Random Musings 'bout the Pony

 It’s hard when you are sick and the weather is nicer.  You want to play with your pony but the couple times you try you end up in coughing fits.  Ugh!  I haven’t ridden in a while and I know if I do ride I need to take it slow because a coughing fit in the saddle will not be fun.  I’m doing much better with my cough, it’s much more shallow but with the colder air I could easily make it worse again if I exert too much outside in the cold.

Dani is very cute.  I released her into the arena one day to roll and play.  She was full of bucks, snorts and farts!  LOL.  She was rolling then almost in one movement jumped and bucked a couple times and cantered off snorting and farting.  Oh if only I’d had my video on at the time.  It cracked me up! 

Lately when I’ve been releasing her in the “grazing” area she’s made a beeline for Daves hay bales.  He’s been buying a mostly alfalfa mix big bale….one of those almost 1,000 lb things from the local Prairie Springs Farm down the road.  That’s a nice facility with an indoor arena, expensive for what you get with no pasture turn out but nice full care right in town. 

Anyways, Dani can’t resist and I have to run up the hill, grab his practice rope that he leaves on a cow decoy and shoe her away.  She’ll eat the bits and pieces that have fallen when David has moved his hay in sections into his shed….I’m okay with that but when she starts digging through the tarp and trying to eat the bale I’m not okay with it.  I don’t want her eating his hay!  What a pest Dani can be!

David told me the day he brought the two bales there he had to fight off Don’s horses.  They are two mustangs that this guy doesn’t do anything with and has had the sheriff out a few times because of lack of feeding.  I think Don is missing a few screws in his head and really shouldn’t have horses but at least he seems to have been feeding more regularly.  The club alerted his family of the situation, brother, sister etc. and they have been assisting.  The older gelding isn’t looking so ribby anymore.  Anyhow Don had his boys out to graze and they were eating Davids hay.  David arrived with another bale and tried to shoe the horses away as he worked and took one bale apart to get into his shed.  Apparently Don just sat and watched rather than get his horses out of Davids hair.  How rude!  David said he doesn’t mind if Dani takes a nibble but I do.  She doesn’t need alfalfa or anymore food!  The mare acts like she’s starving sometimes!

Anyways, at least with my cough I can still love on my pony.  Her hooves are looking good, I’ve applied more oil to them and hopefully can get more done in the next week.  She has a pedicure next Saturday.  With the cold and mud I’ve been trying to keep an eye on her frogs for thrush.  I want to work on some of the gaps in her heal….I’ll do a post about just this soon.  No Thrush is a powder and on their website they tell you how to pack the frog and begin getting those gaps filled in.  Below is our usual hoof care area, it's on concrete so that I can apply the oil without getting dirt on her hooves right away.  Hopefully that means it absorbs into her feet for a few minutes.  My lighted hoof pick comes in handy with this shadowy light being what I have to work with.

Anyways, there hasn’t been much exciting training or riding because of the cold and me being sick.  I have the next two weeks off and the weather appears nicer so I will hopefully get some work done with my girl.  Perhaps I can even get my SLR out with me, my hubby too and get some Holiday pictures taken....been a slacker and haven't even gotten Christmas cards out yet this year!  Winter solstice was yesterday so you know what that means….the days will steadily get longer!  Yippeee!!!  Happy Holidays everyone!

Cough

Oh how miserable I've been!  I've been sick, coughing up a lung since Friday.  We missed the KCRC Christmas Party and a dinner we planned to have with my parents.  I was out of work for three days too.   So miserable.

My hubby luckily avoided getting sick, he started feeling achy and coughy but sweated it out in a hotel he was staying in for work.  At least I had him most of the weekend and Monday so he took care of me and Dani.  Now I'm feeling better.

Obviously I didn't get the fun stuff done this weekend I had wanted to.  I miss my pony!!

Horseshoe Wreath

Starting to feel Christmasy!!!  Bought the horseshoe wreath and then added the decorations.  Love it!  Lots of cute ideas online.  Now my front and back doors have a wreath!

The Snow Melt-eth

Ponies love the snow!  Dani likes to roll, and roll in snow.  I don't think it matters what she rolls in, as long as it's soft.  My girl loves to dig through the snow for bits of grass.  She also loves to find scraps of hay bits left near other boarders pen.  As long as she is not eating their hay I don't chase her off; though one day she was eating David's hay and I had a heck of a time getting her away.  I made sure the tarp was good and secure.  What a pest!  She gets her whiskers all covered in flakes from digging in the snow, it's so cute.  I can only seem to get a picture with her head up if I have her haltered.  Otherwise....dig, dig, dig in that snow.

Things are starting to warm up now!  It was 35 today!  I went to the barn early in the morning to de-robe my girl and let her roll in the arena.  Horses much prefer being naked to wearing a blanket.  At least Dani has a nice comfy blanket so when she has to wear one it's tolerable (thank you hubby!)

Humans tend not to like the cold either.  I'm cold natured; I'd rather have cooler temperatures but below 30 degrees even I think it's a bit chilly. This subzero stuff was pretty miserable.

The next few days should be warmer still and here's hoping that the arena melts and it's ride worthy weather on Saturday!  I will want to do some groundwork first before we do under saddle work.  The last time I rode was short and sweet but feels like ages ago!  We trotted and had fun and worked on opening a gate from the saddle (coordination I lack and then throwing a pony in the mix makes it even more challenging)  We did alright though but lets just say I would have let out the entire herd of cattle!

Then my silly little mare and I went through the noodles....first time under saddle!  Sweet!  No issues!  I see some people barrel through those things at the trot or canter but the ones at KCRC have hard metal washers holding them on, that would hurt!  I think a good ol' walk is fine unless there is another curtain made of all soft material to work with.  I'm very happy that she didn't have an issue "going alone".

So what are the big plans for this coming balmy weather??  Well, a good thorough grooming/scratching of Dani and file work on her hooves.  I'll round the hooves, trim some of the frog flaps I've noticed and apply some hoof oil.  Then of course riding, some groundwork and major pen cleaning.  I want to get as many small bits of manure I may have missed with everything turning frozen solid the past week; jackhammer should be on my Christmas Horse Needs Wishlist.  Then I want to check the water tank.  It's pretty good, just topped it off.  I did a good clean before the winter weather hit so I may just need to do a bit of straining and siphoning.  Exciting huh?  I'd rather be at the barn doing work than cleaning my house!  

Hope you all are staying warm.  I know that cold front was moving across the U.S. to the east so....um....sorry bout that!  You'll survive!!

"Good" Advice?

I'm sorry this is turning into a cat blog almost!  I just need to rant a little.  I listened to a Vet Tech and she discussed something she calls forced love where even if the cat is not liking petting holding etc. you just keep doing it until they relax.

In a way I think it made sense.  Kind of like releasing pressure with horses.  Well I tried it.  Here's what happened.

Ouch.  Stubs freaked out with me trying to hold her and I got scratched up!  Not her fault.  Totally mine.  I need to go back to baby steps.  Let her come to me, slowly scratch more areas.  Up until now I can really rub her her back and butt, scratch her neck and ears a bit.  I've slowly run my hands down her legs and even brushed her belly while scratching her sides.  It just takes time!

This Vet Tech made it seem like I was being a wimp and that it would take too much time way...perhaps she's just impatient.  I have time!  I have patience....what the hell was I thinking listening to her when I know what's working for my cat and me???  I should have known.  Armani even scuttled away when she tried to pet him and just this weekend he was lap hopping at a party we had.  I let my animals be who they are and do things at their comfort level.

Sometimes you just need to ignore "good" advice and go with your gut.  Hope Stubs will come out from under the bed and love me again!

Stubs Update

Somebody is getting more and more comfortable in our house.  Stubs has only been in the guest room but has met the dogs and cat through a baby gate.  Everything has gone smoothly with that but I think we'll need a little more time before we expand her range.

I've slowly been able to pet her more and more.  It started with just a finger lightly stroking her side as she ate. Now I can scratch her ear a lot and her little bottom.  Purrs galore!!!

She still is very much instinctual.  She likes to attack my feet under the blanket.  I've since been burying myself in thicker blankets to avoid the claws and am working on redirecting her to appropriate play things.

Each evening I watch DVD's or read in the room and just let her explore.  I'll play with her too and do little bits of petting.  She's coming along quickly.  With subzero temperatures I'm really happy we captured her a little earlier than we'd planned.  We just had to get her somewhere warm!!

Hopefully her affection will transfer to Steve and she won't have to continue work with him to get comfortable.  He'll be back Friday for the weekend but is then out traveling again for work.  She has seemed to like him and especially if I'm there with her perhaps that will help too.

Stubs is learning fast that getting between a human and their computer means the human has to pay attention to her!  Steve will love that!  He always has Armani between him and the keyboard.  Let's just cross our fingers he won't have two cats there now....Stubs can come bug me instead!

What a cute kitty!  I'm excited to see how quickly she's becoming adjusted.  She's been at the barn since May 2012!!!  She's about 1 year and 7 months old.  Her litter mates are long gone or else who knows, we'd have taken in another!  LOL.  My poor husband!

Cold and colder

It's been darn cold in Colorado!  Negative 12 at night, single digits during the day.  Usually Colorado has pretty mild winters in my opinion.  We'll get cold spells and snow but then plenty of days in the 30-40's...even in the 50's!  I've had to drive into work on the slick icy roads while friends that work in schools have had several snow days....Grrr!

Dani doesn't mind the snow so much.  I think I the blanket has been good because of the wind and the sudden drop in temperatures.  David has been blanketing his mares but other horses at KCRC aren't blanketed.  I wonder if I'm just over protective.....  She hasn't been sweating under the blanket so that's fine.  With her blanket and under blanket she has about 400 grams of warmth.  That's the Rambo Duo.  I'm getting a new under layer soon, one that is only 100 grams so I can blanket her at 100, 200 or 400.  I don't think I'll need anything else....those blanket weights will cover us for most temperatures.  

I've only blanketed Dani one other time this year so far, it was right before Thanksgiving I think.  Snowy and windy....I would have liked to have used a lighter weight but didn't have the 100 under blanket yet.  She's been doing great though.  Much more fuzzy than she was last year.  I'm letting her fetlocks grow out of course, she gets little feathers in the winter.

I haven't been able to ride or work her much since I don't feel it's safe with the ground as it is.  While cleaning and feeding I've let her out for some turn out.  She's had some naked time too so she can roll in the snow some and I can check her blanket isn't rubbing.  Thank goodness static guard doesn't freeze.  I was going to spray a light mist of the coat conditioner on her and the inside of her blanket to reduce the static but that was frozen solid!!

Winter always has it's challenges.  The frozen manure or poopsicles are harder to find in the ground and harder to get up.  Urination freezes and can make clumps too so sometimes I feel like what I toss in the wheel barrow isn't necessarily what I really mean to throw away.  I do the best I can to get the hard, round poop balls out of her pen so my lady doesn't twist her ankle.  So I don't twist mine for that matter!

My water heater and filter is working well and keeping the ice off the water.  I've been adding salt to her supplements to make sure she drinks enough water.  Seems to be doing her good as her water level is going down like it usually does each day, perhaps a little less.

It's supposed to warm up later this week.  I'm so looking forward to that and I'm sure Dani will love having the blanket off for a while.  I'm definitely missing the indoor arena now but who knows.  I may have still been a wuss and not ridden even with access to the inside riding area.  At least the days will start getting longer here in a bit, December 21st!!  I want to get back in the saddle and work on more trotting.  I've been having so much fun!  Last time was right after Thanksgiving I think...feels so long ago.  Snow makes time pass slower, I truly believe that!

Tools to Make Life Easier

I'm all for tools!  The water trough filter was one that I'd hoped would pan out well.  While it does move the water I know of better filters that could be tasked to do a better job.  I've recently purchased the lighted hoof pick.  Now, at first when I saw this item I wondered whey someone would get one.  I always pick hooves in a lighted area.  Dani's stall area has lighting but it's spotty and my head or her body often shadows the hoof where I can't see if I'm doing a good job of picking it out.  I just got this thing and it's awesome!  I can see into the deep crevices in the evenings when I get to the barn and it's pitch black with only the spotty lights to help me do my evening chores.

Another tool is the Riders Rasp.  I love it!  Sure you can get a cheaper deal on an actual farrier rasp at Big R or heck, my farrier gave me one of her older ones but for me I just don't have the coordination to work that thing.  I'm gonna hurt myself!

This Riders Rasp is perfect, it's easy to hold and is made for just rounding the edges of the wall to maintain a mustang roll and to work on small cracks that may develop as it gets closer to farrier time.  I'm working hard to maintain Dani's hooves so they don't crack or chip at the quarters.  I'm applying hoof oil more readily and have had her on a supplement for three months that includes proteins needed by hooves.  It only take a little bit of time and I feel her hooves stay more balanced between trims!  I'm hoping it will also help with keeping her feet in a condition to fit hoof boots next year.

Lastly another fun tool, well fun is an odd word I guess, is the fine tined manure fork.  Sometimes when Dani trods over her piles they break up into such small pieces that a regular fork just can't do the job.  This thing works great!  It's also basket shaped so holds a lot more manure in one scoop.  I love things that make life easier!

Lazy Pony!!

Sometimes Dani will run around the arena with her tail up and all snorty.  Each time I've not gotten my phone camera out fast enough or didn't have my phone with me.  I tried to get her running around the other day but she wasn't really that interested.  I'll get a good video of her prettiness someday or perhaps get a helper husband to film while I get her running a bit.  

You can see how fuzzy my girl is though!  What a silly little pony she is!

Serene Sunday

Fuzzy pony with twigs in her forelock