Still Dreaming of the Weekend

I know I've said this before: it is DIFFICULT to take pictures when taking your hands out of your mittens is something akin to pure hell. But, as it turns out, this past weekend, between Bill and me, we took quite a few pictures! It's official: you can still have a great time in freezing temps, even though smiling might make your teeth freeze.


Here's what I found at Bear River Horse Farm on Sunday when I got there: Bill with a hovering assistant. Don't let that sunshine fool you, it was chilllllllly.

Bill does love a tractor. I took several pictures of him trundling around on this green one. (Here he merrily waves for his picture!)

But of course, the green tractor is only one in the collection! This one might be the piece de resistance!

This photo was taken from the tractor! You can't see it, but right behind the horses there is a pile of manure. Right after this picture was taken, I climbed to the top of it. Manure climber!

And got this view! King o' the Manure Pile! That's Christine in the quartet of mares. Last time I was on the manure pile Lilly tried to follow me. This time it was Ruby. But then she lost interest and went over to Christine...probably thinking Christine was giving apples away.

Here we are getting ready to hit the trail.

Brrrrr, here we are crossing the north american tundra.

Back at the barn, the chickens decided to bask in the sun. OK, that gray thing isn't precisely a chicken. But it thinks it is.

We decided to see how close the chickens would come to Lilly and what she'd think of them in the barn. Maybe she'd think (ala bumper sticker) "Something magic is afoot!"

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Alas, she did not appear to be thinking anything about them. Good brumby. Good chicken-tolerating brumby.

There's a long, skinny horse!

In the winter Bill is very conscious of making sure the horses are getting enough water. They drink from a stream and Bill checks regularly to make sure he sees hoofprints down around the water, and to make sure there isn't so much ice that no one can drink. Christine and I also offer water to them at the barn which they accept maybe 50% of the time. Sometimes Bill will find these little muzzle holes in the pasture! (It's kind of cute, isn't it?) Even in the cold weather, there has been no reason to fret about water availability. Phew!

Happy Trails, until we blog again!

The Trail Never Fails!

I wish that I could begin this post by saying the windchill was minus 40 and the temps were under zero and still I managed to squeeze in a trail ride. Because that would make me seem like I am as surly and enduring as the abominable snowman! Well, the temps today were not quite that chilling, but it was still very cold. Maybe it was 20. And maybe it felt like 10! And you could say the wind across the fields was wretched and probably gave me rosecea. No, it wasn't exactly tundra conditions today, but it came very close. You know New York--if you can make it there you'll make it anywhere? Forget New York! If you can make it on this trail, you have proved your mettle a thousand times over! This is punctuated by the fact that the groundhog did see his shadow and we will indeed be having [at least] 6 more weeks of winter. Blah!



Here we are at the trail head: me with Lilly, Christine on QTee and Bill on Jodie. Bill surrounded by females!

Here we are headed to the corner of one of the big pastures that in the summertime has the biggest blueberry patch you will ever see. (Blueberry Patch=distant memory of fun in the warm and sweaty sun.) This ride around the pasture was actually very beautiful, and it is always nice when the winter sun is out, but once we turned the corner and starting heading west again, the wind hit my face like a big bowl of ice water, and the snow was deep so the horses had a lot of work to do. Still, it's the toughest thing you'll ever love.

I think the last time I was on this trail there was no snow on the groud. There are some icy patches under the snow, so we had to be careful. But, as Bill pointed out, it's not like these horses are in a stall all day, so they are pretty good at maneuvering carefully. Lilly took very good care of me on the trail today. The only thing she did not like was when Jodie got too close to her. Then she'd pin her ears and flop her head around. Politics are everywhere.

Here are the geldings in the Big Pasture. They ran over to the fence to say hello...

..and then carried on their way.

Ok, so I think it was Pony Girl (Pony Girl Rides Again) who wanted to see a picture of my helmet cozy that I love so much, a gift from Karen P. Bill took this picture but I am CRINGING because my nose is such a big honker I really hesitate to post any profile shots! It was my sister Molly who got the cute little nose, while I got this ole thing. But really, I must leave my vanity at home. This helmet cozy is great, and this is the best picture I have of it.

I am sending many warm cyber blankets and Hot Toddies to all horsepeople out there!

Whoooooa, Wind!

Here a video Bill made that I cannot resist posting. It says it all! It's the tundra! That horse in front is Glitter. You can see my brumby in the back, unperterbed.

Moonshadows in January

On Friday, the wolf moon was so huge and bright! I tried to capture it with my kodak camera....

..........only to have the resulting photo look more like a UFO that a big ole gleaming moonpie! Well, I hope you all got to see it because it was spectacular and made wonderful moonshadows on the snow.

We have been lucky enough to have another coldsnap. Sub-zero temps, furious windchills and even a few white-out conditions. One day I looked out the window at work and saw nothing but WHITE. I immediately thought of Lilly and hoped she was in her shelter. A few hours later, Bill read my mind and emailed me this picture:


Does my brumby look like she is in a shelter? No she does not! I'll tell you why: this horse is 100% unfazed by these low temps and windchill. She could not be bothered to move into her shelter. Her wooly coat, her internal furnace and big pile of hay is all she needs.

..
Yesterday was too cold to go riding. I TOTALLY wimped out. I called Christine and told her it was too cold, even for me. I guess I was feeling delicate. But today is Sunday and I have just returned from a ride with Christine. We bundled up and entered the cruel temps! The trail was icy and so we had to walk part of the way. I knew it was going to be so dreadful out that I did not even take my camera. When I got to the pasture and grabbed Lilly, she was as warm as toast. So I plastered my face to her neck. OOOOOh did she ever feel warm.


Here is a picture Bill took from a few days ago. Brrrrrrrrrrr.

And if this picture of Bill does not make you laugh and shiver at the same time, you are kwaaazee! I love this picture. It is totally Bill. The key to winter is the dress correctly. Today for example, here is what I had on: long underwear and fleece pants and then my puffy snow pants. I also had thick hiking socks with toewarmers in my Mountain Horse winter boots. Then I had on a long underwear shirt, a turtleneck, a layer of Underarmour and two fleece pullovers (one was pink). All of that was under my winter riding jacket. On my head I had a balaclava, my helmet, and over my helmet: my new fleece helmet cozy that Karen P sent me! And I was VERY WARM INDEED. I had not a single complaint about the weather...although I was about as flexible as a two by four with all those layers on. I wish I had a video of me demonstrating how ridiculous I look trying to get my foot in the stirrup with all these layers on. Can you say oafish and lumbering? Again, I am thanking my lucky stars for a horse that oh so patiently waits for me to climb into the saddle, probably mauling her ribs and neck in the process.


These are the gloves I was wearing today:

Aren't they grrreat? These are from Karen P as well, and they are the Best. With handwarmers in them, my hands were actually hot. Don't you love the little separate pinky slot? Genuis! I applaud the person who invented these! And thank you, KP, for sending them my way!

Two more weeks to the Olympics! Can't wait to watch the skijoring!!

Sweet Sunday

Christine and I hit the trails again today and had a lovely ride. It is just warm enough that I can ride for a little bit with no gloves on. That is not to say it is warm, just that it is warmer. Over most of the trail the snow is packed enough that Lilly and QTee did not sink into it much. In other parts of the trail it is not so dense and the horses and the dogs sink into it.


We are supposed to get a lot of rain tonight which will make everything icy and slippery. I'd rather have snow! I am very glad Lilly is wearing her borium shoes.

This was a carrot-nibbling point on the trail. Do you see how QTee's ears are up and forward and Lilly's look like an old mule's? That is pretty much how it is throughout the whole ride. But sometimes Lilly had her ears back because I am talking to her, and she is listening to me. Her ears are so flexible! I love how she does not mind when I mangle them putting her bridle on. Every once in a while you hear about a horse who does not like her ears handled. Thank goodness I do not have one of those brumbies!

This road does not look icy at all. But there are some icy patches mixed in with the dirt. Last year I remember getting off the horses and walking them down some of the road because it was so slippery. It can feel very tense when I think Lilly's feet are going to slide out from under her. Another good reason for the trusty borium slippers.

What a gorgeous neck! You can see in this picture a little mesh bag of booties for Getty hanging from the pommel. Her back feet are still sore from the dew claw removal, and her front feet get sore because little iceballs form on her furry feet. That's all four feet sore and uncomfortable. The booties are in the bag because Getty hates them. She prances around like a very concerned dressage horse with them on. After how sore her feet were today after our trail ride though, I see I am going to have a better effort to get her used to them. Does anyone have any other doggie feet suggestions?

What a cute mouth!

Wonderful Weekend!

All last year I had a four day work week. But now I'm back to the usual five. That makes the weekend that much more wonderful! I can gladly say that today was sunny and bright, and after all the work at home was done, I charged over to see Lilly, Gettysburg in tow!

This is all Lilly wanted to do when I saw her. I can tell she's thirsty because when I go over toward the little hydrant thingy in the barn, she makes every attempt to follow me, sticking her big ole head over by the pipe. Then when I am actually filling the bucket, she tries to nudge me out of the way. Which is very bossy and not allowed. When Lilly wants water, she is not so good at being ground tied. (Like today.)

View from on top again! Here she is taking an opportunity to snatch some hay set out by the Big Pasture. I was fixing my glove and unable to stop her for a split second. And that's the split second she made her move. Very clever brumby. Does she have eyes in the back of her head?

Here's that deep and drifty field again. Christine and I cut across it to get back to the woods. When Bill has a lot of horses, he uses this as another pasture. Looking at this picture makes me really long for sprintime. But that is a long way off.

Can you see Christine and QTee up ahead in this picture? They look hidden in the photo, but at the real moment in time, the light in the woods was so incredibly soft and blue, and Christine and QTee looked so timeless I had to stop for a snapshot. When I did this both of my gloves slid down into the snow. Darn that gravity!

Waaaaait a minute! That doesn't look like a paint brumby! Don't be fooled! That's a picture Bill sent me from one of his mid-week rides on Cody.

Oh now that's a nice trio of equines. Especially that porky looking brumby.

Oh dear, another busy day for a little dog! As soon as we got home, Getty ran first to her giant puff in the living room and collasped on it. Then she moved to the futon in the guest room. Where she curled up into an exhausted little ball!

I would like to close my post tonight with a poem by Robert Frost entitled Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know

His house in in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow

My little horse must think it queer

To top without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

H gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake

The only other sound's the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

A Little Snow and a Welcome Surprise

When I went to see my brumby today, there was not a single thing wrong with her! Here I had been fretting all night about femoral nerves, ruptured tendons, X-rays and bone scans, and when I arrived at the barn today, my brumby was as fit as a fiddle. Not a single gimp or shuffle! Walk left side safe, walk right side safe--it is like Mr Miyagi himself has been prowling around the pasture! In fact, she seemed ready for a ride! But I didn't bring the right gear, assuming she was lame.
Hmmm, now who is really lame?
I think yesterday that Lilly had just taken a kick from one of the other horses. Maybe I arrived right after it happened and she was still sore from the impact. Whatever it was, I am thanking my lucky stars (or the Miyagi force) that it appears to be resolved.

The snow last night was really gorgeous today. It was the heavy white kind that gets caught in the trees and hangs there in big clumps. And then falls down on you as you walk under the trees. If we had gone out on the trail, it is possible that all the heavy snow sliding off the trees would have made for a spooky brumby.

When I went to Lilly in the pasture, I climbed up on a giant manure pile for a birds eye view. Of all the times for my brumby to actually feel the need to approach instead of ignore me, today turned out to be that time.

She really wanted to get up on that manure pile with me! I kept saying NO BRUMBY! like she was a little dog. Speaking of dogs, Getty did run up the maure pile to me where she promply began unearthing and eating some manure! Blleeeccchhh! That is so vile. I like the view of brumby from up here. Her back sure looks comfy!

Hah! This almost makes it look like a very tiny Getty is standing on Lilly's back!

Up in the barn, the snow falling from the trees and plopping on the metal roof made horribly scary noises. But Lilly found this new broom the most frightful.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and well wishes for my favorite brumby!

Back In Action...sort of

My day of rest yesterday panned out. Today I felt much better and headed to the barn to get on Lilly. CC was to be there showing Elvis to some people who might want to to buy him, and Christine was there too. We thought the Elvis Party might head out on the trail but instead they were in the ring. So Christine and I thought we'd head out as a twosome.



Which we never ended up doing! My brumby was walking verrry funny! Christine said she was walking like a toddler walks when he has a big load of poop in his diaper! Oooh dear. She did not appear lame [in her feet] at all, but something was amiss. At first I thought her bum area was just irritated and sore from some diarrhea. So I cleaned her up and applied some Desitin.



The plot thickens. She was actually walking stiffly. And when I turned her in a tight circle, she did not look right at all! Instead of an easy crossover, all she did was some pathetic shuffling. She also avoided putting weight on her left rear foot! Or it looked that way. Was it just coincidence? I got so nervous that I kept saying reft lear instead of left rear! We prodded all around her hip and stifle area but she made no protests. What could be wrong with the best brumby in the whole world?

I am sorry to say that we did not figure it out. This horse mystifies me with episodes of lameness. All the other times she rights herself. I hope this time will be the same. Here are some diagnostic ideas:

1. Lilly slipped and fell on the ice and bruised herself.

2. Another horse clocked her and bruised her.

3. Lilly fell on the ice and then another horse clocked her....

4. Something fell on her, or she bumped herself on the hay crib.

5. She is having an issue, for whatever reason, with a nerve. Maybe the femoral nerve, or some other equally dreadful thing.

For tonight I will play the wait and see game. I left a message for Bill, asking him to give her some bute when he gets home. Then tomorrow I will check on her. I'll see what Bill thinks. I'll see if overnight she gets better or worse or stays the same. I may even decide to call Dr. Schmidt and have him come and check her out. The mere idea of sending for the vet scares me. Because calling the vet means Big Trouble for Little Brumby.

Luckily, it was just this week I renewed my horse insurance.

I hate seeing my brumby this way!