With the nice weather we are having I've been out riding, got another ride on Gussie- just a short one around the yard after round penning, and worked Chickory in the round pen. Had to go back to some basic ground work with her instead of riding, she wouldn't cooperate when I asked her to stand next to the fence so I could climb on bareback, so we worked on moving the haunches and standing quietly next to the fence as a nice place to be after working.
The next day I rode Beamer, a lovely ride on a sunny day, birds everywhere, strolling down the country lanes with scenery like this:
After riding, I hand grazed Beamer for a while. Our lawn is growing and he deserved a little treat. He was standing about 3 feet away from the hitching rail, when suddenly his left front leg sunk into the ground- past his knee. He stood up and moved over, looking puzzled, and continued to graze- no injuries. I put him back in his paddock and called Ted over to investigate this mysterious sink hole. Turns out, someone had sunk a 45 gallon steel barrel in to the ground with only a few inches of dirt over it, and the lid gave way. Huh? Why would anyone do that, this is only 20 feet away from our home, and it's not part of the septic system. Someone hiding toxic waste or something illegal? We are going to dig it out and take a sample of the contents to be checked out. The scariest part is that I had ridden Beamer over that same spot at the beginning of our ride. That would have been a wreck if he had gone through with me on him; so I'm thanking my Guardian Angel that there was no wreck and no injuries. Here is the hole:
And in other news.....
After working with my three horses, and taking stock of my situation, I've had to make a decision. With Ted wanting to keep Rio for himself, one of the horses has to go, and it's going to be Chickory. She is back for sale, I don't have a set price on her, so I'm open to offers. Here is her pedigree. She has a whole bunch of cowhorse breeding, and some speed on the bottom. She is still pretty green, and I'm hoping that whoever buys her will be able to work her on cattle, it's what she is bred to do. She's very stout, but not tall, 14.2. At 4 years old, she is likely not going to get any taller, maybe a half inch.This photo was taken last summer, and in tomorrow's Sunday Stills post will be another photo of her I took earlier this week.
I hate to see her go, we've had such a long journey together, but I can't keep them all. It would be different if I had a younger person around who wanted to ride a lot- all Chickory really needs is someone to go on with her as the basics are in place, now she just needs experience.
12 comments:
She sure is pretty and I wish I was a lot younger because I would take her. As it is I still have Sirocco that I am thinking of selling myself to get one that is a lot more seasoned. I love that first picture!
Glad your both safe! What were they thinking(&^#&^&($%$^!!! Maybe it's a time capsule;)
I built my first round pen at this house on my septic system! I didn't know it extended as far as it did--it was a drain field. After I'd totally assembled it, hauled in sand (expensive!), a horse's foot went right through it, just as you said. Ta Da! There's our drain field!
Sounds like you're making a good, solid decision about Chickory. She's a beautiful horse, but I understand feeling like you have too many. I hope someone who really needs a good horse and wants to use her will step up and get her.
That horse is a real beauty!! OMG!
Sorry! But it is. Glad to hear your ok, it could have been awful!
I sure hope there's nothing to bad in that barrel, but on the other hand why else would someone bury a barrel? And I sure as heck hope there's not more of those barrels buried around your place!
Wierd! Thankful no one got hurt!!
Glad the man didn't get injured...stupid people. You should send that pic of Chickory off to Jody...I think you would sell herself.
So glad Beamer wasn't hurt or you ! Too bad you have to let Chickory go, but I see your point. Hopefully the industry is on its way up, and looking at the tack sale today here, it looks good
shirley, if there is something potentially toxic in the barrel, you don' want to be opening it. i'd get the rcmp out there to take the barrel. have you asked the owner of the land what it is?
The owner of the land wouldn't know, he's only owned this for 4 years, the barrel has been there much longer than that. And don't worry, we'll take precautions- and no need to involve the RCMP.
Hope there is nothing bad in the barrel, but sure seems an odd thing to bury it though. Hope you find a good home for Chickory, she sure is a nice mare. I have to sell a few too, but I am having a hard time deciding who I would like to keep them all but its just not fair to them to just stand around either.
Good thing Beamer is okay..I will help you stuff that guy in the barrel. Old wells are bad around here..if there is one barrel there may be two..I would get me a stiff rod and poke around a little. Most likely it was an old septic system they used to use barrels for that..they would bury one and when it got slow they would bury another barrel:(
Post a Comment