Prayer request

 Please send up healing prayers to Kay from 4R Ranch blog  She got in a bit of a wreck and is in hospital. 

No matter how safe we think our horses are, there is always lurking the possibility that something will set them off and we will end up on the ground. And the older we get, the more the possibility of major injury. I have come off of nearly every horse I have owned and ridden for any length of time- the exception being Beamer. Gussie launched me twice, once in 2011 and again in 2019, but now I know her signals and will step off her if she gets ramped up. Other mares I have bought and sold in the last 5 years were sold exactly because I didn't trust them to not blow up. 

You are forgiven, Gussie!

How do you pack your cell phone when riding? I see a lot of people go for having a pouch on their saddle, but that isn't going to serve you if you are on the ground and your horse takes off on you. I have a little pouch that just fits my cell phone that has a string that goes around my neck (thin so it can break if needed) and I tuck it under my jacket or in summer under my t shirt. Another option is a fanny pack or waist pack with a zipper pouch, but again, make sure it isn't going to get caught on the saddle horn. 

I didn't know that cell phones have an SOS option, I thought that was only for Sat phones. 

Horses don't set out to hurt us but they have such a strong survival instinct that we can't say that they never will. It's not if, it's when. It's up to us to do what we can to get  them to trust us over their instincts, and with some horses in some situations, such as Kay's horse, those instincts take over. Last time I came off Gussie, I was pretty much knocked silly and it took me a while to be able to move to get up. Yes, it scared me, and that is why I am so cautious now when I ride. Over the years, there have been 3 times when I have had my brain rattled by hitting the ground. Even with a helmet on. I have not let it stop me from riding, but it has made me much more cautious about where and when I ride. 

Photo from a summer in Creston 6 years ago

Fear is a crippling thing. It is hard to not let it take over, especially as we grow older and more brittle. But we are the masters of our own minds. (Aren't we? ) Fear can be conquered with trust and common sense. We have to trust ourselves first though. That can come with knowledge and education. Give ourselves the tools to deal with our emotions (Education) and know ourselves well enough to not make bad decisions. That being said, I don't advise staying well within our comfort zone, as that can lead to a stagnant mind that allows fear to become dominant. The human race didn't get anywhere being a bunch of shrinking violets; we are an adventurous and inquiring people. Live life to its fullest. Embrace challenges. Challenge yourself!  But do your best to stay safe and don't be foolhardy. 

Up and ride. 

Great idea!

Found this video on Facebook and just had to share it here because this is something I plan on doing. I'm all about safety and making things easier!

...you're welcome....

Preventative measures

West Nile Virus has reared it's ugly head in our area. Horses within a 60 mile radius have contracted the mosquito borne disease, which is reported to be fatal in 1/3 of the cases. At least one horse was euthanised, 3 others have died or been euthanised showing the same symptoms but the bloodwork was not done.
Those of you who remember my little Stella Belle will know that one of the things I considered with her was whether or not she had a neurological disease, and had the bloodwork done- which all came back negative. People, if your horse shows neurological signs, get the bloodwork done! At least that way the vets and other horse owners will know if there is anything going on that could be preventable!
Since I don't know the vaccine history on my 2 mares, and I know I haven't done Beamer in 5 years, they all got vaccinated today, and will get their boosters in 3 weeks. Cost for my peace of mind? $214. Worth every penny.

The dentist and a lesson

Thursday Kai had his teeth done. He still has some baby teeth, (he is 4 years old) and basically he was in pretty good shape, some sharp points filed and a standard float and he is good to go.

Of course, while he was sedated we branded him with our diamond over lazy H brand. Here is what it looked like the next morning.

See that patch of hair missing on his shoulder? Well..... here's why!

They bite each other in the throatlatch area too- they look like a bunch of range mustangs! I'm glad mares don't play like this, I'm sure it's a boy thing.
Kai is smaller than Rio- but he certainly doesn't back down!

I hauled a couple of mares for someone I know who just bought 2 mares, -first time horse owner- and they needed a ride to the dentist. One of the mares intimidates the owner, so I offered to do a loading lesson. As I was leaving I thought- I should take my helmet and a long lead line. Of course by then I was already on the road with my trailer... so I didn't. Always listen to those little voices, it's usually your guardian angel talking!

I decided to load the more difficult mare first: a 9 year old Appaloosa that they bought sight unseen off the internet. The horse transporter they hired to deliver the mare had a tough time loading her, it took him 2 hours and he was P O'd and ready to give up but managed to get her loaded. So I knew there would be issues. The one time I had seen her before this I could see that she had absolutely no respect for a human's personal space.
I set out first by asking her to work a small circle around me, and point her at the trailer to get to stop working; with the idea that the trailer is a good place to be, the place where I leave her alone. This worked for about 30 seconds.... and then she started shouldering into me and trying to walk over me. So I did what I had to with my stock whip to get her off me, and kept trying. She soon figured out that she couldn't intimidate me by crowding me, so she tried her next trick- bowing her neck away from me, stepping towards me to slam me with her shoulder, then whipping her butt around. (Strong mare, by the way! I couldn't hold her.) Remember that long lead rope I should have brought with me? She nailed me and slam dunked me to the ground. Remember that helmet I should have been wearing? My head bounced off the ground as I landed on my right side, looking up at that big butt right above me and hoping to God that she didn't kick my lights out.
Fortunately, I bounced right up again, caught the mare and got another lead rope to tie onto the one I was using to give me a more workable length. Because I was darn sure that she would do it again... and again... and oh yes she tried- but this time I was ready, and flipped the rope around her off side and hauled her head back around so she had to face me. With 2 eyes. Took about 6 more tries on her part before she figured it out that I had her number, instead of the other way around. Then we could make headway with the loading. Lots of patience, rewarding the slightest effort on her part to move towards the trailer, load the head, back off, load the head and neck, back off, load one foot, back off, etc. I did put a treat on the floor of the trailer to encourage her to lower her head and sniff and explore the entrance to the trailer, and once she had inspected it, it only took about 5 more minutes to load her. Total time- half an hour, and she walked in like it was her idea.
After the dentist appointment, when I went to load her, it took less than 10 minutes. I kept her from turning her head away to do the slam dunk trick, and she did try backing and turning away, but got over it pretty quickly. I have recommended to the owners that they send this mare to a local trainer who uses Clinton Anderson's method, and that they take lessons on how to do that with her.

I am a little sore.....  and I'll listen to my guardian angel next time.

Wordless Wednesday

Safety First

There's a series of posts going around, started by Deanna over at My Country Genes on safety around horses. Fern Valley and Ranch Riding blogs have contributed with very good tips and thoughts, and I have a little bit to add.
My number one concern is my safety. I'm getting old and brittle, and don't quite bounce as good as I used to. My tip, is to be aware. Not just of where your horse is, but of what she is thinking. Read your horse. They have very expressive bodies, so take the time to get to know what each nuance means.

 When I walk into my mare pen, I can tell what kind of morning I am going to have with them.They tell me by their actions and reactions.

 I lead the three mares and Rio all at the same time as I take them to pasture, and it requires having eyes in the back of my head. There is no crowding me, stepping on me, biting each other or lagging allowed. Also, I am very aware of what I am doing with the lead ropes; I don't let them get tangled or wrapped around my hands, and I always have it so that I can use a tail end of a rope to snap with if one of the horses gets unruly. They aren't allowed to be pushy as they go through the 4 ft. pasture gate; one at a time, and politely.

I'm not going to tell you how to create respect in your herd, you do what works for you. But being aware of what's going on around you is the ticket to staying safe. Put yourself out of harm's way. Listen to that little voice in your head that tells you when something is unsafe. Create safe situations by habitually doing things with safety in mind. Make safety a habit!
Another post at Own a Morgan

Safety

Thanks to Tara and the young lady who was riding Beamer in the English lessons, I found a local Chiropractor for Beamer, he will be treated on Sunday evening. Got to have my boy feeling better!

If y'all haven't been over to Laughing Orca blog today, you might want to visit and wish Lisa well, she got kicked and is in rough shape. Which brings me to the reason for my post tonight.

We tend to become complacent with the horses we know and love. With strange horses, we are much more careful. These large and powerful animals rarely deliberately want to hurt or attack us, so it is the little things we do that get us hurt. Today, the flies were thick around the horses, and they were understandably irritated. I brought Beamer in, hosed him off, and turned him into his stud pen. He hangs out in a crowding tub that is part of his pen and has some nice shade for him. It has solid steel walls. I was on the outside of it, brushing flies away from his eyes when I spotted a small bite on his side that had a lot of flies biting it. I picked up a stick and brushed the flies away- but Beamer didn't see me do that and he reacted with a very powerful kick that made those steel walls ring. I was very glad that I wasn't standing next to him. Worried about the concussion in his foot, I took him out and gave him about 15 minutes of strong hosing on that foot with cold water.

I've heard it said that the accidents that kill you are usually within 5 miles of home, and my cowboy mentor says that it is the horses you know and trust that will hurt you. Be vigilant and always practice safety even in simple situations. Put safety before convenience. Make it a habit to always do the little things in the safest way possible- even if you are only doing that thing for a moment. Like, for example when I am leading two horses and get the lead ropes snarled around my arm when I am closing the gate- I've caught myself doing that lately and make myself take the time to straighten them out- the gate can wait, I'd rather not have a broken arm! Or when handling cattle, never assume that the fence or gate is safe to stand behind- I have a scar on my brow bone to attest to that.

Never be in a hurry to the point that you sacrifice safety.

And don't forget to stop and smell the roses......