The best time to get your horse used to a rain slicker????

At your ride of course!  HA!  It poured down rain a little while this morning (October 3rd)  and they were calling for chances of pop up showers.  I have never worn the slicker on Wyoming so thought I would take it with me and give him a crash course just in case....


Wyoming was less than thrilled at first.  After him wearing it and walking around with it over his rump a while, and him dealing with me patting it as we were walking along, I decided to tie it to the saddle and take off.  During the ride I would reach back and pat him and the saddle, then the slicker.  He didn't like the noise but eventually ignored it.  I never did put it on...will do that next time.










 





This is the longest Wyoming's mane has ever been!  He got rained on this morning and it made his mane so soft.  It is very curly too!  I hope it keeps growing and nobody takes a notion to chew it off.  That is what usually happens.  :-/







Bullfrog was still around as of the 3rd.  It is the 6th and he has been gone a couple of days.  We are getting close to time for him to move on...hopefully he or his young will come back to visit next year.  We have had fun watching him grow and feeding him horse flies.  :-)

When I headed to the conservation area one day, I got to the parking lot and look who had followed me....I couldn't take him back home because there is no way to keep him contained.  He is like a rat...if his nose fits thru it, so does his body.






Then a couple of days later I took off and looked at the mirror...he was following again.  I stuffed him in the truck and took him with me.  I will admit, I love having him on my ride with me.  I didn't realize how much I missed having a dog tag along.  I also don't mind meeting up with other riders that have their dogs with them.  But there are riders who don't want other riders to bring their dogs on rides.  I totally get that too.  Dogs run into the brush and out of the brush surprising riders and horses alike.  So far we have not met up with other riders.  Laramie is great...I don't think he will do anything stupid, but if it is a green horse not used to dogs, who can say what would happen?  I would rather not find out.  Laramie doesn't know it, but we are working on something that will keep him home when I go ride.  Funny thing is when we leave in the car, he stays in the yard.  He knows the difference.  :-)

This was such a pretty morning!  This was two days after Nakita's accident, and I could not have asked for a better day to ride.  The air was fresh; the sunlight made everything glisten after the rain; there was a colorful hue to everything.  Temps were perfect too!

Wyoming is watching Laramie head down the trail.  Laramie is cute...if he gets too far ahead, he will come back to make sure we are still coming.  









This is the morning I got out there about 7:30 a.m.....there was a fellow fly fishing.  Wyoming didn't know what to make of the rod and line flipping back and forth.  

Break time...Laramie resting and Wyoming fueling up.

Fall is kicking into gear....so much green with a splash of reds and oranges...

What is it with me and fungus?  I don't know...it is purdy tho, isn't it?  :-)
OH!  When I was trying to get the camera on the phone working, I was calling to Laramie to come over.  He started jumping around then jumped up on my leg.  Wy was instantly on alert!  I am laughing and telling Laramie not to do that (because he understands English...right?).  Laramie then jumps up with both front paws on Wyoming's side!  ACK!  Wyoming did FANTASTIC!!!!  He was tense but didn't jump.  Laramie is very athletic and I have been telling him and Wy both that I am going to teach Laramie to jump up in the saddle with me!  :-)

We were almost done with our ride and took a break at the lake.  


Laramie took a swim....look close and you can see him to the left of the concrete thingy...

Now it is time to come to the girl and shake, then lick the nose, then smooch on the girl!  Ewwww!

This is the first time that Wyoming has ever taken a full drink out of the lake.  He usually just dips his lips then licks them.  Earlier he drank out of a water puddle!  I was a proud Momma!





I was so proud, I got a close up of his cute little nose.....








Laramie is rested and wants to know if we are ready to go.....







It was very windy on the lake dam....it gave Wyoming Rock-n-Roller hair!  Rock on mustang!






I thought this was cool....Laramie in Wyoming's shadow.  :-)







Laramie was tired!  He had a long trip and stuck with us...

Laramie taking a break in a water puddle...

The colors are starting....so pretty!

Part of the ride we rode along the side of the road.   Wyoming and I have not done that and I thought it would be something new for him, and a way for us to find the entrance of another trail I noticed a few days ago.

Self portrait time!

Today was a fantastic day!  After Nakita moving on, I was mentally exhausted and a mess.  I prayed a lot, and my prayer was answered by way of Brian.  We talked a lot about her the night before this ride.  I had questions and he tried to answer them the best he could.  This ride helped me too.  It was a beautiful day...but different than all the other beautiful days.  It is hard to explain...








We are headed home.  This is the first time that I was able to take Laramie's collar and guide him up into the truck.  He just scootched right up in there like he had done it 100 times!  The past couple times I had to pick him up and literally stuff him in, then jump in behind him before he jumps out.  He was so afraid.  But look at him now!  Relaxed and confident that he isn't being left behind.  :-)






Misty has taken a notion that she likes being in the house.  Brian was not home...I let her in and she got on the couch.  We hung out a while....this will be Brian's first time knowing that Misty was on HIS side of the couch.  Hee hee!




Until later...Karen and Tripp who does still live here even tho he didn't make any photo time...

September 30, 2013 ........ took Tripp out for a short ride after work...

I was in such a hurry to get saddled up and going because it gets dark earlier, I didn't take many pictures.

Tripp did great!  His hock felt pretty good and he didn't miss a step.  We did a 'there and back' ride and when we got 'there', it was starting to get dark.  That meant I would be riding about 45 minutes back in the dark.  I have done a few rides where I didn't get back in time, and had to ride in the dark.  It is great practice, and a wonderful way to feel your horse and what he/she is doing.  I love it!!!  Well, all except for the low hanging branches...not liking those so much.  :-)
Even the full moon nights are dark because of the tree cover.

Here is Tripp waiting for me to take my 'break' when we got 'there'...

Then I noticed the gorgeous sunset...it was soooooo pretty!

Bullfrog had been gone for over a week, so I took his board out.  Then he showed back up!  I threw his board back in for him.  I think he has grown!






While I was riding, Brian was making salsa.  Yummy!!!!  He has made a couple different kinds so far.  He canned one batch but I think the vinegar smell is too much....grosses me out.  I am hoping it mellows out as it hangs out in the jars.  If not, more for him!  :-)





That is all I know for now.

Until later, Karen and Tripp who likes having a pet bullfrog...

September 25, 2013....another day off work to ride....

I have vacation I need to burn or I will lose it.  So I am taking a day off every couple of weeks for a while.  I know, I know....it really sucks, but hey, someone has to do it.  :-)

First of all I want to share my picture of virgin salsa.  Tomatoes in the background and peppers in the front.  Those yellow ones are HOT HOT HOT!!!!  Brian made some fresh salsa and also canned some.  Good stuff!

This cute little mushroom was in the garden...

I took Wyoming out again.  Tripp's hock is looking a lot better, but I decided to give him a couple extra days.  Okay, I am enjoying taking Wyoming out, so it was not a hard decision.  :-)


Mushrooms are popping up like crazy!  I love mushrooms.  Not only for eating, but they are fun to look at, then imagine a bunch of faeries hanging out around them at night.  

This almost looks like a piece of art...oh wait, it is!  It is a one of a kind from God!

April, one of my mustang friends, has been posting pictures of her mustang Nevada wearing feathers they find on the trail.  I always find feathers and have quite the collection at home.  I decided that this time I would tie it into the rope halter and get pictures!  The end was poked into the knot and it stayed there quite a while before I removed it.  The end kept scooting out during our trotting and poking the side of his face.
 

Sometimes I walk him down the steep hill and this time I took a few self portraits....some look more like photo bombing than self portraits.  :-)

The end of September...so many leaves falling....
The sun was coming thru the trees and almost glowing...it was so pretty and I wish I could get it copied in a photo for those of you who are looking.  There was a feeling of peace...it was beautiful!

After the ride I was getting his feed for him, and he thought he would join me in the tack/feed room.  He stepped right up there and thought he would join me.  I backed him off the step and scooted him back out into the barn.  There isn't much room to turn around in there.




I have decided that I like taking a day off in the middle of the week to go ride.  I wish I could work 4 day work weeks.  :-)  I also like going for a ride and not being on a time schedule....we just go and go...

Until later...Karen and Tripp who heard thru the grapevine that he will be up next...  ;-)

Mini's get their teeth done then Wy and I go for a ride...

September 11th....so many of us know where we were on this date so many years ago...we will never forget!

First thing this morning the mini's went to the vet to have their teeth done.  I did not get any pictures of Hershey.  She is the one with the very long upper tooth; and she is also the one who is a real turd, even when she is under the influence of the night night meds.  So I was holding her rump while the vet tech was taking care of the front of her.  Of course the vet was taking care of business.  One more visit for her and we should have the tooth at the same level as the other that are growing out.  Yay!  As of today (October 6, 2013) Hershey has not packed any food in her cheek!  Yay again!!!!

Tripplette is a doll....give her some good drugs and she is a happy camper.  She only had a couple spots that needed to be touched up so it did not take long.   

This is the kind of picture you show to her date!  Ha ha!

Bullfrog is hanging out on his board...

Horse flies have been in abundance, so I would put them on the board.  We had fun watching him 'sneak' up on the dead flies then BAM!  Munch munch...yummy!

A lot of acorns were falling out of the trees this summer...they were very premature.  I am hoping that we have had enough rain for the ones still on the trees to mature.

A wind storm went thru and knocked a bunch out of the trees.

After getting the mini's back home, I took Wyoming out for a ride.  I took the whole day off work, and there was something about going riding in the middle of the week that made me feel like I was being bad and getting away with something!  Hee hee!

We rode a direction we had not been before.  It is hard to tell by this picture, but there was a fallen tree with a big root ball dirt clod thing, and it was freaking him out!  He was so upset I decided it was best for me to get off and take him for a walk by it a few times.

He was looking so purdy with his neck all arched like that...but he would snort and jump back so I didn't get a good picture.






He finally got up close and personal and gave it a few sniffs.  We walked away a couple of times and walked back up to it.  After he relaxed I got back on right by the root ball and away we went.

He watched the tractor that was mowing the area along the lake dam for a long time.  We would walk a couple of steps, then he would have to turn and look again.  I suppose I let him stay focused on things too long...I really don't know.  My thinking is to let him look; ask him to check in with me; then let him look some more if it makes him feel better about it.

It was hot and we were gross after the ride, so he got hosed off.  At first he didn't think it was a good idea, then he decided it felt great!

We had a great ride!  The morning started out just perfect, then it got hot.  When it warmed up the horse flies were active.  I have to say this....I am sick and tired of those flies.  I can't go on a ride without getting bit at least half a dozen times.  They are just plain mean this year.  On a positive note, Wyoming is getting used to me doing acrobats on him while I am trying to twist around to get the flies off his rump.  :-)

Until later....Karen and Tripp who is enjoying a few days off....he has a swollen hock so he is on 'bed rest'...