Harley in the carwash

Ignore this first video--its jacked up but I cannot get the thing off of here.

Tracy sent me videos of my big day riding Harley. Since they are of me, most of them are filled with me randomly cussing like I have Tourette's. This one mostly is just me cackling at how very odd this horse is.

The tarp hanging from the ceiling is a desensitization tool-- I call it the carwash. Most horses are terrified of such things, but Harley liked it from the first minute she saw it. Look how content and comfortable she seems to be

We are not really in the steering stage of riding yet---we are just trying to make her move her feet. That means that she chose where we went most of the time today--and for some reason, she chose the carwash. I guess that means that she will not likely have an issue on a trail ride--not that I ever have an issue on a trail ride, but clearly she is not bothered by the noise of the tarp or having her body brushed by the tarp strips. Unless you consider her taking a huge crap at the end of this to be a sign of concern

I cannot tell you how much fun this is for me. I really want to do this a couple of times a week. Every time we do something, she improves by leaps and bounds. I want to consistently work on her, but keep it fun. Since it will now be dark when I get home from work, I bought some lights for my round pen at the farm--that will make it possible to hop on for just a few minutes at least a few times a week. Tracy invited me to come ride at her house when ever I want, so that will be an option as well. This could be the perfect winter project for me

This and That

I am so boring. But a lot of things have been going on around here--mostly little stuff, but stuff all the same.

For example, Madison finally beat the hay spear on the tractor into submission, so that we could put the bucket on and move the rock for the weaner castle. We did that Tuesday nite. It really grates on me when I cannot do something I want to do, so that is a big relief. I still have about four tons of rock sitting in the middle of the driveway, which will start driving me crazy, but for now, I am content.

The farrier was there Tuesday, and pronounced Fonzie free of any changes in his feet from his laminitic episode. Looks like we may have caught it in time to avoid any damage, although it is a little early to be sure we can call him good. I did let him go in with the babies to play, since he has been locked up so long. I may regret that and change him to another holding area soon--he is either getting beat up on or picking on someone else half the time I look.


Five others got trimmed too--including Harley who will be going to training next. She is Gyro's two year old--her last foal. She is in a funky growth spurt, but is 14'3" at the hip and plenty stocky. She did great for her trim and cockleburr removal, and her vaccines.


Target got trimmed too--his feet are a disaster. No matter what we do, they are a mess. Makes me nuts.

While the farrier was there, he helped me deal with Bijou who drives me crazy. She needed haltered and let out of the stall where she has been since weaning. Melody's babies are a pain in the ass, but when they come around, they really come around. She will be great eventually--if I let her live that long. I suspect she will be fine in the baby pen. I hope. Since it will be hard for me to fix if she is not, that is. On that note, China scratched her eyeball somehow--so she is being doctored for that. She is behaving wonderfully for it--always coming right to me to offer to have her eyeball goobered up. I like that.

Speaking of Mel's babies--Hammer was unwilling to load in a timely fashion on Sunday, so he is reacquainting himself with the inside of a trailer. We built a pen for him that is attached to the gray trailer--and he is fed inside of it. If he wants to eat, he has to go in the trailer. Tuesday morning, I checked on him while it was pouring rain--he was standing outside looking pathetic. By the time I got home Tuesday evening, he was happy as a clam standing inside the trailer like he was ready to roll. He stayed there a long time. I was at the farm probably three hours and he was in and out like clockwork. I love that trailer trick--it worked WONDERS on his brother Mojo.

This is what he looked like after our little tool around the farm Monday nite--before he realized this trailer was getting ready to be his world. He looks so innocent, doesn't he? I love this little bugger. Even when he looks a little swishy from standing like that.

Hammer has clearly loaded reasonably well for the rest of his life, but has recently decided he would rather not. This should snap it in the bud, as I want him to go with me camping this weekend. Since Barry won't be here to drive the horse trailer, and I am not about to attempt to get the Mack Daddy trailer in and out of the drive--we will load in the road outside the farm...not the place to have words with the Ham. Let's hope this works to make things as easy as they were for Mojo.



What else do I have? Ah--I thought Boce moved his kitties, but he has not. They are living in the black hole that is my garage. Mama came to me and acted sweet so I gave her a can of kitty food I had bought for the previous kitties. She shared it with her babies, who are laying on my favorite yellow blanket. I wondered where that was. Boce was very nice to not interfere in their dinner, even though his nose was twitching like crazy trying to figure out what their food was. He visited the babies and was very protective of them.

The last info of note is that I finally gave in and had my elbow xrayed. I could see a crack in it, but have no idea what the doc is going to do about it. My bet is nothing. I expect I will hear from him tomorrow. All I want is that shot that makes it stop hurting.

That is about all I have to offer up--nothing of great significance. It is getting ready to get exciting around here though, over the next few weeks...so put on your seatbelts and get ready!

Harley

This is the third baby out of Gyrop by Sly--the oldest is Slygirl who we started riding last year, and Boogie will be going to the trainer in April probably. There was no 2006 baby, so this is number 3.

She is more like Slygirl in appearance than she is Boogie, but has a better head than Slygirl has, more like Boogie's.

It is fascinating to me to be able to compare full siblings to each other like this--especially as they grow up.

Slygirl surprised us with her change when she got under saddle, she turned into a good girl who was all business about what she was supposed to do. Boogie is more standoffish than Slygirl ever was, but Harley is the most personable and easy to handle of them all.

It will be cool to see how she pans out.

What happens when you lose your book

You forget that it is past time to wean a baby! Baby Harley is damn near six months old and I missed weaning her with the last round. The next sign is Sept 18 so I will do her then, but all this not being weaned is taking it out of her I guess. This is not the first time we have had to check on her to make sure she is just asleep and not dead.

This is the filly that I think I will try clicker training on. She is the most interested in me, not an ounce of skittishness in her and I like her.

Trompe L'oeil

Well isnt this a strange view! You should see the ones I did not post...I just wish it had her whole face in it.

I had to look at this pic for 20 minutes before I realized that is Harley's face but not her hiney! I thought I had some artsy fartsy pic, and what I really have is a mishmash of parts.

Typical