I think we have hooves again

Journey seems to have turned the corner from a very severe laminitis.  I've held my breath all winter with fear that the cold temperatures would bring on a new episode.  As precautionary I've resorted to leg wrapping when the temps are predicted below 32 degrees, feeding the poorest hay I can find (grass, grass, or grass), no grains, and a supplement from Uckele called Jiaogulan which is supposed to promote circulation.   She made her first seven very slow miles in the park a couple of weeks back.  She was picking her way and will need shoes in order for us to move forward...if I can finally pin down a reliable farrier.  So we are ever so slowly getting there. 

The horses are starting to shed.  It always lifts my spirits to see those little tufts of fluff pull out.  ☺

Sun Flowers

Twists and Turns and wishing all a HAPPY NEW YEAR

My Mom made it through her rather tough cancer surgery.   A bowel resection of about 1/4 of her large intestine.  The doctors are wanting her to complete a blood test as they think this is an inheritable illness.   So it is something I and my siblings will have to look at regularly.   It took about three months for her to get the wind back in her sails, but Mom being the tough old bird she is....she has rebounded.  Two major cancer surgeries in a four year period, open heart surgery with quadruple bypass and valve replacement before that, septic gall bladder disease before that, diabetes onset before that.  Now Congestive heart failure joins in on the mix.

I had to return to work.  Had resigned my job to be able to be flexible enough to help with the post hospital stuff.   My job was as a temp so FMLA did not factor in and it turns out that leaving there was probably the best for me.   My stomach issues have really decreased, and I'm able to digest food again...yay!   I started a new job two weeks ago and I'm really liking it.  It is very busy work, but no customers yelling at me on the phone interrupting work every few minutes all day long.  Actually I don't have to answer a phone at all.  Just make pleasant outgoing calls.   It is part-time, and pays almost double what I was making on the hour at the other job.  I'm hoping this turns out to be the "forever" job.  Ladies in the office are super nice, bonus!!!

Cautiously, Journey is "better".    We have at least reached a completely recycled hoof and pasture soundness.   She also comes through the walkway (very compact and hard) to her stall without any sign of discomfort.    My fear is that temperatures will again drop, and if this is "winter founder" all might be lost again.     I have leg boots to wrap her up in, but no other way to protect from the frigid temperatures of mid to late winter.   I really want to get some ground work done and see how that goes, and then try slow trail rides, but we need hoof protection.  I'm so disillusioned with hoof boots.   Our trails lay wet most of the year, and I bet I have $500 in gloves and renegades somewhere in the deep mud of the Versailles State Park.

Journey is still without a farrier.  Have called far and wide and can't get anyone to come down to this part of the state.  My husband barefoot trims, and has her looking pretty good, but he is getting older and would like to hire out the work if we could find a reliable person (meaning show up, and reschedule before you leave), and not let the toes migrate ever outward in direction.   So frustrating!  Someone suggested taking her to Amish, but I have qualms about that.

My most recent painting "Call Me Red" is an angel painted for my spare bedroom.   You better like red if you are going to sleep in there!

Call Me Red, original, acrylic 2018 on stretched canvas.

I am thinking of painting over the mirror of the old wash stand with chalk board paint.

                                   And a hand twisted wire Tree of Forbidden Fruits.

All I have left to do is finish up painting the headboard of the bed and wait for springs and mattress to get here.      Then I move on ...to the guest bathroom.

Painting...and life

 G-Raff, Acrylic 11X14 2018

Old Bess, Acrylic 12X16, 2018

My Mom is undergoing cancer surgery next week.  I've ditched my job, and been hanging out with her.   Scary times ahead.   She is eight-four and the toughest old gal I've ever known...but she is so frail.  Prayers for her please. ♥  

 I've been painting and sketching more to try and stay reasonably on an even emotional keel.   It calms me while I'm doing it.  

Journey still isn't "right."  We have a hoof now with attached walls, but still intermittently quite lame on the right front.   Have not located a farrier who will come out to this area.  I would like one more trim cycle and then follow with x-rays on the fronts to see where we are and what we can or cannot do about it.  

Hanging in there.   Sort of.

~E.G.

Recent paintings

 Yella Dog, Acrylic, mixed media

Sun Horse, acrylic

Global Petition for FEI Horse Welfare Reform

Be the change people!

 

Sign, and share...

I'm still breathing

Still out here rattling along playing the waiting game.  Journey has about an inch of stretched white line from the winter laminitis episode the grow/ trim out.  She progressed to a point, and then it has been a very definite off right front ever since.  Some days pronounced, other's barely there.  Lot of uncertainty on her being ride-able again.

After nearly passing out at my desk from the intense stress of my job this past week, I put in notice.  It is scary walking away from the money, and I know I'll have to replace it, but my health has really suffered being the phone intermediary calming down very righteously upset customers for the past couple of years.  I generally do a good job of that, but picking up the phone is like a game of Russian Roulette, you never are quite sure if there is a live one in the chamber.  Try healing gastric ulcers while doing that.  It hasn't worked out so well for me.  Now I'll have to  find work again.  The older I get the more daunting that is if you want more than a minimum wage.  We are located 30-45 minutes from anything for even potential employment.  Plan to give myself a few weeks to just chill and try to get my guts working right, and start looking again.

Louie and Melanie Mosquito Run

Since I am still awaiting Journey to re-grow a hoof and subsequent x rays to see where we are ....I'm living vicariously through other riders.   Enter Melanie and her horse Louie, a cute little bay arabian navigating the trails of limited distance riding in endurance.   Louie's most recent exploit was the 25 at Mosquito Run.   Louise cut a full 20 minutes off of the time of his first LD, and the horse and rider had a clean run, finishing safe and sound.   It is fun following this pair of newbies, while I wait, and hope, and ponder the future for myself and Journey.

Louie added a new piece to his gear, this time a green camo english breast collar form Two Horse Tack. The reports are that it fit well, no rubs, and Louie was "stylin". ☺

 

Most recent painting in progress...

Anguish, acrylic, mixed media, 2018

I know she is definitely not everyone's cup of tea.  But she speaks to me.  Of pain, loss, suffering.  Of being weighed down and bent with darkness.  Looking for mercy.  She represents a story, many stories.   There is still some work perhaps to do.  She is not beautiful, she is not meant to be.

Halfway there on growing out a "new" hoof

Journey is inching ever so slowly along on her recovery.  We are basically waiting out hoof regrowth from the coronet band down.  She has half of a hoof regrown at this point, and don't see a light shining on the process until we have a hoof that is whole (non-separated).  She is pasture sound for the most part, but still off on very hard surfaces.  Can only wait it out, hope, and pray ♥

The Four Part Plan: 2 of 4

It has been a very short/incredibly long two years.  In some respects the days have melded together in what seems an endless cycle of work, exhaustion, recharge, to go back at it all over again.  Sometimes what we do not like is necessary to get us to a place of the living again.  Big Bertha (the truck) being the first piece of my personal restoration required an investment much more expensive than suits my personal comfort level.  I've been back stroking in a tidal flow for a very long time to pare down debt, but to get out of the driveway again towing a horse certainly required it.  The first piece of the puzzle fell into place after almost two years of 11 hour work days to put myself in the position to be able to do it.  Part one completed and she is just a glorious truck.

The neglectful period for the old trailer setting in the driveway became the next needful thing.   Did it need greased?  Are the floors still horse worthy?  What of the tires having been placed in situ for all these months steeping in rain, ice, snow?  I have so long wished for the ability to plug in a heater when it is cold, or a fan when it is hot to move some air, or to have a small little fridge to keep the cold stuff cold.  The trailer went to the shop to have these things looked at two weeks ago.  We brought it home today happily greased, two tires replaced, and an electrical box installed that allows me to plug in four glorious things at will!  I hope to purchase a small fridge, a little plug in heater (no more worrying if the gas heater might kill me in my sleep).  It was so good we had it checked though.  The tires though they did not have many miles on them had two with broken belts on the passenger side....ready to blow.  That is the side of the trailer that faced the elements...the tires had about rotted away.   Part two is in the bag.

Most concerning is Journey.   After the mystery laminitis over the winter she is pasture sound for the most part.  I feel the prescription of having her shod through that was a terrible error.  It got her off the ground but her heels are very under-run and contracted.   Not the fault of the farrier, but rather just a bad call on how to address the issue from the get-go.  So we are shoes off and trying to grow out a new hoof.  We are about 1/3 along in that process.  Her right front seemed to take the worst of it.  She lost all of her concavity with the sole plane dropping to the ground.  Rehab will be a long process I'm afraid and not sure what we will have at the end.    More disturbing is not knowing what brought it on.   I do not feed grain of any sort since I quit riding at 25 miles or so a week.  We purchase grass hay (no clover, alfalfa).  When the event happened it was very cold, four inches of snow cover on the ground, really nothing for her to get into.    The only triggering event I can point to was she had got big old snowballs packed into her front hooves the day before that had to be pried out.  One would see how she could have been bruised, but founder?   And I fear because I don't know, it could happen to her again.     Journey is my buddy, and my heart breaks to think we might not.  But my hope and prayer is she will get better and we can partner up again to do something.  So this is the next piece to work through and I have no solid time table.

Finally...should it all work out I need to decide what it is we will do for a sport.   Endurance sport is out of the question for either of my mares.  For a multitude of reasons personal and emotional I know I'm done.   I will always continue to cheer on the Green Bean aspect of the sport and follow the faces of many in the sport.  Help where I can, and feel proud that three women's vision changed the face of the sport for the newbies out there.   That feels quite good, and Big Bertha will carry the Green Bean Endurance decal proudly on our back window until the sticky wears off!  Those three years were the very best in endurance riding. I felt joyous and engaged.    My other favorite sport which still is a happy thing harboring no emotional baggage is Competitive Mounted Orienteering.  So that will be my first choice to hit a couple of those a year, probably riding solo.   But we still need a mental and performance challenge so that Journey and I can work on little things at home with a goal to take us places.   I just have not yet found that thing.  Kicking around trail obstacle trials, a drill team, or just some challenging clinics.   Anyone up for horse soccer teams this winter ☺

Spotlight on Melonie Driese and Louie

Melonie Driese and Louie are brand new and shiny in their pursuit of endurance riding.  They attended the Border Battle Boogie at Trade River Equestrian Campground, Cushing Wisconsin this weekend with a goal of a first LD / safe and sound finish.  The pair finished safe and sound and I wish to offer my personal congratulations as I know how wonderful those firsts are.  Melonie hopes to ride more LD's in the future, focus on more conditioning, and slowly better her finishing times.  Melonie is also a member of Green Bean Endurance.  She and Louis are on the team Red Hot Filly Peppers ☺

Louie is wearing a traditional halter bridle from Two Horse Tack for his Limited Distance Debut!   Melonie selected hunter green in 5/8 inch width, stainless hardware, white stitching, and 3/4 inch trail reins!

Louie is very classy.

Congratulations to both!

 

Big Bertha is all legal now...next step--horse trailer check up.

The continuing truck saga...has about wrapped up.  She got her legal status today as everything came together finally (paperwork was ....very late getting to me) to get her licensed.  I'll admit to literally holding my breath at the DMV sweating what is it going to take $$$ wise for this big whopping truck to get registration and plates.  Turned out it wasn't too bad!  The dealership had mailed me a check to make up for their getting the paperwork to us late, and that covered about a third of the cost, and she's good to go until next August!    So at least step#1 is complete.  I again have a truck.  Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!  4 wheel drive, super duty, she's a beast ☺

The horse trailer is next up.  I was thinking of downsizing to a bumper pull.  But if I sold the big old gray, thinking I'd still be out quite a bit more money to get the next one.  The steel trailer is an ugly old dude, but it is mostly rust free, it rolls, and it is debt free.  So I'm leaning to a check up for it, and see if the gooseneck is adjusted how is it going to ride (meaning how level is it going to be).  The bed of this truck is higher than the old one by several inches.  The gooseneck has to adjust if I'm going to have the side rail clearance I need for tight turns (trust me my backing up leads to some interesting trailer positions at times).   It is what it is people.  So crossing fingers I can make it work out.

For Journey the plan is to get her out of her danged shoes and follow a barefoot rehab protocol.  Toughening her soles, hand walking over hard surfaces, and addressing getting her toe brought back on the fronts.   I like shoes, but Journey's hooves don't.  Her heels start migrating forward and the toes with it.  Now that competition is out the window for us, I don't see a reason not to transition to bare, and just throw boots on the front if I know I'm confronting rocks.  Lord knows I have enough of them.  Right at the moment they are all too small which shows me I don't like where her hooves have gone.

The winter founder thing really nailed her.  I still don't know how or why it happened.  Nothing is different today than the day it happened except there is not a six inch snow pack on the ground.  Diet is the same.  Grass hay, grass pellets, vitamin/mineral, water.  Every day.  Journey has a hay belly on her but I would not consider her obese.  I rarely give treats, and if I do it is a single horse cookie, or a bit of carrot.  The result is a pair of deep event lines like chisel marks below the coronet band.  So we have to grow out a new structurally sound hoof and hope that whatever it is does not repeat come winter.   Read about winter founder, it is not a happy place to find yourself.

So I have lined up a new vet.   Have not had him out yet, but have an account set up in case I need one.  Hate it that the other one turned out to be so .... what ever she is.   I liked her, never late paying her.  But she wanted me to blindly accept whatever her recommendation, and I believe in considering the options before I make rash decisions.  I have to operate that way if I'm going to keep horses.  Willing to do a lot for my animals if I believe it will actually help them.  An example would be that if there are three medications that are going to effectively treat my animal, all things being equal I'm going to select the most cost effective one. If tests are to be run, lets figure out "what" we think we are testing for and move that direction.  I'm going to ask those kinds of questions.   I ask those same questions for my own healthcare.   Movin' on.

Hoping that CMO can still be in my future at least a little bit.  I enjoy it a lot, it is so much lower stress, and Journey seems to like it much better.   Someone else is hosting a CMO in my area this FALL and maybe Journey will be trail worthy by then.  Only have to have her conditioned for 15 miles at a nice intermittent trot.  If they hooves say yes, and we can start my July, should be no problem.  We'll see how it goes.

Maybe Karma is Speaking...

I have had a crazy run of events.  Each on it's own collectively pushing me away from horse dreams (which fulfills my personal happiness). None anyone's particular fault, some so terribly sad.  Is karma speaking...am I listening?

Husband has to have double knee replacement

I leave a job because I couldn't cope with my eyesight issues there

Replace my job, but no time to ride a horse really....

Old truck can no longer pull the steel truck up a hill

Find a farrier

Lose a farrier (due to one notified cancellation he refuses to reschedule)

Journey gets sick (winter founder)

Vet quits (because I posted a video of Journey's condition in the figuring out what the heck is this phase of things to see if anyone had seen a horse acting as she was as it was rather bizarre) (note I have three horses that regularly need vet care and yes I pay my bills on time).

I get a new farrier, heck of a nice guy...he calls saying he can't pull shoes, he's blown out his back and may not be able to return to farrier work at all.
We call our hay guy (we've bought from for 12 years) as the barn is getting low, to learn he was killed in a car accident.

So here I am.      No vet.   No farrier.   No hay supplier.    Just like dominoes in a period 12 weeks.

And I continue to battle ulcers.

Journey has front shoes that need pulled.
My hay "might" make it until I can safely wean the horses back onto grass.
And my prayer is that nobody gets sick.  I have set up an account with a new vet but haven't called to have him out so not sure what we are getting.  Still scratching my head over the other one....life seems to be waving a flag to no longer have horses.

It is all just CRAZY.

FINALLY

Sweep Riders of the Sierras

Guest Article:  Misty Tracy, Sweep Riders of the Sierras

Hey Green Beans and western states riders! Do I have the perfect activity for you!! Have you ever heard of Sweep Riders of the Sierra? You have? Well, why haven’t you signed up already? Just kidding! I am going to assume most people haven’t heard of us unless you are a local to the greater Auburn, CA area or you are associated with Tevis. Tevis?? Did I just get your attention? The pinnacle of endurance and we get to be a part of it… and you can too. We are a non- profit group of approximately 40 members that was founded after the disbanding of TevSweep in the early 90’s. Sweep Riders of the Sierra (SOS) is the only ham radio based equestrian group in the WORLD. Yep, that’s WORLD. Cool, huh? Even cooler is that you don’t have to be a radio operator to join us. But if you want to get your radio license we will help you and we have radio equipment to checkout so it isn’t a financial burden to get started. We also provide communication and trail support for the Western States 100 run held the last Saturday in June and Gold Country endurance ride usually around early July.

The Western States trail is one long straight line (ok, a few twists and turns… and canyons, rivers etc) from start to finish. Since it isn’t set up as a series loops it makes things a tad more difficult. We break the one hundred miles in to approximately ten sections. The shortest section is four miles and the longest is twenty three miles with the average being about ten. Each section is assigned a team consisting two to four riders- always with a team leader and a radio operator. The radio op wears a helmet that has been outfitted with an antenna on the top and we carry our small radios in a chest pack. Newbies are always paired with our seasoned riders. Each team pre rides the section they are riding so they can get an idea of what they are going to face and to work themselves into a cohesive team ahead of time. The team will arrive at their assigned staging area at least one hour early from cut off. The team leader will check in with the Head Volunteer and the radio op will establish contact with Net Control. Once the last rider (or runner if the WS100) has left , we will be given the numbers of the last few riders and will be sent down the trail. Radio contact will be established every 15 minutes so that Net Control will know our current location. If we end up with an emergency or simply a tired rider, this will be called into Net Control. NC will make a decision as to what to do and we will follow through with their instructions. Sometimes it is more feasible to pony a horse out or to give a lift to a rider/runner on one of our mounts. However if it is more serious, Net Control will alert the Rider Director to send out additional help. It is such a neat feeling to be able to help others complete their goal . Ok, it also feels pretty cool to cross the river in the dark with the full moon above you , or to go over Cougar Rock, but nothing really compares to watching the last rider come over the finish line in time with a huge smile on their face.

So, now I am pretty sure you want to know what you need to do to join us. First checkout our website, SweepRiders.org. It will give you our calendar and a more detailed information about SOS, trail sections and suggested equipment to pack. You need to be over 18, have access to a trailer, your equine ( I say equine because mules are fine) needs to be over five and a mare or gelding (sorry, no stud muffins) very well behaved and fit, and complete the qualification ride. At the qualification, your horse needs to stand patiently tied, load into various trailers, mount and dismount from both sides, and travel pleasantly in a group at different speeds. You will be introduced to tailing and ponying but neither is a requirement to pass. Wear a helmet, safe foot ware, and appropriate tack. Once you are a member then you will be asked to get yourself a reflective vest. We will have several meetings, night rides, and radio play days in the spring and summer. The radio play days are open to everybody that wants to ride with us and get feel for what we do with mock scenarios. Our year is ended with a tri tip barbeque. What more could you ask for? Fun, food and great folks. But there is more. Our members can volunteer to mark the trail, pull ribbons, and work Net Control. I will personally do my assigned section and will also do a shift in NC because is interesting to see how Tevis works from another perspective.

I have been a member of SOS for nine years now- six years on the board, five years as president – and it is just the most wonderful group I have ever been involved with. We have about fifty members including several non -riding radio people. Each is a valued member to the big team. The experience they all bring is there for the sharing. Several of our members wear Tevis buckles proudly. I always find it amazing how so many things come full circle in the SOS world. A new member last year rode on my team. Her mare is in her late teens and had several Tevis finishes including a top ten finish for Ann Hall . In her winding down years she is now sweeping. On the other hand, one of our members rescued a big ,tall arab and turned him into a stellar sweep horse. She rode SOS for years but got inspired to try it Tevis herself. She and this rescue horse got their buckle. I feel so honored to be a part of the endurance community, the Tevis and especially , Sweep Riders of the Sierra. We would love to share what we do with you.

Note from Endurance Granny: Oh...how I wish I lived out west!  I would so absolutely love to be involved in something like this now that the door has seemed to close on me concerning endurance riding.  I miss my sport.  Even though I only got to compete a little, it was such a defining part of me.  That and  especially Green Bean ♥   If you get your chance to be a part of this crazy sport in any way, grab it while you can!     If you are interested in becoming a sweep rider, contact Misty Tracey on Facebook.  If you are interested in the Green Bean Endurance Challenge, click the link and jump onto the Facebook page for the group.  Teams are still forming, and this is now a sanctioned activity with AERC.  Green Bean is for new aspiring endurance riders with less than 1000 AERC miles, team building, social connections, and support as you navigate through LD to Endurance, and beyond.

My flash threw a glare on this one which I painted "just for me."  My barn kat, Stripey of the crooked tail."    Mixed Medium (Acrylic, Ink) on canvas board 2017.

A few of the year's paintings...

Jar of Flowers, Acrylic 2017 8X10

Unframed $20, Framed $45

Echinacea, acrylic 8X10 sold

The Ancestor, acrylic, 2017 "rehomed"

Folk art, Reclining Kat, Acrylic, 2017 

Sold

Sister Bouquet, Acrylic 2017 pot and stand inspired by another artist, this one has been framed and rehomed...with my sister ♥

A post from "Mean" Patti over on Introspection

Stepping away was for me one of the hardest things I've ever done.  But it was necessary,  and I'm glad for what has happened to Green Bean Endurance.  I hope the program keeps on, keeping on. ♥   Thank you mean Patti.

Christmas gift for a friend

Poles Part 2

After some discussion this morning the long suffering husband felt that the bases of the poles would seat into the concrete perhaps "better" with a coupler on the ends of each pole that looked like a little donut with a flat bottom.  Personally I would have gone with what I have, but his heart's in the right place so I added them!

The poles first went into the buckets and I have a left over pile of crushed limestone from the stall project late in the spring, so each pole was nestled into this stuff just to give it support from flopping during the actual pour of the cement (more aptly, the shovel of the concrete).  With the size of the containers I used for the forms, the 80 lb bag of quick mixing concrete just barely stretched.

The girls all topped off in concrete.  

After experimenting with spray paint on a board, I have decided to not paint these.  Will add some colorful duct tape in a turquoise blue perhaps in the spring for striping and say it is good.   The temps were just barely there for this project so hoping the concrete sets up properly.   We are going to move them all to inside of the barn late this afternoon to finish curing.  Once I get them in place, I plan to remove the handles from the buckets as I don't think Journey could control her urges and they'd be all pulled over on the ground each morning.  The long suffering one has got hay all over the front lot where I plan to set this up....so next "project" is to point him at the tractor and blade and push that crap into the mulch pile.

NEXT UP:  Measuring off the course and determining if I have enough lot for 12 feet apart on the poles!  May have to put them on the diagonal.

POLES

A month has gone by and then some, and NO TIME!  Work sort of exploded and my part time status is nine hours a day, and then I go to job #2 (my favorite one) and put in another little bit of time.  So all good intentions sort of flow out the window.  But today I was off, and had no other pressing conflicts so at least got to start my pole bending obstacle project.

Step #1.  Why do they hire grumpy old farts to work in hardware stores?  This old dude (relatively speaking as I'm no spring chicken) was just not very cooperative and if he'd have been three feet tall instead of 6 foot 4, he could have applied for troll status under a bridge.  So I'm wanting 6 foot poles, but they have them cut in 10 foot lengths and five foot lengths.   I tell old grumpy fart that I will pay for the 10 ft poles if he will cut them down to six feet.  He grumps, and growls, and hedges, and oh for ****'s sake give me the five footers.   Now mind you I am carrying six three gallon buckets in my left hand, and he graciously hands me the six poles into my right which will not fit around two of them.   So I anchor them between my arm and chest and sort of drag the lot which is about as tall as I am up to the registers and prop everything up.   I realize I need end caps, I mean now that they are five feet, there is a slight risk one of the loving mares might decide to plant my butt since nobody has been ridden in who knows when.  I'd hate to go out impaled to a pvc pole, so I flag down Mr. GOF and say, I need end caps, please point the way.  He grimaces and finds me six and tries to dump them into one of my hands, which can hold exactly two of them.  I think I'm not letting GOF that close to my boob, don't like him all that much and manage to get them balanced in two hands, clutched to my chest and back to the register.   Yes, a shopping cart might have been an idea here.  I'm always so optimistic when I go into a store.

So the recipe starts here:

6  1 and a 1/2 inch and 5 foot (dang you GOF!) pipes
6   end caps to fit
6  three gallon paint buckets
2 cans of Krylon spray paint for plastics
80 lb bag of instant mix concrete
1 roll painters tape                       Spent:  $74 and change 

 The price of a pole bending set is about  $250 plus shipping.  I have no visions of running poles competitively, but they are a great exercise for the horse and the rider.  And will be our first obstacle for the obstacle course I'm hoping to build here.

The lady at check out graciously wrapped the pipe so I could get it out to the car.

I taped the poles off to spray paint, but I'm not sure that I will.  I'd honestly like the with with little stripes, as standing back from these they look pretty good.  May just investigate if I can get to outdoor tape, and tape on the stripes, or maybe some reflective...that could be fun.

Stopped my project there today, as the next step was the concrete and I decided a chat with my resident Sack-Crete specialist might be in order as it is pretty nippy out there today, water frozen on the horse's water tank, and I was unsure how the concrete would be able to set in the cold.   So if it warms up tomorrow...step 2.

Really Cool & Creative How To's by Bloggers!

Having been side lined for awhile now, trying to get over what ails me...I so miss my horse time.  For the longest time I've wanted to have some "fun stuff" to do with my horses at home.  I've pretty much made up my mind that doing anything in the future that includes heat and humidity just isn't going to happen.  EVER.   So I've been looking at a lot of "do it yourself" obstacles and am longing for some jumps, and a pole bending course.   I also don't want to break the bank doing it, as there still is that "no truck" worthy of pulling thing right now.  So in my travels across Pinterest, I found some fun do it yourself projects that I felt were worthy of linking out to.

The Other Horse has a cool little project to building some great little jumps using scrap lumber.   I have one area of the pasture (tongue firmly in cheek as it rarely grows grass) that would be a great place to set up two or three jumps.

North Carolina Cowgirl presents the first project I hope to take on with a low-cost pole bending set.   She uses paint buckets,  PVC for poles, and concrete for weighting the bases.  She says she spent like $40 for it, compared to close to $300 to purchase ready made.

I absolutely love the ladder obstacle, a certain spotted horse would possibly learn to watch where she is placing her pretty little hooves.

In the past I've used ground poles for many purposes, laying them in patterns for backing exercises, in a box to practice tight controlled turns in small spaces, and raising them for cavaletti work.  Landscaping timbers are great for this, they are low cost and treated so they hang in there a good long while.

Time for this old gal to get back on my horse ♥

Green Bean Endurance is now a sanctioned AERC program

For all you wanna-be endurance riders out there, check out the Green Bean Endurance Challenge.  I'm proud to say, that in a small way, that I made my mark in endurance.   I say that now that I no longer drive the bus.  Well---I'm not even currently ON THE BUS.  But those who know me, know the love I had (have) for this group of endurance riders.  

So TEAM riding is now a "thang" my friends.  I wish this group well, and I hope the little social experiment continues to grow the ranks of endurance riders for years and years to come.

Congratulations Deb Moe and Ricky Stone for hanging in, and finally getting it done!  Incredible how a little old dream for a new way took root, and flourished ♥

Recent Paintings

Tuxedo Kat, acrylic , 8X10 canvas board 2017 this little weirdo is probably staying home ♥

Starlight Kat, acrylic on canvas board 5X7 is being rehomed.

 

Reclining Kat, acrylic on 8X10 Canvas board off to a new home...

 

Sunset Kat, acrylic on canvas board, 8X10 off to a new home in Kentucky. This one inspired by another artist, not an original work, no credit on this, but was fun to make!

 

 

A bit of Folk Art

I love folk art.  A lot ♥.  Been playing in paint this weekend and created a few little pieces...sheep seem to be winning the day.

 Sheepish Moon, Acrylic, #S001

 Field of Dreams, Acrylic, # S003

Lonely Heart Hill, Acrylic, #S002

Prim Crow, Acrylic, 8 X 10

 

Paintings

 Chickadee on post, acrylic, 2017

Soon to go to a new home...

Yellow flowers in blue vase, acrylic, 2017 also being "re-homed"

The varnish was wet on both of these so my photos had some glare that looks like white speckling which isn't really there.

Working on this for two weeks...I finally said I give!

I keep wanting to grab that pot and pull it down...about an inch!  My composition is just really off.  Happy with the pot, and the background, but stick me with a fork I am done!  It will probably get power sanded...

 Been groovin' on some peacocks (Ginger Cook inspired)

Brown pot and Cold mountain have gone to their "forever" homes.

Van Who?

My Own Personal Unicorn...

This bridle actually belongs to and fits the Spotted Wonder

Who say's I'm not a unicorn?

Medieval Baroque War Bridle by Two Horse Tack 

Since I have the photos up, may as well plug this pretty thing.  It is actually intended for a bit, but I intend to also use it on Phebes so I self-administered side pull rings for it, for those times.  Journey will probably use it with a bit as the bridle is intended as she is sometimes rather opinionated. She has blinged out reins, crupper, and a breast collar that match.  First day I can get her a bath...I'll get some photos.  I was worried that the spots on her might be a bit "much" but she kind of pulls it off!

The blue roan in the photo is "Big Cree" certainly the most photogenic of our herd.  Cree is the old man on the farm, he's twenty years old now.