[phantomhorse13]

@blue eyed pony : I am glad you weren't seriously hurt by the rude mare - if you are stuck feeding her again, take a longe whip in with you!! i had never heard of sustainable audio company, so that sounds like an excellent use of your money. noise canceling headphones sounds like they may be quite useful when your mom is around and in a mood. next time that silly git starts bothering you online, perhaps offer her the links to your mom's tarot books..

@JCnGrace : the pup is only 10 weeks old, so it will be many months before she is mature enough to go on any rides. she is just starting to learn about leashes as my DH rarely uses one (Katie was terrible on a leash - pulling and all over the place), so I am determined that Kali will be educated about leash walking.. but of course that means I will be doing the training. so glad your farrier got there; hopefully the canceled appointment will just have been a fluke. how funny that Gamble was sleeping covered in hay (though I bet that gave you quite the scare to start with).

@lb27312 : if that is what you consider a dirty horse, I am never going to take close-up pics of any of mine!! glad he did so well for you.

@PoptartShop : sorry to hear the Promise has hurt herself again - she def needs bubble wrap!! hope today's weather is less miserable down there..


A bit more saddle time recently. The whole story is in my journal.

Friday, momma nature was again in a bad mood, with chilly temperatures and a gusty wind. I decided it was a good day for ring work. I started with Link:

Then, it was Phin's turn:

Then, I hopped on George bareback to walk Kestrel:

Yesterday, I started with Link:

Next was Phin (and Kestrel):

Today, instead of the 2-3" of PITA snow predicted, we got ice pellets and sleet instead! The ground is a mess and the storm isn't over yet.. 🙈

 

[PoptartShop]

@JCnGrace that could be, very interesting. She is a tough cookie though & stoic, which can be good but then again, annoying at the same time LOL. Gosh Gamble, that would've scared me too! Whew! They sure know how to keep us on our toes.

@phantomhorse13 pole work is always fun! Glad you got some rides in! Boo to the cold & wind though, I know sometimes it's just miserable. No snow here either, but yes, rain & sleet. Such a mess.

It's been rainy here all day too, we didn't get any snow like we were supposed to either. We did get some sleet this morning, the ground is back to being muddy & disgusting again. So not fun!

My barnmate fed this morning & told me her leg is definitely a little better, & he didn't feel any heat, but tonight I'll see how it's doing & I may wrap if necessary because it is muddy again, & the last thing we need is another infection. Definitely have to be cautious this time around even if it does sound a little silly.

Busy workday today, so it's not a terrible thing that the weather's been gross. Although, I do miss the sunshine!

 

[lb27312]

@JCnGrace - Yep he's going out for training starting the 1st of Feb.... really nervous but I've heard really good things about this guy but as you know that can change. Some friends want to go watch a couple of sessions so I'm hoping he's open to that. Said it was an open barn policy... ugh! I'm just worried.... I don't mind picking Captain up and still paying if it doesn't work out so I'll make sure he knows that.

@PoptartShop - I hope Promise heals quick! Sounds like she is on the mend though!

@phantomhorse13 - Believe me he is sooo dirty! There's is mud caked on the end of his tail that you can't see and when he shakes it's a cloud of dust... lol looks like some good rides!

I confess I'm soooo bummed on the MORE rain! ARGHHH! It was just getting good and dry and I could use my round pen... now too slick in there... and horses are sloshing through mud again.

 

[PoptartShop]

@lb27313 thank you! And same here...back to mud. It was quite nice having some dry ground for once. It never lasts LOL.

I confess, Promise's leg is definitely getting better, still some swelling/heat, & the one cut needs to continue to heal, so to be super proactive, I scrubbed it with betadine, then wrapped her leg in poultice which is really helping, & put some antibiotic ointment on the cut, so her leg is all wrapped in pink vet wrap! LOL, pretty in pink! But she was so good, it's not really bothering her much tonight. I just didn't want to risk it getting infected so better to be safe than sorry, especially since the mud is back. Grrr! But luckily our pasture only has mud in certain areas, so it's not like she's standing in it constantly, I would've stalled her for the night if that was the case, but she's fine being out.

I also confess, I've started to color again (yes, there's such a thing as adult coloring books!) & it's super relaxing. It's really calming.

 

[blue eyed pony]

I went grocery shopping with my headphones today.

They're life-changing for people like me, who find noise distressing. I could only hear other humans with my headphones in monitoring mode, and even then, only the nearby ones. That's an everyday thing for so many people but when other humans are a source of stress, reducing that stress is so important.

Also, my dog had her teeth done today. I cried leaving the vet without her, but she did great, they said she was very well behaved, and she's home and happy I was so anxious about the potential for complications with the anesthesia because she's 12 but she did fine

 

[phantomhorse13]

@PoptartShop : hope Promise's leg continues to improve. maybe the mud will be gone by the time her leg is ready for riding again. i do cross stitch because I find it calming, so I could see coloring being fun, too.

@lb27312 : sorry to hear you are floating again. i think going to see training sessions with Captain will be good for you both to set your mind at ease and to see things you can then work on at home.

@blue eyed pony : glad the headphones are helping; did you find people giving you strange looks for wearing them or were they pretty accepting? I see people with ear bud-type headphones in around here a lot but can't say I have ever seen noise cancelling ones like you have. I am hoping I would be polite enough not to stare, but not sure if I may do it without even realizing.. interesting to ponder. so glad the dental on your dog was successful. she thanks you for it as a healthy mouth is so important esp as they age.


Haven't shared puppy and kitten pics lately. There are a few more in my journal.

No riding for me for a while I suspect, as the ground is a mess of ice and temperatures (which are barely above freezing now) will be falling as the "arctic plunge" happens. Then, the next storm is on the way for the end of the weekend..

 

[PoptartShop]

@phantomhorse13 thank you! & cross stitch sounds like fun too! Oh my goodness, Kali is just so cute!!! Aww!! & look at the kitties!! They're so cute. Kali is so adorable trying to chase after Kestrel because Kestrel pretty much won the tug war! LOL. Aww that sucks about the ground, it's definitely gonna get colder & I am so not looking forward to it.

I confess, I went to the barn today & checked Promise's leg, she is definitely not off anymore (she was only off slightly) so that's a good sign! I took her wrap off, cleaned it again, & re-wrapped it, won't wrap it again until Friday now because the cut is definitely healing & the swelling/heat is down, such a relief! But it needs to stay clean so wrapping it is best until the cut scabs up.

Tomorrow & onward it's supposed to be much colder, & SUPERRRRRRR windy...in the teens, so that should be fun - NOT! LOL. I am not looking forward to the wind! The cold is one thing, but the wind really sucks! Supposed to get snow Monday & Tuesday, but it may change.


.

 

[blue eyed pony]

@phantomhorse13 nah everyone acted like it was the most normal thing in the world to see some random dude wandering around the store with headphones on! And there are noise cancelling earbuds - in particular the apple airpods pro have very good noise cancelling for what they are. So all those people you see with earbuds in might very well be using noise cancelling, for all you know. I looked at the airpods pro (they're especially good paired with iphones and I'm an iphone 11 user) but my ears don't like earbuds for any more than extremely short term use, and I've got executive functioning difficulties which make it extremely easy to lose small items like earbuds (I have NO CLUE where the earbuds that came with my phone are and I haven't even owned this phone for that long), so between those two things, full headphones were a better fit for me. I specifically went looking for good circumaural (around-ear) headphones because on-ear headphones hurt to wear, as do earbuds after a while.

Autism and auditory processing disorders are far more common than people think, plus there are plenty of neurotypicals who just find noise unpleasant. Nothing wrong with blocking out something you dislike to make life more pleasant. That's what technology is for - to make life easier or more fun. Plus the more normalised it is to see it, the less the neurodivergent community has to feel awkward about using tools that make our lives easier.

 

[blue eyed pony]

Look what happened today!!!

 

[JCnGrace]

@phantomhorse13 , I so agree that leash training is a must. Your whole animal family looks very healthy and happy. Love the pic of the pup laying under the recliner with the cat looking down at her. I didn't notice the cat at first and then when I did it made me laugh. Kali gets quite ferocious in her tug of war battles with Kestrel. LOL

Farrier canceled because his brother got sepsis and it went to his heart and they thought were going to lose him. Family trumps work in my book so it was ok, I just wish he'd told the hubs that when he called so I wouldn't have gotten po'd because I feel bad about that now.

@PoptartShop , so glad Promise's leg is doing better!

I think I've gotten over my coloring kick. I grab the book every once in a while and doodle with it but I've been coloring out of that same book now for going on 3 years now so definitely don't pick it up too often.

@blue eyed pony, do your vets do testing to make sure your dog is healthy enough to handle anesthesia? I always go with my friend when she takes her dogs in for teeth cleaning and they do that for her 2 older ones. Knock on wood so far mine doesn't get a build of tartar on his teeth. He'd probably die of a heart attack from being left at a strange place without his mommy (me) long before they could ever put him under. He's quite the wuss.

You got on Poppy! Was it a getting on and off lesson or did you ride her? She doesn't look the least bit upset that you are on her back.

@lb27312, Keep us posted on how Captain is doing with his training. I always missed mine too when they were gone. Definitely go visit!

We got the snow that was supposed to go just south of us yesterday. 5 inches if hubs measured correctly. The horses enjoyed laying in it today, the dog enjoys eating it so he wants to go out every 5 minutes to get a bite and the cats are with me and ready for it to melt. LOL First time this winter I've needed to wear my boots instead of tennis shoes.

 

[blue eyed pony]

@JCnGrace they do a blood test if they think it's necessary but Masai is a very fit and healthy 12, with absolutely no symptoms of liver or kidney problems, so my vet didn't think she needed a blood test. Plus I'm a bit short on money at the moment so they were trying to save me a bit of money if possible
It was a ride, but it was all on lead. Next ride will probably be off lead walking and depending on how she goes maybe a little trot I want to get her going w/t/c and maybe a couple of trail rides before I hand over the reins but we'll see how we go.

 

[PoptartShop]

@JCnGrace we got snow too!! Ugh!!

I confess, Promise's leg is good & no need for me to wrap it anymore, the cut is healing nicely. So wahooo!

We did get some snow yesterday, we got sleet today & more snow is to come. Ugh! Not looking forward to all the ice. We only got a few inches thank goodness. So far.

Promise was happily out in it yesterday, she didn't mind it at all. Her other buddies were under the shelter, she was just like 'I'll stand out here, I'm fine' LOL. They were all running, bucking & playing.

 

[lb27312]

Howdy all!

@PoptartShop - awwww Promise looks so cute! Glad the leg is good!

@phantomhorse13 - I agree on the leash training, so often you see dogs that have no clue what being on a leash is. But she's smart she'll get it!

@blue eyed pony - cool on getting on Poppy! She's a cutie...

I've got some seedlings started, so far just 2 types of tomatoes, Jalapenos and basil.... need to start some more and will buy plants as well...

I confess I'm a little down today... I think because I'm tired. I got no sleep last night thinking of taking Captain to the trainers today. And a lot of stress going on. To get Captain to the trainers I had to borrow my neighbors rig(mines in the shop) which meant truck and trailer... I had to walk Captain down to her place and then worried that he wasn't going to get on, just tons going through my mind all night. He was fine, got right on, the walk was okay he was a little up but nothing bad. And then he was there, unloaded him, talked to the trainer, put him in the round pen with a little hay.... it was okay until I went to drive a way, his head popped up like wait(this is my thoughts projected on him) where you going?? Trotted around a little but I kept driving... I just hope he does good. I don't want to text the trainer a lot, was going to text him tomorrow to see how Captain's doing and then go Wednesday to see him. Friday I made arrangements with the trainer so I can come watch him work with Captain.

My trailer is going to require $$ to fix. They think because I really have to jack knife it I mean really crank it to get it parked in my drive way so over time the axle is bent... that's what we've come up with. The tire was very bald... just one tire on the inside... I have put a lot of miles on my trailer, depending who you are..

 

[lb27312]

Oops posting again... forgot to wish Challenger(A Journey to the Moon) a very happy 20th birthday! Sorry pic heavy! His is a kinda a sad story.... he wasn't anyone's heart horse. I bought him when he was 8mos old, but was there when he was born. Had Wrangler who was my heart horse from the moment I met him. Hubby at the time fell in love with Chal when he was a baby. When we were moving away from that barn the hauler was there(had a trailer but wasn't comfortable to do a cross country move) to pick up Wrangler, hubby said we aren't taking Chal? I said it was never mentioned and I'm the only one that rides, hubby said oh I will start to ride.... anywho we buy Chal so he gets in the trailer with Wrangler(lots of drama as we needed to pull a health cert and coggins on him) fast forward a few years later I'm divorced with two horses, I loved riding Wrangler but need to get Chal started... He was good but young so I always rode Wrangler, Chal never got ridden... when he was it was out of someone needing a horse and Wrangler was a go to horse. So I kinda resented riding Chal when someone was on Wrangler.... he would act up, as he NEVER got ridden... fast forward to the last few years he is AWESOME! I get a little upset when they say how he was but it was because he was NEVER ridden! Now that he's ridden on a constant basis(still not as often as most) he is the best! He got a bad rap because of me! I would always compare them and because Wrangler was ridden all the time and Chal not that much there was a big difference... So I feel kinda sad that Chal never got his heart person... I do love him but I think he always knew he was second... sad to me...

First pics at 8 mos when he was officially mine then the last campout around New Years... excuse the cat creeping in the background.

 

[JCnGrace]

@PoptartShop , thank goodness for the fast healing with no issues! Mine rarely stand inside in the winter unless it's ice coming down. They like snow.

@lb27312 , Happy Birthday Challenger! He sure is a handsome dude and he has his very own matching cat. LOL I'm sure he's happy having a good home and doesn't realize he's not someone's heart horse.

I'm sorry you're feeling bummed at Captain going off to the trainers. Are you just doing 30 days? That will go by fast and he'll be back home before you know it. Does the trainer have you ride once they get to a certain point in his training?

Cloud was so funny today. There is deep mud in the gateway between their corral and small pasture and after she walked through it she must have had a clump stuck to her back leg or hoof because she picked her leg up and shook it like a cat does after walking through water. First time I've ever seen a horse do that. Had another round of snow go through a couple of days ago right after the last round melted off but it's mostly melted off now too except for shady areas. I think it's supposed to stay cold through the rest of the week. I think winter has finally arrived.

 

[PoptartShop]

@lb27312 Awww happy birthday Challenger! Aww he is such a handsome boy. I know it's stressful about Captain - I'd lose sleep over it too, with worry! Perks of being a good horse parent. It's gonna be tough, but I hope they update you & you get to see him. Hopefully it flies by!

@JCnGrace LOL that is so funny about Cloud! She must've thought she was a cat for a quick second! Ugh, I hear ya...winter is definitely here to stay.

I confess, yesterday it stopped snowing (barely) but I got out to the barn. I was like hmmm...I wanna try something. So, long story short, I rode Promise in my bareback pad, in the snow! She was SO good. It was really windy/cold, but she didn't seem to mind. It was fun! My toes were frozen afterwards though...LOL. I was too lazy to change into my riding boots, so I rode in my muck boots haha.

Today it's SUPER windy, & temps are supposed to drop low towards the weekend, & next week...into the teens. Ugh!

 

[phantomhorse13]

@blue eyed pony : I am very glad nobody gave you a hard time for using your headphones, as you should be able to comfortably do whatever helps. I don't care for using earbuds for long either, but I think using noise-canceling headphones while out in public just about anywhere sounds brilliant as I have no use for most people anyway. We have some noise reducing ones that we use on the equipment (tho nothing as nice as what you have), but they hurt my ears too after using them for more an hour, so guess they aren't big enough to actually go around my whole ear. I always saw it as a good excuse to take a break from mowing every hour. Poppy looks great! I can't wait to hear about all the fun you have with her.

@JCnGrace : glad the farrier had a reason for canceling (though very sorry to hear what the reason was). ugh to snow there - hope it all melts soon. too funny about Cloud not liking the mud on her legs!

@PoptartShop : so glad to see that Promise's leg is better AND you got some ride time! weather has been crazy, but the snow is pretty.

@lb27312 : the thought or starting seeds makes spring seem right around the corner. I keep saying I need to have a garden, but I always kill things. you will have to share pics of your plants so I can live vicariously. glad things went well with Captain and hope you have been sleeping better. have you gotten updates from the trainer? sorry to hear about your trailer repairs. do they expect the same thing to keep happening since you park in the same place? happy birthday Challenger - love all the chrome!


Momma nature has not been kind here lately, though I have gotten a bit of saddle time. The whole story is in my journal.

Saturday, I started with Link:

Next was Phin:

The Nor'easter made things interesting here, with snow starting Sunday morning and finally ending yesterday morning. We got 2' when all was said and done (and that was "lucky" as not too far NE of us got 3')! I have never been so thankful for big equipment and hope to never see a shovel again.

Yesterday, I took Link out for a mosey in the fresh snow:

Then it was Phin's turn:

 

[lb27312]

Great pics everyone! Love to see people riding! lol Thanks for Chal's birthday wishes! Amazing how time flies.

@phantomhorse13 - That's some serious snow!! Wow.... I'm going to have to reconfigure my driveway, while I'm doing that I'm just going to have to back the trailer down my driveway... that's a pain but the person suggested I don't keep jack knifing it, I think I can get it figured out, just need to borrow some heavy equipment from my neighbor.

 

[JCnGrace]

@PoptartShop , if your Muck boots don't keep your feet warm nothing will. Glad you and Promise were able to get out and about.

@phantomhorse13 , look at all the snow! The pups playing in it were so cute but in the second video where Kali was hopping through the deep stuff and then hit the path that had already been trampled down it was like she was relieved to take a breather. LOL She's growing like a weed! Hope the snow shovel wasn't too hard on you.

I didn't even get to lay a hand on Cutter today. As soon as he finished his oats he snuck back off to the round bales so he didn't have any of the others telling him which one and where he had to eat. LOL TJ stuck around and helped me clean out their water trough which is usually Cutter's favorite job. Those two have their feeders in the doorway so they aren't locked in while they're eating which is why they have access to me while I'm trough cleaning. Discovered another plus for these fleece lined sweats today when I got the legs of them all wet and I couldn't feel a bit of dampness on my legs. I'm glad I bought 3 pair last year when Sam's had them because they haven't had them at all this year. I'd buy a couple more just so I wouldn't have to do a load of clothes every 3 days.

 

[PoptartShop]

@phantomhorse13 yes, it is very pretty! You got a lot more over there, omg the pups are so cute playing in it! Looks like they love the snow! Nice to see you riding also! Now we just have to get through it melting, & the ground being a mushy mess...

@JCnGrace true that, I also didn't double up on socks like I usually do, so it's kinda my fault lol. Fleece sweats sound amazing & definitely much-needed for winter! Sounds like TJ was doing Cutter's job huh! Cutter was like, I'm gonna focus on the hay today, you two have fun with the trough, LOL.

I confess, the snow is finally starting to melt, but we're supoosed to get some rain tomorrow, so it's just gonna be a sloshy mess this weekend. Back to the mud before we know it. Gonna try to ride this weekend & at least do some stuff, the best we can. Work is really busy today, & I woke up, once again thinking it was Friday...joke is on me! LOL.

I did enjoy riding in the snow though, it was fun. As much as I can't stand winter!