The last weekend day of February...perfect day for a ride!

We try to put together a to-do list every weekend.  Doesn't matter if it is a big job or a small one...as long as something is on it.  Brian told me that one of the things on our to-do list was for me to take a ride!  Yay!  I love when that gets put on the list!  I also love that he knows when I need it.  :-)

The dogs are helping us get ready to go.

When we got to the parking lot, there was another truck/trailer there, and at the back area of the parking lot where people camp there were two horses tied up and an older couple laying in the grass.  They had a lunch area set out...it was very sweet!  That is what I hope Brian and I are like when we get older.  :-)  Actually now works for me, but it doesn't work for his schedule.

I was so proud of Tripp!  Their horses were dancing around and calling out like crazy!  One of them sounded like he was losing his best friend.  Tripp gave a couple of his cute little wuss whinnies then didn't say another word.  He would look over to watch them, but that was it.

I walked him down the trail a ways before getting on.

Once I found a mounting log, I hopped on and away we went.  I decided to take the longer trail towards the shooting range.

Unfortunately we didn't last that long.   Once we got to the rocky part (which really isn't that rocky) he was getting very ouchy.  I gave him a trim Friday night and have never ever EVER made him sore, but he sure was sore this time!  I was in a panic because I feel like I hurt my boy!  It really did break my heart and I was sick about it!  I got off and walked him back...good day for a walk and I sure didn't want him to hurt any more than he was.  I tried to keep him on the leaf covered edge of the trail.  As much as I enjoyed the short ride and the walk back, I was trying to figure out what went wrong. 

Here is Tripp giving his "I am a rock star!" look!  I asked if he was giving me the 'Whip My Hair' show and he let me know that he is a REAL rocker, not a Willow rocker!  Then he spit on the ground at my feet!  I apologized....while laughing!  HA HAAA!!!

I let him pick his path on the way back, and sometimes he would get back on the trail, so that was a positive.

I love his eyes...so pretty and soft...

Then of course, for the last weekend day of February, our self portrait!

The dry trails really clean out the hooves.  I checked my trims and they seemed fine...but he is real thrushy. Thrush is enough to make them ouchy...so we are working on getting that under control and will try another ride again soon.

I made it back home in 1 1/2 hrs and Brian was worried something was wrong.  He didn't expect me for 4-5 hrs...I was not happy because I didn't get to ride longer, and poor Tripp was hurting.  He can trot on the soft ground at home tho...so that is good!  :-)  We will get him back to normal real quick!

So while Brian was cleaning the mud off the barn lot, I trimmed Batman and Wyoming, then worked with them both.  So the day was not a bust - it just got a 'new frame' like Brian likes to say.

I have to say...I sure do love Tripp!  He is the most awesome horse!  I heard they were rounding up more mustangs off the range he came from.  I would adopt another one from there in a New York minute if the gate wasn't closed!

Until later...Karen and Tripp who was happy to get out of the house even tho it was a short trip.  Get it?  Short TRIP?  ;-)

Beginning of the last weekend of February...

GUINEAS:  "Oh oh, he is going to get in trouble!"

PIMP DADDY:   "The whippersnapper can't stay out of trouble!"

JESTER, ZJAX AND AJAX:  "We should warn him that he is going to be in trouble.  Nawwww, let's just stand back and watch! HEE HAW SNORT!"

BATMAN:  "If I hurry and give a little butt nip to Nakita before anybody see's me, nobody will be the wiser!"

ACE, TRIPP AND WENDIGO:  "We can see youuuuu!!!!"

AJAX AND ZJAX:  "HA HA HAAAA!!!!  He doesn't know he got caught!  HEE HAW SNORT!!!!"

BATMAN:  "Nipped the dog now gotta RUN!!!  Woo hoo!!!!"
TANDEE:  "That boy..."

BATMAN:  "WOO HOO!!!  Got Grandma Tandee and my brother Wyoming in on the fun!  Me and Wyoming are mustangs!"

BATMAN:  "YIPPEE!  Look how fast Grandma Tandee is!  Okay, I let Grandma run in the front sometimes.  It makes her feel good to beat me in the 'race'.  I am so lucky to have such a great Grandma!"

BATMAN:  "My Grandma is an Arabian and is 30 yrs old!  Or is it 31?  That seems really old when you are almost 3.  She can still trot real pretty!  I am proud of my Grandma Tandee!  It was hard for me to decide if I wanted to be an Arabian when I grow up or a mustang...I figured I could pull off the mustang better than the Arabian.  My tail just won't cooperate and I can't arch my neck like she can."

BATMAN:  "Time to rest...we did a lot of running and playing today!  It is warming up and I love the sunshine!  Look how my family is taking care of me.  ME ME ME!  It is all about ME!"  :-)

TANDEE:  "Sometimes it is just nice to slow down and smell the roses..."

BATMAN:  "Isn't this a great picture?  I think I am going to have Mom frame it and hang it outside for all of us to look at and admire!"

TRIPP:  "Well hellooooo there!"

STORMY:  "PFFTTTHHHPFFFTTHHHHH"

 JOKER AND ACE:  "Who?  Us?  No, it was Batman!"

EPONA, ACE AND TRIPP:  "Slurpppp slurrrrppppp slurrrppppp.....!"

ACE:  "I don't slurp...I sip.  SLLLURRRPPPPP!  HA!"

WYOMING:  "It was a fun day.  There is nothing like watching over my family before the sun sets.  Life is good!"

SHADOW:  "Hi, I am the shadow and I think this says it all..."

Until later....Karen and Tripp who thinks Batman is an attention hog!

Just some February stuff....

February this year is normal...it is brown.  We have not had much of a winter to speak of, not that I am complaining, but I sure do miss the snow.  I decided that I did so well last winter because the snow makes everything bright and cheery for a while.  Then when it melts, it is back to normal February.  Here are a few pics of the month....

Harriet the parrot.  Yes she talks, and most of the time we can't understand her.  She has this big long conversation with herself that sounds very important and we listen intently trying to figure out if we really know what she said, or if we are making stuff up.  I think it is a little of both.  Funny on her....one morning Hemi the dog went after the cats and Harriett said "Noooooo" in the long drawn out way she does, and Hemi stopped in his tracks!  It was hilarious!  So I have a helper in Harriet.  She has a friend, a parakeet, named Ben.  Will have to get a picture of him sometime. 

When I go out to fill water tanks, Wyoming things he has to help.  He likes to call it 'help', I call it nosing for a treat!  :-)

As hard as I try to get home from work with enough daylight to do something, it just isn't going to happen yet.  So there were a few nice evenings that I was trying to get pictures in the dark.  I had a lot of nosey horses this evening wondering if they could get in on the action.

Tripp and Ace.

This one really cracks me up....it is Tripp in the dark.  He is like that silly llama who is also black.  He can sneak up on me and I don't even know it until he either breathes down my neck, or I turn around and run into him.   

Meet the new barn cat that I just discovered a few nights ago.  It was fighting with Thomas.  This thing is almost as big as Thomas, so it is close to a 20 pounder!  Very pretty, not friendly, which is exactly how I want a stray barn cat.  Move in, eat mice, be happy!  :-) 

When I first looked at this picture, I was looking at Ajax's eyes and how cute they were, then admiring his whiskers.  Then I noticed Chase in the background...

Batman and Wyoming hanging out with me after dark.

Brown = Mud.  Ugh!  But just because I don't like the mud doesn't mean everybody doesn't like the mud.  I have some horses who stay clean all the time....then there is Wyoming!  He LOVES to be muddy.  I know it has to feel good on his skin - he gets itchies in the Spring - but it is still funny how muddy he can get.

Wyoming sporting his mud masque (most of it was already rubbed off before I thought about getting the face shot).

Thomas is pondering the snow....

We have the clear corrugated stuff on the barn door, which I love because it lets in the light.  In the evenings when I have the light on, they peek in at me.  Batman and Wyoming get to come in after Tandee is done eating her Sr. feed.  They are the clean up crew.  :-)
Pros on this stuff:  Lets light in.
Cons on this stuff: If they paw, it breaks.

"Are you sure I can't come in yet????"

Wyoming feeling very distinguished....

Chase wants to know how he can look distinguished....

Doublemint Twins...

"Please get the snow off my perch!"

"I am not feeling very cute right now.  Never mind...it isn't possible for me NOT to be cute!"

"Yep, getting cuter...I knew it!"

Brian and Hemi hanging out.  Hemi follows him all over the place.

This is Thomas and his 'Talk Show' pose....
"And then I did this...."

"Then all of a sudden she did that....."

"And I finally said 'Down girl! Give it a break!'"

We are all trying to make the best of February this year.  When the sun shines it really helps!  We still have the potential to get one good snow this year, but only time will tell....

Until later....Karen and Tripp who thinks Talk Show Cats are show offs.