July 2012

SUNNY:
I would love to do endurance riding and think that Ivan would make a great endurance horse. I am not so sure about myself, I have a long way to go before being able to do the miles those endurance riders do. Ivan and I have to learn to camp, too. I have never been much of a camper and have never camped with a horse at all. The rides I go on have either had stalls available or were close enough to home to go straight there early in the morning.

The longest ride Ivan and I have done is the 19 mile NATRC ride we did in May. We got thru it, but I was probably in much worse shape than Ivan! That boy is an energizer bunny. He does need to learn to drink away from home, he doesn't drink when he is nervous. I need to find some flavoring he loves to put in water to encourage him to drink. Our next organized ride is an ACTHA ride about 50 miles from here next Saturday. We'll be going up early in the morning.

CB:
Do you get any rain at all from those lightning storms? I sure hope so. We have been so fortunate this week with the rains we have had. Our grass is growing like crazy and there isn't a fire hazard right now.

KAREN:
I am in Virginia about 2 hours north of RICK. I hope you don't mind that I moved your post, it is unlikely that some of us will have seen it on the thread you posted it on. Just hit reply under these posts you are reading for your next post. Do you have a photo you'd like for your avatar? I can post that for you if you send it to me.....Arkazivan@gmail.com
In the meantime, I'll give you a temporary avatar photo.
You have three tractors? Wow! I have tractor lust . We don't have one, but there must be one in our future, sooner or later.


We had a busy day. We worked on our neverending johnsongrass problem down in the hayfield, then chopped up and moved most of a huge tree that had fallen there during the huge windstorm of a couple of weeks ago. We have several trees down that will have to be cleaned up, one in our barnlot pasture on a fence. Oh, joy. Firewood.
We took Annie to see "Ice Age" this evening. Cute show. No work for Ivan today, he got the day off.

Welcome, Karen! We're always glad to have new people join our group.

Karen, I live in northern Indiana on a lake, a property that I was fortunate enough to inherit. At the moment, I have no animals, but in the past have had horses and cats. I used to ride huntseat, and once taught a lot of riding lessons. As my avatar shows, I have a big scooter and ride that almost everyday in the summer.
After teaching school for nearly 34 years, I retired. Then after 12 years, I decided I needed to get out more and took a part time job at a Viking Sewing Gallery where I try to sell sewing/embroidery machines.


Ark, the big van drivers who transport race horses always put Coke in the water to make them drink. Sometimes, those horses are on the truck for 24 hours or more and need to drink. They can be pretty fussy about their water. Adding the Coke is sweet and it sort of disguises the tastes of different water.

Ellen ... what happened to your kitties??????

There you are Karen!!!! Good to see you and welcome to our little world here. I am Carol ... live in Minnesota on a little hobby farm. My son lives downstairs so that helps me be able to stay here on the farm. It is a lot of work on your own!!!! I used to have more critters, but now I have 1 Arab/QH(Ice) and one little Jack Russell mix dog (Midge) (from a rescue). She is my always ready buddy!!! I have been spending the cold Minnesota winters in Arizona.

Please post and join in the conversations. That is the way we all get to know each other!!!! Just hop in.

Welcome Karen,

I am INDYAPP, and I too am 47. We are the "young 'uns" on this forum as it was originally started many years ago someplace else on the Web as The Over Fifty Board. I had a good friend who invited me even though I wasn't "of age" and have been welcomed ever since. I too live in Northern Indiana but about 75 miles or so from ELLEN. (No, I did not get even a drop of rain on Saturday.) I use to raise and show appaloosa horses hence the moniker IndyApp, however, over the years my herd has dwindled and I no longer have any appaloosas. The two horses Ido have are a Thoroughbred cross and and Spotted Draft Cross. I also keep my SO Tennessee Walking Mare (who is a SAINT)and her now two year old gelding. The mare was preggers when we got her. I mostly lurk, but on occasion pipe up. Welcome!

Carol, at 18 and 16 they were both hyperthyroid and no matter how much they ate, they just got thinner and thinner. It was time for them to cross the rainbow bridge. My neighbor, Pirkko, gave me the courage to do what needed to be done - as much as I HATED it.
Nala's broken leg did heal, but she still had a significant limp.
It was time.

Indy, we are about 40 miles apart, not so far. I'm about 4 miles from North Webster.

Sorry for that Ellen ... hard to see them suffer and hard to send them on .... ((( )))

Good morning all, it is another hot and heavy day here in Ontario..very foggy this morning, but burned off once the sun was out. It is supposed to be even hotter tomorrow,,,oh joy lol
I stayed in the house for the most part cleaning up one room and sort of packing for a camping and riding trip in Aug. Though that I might as well get started with the little things.
Not a lot going on right now...trying to stay still so don't get over heated. lol
Oh..forgot to give Karen the scoop on me. lol
I have two TWH right now, use them only for trail. That is all I have ever done with my horses, own my own farm in SW Ontario just above Lake Erie., got a dog and two house cats and who knows how many barn cats as the number continually changes as they get dropped off. and besides loving brownies, I also absolutely loooove cheese cake. lol hint hint,.

Ooops, Sorry ELLEN I thought you was closer to Fort Wayne AND I'm terrible at judging distances.

Oohh, Cheesecake, and brownies, and Fudge, and carrot cake and and and.... I'm hungry!

ARK, the one nice thing about an endurance ride over the competitive rides is you can let Ivan just move out at a speed he is comfy with...you can do the 25 miles probably much faster and less time in the saddle as you do the slower paced rides. I have done the 25 milers in 3 hours...and he sounds like he may enjoy just going along on the trail. He would do good, and you would be amazed at your body not hurting anymore than doing it slower...but wear riding pants or leggings...nothing with heavy seams on the inside of the leg. They don't judge you on horsemanship either, so its a little less stress on the rider. They have shorter 12 milers you can start with.
I've done both rides...I prefer the CTR...but ya don't get as sore on the endurance...my knees are actually operational after 3 hours whence riding for 5-6 hours...not so much!

Ellen, sorry to hear about your kitties...you should have said something....here is a BIG ((((HUG)))) for you anyhoo....maybe you'll open your heart again for a rescue kitty...that needs you.

No apology necessary, Indy. I just wanted you to know we are closer than you thought.

Thanks for the comforting thoughts about the cats. It's always a hard decision to make, but the best for them.

As for having another one, I don't plan on doing that until I'm not on the go so much. While I have great neighbors who don't mind feeding them for me, it will be much easier to go when and where without worrying about them. In the meantime, I'll share the neighbors' dog, Casey.

I so want to do an endurance ride... I think my Chance could do it, but then again that boy would do anything I asked of him.... He's a mommies boy. I want to thank you for the warm welcome... I can be sort of quiet until I get to know people.

Hey, Karen! You found us.
Tell us about your Chance. Breed, color, age, all that stuff. And tell us about you too. Notice the priority.

ELLEN:
Awww....I am so sorry about your kitties. Their ages were very impressive, you must have some secret to kitty life extension.

KAREN:
Oh, good! You made it here on the right thread! We'd love to hear all about your horses, goats, other animals, kids, family, extended family, just about anything you want to tell us about! Did RICK mention we are a nosy bunch? I am at the end of my 25 year old goat herd, Angoras and Cashmeres. I have two old wethers left, both Cashmeres, one is 11 and the other 15. Their older brother died earlier this winter, he was going on 18 years old. I do love my goats! When Lightning and Phantom are gone, I will be out of the goat biz, though.

CAROL:
How's Ice doing in the heat? My poor horses don't like it much.

CB:
The only endurance ride that is somewhat local is a 30 and 50 miler. I don't think I am quite ready for that yet, but we are much closer than we were a few months ago. This ride is in late August. I don't think my bod is up to 30 miles quite yet. After not riding for a few weeks with my injured rib, you wouldn't believe how saddle sore I am from the 12 mile ride last weekend! I do think Ivan would run for many miles, though. He sure enjoyed that.

Hot, hot here today. We did get a little thunderstorm, but that made it all the more muggy.

TRUDY:
Have you heard anything about Sam/ANN? Did you get the rain?

RICK:
Where are you now?


Got a riding lesson tomorrow evening, 7 pm, since it will be so hot tomorrow.

ARK, mostly you do extended trot and just do a holding pattern on that gait...slower going up hills and down a bit tho...but a nice extended trot the whole way. You could do 30 easily in four hours....or under as you get more experience and stamina in those legs...I always was up out of the saddle weight on my feet, kind of floating my tail across the saddle but not in it...we rode with a lady who was on a Morab...she started out with us...but as we hit the first big hill she said bye and kept on trotting up that hill, that horse never slowed, she rode 50 miles faster than we did the 25 miler....put us to shame as she was in her late 60's! We did learn a lot tho going and talking and watching others...
We had a gal go out on the Owyhee 50 and she didn't take any water cuz she was going to be back in a few hours and done she said...she had a tank top and shorts on and no hat! She got lost! Wasn't in yet when we got in at five hours, the terrain was steep...so they started looking for her...found her walking staggering and her horse lame...loaded them both up and brought them back to camp...she stepped out of that a/c truck and hit the dirt...she was beet red and cool and clammy...I yelled for the guys to carry her to the creek and they did..never questioned me on it...and we got her wet, were pouring water over her when the ambulance arrived and her body temp was still like 105! They said if we hadnt cooled her she would have died...she survived and got lots of fluids and cooling bed/mattress at the hospital. She came back the next day after the second ride, and came right to me and gave me a big hug! Her horse we did the same thing for, and he was given some banamine to help relax his muscles, he was fine too, just foot sore. So make sure you always have enuf to drink and a hat or helmet that shades the face a bit and a sponge to cool your horse on the trail...and you if need be. I've shared many a sponge with my horse! Hasn't killed me yet.

Egads it was humid here today! I was drippin' sweat this evening while feeding...ugga!

We have BABIES on here! wow! I feel old now! I'm going to bed and rest my weary body and read for awhile...and I won't forget my face cream...ya know that anti aging stuff!

Well. Fancy this. I have tried and tried to get in and post and here I am, finally. I'm on my old almost to blow up computer and jumped right in.

I'm home for a week taking care of things, weed wacking, raking, etc.........we had a huge storm on Fri night and just catching up on that front. Faith is still out with her friends pastured on nice green moist grass........she has two close friends in her circle of I think 8-9............when she comes home here her pasture is thick and ready. I'm not taking her back up next week as the cattle #'s are way down.

We've been enjoying the cool air, hiking, eating, ha, cleaning roads of trash, playing cards, working on some gardens up the way, so there is no lack of activity.

HI KAREN. I'm Graymare, mother/stepmother of 5 and grandmother of I think around 35-40 if you count the Sunday school kids.............I jumped in vacation bible school again in a church with about 60-70 members................I have one horse, Faith, a happy peaceful soul that does whatever I'm doing that day..............I'm not sure how God got her to me......................just lucky, I guess. Everybody asks me what we do at 9000 ft in the mtns.......I tell them we sit and watch the wildflowers grow. As of late we sometimes sit and count raindrops for excitement. Last year we had to evacuate in our mtns, this year we have been very lucky so far as there have been no fires near us. Anyhow, welcome here Karen.....................sit back, enjoy, grab a pound of fudge and munch away........oh, and tell us about your horse..........prayers for your husb and family as you deal with health probs.

TRUDY............oh brother, we don't want you to write us and say you are now a regional supervisor for the postal system........don't let them trap you. There will be somebody wanting that steady employment.......give God time.

SUNNY, prayers for your situation and am hoping help comes soon.

I wish FLESSA would show up again.......she teaches us many things.............I get free books now on my Kindle thanks to her, and years ago she taught me copy & paste (literally). So, come out, come out wherever you are FLESSA.

CB, is your air clear yet?

ARK, have fun at your trail ride............ride tall, butt down, heels down, and ride like hell............

God bless. Prayers for ALL.

Hello everyone.

Another lovely morning here in PA. Ace & I had our early morning walk at 6 AM while it is still nice and cool. It's going to be a hot one today and we will be stuck inside.

ROLL CALL: Trudy...turning 64 in a couple months, married to George, live on a 50 acre used to be horse farm, Manygates (named due to my hubby and his fetish with gates), buried my last horse Jazz Bar Jet, two years ago and am trying to remain horse free. Although it's getting difficult to remain that way, with people calling me with "free" horses all the time. I'm a retired barrel racer (yes, I miss the excitement a lot) and part time Post Master at the local post office. 5 kids, 5 kids in law, 10 grand kids, 8 boys 2 girls. NOT a rider in the bunch. Share the farm with my Black Lab, Ace who is turning 3 on the 31st, 2 Beagles Prissy & Foxy, one 14 year old house cat Sassy (the meanest cat that ever lived) & a few feral barn cats whose numbers change monthly. Dexter is the only one of my favorites who is still around.

ARK: I did hear from Sam/Ann, she is home recuperating. It's going to a long drawn out process, she had to make a emergency trip back to the hospital but nothing was wrong. Just her apprehension after the major surgery. She is living on pain meds and not on her computer very often. Congats on Ivan doing so well at the last ride, he will turn into a great trail yet, practice makes perfect. I used to trail ride with a girl who did endurance rides on her Arabian, many times I had to lope my Paint to keep up with her long trot. Turkey sure could trot. We did get a little rain on Sunday night. Enough to fill the rain barrels so we can water the garden. Putting up pickles this afternoon.

GRAYMARE: Nope, not a chance on that happeneing, not allowing them to suck me into a full time job. I am enjoying hanging out with on the farm and not having the stress of the postal service on a daily basis. I LOVE my part time job but am getting too old to work a 44 hour week. Plus my boss Barb & I have plans for yoga classes (for older people, no fancy legs behind the head stuff) & shopping when she retires on the 31st.

Have a wonderful day everyone, off and running early this morning.
Love & prayers to all.

TRUDY, Turkey/Trot...how cute! Yep, those endurance riders know how to trot! and they cover a lot of ground too....My bigger quarter/appy types get pretty tired on those rides, just too heavily built/muscled. Now the competitive rides are at a much nicer pace and they do really well. I had one quarter horse that could ride with the arabs and do well, but he was very athletic and only 15.1 hands tall...he could trot with the big boys of endurance! and place right up there...I miss that horse.

GRAYMARE:I love to play cards...but around here its hard to find anyone to play with. Glad the fires are not close to you this year. Check in as often as you can!

Well, have to go to the store, so I guess I'd better get dressed and hit the road...want to get back early due to having thunder storms with lightning involved....just what we need! NOT! Most of the fires near us are contained or out now...thank goodness, smelling smoke for several weeks everytime one went outside is scary! makes your heart jump!

Glad Ann/Sam is doing alright...hope she is better real soon and pain free.

Graymare .... I have MUSHROOMS growing in my cactus bowl!!!!! ACKKKKKKK it just isn't right!!!! LOLOL

Well the weather man was right this time, it is hotter than yesterday and just past noon hour. I made a trip into town to go to the library as I know that they have a dandy a/c system. lol
I had to make a trip to the bank anyway so why not kill two birds with one stone.
I fed the horses a flake of hay each first thing in morning as they spent the night in the barn which is cool because of the concrete walls and floors and mow as insulation...dandy cool spot it is...then I give them an hour and turn them out for some grass, then before heading for town locked them up again with another flake of hay...gosh they have it good. lol the cats are in the spare room laid flat out and the dog is on the couch relaxing...is this what we call the "dog days of summer' lol ???
This is supposed to be the last of the extreme heat...we will see about that. I sure hope so. Talked to a friend of mine in the most southerly tip of wester Fl and her temps were about 10 to 15 * cooler than us up here...Minnisota was way above 100 yesterday what is happening anyway.
Stay cool y'all.

had to go to town myself today...and on way home I saw two new fires burning on top of the rimrocks across the river...thank goodness for that....but if they can start the dumb things can start anywhere...I won't stay away from home very long at all...into town and home...

Its warm here today too but house is still livable...not sweating my butt off sittin here! so its tolerable...

Hello folks.........

Boy I have a time trying to find my way round this new site. First I couldn't get in the login, got a new password and here I am. Doing this on my iPad so will be lots of mistakes.

How is everyone? I miss hearing all the news, hope all are well.

Greymare, you are till spending time in the mountains. Probably nice and cool there.

CB, how is the fire zone? Hope by this time that they are all out.

I have been busy this spring and summer. I guess the biggest event was Allison's prom and then her graduation. I have some great pics but have no idea how to put them up. I could never navigate the old site, lol.

Ark, I read the first post on the page and see you are still horsing round. Poor Tommy hasn't had anyone on her back for ages. It has been extremely hot here for weeks,finally got ome rain yesterday and today. We need rain!! Last summer that was all we had.

I am quitting while I am ahead, before I lose this post. Night everyone, I'll be by tomorrow.

Wooo Hooo, we got rain. Yippee!! First time since sometime in April I think. No wait we had a brief shower 5 weeks ago. Well darn, that didn't last long. Maybe we'll get lucky and get some more.

ARK...last nite I was at Ex.258 / I40 in TN....30 - 45 minutes (??) east of Nashville. I "saw" your question, but the "service" turned off like flicking a switch. I'm purely guessing here, but I think another driver somewhere on the lot had some sort of "wifi" through a cell service. Maybe/maybe not...but I "borrowed" a little time while I could..

Today, I tried to call you several times starting around 11:30, but no answer. I was hoping to get a "double lunch date" with you and ANNIE. I delivered east of Harrisonburg and drove down to Lynchburg with 15 minutes driving time to spare....100% legal. 626 miles today. Right now, I am in a "junk yard" to be loaded in the morning with some sort of "residue" to carry to Anniston, AL next week... RECYCLE metal!! I am TRULY SURPRISED to have wifi signal (3 out of 4 bars...flickering to 4 bars). My instructions are to get this loaded and GO HOME!!

Snoop is wondering about the "junk yard dog"

Love to all....Rick and the Junk yard SNOOP