April 2014

We r getting much needed rain today. Another reason to rejoice as we were over four inches down and in level three drought where outside watering had bee n. Stopped and lawns and trees were dying......i am thankful. Happy Easter y,all. Have a great day. And enjoy.

WOW, RICKSTER, Laurie's cake is outstanding………….I'm sure calorie free!  Everone enjoy and wish her a great birthday from me………..safe travel for you Rick…………..

RICK:
Pretty cake! Almost too pretty to eat.....but I bet I could find a way   . Donnie said he was inspired by the lack of farmer's tan on that guy! He may give that a try this coming hay season.  (One can wish.   )


INDYAPP:
Speaking of mistaking Skittles for M&Ms, I once took a good sized bite of vanilla pudding from a buffet bar only to discover it was whipped butter.   That was a culinary shock.


I am finally over the extreme muscle soreness I got last week. I was able to ride Ivan today without screaming! We rode in the arena while Donnie worked on Daisy's feet, then rode around the upper pasture. It was a pleasant, stress-free ride. Ivan liked the lesson in the pasture. He got to eat grass when I said he could, but not until then. So we'd ride along, then I would say, "Okay, eat", and he was allowed to eat some grass. He wasn't allowed to if I didn't tell him. This is to get him used to eating on an endurance ride, which is something they should do, but only when the rider wants it. Ivan loves lessons that involve snacks!  

It was a very pretty day here today, a good day to hunt Easter eggs.   

RICK: We used to have a guy that farmed our place and he would ride on the tractor wearing only teeny tiny black shorts. He was a HUGE guy over 350 pounds and he always looked like he was naked. We used to get a good laugh & so did all the people driving by. LOL LOL

Well the computer gremlins are keeping me from seeing RICK's pics. Probably for the best that I couldn't see the cake, I'm hungry. Comments about farmer's and tan lines make me wonder about the others. Maybe the gremlins will grant access a little later.

I hope everyone had a GRAND EASTER. Weather was beautiful all weekend long and now we are to get some rain. After all the snow we got I can't believe I'm looking forward to some rain. It's already pretty dry around here. Easter started out a little worrisome for me. I went out to feed and found Sophie to be colicing. This mare reacts really differently to colic than any other horse I've ever had. Instead of moaning and groaning she was MAD. She was stomping, striking out with her front feet. She'd lay down and roll a little then get up and stomp her feet and charge. I could SEE she was having abdominal spasms. But at the same time, she wanted her breakfast. Gave her some banamine and called the vet. Of course the vet was at church. We decided to give the banamine some time to work and then go from there. Fortunately, the banamine relieved her pain and she was fine for the rest of the day. Vet didn't have to come and all is well. Still I've never seen a colic like that before, and I'm still not sure it was a true colic. I'm just glad I keep banamine on hand for emergencies.

Whew, INDY, good to read all seems well right now……….hope it wasn't a colic and that it doesn't happen again………….I agree, good to keep banamine around.  Tell Sophie not to scare you like that.
I hate colic episodes.  Hoping your weather is now on the good edge of spring………good luck with  your fencing……..oh man, how I hate fencing.  But we smile and git r done………….

God bless.  Prayers for  ALL.

INDYAPP:
Wow, that had to be scary. I am sure glad you had the banamine on hand. It always happens on a holiday, doesn't it? Kazi colicked twice on different Christmas Eves, Kazimir on the July 4th weekend when my regular vet was away camping. It made me a little paranoid about holidays for awhile. I hope Sophie is done with it now.

GRAYMARE:
We need a baby pix fix! How's he doing?

CB:
Hurry and get back online!

TRUDY:
Got pix of that tractor guy?  

It was a lovely, warm day here. You can hear the grass growing on a day like today. Donnie is gearing up for hay making season. He wants to put in a new hay building at the far end of the arena. It would also provide some shade for the horses.

ARK: Nope, I don't have a photo of farmer Steve, wish I had taken one. We had just moved here and I'm sure our new neighbors thought he was one of us city slickers from Pittsburgh. tee hee We had to fire him after he grew a field of foxtail and not really a crop of hay. When we hired the Snyders (who have been farming here ever since), I joked with Jim and told him I wanted to see him & Larry out there dressed like Steve when he worked the in fields.    We still laugh about our naked farmer.

INDYAPP: Why do our animals always choose a holiday to get sick on. It never fails does it. Glad your horse is OK.

Thanks everyone for the good thoughts. Sophie seems to be back to her normal self. I have never seen a horse as mad as she was. I've also never seen the abdomin spasm like hers was with colic. Weird. And yes ARK, it's always one of three situations, it's either some ungodly hour of the night, a holiday, or the worst possible weather imaginable. Unfortunately I've experienced all three.

Spring is trying to arrive. Yesterday it made it up to the 70s. Today it's only to be in the 50s. I have to say it has been a most interestesting spring. I did finally see a couple of farmers in their fields yesterday. I'm a little worried as to what the hay crop will be this year. We're usually farther along in the greening process by now. Trees are just now starting to bud.

Yup, GRAYMARE, Git R Done is part of my mantra. The rest is "What's next on the list?" My measuring wheel finally arrived yesterday so now I can start doing some planning for new fences and the garage.

Oh, and the computer gremlins let me see RICK's pics today. How's MISS LAURIE doing anyhow?

Ark I have posted couple of times....I'm waiting on my keyboard w case to come for my tablet. this from my phone.....technology. pftttttttttttt

Sure am glad to hear that Sophie is doing okay now, and hope she stays that way.

Trudy, are you enjoying Maks with a good partner? Last night, even Len commented that he was with the best partner he's ever had. I thought it was interesting that they didn't mention he and Meryl going on the Stars on Ice tour, but they must have. Charlie did. Some of the celebs are getting better than I thought they would, but I think it will come down to Meryl and Charlie as the final two. Although, it isn't really fair since the two of them have such a strong dance and performing background.

ELLEN: Yes, I have been watching Maks, & enjoying him.   He is awesome this year. Meryl brings out the best in him, she is the best partner he has ever had. He always seems to get the worst partners. I hope the powers that be allow him a win this year, he is the trick pony that brings in the viewers.

Chillin' out:

Fanning flies is i interesting…….Mama has her L leg cocked, Eli has his L leg cocked………just like in the big herds of adult horses………….tails swishing…………

I love just watching………...

What a GREAT picture of baby & Momma. He sure is growing up.

He is the cutest baby! Thanks for posting a new photo, I missed seeing him! He really looks built to be an athlete.


Ivan, Areion, and I had lessons yesterday. Areion is still resisting going over the barrels, she climbs  over them instead of jumping them. I think she is concerned for our sanity that we even ask her to do it.   She will catch on. Ivan flew over them right away, and he sure used to resist it, too.

Jane and her gelding, Albert, came for a lesson, too. Albert hates crossing tarps, but he finally started doing it. Albert is 5 years old and Ivan does not like him near Areion. There was some sword rattling going on when Albert passed them while they were tied to the outside of the arena.   

Just like most moms and kids, he's getting more benefit than she is. Her tail gets the flies off his face, but his tail isn't much good for that yet.
REALLY cute picture.

LOL, his tail swishes around and around…………..Faith thinks it works fine and her eyes are clear as a clean telescope……………..he looks like a silly fan…………..he moves enough air to make it worth his bit of work…………………

If he isn't helping, please don't tell him ELLEN……he thinks he is a big boy so we can't discourage him………….     

Breezy morning here……all the birds are in a tither and arguing with each other……….maybe our predicted storm tonight and tomorrow is really coming.  Baby Eli is just his same ole happy self and Mama is chewing away.  He eats right with her and he chews and chews and chews…….all species of babies are just so precious.  My daughter & I are going over to see friend's foal………..the Arab mare and baby so this will be fun.

Later gators………….

Graymare, is that the Arab mare that your friend got a few months ago? I'll bet she looks like a million bucks now.

Yes, ELLEN, and I'm sure you're right……………we cancelled as friend had a medical issue with another friend of ours and they headed off to E R………….So, on to plan B…………...

Oh brother, third friend now has a stent…………thank God they believed me and went to E R……stent friend doesn't live near here, lives about 80 mi away………..she was at her brother's for Easter which is close to Arab owner friend, who called a couple others that live close to her so the prayer warriors were there………….stent friend felt tired and had trouble breathing, no chest pain……but felt that way since last Tue………..so, she is now stent positive, feels good, no heart attack………we're planning the colt gather Monday.  Arab colt lives about 50 mi from here……….

Wow, I am so glad your friend went and got that checked out! It is nice to hear a happy outcome. Be sure to take baby pix of the Arab foal, please!
Eli looks so healthy and happy! I love seeing his photos.

ELLEN
Anyone out on their boats yet? It is pretty here today.

We just delivered a fat and sassy possum to his new home on the river. This guy has been eating cat food all winter in our barn and probably sleeping with our very friendly barncat, Wizard. The possum finally checked out the food in the live trap.

I just heard there was a family in the county who had contracted the hantavirus while cleaning out an old trailer. The mother and her 14 year old daughter died and 4 others were hospitalized. I never heard of hantavirus being around here. The mice in my barn will be going the way of the possum soon. I saw one yesterday.

Graymare, it sure is a good thing your friend went to be checked out before anything more serious could happen.

Ark, the boats started coming out 4 days after the ice left. Because the ice was so late in leaving, it has put the dock companies way behind. So, they are much slower getting everybody's docks and boatlifts installed. Usually, by this time about 75% of them in ready to go. Some people who have wetsuits or waders have put theirs in.
It's still pretty chilly around here. We've had a couple of days in the low 70s, but most are in the 50s and 60s. Today is bright and sunny, but only about 60. My neighbor helped me, and we spent a couple of hours burning last fall's brush/leaf pile. It will take another couple of sessions to get it cleaned up, but we made a pretty good dent in it.

Yep. The mice have to GO.

ARK, Arab baby is Ntl Show Horse as that is big now in dressage and sport horse……….anyhow he is big, also, but built way diff than Eli………..he's a real fancy chestnut with blaze and 4 white sox.  His mama is a really lovely mare……..bay……………..anyhow, assuming owner doesn't mind I will get some pics on Monday……………..

Seriously, hantavirus?  HOLY COW.  Get your traps as that's a bad disease………….we had an episode a few yrs ago up on the rez………….fortunately they got it managed quickly…………

NEWS FLASH:  Baby Eli is out in his first good rain storm………….way cute.  He's just standing there butt to the wind like his mama……………….it's raining a good nice rain, not bucket rain and hail, LOL.

Hope this in the SE aren't getting tornados…………it showed bad weather on our weather map here.

O K, lunch is over………..back out to work………...