Friday's Funnies

Sick Leave

I urgently needed a few days off work, but, I knew the Boss would not allow me to take leave.

I thought that maybe if I acted 'Crazy' then he would tell me to take a few days off.

So I hung upside-down on the ceiling and made funny noises.

My co-worker asked me what I was doing.

I told her that I was pretending to be a light bulb so that the Boss might think I was 'Crazy' and give me a few days off.

A few minutes later the Boss came into the office and asked, 'What in the name of good GOD are you doing?'

I told him I was a light bulb.

He said, 'You are clearly stressed out.' Go home and recuperate for a couple of days.'

I jumped down and walked out of the office...

When my coworker followed me, the Boss asked her, '..And where do you think you're going?!'


You're gonna love this....)


She said, 'I'm going home, too. I can't work in the dark.

Until next time

Quote for Today

“We now know a thousand ways not to build a light bulb”

  Thomas Alva Edison

Wordless Wednesday

Question:  How many horses can you fit in a shed?

Answer:  24 x 24 ft. shed + 4 - 7 larger sized horses = The equivalent of the "clown car" at the circus.

"Room for one more fellas"

 Until next time

Quote for Today
 A home is not a home without  'Horses'.

Horses of the Night

"Chowing down on the hay nets"

Most of the country seems to be having a heat wave and we’re a part of it.  The past few days have been unbearable, the temps ranging from the high 90’s into the over 100-degree mark.  If that wasn’t bad enough the humidity is very high making everything and everyone drip with sweat.  I know ladies perspire but we’re sweating our butts off here.

In order to give the horses some relief they have been staying inside during the day under their fans and out of the blazing sun.  Nighttime turnout around 7 p.m. seems to keep everyone more comfortable.  Although, they can’t wait to come in first thing in the morning for breakfast and a nap, so I’m not sure how happy they are to be out all night.  So that’s how we’re coping with the heat. Below are a few pictures of turnout tonight:

"Shh, hide the beer and smokes, they're coming... damn, busted."

Blue:  "Where'd everybody go? Heard there was a party tonight."

Nate :   "I heard it was in the back field...heh, heh, heh"

Mellon:  "Get the light outta my eyes. You're killin' my buzz."

 Until next time


Quote for Today
A little horseplay... the way best to enjoy a summer day (or night)!

Friday's Funnies

A Day in Dusty World

The best grass is always right out your front door according to Dusty.

Dusty had corrective shoes put on her hind feet this week.  We're hoping this will make her more comfortable and perhaps help with healing her suspensory injuries.  Below are assorted pictures of Dusty meandering around the barn. All stall guards except hers were put across the stalls so she couldn't trash the other horse’s stalls while they were out.  We strung a lunge line across the driveway past her paddock entrance so she still had access in there if she wanted it. She didn’t.  Not every horse on the farm has "special privileges"; only our trusted  and safety conscious veterans are allowed to roam for a time under supervision. 

Dusty & Donnie visiting while Sami looks on (Donnie loves her).

But unfortunately for Donnie, Nate's her main man.

Dusty helping get dinner ready. She's such a help she even taste tested some feed before putting it in the feed buckets.

Dinner is ready and Dusty has a ringside seat for the evening's entertainment.

 "THUNDERDOME"

Sami 14.2 vs. Grady 18 hands

This has been going on almost every night once they come into the catch pen before dinner.

Sami is now going to be Dusty's constant companion in her small paddock until he can control himself and learn some manners. Grady's no innocent either and starts the ruckus half of the time.

All tucked in and ready for dinner - My favorite time of day

Until next time

Quote for Today 
Like human beings, horses are all individuals with singular personalities, their own virtues and their own faults. We become bound to them for their beauty, their eccentricities, their heart and the love they so often return to us.
    - Lana Slaton

A Horse Named Blue

Blue coming home after a hard day of grazing

Blue and I have been getting in some ride time and I’m happy to report that we’ve come to and understanding.  He’ll behave and go forward and whoa when asked as long as I ask correctly, keep my balance and remember to carry lots of treats as rewards.  He’s a very talented, sensitive horse who won’t tolerate any form of what he considers “abuse.”  To Blue, offensive or rude behavior consists of perhaps asking for a trot more than three or four times around the arena without a walk break and a treat. 

Since Blue is very talented and well-trained, we’ve started working on my position and accuracy.  With Dusty I can only describe my riding as defensive most of the time.  With Blue it is now possible to work on all my faults and corrupted riding habits.  Today we worked on my position.  It seems I have a tendency to drop my inside shoulder.  To correct this, I practiced lifting my inside shoulder on the circle, looking up and in and positioning my inside shoulder back while my outside shoulder comes forward a bit.  You’d be amazed how much this little correction makes a big difference.  I also worked on the textbook position with the proverbial line dropping from my ears through my heels, which required scooting my seat forward in the saddle and bringing my leg back under me.  Apparently, I’ve gotten into some bad habits riding Dusty with her slipping saddle and her balance issues.

I’ve heard it said that position in life is everything, but position on a horse is crucial if you want to get where you’re going safely and ride correctly. A lot more practice on my part is going to be required with Blue, but we’re getting there with every ride.

Until next time

Quote for Today

There are many wonderful places in the world, but one of my favourite places is on the back of my horse.
    - Rolf Kopfle

The "Dusty" Diagnosis

This past Friday the vet came to reevaluate Dusty’s suspensory injuries and her laminitis/founder.  The x-rays to her front feet show that she has 6 and 9 degree rotations in both feet.  The ultrasound to her suspensory branches on both hinds show minimal improvement in the right hind and not much at all in the left, where the pictures showed she still had a decent sized hole in her suspensory branch.  Not great news, but we do have a protocol that we are going to follow.

We’ll continue to rest her in her stall on and off during the day. She is allowed out in her own small paddock with a grazing muzzle under supervision a few times a day; obviously no running will be allowed.  She will continue to have her laser boot treatments and will be getting shoes on her hinds, which she doesn’t have now.  The vet and farrier will confer as to what kind of shoes will be most beneficial to help her be more comfortable and give her the support she needs so she can continue healing.  Dusty is on isoxuprine right now and some bute also.  Very shortly we will also be starting her on a DSLD regimen that we used on Sweetie that helped her a lot.  Dusty doesn’t have DSLD, but we’re hoping the supplements will help to heal her ligaments and tissues.  It’s worth a shot and many horses have had good results with this particular treatment (you can find out more about it here.)

Our vet recommended PRP (platelet-rich plasma) treatment as a possibility for her suspensory injuries.  I’ve read up on it and I’m not at all sure it will work; one of the reasons I have my doubts is that the information available says this treatment should be done within 2 weeks to 30 days of the initial injury.  Well, it’s been a lot longer than that, so it might be too late to start.  But I suppose it’s an option.  It’s also very expensive for a “maybe.”  He also mentioned stem cell treatment, which is twice the price.  If I were absolutely sure either of these options would work I might use the butter and egg money and give it a try, but I’m under the impression it could be a shot in the dark.  If the supplements don’t do the trick I might have to really consider these options.  As always, these things are wait-and-see, and healing takes a very long time.

I would like to mention that when we took her out and put her on the longe for a walk for the vet Dusty immediately broke into a beautifully balanced canter as if to say:  “See I’m better, really!  Now can I please go out with the herd!”  This mare will do anything so she can go back to work.  I’ve got to admire her spirit.

Until next time

Quote for Today

Don't look at a horse as an animal; look as if the horse is a real person, because a horse can tell the difference.

Oh Blue

Here's a few pictures of Blue simply loving his grazing muzzle.  He actually tried to hide in the corner of his stall so I couldn't get it on him.

So much grass, so little time ...

" She's not getting away with this inhumane torture"

Here are a few pictures of what Blue did to his muzzle by the end of the day.  I don't know how he managed this destruction. I suppose where there's a will there's a way.  Guess he really took exception to me trying to limit his grass intake.

Until next time

Quote for Today
Seen on a bumper sticker:
If I didn't own a horse, this would be a Ferrari!

The Lighter Side

"Blue"

This weekend I’ve been concentrating on the lighter side of riding. Meaning that I’ve decided to not take my riding so seriously.  Blue and I went out yesterday for a slow mosey around the fields and back home through the hay/corn field next door.  No trotting, just wandering around enjoying the day. 

I believe horses need a break from constant training and arena work.  Blue and I really enjoyed our quiet time together.  Well at least I did.  It was the first time Grady had been ridden in the back fields and, although he was slightly nervous, having a “Steady Eddie” like Blue along relaxed him.  When Grady refused to go over a culvert pipe bridge, Blue went first and he followed with no problem; it’s always nice to have a guinea pig in front and let them be eaten first.  My lazy boy surprised me by picking up a trot a few times heading back to the barn.  I guess he has more enthusiasm when he’s off the property and not in a ring.

Next day thunderstorms rolled in so we were forced to ride in the arena and our laid back attitude continues.  We started by walking around on a loose rein to warm up and then doing some walking patterns over cavelletti to set the tone for the rest of the ride.  Blue was behaving beautifully and seemed to be enjoying himself.  We did some bends with very little leg pressure and his steering was exceptional for a change.

Once my daughter was finished longeing Nate at one end of the arena she turned him out and came back to stand in the center.  Blue and I picked up a lovely trot down the long side and then we proceeded to circle at the end of the arena.  Now, Blue thinks he’s smarter than anyone and he might just be, but he started to spiral in a little here a little there around my daughter.  I should point out that he knows she always has treats in her pockets and he gets one when he does something he’s been asked to do and when he does it well.  I couldn’t let him do his impersonation of circling the drain because this is not a habit I’m willing to let him get away with, so we worked on spiraling back out to the rail and he stopped on a dime when cued.  Then he got his treat.

So, that’s the weekend so far.  I’m hoping for a nicer day tomorrow so we can go back out into the field again.  My way of thinking is one day for training, one day for field fun to keep his mind in the game… and it doesn’t hurt my addled brain to just relax and have fun either.

Until next time

Quote for Today

When riding my horse I no longer have my heart in my chest, but between my knees.