A Boys Weekend
Both kids were supposed to have friends over.
I had so many plans. The weather is supposed to get cold next week. The girls could ride for two days here. Get in one last hurrah.
Then my daughter got sick. Tired, grumpy, really just not feeling good. We had to cancel the overnight, but saddest for me, that meant no riding š
The boys wanted to ride though. Just because there were no girls didn’t have to mean no riding! The boys enthusiastically went out to catch their mounts. We got them saddled, they got on, and started riding around my driveway ‘arena’. I went to get Rusty.
When I came back the enthusiasm was gone. They couldn’t get the mares to go where they wanted. Everyone was grouchy. Oh dear.
With a quick tying on of the leadrope and no worries about bothering to get a saddle I hopped on Rusty to go try to smooth things out.
Rusty had lost his mind. He was apparently recovered from the dust issues we had been fighting. He was pawing and tugging at my loosely tied reins. He wanted to go!
And I had almost put my daughter on him and sent her off. He’s been plodding so quietly, breathing issues helping to keep him slow. Apparently their time grazing out in the hay field has helped! I give it more credit than I do the hours I have spent spraying down the corral to keep the dust down.
We spent last weekend fixing fence around the hayfield getting it ready for cattle once we get them home. A large job with the new neighbor who doesn’t fix a drop of fence but is happy to lease pasture out, turn cattle out on those fences he wont touch. We then spend all our time chasing cattle out of our corn. There, that’s my dig at the new neighbors from the west coat who have made themselves so nicely at home here. and I will quit whining.
Between knowing the fence was good, the little remaining alfalfa being frozen down to nothing, and nights this week above freezing I’ve felt fairly safe turning the horses out there to graze. It’s half a pivot, so 80 acres? They get more exercise than they do standing in the corrals and best of all no dust! They get a couple few hours in the late afternoon to spend eating and wandering. It seems to be working. The mares are frisky, Rusty can breath, and Sunshine is getting experience in different areas.
But today, attempting to ride with the boys, all that exercise and fresh air was doing Rusty a little too much good.
Luckily these were the boys not the girls. Yes, the girls ride better. But the boys are, well, boys. Who needs control? They could go fast! My son cantered, his friend gairted. They both zipped. I didn’t fall off Rusty and we manages to lead the energetic little group. Small circles at first, getting everyone cheerful and happy to be riding again. Then we went farther and farther afield. No hours heading out down the section lines like the girls have been doing. We did have a very nice ride around the yard and close fields.
Once we got home I forced my daughter out for a very brief ride, but that’s another story…
Weekend Ride
I had a few moments of euphoria, wallowing in the joy of having both of my children happily riding with me. Of realizing that the only thing better than my daughter off riding with friends was her off riding with her brother. That quickly came to an end.
It had started with protests and chaos. My son said he would not go riding. Then I let his mare, Lady, out with Rusty and she left to find better grazing. My daughter came out, I sent her off on Rusty to catch Lady. Before the pair could leave my son came out and went after his own horse. Yay! He wasn’t going to fight riding too hard.
My daughter was already on Rusty by then. My son ended up on her horse Jerry as I saddled Lady. Everyone was on the wrong horse! They all went off chasing each other around. By the time I had Lady saddled my son was back. He was ready for his horse who was much better than his sisters. His sister and Rusty were no where to be seen. I got on Jerry and we went looking.
Rusty had fond a spot of good grazing and she was stuck there, unable to get his head up. She likes riding him, but was ready for her own horse back. Yay again! I would get to ride my own horse after all.
With everyone on the proper horse I got to enjoy my moment of joy. Both kids were happy and laughing. My son was zipping all over the place, trotting along on his wonderful little mare who loves to zip but will also stop. Jerry was plodding, as she does. We stopped to play under the pivot. Then it was over.
My son was not going any farther. He was going home.
And he did. He turned Lady and left. I watched them go, wondering if he would be able to convince Lady to leave the horses and go home alone.
He did.
It was just the two of us now. Still nice. No one was complaining wanting to go home. We just enjoyed a nice ride. Not quite as good as both kids, but I’ll take it.
Skulls
The girls went out for a ride again this morning.
The Goblin Child rode Rusty for me to get him exercised and I think she likes him best. Her friend rode Lady, who I know she likes best. They didn’t go as far as usual, not in distance. Instead they rode around the small pasture here at home. It’s a fun place to ride. They could play with the cows if they wanted. There are hills to go up and down. Lots of things that make a ride fun.
My daughter texted while they were out wanting to know if I could do a load of laundry when they got home. Interesting question, what sort of adventures had they gotten up to. Her friends mom got a picture of them, of horse ears, of the ride. Why don’t I ever get pictures!!!
Soon they rode back into the yard. Grinning ear to ear they each carried a cow skull. Decades of cattle lost here, buried up on the hill. Coyotes dig them up providing good pickings of interesting things for girls out exploring. They had managed to get them onto the horses with them and carried them all the way home. During which time, Rusty had crashed The Goblin Child’s knee into Lady as she relieved herself. Resulting in a large poop stain down my daughters jeans.
Now I see why I need to do a load of laundry š¤£
What a wonderful adventure. Exactly what I hope for when they head off together. Accomplishment, confidence, dirt. All the things children need to get out and experience.
Moving Cattle
The Goblin Child has a horse crazy friend. I can use that friend to get my daughter on a horse. And so I will.
We picked her friend up today with the trailer on and went straight to the pasture. November days are short and I wanted to get there with as much daylight still as possible. For the first time in a week the wind wasn’t howling and it was warm. Perfect for riding.
The cows needed moved. Might as well do it horseback. Makes the job more fun if nothing else. I rode Rusty, of course. My daughter was on her little gaited mare Jerry. Her friend prefers my sons little arab are Lady.
The mares were feeling zippy, excited to chase some cows. Rusty needs to do so much more of this. He was very confused by the whole thing. The mares were wanting to trot and the girls had to hold them back. But they still started off great pushing cows ahead of them as we went.
We went through the creek bottom, up and down the banks, through the trees. The calves kept coming back to sniff the horses. I followed the bulls off away from the girls. They kept the herd moving nicely in front of them.
Through the gate to new grass. The cows seemed to know the way. We rode into the new pasture to check gates and the water tank. Combines drove by. Cows grazed. The weather stayed nice. Then back through the pasture. We took the long way, enjoyed the ride.
Halloween Angel
A palomino angel wandered across the heavens one day. He lit down upon the earth as he went along his way.
Around him he saw people dressed as spirits and sprites. Ghost and goblins seemed to rule the night.
As the children laughed and played, in the gloaming darkness the angel could see true demons hiding in the shadows around them. These real monsters too laughed and cheered. All the children wanted to be like them. They wanted the darkness and fright.
What fun is light. Light is soft and silly. Light is weak. Children want more excitement on Halloween night.
The angel was sad. Couldnāt they see where the real strength lay? Usually the angel worked in the background, shrouded in silence. This Halloween it was apparent his job would be best done clearly seen.
Bowing his head he asked his God to show him clearly.
Then, ready for battle, wings spread wide, he stepped forth into the night. Clothed in the full armor of God he joined the children in their fright. He would show the the truth of strength and grace, of goodness and light.
āTherefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to standā Ephesians 6:10-17
Time To Go In
I snuck away to work horses over the weekend while my husband and children worked hard getting the combine ready for corn harvest. Because both mares are sane and sensible, and will focus on eating instead of wandering unlike the geldings, I let them both out to graze on some nice fall grass.
As Rusty and I played, we were interrupted by the sound of galloping hooves. It was both mares!
Lady, the bay, lets us know clearly when she is ready to go back in. Apparently it was time.
My husband said that when they drove down to the shop to resume work on the combine after a quick water break, she came charging at them. He tried to turn her back, push them both back to the lush green grass. Leading the charge she swerved around them and came up to the gate. Jerry just follows happily along. She gets no say in anything.
So I put every one away. It was time for me to get back to other work too.
Halloween Preperations
I got out and worked with horses yesterday!
That makes only the second time this whole month. The other things I was busy with were great, but it’s good to be back to the horses.
I have an idea for Halloween. I want Sunshine to stand on a mat and wait until he gets the cue. Then come forward, step up onto his pedestal, then put a foot up on the pumpkin. Like he’s conquering it.
Maybe some day. Yesterday he was having one of his days where everything is going to eat him, jumpy, spooky, completely unable to focus. He was able to step onto the pedestal, but someone (me) was going to get smashed and he wasn’t actually learning anything. So we called it quits and I traded him out for Rusty.
Rusty was amazing. He totally got the idea. Of course he’s done this sort of thing before under different circumstances. Just need to get him to step onto the pedestal on his own. I want to be out of the picture, literally, when we do this for real, maybe in costume.
He is such a pretty fall color all on his own, Rusty doesn’t really need a costume. Sunshine would make such a pretty horse angel though. I want the wings on him! We’ll see. He’d had a month off. Maybe with time and repetition he’ll settle a little.
Video to come, maybe, hopefully. It’s windy and cold outside so I am more likely to edit video instead of work horses 
Back To The Usual
Here I go again.
Rode Sunshine every day for a whole week. Hauled him to a clinic. He did great for all of it. And now, nothing. Haven’t touched him, or any of the other horses since the clinic.
My dad is out and we’ve been going hard on a remodel project. I come up for air long enough to get the bare minimum of my work done and to keep the house from crumbling completely around us. And food of course. Then crash into bed at night exhausted.
Soon. Soon this will be done and I will be able to get back to my horses. I miss them!
Trick Training Clinic
Rusty and I, and Sunshine, and my daughter. got to go to a trick training clinic today!
How exciting was that. Clinics for anything close enough that I am willing to make the drive are rare enough. A clinic focused on tricks and close is unheard of. So we immediately signed up.
The guy, Ryan Bulkley, trains differently than I do. That is to be expected. But in his videos he was using treats to reward his horses. That and the results he was getting were all I needed.
It was a lot of fun seeing the cowboy hats and generally ranchy bunch that made up the crowd. They seemed to be a mix of working ranch and rodeo, the much more normal local horse crowd than me. And they seemed to all be interested in what was being said and in actually working on some tricks with their horses. No one balked at feeding treats.
We started out teaching horses how to move away from pressure. Then transferring it across the body to ask the horse to come towards us. Then backing, all sorts of basic body control. I really can’t even remember what all we worked on. It was a LOT. Not sure I can even remember the highlights. It was a long day and my brain is fried.
He teaches the bow out of aĀ stretch, or parking out. I was sure my horses wouldn’t be able to do it that way because when I’ve tried they want to do Spanish walk. But we were getting the stretch today! His method there looked like a ton of fun and we will keep practicing, see if we can manage.
He let people practice giving cues on his horses. My daughter enjoyed that greatly.
Sunshine and Rusty were both wonderful. Sunshine was mostly on his best behavior. At lunch Rusty got a bit far ahead of him at the same time as he discovered the flag flying over head. He had a small meltdown. Or maybe a rather large one š I got to show off the Sunshine that I’m not willing to ride to people. It was good to have someone, anyone, else actually see this version of my other wise wonderful pony. For his first time away from home doing horsey things with many other horses around Sunshine did wonderfully. He stood on the pedestal, got close to sitting on the bean bag, stood tide nicely, and managed a bit of Spanish walk despite being a bit worried about the whole thing.
Rusty was as perfect as ever. He tried his best to do as my daughter asked. He’s used to me so a different person asking was confusing and stressful for him. He starts breathing loudly when stressed. But they figured out some nice pivots and sidepasses. Rusty demonstrated fetch and Spanish walk. He happily got all four feet on the pedestal. He provided a seat for both of us when our feet got too tired to stand any longer.
It was a great day all around. There was an absolutely delicious lunch. The location was gorgeous. The people were all so very nice. I’m sure I’ll think of lots of things tomorrow that I wanted to say but forgot because I’m so exhausted from the very long day. Guess I’ll say them tomorrow!
