Velvet

Got news from Jessie, who bought Velvet. She just found out that she is pregnant- congratulations, Jessie, that is wonderful! However, sadly, it means they have to downscale, which includes selling Velvet. I've put her ad on my horse sale website, here is a link.  Children are more important than horses, and I'm sure Jessie will be able to have another horse someday. I hope if there are any bloggers out there who know someone who wants a gorgeous blue roan filly, that they will contact Jessie.

All trimmed up

The horses all got their barefoot trims today; Scott definitely did things differently from my previous farrier, but at last they are all on the same program. Spring is happenin' around here, it's time to think about what I'm going to put in for bedding plants, and to plan the layout of my garden. This year, I decided to go with hanging tomato plants, and have two 5 gallon buckets to put them in. Less beans, more peas, and maybe some cucumbers this year.
My husband has been working on a project that I plan on sharing with you, I am just waiting for it to be a little more complete- maybe by the end of next week.
Also, I have an update on Velvet which I'll post tomorrow. Chickory's neck is healing, and now that her feet are trimmed I just have to wait for the neck to heal more then I'll start hauling to the arena and riding her.

Hooligans

Yesterday I kept the horses in their pen because of the heavy rain; this morning for turn-out they were having a blast, Belle even kicked up her heels as she galloped along.

Rio was keeping right up with them- I took some video but it didn't turn out so well.
The tree buds are opening now,

and my Bleeding Heart bush has some flower buds forming too. I noticed the Magnolia trees in town have their flowers almost open too, I'll try to get a shot of them if we get some sunshine.
Just when things seem to be going well, of course, something has to happen- warning, graphic photo below.
When I brought the mares in, Chickory had a gash on her neck that spelled barb wire to me- now, I have my electric fence a foot or more inside the fence line to keep them off the barb wire, but they must have been "horsin' around" for this to happen:

It looks worse than it is, it's just the skin that is cut, not the flesh. I 'm not going to get it stitched; I'm treating it by putting egg white all over it. Egg white is a natural antibiotic and seals the wound like dermaplast does.I've had pretty good success using egg white on open wounds. Tomorrow before I turn the girls out I'll take my electric fence tester and check to make sure the fence is working properly.
On Friday, the Barefoot Hoof care provider that did Velvet and Gussie is coming to do the rest of my horses. I had called my regular farrier as I believe in loyalty but he hasn't returned my calls, so Scott is getting all my business now. He and some others have formed the Canadian Barefoot Horse Association and are working on getting training programs in place. I'm happy that now I know my horses are going to be done the way I want them. In all fairness, Matthew was doing a good job, just needed a little more knowledge.
Here's another website Scott told me about: The Soul of a Horse. I've just started to explore it- looks interesting.

Wordless Wednesday

Blog design

I have a question or two for all you computer savvy folks. When I add photos to my sidebar, is there any way to make them smaller? I've tried resizing the photos, but they still come up the same width; if you look at the one I just put up of Rio, you'll see that it's much bigger than the ones I put up of Midnight Coyote and Sparkle N Peppy. I'm using the advanced editor option.  I'd like the photos to be a lot smaller like the older ones, then my sidebar doesn't have to be so wide. Also, I'd like to add pages along the top of my blog, like I've seen on a lot of blogs, but the only thing I can get there is the "Home" page. Help, please!

Keeping busy

We had a lovely Easter weekend, sun shining, good company, and a good dinner. Saturday we got a lot done, mowed the pasture because of all the dead grass from last year, then harrowed it, but still need to burn off all the dead grass that is now in big loose bunches.

Before mowing

Sunday, we mowed the lawn for the first time this year. Yay! Winter is officially gone- Ted took off his long johns!

I took some Rio photos (imagine that!) for his registration papers, it's really tough to get a 3/4 front shot from a little rascal who just wants to investigate the camera.

Left side

Right side

Rear view!

3/4 front

Love that fuzzy little mane!

Enough already! I'm outta here!

Sunday Stills- flowers

Flowers are the challenge this week, and it's a timely one since it is Easter Sunday. The only flowers other than the dandelions on my lawn are the flowers that are at our Church; these are the tulips that grow along side the Church, they always bloom for Easter.

Inside the Church we have bouquets of flowers,
 waiting to be put around the altar ; here is a sample:

Happy Easter everyone! 

Ivermectin and dogs

Anybody out there use ivermectin to deworm their horses? You might want to read this.
I'm still looking for an alternative to chemical wormers, using products available in Canada. Anyone have any ideas?
Edited to add the links provided by commenters:
Wrm Clear by Equiopathics
Alpha Omega Para X

Run Sammi Run

Since I'm still trying to find a good working home for Sammi, the question that people ask is if she is started on stock yet. The answer is no, but only because I have no stock to work. She has a terrific natural outrun, and is really listening well now. Here is a video I took of her thinking she's working when I take the hay into the pen for Beamer and Url:

I know someone not too far away who has sheep, but she doesn't have a training pen. I might have to see if she is willing to work with me and Sammi and Tess; she is the lady who bought Tess's last pup and he should be ready to start on sheep too.
As much as I'd like to keep Sammi, I think it would be a waste not to have her working.

Wordless Wednesday

April 18

Got a good ride in on Gussie today, I'm trying to ride on the gravel road as much as possible to give her feet something other than soft mushy ground as we transition her to the barefoot program. She seems to have gotten over her emotional issues and is much more the sensible Gussie of old. We have a few local horse shows here that I'd like to enter her in, so I plan on riding lots to get her in shape and responsive. We cut back through the pasture on the way home, and flushed a pair of Mallards off a pasture pond; you can't really see them in the photo, but it does show what a nice day it was.

The pasture footing is much better now that the frost is all out of the ground.
I spent some time trying to get photos of Rio for when I send in his registration papers. It's pretty funny watching him trying to reach the grass, and with no teeth yet he kinda just mouths it.

I'm happy to say that he is easy to catch out in the pasture when it's time to come in, and that he leads really well. I also have started picking up all 4 feet whenever I have the halter on him.
Chickory is a little funny with him, I think she'd almost like to steal him, but Belle keeps a close eye on her when she is around Rio.

Here she was driving Rio away from Belle; then she stopped and licked him. I'm wondering if letting her have a foal would settle her maternal instincts; she was really fond of Kai too and got really upset with me after Kai left for his new home last fall.

Answering a few questions

I've had some questions on my last few posts, so here they are. Linda asked if I'm letting Gussies "Mohawk" grow out- yes, I couldn't be bothered clipping bridle paths and making them look good, and the extra hair helps keep the flies away from their ears.

In about a month or so, it will flop over and look much better.
Fantastyk Voyager asked if Rio will be a blue roan; the answer is no. He is black, but a smoky black. To get a roan, at least one of the parents must be a roan. Beamer is black, Belle is smoky black/brown.

Is cute a color?

Gowestferalwoman asked if anyone has dibs on Rio; the answer is no, not yet. Last year, his full brother Kai was spoken for by the time he was 2 weeks old, so I'm hoping someone will fall in love with this  one just as quick- it's easier to part with them if I know right off the bat they are going to a good home. 

Janice asked where all the chrome is coming from. Looking back on Beamer's babies, Choctaw Peppy had chrome:

 In fact, almost the same markings as Rio, but Peppy's mama was Gussie, who has plenty of white. Beamer has 2 hind socks, so his babies come by that honestly. But Rio's star? Just a bigger version of Belle's star I guess.

Looks like a Star of David

Silly

Whaaaaat?

Spring beauty

You know, I do actually photograph other things than horses.......
like our first dandelion.....

and the buds on the maple trees.........

and the lovely fresh green of the day lilies that I got from Janice.................

but how can I resist taking my camera out when I see such cuteness????

All together now

This morning at 7 AM, Belle and Rio got to go out in the smaller grass paddock, while Gussie and Chickory went to the mare's pasture. After work, I put Chickory in with mama and baby, and watched for a bit to make sure all was well.

 No problems, so I set off on a ride on Gussie. We had a nice stroll down the dirt road, worked on collection for a bit, and two-tracking across the road and back, all in all an enjoyable ride. When we returned, Gus got to go in with the rest of the herd, and again, no problems.

There was the usual frolicking, but Belle didn't try to put the run on either mare; she just gathered up baby and did a few laps, then they settled down.

 When it was time to bring them in, they sure didn't want to be caught! But Ted helped, and we gathered them all up; little Mr. Rio is leading like he's been doing it all his life- wait- he has been doing it all his li'l short life!

Rio got quite a workout today, I bet he sleeps good tonight!

Boots, Beamer, and baby

The barefoot trimmer stopped by today to check the fit on Gussie for Easycare boots. He brought along a set that had been used for 4 years, a size 1, and they fit really well. I'll probably buy a set this summer. So I'm thinking 4 years for a pair of boots that costs about the same as one set of shoes is a pretty good deal. The way I ride, they would probably last about 10 years because I don't get into the mountains that often where the ground is rocky. Here is what they looked like:

I like them because they aren't too clunky, and Gussie didn't mind them at all. I think Beamer probably takes the same size, I'd like a pair for him too. Speaking of Beamer, I've officially retired his winter blanket, and he is taking full advantage of it by rolling in every pile of dirt he can, so its a little difficult to get a nice shiny photo of him, but I did get a couple of him all grubby from rolling.

He was happy to get out in the mares pasture today- I kept the girls in today.

Of course I spent some time with Rio today; he's getting frisky after having turn out yesterday; he's figured out how fun it is to run, and he is pretty quick with firing both heels too!

But most of the time he's well behaved, and he likes his skritches and lovin's- he's daddys boy!

He's working on eating hay too. I'm hoping it won't be raining tomorrow so he can get more turn out time. Gotta exercise those legs you know!

Wordless Wednesday

First turn out and a name

I'm so proud of my little guy, he is a smart little fellow. Today was so nice and sunny that I decided it was time for mama and baby to get out and stretch their legs.That meant getting baby across the muddy pen over to the turnout field that I usually have Beamer in; I had already turned Gussie and Chickory out in the mare pasture which is across the farmyard from their pen.  I put the halters on him and mama, and cajoled him along until we got to the pasture.

He had a blast, following mama around- and Belle was really happy to get out and stretch her legs; I bet she was reveling in how light she feels now that she isn't packing all that weight around!

They did quite a few laps, and I could see that baby was getting tired, so I haltered Belle, and let her quiet down and graze so baby could catch his breath.

He always sticks his tongue out- it looks so funny! He also learned all about muddy little creeks- the kind Beamer hates:

Finally it was time to bring them in, and danged if he didn't lead quite well; he had figured out that he has to follow mama, so it made it easy to get him to lead; not bad for his first time out, as you'll see at the end of the video.

I finally found the right name for  this little fellow; keeping in mind that Coyote Belle's sire is a grandson of Diamond's Sparkle, the dam of the great Shining Spark, and Beamer's grandsire is Mr. San Peppy, this foal will be registered as Diamond Rio Peppy; barn name Rio.