Prepare for Takeoff

An alarming new piece of equipment has arrived at the barn. Actually, there are two. They’re related to a helicopter, or maybe a prop plane. You can practically feel the energy they generate when they’re preparing for take-off. The most worrisome part is that they are both aimed right at me. Thankfully, only the one across the aisle seems to be active. The one behind me in the cross ties hasn’t made a sound, so I’ve mostly ignored it. Is it looking at me? It is, isn't it?



I was OK with the wind maker at first, but when we came back in from riding, it went faster, and created more wind, and I was literally blowing around in it. I could barely control my hind end. First it blew to the left, and then it blew all the way over to the right, and back again. I felt like a whirly-gig. The funny part was that Brita was trying to braid my tail at the time, and she was dangling around back there like the tail of a kite. This made her cranky, so she went over and fixed the windmaker so it was a little quieter, and didn’t make as much wind, and I was able to stand still finally.



Training note of the week:

When cantering, always make sure you are rounding your back and using all your muscles. This may be a little difficult for your rider, but they will be just fine, although they may not be able to sit as pretty as they would like.



Round boundy canters are more fun for the rider anyway, because everyone enjoys a challenge. Don't forget to bounce your butt up...



But this roundness and bouncing might cause your saddle to creep up around your shoulders and armpits which is uncomfortable. When that happens, blame your rider and threaten to dump the whole package in the sand. Sounds effects like that of a rodeo bronc will help drive home your point.



Afterall, you were just doing what you were supposed to. It’s not your fault if stuff gets out of place and pinches. It is totally your rider's fault and she should be held accountable.

If she's still aboard, finish up with a nice workmanlike trot to let her know there are no hard feelings.

Bath Time

So here I am, soaking wet, tied to the wall.



I feel much better now, and I was sort of full of shenanigans today. It's been awhile since I got to go out in the hay fields. First we did a few days of schoolwork in the arena, then I was infected with a potentially deadly disease, then it rained. So I was feeling pretty good to be out. Aaand I may have been a little naughty. Anyway, I am back from what was supposed to be a quiet stroll around the freshly mown hay fields soaking wet with sweat and covered in flyspray scum. Brita had been saying how clean I've been lately. I'm almost all shed out and slicked up in my summer coat and I haven't had any mud to roll in.

Brita brought me in, skipped my snack, and tied me to the wall. I don't like being tied to the wall. But since she got that magic ring, I've gotten tired of trying to figure out how to pull the wall down. It just doesn't work anymore. nothing breaks, the rope just keeps coming and coming and coming... So I've learned to stand still. And this is what it gets me. Actually, the warm water did feel sort of good. but don't tell anybody. Aren't my dapples pretty when they're wet?

Ouch! Again!

I've been on Light Duty again because I have an Owie. I like Light Duty, because it mostly involves lawn mowing. See the Owie on my chest?



It's all sore and swollen and twice the size of the other side. You see Knucklehead across the aisle...




...had the Doctor in to see about his boy parts. And while the Doctor was here, he slipped into my stall and jabbed me. What is it about Doctors? Is it possible for them to visit and NOT poke a needle full of some deadly disease into one of my soft spots?

So, I've been lawn mowing with my fly mask on.



I love my fly mask. It keeps the ear bugs away. In fact, I've been thinking about getting a bonnet to keep them out of my ears when I ride. Something that doesn't cover my face. But anyway, the only downside to the fly mask is that it gives me Hat Head. This isn't a very bad episode of hat head.




Sometimes I look like this....



My lawn is growing. It's starting to green right up. It will still be awhile until I can mow it. But I'm practicing.

Happy Mother's Day

This isn't actually my Mom, this is my Grand Mom who's name is Camilla Fox. But I figure my Mom looks pretty much like this anyway. Actually, I have three Moms. My real Mom, Galatea, my sarogate Mom who's name I don't remember (it was probably Mom wasn't it?), and my Human Mom. It's all very confusing. Apparently, I'm a miracle of modern science, and I have a brother and a sister born at the same time as me, and we were all raised by different volunteer Moms. Something about embryo transfer, which just sounds really expensive.

But now I have the best Mom who takes care of me every day. She makes sure that I get out to play every day. She makes sure I get fresh green grass, and sometimes that means she has to pick it herself and bring it to me. She notices when I don’t feel good and brings me a warm blanket. When she leaves the barn and walks past my stall she usually has a goody, but always tickles my nose. She makes sure my lunch box is always packed and I have water to go with it. Whenever we have company she brings me out to show me off, so I think I’m her favorite. And because of this, I try not to accidentally bite her too often.

So Happy Mother's Day to my favorite Mom.

Hogan's Heros

Good News for Hogan, the horse with a huge heart. A home has been found for him, now we are raising money to ship him from SBR in New Jersey to his new home in KY.

P.S.A. for our friends at Saddlebred Rescue

Saddlebred Rescue is very motivated to move some horses. Each week they are having to turn away more horses who are being shipped to slaughter because they are out of room. They have pledges to help with adoption fees and from what I understand, no reasonable offer will be refused.

Here is their page of available rescues: Available Everything from show ring candidates, to proven lesson horses to personal trail horses... Each horse has been evaluated and is receiving training by SBR's resident trainer.

In addition Hogan the horse with the huge heart is available as a pasture ornament for a $0 fee. The Amish called and wanted him to be picked up by SBR because they did not want him to go to slaughter. He was pulling a buggy 60 miles a day. Hogan's wind is broken, and he is not a very enjoyable ride (he's very game, and I guess he would have to be to go 60 miles a day). He needs to be a lawn mower. If a home cannot be found, he will be humanely destroyed in two weeks. This fella deserves a good retirement home. He has done his best and paid his dues.

Please spread the word. If anyone is interested in adopting and lightening their load so they will have room to help new horses in need, please call Pat Johnson at 908-304-3560

The Blustery Day

Spring has been winding on with beautiful sunny days, and quite a bit of breeziness. Today was blustery, and I was feeling very fresh, so to avoid getting me all sweaty and deal with the grooming issues, we opted for a quick jaunt around the fields (short version) and we took the camera along so you could see what we see. Ready?

This is my first view south across the valley towards Pennsylvania (furthest set of hills). We are on the border between Mom's cornfield (to the left) and the family farm hay fields (to the right). Up ahead is the cow pasture.

And I think I see my cows. They hang out here in the corner where there is about 20 feet of old fencing between the cowlane gate and the corner. I think they are scoping it out and deciding whether or not to make a break for it.

Hello Cows. (this is as close as I like to get just in case they do make a break for it. I don't want to be involved.)

To the right (and west) is the family farm. That where we see all the Amish. They have been working on the barns for more than a year now. The barns belong to Mom, and Uncle Dad. That's where we keep all the extra horse hay, and where I am told, the cow operation will be located when it gets bigger. Just beyond the barns (look just to the right of them through the trees) is my field where I like to gallop. That field belongs to Brita.

And so do these trees and the pasture beyond. You can see the road. It divides the family hay fields from Brita's land. That road is nice to trot up and down because it is fairly flat and doesn't have too much traffic. Brita makes me work on that road. But sometimes I get to gallop there.

So we've gone down by the barns, trotted along that road, rounded the corner of the fields to the right and are headed back to the top of the hill where we began. We like to make a big loop of these hay fields. On blustery days when you can't hear traffic coming, they are the safest place to be. We are lucky to have plenty of wide open spaces so we can see traffic coming a long ways away, and if some scary farm machinery or something heads in our direction, we can get off the road into the field. Traffic doesn't bother me much, but when goes past at 45 miles per hour only a few feet away, I get a bit anxious. If there is so little as a ditch and some field between the speeding car and my precious cargo, I ignore it completely. At this house, there are lots of sites to see. The lady who lives there is usually working outside, and I like to stop and watch her. Today she was planting something in her vegetable garden. Hi Lady.

And then we finish up with a stroll through the woods across the road. This is a good spot for cooling off. In the summer it is cool and shady. Right now the leaves are just starting to open.

Well, it was nice having you come with us. See you soon.