Baths and Trailer Trips

We worked more on the 5th stall today. We used up the last of our boards, so we'll have to make a run back into town to get more wood. But it's coming along quite nicely!

While hubby was mowing the grass, I decided to give both horses baths. Not show clean baths, just you-haven't-had-a-bath-in-months bath. To try and get some of the ground in grit out. Afterwards, of course, both horses rolled. After hubby put the mower away, I mentioned to him that I'd given the horses baths. He looked at the horse (now, both covered in mud, again) and said, "Oh, you mean you ARE going to give them baths?" No, I already gave then baths!

During lunch, I contemplated my next move. I'd planned on taking Cotton for a solo trailer ride, but it's been so long since she went anywhere (and wasn't all that well behaved last time, either) Baby steps, that's the best training method. So, I decided to take Trouble with us.

The timing didn't go so smoothly. Hubby had invited a friend over to get manure for his garden, so I was rushed in getting the horses loaded up and out of the way. As a result, Cotton took longer to load (up to 20 sec, which still isn't bad, all things considered). We went for a 15 min circle of the neighborhood, came home and unloaded. I put Cotton back on the trailer again, and she happily went back on and back off. Then, I put both horses in the soggy pasture, talked to the manure man (who was very friendly). After he left, I got Cotton back out and gave her a thorough grooming (she is VERY fuzzy!) I put hay in the trailer this time, loaded her up alone, and we headed back out. No problems at all (and, with Cotton alone, I managed to hit all three traffic lights on green, no stopped trailer, no impatient horse!) I did see one woman who was out working on her fence, both times. The second time, she looked right at me, as if to say, "Didn't I just see that rig go by 30 min ago?" When we got home, Trouble was running her little head off, and was quite pleased to see her friend. I unloaded Cotton, popped her back on and off the trailer (Good horsey!), and then called it quits for the day. Planted more potatoes. Hopefully, no spotted critter will try to knock them over...

With the time change, we brought the horses in and feed them on the early side, but they seemed happy to go in and eat, after their "rough" day. No ducks showed up! We came inside to shower and work on dinner. Right at 530, old time, the ducks waddled through the pasture and up to the barn. Sorry, duckies, now you're late! We're already inside, no dinner tonight! Poor duckies!

Tomorrow's going to be a rainy day (no trailer trips). Tuesday is my last day of extracurricular spots (hooray!) So, on Wednesday, the plan is to take Cotton to my instructors (for another test trailer trip), unload, ride, load up, and come home, on Monday. If that goes well, we'll sign up for the trail competition next Saturday.

Tacking Up!

Today, we spent a good deal of time working on the 5th stall. We took the junk that was stored in their to the dump, and bought stall mats and wood. This stall has partially buried fencing along the perimeter (to keep out skunks!), so we want to cover the above ground section of fence, so that the New Horse doesn't get caught up on it. And, one of the sides of the stall is the metal barn, so we'd like to cover that up and have wood "kick boards" installed. Hubby got one wall finished, we'll work more on it tomorrow.

I also practiced tacking up Cotton, to address her girthiness. She made some moves like she was going to lean back and lie down again, so I popped one of the cross-ties off. She seemed surprised by this move and stood back up. "What, I can't lean on the ties?" She did take some steps backward, but having just one tie on (and the leadrope around her neck) seemed to solve the larger issue. When I was able to take the girth off and put it on the first hole a couple of times, without complaints from Cotton, I pulled the whole saddle off. Which, again, surprised Cotton. "What, we not going riding?"

Things a Bombproof Horse is Afraid of!

#1. Sheep/Great Pyranees dogs.
We took Cotton to a trail ride on a research farm, which has a pasture of sheep. They'll really bizarre. Total hive-mind mentality. "Let's all go left!" and then they do! Trouble didn't care, "Can we stop watching the boooooring critters and GO already?!" Cotton decided they were too weird and took off, dumping poor hubby.

About a week later, our neighbors (the cows) let a Great Pyranees dog into their pasture. He came up (about 100 ft from the fenceline) and sat watching the horses for about an hour. TOTALLY freaked out poor Cotton. At first, Trouble was spooking in sync with Cotton, but then decided it wasn't worth it and went back to eating. Cotton continued to freak until the dog decided it was time to go home.

Which brings us to scary thing number 2:
#2. Trumpets.

Apparently, one of our neighbors is learning to play the trumpet. It's nothing obnoxious, just, neighbors are playing the trumpet. Which is, apparently, cause for alarm in a Bombproof horse's world. As a result, poor Cotton has been subject to some "Big Band" style of music playing in the barn this weekend. She's mellowing back out. But sudden, loud, trumpet calls are still cause for alarm.

I'd planned on taking Cotton for a solo "trail" ride, but given the trumpet music, we decided to change plans and hang out at home, in the arena and mostly out of sight from Trouble. I seldom talk whilst riding (anyone who knows me knows that I have trouble doing two things at once), so, in an effort to desensitize poor Cotton, I started singing while riding. It's hard, singing "Ruler of the Queen's Navy" while posting!

Trailer Loading Practice

Went astonishingly well. I loaded Cotton, closed the divider, let her out, and backed out nicely. Trouble was being obnoxious, so at one point, I threw her on the trailer after Cotton. And she did a hop-skip-jump onto the trailer. "Ow, Mom, my hocks hurt!" Alright, my poor spotted horsey, you can have off until the vet comes out.

But this morning, when I turned the horses outside, Cotton went for the hay like a good horse. Trouble was cantering around like a nut, and NOT lame!! Oh, spotted horsey, you drive me bonkers!!

Plans Go Awry

Vet's truck died, so we had to reschedule Trouble's hock injections. Now he won't come out until 3/18. Which means, we can't go on the trail competition on 3/19.

New plan:

1. Practice trailer loading Cotton
2. Take Cotton for a spin in the trailer without her Trouble-friend
3. Take Cotton instead of Trouble!

Who is hungry?

Lesson yesterday was completely horrible. When it was time to load Trouble into the trailer, I couldn't catch her. I can't remember if she was trotting while I was chasing her, or if it was just a low speed chase, but she would NOT be caught. I finally managed to catch her (by first removing her Cotton!) We made it to the lesson barn, I tacked up and started walking around the arena. No problems yet. As soon as I trot her, she is totally, completely, absolutely very much LAME. Usually, it just a general not-quite-rightness when it's her hocks. So I haven't a clue what's up with her. You can't see anything at the walk, but a very non-horsey person can see that she is very off at the trot. Vet's coming out on Wednesday for her hocks, so we'll see what he says.

So we came home early. I set about my usual chores, though later than usual. Everything goes off the usual schedule on lesson days. I threw both horses in the pasture and went into the barn to do stalls. When I was finished, I opened the barn door to find FOUR hungry critters, complaining that dinner was late.

Trouble: I'm huuuuuungry! You're laaaaate!
Critter #2: "Me too!" Quack!

Critter #3: "Yeah, what the others said!" Quack, quack!

Cotton (Standing in the back of the pack): I'm still the lowest ranked critter!

Yes, we have ducks. Two white ducks, who are unusually tame. And hungry.

I finally make it back into the house, where I'm greeted by a spinning dog. She spins when she's hungry.

Happy Birthday to Trouble!

Happy Birthday to Trouble!
Happy Birthday to Trouble!
Happy Birthday to Craaaazy Hoooooorse!
Happy Birthday to Trouble!

Today, Trouble actually turns 16. She celebrated by getting a manicure (the farrier came out!) and eating the last of her stash of clearance candy canes.