Well we had water for one day, and then the temps plummeted again, and you guessed it, no water. Anytime spring wants to come I’m game. Rudy went back on the road, and I hauled water. Well at least I got in one good shower. We froze for another two days, and then I got water in the house. Father went home from the hospital on Friday, but in the meantime Mother fell, and she ended up in the hospital too for a short time. I have to get them to move out here to Roswell.
The last two days have been beautiful, up to 52 yesterday and 60 today, but still no water at the barn. I decided to go to Ace Hardware, and get parts to fix the broken ball valve. I was certain that the valve was stuck closed, and replacing it would give me water at the barn. Silly child it couldn’t be that easy. I cut the pipe, and found a piece of ice at the bottom of the corner. The way these pipes are put together is scary. Instead of coming from the house the barn main comes from the middle of the road. That means the water comes from the house to the barn. There is a tee going across to the side of the arena, and up to the water main, then back down to the automatic waterers. Right, it makes absolutely no sense just like everything else around here.
I dug down around the bottom of the corner, put fiberglass on the ground covering the corner then covered it with dirt. You see they didn’t bury the pipes deep enough, and I don’t really feel like digging up the whole line to insulate it, at least not now. Maybe during monsoon season I’ll think about it. I put in the coupling (that’s the professional word I was told), the ball valve, and then straight pipe in between. I left enough room so if this needs to be done again there’s more pipe to play with.
It’s now 3:00 pm, and I still have to water the horses. It takes three tanks to get everyone some water. I start with the mares. The outside mares fight when I first get them water till one of them has enough, then the other gets her fill. Little Big Man is getting more aggressive about getting his turn. Lizzie, kicks the waterer, bites the wire fencing between them, and does everything in her power to keep LBM away. She’s a TB and she can’t skinny her head down deep enough to get the water when it’s low. LBM being a baby still can, and that really ticks her off. I let her show her dominance up to a point. LBM needs to learn that mares rule, and young’uns need to learn their place. Horsy etiquette is especially important if we are to keep him a stallion. It will make it easier to teach him in the future.
I empty one tank, and get another tank full. I feed everyone first, then fill the boy’s tanks. There’s a little left, which I give to the pasture mares. They drink it all up before I can leave to get another tank full for them. It’s starting to get dark, but I only have this one tank to go. I will fill them the rest of the way tomorrow.
I did get my laundry done, but the rest of the house is a mess. It seems I haven’t stopped since the cold snap, and it’s supposed to get cold again on Wednesday. I did get to play with the kids while watering. Ser-Haat has gotten so good. He let me groom him while he was waiting for the tank to fill. I sprayed his mane, and tail, and they glisten in the light. Ser-Haat hasn’t started shedding yet, but I used the curry on him anyway.
Lance is growing like a weed. It took him a while, but he is finally growing taller. He is going to be a beautiful young man. He has that Aurab neck which is so powerful, and Jeri’s delicate head. His mane and tail are thick like Ibn’s, and long like Jeri’s. I love watching the kids grow. Each one is different. Some grow evenly, and never seem to go through the gawky stage. Some, like Storm look terrible until they are about three or four. Storm is just now coming into his own. Sierra (LBM) is downhill now. He looks so silly with his back end higher than his front end. I was able to get pics of his cottontail with the dun stripe in the middle, his freckles under his tail, and his eyes. They still haven’t turned completely, but I think they will be hazel. I wanted green but hazel is close. Soon I hope to introduce him to Marina with Lizzie in the arena. He has to be able to get along with mares as well as the boys.
It was a long day, and I’m beginning to fade. It would have been a perfect day to ride. Oh well perhaps the pipes will unfreeze tomorrow. It would be nice. One of these days I may even get to the house. It could happen, you know. I just want warm days where I can play with the horses, clean my poor barn, and get in a ride or two. Running a ranch is wonderful. The only problem is that maintaining a ranch is a lot of work. I don’t like being bored so I can’t complain. It’s a wonderful life, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Love the picture of the Chessie. :)
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