Wordless Wednesday

All the pretty colours

Check out all these colours- any guesses as to what/who this is?
How about another clue?

Progress- ground driving

My day off today, and on such a beautiful day, I got a lot of horse time in. I spent an hour grooming the mares, and got to see Coyote Belle's baby bunting mama, so far haven't seen Gussie's baby moving.
Then it was Rio time. I thought about using the bosal again for ground driving, but opted to put a web halter on him with my driving lines attached; the lines are a lot easier to handle than the mecate ropes for the bosal.
Saddled up at the hitching rail again, and headed over to the round pen. This time, I hobbled the stirrups so I couldn't get the lines caught under them. A couple of practice turns with the lead rope around the rump, and we stepped right in to driving. Rio has no problem at all with the lines laying around his legs, and he quickly figured out the turns, stop and back up in the new gear.
 Nitro's owner was here too, and after a bit I asked him if he'd like to handle the lines. This fellow used to drive horses a lot, so I knew Rio would be in good hands; soft hands too.

Steppin' out

Set and turn

and on out.

It was really nice seeing someone else work Rio, I really got to see how nicely he handles himself, the soft look to him and how willing he is. I don't normally have anyone else around to help with the horses, so I'm really happy to have this fellow around. His work with Nitro is coming along too, he's here every day, handles him ,gives him some exercise and just spends time with him- every day. Nitro seems to really like him, and has a lovely soft look to him, just like his big brother. I am so proud of these horses! 

I phoned AQHA today and ordered the DNA kit for Rio, and I'm getting the full work up for his colour too. I'm hoping he will be homozygous for the black gene, like his mama.

I've been taking Beamer out bareback around the hayfield; and there is a fun little exercise I do that some of you might want to try. Write your horses name in the snow, using only his footsteps. It's challenging, and gives something to do. to write Beamer's name we have to count steps, do turns on the haunches, roll backs, back ups, etc. For those of you who don't have snow, try it in the sand, or in an arena. It's fun!

Sunday Stills

The challenge we were given today was to photograph fabric, I thought this was a fun challenge. You know I like to include horses in my posts whenever possible, so I'll start with my shower curtain:

It's a cloth curtain with a Bernie Brown pencil drawing motif. 

I love antiques, this one is part of a lamp shade on an old lamp.

Next is the fabric of my couch, Ed said to use macro too, so this is my macro shot.

I've always wondered how many yards of fabric there are in this gigantic flag that stands tall in Bonner's Ferry Idaho.

And back to the horse theme- this is my sheer curtains in the living room, with statues of Clydesdale horses on the window sill.

More lesson time

A little more work with Rio was on the agenda for this lovely, warm 1st of February. I took yesterday off because of a nasty headache, really sapped my energy even after it was gone. Today was 45 F, or +7 Celcius, and the snow is turning mushy and in the round pen it's only 4-5 inches deep and not bad footing. I took Rio over to the hitching rail and threw the saddle on him as if it was a broke horse standing there, led him over to the round pen and longed him in the bosal, he did really well both ways, and I know he's paying attention to me because every time I lose focus- like if I'm longeing him to the right and have to switch hands on the line so I can use my right hand to take a photo- he stops. There is absolutely no runaway in this boy, if anything he is quite willing to take it easy.

So, no photos of him going right, with the sunshine gleaming on his colorful mane.
After this, I attached another line to the bosal and introduced him to the concept of ground driving. First, I put a line around his hip and got him turning, a few times each way, then encouraged him to step out ahead of me. I didn't do this too much, just enough to give him the idea that it's ok to move out with me behind him instead of standing in the center of the pen.

I let the lines hang down around his legs on purpose, when I do more of this I'll run them through the stirrups, but he doesn't get excited about ropes around his legs, I can even pull them along his legs when he steps over them and he just takes it in stride. The only time I got a reaction was when I got the line under a stirrup, and it bumped him when I flipped it out of there;  he gave one little leap, and then walked on nicely.
Normally, I ground drive in a snaffle bit, but I haven't put one on him yet because his teeth haven't been done yet, so this was an experiment driving him in the bosal. It seemed to work just fine. He turned and backed for me, and it was easy enough to get him steered in whatever direction I chose.
Love my boy!
Oh yeah- I measured him again today- 15 and a half inch at the wither, and 15.1 and a half inch at the hip. So in the last 4 months he has grown 1 1/4 inches at the wither and just an eighth of an inch on the hip.

Back to school

With this mild weather and the subsequent softening of the snow, I figured the footing in the round pen would be good enough to put Rio back in training.
Did a little bit of longeing in the bosal first, then saddled him up and longed him some more. You'd think he was an ole broke horse; just threw the saddle on and off he went, didn't even bat an eye; and he hasn't been worked for 4 months.

You can tell how big he is- those stirrups are adjusted to fit me and I wear 36" leg in my jeans.

I'm getting pretty excited about riding him, he's got the kind of disposition I love, and he is such a nice moving horse.

I know I have to wait until he's growed up a little more, and so I'll keep on doing ground work and as many different things as I can think of to introduce him to, then in late May, he's heading to the trainers.

If you haven't been over to Own a Morgan blog in the last day- head on over, she is having a contest to celebrate her 500th post!

Wordless Wednesday

Room to Zoom

The great thing about corral panel fences is that you can change the configuration to suit your evolving needs. Now that Chickory is gone, it was time to set up the two foaling pens, (not imminent, but I like to be prepared!)which meant that Mr. Nitro had to go in with Rio. Since's Rio's pen has as it's run-out one side that is electric fence- white tape against white snow- not too visible, so I decided to build an alley to a safer paddock, the one that Nitro is accustomed to from his baby days. They have been visiting over the fence for the last few days, so it was time to put them together. Once Rio realised that Nitro was in with him, he tried to play the dominance game, biting Nitro and trying to run him..... well, here's what happened:

Nitro connected with this kick, and Rio backed right off. Nitro has no problems standing up for himself, and big brother doesn't get to push him around!

A few minutes later they were peacefully cleaning up the hay bits from where I moved the feeder.
Too peaceful perhaps for their youthful minds; they had a couple of impromptu races around the paddock....

Rio might be bigger....
*
but Nitro is faster- no problem outmaneuvering big brother! Rio even had a head start.

Looks kinda smug, doesn't he?
That's okay, Rio, you are still the prettiest mover.

Sunday Stills

The letter F... brings to mind Feetsies,,,

 Fabulous Furry Felines....

Frost.....

and Fire

Saying goodbye.

Back in December, my sister and I traveled to Kamloops to see my dad, whose health was failing. We said our goodbyes then, not knowing how much longer he had. He passed away on Thursday night.

He had Lewy Body dementia, and for the last 4 years, he changed from the vibrant spitfire we knew, and slipped away peacefully in the company of his wife of over 42 years. Even though his passing was expected, it still fills me with sadness. There won't be a funeral for him, but we will have a family gathering in the summer.

Today I said a different kind of goodbye- Chickory headed to her new home in Alberta.

She's about 6 weeks away from foaling, and I'm kind of sad I don't get to be there for it. But she will have a good life where she's going.

Life is all about change- death, birth, day to day events.... it's not about what could have been, it's about what lies ahead, and living each day to the fullest.

Wordless Wednesday

Just another day at the office

Guest post by Rio

G' mornin, dad- what shall we do today?

Not much goin' on, is there?

Might as well go for a stroll...

D'ya think the mares will notice and come out an admire us?

Nah, I didn't think so either. Race ya to the end!

I'll even let ya win, dad!

Sheesh! lookit him braggin'!

Guess I'll just have to let you see that I've got some moves too!

The wait is over!

It was a really busy weekend around here, we had an auction to work on Saturday and I managed to not spend more than I made- I came home with a cream can for only $25, and a crock that I gave to a friend; but I should have bought this trunk- I wasn't bidding because I thought it would sell for a lot of money and wasn't quick enough when I realized it was selling for only $10.

On Friday, I watched some of the Jim Anderson clinic, held at the new indoor arena at Creston Flats Stables, it had me itchin' to get working cows again. Maybe this fall, after Gussie's foal is weaned.

Sunday, we went and got Nitro for his new owner and brought him here. He's looking really good, but it was pretty sad for Veronica, having to part with him.
He hauled well, but when we went to unload him, he decided to take his time, didn't want to step out into the snow. Funny little guy.

 Eventually he did, and the horses were all talking to him as we put him in his pen, between Beamer and the mares.

His mamma Belle reminded him that she is the BOSS.

In no uncertain terms!

Silly old girl! That's your boy!

But his old buddy Chickory was happy to see him, and hung out with him for a bit.

Beamer was excited too, I wish I had the camera ready when I saw him rearing and leaping, and when he reared and pirouetted at the same time- holy smokes that boy's athletic! Nitro eventually was done visiting the mares and said hey to daddy.

Anyway, they all settled in and after Chickory leaves, probably next weekend, Nitro will go in the big pen with Belle and Gussie, at least until foaling time. Now it's time for me to head out and do my morning chores- and take more photos of course!

Sunday Stills

Big sky! Love this challenge, (because it's an easy one!) We are to use the Rule of Thirds, making the sky the major part of the photo.

I never get tired of the view here: East,

South,

West,

and North.

I hope to see some spetacular skies, as I visit all the entries in the Sunday Stills Challenge.