She did really good today, considering she was wearing a different saddle and bit, and packing a different butt with different hands. She was really a good girl! Next ride is Tuesday night up at the TRAC.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Me and Millie
I think I should change her name to Midge - for Midget! She is LITTLE and she will be five years old in April. Her sire was 16.1 hands. Ah well...
She did really good today, considering she was wearing a different saddle and bit, and packing a different butt with different hands. She was really a good girl! Next ride is Tuesday night up at the TRAC.
She did really good today, considering she was wearing a different saddle and bit, and packing a different butt with different hands. She was really a good girl! Next ride is Tuesday night up at the TRAC.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Winter Wonderland
For the last week, we have been under an inversion and have dealt with fog to about noon each day. Yesterday, it stuck around all day and the high temperature didn't reach 27 degrees. It's beautiful, but COLD.
The picture below circles evidence that Cathy's Pretty Pony has become a Pretty Beaver. Kali says it was Bullwinkle but the evidence is on Ticket's side. Besides, in the dark, she can't see anything but a dark shape...
The two pictures below were taken on the back porch.
Jasper and Kizzi playing. Kizzi is closest to the camera and the lighter of the two. She is not quite 6 months old. Jasper will be three years old in April. Kizzi is going to be a big honkin' monster!
The picture below circles evidence that Cathy's Pretty Pony has become a Pretty Beaver. Kali says it was Bullwinkle but the evidence is on Ticket's side. Besides, in the dark, she can't see anything but a dark shape...
The two pictures below were taken on the back porch.
Jasper and Kizzi playing. Kizzi is closest to the camera and the lighter of the two. She is not quite 6 months old. Jasper will be three years old in April. Kizzi is going to be a big honkin' monster!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
It's Always Something...
Wednesday morning, Jasper and Kizzi were playing out in the back yard. I went out to call them in and they were gone. So I jumped in the car and headed down the road, going slowly so I could check backyards of other houses. I had gone almost half a mile before I saw them. When I got back home with the dogs, Mike suggested that we dip into our emergency fund and fence the yard. So that’s what we did. It took us 5 days to get it up and “mostly” done, but the hardest part is done. We still have some perimeter fencing to put up, but that actually goes pretty quickly!
More than once, my former neighbor has said “I don’t know why you bother. If it were my dog and it didn’t want to stay home, good riddance.” That one statement speaks volumes about her and her character.
I fenced my yard for several reasons. First, because it will contain MY dogs. I love them all and the emotional attachment I feel wants me to protect them – from cars on the street, to stray dogs, etc. It will also keep them from running out to the road to check on people walking their dogs. They can just stay at the fence and bark annoyingly (though I’m almost sad my former neighbor isn’t here to annoy…)
A fence will keep other dogs OUT! I have one very large, fat, getting lazier by the week, cat. I like him. He occasionally does his job, which is to catch mice. The fence won’t contain him, but at least he will have a safe place to wander.
By keeping neighborhood dogs out, I don’t have to worry about my shrubs, truck, car, hay, or hot tub getting peed on. I only have one male dog, and he pees like a girl...unless another male has been visiting. My former neighbor’s dog had a bad habit of peeing on my hay in the barn, peeing on my hot tub, spraying ANYTHING vertical! I was ALWAYS hosing something off. *sigh*
The fence will contain the horses. Bullwinkle is back home from training and has always been a precocious little brat who enjoys taking the fence tapes down. If he ever get the perimeter fence down, at least now the horses will be contained to the back yard.
The fence will prevent unwanted access from the street. More than once, someone turned into our driveway thinking it was a gravel road, and drove around the house. They didn’t hurt anything, but I have stupid dogs and they COULD have been run over. Besides, it annoys me!
We really liked the “openness” of the place, but the time has come to “lock it down”. Now if we can just keep the wheel on the gate, it’ll all be good!
More than once, my former neighbor has said “I don’t know why you bother. If it were my dog and it didn’t want to stay home, good riddance.” That one statement speaks volumes about her and her character.
I fenced my yard for several reasons. First, because it will contain MY dogs. I love them all and the emotional attachment I feel wants me to protect them – from cars on the street, to stray dogs, etc. It will also keep them from running out to the road to check on people walking their dogs. They can just stay at the fence and bark annoyingly (though I’m almost sad my former neighbor isn’t here to annoy…)
A fence will keep other dogs OUT! I have one very large, fat, getting lazier by the week, cat. I like him. He occasionally does his job, which is to catch mice. The fence won’t contain him, but at least he will have a safe place to wander.
By keeping neighborhood dogs out, I don’t have to worry about my shrubs, truck, car, hay, or hot tub getting peed on. I only have one male dog, and he pees like a girl...unless another male has been visiting. My former neighbor’s dog had a bad habit of peeing on my hay in the barn, peeing on my hot tub, spraying ANYTHING vertical! I was ALWAYS hosing something off. *sigh*
The fence will contain the horses. Bullwinkle is back home from training and has always been a precocious little brat who enjoys taking the fence tapes down. If he ever get the perimeter fence down, at least now the horses will be contained to the back yard.
The fence will prevent unwanted access from the street. More than once, someone turned into our driveway thinking it was a gravel road, and drove around the house. They didn’t hurt anything, but I have stupid dogs and they COULD have been run over. Besides, it annoys me!
We really liked the “openness” of the place, but the time has come to “lock it down”. Now if we can just keep the wheel on the gate, it’ll all be good!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
The Dogs
Jasper - 2 yr old Lab/Visla mix - very sentsitive, doesn't like loud noises. If we pull out the vacuum, he hides under the bed. Even his bowl scooting across the floor sends him to the other room!
Kizzi - 5 month old Lab. This is the sweetest puppy!
Weenie (Original name, I know!)- she is two years old
Rylee - The grumpy old broad. She is 11 years old and CRANKY!!!
Kizzi - 5 month old Lab. This is the sweetest puppy!
Weenie (Original name, I know!)- she is two years old
Rylee - The grumpy old broad. She is 11 years old and CRANKY!!!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Rescues
This week, I had two people contact me wanting advice about getting involved with rescue groups.
The first gal, Kortney, I know only through a barrel racing discussion board, e-mails and Facebook, but we have a good relationship. Kortney was asked to join the Board of a newly formed (or forming) Rescue Organization and wanted to know what she was getting into. Since I have limited experience in this area, I gave her what limited advise I could - to check out and Google the other potential members (to make sure they were trouble transplanted from another state) and to contact experienced rescues for advice and assistance. I recommended she contact Save A Forgotten Equine, specifically Jaime Taft, who is the President and co-founder. Jaime has extensive experience in how to create a rescue from the ground up and also, sadly, has experience with horrific faux rescues. SAFE has become a well respected rescue in Western Washington and has helped hundreds of horses. I am very pleased to be a part of the SAFE "Family" - this is where Roger came from through SAFE-Assisted adoption.
The second gal is Georgette. She contacted me through the same barrel racing discussion board but her interests were a little different. She wanted to help by fostering a rescue horse, but was unsure how to go about it, and what her costs would be. I contact Jet with SAFE who sent me a link to a vet-based organization that could put Georgette in touch with a reputatable rescue in her area. Again, here is where a reputable, respected rescue is a blessing.
Rescues network and talk to each other. In this network, there are very few secrets. They all know who is on the up-an-up, who is a little shady, and who is creating a train-wreck. One thing I have also learned is that if they can't help (due to funding, location, or other reasons) they have contact information for someone who can help. And they share this information gladly. They don't see other rescues as competition, they see them as a resource for helping horses. And that's why they were formed in the first place - to help horses.
I look forward to hearing from Kortney and what she decided on taking the Board position. Her love of horses and her youthful energy makes her a smart choice in my book. And she is just out-spoken enough to call "bullshit" if something goes a little off plumb.
I also look forward to seeing Georgette's new foster. I have fostered several horses and I think that this is my favorite thing to do. I accept a horse, give it love and security, ensure they never know hungry, then when they are physically and mentally put back together, I return them to their owners (the rescue) so they can begin the next chapter of their lives.
My second favorite this to do is board retirees. I get to love on these sweet older horses, but there is no pressure to ride.
Now go hug your horses! If you don't have any, you are welcome to come hug mine!
The first gal, Kortney, I know only through a barrel racing discussion board, e-mails and Facebook, but we have a good relationship. Kortney was asked to join the Board of a newly formed (or forming) Rescue Organization and wanted to know what she was getting into. Since I have limited experience in this area, I gave her what limited advise I could - to check out and Google the other potential members (to make sure they were trouble transplanted from another state) and to contact experienced rescues for advice and assistance. I recommended she contact Save A Forgotten Equine, specifically Jaime Taft, who is the President and co-founder. Jaime has extensive experience in how to create a rescue from the ground up and also, sadly, has experience with horrific faux rescues. SAFE has become a well respected rescue in Western Washington and has helped hundreds of horses. I am very pleased to be a part of the SAFE "Family" - this is where Roger came from through SAFE-Assisted adoption.
The second gal is Georgette. She contacted me through the same barrel racing discussion board but her interests were a little different. She wanted to help by fostering a rescue horse, but was unsure how to go about it, and what her costs would be. I contact Jet with SAFE who sent me a link to a vet-based organization that could put Georgette in touch with a reputatable rescue in her area. Again, here is where a reputable, respected rescue is a blessing.
Rescues network and talk to each other. In this network, there are very few secrets. They all know who is on the up-an-up, who is a little shady, and who is creating a train-wreck. One thing I have also learned is that if they can't help (due to funding, location, or other reasons) they have contact information for someone who can help. And they share this information gladly. They don't see other rescues as competition, they see them as a resource for helping horses. And that's why they were formed in the first place - to help horses.
I look forward to hearing from Kortney and what she decided on taking the Board position. Her love of horses and her youthful energy makes her a smart choice in my book. And she is just out-spoken enough to call "bullshit" if something goes a little off plumb.
I also look forward to seeing Georgette's new foster. I have fostered several horses and I think that this is my favorite thing to do. I accept a horse, give it love and security, ensure they never know hungry, then when they are physically and mentally put back together, I return them to their owners (the rescue) so they can begin the next chapter of their lives.
My second favorite this to do is board retirees. I get to love on these sweet older horses, but there is no pressure to ride.
Now go hug your horses! If you don't have any, you are welcome to come hug mine!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
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