Tag: Horses

Learning as we Grow

 It’s a glorious spring weekend and I sure hope you’re able to get out there and enjoy it… stick your hands in the dirt, go for a walk , a bike, a hike.. breathe it all in, soak it up, the earth is alive again!

 The men moved our little apple grove  yesterday.  A few years ago we planted apple trees down in the low areas near the house, garage and chicken coop, at the base of the hill where the horses live.  They have not thrived, the reason being they don’t like a whole lot of WET.  Where we originally planted them is a water shed area of sorts, not a great location for a small grove of apple trees.  We finally figured out that when we visit other thriving apple orchards, they are located on hills.  The trees are now planted up on the hill behind the house.  – learning as we grow!

 
 


 
 
Old boy Max grazing…

 
 
Opie feeling good in this fine weather…  

 
 
Vegetable seedlings sprouting.. begonias waiting for
a little milder weather before they are planted outside
 

The chickens favorite dust bath spot next to the garage. 
We gave up on a decent flower bed.

 
 
 
The new chicks with even more feathers just a few days after
their last photo shoot. 

 
 
This is our big purchase from the garden center a few weeks back…
a lovely garden trellis made of giant old blueberry bush vines.
It was made by an artist and located on a Newport, RI Estate
until recently.  We found it at Balleks Garden center and it
now resides between our two raised garden beds. I’ll show you a better
photo when it has some greenery around it and the braces have been removed.  

 
Neighbors across the street have some beautiful ducks… who are not happy
with a new construction project going on over there.  So, they’ve decided
HERE is a more peaceful place to hang out.  I sure hope the coyotes don’t get
them, as I don’t have a duck house and the chicken coop is already full. 
They are happy in this particular spot because it has a waterway running  through it…
This is where the apple tries TRIED to live.
 
 
 

It’s a new day, all – make it a good one! 

Show Glow

 
So much work goes into showing horses, especially with the specialized breeds, like quarter horse.  There are the lessons year round, the training of the horse if needed, the conditioning regardless, the clothes, the tack, the daily care, and most importantly the bond you build with your horse as you work toward your goals.   In my opinion,  that’s the most important part.  K and Max have an ease and confidence in each other which is so important in getting things right in the show pen.  Max is beyond his prime at 19 years of age, and K treats him with the kindness he deserves after many years in the show pen.  He actually whinnies when he hears her approaching, knowing the treats are in hand. In return, he has taught her well and given her the confidence to get out there and do it.
 
 Some of the other members of our team seen below, such an easy subject to photograph, and they are all tolerant of my lens 🙂
 

  This young lady (Max’s previous owner)  is  already
quite the rider at just 11 years of age.
She is seen her with her new horse –
a young gelding that is learning the ropes along with her.
 
 
Trainers are constantly working with their students, even right before
a class, to go over patterns, techniques, tips for showing off your horse
to the best of your ability.

Practice, practice, practice…… 

 
 
Gleaming coats, beautiful faces, polished silver…. 

 
 
 
Waiting their turn, practicing, practicing….
Do you see KMax?

There are several patterns to study during a weekend –showmanship seen here…
Trail patterns, horsemanship patterns and equitation.
 
 
 
..and the endless primping.

Lots of waiting, too.  This weekend was a cold and windy one,
this is where I give the participants a whole lot of credit for
sticking it out.  There’s no doubt, horse show people are a dedicated crew.
 

 
 
 
I am so thankful that we have this opportunity to be a part of something that has given my daughter  a new confidence after a horrific ordeal.  She has an awesome horse to love on and compete with,  and she knows what it takes to accomplish goals and does the hard work to get there.  
 
It’s been a while now, eight years to be exact. Seems like yesterday to me, If I could only have seen these pictures back then…..
 
I remember saying to myself in the heart of the most horrible time as I sat on a hospital outdoor retaining wall trying to squash the heavy coat of anxiety I wore daily…… …can I just see a snapshot of what a few years from now might look like? But please, only if it’s good.  Then maybe I won’t lose my mind here.
 
 
I didn’t lose my mind, and we survived. We.  I have no idea why the writing of this particular post took me into that territory.  But I won’t delete it, so there it is.
 

 
 
This snapshot, of our life now?…. It’s a beautiful thing.



Dressed to Impress

  Busy weekend we’ve got going on…. horse show, Senior Prom, and mom hoping she’s got it all taken care of.

Day one of the horse show… a first, two seconds and a third – K and Max in their second year have really hit their stride.  Not bad for an old man, and oh, how he is adored by K. 

 
Max in his jammies….


 
 
It’s cold for a late April show, see the winter jacket?
And I have never eaten so much dust from all the wind kicking it up
out there.  Keeping the show clothes clean in those conditions is
a full time job. 

 
Tomorrow is another show day and then… Senior Prom!
 
I’ve gotten a sneak peak at the dresses, absolutely beautiful,
and if I do say so myself, the boys look so darn handsome and grown up
in their tuxes.  Ah, to be young and have a night like this to look forward to.
 
Have a good weekend, all!
 
 
 


Glorious

 Oh, what a beautiful morning.. .oh what a beautiful day….

Seriously, we’ve had some incredible weather this weekend, and we took full advantage by cleaning up and planting and mucking and brushing horses and walking and talking, etc…

My son picked his favorite chick and has been spending quality time with her….

 

Driving down Route 1 Saturday night, we spotted this Cupola type vent at the thrift store and Mike is probably going back today to make an offer. This is the same place that I found my Mobo Bronco metal horse, and the man who runs the place isn’t big on -making a deal-. 
 
 
 
 


 The side porch has been scrubbed with bleach and Ben is happily sunning himself once again. Danes don’t have much of a coat, so the winter months are hard on a big boy like this… he’s had to be indoors most of the time this winter with brief runs out to the yard to do his business. 

 
 
 
I had forgotten all the bulbs we planted last fall around the fenceline in the backyard. They’re coming up in full force, atleast sixty or so tulips, should be a pretty show in a few weeks time.


 

I got the pansies I bought at Balleks last week in the ground and bought this blue ceramic birdbath for $35 at Ocean State Job lot.  It’s huge, a great  deal for such a big piece of pottery.  I’ve also cleaned up my “seaside real estate garden” and had to dig out some large clumps of grass that were threatening to take it over.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Once the perennials fill in, this  area will look much more abundant with blooms
and greenery.
 

 
 

 The zinnia seeds have sprouted, veggies still under the dirt.

 

Last summers geraniums have been brought out to the greenhouse after wintering on a sunny window sill inside….

 
 
 …and dear Opie was a bit incredulous yesterday as he realized he was going BACK TO WORK!  I’m not much of  a winter rider with the ground frozen hard and my tolerance for cold weather at ZERO once I’ve spent an hour mucking and breaking up ice buckets .  Indeed, I am a fair weather rider, and so Opie gets months of off-duty living.  Today he gets front shoes back on and we are set to go!   All of the horses are shedding their winter coats. Quite often I return from the barn wearing what they shed off. 
 
 
 
 


 
We’ve got some busy weeks ahead… an eighteen birthday,  Senior Prom, first horse show of the season for K and Max, Easter Dinner here at this old house with the extended family –
 
It’s all good –  and.. it’s a new day, people.  Make it a good one.
 


Niether rain nor sleet nor snow…

Farm folks are like postal workers… whatever the weather, we still have to get out there and do our job.  The animals depend on it.  I often think of all the animals who don’t have responsible care givers, those who will go hungry and cold today because a humans ignorance is letting them down.  When I think of all the animals out there who suffer, it breaks my heart to know I can’t help them all.  I am so grateful to those of you who take care of the animals in your charge, and extend a hand to those less fortunate. Someday I will figure out how to reach more of them.  For now.. I’ve got my crew to care for.

 As much as I would have liked to sit at this computer with a cuppa Joe this morning admiring the falling flakes, the horses and chickens were waiting for  the sound of crunching footsteps, ensuring their morning feed.  When they hear us coming up the hill, the chickens start clucking and Opie begins his rhythmic banging on the stall wall to hurry me up, I suppose.

Thankfully, this morning my assistant barn manager was available to help, as her day job was not accessible due to the storm.

I’ve done this series of iPhone shots in B & W, because that’s our world this morning, not much color. 

The girls are in their coop for the day with a red flood light – which throws heat
but not as much as a heat lamp. A healthier and safer alternative, I’ve found. 
Their water is also resting on a small heater. 
 
mini Coady waiting  for cookies…
The Gator is our most valuable piece of equipment in my opinion.
 
..as is a daughter who is willing to help on these blustery cold winter mornings..
 
Opie would like to  return to his stall for some of those cookies, please…

I’m back in and coffee is brewing.
For those of you down South, I hope y’all are safe and warm-
(did I say that right?)
We get more weather here, but we’re prepared for it.
I’m making Paleo Banana Bread today.. 
a big hit last week with my family, so I can safely recommend the recipe
 for those of you who are trying to stay away from sugar and flour. 
Recipe HERE

And just to add a little more color on this dreary day..
Here’s a recipe for an avocado  dressing I found on Pinterest
 

How cold IS it?…..

It’s SOO Cold… 
I’m willing to be caught alive wearing this Owl hat because
it’s the warmest thing in our glove and hat basket
and I will not tolerate another ear-stinging thaw session
just because I want to look cool.
No, I’m over that. 
I know, I know… you just wish you had one now, don’t you. 

It’s SOO Cold…
The water buckets freeze every few hours at the barn.
Ask me how much I love my horses right now,
especially as I’m banging and clanging those buckets to get the ice out.
OH yes, I know there are bucket heaters on the market.
MY special snowflake of a horse doesn’t like to drink from anything -heated-. 
It’s SOO Cold…
 the boyz wait for me at the bottom of the hill at 4pm.. staring at the mud room door
that I appear from because DANG it’s cold out here and they want IN.
 
It’s SOO Cold…they are also wearing two blankets..
and have little snowballs on their fetlock fur
It’s true, New England sees a typical winter..
but temps this low for these long stretches of time is not typical.
There is no doubt in my mind that the weather patterns are changing 
on this little planet we inhabit.
*****
I want to thank you all for your thoughts, your ideas, your encouragement
and truthful responses regarding yesterdays post.  Clearly, I have a lot to think about
and hearing your views was so helpful and reaffirming for my vision and my concerns.
To Arlene:.. I couldn’t respond to your comment because your e-mail is blocked,
 but I didn’t know about the Trove in Saybrook!
 I shall definitely visit, as it sounds like an awesome place!  
Thanks for the tip.
To all my friends experiencing the same chill…
stay warm!   To those who live in warmer climes…
yeah, I just have nothing to say to you.  
🙂

Team KMax

K doesn’t do the winter show scene, 
but she continues diligent work thanks to the indoor where she boards Max
to improve their “game” for the new show season. 
Here at home, Opie gets a big reprieve in winter… 
as I am a bit of a wuss when it
comes to cold weather riding. 
See that shine?  K is just a tad OCD like her Dad..
and has the squeekiest clean horse in the barn 🙂
Max is 18 this year…
looking good, old man! 

Max has a special talent.  He likes to undo zippers.
With that big horse mouth he grabs the tiny tab on jacket zippers
and pulls them down to open the jacket.
The first time he did that to K… she said..
Whoa Max.. it’s a little too soon in the relationship, don’t you think?

10 degrees

Ten.
 
Degrees.
 
And tonight it’s supposed to reach ZERO.
Believe it or not, it doesn’t feel so bad,
until the wind begins to blow that icy snow dust
up in your bared neck parts 
where you forgot to wrap a scarf. 
 
The men were up at 5:30 am to plow the six or so inches that fell overnight..
 
and the girlchild and I trudged up to the barn around 7am
to feed chickens,  horses, clean stalls, break up the ice in the water buckets
and gripe about the icy snow dust blowing up in our bared neck parts. 
Am I painting a clear picture for you here? 
 
 
I was happy to see the menfolk had cleared a path to the coop for me..
not a lot of things worse than  that  icy snow dust getting down inside your boots
as you’re just getting into your morning chores.
 
 
 
I gave the girls some oatmeal in warm milk
(they’re spoiled, don’t I know it)
 
 
 
Then we tackled the barn chores…
 

Opie and Max had a good romp in the snow 
while we mucked stalls… 
Both are double blanketed today. 

The sun slowly burned through the  heavy, grey winter sky and
we’ve currently got a balmy 16 degrees.
Have I told you lately how much I appreciate my barn help?
I don’t ask for her assistance often because she’s got two jobs 
and a horse living elsewhere at this particular place in time. 
On mornings like this, though, maybe I beg just a little. 
*****
Unrelated…
I’ve been trying some paleo recipes, and for those of you who are interested,
the two I’ve linked below are really really good.   They got a thumbs up 
from both the husband and kids and it’s so much better for you. 
I already feel lighter in my loafers,  I kid you not. 
Getting sugar and bread/pasta/wheat products
out of your system lightens your body’s load
 and the proof is in how you feel if you try it. 
 
I’m not stupid enough to believe myself when I say I’ll never eat junk again..
but there are healthy junk choices out there.. like these cookies below…
My son, the picky eater and chocolate chip connoisseur, ate almost
the whole first batch I made in one milk dunking session.  They’re that good. 

Good Morning!

This was my view this morning at 7am as I did my feeding rounds…
the sun peeking through the clouds on a chilly morning – 
Fresh snow crunching under foot.. the crisp smell of snow mingling with
wood burning in someones stove…
and the sound of munching hay – even I can hear it, they are so enthusiastic.

I may have grumbled a little at 6:30 am as I put on the layers
and turned my face out  into the cold. 
But then I – see  – what I see out there.. and it’s all worth it.