Cruel Summer

Oh dear readers, you much forgive my scanty blog entries. I have been so busy, there was much rainy weather, and my brumby has been lame! It has not been a great summer for Lilly. Well, we all have loved her more than ever, but her feet have been oh-so challenging (more on that in a minute). I have been riding other horses though. For example, Bella! Here is a shot of Bill, Bella and Jodie and an umbrella lesson before we headed out on the trail last weekend. To see the video of this lesson (or part of it anyway), click right here!


When I am other horses on the trail, I don't relax as much or as easily. So I never get as many pictures. And the ones I do get aren't that great. Like this one (blurry). But look at that tall and proud mushroom we came upon! This is an Amanita, and Bill put his helmet there for scale.


On the 3rd of July Brandon and I went to a party where an adult sized slip & slide had been constructed. Once you got on this slip and slide you zoomed for 150 feet and then plopped into a giant muddy pool. It was soon clear that the more scantily clad you were, the faster you could get going. It was not long before the slip & sliders were naked. Hah! (Not that I was one of them) On July 4, we went to Bill's where there was no slip & slide, but Bill's wife Jackie has an excellent spread of food and spiked lemonade that I could have spent all night drinking. I do love a good mixed drink! I love Bill's family. I am always pretending to be a family member. While at Bill's picnic, I snuck down to see my brumby who was nibbling hay by herself, as you see in this photo.


This is Bill's daughter's dog, Rex. He is so cute.


Apparently, Rex always lays this way, with his little cute feet sticking out behind him like flippers.


I mean, really cute.


This is a night-blooming dandelion. It bloomed during Bill and Jackie's party, right in front of our eyes. There was much joyous screaming during the blossoming.


As I was saying earlier, this has not been a comfortable summer for Lilly. She has never been this lame before or for so long. Now, we do not rush to the vet when things are off kilter at Bear River Horse Farm. Bill is practically a vet and a farrier himself. Plus, there is always Dr. Grass. Dr. Grass has been known to cure nine out of ten ailments. I am not kidding. But with Lilly, the time has come to call in a doctor. We need to see what's going on from an inside point of view. That is, I want her to have a blood test and x-rays. Was it the wet spring with mushy pastures? Did she slightly founder and has hoof separation? Is this Lyme disease coming back in a totally new way? Why is she sore even with boots on? It it in the heel (no) or the toe (yes)? The time has come, the walrus said, to talk of many things--Of shoes and ships and ceiling wax, of cabbages and kings.....and calling the vet out.

While we wait for the vet to come, Bill and I made a slipper for Lilly to walk around on to spare her toe pain.


But we don't want to cover up the sole because we are trying to encourage it to get tough and calloused.


She has such pretty cinderella feet. Since Lilly has been lame, you would not believe how super snuggly she is.
Last night at a party when I told someone my horse was lame, she said, "Do you mean literally?" Now I want to ask you this: who would say that figuratively???


I will keep you posted on what the vet says!

And one more thing: If you have the movie Buck playing near you anywhere, it is a must see!!!