SADDLE UPDATE

I spoke with Staci from Allegheny Mountain Trail Saddles today about Falcon's returned saddle.
She said that she was embarrassed and appalled that I had gotten a crooked saddle and they did indeed find that it was 1/8th of an inch off...which caused it to be an 1/8th of an inch off elsewhere-or something. She did explain some of the making of the saddle, which I wasn't exactly clear on.
Some of which gave the appearance that the saddle was crooked.

Regardless:
1.  They are correcting the problem (promptly)

2.  She offered me my choice of something else for free (like a breast collar or bridle) since I received a defective saddle.

3. The saddle looked like it had good workmanship otherwise when it originally arrived.  I am looking forward to receiving my corrected saddle and trying it out for the long haul.

4.  AMTS has had excellent communication and good service..at this point in time, I would recommend them and would use them again.

Skeeters are Biting!

71 degrees when I arrived at the field!

AND

THE SKEETERS WERE BITING!!~!

The wild plum trees are blooming and as I walked through the trees with Falcon 

Their delicious scent wafted in the breeze

 Nevel and Freeman had been apart for a WHOLE HOUR and were so happy to see each other

They proceeded to lovingly groom each other under the blossoms.

 Strange little flowers are blooming...what might these be?

Does anyone know what the below are?

According to my "Flowers of the Pacific Northwest"

They most closely resemble "MANROOT"

Apparently the Indians used the plant to treat kidney problems and skin sores, but interestingly enough

other information I discovered said that it is irritating to the skin...

back in the day

Falcon and Jay the farrier having a "good-bye" moment in Virginia

I wish that Falcon could tell the stories of his life between 2009-2012

I guess I will never know

But he is safe now

Happy : )

Lame  : (

Sunset

Near Miss

Lately I have found that when I am around the horses my brain starts to become so relaxed that it goes off in to some la-la land and I am not even really paying attention to anything at all...which might not be such a good idea sometimes when moving around 1000 lb horses.

Today when I drove up I noticed that the electric wire was not across the top of the gate as usual.  I was kind of glad, just one less thing to deal with.

 Nevel was EVIL to Falcon- reached out and took a humongous bite out of him when I went to get him from the pasture.  Falcon looked stunned and ran away from me, so I ran Nevel off.  Bad behavior does NOT get rewarded with getting supper!

Nevel stood there with a "I didn't do NUTHIN" look on his face.  All of the horses were kind of nipping at each other and flattening their ears-BAD MOOD DAY I guess.

As I was leading Nevel out I saw the sun glint on a piece of wire on the ground AND the wire was moving!

"OH CRUD!!!"  I thought it was attached to him, but it wasn't.  He always yanks on me to get to his food, but not before I saw the wire move again and noticed that it was attached to Ziggy!  Ziggy is an endurance horse.

TUG TUG....aghhha NEVEL!!! STOP IT!

I grabbed his food pan and tied him to a tree and immediately called the barn owner about the problem.  The pasture is a good way down the lane from the barn.  ALAS she was out of town and asked me to see if I could get the wire off.

That was my plan, but I was looking for help...and didn't have B's # in my phone.  To make matters worse, Ziggy did not want to be caught and was dragging the wire around...this was a LONG piece of hot wire, maybe 20 feet or more.  I don't know, but my brain certainly wasn't in a relaxed state anymore.

After a few minutes I caught Ziggy and held him still pondering what to do next since every time I went towards his back foot he would pick it up and kick out somewhat.  Just then C came walking down the lane.  He had just received a text from T about the problem, but he had just been coming to get Ziggy for a hoof trimming...and didn't realize at first there was a potential emergency.

I held Ziggy while C easily got the wire off.  It was only wrapped around partially once, but looked tighter.  I did have wire cutters in my car had that not been the case.

It was indeed a near miss and could have been a much bigger problem for Ziggy and the other horses.
The gate wire was hooked over to the side fence, so we did not know where the wire had come from.  C went off for a walk around the pasture to look while Falcon and Nevel got their "grass walk."

Montana "one ups" Mr. Ed!

Update on the Texas Mustangs...

...They turn in to UNICORNS at night!  : )

Spring HAD Sprung...

...but now it has sprung a LEAK!
and...BRRRR it is COLD!   I left work at 2 today to run some errands and the sky decided to open up at the very moment that I walked out of the door!  SLANTED RAIN, WIND, HAIL!  BRRRR!!!!~

So I  drove to UPS and by then the rain had stopped and I was able to deliver the saddle for shipping unimpeded by the weather.
Then I went to gas up the car (with that EXTREMELY pricey volatile stuff) and headed to the feed store:

✪ Grit for Chickens

Quill-perky as ever

 Muff looks a bit bedraggled from the rain!

Her muff is not fluffed!

✪  Elk Grove milling Stable mix for "the boys"

Nevel doesn't seem to mind being wet, but Falcon was actually shivering today while eating his grain, but stopped shivering after his tummy was full of grain and grass.

✪  Paste Wormer-oh yum-a favorite orange yuk!

✪  Peppermint Horsey snacks -a new treat, the horses prefer apple and carrot flavored snacks, but they didn't turn them down!

Back at home the doggies were excited to see me despite the fact that I did not give them any snacks!

"Griffin"

 "Oriel"

The cats took turns visiting with me on the bar chair next to my computer.

"Sen-Sen"

 "Lexi"

 And of course the sun came out just in time to warm up the clouds before it set!

The moon ethereally floated along

Drifting across the sky

And I was glad to be home

Warm and cozy 

The Mustangs !!!!

 (of Las Colinas, Texas)

My "mr m.g." is in Texas and took a couple of pics of my FAVORITE mustangs.  I mosied back through pictures that I took of them as well when we were there last February.  The artistic work is amazingly detailed and life like.  The movement is fabulous.  I absolutely became emotional when viewing these mustangs.
 http://www.mustangsoflascolinas.com

The Stallion

 This mare was my favorite with her intense look as she decides where to place her feet in the water.

Her foal and the stallion dash behind her.

 another foal fearful launches into the water.

 The mad dash of the herd.

 a distant view

A view from the hotel across the street.  The mustangs are far below in front of the tall center building.

The AMTS is packed...

...and in the car
Ready for UPS shipment.  :(
Staci at AMTS had responded immediately to my email and sent me the shipping label.

She of course could not really evaluate it from the pictures,

I still couldn't quite believe that it was crooked so I  put it on him again today while Mike was there and he took one look and said "the saddle is crooked!"
He moved the rear of it to make it midline on Falcon...only that made the front crooked.

What is next?

Spring has Sprung

We had a beautiful long weekend here in Northern California ~

But alas the much needed rain is due to come tonight as well as next weekend~
In the meantime...here are some "warm fuzzies" to chase away the chill~

This "pony's nostrils are shaped like Falcon's ears!

Glamour Shots!

 Muzzels & Whiskers

 Mane and Winter Woolen's

 Gossamer Threads

 Nevel has Teddy Bear ears!

But...Butt...Butt...

It was a BEAUTIFUL day!
and a BEAUTIFUL ride despite my saddle issues.
K and Major were patient and took us for a long "directive" and lovely ride to the lake.

Falcon was pondering a good roll in the sand and even walked into the water.    It was warm, but NOT warm enough for a swim!

He loves water and likes to paw and splash and roll in it.

It was indeed Fabulous weather and K gave me some great info about the trails and also some of the canal history.  I like history!  

Here he is on the alert for Folsom State Prison escapees...

ok...not really...it was just some people with a dog...or maybe it was some guys in a boat...

Falcon was a good boy and only had a few minor spooks and two minor bucks going up a steep hill.   He did well picking his way down over various rocky areas.

Will have to work on his BRAKES some though.  I am expecting an immediate stop when I ask for it-but I sure don't get it!  : )

SADDLE FIT:  The Bighorn endurance fits Falcon pretty well, no dry spots.
But ME?  nope...it throws me forward, but makes my BUTT stick out and although the stirrup leathers easily turn out, the stirrups themselves continually turned in and after 6 miles I was tired of struggling with them, during which time Falcon decided to trot home.  I just wasn't up for it in my unbalanced seat and his propensity to trip.

After looking at the pics, maybe I should shorten the stirrups a notch?

Actually it looks like I should lengthen them-but then I would be standing on my tippy toes...

Thoughts anyone?

Tipsy turvy lake view with mr "frizzle top"

Furry Falcon was very sweaty and enjoyed his shower when he got home- After lunch and grass munch I returned him to his pasture and took Nevel out for "lunch and munch."  In the meantime, Falcon and the bay Mare were RACING all over the pasture at full speed, bucking at times (Falcon tripping a few times) and whinnying for Nevel and Freeman.

Falcon came to the creek and took the BIGGEST FLYING FLAT OUT bad form leap I have ever seen in my life.  I wish I could have videoed it.  It was truly funny to see him clear a TINY creek that he could have stepped over with a jump big enough for a four foot fence.

The Bay Mare followed suit:  After racing up and down the creek bank a few times, she circled and jumped high, flat and long just like Falcon.  Silly horses!!!!!!

and...the SAGA continues!

Will I EVER get to REALLY ride my horse in a saddle that I REALLY like?

My new saddle arrived from Allegheny Mountain Trail Saddles on Tuesday, but due to work I did not get out to the "field" until today.

And before I start my Diatribe let me first say that AMTS has been very interactive with me about the process I went through to fit him and get the saddle made.

Falcon was very relaxed and I saw T while he was eating and told her I had a new saddle to try on him.
She offered to help give an opinion.

Well, I knew something was wrong as soon as I put it on him:
It seemed off centered or something.

It seemed to be tighter on the right, but ok on the left

However you can see that the pommel is "looking" towards the left at me

instead of looking straight down his neck

 Here is another view.

Here the underside does not look even

 flatter on the left as it should be-but more bowed up on the right which made it a tighter fit.

 It is a little harder to see in the next two pictures, but the underside is not even.

 In the below pic you can see that the left panel sits up higher than the right.

When I got home I emailed AMTS with pictures.  I didn't bother to call because of the 3 hour time difference-it would be 8pm in New York.

Staci from AMTS emailed me back immediately and said she could not access pics from her phone at home but would check from the office first thing in the morning.

She also assured me that it sounded like a manufacturing problem and that she would handle it.

Of course I was very happy to hear that from her, so we shall see what happens next and hope I get a better fitting saddle before the temps rise to 105!  : )

On another note, K & Major have invited Falcon and I out for a mosey to the lake tomorrow.  I shall have to utilize the Big Horn which left a dry spot on his right shoulder last week-which means IT doesn't fit properly either...but not from its issue, but probably from Falcons confirmation.  T had put a thin shim in my SKITO saddle pad when we were working with the AMTS so maybe it will be enough to help the Big Horn fit a little better.

I don't know whether to be discouraged or not-another boarder at the farm said she tried 17 saddles in one day and still could not find one to fit her horse.

Well both T and I are  sure the AMTS saddle is crooked...I hate the thought of dragging that beautiful saddle to the UPS store...I just wanted to put it on and ride.

Ok this must mean something greater is yet to come!