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Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Stalker

There's a Stalker down the lane



Monday, November 11, 2013

Dark Shadows

Injury to his right hind
A slice-what in the world could have caused this injury 
Not only sliced his flesh, but his hoof also!
 Green is the color of the day
 Giant Horses lurk in dark shadows
 Eating, ALWAYS eating...nom nom nom nom
 The rope that lasso's dark shadow's giants

Sunday, November 10, 2013

I have no Endurance-and beware yukky pictures

That's it folks, I have plumb run out of endurance.  I am giving up.  The latest is an injury to Nevel-The pics are blurry-sorry-crying doesn't help the picture taking process-I was already an emotional wreck when I got the calls about Nevel being found with a gash in his leg.
 These photos were taken after T hosed it out and put betadine on it.  It was getting dark by the time I got there and hard to really tell what was going on, but it was obviously more than a day old injury.
T said he was coated in mud from the pond and it was barely visible.  Mike said he had last worked with him on Wed. or Thur.  This was now Sat.   I don't get off work until after dark now with the short days so haven't been going out to see the horses at all.  And they have been fat and happy in the same pasture for a year now.
He also had a slice in his right hind hoof and a slice in that same hock.  It had to have been something EXTREMELY sharp???  C walked the pasture and didn't find anything.  I told T. it had to have been the culvert in the pond.  Since NEvel is ALWAYS in the pond!  So she told C to go check on it today (Sunday) and put a tire over it or something.  I meant to walk out there today, but didn't due to my emotional state 
Today I undressed/washed/betadined and re-wrapped him up.  The wound looked good, no pus, no swelling, no stinky mess, just some serous gooey drainage which is to be expected.  No point in calling a vet now, There is no bleeding, no swelling and no heat.  
He will live in a small paddock this week.
He puts full weight on it-even resting his hind leg
As always he is eating up a storm
Loves his powdered antibiotics too!
So, he is doing well, but as for me...not so good.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

THE BOOTS and the BUCK-A-ROO

Ok, I have a ton of photos and some videos-but since I just updated my apple, I seem to have lost my "slideshow" capabilities with Aperture...so in the meantime-here are some stills of the rodeo.
(mind you, Nevel did "hi-step" in the round pen with the boots on, then Mike rode him there and he did fine...when he got to the arena, he decided to try and buck them off...but in the end he did have rubs on both bulbs in the front...time for pastern wraps I guess?   What NEXT???  enjoy the Rodeo:
Nevel tries to Buck
Then Leaps
Mike is pulling hard to the inside as Nevel continues to bolt at full speed
Oops...there goes Mikes hat -going...
going...
gone!
 Nevel is charging towards me and 4 other people along with Cisco (another horse in the arena)
 He looks straight at me...."Did I do good mom?"
 Behaving now....I rode after this-I wanted Mike to video...but his hands were still shaking.
I love my golden child!




Sunday, October 13, 2013

Boots

I finally broke down and ordered some Cavello Boots for Mr. Nevel, his pasture is just too soft and doesn't allow him to naturally keep his feet tough.

After little ride I measured his feet for the boots...now they have been ordered.  I wanted purple-they were on sale...but out of stock, Web site told me to pick something else, so I picked red-they were on sale too-same result...so I resorted to the black at "FULL PRICE" which amounted to 88$ more than they would have been at sale price.  Guess next time I will get my butt in gear when I see a sale on the horizon!

I also put Falcon in the round pen with a saddle on.  He hasn't been ridden in several months and certainly not by me since May.  He was pretty quiet and behaved, but still intermittently off on the left front.  
The pic below is of happier days with Falcon when I lived in Virginia and would go riding with my two Maremmas-Cola and Gemma

It is a beautiful fall day!  Happy Trails!

Monday, October 7, 2013

He's a Good Lad

Finally got out to see my Roly Poly Pony today.  He was well behaved-if not lazy, so I had a fairly comfortable ride on him at the trot.  He wasn't interested in cantering, but Mike is back in town to work on that a couple of days a week...Video below of some of our lazy day in the Sun.

More Time AWAY

Do I have ADD?
I don't think so, but my poor horses have even less attention than usual!
*First-Labor Day backpacking trip to Mt Langley

*Second-unexpected invite to go to Bishop last weekend to catch fall colors before they disappeared (according to the "Fall Color" report)  The colors were disappointing, but two days away was still nice. And there were some REALLY cool CLOUDS!
"Sky Lashes"
 A cold windy night in a tent
A tough hike to Lamark Lakes
 Big Wind gusts at the lake
 And more cool clouds-this one is over Mono Lake
 And these were near South Lake Tahoe
*Third the PLANNED trip to the Bishop area for fall colors-I ended up being alone :(
Well, except for Griffin...The boy is ready to go...NOT!!!
We visited the South Lake Tufa (Mono Lake)

When you take 1000 pictures...how do you choose...
Icy mornings at Mammoth Lakes
 Road to North Lake-Colors popping
 Grass Lake-a hike to 10,000 ft
 Shared Turkey and Swiss
We didn't see another soul on this hike.  Quiet and Peaceful.
 Griffin enjoyed the views as much as I did
 North Lake-most colors were past peak due to an early snow/wind storm the week before
 And then there was THIS
All campgrounds and "toilets" were closed, gated and padlocked
It didn't stop me or others from parking where we could and hiking/fishing/photographing.
A park ranger was driving around North Lake but did not ask anyone to leave.
We wouldn't have anyway.  I pay BIG California Taxes and I am going to enjoy the environment if I want to.
Honestly I think we all should revolt against this nonsense...so instead of people using the outhouse facilities...you find TP by every rock and tree?
 Griff is tired after hiking 6+ miles.  Mother Earth provides a comfy leafy bed

 Along the trail at Long Lake in Rock Creek Canyon
 What is this?  A DOG park?  Griff found many new friends at this popular lake
 Silver Lake on the June Lake loop.
A nice trip-but I would rather not do it alone.


Sunday, September 22, 2013

Crisp and Crunchy

A damp almost musty scent of wet leaves lingered
The air was crispy, the skye a bright blue
The sand now moist...
Wonderful what a few hours of steady rain can do.

Nevel and I had a good ride in the arena
Plenty of serpentines at the trot
And
A buck at the canter.
It is difficult to get him cantering

Then we walked to the "big wood"
And took the furthest trail to the right.
It is a steep trail up and then we had to trail blaze
Around a fallen limb.

Nevel kept a close eye on all of the large rocks and
once we got to the meadow, I mounted and rode him back home.
"Where's my treat mom???"
Crunchy Windfall apples
Colors of fall


Saturday, September 21, 2013

Is it going to RAIN or NOT???

Northern California does not usually get rain until November if I remember correctly-at least a rain that amounts to anything, but today the skies are very gray with a cool breeze rustling the dry leaves.
I usually wilt in the heat, so I am thankful for a drop in the temperature.
It seems like a perfect time to go visit my "pony."  The sky was getting pretty cloudy...

"Mom do you HAVE to take my picture AGAIN???
Nevel was a Mr. Buck-a-roo in the round pen when I first put his saddle on.
Then he tore around the pen at full speed and had Peppy rearing and bucking and racing all around in the field next to him.
I suppose the cooler weather gave Mr. Nevel some pep-r-roo!
But then when I asked him to actually "work" he slogged around at the slowest rate possible!  : )
Then looked at his saddle like it was something new.
 "NOW WHAT???"
It is sooooo DUSTY
My lovely shoes are caked with DUST
DUST in my NOSE
DUST probably in my TOES
But ride I MUST
FINALLY ABOARD
Between those Golden Ears!
Nevel was slightly mis-behaving when we started out
Dropping his nostrils in the dust  and basically not listening well,
But I kept after him 
And soon we were trotting serpentines in the arena with his head up
Then he offered a choppy canter...
So I slowed him back to trotting and then attempted the canter again.
BEAUTIFUL
He has a lovely sauntering trot
A barely rideable extended trot
And a lovely canter
Just BEAUTIFUL
A fellow boarder arrived and watched for a little bit.
She said it looked like he was doing well and that I looked good on him.
That was nice to hear since I am 5'10" and not sure how big he is.
Maybe tomorrow I can round up a measuring stick and see how tall he is.
He was close to 14'2 when I bought him, but I am most certain he has grown.
After riding, Nevel and I hung out under the oak trees and he snarfed around for acorns.
But darkening clouds heralded a storm
 Unfortunately the Chili Cook-off and Cool Car show got rained on in Rocklin.
Maybe the rain will bring an end to dusty shoes for awhile!