I have been remiss in posting, but after days, and days of wind we finally got a break in the weather. The first of our hummingbirds have finally shown up, and one can hear the coyotes at night. The freeze pipe in the pasture seems to be fixing itself, as it is no longer leaking. Thank you Lord, I really appreciate that. Everything is bone dry, even the Red Hot Pokers are not as thick as they normally are. I wish we could have an aqueduct from the Mississippi to the western states. We’ve had over 7 months of no precipitation. Every time the winds kick up there are fires, all man caused of course. Why people can’t figure out that “extreme fire danger” means no fires of any kind, I don’t know. But someone is always stupid. One of the fires there was no help for as it was caused by a car that had a blowout. Sparks from the wheel rim hitting the pavement was enough to start a fire. That’s how dry it is.
The last two days I rode, first Marina, and then Ibn. Marina, I actually chased twice, well let’s say I took her out to the arena twice. We changed feed to wheat hay, which received mixed reviews from the horses. Marina turned her nose up at it. I gave them half, and half for the first week. Marina ate it, but only after she had eaten every tiny bit of alfalfa. Some went right for the alfalfa first, and others the wheat hay. The rest just ate whatever was on top, they didn’t care what it was so long as it was food. Mostly they prefer the alfalfa, but like the wheat much better than Bermuda. This week I gave them straight wheat, and Marina didn’t do well at all. She puffed up, and even turned up her nose at her goodies. I threw her into the arena, and she ran until she went pooh. I put her back in her stall where she went again, and then she started eating her goodies. I gave her extra goodies, and got some oil and vinegar, which I need to start anyway for the flies. I bought some alfalfa just for her, but I think I will get half, and half next week. For one the wheat hay is very, very messy. Secondly, the alfalfa is a little cheaper, and I like keeping them on a mixed diet of grass and alfalfa. They all seem to be doing well, not too high, and maintaining their weight.
After breakfast I rode Marina first, chasing her again to get as much of her pent up energies out as possible, or at least I hoped too. Too bad it didn’t work. She was a loaded pistol, and I had to fight her almost the whole ride. She just gets too excited, she so loves to be ridden. Ibn I rode the next day throwing him in the arena first as well. I brushed him down, cleaned him up, got his mane and tail glistening, and tried to get some new video of him first. Then out we went, and considering he hadn’t been ridden for a couple of weeks, he actually did better than Marina, well almost. I have to lead him past the girls to take him to the barn. Now mind you his stall is right next to the girls, but in his mind walking past them is a totally different thing, men! He had gotten really good about going past the girls without getting all goofy, and would barely let out a nicker or two. This time the girls must be near their heat cycle because they all went up to their gates ogling him, and he puffed himself up, arched his neck called out, and even struck out. I of course yelled at him to be a gentleman. I do not have Rudy’s strength, and if he wanted to, I could be dead meat. Since I will be pasture breeding this year by myself, he had better start behaving himself now. I can’t have him rearing on me, or doing some other equally stupid thing. I just wish I could have gotten some photos of him showing off to the girls. With his new body, he had to be something to behold. He is building up nicely, putting on muscle in all the right places, a hunk if ever a girl saw one, and they saw him let me tell you. The girls were all but drooling. Hormones, they run strong this time of year, hopefully not too strong that I can’t handle them.
After that, as I said, we had a very nice ride all things considered. Ibn was high but not too high. Last night I tried to download the video I had taken, but could not get the computer to recognize the camera. I worked on it again today, finally got the computer to connect, and guess what, no video of course. In a lot of ways I really hate this camera, but I certainly can’t afford to buy another, and when it works it works well. It doesn’t take that good of action shots, but the video is fairly decent. Yesterday it didn’t work. Maybe I’ll try again tomorrow.
The kids are growing like weeds. Lance is all legs and the spitting image of his half-brother Ausumm. He will probably top out at 14.3. This year he is really coming into his own, perfectly balanced, with beautiful movement. I was hesitant of gelding him, but Rudy didn’t like his conformation. The problem with these horses is that you don’t really know what they will look like until they are at least two or three years old. Storm nice as he is, needed to be gelded, but not so Lance in my mind. Ser-Haat is all gangly, and will not show his true form for at least another year. Little Big Man is finally coming out of his downhill stage, I think. They look so funny when their backend is higher than their front end. He is almost shed out, but still has a very thick coat for one of our horses who are all very fine furred. I mentioned this to a friend of mine, and she told me it’s the buckskin. Evidently Buckskins have heavier coats than other horses, who knew. I have to work with the youngsters so I can take them out of their stalls, into the arena, and get new videos. They haven’t been out since they were weaned. This is the first time this has happened, but such is life. LBM’s stall is right next to Ibn’s and very close to the round pen. I think I will be able to get him there this summer. Once I can successful work him in the round pen, we can advance to the arena. We’ll see how it goes.
I am also still looking at Warmbloods. I have looked at a lot, but still have not found one I like as well as Sagar. There’s something about him that makes him stand out for me. I have also checked into the RPSI registry. No wonder Warmbloods are so expensive. Not only will I have to put money aside for this year, but next year as well if I want him to go through the RPSI registry. They are more expensive than the AHA, and that’s a lot compared to other registries. Still I think it will be worth it. I don’t think I will have a lot of problems selling the foal, with Sagar’s credentials if I can get it approved, which I don’t think will be a problem. He has exceptional get, and Angel has proven herself a good producer with LBM. I will want to sell the foal as quickly as possible so I don’t have to go through more than one keuring. That will be expensive enough (and stressful enough don’t you know!).
I don’t know why Storm didn’t come out nicer. He’ll be a great horse he’s just not that easy on the eyes. He moves just like Ibn, and one cannot fault his conformation, he just doesn’t have that “wow” factor. I need to find him a home this year. He needs a job, and a human of his own. He’ll be four this year, and it’s time. Here he’s just one of the horses, and doesn’t get the attention he deserves. He’s smart, willing to learn, and loves to please. I really need someone to help out here, but living on a shoestring is not conducive to hiring extra help, someday maybe, but definitely not today. That would be nice though. They could live in the RV, work with the youngsters, and help with cleaning stalls etc. Horses poop way too much. Lately it’s either ride, or play with the youngsters, or clean. Three guesses what comes last, and the first two don’t count! Forget the fact that we also have seven dogs, two birds, two cats (they don’t need much care, just a full food bowl), and the chickens. Three of the dogs are fluffer’s (as Rudy calls them), that need grooming etc., oh and we also have a house with all that that entails. Yes, help would be nice. I can dream can’t I?
The next few days are supposed to be nice, we’ll see how much I can accomplish, and how much energy I can muster. I should be 20 years old, and then I would have all the energy I need to do all the things I want to do. That’s another thing I have to talk to my Lord about when the day comes. I have a list you see, which seems to get longer, the longer I live. Yes we will have a very long discussion. It’s a good thing we will have eternity to talk, because I have a lot to talk about. Meanwhile, I’ll just wait and see what tomorrow brings. If nothing else it won’t be boring.
