character. It is more than a fluke, though. He loves his people. He hung around while I cleaned the water trough. Sniffed my butt while I scrubbed. Stood still for me to wash the mud out of his hair. So vain.





I spent the last few hours sitting in the shade soaking in the evening. I really have a nice place here. Yep, bragging just a little bit.

Missed a Spot

I am horrible at applying sunscreen. A few small, uneven spots on my legs are causing a great deal of pain. Cry like a baby. Can't wait to see how bad the tan lines are later. But, the kayak trip was fabulous.

How does this relate to 3ChunkyMonkies? I feel a need to ride despite no one being around. However, there is NO WAY I am putting on pants. Ain't happening.

I am ecstatic about boot shopping in a couple of weeks. I'm making a run to Houston and am gonna try on some field boots. So much fun. I have had them on the wish list for over 2 years. Zip back boots, of course. I have no one to pull dress boots off :)

I've decided to use my back yard as an arena. Not quite big enough but just as big as the old trainers covered arena. I rode my short-strided mare back then, though...not a behemoth. Should help with balance.

Becca has had another diet change. The grazing muzzle is not working well. She has worn a large hole in the mouthpiece and it is rubbing her face as well as causing a bump on her nose. She is now eating a bran mash with a few oats and a bit of oil. Hoping this will help improve her hoof growth. We'll see. So far, a week in, she still has excess gas. I miss riding my Bec.

Ride 'Em Cowgirl

Hard to believe the last two rides have been western. I rode the fenceline this evening in search of the elusive ground. I have gone over that stupid electric fence 3 times now. Can't find the problem. I thought I had it tonight. Found it twisted around the permanent fence in one spot. That wasn't it. It's not the charger, not the ground ( I watered it), not the corner that busted. Tomorrow I'll get another look at it. The point is....I rode the fenceline on my trusty steed.

Priss is a saint. I love her. She is solid, confident, calm. I had a good ride. My butt hurts in weird places. Doesn't do that English. We only had one problem with our ride. Diesel. He was pushy and feeling good. He did not respect my space at all. I wanted to beat him. He crowds me when I ride someone else. At one point I was in position to whack him for getting too close...I held nothing back. Can't have a behemoth charging and kicking when I ride. Dangerous. And scary when the ground begins to shake before the freight train (Diesel, get it?) comes blasting past. The ground shakes...then the pooters begin. He stepped on ALOT of frogs :) I would be more mad if he wasn't having so much fun. I love for the horses to jump and stretch and frolic. Just not near me, thanks. After the ride, I lunged Diesel pretty hard. I asked nicely and if he kicked those legs out at me, I growled and pushed him forward until his attitude changed. Had to push twice. After cool off, he gave me his attention and respect. Little gals must behave, big boy will behave or I go squish. Not cool. He has his days. Saturday I was in love with him. He stood still for an hour waiting on the farrier. No hissy fits. Much respect. Saturday was good, today bad.

But Priss....Saturday good, Monday great. I love her. Worth a billion bucks. No lie. My life is blessed.

Heartbreak

I love my house. It is a great neighborhood with kind people. But not everyone. Tonight my neighbors dog ran off. They went in search of him but could not find him. As the sun went down, we worried in the yard, thinking he must be having a grand ole time. He hobbled up in great pain. Someone shot him. Who shoots little Chihuahuas? He's obviously cared for, wears a collar. One of my neighbors shot him. He was rushed to the vet. I'm waiting to hear. It could have easily been my Scruff. Say a prayer for Julian. He's in bad shape.

And while I am emotional, might as well share this: My grandmother read this poem last year and sent it to me. We buried her last week.

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle Autumn’s rain.
When you waken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift, uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled light.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
So do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there. I did not die.

UPDATE: Julian did not make it. He survived surgery but the damage was too great. He had been shot twice. He had been kicked so hard his jaw was broken. What is wrong with people?

Chicken

I scream like a sissy. I have snakes. Coral snakes. Red on yellow....

Becca has retreated to the back of the pasture. She does not come to the front during daylight hours. Dodo. Friday, I began my walk to the back to check on my poor, muzzled mare. Not 20 steps in the pasture I came across a decent sized coral snake and retreated. I am afraid to go out there. I suspect I just haven't caught her drinking during the day. I did catch her making a beeline for the back yesterday. She must be drinking. She is not dehydrated. I caught her on the road late yesterday. Luckily, she does not flee when I head her way. I hate not getting my hands on her every day.

I had plenty of snuggle time this weekend with the other two. I will ride Priss out to check on Bec tomorrow, bareback- ugly bite on her back (Thanks, Diesel). She comes when called. Lovely beast. I had bonding time with Diesel, too. He's easy to love. Such a man, though. He likes to think he is master of the others. Bullies, a bit. Acts like a rambunctious gelding. Bundle of love.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a 4-wheeler to ride out back...or a riding lawnmower. Dream on, Devra. Regardless, my life is blessed.

Short Relief

I am a bit of a high strung person. I look ahead and weigh situations. I rarely sleep fitfully. Is this relevant? Of course. I like Becca. I understand her. For all her silly fits and worries I do not think she is dangerous. She is horribly herd bound. But as she paces and hollers she pays attention. She thinks about where her feet are going. She never loses control enough to hurt herself. She respects space. Even in her most worried state she respects her handlers space. I love that about her. She knows where you are and she knows where she is. She may lean toward you for confidence. But, she never touches. She never pushes. And she gives to pressure immediately. She's sensitive- no matter if on the ground or under saddle.

Becca is low man on the totem pole. She needs others to tell her how to act. She has no confidence left to her own devices. Priss, on the other hand, is solid as a rock. She is tough and she knows it. Not so sensitive- on the ground or under saddle :) I'm not saying she doesn't know her manners. She is just different.

Becca poses a challenge. She has health issues- metabolic and accidental injury related. Pasture situations have caused recent concerns. Ideally she should have a pasture buddy like herself that requires minimal grazing to give her confidence and peace of mind. Realistically, I do NOT need another mouth to feed. And, my fences are not nearly complete enough. Patience. The horses are safe inside an electric fence with less than ideal perimeter fence (which they have no access to). That is my peace of mind.

Becca survived turnout for the last day in a grazing muzzle. I let her out of the round pen last night and left her muzzled until I got home today just as soon as I could. Good news. I feel short term relief. The odd looking torture device left no rub spots or blisters. Thank goodness. She does not fight it or try to remove it- even stands patiently with her head down in acceptance while putting it on. I brought her in to the round pen this evening for 4 hours. She paced and hollered. I call it her evening exercise. Get that metabolism going. And then I let her out again. She calmly led back to the pasture and rejoined her buds. I hope this works out. I can't wait for the day I come home and she's not wearing it. Twenty acres makes for a tough hide-and-go-seek. I have several back-up safety snaps just in case.

Before bringing her in this evening I led her over to Priss for a quick "checkover". They immediately began grooming each other. What a sight! Becca couldn't figure out how to massage through the muzzle. She gave up and let me do her job for her. Both were reluctant to part. For all her crabiness, Priss really does love Bec. I just really wish Bec was in better health. She's a beautiful beast. One of these days I'm going to jump on bareback for a bit. Or so I say. My life is blessed.

Mad Neighbors

I've already done it. Made 'em mad. Wouldn't even wave to me. I opened up 20 acres for the horses. They'd eaten the 5 they were in down to nothing. Becca cannot have that much grass. I tried the muzzle the first day. It rubbed her sweet little nose raw. So I locked her in the round pen last night. She hollered all night long. That won't work. We all need sleep.

She's back in the muzzle tonight. I'll check her in the morning. What am I going to do with her? I don't want her to founder or get laminitis. I don't want her pancreas to completely shut down. I can't keep her locked up alone. The others can't be locked up with her. I really hope I can make the muzzle work. At least she doesn't fight it. Time will tell. Back to the 30 minute workouts. Joy. Can't wait to try to catch her every day in 20 acres. I suspect she will figure this out. Tomorrow we'll begin with a 10 minute exercise. Who knows? Maybe I'll ride her.