I Believe

I Believe
Despite the gloom and doom at work

I Believe
Despite my shift start times being  3 times in 2 weeks

I Believe
Despite cold and gloomy weather

I Believe it will be once again
Warm and Bright

I BELIEVE I loved POPPIES the best...

I BELIEVED....
I loved POPPIES the best...
UNTIL...
the LUPINE bloomed. : )

(Photos from last week on the American River & Rocklin, Ca)

No April Fools

I’m not talking about COVID though...
I’m sick of that subject and dealing with it at work.

In regard to my previous vent post-I heard that the owner lost all of her boarders but 1 and that 1 is looking to go also.

ANYWAY. APRIL 1

I pulled in to the pasture gate on said owners driveway and proceeded to feed my damp hungry horses.
The skiers were very dark and foreboding...spitting rain.
I was anxious through the roof and worried about trouble from owner.
The horses had galloped up when they saw my truck coming and splatted mud all over themselves.
While they ate I loaded my deck box into the truck then drove up to T’S to hitch up my trailer.

 Then I collected Persee who was a bundle of nerves but did settle some to eat some grass while I brushed some of the mud off.  He then loaded nicely and had minimal stomping.

I returned for Nevel and noticed the owner sitting on the porch watching.  I ignored her and took Nevel out.  Nevel was a basket case.  I’ve never seen him act that way.  He tried to gallop to the trailer.  I guess he thought he was being left behind!  😢
He wouldn’t even graze-so he jumped on the trailer and we headed out.

Ok...no he wasn’t standing on his head but I can’t get the pic to load in properly!  Ha ha!
It really was a short drive and as we pulled out of the lane the sun burst forth...the clouds were racing away and blue skies appeared.
The last thing I noticed was a sheriffs car following me down the lane.  Coincidence?I don’t think so...owner down there is a NUT CASE!!

BLUE SKIES
Perseeus was quivering like a leaf when I had put Nevel on but both of The boys traveled well, and stood quietly on the trailer without a peep after we arrived while I signed the paperwork.
They both unloaded well, led nicely in their new paddock and Persee had a good roll in the new field.
They sauntered around quietly until another horse started galloping in the next paddock, so they galloped too...then we’re all relaxed and sleepy eyed, while I groomed them some more and they munched on sweet smelling hay under their new shelter.

Nevel enjoys his shelter.

Nevel checks out Bleu two paddocks over (who came from the old boarding place too) 

Persee nibbles on greens and enjoys the company of a mare on the other side of the fence.

No April Fools for us!  We are looking forward to new trails and new friends (but we will surely miss Major and Beau-ya’all come ride with us sometime!  Trails to the lake area are right outside the gate)

Vent & No April Fool Here!

A number of months back my horses boarding place was sold.
The new owner wanted to board horses
I didn’t have anywhere to go
So I stayed.

FIRST SIGN OF NUTZZZZZ!!!
At first it seemed ok
But the Hotwire had never been fixed
Nevel went right through it-multiple times
The new owners said I had to fix the WHOLE pasture!!!
I refused but...still
I had to shell out big bucks to fix a portion of the fence.

Next -they said I couldn’t park on the lane and had to park at the old owners!! ???
They moved Persee and Nevel to the big pasture without my knowledge.
No shelter there-that was in the contract-to have shelter.
I asked nicely about once a month-when would shelter be provided-hopefully before the rain???
They repeatedly assured me it would happen-but it never did.
I kept searching for suitable new boarding place.

Weekly I would find (and pick up) trash, toys and tons of twine and wire in the pasture

So very maddening-and the fence was sagging.  Neighbors walking on the lane actually were able to get the owners to fix the fencing by complaint multiple times to them.

STARVING??
The final straw came when I noticed that Nevel had dropped a lot of weight in 1 week.  I questioned that amount of hay being given and the fact that Nevel shared his hay with the resident steer.  The owner became argumentive and defensive-I requested more hay to be given and she argued more.  I had physically seen them feed the hay twice and KNEW they were not feeding 2 flakes each to the horses at each feeding.  It was more like 1 flake for 2 horses.
The second week I returned...Nevel even skinnier.  4 holes up on his girth from the previous Sunday.
I flipped out and demanded her to feed more.  She said she would.
I also moved their food storage bin right next to their feed buckets to make that easier too.
Owner said I could park there too.

THE NEXT DAY
I was driving up Salmon Falls Road with my dogs to hike and passed a horse farm with a boarding sign out front.  I meant to inquire after my hike but forgot and ended up going home via 49.
That night I was perusing Craigs List for new boarding and came upon a listing for that very farm.  I promptly inquired, visited and booked boarding to start in April.

CONTRACTS
The contract said I was supposed to give 30 day notice to leave.  I gave 24.
3 days prior I had the vet out for spring shots.
Owner came up through the orchard and stood across the drive-hollered out sternly...
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE??? She said it three times before we could answer.
Not to mention the doc with a stethoscope and a syringe and a truck that said LOOMIS BASIN EQUINE ON IT!!
Then she said we couldn’t park there that her family uses the driveway etc.  we were far off of the driveway by the gate.
The vet said “I will only be 5 min!”
Owner then said “DONT DO IT AGAIN!!!”  YOU HAVE TO PARK AT T’S and you CANT have Vets or farriers and stuff like that here-you have to do it at T’S and park on the lane???”

Huh??  So now I AM supposed to park on the lane and use someone else’s property that I don’t board with?  Huh???

I was pretty much in shock!  I avoid drama as much as I can...besides what was WRONG with her?

That day I picked up twine, trash and toys and threw it over the fence into their yard instead of a trash bag!!!  Grrrrrrrrr!!! 😡

First sign of Lupine (at Nevel’s eye level enlarge pic)

YIKES!!! I’M on the WRONG Side of the Sign!

The usual-no Riding : (

I’ve had more issues with my body then I care to disclose...

Numbness in my extremities, dizziness, overall aches and pains...

Is THIS. What happens when you turn 60?

The dizziness was intermittent-although the worst-accompanied by feeling like I was going to pitch forward,  sweating and extreme nausea.  GOOD GRIEF!  Although I rode Nevel once I did not feel balanced enough for Persee....

Then...on October 15th our house flooded-due to housekeeper error.  Our walls were torn out, our cabinets, appliances and furniture all gone.
The dogs enjoyed racing between our 2x4 walls...
We improvised cooking with a Coleman camp stove and the grill until the weather got a bit rainy and nippy...
Insurance company screwed up...no money for months!

And so the days of fall into December wore on..

Limited hiking, no bike or horseback riding...gaining an horrific amount of weight!  Agha
Extremely ill parents...deaths of two very close relatives...horrid home and work conditions...I just wanted 2016. Er....2019 To be over.

The Dogs My only solace

Griffen the Old Wizard

Quincy the Baby Varmit (50/50 German Shepherd Poodle)

Murphy the middle son who gets blamed for everything

2020 arrived while I was asleep.  We had celebrated early with take out from Ruth Chris and champagne 🥂 at our little card table after I got off of work late.

I had hoped to ride-except I was still dizzy...so we took the dogs for a 2 mile walk...then managed a 15 mile bike ride after which my right ear gurgled and popped and suddenly my dizziness went away.
(I had enflamed ears with fluid behind them that last for months!!!)

Back at work I was notified I would be starting work later!  I was soooo mad!
But then I thought about it...when the weather warms I’ll actually be able to ride early before work.
Though it WILL. Be early it’s better than no riding during the week...so we will see...that or I’m sending the horses to Washington State for my Niece and grand niece to borrow for a few years until I retire.

Ive given up on LD & endurance riding.  My body is in a revolt and now I just got bit by a tick and the symptoms are a bulls eye with spreading rash!  They say it is typical of Lymes disease.  I don’t know-but that is the last thing I need.

The pup had numerous ticks and had 3 very enflamed areas as well.

I decided I’m going to retire at 62..that is 2 years away!  I need to be outside most of the time.
I can’t tolerate being surrounded by people daily.
I need to explore the mountains and the valleys more
From sea to shining sea! !

The Madden Method - Blanketing or Not

https://youtu.be/qnDfJ1egi1w


Sent from my iPad