Horse type update!

Well yesterday Tessy decided that being rude and disrespectful to me was her way of still pushing herself as Alpha.  Well, it only gained her an hour or so of trotting and work until she gave me a little more respect. 

 I gave her a break walking when she would flick that inside ear back and listen to me again.  We did work both directions, I just didn't take any pictures of that direction. 

She did break in and come in to me; starting to break down and make a partnership with me so I think with a few more sessions like this I might get somewhere with her!

Today After doing all my running around to get feed etc, I put a few posts down the Roark's fence to tighten and strengthen the fence down the Church side, I grabbed Phoenix out of the feild for a little bareback walk-about:

 Pretty smelling Sunflowers ,  . . .Yummy sunflowers . . . .

*Smile Phoenix!*

Just some random thoughts

So after reading Mickie's blog, being all her thoughts, I figured it'd be an awesome idea if I could get my thoughts out there to see what all other folks thought about them. 
I have several wonderful trains going 'round and round in my head.
I have a list, several already, of rabbits that are going and staying this fall when I hit the show tables and Lucasville this fall.  I'm working on getting down to 15 Hollands for the winter, not counting the 5 New Zealands, 1 Lion Head, 2 Dutch and 2 Velveteen Lops.  That being said, I'm going to push a couple of my does for a litter with a buck that made the 'sell' list and both mother and father will go with all but 1 kit.  Right now there's only 5 adult Holland Lops that I have that I know for sure are staying- Gabriel, Skye, Speedle, Ezzy, and Maverick.  Gabriel, Skye and Speedle are due to their ages, they are old.  Ezzy is Skye's last child, Maverick is the only child I have left from his mother.  Right now Dalton and Charlie's son are nearer the top of the lists to keep.   Charlie, is a charlie broken Sable point that has the body and type to kill, but not enough color for showing.  I just traded for him and his son today- two of my babies.  and I'm hoping to keep both father adn son for improvement to my bloodlines, but Charlie may not make the cut depending on how his son turns out in October. 

Here's Dalton in the back, Charlie's boy in the front:

 Here's Charlie, he's got colored ears, nose and eye patches, but that's all.  Sadly~very nice body and type with the pedigree to boot.

Either way.  Now on to my random musings with my horses.  I do have someone that is interested in riding adn using Tessa, Megan's been looking for another horse to love and call her own since Bugsy had to be PTS.  While the family cannot afford to buy another horse yet, I told Megan and her mom that she is more than welcome to come, ride, show and love on Tessa as if she was her own. Megan's going to come out next weekend and try her out, see if it's something she'd be interested in.  Tessa's a wonderful horse, but still just simply too small for my comfort.  I'm one for not over mounting, but not under mounting a rider.  While Tessa can carry my weight without a problem, I am also too tall.  I look incredibly tall on her, hence had been the start to my search for a spotted draft, or a small belgian.  I had found one, the lady emailed when the filly was born, out of a belgian, 17.2 mare and a 16 hand paint stallion, but like the first foal the lady had, lost her to heat stroke.  This ugly weather has been widespread and got to everyone.  I'd be shocked if none of the folks that raise horses that I know hadn't had problems either.  She gave me the link to the Spotted Draft Registry so I've been looking on there, but it's still going to be a little while I think- but dang spiffy they had some nice studs standing in Georgia!  I guess I'll be grounded from riding for a while again, until Phoenix is sound and then Megan and I can take Tessa and Pheonix out for a trail ride. 
I know what I need and want.  Something between 15.3 hands and 17 hands- sturdy build and relaxed.  Maybe one day I'll be able to have the truck and trailer for hauling a big horse and then I'll be able to go to long trail rides and what nots with friends.  HAHA if ever I make any that are close enough to do this with!  For now it's just around Alfie's and maybe down the road at some point.  For now, I'll just keep saving up more money for a different/new saddle- and already have one of my other's sold-hopefully- I'll know that one by Friday when I have to go to Lexington to meet him. 

Shoes and Braids

This is one of the sunflowers growing next to my barn, It was big and beautiful so I finally broke down and took a picture of it.  Look at the couple of honey bees on it!

 I braided up Phoenix's mane before Ryan got there to try and keep his neck a little bit cooler.  He doesn't have enough forelock to braid that too.

 Back feet, all nice and shoed:

 Front feet Shoed:

 This is what his hoof looks like when you pick it up.  It's just a standard size 2 shoe with a 1/4 inch thick peice of leather just to pad his hoof.  He's going to get special shoes next time to try adn get his hoof growing in the right directions.

 After I got Phoenix back in the fence, I braided Tessa down as well, she *does* have enough forelock for that to be braided.

 Dad mowed their feild during this time.  It looks awesome! 



Sweating horses

 All hot and sweaty even in the shade.  I was shocked that even Tess was covered in sweat, Phoenix was almost dripping.

 Phoenix got to go first, I had to pick up more shampoo this morning so I got the Cowboy Magic stuff and gave him a good scrub down.  He never moved from this spot as I bathed him, He *loved* the cold water.

 This was the only picture I took while I was bathing her.  Her skin is neat colored under the ermines, and you can see the dark strip on her hoof.  I had to scrub it again after this, as you can tell it was still dirty!

 Tessy drying off, we got everything soaped, and this time her mane and tail both got conditioner also. 

 Phoenix was dry before I got Tessy fully done, so while they were up by the fence I gave them their food, so Phoenix could get his joint suppliment- Tess sure doesn't need the food!

 He looks alot shinier now! 

So doesn't Tessy! 

Ryan will be out tomorrow morning to put the pads and shoes on Phoenix so he needed to be cleaned up anyway.  They were bathed around 3:30 pm, and by 7 pm they were sweaty again, it's was just that hot and humid outside.  Tomorrow's supposed to be worse, so I have a gallon jug in the freezer to make a block of ice to drop in their water bucket to cool it down. 

Breyerfest Swap Meet

Sorry for the late posting, but had to put up pictures sometime!

Garmin leading me in the right direction.  I let her tell me where I was going just in case it wasn't where I had expected it to be.

 Sorry this picture is awful, but I took it as a quick snap with my cell phone when I had the least amount of people in the way-sorta, this one dude, I swear he was following me . . . .

 This beauty mare I picked up from someone, in their room.  I only paid $20 for her.  I have a seriously bad addiction to Roan horses. 

 I got this one out of the swap meet room itself, it makes the 5th carosel christmas ornament out of 11 in the series.  I'm working on getting the last 6.

These are the little plushies I had ordered from a girl off my horse forum, her mother makes them and they're just a little bit of my childhood that I loved.  My Little Ponies.  These are Northstar(pink pegasaus) and Sweet Stuff(Blue pony).  They are darling!  I had 4 ponies that had been my personal favorites, and these are two of them.  I have one more pegasaus and a unicorn. 

Just random pictures fo ya'll

Well today was Phoenix's vet visit to find out why he's lame.  So it took me a while to get him over to the house side and by the driveway since he's so sore.

Tessa pitched a fit.  Firstly she wouldn't let me in the feild, rearing up, bucking up-but not kicking her feet out and rushing the gate.

Then she ran the feild, the vet was impressed with her, said she's something he'd like as a competitive horse,  I asked if he was interested . . .

But as it turns out, he's only bruised on all 4 feet.  So he'll require shoes and pads for a couple months while his feet heal back up, but I cna handle that.  I'm just glad that my mind immediately jumps to worst case scenario because it makes me feel better when it's not as bad as my mind makes me think it is.

 After I got done with the vet I went over to visit Aunt Lisa and see everyone since today was the only day Aunt Cathryn was going to be in and I wanted to meet Brian since she's told us soo much about him!

 Brian came out into the feild to visit Josie and Heidi.  Jersey Larry was also up near the water bucket. 

 I think we were all looking at Jersey . . .  I think . . .

This next one is for you Aunt Lisa, this is a Fuzzy Holland.  You can see where he's shedding out his baby wool and growing his new adult wool in(the darker areas), but just look at that wool!  Normally Fuzzy Hollands don't get that fuzzy a few very nice select ones seem to get the Fuzzy lop wool.  I remembered to stick his picture up for you after talking about wool and spinning.

After the long day at Aunt Lisa's the sunset was gorgeous. 



Heidi horse picture Spam!

Happy Fourth of July Everyone!!!!

We were over at Aunt Lisa and Uncle Jim's place for a celebratory lunch, and I figured today was a good time to see how good Heidi was! 

She was AWESOME!! 

I have to get me a horsie like her. . . .

 So comfy and didn't mind me stretching out on her.  I felt comfortable enough to do this with her too.

 She came over to give Rachel a kiss too, this was after she had dropped a little drool on Rae.

She was just an angel.  I don't know why in my mind I've been telling myself Quarter horses are the way to go, they're laid back and easy going, but Tessa isn't even as laid back and easy going.  I'd love to buy or lease her for a few years, she's just awesome.  I'll see just how laid back Tessa is this coming weeking when I try to get on her bareback.  I've got to be able to ride bareback after what I've done to my foot.  My old Podiatrist wanted me to give up riding so I didn't do anymore damage.  I gave up tennis and volleyball but I wouldn't give up horses- just have to ride bareback.

Also

Happy Early Birthday Aunt Lisa!!!!!!!

Trip to Hazard . . . And Sheri's

I saw and ad on Craigslist for English Lops and I know Cin breeds and shows them along with English Spots, so we inquired and 2 bucks, 1 doe pedigreed all for $50.  For NY'ers that's dirt cheap, even if they're only brood stock and never make it back to the show table for Cin.  So Rae and I took the drive down to Hazard to pick them up. 

BTW- there's a spot that all GPS'(including dad's Garmin) screw up and send you in circles, it was a good thing we left early, meet time was 2 pm, we got there 2:08.

 This is the Ruby Eyed White doe.  We didn't measure her ears but somewhere in the neighborhood of 23 inches from tip to tip.

 This is the broken Opal buck, he was by far the largest of the three, we did a quick measure which isn't perfectly acurate, but it's a round about.  Tip to tip was 23.25 inches, width of the ear was 5.5 inches. 

The broken Sable Point's solo picture came out blurry, but his size comparison picture with my velveteen Lop buck came out clean and clear.  My tort Velveteen Buck has 15 inch long ears(tip to tip) and he weights 5.84 pounds, he's not even half the size of this buck.  

So by the time we got home, besides being sunburned on the arms hanging out the windows, we took a short nap since we were both tired, and then ventured over to Sheri's for a couple Lion Heads for Rachel. 

Me and Sheri with Rachel's two lion heads. 

The little one on the left is a broken lilac tort buck, and the other is a broken black doe.  So fluffy!!!!!