Talky Tuesday

Since I didn't say much about our trail ride on Sunday, I will talk a little bit about it now.  I mean it was pretty uneventful, so there isn't much to say except that I am addicted to wood stumps.  I don't know why.

I mean I do know why, but I don't know why I hang on to that addiction.  I want to go dig them up, but I know I do not have the physical capability that I had 15 years ago when that was my favorite past time, and supplement income.  Mostly though I just love the way they look. I love the odd formations these desert trees grow in.  I love the blooms in the spring, and the smell of fresh cut mesquite on a fire.

We are planning on adding a fire pit to our back yard for socializing around, I have a really cool plan worked out for it, and can't wait to get started on it.  Once it is done we will need firewood for it and there is a literal gold mind of already dead wood out there.  I think it will be a great exercise for the horses to have to drag some of it to the fence line to be loaded into a pick up. Especially Trax who seems to be reverting to his "OMG I'm afraid of rope" frame of mind again.   I have come to the conclusion that he might be faking it, to get out of working.  He learned that from Killian.

After our trail ride I took him out in the arena and attempted to work a little on some of the things that Charlie showed me.  I'm just not getting it, and there for neither is Trax.  I need to go for another open ride night, but football keeps getting in the way.  Once football is over I can try to go, although I was informed that about the first of Dec, I will be started on the 2nd shift, which means no more open ride night at all.

Later in the day on Sunday, we got Sassy out and put the old Circle Y roping saddle on her.  It used to fit her perfectly, now it doesn't.  Time to sell it, since I don't have a horse that can wear it anymore.  Still I left it one because I wasn't sure how she was going to react and if she was going to ruin a saddle I'd rather it be one I don't use.

My concerns were unfounded though, except for a funny look when we tightened the cinch she acted like she has been saddled every day of her life.

Good Girl.

We worked her in the round pen and at first she was really limping, but I kept her moving at a walk, and an occasional trot, and it actually seemed to get better.   In fact I know that it did.  Charlie did say that exercise is key to getting her healed.

Finally Simon asked to get up on her, I said okay because I knew that we were only going to walk.  I have a video of him riding.  Simon is not the best rider, but he is trying to learn.  I am trying to teach him the concept behind using his legs to steer.  I need to show him on Trax, so he can grasp it a little better.  I kept telling him to put his heels down and he couldn't. Then I realized that his stirrups were way to short.  So I fixed them. But then my camera was out of memory so I didn't get any video of him doing better.

He was riding her in a halter, and it wasn't until we were done that I remembered that I have a nice side pull that would work so much better on her.

For the most part she was totally relaxed, but then towards the end she kept wanting to stop and started pawing at the ground.  I told him to kick her forward because I was afraid she fixing to roll, so he did and she relented and kept walking. We worked on some turning but mostly it the session was about exercise and blood flow to the foot.

I wold like to ride her, but I am afraid that my extra weight would do harm to her feet.   I will say that she seems to be doing great on the right but that left is still the one giving her issue.

Here is a picture of her special shoes that Charlie has her in.  She has gel in between the wedge and her hoof.   She still walks toe first, I don't know how to change that.

Here is the video of him riding her, before I let out the stirrups.   Next time I will put a saddle on her that fits better.


A couple of weeks ago I was driving home through my neighborhood and saw CNJ out working her pony Kat.  We have texted back and forth several times but never actually met in person so I stopped for a minute.  She has the most adorable little girls I have ever seen!  We chatted for a minute but couldn't talk much due to to time.

 A little later I got a text that said, "My car is in the shop or we would go for a drive and I'd be happy to help with you learning to rasp hooves."

I thought, "Hmmmm, maybe she needs someone to talk to."  So I texted back the next morning and said I could pick her up.

She asked where we were going, I said, "My house I guess."  So then she said she would just come by when she went to get hay.

Now there is a reason why I am giving you the whole conversation.

When she stopped by she was all set to work on hooves, and I was in the middle of shampooing the rug my dog had thrown up on the night before and not prepared to work on hooves.

What we finally figured out and had a good laugh about is that she was talking about her cart, not her car being in the shop and taking a drive in the cart with Kat pulling us.  I thought she just needed to talk. So we ended up chatting for a while, I showed her my place, and then she went on to get her hay.

Moral of the story...sometimes an actual phone call is much better than texting!

Still it was great to meet her, and I am hoping that we can go riding together soon!