or, if that person does not want the book, you can choose one of these branded silk wild rags (you pick the colour):
So check out the contest page and get your entries in!
Two old scoop shovels from the Reynolds Museum on an otherwise uninspiring landscape;
In the second one, coming back along the fence you can see her reaching for the bit and shaking her head around a little, but mostly she travels along quite nicely.
In the next video, I work her a little on changing direction and the back-up. I like that she stands quietly and waits for me to show her what I want- even if she doesn't get it right away!
After Ted left, I rode her a little more, and danged if she didn't try to pull a sideways jump at some imaginary boogieman. It kinda made me laugh, because it was pretty easy to ride. I prefer to have colts pull that stuff when I first start riding them because it's usually easy to handle; and if they don't, you end up wondering when they are going to come apart on you. I say, get it over with soonest! I rode her some more after that, and she settled in and behaved. Coltishness aside, she is a sensible filly, and it's going to be a delight to work with her this year.
"Whaaaat?" 
Can you imagine doing your feildwork in this old beauty? I was on the hunt today for landscape photos for the SSC, and found a couple of shots at Wetaskawin where they have the Reynolds Museum, which is dedicated to modes of transportation and just about anything with wheels or wings. As you can see, we are still under a blanket of snow, so finding interesting scenery around here requires a little inspiration, which I found in some of the old machines sitting in the fields there.
These old behemoths were the start of the demise of farming with draft horses and the age of fascination with machines. It's good to know that there are still people in this area who use and raise draft horses. Some of the local fairs have pulling competitions and every parade has wagons or carts. My friends at Anchor D Guiding and Outfitting keep plenty of teams for hauling guests and gear into their mountain camps.
This is their team of Belgians, Bert and Loni. This photo was taken on our wedding day; Dewy used the team to haul the elderly folks up the hill to the spot where we had the ceremony. They were a big hit! I think I like the drafters better than the tractors, and they are probably easier to drive!
Any excuse to play!
and kick up my heels.....
and after a good roll in the snow, head for my shelter!
She was bred April 28-30 last year, which puts her expected foaling date anywhere in the first two weeks of April. This is her first foal, so I have no history to go by, so it could be anytime- she is over 320 days now, the minimum for a viable foal. So far her bag is not quite bursting full, and she hasn't softened in her tail area yet. So here is how the contest works:
1. Pick a day
2. Pick AM (midnight to noon) or PM (noon to midnight)
3. Pick colt or filly
That way, if you want the same date as someone else, there are a few options. I haven't determined the prize yet, but I'm going to town next week and will pick up something then and will let you know what it is! Enter by leaving your comments on this post.
Warmer temperatures means it's time to get out and do things! Shake off those winter blues and enjoy the sunshine! Yesterday Sassy got her 6th ride.
I managed to get a few trotting steps, and then worked a little on spiraling her circles down to a front leg crossover. She did super! Total riding time is now about an hour.
Today was corral cleaning day. Our neighbour has this really cool machine (I wants one!):
He also has a bucket attachment and in three hours totally cleaned Beamer's pen and the mare's pen. He hauled everything out to the compost pile in the pasture. Needless to say, Beamer had to romp when we put him back in his newly cleaned pen!
Tomorrow I'll have time to ride again. I plan on taking Sassy on a tour of the pasture, and working Beamer too. I was practicing sliding stops in the snow with him yesterday; he was having as much fun as I was! There was a spot on the driveway that had the perfect balance of packed snow and traction. One must take advantage of such opportunities!
Oh yeah!
I'm happy to see that as he sheds out you can still see his dorsal stripe.
Trouble times three!
And check out the indoor arena he has to play in!
When I wake up to frigid temperatures of -32C, and work outside all day in it, it's hard to believe that spring will ever arrive. The green of grass and leaves and the brilliant colours of the flowers in my planters are a distant memory, almost a dream. But hope carries me along just like this strawflower that bravely remains standing through the snow burying the planter it grew in. Hope that I will soon see the friendly faces of the pansies poking up alongside the house, that the birds of spring will be winging their way back any day now, that the horses will be all shed out , slick and shiny, and a frolicking foal dancing around his mama; hope that I'll soon be enjoying the sunshine reflecting on water instead of ice. Hope that riding through the fields will bring sight of beautiful wildflowers like these ones from last year:
Ah yes, hope springs eternal.
We covered about twenty miles that day, and she worked every minute of it and still was willing to give me more at the end of the day. That mare had heart!
The next year we hauled down there again; she loved working cattle and I could always count on her if we had to bust through trees and brush to head off a bunch quitter. I rode her in many parades, and won a little money team penning on her. I loved riding this mare, she was feather light in the face and leg, always willing, and she had no quit in her. 
Sundee raised three babies for me; this one is Jess Dial It at about 8 hours old. All her foals were fillies. Coyote Belle was her third and last baby. I was boarding them at a friends place that year, and shortly after weaning, Sundee was kicked in the front leg by a draft horse, breaking her cannon bone clean through. I called the vet and had her euthanized. She was only 8 years old. 
She had the kindest disposition, all the other horses loved her- she fit into any herd she was introduced to.
Okay, I know what's missing is green grass and spring weather, but what's really missing from my herd today is our little Peppy! I'm so used to seeing his little blue self pestering the girls! Oh, well, life goes on and soon there will be another little one peering out from under his mama. I like Reba and Tess in this picture keeping their herd in order.It's a little tricky trying to video and ride at the same time, but I think that you will get the general feeling of the ride!
After that, we hauled in a load of round bales and some more bedding straw. It was a little tricky getting the truck and trailer in to the feed pen as the entrance is on a slope, and I really wish I would have taken a video on the creative driving my husband did! Well done, Ted! So now we have enough hay to last till the grass comes in.
Tomorrow morning Peppy will be leaving for the "land of the living skies"- Saskatchewan! He is going to a good home, and I'm hoping that I'll be able to get photos and updates on him from time to time as he grows up and goes to work. I'm sure we'll all miss my beautiful little boy blue!
It's a good thing that I have Sassy to work and Beamer to ride, and I look forward to seeing what Peppy's full sibling will be like. It is due to enter the world around the end of April. I'll go visit after (she) is born- I'm thinking filly for some reason- and take lots of pictures. I should be able to bring her home the end of August. That'll be good company for Coyote Belle's baby at weaning time!
Gimme some love!
A good day!
My friend Carol over at All the Pretty Horses had a sad discovery the other day, her big blue roan mare, Goblin, slipped a set of twins, and she's really sad about it. This was Gobby's first pregnancy, and she was bred to a dun grandson of Hollywood Dun It. Hopefully she will be able to get her in foal again to him, and she says that this time she will get an ultrasound done to check for twins.
