Broken Calm!

Last evening as the sun was going down,

creating a wonderful hue to the light,

I sat on my porch playing "words with friends" on my borrowed iphone.

It was hot and a slight breeze had begun to move the air.

Thru my concentration,

a dog barking in the back ground brought me back to reality.

I looked up just in time to see Sassy

following something that was waddling,

along the yard fence line.

As it arrived at the gate,

The waddler stopped and faced Sassy.

For just a half a second they were nose to nose!

I called Sassy back,

obediently she turned to come to me.

Then, faster than lightening this

black and white waddler

slips into the yard at the bottom of the gate!

No way was it going to let this dog get away with barking.

It has come to challenge Sassy!

Sassy wasn't going to bow down to this so she raced to meet her challenger!

My screaming fell on deaf ears!

From the right, comes Taumee to see if she can offer up any help.

In charges Sydney from the left,

grabs that brave teenage know it all skunk,

and shook it for all she was worth.

Then it sprayed!

It was like a dog with a waterhose in its mouth!

Sydney managed to coat EVERYTHING!

Patio furniture, concrete blocks, rug,

PLUS:

All three dogs and one cat!

With that, everyone ran their seperate ways.

Dogs rolling in the grass...

Skunk running for dear life, (to the front of the yard, and where we have no clue!)
Screech standing on guard, looking around with this:
"which way did it go" look on his face!

Out comes my magic solution which has worked wonders on Screech.

I am choking and gagging as I go grab my quarts of Hydrogen peroxide.

One quart at a time,
I generously shake in some baking soda,

and lightly drizzle Dawn Dish Soap in the mixture.

Taumee is the first!

I soak her with water first.

Then pour, rub and rinse her with the solution.

Dry her off best I can....

Put her in the house!

MISTAKE!!!!!!

Because, with Sassy who was second,

I put the solution on her BEFORE I got her wet.

Worked on her pretty good.

Same with Sydney.

But Taumee REEKS!

MY HOUSE STINKS!

I did not want them staying outside over night for two reasons:

1.  They had managed to rub 'skunk' all over the grass.

2.  No idea if that skunk will come back.

As I sit at my desk,

With just the slightest movements,

aroma of "skunk" reaches up and gently strokes my nostrils!

Think I will make myself scarce today!



SAIDEE.....

There is a new additon to the pasture.

Her name is SAIDEE!

She comes to me as a free lease 

from my instructor.

They love her dearly,

and knew that I missed

Izzy's presence in the pasture.

Saidee can't give lessons, nor can she do gaming or hard riding.

She can only do light riding.

Which is perfect for me,

because my riding is mostly walking,

and sometimes a trot, and not for any distance.

When Saidee was 3, she got a very small one inch cut on the back of her front hoof.

It was just deep enough, it injured the tendon.

She is not in any pain, and has a slight limp.

Also Saidee developed a habit of 'sucking wind'.

Read about Neville Bardos and his wind sucking horse HERE.

She started doing it when she was recovering from her tendon injury.

Mostly out of boredom, because recovery was quite a long time.

It does not hurt her.

She won't get sick from it.

She does have a collar that keeps her from doing it,

but with all my sprinklers I just don't want her rubbing her head on one, and getting it caught.

She is quite cute about it, cause I will catch her doing it, and say:

"Saidee! STOP IT!" 

She will turn her head and look at me with this look of:

"Were you talking to me?"

 I was offered to have Saidee,

because her mama knew she would get lots of love and attention in my pasture.

And I need Saidee.

Libby is awesome, but she is not an attention hoe.

I miss that, and Saidee fits the bill.

As a 'new' mom, of course I was very nervous, and I agreed to a trial 

stay at my house.

I N T R O D U C I N G:

SAIDEE!

She is quite plain in color,

but she has a blaze that is oh so cute.

Her mane and tail are a flaxen color that sets her aside in the beauty department.

 She is also, Fluid Beauty when she moves!

Her mama said that she is the only horse she knows of that gets dreds in her MANE!

Saidee is very inquisitive.

Knows her name.

Loves attention!

The first to greet me!

Will hang out with ya.

AND....

I can lead her with just my hand under her chin!

HOW AWESOME IS THAT?

Saidee loves to take passengers for a ride.

Enjoys a good belly scratch and will scratch your back/butt in return.

Enjoys lots of kisses, and will lick your hand in appreciation.

Saidee, though, 

has not made very many points with her pasture mates she has moved in with.

LIBBY: "Shed hog! That use to be mine till you moved in! At least I would share with the donkey's!"

Saidee:  "Get use to it!"

As time has moved on, Saidee WILL ALLOW one of the others to share...

but only ONE at a time!

Next on the adjenda is to add onto the lean-to so all can have shade.

They like it in there, because for some reason, 

the flys do not bug them in there.

So far, Saidee is a keeper.

Libby, Star and Buddy might think otherwise.......

Lessons once again!

I have finally found my spot back on the lesson block!

There are a few lot of things, I need to work on.

I found out that Sissy Izzy is now giving lessons.

It has been so long since I hauled Libby in the trailer, 

I am not at all comfortable doing it anymore. 

So if I did not have to haul, I could still take lessons.

There is a reason for everything....

I needed to take some lessons on Izzy,

because the last few times I rode her,

we went head to head on who was going to be boss.

 No one knows the lump I had in my throat.

It was all bitter sweet.

I miss her presence in my pasture.

I miss her personality!

But she has a good home here.

She is loved.

She is being trained.

She has a purpose in life.

 She loves trail rides.

Her curiosity is such a benefit for her.

 She is still beautiful.

She is learning English riding,

and my instructor told me she is just as

beautiful in English gear.

I will have to get some pictures of her all decked out in English.

(Oh My! She sure will steal the stage when she learns all those dressage movements!)

 Liquid beauty!

(Yes, in the photo below, she is play boss mare again!)

 I had three lessons on her.

But I needed to bring Libby.

 Libby is my girl now.

She has filled the void that Izzy never did.

 Yes, it was good while it lasted.

Maybe I will take a lesson here an there on Izzy,

but for now, I will take Libby

because we need to do so much more bonding,

and Libby has the patience of Jobe with me.

Just to show you the patience Libby has:

Today, my instructor told me that her bit on her bridle was to loose.

The chin strap was also to loose....

But Libby perservered with my riding in this loose set up!

 Once she adjusted it, 

it was amazing at how much better Libby responded!

Yes, for everything I have done wrong due to ignorance,

Libby has had a world of patience with me!

(It just puts a lump in my throat!)

But...Moving on....

I need to get over a very huge FEAR that has griped me!

It has to do with hauling Libby.

It stems from,

Libby pulling back in the trailer, 

(Once, Only ONCE she did it)

and if I was a second slower unhooking her,

we would of had a huge wreck in the trailer.

Plus, no one is home at the time I have to load and un-load her.

Then I quit taking lessons over a year ago,

I had 101 excuses.....

Weather.

Time frame.

Too hot.

To windy.

Plus some excuses I can't even remember now.

This has resulted in not hauling Libby for over a year.

The fear grew....

And it has taken over my body, heart, soul, and stomache!

Last week, I wanted to take Libby to my lesson so bad,

but I just couldn't.

I buckled down to the fear!

So for my lesson last week,

I had therapy,

talking with my instructor about my fear,

how to conquer it,

and how she will help me work thru it.

Then I mucked a couple of stalls. 

I was shaking so bad, and this helped me a lot!

It was very good therapy!

Today....

I hauled Libby.

My stomache was complaining very loudly.

I white knuckled the steering wheel.

By the time I got to my lesson, 

I was shaking so bad!

We worked on trailer loading, and Libby's patience in the trailer.

She did really good at school!

Finally understood she did not need to dart out soon as the gate was opened.

Then saddled her up and a couple times around the arena and lesson over.

I still had to get her unloaded at home.

BY MYSELF.

Libby was very good....

UNTIL...

WE GOT HOME!

THEN....

she was a snot!

Kept whinning in the trailer, and stomping her feet!

I just stood and waited it out....

She calmed down,

We unloaded 

One

Step

At

A 

Time!

Once I have her un-hooked

I am totally fine.
It is just between the time of 

releasing the divider,

and un-hooking her.....

that 

TERRIFIES ME!

(If I thought I could BACK her onto the trailer and face her to the rear I would.

That way her head is right at the release of the divider.) 

But.....

with my instructors wonderful help,

I 

WILL

WORK 

THRU 

THIS!

Now...

Seven days till my nerves wrack me again.

(Maybe I will take St. John's Wort ALL WEEK LONG!)

HUmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.........

Buddy Has EARNED his keep!

Eldest Grandson called and wanted to know if he could come out and play with the donkeys and Libby...

Ok.....

So he shows up, and delightfully announces he wants to 

R.I.D.E.

BUDDY!

"Really?"

"Yep."

So we "I" go round up Buddy. 

Lately, every time I go to put a halter on Buddy, he walks off.

So I have doing the "chase" around 

Which consists of a good pop on the but with the lead rope,

and run him off.

Buddy is getting better and each time the "chase" is not as far nor as long.

I think he is getting the hint.
Today, he did not run near as far. 

I think donkeys are a bit more lazier than horses...

(Good for me....)

After we arrived in the round pen, with an entrarage

of on lookers:

Libby: "Oh Goody Goody, I get a free meal!"

Star: "Lets see how many ways there is to get into the cookie tub."

Saidee: "I wanna play too!"

(Oh yes, Saidee...another blog post forthcoming.)

I showed Cody that to brush your donkey before riding was

a relaxing, and meditation time to bond with him.

Then I showed him how to clean his feet.

All the while, blue T-Shirt was over grandsons nose,

because: "Ewwwwe! They stink!"

For the first time ever, Cody did a really good job, and Buddy helped by standing very good.

Then it was time to desensitize,

by jumping up and down along side,

and then hopping onto Buddy's back and lay across.

Buddy stood stellar still.

When Buddy gave me the look, of 

"I am ready to move on now. This is quite boring!"

I told Cody it was time to hop on.

Then I asked Cody to show me how he would

get off Buddy quickly if needed.

(OH HOW I WISH I was as agile as that kid!)

I worked with Cody to get Buddy to move,

and how to get him to move when Buddy decided to

glue his feet to the ground.

(We will have more lessons on this.)

I eventually un-hooked the lead rope

and Cody was then maneuvering Buddy all over by himself.

Buddy was an absolutely wonderful 

student/teacher today.

I am not a teacher by any means, but I am trying to pass on

SOME of the knowledge I have learned thru my lessons with my 

wonderful riding instructor.

Lessons I am still learning.......

The following video, cracked my up!

Cody's legs were getting tired as you saw at the end of 

the first video.

Then this happened:

 

Yes, Buddy has earned his keep.

Of course Libby, earned hers too.

He just had to ride both:

Gotta love,

KIDS

HORSES

and

DONKEY'S!

Love Valley, NC! What dreams are made of!

I,

DID NOT

repeat

DID NOT

drop off the face of the earth!

Summers are always a busy time of year.

I have a lot to blog about too.

But for now

I have got to post about this

Because....

Well,

BECAUSE THIS IS MY DREAM!

Horse and Man is one of my favorite blogs

and my days are not complete

until I have read her great wisdom of the day.

Love Valley, NC

Oh My Gosh!

What is so weird is that two days ago,

A friend and I were talking and we both feel we were born in the wrong century!

I told her if I EVER win the lottery I would buy up a bunch of property

and I would make a western town.

No vehicles allowed.

Then along comes this blog on Horseandman!

My friend told me that she always thought she would of been:

Miss Kitty!

And wouldn't you know....

The Silver Spur Saloon

IS ~ FOR ~ SALE!

So I went to the realators website:

http://www.tarheel-realty.com/

To find said Saloon that is for sale

Located at:

181 Henry Martin Trl Trail

Love Valley, NC 28625
County: Iredell

and has 5400-6400 square footage of

'horse luvin'

'bar swingin'

'food slingin'

'happy camper'

'western atmosphere'

of

BUSINESS SPACE!

I FOUND IT!
(but the link does not work so you will have to search by city, and just type in Love Valley, NC)

Oh my stomache has the butterflys!

My mind can't think clearly!

Breathing is rapid!

I think I am going to pass out!!!!!

I believe that if we liquidated everything,

we could pull it off,

AND MOVE!

It is ONLY:

2599 Miles and 42 hours from where we live.

You would NOT have to ask me TWICE!