Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Moses Harmon, the Christmas helper cat, and family (Jo, Noland, Bob Barker,             and Doc Dee) wish all of you and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

 

 

 

 

A Head's Up

I heard, at the Barn Christmas party, that there is now a llama on the property to the west of the arena...  So, you might want to keep an eye out for a strange looking animal appearing in the woods next to the arena...your horse could find this rather odd and you know how that can be.

Coming Back to Barn Dec 23rd

Just a short update on what is going on. Bailey is going to go back to her original owner to live with her Mom and Aunt. (She never did get sound this summer) I was given a 5 year old Peruvian Paso gelding. He is coming to the barn on 23rd. His mane is Regalo (gift in spanish). I am so excited about coming back to the barn and all my barn buddies.

Wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Glorya

Please say "hello" to Doc for me...

Rotten weather and, now, a rotten cold.  If you see my pony, please let him know I'm thinking about him and hope to see him soon.  Thanks so much.

Blanket for Sale

Hey Everyone! I bought a blanket a couple of months ago for Cash (when he was still little) and now it is just too small. I have only tried it on him twice, but he has never worn it out in the pasture. So it is still in the bag, new, with original tags still attached. If anyone is interested or knows someones who is, I am asking $75. Details below:

Size: 69"
Medium Weight
Waterproof & Breathable
600 Denier Nylon Ripstop Shell
250 gram fiberfill insulation
210 Denier Nylon liner
Shoulder Gusset for a perfect action fit and ease of movement
Wind stopping tail cover
Fleece Wither Protector
Open front with double buckles
Bias crossing Surcingles with elastic ends
Adjustable leg straps with elastic ends
Designed without a back seam to prevent leakage

Farrier

To whom it may concern (i.e. the people that have their horses done by Dr. Lo),

He will be out to reset and/or trim our horses on 12/15 @ 8:30am

A Horse's Prayer

A teacher, with whom I work, told me that her daughter's horse had died over the weekend.  The death was accidental...unexpected.  I searched the Internet for grief resources to share with her and came across this anonymously written "Horse's Prayer."  It's too beautiful not to share with you.

"A HORSES PRAYER

Feed me, water me and care for me.
When my day’s work is done, provide me with shelter, a clean dry bed,
and a stall wide enough to lie down in comfort.
Talk to me; your voice often means as much to me as the reins.
Pet me sometimes, that I may serve you the more gladly and learn to love you.
Do not jerk the reins and do not whip me when going up hill.
Never strike, beat or kick me when I do not understand what you mean,
but give me a chance to understand.
Watch me and if I fail to do your bidding, see if something is wrong with my harness or my feet.
Examine my teeth when I do not eat. I may have an ulcerated tooth that is very painful.
Do not tie my head in unnatural positions,
or take away my best defense against flies by cutting off my tail.
(I don't take away your mosquito curtains.)
Don't smoke in my barn or leave me tied overnight and perhaps burn me to death while you are sleeping in your comfortable bed.
And last, my master, when my strength is gone,
do not turn me out in a pasture with no shelter and let me freeze to death,
or sell me to some cruel owner to be slowly starved or worked to death.
Take my life in the kindest way, and your God will reward you - hereafter."

This is very funny

Riding Lessons for a Newbie

One of the ladies that I work with asked me if I knew of any place that should could get a beginning riding lesson...  Do any of you have a recommendation? 

 

Stall Signs

When you walk past Cherokee's and Valamay's stall's you will notice their name signs. I was asked to post the website where I had them made. It is www.sempersigns.com/horse.html If anyone is interested, they did a great job and it was fast and painless. I like fast and painless.

Margi

Banamine/Rope Halters for Cheap

Odd subjects to mix, but I figured one post was better than 2!

First off my poor little black pony keeps colicing and in a pinch last week I borrowed someone's last dose of banamine that was in the refrigerator. I am not sure whose it was as it did not have a name on it (I thought it was Courtney's, but she said it was not). So here I am letting you know I did it and I now have my own tube of banamine with my name (Laura Mecca) on it. If you are the person whose banamine I stole please feel free to use a dose if you should ever need it.

Secondly, I was telling some people at the barn the other night about a great website (that Glorya first told me about) where you can buy inexpensive rope halters/accesories. It is called Half Circle Ranch. They have some of the same quality as Anderson and Parelli. If you are interested just clink the "Title" of this post and it will take you to the website.

Happy Friday & 11-11-11!!!

The Hay Truth and Nothin but the Truth

Courtney asked me to post this update/correction on the hay surcharge:

There were 625 bales of hay bought at $11.00/bale; Mike and Dee are absorbing $6.00/bale.  So, splitting the remaining cost among 23 horses, the hay surcharge comes to $135.87 (this should carry everyone through April).  Those individuals who have already paid the entire amount as originally stated ($180.00) will be receiving a refund for the difference.

This is the hay truth as I know it.

God bless us, everyone.

Horse Feathers: Message from Mike and Dee re: hay surcharge

Horse Feathers: Message from Mike and Dee re: hay surcharge

Message from Mike and Dee re: hay surcharge

Mike and Dee asked me to post this on the blog; it's also posted by the white board at the barn:

"To: Our Boarders

Subject: Hay Surcharge

We are in the process of procuring hay to carry us over the fall and winter months and wanted to let you know what steps we have taken to purchase good quality hay and the costs associated in this effort.  As you know, the drought has caused hay prices to soar and it appears prices will go higher if we don't act now to buy the hay we need.  In the past 2 weeks, we have contacted hay suppliers in Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Tennessee, and Florida and found bale prices listed below for various types of hay:

• coastal - $11.00
• alfalfa - $22.00
• timothy - $12.00
• orchard/alfalfa mix - $16.00

We purchased 20 bales of coastal grown in Florida 10 days ago and have fed the horses with this hay.  It appears this is the best choice and, therefore, we will be ordering 600 bales next week to be delivered in 10 days.  

Now, the bad news.  Because this hay will be $11.00/bale, we will have to charge a surcharge of $6.00/bale.  This amounts to $3600.00 and that, divided by 20, comes to $180.00 per boarder.  We can spread this out over 2 months, amounting to $90.00 per boarder.  Let us know your thinking on your preference.  This will provide the needed hay until the first cutting in 2012.

Mike and Dee"

Correction to Mike's Email Address

So sorry for posting the wrong email address for Mike Nikovich.  The real email address is: nikovichmike@aol.com.  Please send your email address to him to join the group list for the barn.

Great Info about Colic

https://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/horse-health/2002/may/18/feeding-to-minimize-chronic-colic.aspx

Daisey Update 2

Daisey is doing well. When I go out and whistle she comes running to the gate to greet me except for Tuesday night. She started running towards me to greet me. When she got about 50 feet from the gate, she started to pause and all of a sudden she wheeled around and turned and went the opposite direction. It must have been my riding clothes b/c that is the first time I went out there fully dressed to ride. Smart cookie. She eventually was lured by the famous pink bucket with alfalfa mash in it.

Hope all is well. Hope Cash's procedure goes well today.

Amy and Daisey

Group Email List for the Barn

Mike and Dee want to put together a group email list for the barn in order to make it simple to let boarders know of any barn "news."  Please send your email address to: MikeNikovich@aol.com and let him know you need to be added to the group email list.  :-)

Cash and Laura's First Show Together

OK so I have to brag...my baby did so good at the show this weekend! He was so calm and well behaved the whole day. I attached the picture of our winnings...not bad for our first time out.

Also, a special thanks to Rebecca for letting us borrow her trailer :)

Daisey Update

Daisey has settled in and loves her new place. She loves her new pasture buddy, Beano! After Daisey kicked him three times, Beano is now in control so I am not sure how it worked out that way. They walk side by side and when they graze, more often than not, they are nose to nose. She is still a little spooky when we walk around, but she seems to be getting better about it. I took her on an in hand trail ride with a friend yesterday. She went over the scary bridge w/o batting an eye.

But the best part is......for the first time in over a year and a half......I was home Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday night. Wow!!!! I got so bored I actually went to bed last night at 8:30 p.m.

Everyone I have met so far has been really friendly and helpful.

Please keep me posted on things going on. I will be out soon to pick up my western saddle. Glorya....I will tell Catherine to hang on to your saddle rack for you.

See ya soon,
Amy and Daisey

Tonk and the Bear

This is amazing!  Talk about a connection between a rider and a horse!  The link above takes you to the David Letterman interview with the young woman who's relationship with a horse saved a little boy from a grizzly attack.

Posting to the Blog

Deesbarn blog settings have been changed so that all users can post photos to the Fotos page and create their own pages (like one for your horse, maybe......).  You should now be able to see a number of tabs at the top of your window; just be careful, because these settings give you the rights to edit pages, posts and templates...don't inadvertently delete someone else's contributions.  :-)

Mark Your Calendars!

Dee says that the date for the barn Christmas Party has been set for December 11.  Reserve the date on your calendars.  Details to be announced....

When to Call the Vet

There's a new page on the blog featuring the article: When It’s Time to Call the Vet
by Amanda Martabano House, DVM.  For those, like me, who are barely knowledgeable, it's a concise list of important facts.  For those experienced horse owners, it's a good reminder.  Hope it's helpful.

FOUND - Gold Ring

Hey Everyone, I found a gold ring with initials (I can't read them) at the barn last night. If anyone is missing it please let me know. I will bring it back out to the barn and can leave it where you wish.

"Shot-A-Rama"

It was great to see everyone out at the Horse "Shot-A-Rama" today.  What wonderful weather for just hanging out with BB's and horses.  Now...all we need is some steady rain, Glorya up and well, winning lottery numbers and life would be practically perfect. 

Treat Monsters

Coming Home

I will be back on Thursday and out to the barn on Friday!!! Many thanks to Amy for her care of Beeper in spite of what must be the hottest Texas summer we have ever known. Looking forward to seeing all the BBs. and best of all Beeper. Beep beep! Catherine

ON The Mend

Home from hospital for a week now and doing good. Walking around the back yard three times a day. Staying with my long time friend Brenda Myers in Arlington. Made a couple of trips to the house to see how all the critters are doing. Wendy and her daughter have done a super job, managing all the dogs and parrots. Without the help of my friends this would have been so much more difficult.

Hope to see everyone is a few weeks. I will let you know the night I am coming out to see you all.

Love to you all

Glorya
Bailey is doing great down at Jan's house.

Gutsy Wrangler-huge- horse and grizzlie saves boy

Daisey Coming Home!!!

Daisey is coming home today, Monday. If everyone could please take notice if she is eating and drinking that would be appreciated. If it is after 6:00 p.m. and she has not finished all of her hay or close to it.....she is colicking. She has only not finished her supper twice and both times was when she colicked. All the other horses are still munching away or taking a break from the coastal by 6, but not her. It is all gone.

Please don't hesitate to call me if you see anything suspicious....even shavings on her like she has rolled. Call day or night with anything.

Jo, if you also could not water her this week so I can monitor her fluid intake. I will water Doc when I water her. No need us pulling out the hose twice, and I will be out there every night this week.

Thanks
Amy and Daisey

Daisey update

Dr. Trish texted me early this morning to say she is doing well. Went to see her before work today, and she is bright eyed and bushy tailed. She has pooped three times this morning and a little last night. Hopefully, we are on the mend, but please keep in prayers. I started last night just praying for every horse at Dee's. It will be a nightly ritual now. Let's keep them always healthy through prayer!!!!

Daisey

As everyone knows, Daisey has had a rough week, and I have had an even rougher one. We would like to thank Anne for risking health, life, and limb, to spend the night with us at the barn and for driving us around at 3 in the morning. We now have a new plot to Driving Ms. Daisey. Thanks to Laura, Sue, Jo, Jaime, Courtney, Angela, Terri, Catherine, Glorya, Dee S., and Dee for all your words, time, and prayers. We took her to Dr. Trish's clinic on Friday which everyone probably knows. Dr. Trish said tonight that she is doing great. She is hungry, but all blood work came back perfect, and she is not dehydrated. She has pooped several times and seems to be passing some mineral oil. She is concerned about minimal gut sounds, but she hasn't eaten in a couple of days except for little handfuls. So please I will keep all horses in my prayers, especailly your two Laura while you are out of town and Anne while you are gone for the weekend, and please keep us in your prayers as well. Glorya if you need something brought to you, Sunday is the time to ask b/c I will have free time until Daisey gets back on Monday......or maybe Saturday night also. Have a great weekend everyone!

P.S. Sue if you need anything...don't hesitate to ask.

Amy and Daisey

Glorya's surgery

Tomorrow morning is the big day for Glorya's new hip! Finally she will be able to ride again and even walk pain free!!! Also return to the barn!! Beeper misses her! As do we all!!!

Shot Clinic October 1st

Dr. Trish is coming out to do the horses fall shots on October 1st. If you have any other services you need done (e.g. sheath cleaning, etc.) write it on the board under the note about Dr. Trish coming. She will need to allow extra time for services other than shots.

Doc

Sumone pleze tell my momma that she neads to come and cee me. Sick or not.
Doc.

New Blog Page

Dee is selling all of her English saddles.  I've posted the first one on Ebay and Craig's List.  I've also created a new blog page:  "Tack for Sale."  If you have any tack you'd like to sell, you are welcome to post to this page.  Let me know if you have any difficulties posting your ad.

Hmmmm...

Dee's saddle collection on display for saddler Bob Cooper.

Yes, it is a real tree!

"A Tree Grows Through It"

Glorya wanted to pass along this picture of the tree growing in Catherine's Canadian house...yes, inside the house!

What I want to know is...can we all move up there with you, Catherine?  It's so hot and dry here that the only place trees will grow is inside.

Puppies are leaving the building

For those of you that don't know, I am a small puppy breeder. Last spring several of my girls got lucky (LOL) or is it the other way around. Whatever... I then had a birthing of 20 puppies in May. Ready to sell in middle of July. This has been a very difficult thing to do, between going to work in Dallas, taking care of all the moms and dads, and cleaning up after 20 puppies, I have had my hands full.

Drum roll Please..........
I can proudly say I have sold 15 puppies with 5 to go in a month. God is Good.

Now for the last 5 and my life will be much easier.

Bailey is doing great down on Jan's farm. She has two little mini girls that love her and she waits for me to show up on Sat night around 8:30 to give carrots and get groomed. Bless Jan for all this help.

Surgery will be on the 14 of September and the Doc said I would be riding my little pony in 6 Weeks.

Very good news.

Hope to see you all in Sept. Take care, stay cool and keep lovin those horses.

Glorya

Jo Takes A Roll.

Jo,

I was still laughing about that this morning and again as I am typing this. Thanks for the laugh!!!! I am glad you are o.k. If you would have been SERIOUSLY hurt then i would not have found it funny at all. Just one question....did it happen in slow motion like when you fall off your horse or was it in real time?

For everyone who was not there........Jo was putting hoof dressing on Doc last night and as she was crouching over she lost her balance and rolled underneath Doc. Doc just stood there and looked back like....OMG what is she doing now.....But what a scary thought when you open your eyes and you are staring at a back fetlock withing centimeters from your face and not in a position to move quickly. Like I said when someone falls and they are not hurt I can't stop the giggles. Better go fix my mascara again b/c I now have tears coming out my eyes.

Glorya - Hip Surgery

If I read my phone messages correctly, Glorya's hip surgery is scheduled for 9/14.  Please keep our friend in mind and pray for her complication free and rapid recovery.  She needs to be back in the saddle!!!

New Blog Page

There's a new page on the blog; "To Have a Horse in Your Life."  It's a beautiful essay on a subject that is close to all of our hearts...the link's on the right of this home page.  Worth reading.

To Jo

Hi Jo, how are you? I think instead of Horse Feathers, we should call this the Amy and Jo blog. What do you think? Looking back it seems like we are the only two posting and commenting.

Thanks for your help turning out "The Dais" last night. I know she appreciated it as much as I did.

Maira (Mayra?) Birthday

Angela told me that 8/20 is Maira's birthday.

Drought Effects on Wildlife

From the mighty to the most seemingly insignificant creature - all are suffering from this drought.  Our interdependency upon even the smallest insect is brought forward in this article from weather.com.

Load yourself

Ever feel like telling your horse, "Just go get in the trailer?"  Glorya passed this one along!

Normal Vital Signs - Equine

Normal vital signs for the horse are:

Temperature (rectal): 99 - 101 degrees Farenheit  (Temperature of 102 or more is fever)
Respirations: 8 - 12 per minute
Pulse rate: 38 - 40 per minute

For more information you can check:  http://www.equusite.com/articles/health/healthVitalSigns.shtml

Salt

Just a reminder that with this heat, providing mineralized salt for your horse is a good idea.

LORNA ROCKS!!!!

Thanks Lorna for all your help last night. I would have been there till midnight without you.

Ten Tips to Stay Safe with Your Horse During Hot Weather

Tips to keep you and your horse safe during this heat from Horse Channel.com

Jana and John gave me their phone numbers to post on the blog. They own Lucky and Buddy. Lucky is in the stall next to Jewell, and Buddy is in the pasture where Honey used to be. Phone numbers are 817-909-1651 and 817-602-7330.

Colic and The Heat

This is a bad time of the year for Colic according to Dr. Trish who treated Ginger last night for colic. We always do, but let's keep an extra check on everybody right now by checking to make sure everyone has eaten and that no one is showing any subtle signs right now. Ginger was laying down perfectly calm and relaxed and two minutes later she was in severe pain and miserable. Thank God we were there or it could have been bad. She was doing well last night after Dr. Trish came. Laura was out of town, but luckily Sue came out early to check them.

Let's pool our money....

...and we still won't have enough.  But, wow!  What a great place this would be to board and ride!

http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/americas-most-expensive-home-is-for-cowboys.html

Pictures from Christi Rains Clinic

There's a new page that features pictures from the Christi Rains clinic in a movie format.  While the quality of the photos is not the best, hopefully, it will stir some good memories.

Don't forget, all blog members can post!

Just a reminder; if you're a member of this blog, you can post to the blog.  :-)

Yes, Virginia, It Does Rain Somewhere

Here's the view outside Catherine's front door.  Catherine, we miss you but I, for one, do not feel too terribly sorry for you temperature-wise! 

What a gorgeous place!!!  Bet the horses would love it!

Too hot to ride?

How do you tell if it's too hot for your horse to be ridden?  How should you cool off your horse?  Thanks to Glorya D., there's a new blog page: "Hot Weather Rules for Riding."  The link for the page is on the right side of the screen...

Doc goes bitless

Here's Doc wearing his new bitless bridle; (I still have a few adjustments to make, for instance, the nose piece is a bit too high) he LOVES it.  No balking when I asked for a canter to the left or right today!  He kept his tongue in his mouth rather than sticking it out to the side.  

In case you want to research the subject, here are a few links:


http://www.nurturalhorse.com/

http://www.bitlessbridle.com/

http://www.lightriderbridle.com/

Leaving for Guatemala

BB's - leaving for my mission trip. Look at these shoes for the kids. Thank you all so much for donating to such a create cause.

I will be back the 15th late a night. If anyone see's that Furbie could use a cold rinse I would so appreciate it and will be happy to pay that person when I return.

Glorya will take care of her a couple of nights.

Stay cool. Guatemala weather is in the 70s and rain everyday.

Thanks so much!!!!:
Barb

Equine Herpes - USDA Final Situation Report

The American Paint Horse Association's website has published the USDA's "Final Situation Report" on their Health Updates web page. The complete report may be accessed via the link above. Here is the summary:

"• Owners of horses known to have been exposed in this incident have been contacted by State Animal Health Officials.
• Suspect and confirmed cases are reported to be under voluntary or state quarantine.
• Known exposed horses are reported to be under either voluntary or state quarantine.
• A total of 90 confirmed EHV-1 or EHM cases were reported in 10 states (AZ, CA, CO,
ID, NM, NV, OK, OR, UT, WA)
• Of the 90 confirmed EHV/EHM cases, 54 cases were horses that were at the Ogden, Utah event.
• There are 13 horses associated with this incident that are dead or have been euthanized.
• There are 0 newly identified premises with suspect or confirmed cases identified this reporting period.
• With no new cases and no new affected premises, disease spread in connection with this incident has been contained. No further situation reports will be generated."

Courtneys Vacation

Courtney is on vacation this week for those of you who might want to know. You can still text her if necessary.

beep-beep

WATER in Geldings Pasture

Last night Jo noticed the water in the geldings pasture was only half full. I called Dee and she called back and said the they often turned the water off if the pressure was too low in the house. The result is that the water to the water trough in the geldings pasture is not on and the trough can not fill. It is VITAL that we check this often!!!!!!

beep-beep

New Website is Live.... check it out

Hi BB! The website is now live. If you would like anything posted or see an edit you would like to make please let me know! ):

Which are you????? Teacher or Student

‎'If a horse is right brained then he is the teacher and you are the student, but if he is left brained, you are the teacher and he is the student.' - Ronnie Willis,

One of Parelli's mentors

APHA's FAQ's for Equine Herpes Virus

Hi, guys. I found this FAQ .pdf via the APHA website and though it would be of interest.

Groundwork Puts the Horse Relationship First

Groundwork Puts the Horse Relationship First

by NCarpenter

May23rd,2011






When You Don’t Have Time for Groundwork
by Cynthia McFarland with Parelli Natural Horsemanship

Nobody needs to remind a horse lover that riding time is precious. With our hectic schedules, every minute spent in the saddle is close to sacred.

With this in mind, many horse owners consider working with their horse on the ground unnecessary if the horse is already trained. Yet groundwork tasks can add a valuable dimension to the relationship between horse and human, and actually improve your horsemanship skills. They can also keep you safe.

Read your Horse

In the Eight Parelli Principles of Horsemanship, Principle #2 is "Make no assumptions."

"Just because you had a good ride yesterday doesn’t mean things will go the same today," says Pat Parelli. "Horses are living things and they are reactive to environmental changes. Your horse might be spookier today because it’s windy, or he doesn’t want to leave his best friend, or he didn’t like what you did yesterday. Things like this will affect his attitude towards you making him seem less agreeable or more distracted, even downright panicky. Taking just a few minutes to see what side of the corral your horse woke up on is an important horseman’s habit."

This teaches you to read your horse, to notice and address the smallest things instead of waiting until they are a full blown problem. It also improves your relationship with your horse because he starts to see that you care about getting calm, connected and responsive before forking your leg over him and riding off to do what you want to do.

"Horses are like aircraft," notes Linda Parelli, Pat’s wife and teaching partner. "To ensure a safe flight you need to do a ground check to make sure everything is operating safely before you take off."

Most people have no idea that their horse is "tuned out" or unwilling to be ridden. If they did, they could deal with these issues on the ground instead of trying to fix the problem in the saddle.

The Parelli’s teach students to put the relationship with their horse first. By putting the horse/human relationship ahead of performance, the goal is to establish leadership based on trust, communication and cooperation. There’s a very practical reason for this.

"If your horse does not accept you as leader, he’s likely to be flighty and scared, or pushy and disobedient," Linda explains. "All this can be fixed on the ground where you can read your horse’s expression and intent, and he can read yours. Once your horse relaxes and becomes more cooperative the ride will be more enjoyable — and safer — for you both."

You should make no assumptions before getting on a horse, even if someone else tells you, "Go ahead, he’s fine." A horse is not a machine, he’s a living, breathing, thinking and emotional animal, Pat points out.

"He’s a natural follower looking for a leader," adds Linda. "In the true spirit of loving horses, we would never get on a horse that has not first accepted us on the ground; it just doesn’t feel right."

Don’t Call It "Work"

Everything you do on the ground, including your pre-ride checklist, shouldn’t necessarily be considered "groundWORK".

"We don’t like the word ‘work,’ and neither do horses," says Linda. "We play with horses to get them interested in interacting with us and following our lead. The pre-ride checklist is like a pre-flight check, so this can be as short or long as necessary to get your horse in tune with you before you climb aboard. It can be anything from a couple of minutes to an hour or more with an exceptionally difficult horse or situation. The point is, don’t get on until it’s right on the ground."

Two other ways the Parellis play with horses on the ground are on a line and at liberty. This type of play has a different purpose than the pre-ride checklist. These tasks are all about teaching your horse to become calmer, smarter, braver and more athletic by introducing him to various obstacles and asking for an ever advancing series of maneuvers. These range from change of direction to transitions, flying changes, spins, stops, and collected maneuvers like the passage, piaffe and pirouette.

There’s no way to recommend a specific amount of time that should be dedicated to working with your horse on the ground. This totally depends on the horse. The more challenging and "green" he is, the longer your ground preparation needs to be. If your goal is to get your horse "rideable," then you’ll want to play with him until he’s calm, trusting, motivated and obedient.

There are several areas where you can incorporate preparation on the ground into your routine to enhance your relationship, without spending a great deal of time. Let’s look at some of them:

Catching Your Horse

If your horse doesn’t approach you, whether he’s in a stall, corral, or 10-acre pasture, that’s not a good sign.

"Many people have horses that are hard to catch and they blame that on the horse," notes Pat. "If your human friend turned or ran away from you when you approached, would you call them ‘hard to catch,’ or would you be concerned about the relationship?"

Because the horse-human relationship is largely misunderstood, horses get the blame for just about everything.

"A horse that truly likes you, trusts you, wants to be with you will prick up his ears and come right up to you as if to say ‘pick me!’ That’s a great reflection on you and how you honor, teach and treat your horse," Pat says. "You need to learn how to attract your horse rather than trap him to be caught. Just working on this will change a lot, even the riding experience."

Grooming & Handling

You shouldn’t have to cross-tie your horse for grooming to keep him from wanting to leave, but too often we take a business-like approach to grooming. The next time you bring up your horse, think about how you can make this time a pleasant experience for him instead of just getting the dirt off and making him look good.

True, some days you have more time than others. When you have extra minutes, put them to good use and look at your grooming sessions as a way to build the relationship. The time you spend with your horse should make him feel calmer and soothed.

Every horse has an itchy spot or two. Take the time to find them! Work on things like teaching your horse to lower his head. Pick up his feet, lift his tail, handle his ears. Done the right way, these little things will develop your leadership role in small, yet significant, ways.

Tacking Up

Many horses hate to be saddled because their experiences have been unpleasant, beginning with the first time they were saddled. Change this by using a different tactic.

"Use the approach and retreat method to build confidence," says Pat. "Saddle and unsaddle several times until your horse relaxes, and then cinch up. Or put the saddle on and wait until he relaxes before cinching/girthing up. If you take some time with saddling, your horse will improve. Even biting and kicking will disappear because your horse will feel considered instead of forced."

"When a biter turns to nip when we’re snugging up the girth or cinch, we often give them a carrot," says Linda. "It blows their mind! Pretty soon that negative feeling they have about the whole saddling experience turns into a pleasant one."

After Riding

Instead of just untacking your horse and putting him up, don’t call it quits when you pull off the saddle.

"Take your horse for a roll in the sand or a swim in the pond. Give him a massage, take him grazing," Linda suggests. "Those cooling off times are often the best times for getting closer to your horse."

Look for ways to finish your session on a great note every time in ways your horse will appreciate. Taking that little bit of extra time with him will pay off in volumes the next time you take him for a ride.

The Parelli Program teaches that horses aren’t just for riding. You can play with them on the ground and riding, with a line, without a line, without contact and with contact. All of these activities make for a well-rounded relationship and add more diversity and fun to the time you spend together.








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Refrigerator REALLY Broken

OK...so it seems the refrigerator really has seen its last day this time. If you have medicine or anything else that must be refrigerated you may want to take them home.

When Planning Intrudes On the Horse Relationship

When Planning Intrudes On the Horse Relationship
by NCarpenter
May 17th, 2011

Art of the "Mosey"
by Cynthia McFarland with Parelli Natural Horsemanship

Imagine you’re at home on a leisurely Saturday with nothing on your agenda but some time to yourself. There’s a breeze in the trees overhead and the birds are singing. You’re relaxing in the hammock just getting started on the first chapter of a great book.

Suddenly, the sound of a vehicle disturbs the tranquility and you look up to see your best friend driving in. She spies you in the hammock just as she jumps out of the car, and makes a beeline straight for your peaceful spot. Without so much as a "hi there," she grabs your arm, pulls you out of the hammock and over to the car where she gently pushes you into the driver’s seat and then plops into the passenger seat.

"Okay, let’s go!" she announces in her perkiest voice. "Thought we’d go to the mall, but I hope you don’t mind if we run some errands first. Hey, would you mind driving a little faster? I have a lot of places to go. Oh, you missed a turn. Oops, that was a stop sign. Hey, are you even listening to me?"

If you’re thinking, wait a minute, MY best friend would NEVER do that to me, ask yourself a question: Could this scenario even remotely resemble the way you approach and spend time with your horse?

With horses, it’s all about the moment. With humans, it’s too often about everything else we have to get done after the moment.the art of mosey

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having an agenda of things you want to accomplish with your horse. The problem arises when your plan intrudes on the relationship.

"You only have so much time to be with your horse, and you’ve already planned what you want to do… go for a trail ride, or go to the arena and practice something, so that’s exactly what’s on your mind when you arrive," notes Linda Parelli. "Horses can feel it. They can feel that predatory, direct-line ‘gotta do it’ approach and it’s unsettling for them. Some horses are hard to catch because of it and others get cranky or stubborn, but most of the time we have no idea what is causing it."

The key, as the Parelli program emphasizes, is putting the relationship with the horse above everything else. Goals become secondary.

"This means that we do whatever it takes to connect with the horse and have him be happy to see us," says Pat Parelli. "When you treat horses this way the difference is amazing. Instead of the session starting when you get to the arena, it starts the moment you see each other."

Approach with Permission

You set the stage for the entire session with your approach, and this starts from the moment the horse first sees you. The results you hope to achieve with your horse are based this crucial time.
Whether your horse is in a stall, corral or pasture, he notices your approach. But have you taken the time to observe HOW he notices you?

Are both ears forward with his head turned toward you? Is one ear slightly turned toward you? Are both ears cocked back, or worse, does he turn his hind end to you or head in the opposite direction when he sees you coming?

"When your horse’s ears are up and pricked towards you, you have permission to approach," notes Pat. "If he’s looking away or turns his butt to you, you have to get his attention and permission. He should face you and give permission to approach."

"As soon as I can see my horse, I know he can see me. Everything starts from the moment my horse sees me, not when I catch him," adds Linda. "I focus on the first moment he notices me and I smile, slow down, retreat somewhat, or soften in some way so the horse knows I’m connecting with him and not just barging into his space."
Your horse gives you permission to approach when he puts one or both ears toward you. Better yet, he sees you and starts coming to you first.

Most of the time, horse owners simply barge into the stall or walk across the pasture and right up to the horse. They halter the horse immediately and lead him out. But if you think of the horse’s stall as his bedroom, or the pasture as his house, you’ll begin to have a more respectful approach.
When you greet your horse, rub the base of his neck (a friendly place to the horse), and take your time haltering him. Then, don’t just lead your horse; go together and "mosey" a while.

Go Mosey Together

Webster’s Dictionary defines the word "mosey" as "to stroll, amble or shuffle along; to go away, move along." If you’re moseying, you’re definitely not hurrying!

You’ll realize the value of this simple step once you appreciate the fact that horses LOVE to mosey.

the art of mosey"Moseying is the exact opposite of rushing straight into your session. It’s a kind of emotional warm up," explains Linda. "Many years ago and in the early days of doing courses and workshops, we’d tell people to get their horse and meet us in the arena. Then we’d have to spend time helping people sort out emotional problems with their horses before they could actually learn something. The horses were nervy, tense or cranky and ‘sully’ or tuned out, but it took a little while for us to realize that this was caused by the way people got their horse to the arena.

"We started telling them to take their time, and allow a good 10 to 30 minutes to get there, depending on how spirited their horse was. The difference was amazing… relaxed horses, relaxed riders, everyone in great mental and emotional shape and ready to learn."

A student with a nervous, fretful horse wasn’t doing either of them any favors by hurrying to get to the arena. Instead, Pat and Linda suggested that student take her time approaching and catching the horse. Once the horse was haltered, instead of heading directly to the arena, the owner took the horse to a patch of grass and let him graze a few minutes. Then she "moseyed" on over to another patch of grass.

By the time the two of them had made their very indirect way to the arena, the horse was relaxed, quiet and ready to focus.

If your horse has any say in the relationship, (and he should!), there will be a bit of mosey in every interaction you have together. How much time will vary.

"It depends on the nature of the horse and the level of skill and savvy of the rider," says Linda. "It may be 10 to 30 minutes. Sometimes if a horse is really challenging, the mosey ends up becoming the whole session."

When this happens, the result is usually remarkable because the horse becomes convinced that your intention is focused on his happiness and relaxation, and this takes the relationship to a whole new level. He will start meeting you at the gate or stall door and will be more connected. He’ll show more interest in you than in the other horses or the barn.

"Barn-sour horses are actually ‘sweet’ on the barn and would rather be there than with you," Linda notes. "When you put more effort into the relationship, the reverse happens… they’d rather be with you."

Moseying doesn’t mean you lead your horse out of the stall and let him drag you around the barn yard searching for the best grazing spot. It doesn’t mean you stuff your pockets with horse treats and let him maul you. Remember, you’re still the leader and you call the shots. But you do so with your horse’s best interests – and ultimately, the relationship – in mind.

When you mosey, the two of you are going somewhere together. You’re just taking a little more time to get there so you enjoy each other’s company along the way. It may take you 10 minutes to amble from the pasture to the barn to tack up, instead of the usual three minutes, but it’s worth every second. You’re letting your horse know you appreciate him for who he is, not just what he does when you’re on his back.

Moseying works with every type of Horsenality because the horse quickly discovers it’s all about him. The art of the mosey can be tough to grasp because most horse owners are pressed for time and determined to fit in as much as possible when they’re with their horses. It takes a conscious effort to slow down and look at things from your horse’s point of view.

"It’s a discipline, there’s no doubt," says Pat. "But if you commit to putting the relationship first you’ll soon realize it’s not a waste of time and everything else improves as a result."

***Recent outbreak of EHV-1***

In order to ensure the safety of our horses, all must stay on property until further notice.

If your horse MUST go off the property, they will not be allowed to come back until veterinarians have said all is clear.

Courtney and Dee have decided upon this to keep our barn safe, if you have a horse that MUST leave the property please contact Courtney first.

Jan and Glorya Playing with Minis

Last weekend when Catherine and I took Bailey done to Jan's farm, we played with the Minis. We had a lot of fun and got them to do the games with us and even the scarey flag game.

This is going to be our next class for Natural Horsemanship

New Cake Pops

Take a look at the Angry Bird Cake Pops

Cash Before & After

I can't believe how much he has changed in only 1 month! A couple more and he will look perfect =)

P.S. I love Platinum Performance!!!

Natural Horsemanship Classes

Bailey is leaving the barn for 6 months

You all know that I have had a rough time with keeping Bailey sound. Wanted to give her time off to heal and see if it makes a difference. So Jan (Pride's ) owner has said she can move down there for 6 months. I will be going towards some surgery on hip in the next few months and will need the time to heal.

Just so all of you know what is going on with the both of us.

I hope to be able to come out at least a couple times a week to give you all a Natural Horsemanship lesson.

Glory

Respect at Feeding Time Parelli Way

This is a 3 Year old doing Parelli on the Ground

New Barn Buddies Coming!

A very nice couple, Kitty and Red Owens, are joining our barn.  Courtney will be bringing Kitty's paint horse, Cherokee, out today!  BTW, Kitty is interested in trail riding...

Broken refrigerator - Fixed

Everyone may already be aware, but if you are not, the fridge is broken. If you have any medicine, treats, etc. that need to be refrigerated bring a cooler or take them home for the time being.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter to all Barn Buddies from me and Doc!  Have a wonderful and peaceful day.

Daisey's other boy, Polish Leopardo. Please don't listen to my dumbass on the video. It was an exciting day, and I am corny as we all know and my fake laugh could win awards.

Daisey's baby boy. Polish Red.

Free Tickets Available

I have 4 extra tickets to the Parelli Colt starting Clinic on May 6 7 and 8th.
It is a three day clinic down at Will Rogers COLISEUM. I can get more if needed. Janet and I will be going. Come join the fun.

hell week in the sorority

I wanted to share how wonderful you all are for watching over Pie and I. We aim to tone down and have a back-to-normal life at the stables before too long. Yesterdays scuff up on her back legs leaves me on an even faster/stronger desire to settle her off balance estrus. Thank you ALLLLLLL!!!!!!!! love me and Pie

Trying a Peruvian Mare

Arena is out of Comission for a few days

To all that want to ride in the arena, it is in bad shape and will be that way for a few days. Just posted so you all would not drive out to ride and be disappointed.

Glorya

News from Riding Unlimited (they have Magic)

Magic is wonderful. We used him in Area Special Olympics yesterday at the ranch for one of our Saturday riders. He (Kyle) and Magic won their equitation class. He is doing very very well. I am so thankful for him.


Go Little Magic Go

I am very proud of him.


Glorya

RABIES--IMPORTANT

Got this from my mother today. You may want to share this with your friends if you all don’t already know about it. I get these updates from the Dept of state health services. I guess I did not even give a thought to a horse getting rabies. Texas Department of State Health Services NEWS RELEASE April 8, 2011 Horse Show Attendees May Have Been Exposed to Rabies Texas Department of State Health Services officials say that people who attended horse shows in Belton and Lufkin last month may have been exposed to a horse that tested positive for rabies. The shows were attended by roughly 150 people from Texas, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana and Mississippi. While risk of transmission to humans appears to be low, DSHS is attempting to contact show attendees about possible exposures. Rabies is a viral illness that is almost always fatal once symptoms develop. The horse participated in events at the following two shows during its infectious period: · March 19-21, American Southwest Texas Cutting Horse Association show, Belton · March 25-27, Lufkin Cutting Horse Association show, Lufkin Health officials are urging people who believe they have been exposed to the rabid horse to contact their health care provider or DSHS at (512) 458-7455 to determine if preventive treatment is warranted. The horse was a 7-year-old bay quarter horse gelding with a faint star on its forehead. During the events, the horse was ridden and fed only by its owners and trainers and was stabled in a barn at each site. Illness was first noticed in the horse March 31. It died April 4 and tested positive for rabies April 6. People can be infected with the rabies virus if they are bitten or if the infected animal’s saliva gets in an open wound or cut or in the eyes, nose or mouth of a person. A series of post-exposure shots, if given in time, can prevent rabies from developing. Thank you, Lonnette Foerster Job Requisition Coordinator Vernon Campus North Texas State Hospital 940-552-4022 fax 940-553-2505 lonnette.foerster@dshs.state.tx.us

Bareback Pad with Stirrups

Does anyone have a bareback pad with stirrups I can borrow for about 3 weeks?  I sent my saddle off to have the stirrup configuration changed.

Hey BB's - taking a mission trip to Guatemala in July and am reaching out to all of you to help me buy shoes for the kids. See attached mailer for details.

Thanks so much for your support!
Froggie and Furbie

Laura's new horse (Mr. no name)

Here he is >

Wagon Needed

Barn buddies we are looking for a good size wagon so we can haul things up from the parking area to the barn. Please keeps eyes open for a garage sale or sale in newspaper. This would belong to the barn people. Anyone have one bring it to the barn.

Glorya

Midnight - 3 legged horse

Take a look at the video featured on the above link...a miniature horse with a prosthetic leg!  What an amazing story (yes, I cried).

Trail Ride Sunday

Little Daisy was a Super Star. She went through flapping white bags, gas truck, gas wells, gas pipes on the ground, down to the creek and over the water and up the hill, winds that were 50 MPH off the lake, park bench sitting out in no-where-land, huge lake with lapping waves below us (Bailey was concerned at this, bucking bronc horse, screaming and yelling (me yelling and Lorna Screaming), Debbie going on a sideways fast down hill on Chief Apache, Little Doc kicking out, First Motor boat on the lake, tying to the trailer and hanging out. WOW what a Ride LOL


Glorya

Patterns...Wednesday Night???

Are we on for pattern work Wednesday evening?  

Anyone want to meet at the barn Sunday evening to ride? Say about 6 or 6:30 p.m. Let me know. It is usually less windy in the evenings and absolutely gorgeous!


Amy

How to Stay Cool

This afternoon, as I was leaving the barn, Ginger and Sassy showed me how easy it is to cool off.  It was so funny, they were standing in the middle of the creek, "scooping" water up onto their bellies...splashing, splashing, splashing.  Looked like fun; I almost joined them, but decided a shower would probably be better.  Wish I had a picture!

Lorna,

How did the saddle work out for you last night? HOw did patterns go? Did Glorya figure out her bit?

Amy

March 16th--Patterns tonight????? I have one that we could use which I made up but it worked well the other night.

Daisy Goes Western

Take a look at Ms. Daisy on the "Fotos" page (the link's on the rt. side of this page) - she's lookin' purty!  (Thanks, Glorya, for sending the pic...)

Patterns tonight????

we should try tonight weather will be good -- tomorrow's going to be really really windy and we know how our horses behave in the wind.

Are we doing pattern night tonight?

Trail ride flyer

2011 NHAT Spring Trail Ride Flier[1]

Remember Me Rescue Trail Ride

Hey BB's!

I have found a new adventure for us to go on. An ex racehorse rescue in Burleson is having their 1st Annual Trail Ride. It will be held April 9th, 11am at Loyd Park in Grand Prairie. It is free to ride, but I think it would be GREAT if we could chip in money to raise a Bronze sponsorship ($200). If you click on the title of my post it will take you to their website where more information can be found. There will be lunch served for $5 and they will hold a raffle for some great prizes! If you have facebook "like" them there as well.

P.S. We need to get Glorya used to driving to big rig of Dee's so we can make it out more often :)

Pattern night

BB - anyone up for practicing patterns on Wednesday night?

Say "hi" to Doc for me

I haven't been to the barn since Monday evening due to feeling a little under the weather and working on work at home.  I probably won't get out until Saturday morning.  I'd appreciate it if you could say "hi" to Doc for me when you go out (also, was hoping that if any of you see that he's having any issues you could notify me...)  Thanks so much!

I'm Bored...Let's Play!

The weather is getting warmer and we need a reason to meet up and ride together! I know sometimes it can be boring just riding in circles so I thought we could get together and play some games. I have listed some I found online below. Sure it says they are for kids, but we are kids at heart, right?!

Many traditional party games and group games can be adopted for use by riders on horseback. Follow the Leader, for example, can be played by riders at all levels. The leader can set up obstacles depending on the ability of the group; obstacles can be as simple as barrels to walk around or as complex as a course to jump through. Follow the Leader will help riders develop balance and pacing as well as control over their horses' movements. Simon Says is another traditional game that can be played on horseback and easily adapted to any riding level

.

Musical Horses: This is a horse riding game that works just like Musical Chairs! Place ground poles parallel to each other, about 8 feet apart, in the center of the arena creating horse parking lots, for lack of a better description! The kids ride on the rail to music and must do whatever is asked for - walk - trot - canter - halt - half circle - reverse - circle. When the music stops the riders must continue in the same direction but get to a ground pole parking lot quickly. Because you have created one less parking lot than riders, one rider is left out and must exit. Then, you take away a pole and start the music again, and again until there is a winner

Spring Flowers

Hello BB's!

Spring is coming around the corner and for those of you who love spring flowers please check this (flyer) out. Young Life is an outreach ministry for high school students and every summer they have a week long camp. Nearly half of the money you spend on each flat goes directly to a student to help cover camp costs. For an additional $40 (all of which goes straight to kids camp fee) a Young Life leader and students will plant your flowers. If you would like to place an order you can email me at lauramecca11@gmail.com. Please include the following:

Name:

Address:

Phone Number:

Type of flower and quantities (example: bronze leaf begonias red - 1, dusty miller -3, and hot pink impatiens - 1)

Make checks payable to Young Life (if you would like to know more about YL Arlington check out their website: http://sites.younglife.org/sites/Arlington/default.aspx)

Orders are due by March 4th

I can bring the flowers to the barn on April 2nd (or we can arrange another time).

Parelli Playday in Aubrey

Jan and I went to Parelli Playday in Aubrey yesterday.  They have wonderful obstacles and lots of land.  Jan took her new horse "7" and I took Pride.  They both were really wonderful.   Such a beautiful day to ride and play with horses.  They did the giant two tractor tire step (Pride is a star)  and the teeter totter.

Bailey will be leaving the barn for 3 Months

I am working on some treatment for Bailey's lameness and will be moving her down to Jan's farm for three months.  This is the only way I can afford to pay for the treatments.  She will be back in three months.  Meanwhile, I will see you all at the barn once in a while. 

Glorya

Anyone riding Sunday evening?

Amy and Daisey

Congratulations

CONGRATULATIONS GLORYA ON YOUR NEW HORSE!!!!!

Laura, we will welcome you back on Saturday. Sue was out tonight to visit with Ginger and was welcomed back - we all missed her and you too. It seems like a long time since we have seen you. The weather has been warm and very nice in the evenings at the barn. Now we are talking about making cake balls which we sampled at the charity dinner last Saturday night - yum, yum.

We are all thinking about a new project for all BB's. Give any sugestions to Glorya so she can whip us into shape.

Beep Beep

Snow, snow, go away...lol!

Looks like the weather followed me to Reno! I hear it is great out in Texas now. I will be in Reno until Friday and hope to make it out to the barn this Saturday. I hope to see some of my barn buddies out for a ride =). With this nice weather coming around we really need to work on another project. All the horse shows start back up in March!

Texting in Horse Language

In today's ever faster moving world, it is important to be efficient in our communication, especially when texting. In the interest of helping the horse world keep pace, following are some abbreviations for common phrases we use every day. Enjoy!

• OOH - out of hay
• LAS - lost a shoe
• BBM - bastard just bit me
• FOMHL - Fell Off My Horse Laughing
• FTC -- Forgot the carrots
• MIHA -- Mare's in heat again
• ITTI -- I'll try tennis instead
• LWW -- Lesson went well
• MSMBO - mud sucked my boot off
• HSIH - Horse Snot in Hair
• HAO - Hay All Over
• HIMB - Hay in My Bra
• PIHH - Poop-Induced Half Halt
• UD - Unplanned Dismount
• PTTDG - Prayed to the Dirt God
• MMM - Master Manure Mucker
• OOM - Out of money
• MHTS - More horses than sense.
• BAH - HFFD - bought another horse -  husband filed for divorce
• GBBF - got board bill, fainted
• GFBF - got farrier bill, fainted
• GVBF - got vet bill .... (you can guess the rest)
• HRHCF - husband realized horse costs, fainted
• SLH - Smell like horse
• DQFOY - Dressage Queen fell off - yipee
• HNHFH - Hiding new horse from husband
• WWFNS - Will work for new saddle
• AROGC - Arena rained out - going crazy
• SSB - saddle sore butt
• BTLGR - b###hy trainer left - good riddance
• ALIGAR - At least I got a ribbon
• NLT - No lesson today
• HGR - Have a great ride!
•  
• Glorya

Pride

Jan has a new horse and has given Pride (TN walker to me)  I love Pride, but I am not sure what to do with Bailey.   This is going to be a tough one. 

glorya

ACTHA's "America's Favorite Trail Horse"

The American Competitive Trail Horse Association is producing a reality series which will culminate in voting for "America's Favorite Trail Horse."  There are cash and other prizes involved.  So, this could be a chance for one of our friends to become a star!  Auditions are being held in the DFW area in April.  Click on the title of this post to go to the web page for all of the details.....  Glorya?  Lorna?  Debbie?

Dr Trish's visit rescheduled again!

I spoke with Courtney this afternoon and she advised that Dr. Trish's visit is rescheduled for the last Saturday in Feb.  So, plan on shots & Coggins on Saturday, Feb. 26 @ 9:30 A.M.

Furbies coming home....

Hi BB. Got some great news. Furbs eye is much better now, she can open it all the way and is being released from the Clinic on Sunday.

Things in Colorado have went very well. Dave and Charmaine are on the mend. Thank the Lord!

I had a freak accident the night I got here, stopped at Applebees to pick up dinner for everyone -- was setting at the bar - my UGH boot got caught in the chair and it took me down. I hit my head really hard on the bar stool and have a really nasty bump on my head. AND, I swear I was not drunk.

Miss you all coming home in the morning.

Barn Buddies

Don't forget Saturday Night.....   Boot Scoot fund Raiser in Weatherford.  It starts at 6:00 pm , so we should meet up and go together around 5:00pm.  Dress is casual   (Wear your best Barbie outfit)




See  you all then.
Glorya and Bailey Sue

Dripping Water

Just heard from AMY at the barn and Jamie has the water faucets dripping just the way he wants them for the night. He requests that we do not change his settings - poor guy, just wants running water in the morning. If you go out tonight (Wednesday) leave the water alone.

Beep-Beep

Weather is starting to get to me

I will be working from home today.  This weather is what I was suppose to leave when I moved south.  Seems it is following me.  Stay warm and think warm thoughts.  Saturday and Sunday are coming soon with wonderful weather with it.

Weekend

If anyone wants to meet at the barn Sat. night or Sun. night, please let me know.

Amy and Daisey

See you Tuesday - if you're going out!

I'll be out to ride tomorrow evening right after work...see you if you're there!  I spoke with Courtney this afternoon and she said that the horses were turned out today - I'll bet there was much kicking up of the heels!!!  Bless them...looks like Wednesday may be yucky.

Riding today -- Sweet!

What a beautiful day again at the barn. After we dropped Furbie off we came back and rode Impy.... check Glorya doing "western pleasure". Very nice, Sarg! He's very happy doing his job.
All the horses we pretty quiet today - enjoying the sun shine.

Furbies temporary home

Hey BB's - heads up. With the bad weather coming again, and me having to be out of town -- I decided that it was best to take Furbie to Dr. Trisha's clinic for treatment. Here's her new digs. Very nice place. Hopefully, she will only have to be there 1 week.

Thank you Glorya for taking her there and all you support! This way she will really have a chance to get that eye better.

Furbie will miss you all - especially Doc.

Daisey Seeks Out Freedom!!!!

Daisey is very restless. Yesterday, she figured out how to open the roundpen gate. She saw freedom and took it. Out to Bailey's pen is where her cantering heart led her to see if Bailey (since she hasn't been in there) maybe had some leftovers. Jo, luckily, saw the whole thing happen and caught her with the idea of a cookie. She didn't actually have any. Proving that Daisey can be fooled easily. Maybe she isn't as smart afterall. I let Courtney know of her new talents, but if any of you see her in a place where the gate does not have a chain or halter around it for added security, please add one.

Hope eveyone is well.

Amy and Daisey

P.S. I am going to try and ride Monday night if anyone wants to join me and provided that the arena has been dragged by then.

Busy Saturday

I finally made it out to the barn under my own power. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon and the horses were so glad to be taken out of their stalls. Gloyra lounged Beeper and he ran like a mad man around and around!!!!! He was nuts! but was back to his normal self by the time he had looked over the other horses, walked in the woods and checked out the hay supply. Katie was out with Pi, Lorna with Furbie (she was very good about her eyedrops and ointment), she also took Impy out a bit. I just missed Jo who was leaving as I arrived. All the horses in the barn were given 20 minutes in the roundpen.

It was a wonderful day and we were as glad to be out as the horses were.

Beep Beep

Thank you BB

It is such a blessing to have BB that watch out for each other. Glorya thank you so much for taking care of Furbie today -- I know that she was very happy to get of that stall and be free for a few minutes and especially getting those drops in her eye.

I will be out tomorrow, not sure what time. I am still dealing with no water.

GOD Bless BB!

Friday

Just to let everyone know that Catherine, Gloria, and I made it to the barn on Friday. All the horses are pretty restless. Ginger had a good time in the round pen and little Daisey had a fabulous time in her pen for a few minutes. She ran and played along the fence line with Bailey. Bailey wasn't showing any lameness. Hmmmm???? After that Jasmine and little Daisey played a little. They snuggled each other and must really love each other. It was so cute. I have never seen horses snuggle their faces together for such a long time. I wonder what they were saying to each other.

Jamie is still taking excellent care of everyone. It looked like their buckets had been not only filled but some of them looked as though they have been cleaned as well. It looked like everyone received extra hay for the evening.

Tomorrow the roads should be even better. Yeah!!!!

Amy and Daisey

Poor Daisey. Look at her poor body. This is what she looked like when I got her. This was after a week and a 1/2 of good, plentiful, groceries.

I am so happy that I found her and could change her life for the better.

And look at me in the photo. I was so down and felt so sorry for her. And thought what a horrible mistake since she had no manners and tried to kick at me or run over me every chance she got. LOL.

And now look at us!! Best buds, although I still wish she cantered like Doc or Beeper.

Amy and Daisey

Thanks Jo for making this communication possible. I might try to make it to the barn today. Last night, it was pretty scary driving home. The roads seemed much slicker in the dark. I plan to go around 3 or so today, but if I start and it is just too bad, I may turn around and go back home. I know that Katy made it to the barn as well either on Tuesday or Wednesday. Can't remember. All these days are running together.

I miss my girl. Hopefully, we can all go tomorrow. Kudos to Jaime for keeping everyone fed and watered. Poor guy. He needs a raise for the past few days.

Oh well, stay warm and stay safe. Pray for Jaime and the horses!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amy and Daisey

P.S. When you drive over the bridge just hold your breath. It is terrifying. I dread it. Such a long way down.

Going Nuts!

This is awful!! I need my horse fix. I was rescued by Glorya on Wednesday for a short trip to the barn. I had to walk up from my subdivision to Division St. Slipped and fell on the ice - dropping alfala pellets for glop, but we got there. Thursday the hill out of the subdivision was still a sheet of ice, but Amy made it to the barn and today it is snowing like crazy and there are two cars in the street outside just sitting there, so I guess they didn't even get to the hill out of this crazy place. None of my neighbors have gone to work.

I see a small piece of blue sky just now. Hope springs eternal for a trip to the barn - if I can make it to the top of the hill. Glorya suggested I carry the alfalfa pellets in a bag to cushion the falls I will surely have.

Hope you are doing well with all this weather,

Catherine

Anyone Know This Man?????

Proof that Catherine and I made it out to the barn

Wednesday afternoon, Catherine and I decided to go to the  barn  (not a good Idea).   I picked up Catherine at the end of her street.  (She fell several times on the ice just getting trying to walk to the end of her street).  Roads were icy and the bridge going over the creek at Dee's  looked very scary.   Got up to the barn and all the horses were doing find.  They want out of their stalls, but not uncomfortable.   We had Jamie take a picture of us to show you all that we made the effort.  LOL
We gave all the horses treats and talked to them all.  

Stay warm   Glorya

Dr. Trish's visit rescheduled for 2/12

Saw Courtney at the barn today and she advised that Dr. Trish has rescheduled her shots visit for Saturday 2/12 @ 9:30 A.M.

Everyone appears to be tolerating the weather better than us humans are although Doc is restless...  Beeper is, too; he started kicking his stall when he saw Noland and me.  From what I could tell, Furbie's eye looks better.  All of our friends have water without ice, thanks to Jaime.

Stay warm!

I went yesterday afternoon around 5:00 p.m. Catherine and Gloria went out sometime before that. Everyone seemed o.k.

Amy

Anyone been to the Barn???

Anyone trying to make it out today? Please call me if you do. 817-296-0817

Amy and Daisey

Furbies new fly mask

Hi BB's - check out Furbies new mask. She is cheetah! Is that just too cute. She thinks so. She's like----- well if I have to wear one of these ridiculous looking things could I at least look trendy or something.

Geessh mom.

Thanks for all your support!!! Be back riding soon with ya"ll.