Monday, February 6, 2012

Rain and Shine

         While January was WET-WET-WET, this newly arrived February, looks rather nice.
The mare and me rode out during those very- soggy- days of last month and also, some of the prettiest sun spot ones. Sometimes  we  barely stayed dry long,  for the next front would roll in as we returned to the comforts of stable-cover!



I got to try out my new -Water proof quarter sheet- my sissy got for us at Christmastime. She intended on making the bottom piping ribbon RED, for us ALL AMERICAN RIDERS...but her machine broke as she stitched it, so we remain green till another time ( hope I won't need it till fall ) and that is so fine with us!
The sheet was fabulous in the downpours we strode through, keeping my leg covered to my mid boot and- the mare's rumpus too!


Wa mare was some what SHOCKED that we were going out in rain sometimes. There was actually a  person walking somewhere behind us, she was keeping track of  them with her ears here~



 She was very pleased  to go even with rains falling;  walking nicely out, as we left the stable most those sogged rides. The totally flooded and muddied turnouts kept the horses in their own runs for a week or so.
 
When the snow finally melted out in the country, it was replaced by these warmer, heavy- heavy rains.
 All the horses hooves were getting so soft! I began to ride out with Hoof boots, every time, for my mare  began wincing upon any rocks at all.
I was so toally pleased with my mare all these rides, she was willing and able, though we mostly HAD TO WALK, for the grounds were slick and sometimes deep with moisture. When we could find a place to trot or canter, she was meeted and measured in balance and calm. I  love her more and more, and riding  on bareback saddle has been glorious...my core has never been better...I have stayed totally fit this winter with riding the softsaddle.


After my rides, I would jet on over to Pantz's stable. My sister injured her kneeVERY badly during a work physical training, in late December. So BUSY -BUSY- with 2 horses and 2 stables!
It ususally was dark by the time I arrived to see Pantz. But, the snow shadow of her mare, made a neat photo for my sister . She had surgery scheduled and while she managed to keep working light duty at her job, I made sure her mare was alright, up here in Portland.

It began to sunshine a wee bit, just before February came along, and I was able to ride with one of my stable freinds!


OH! The glimmers of warmer times ahead, made these rides perfect- even if we were all decked out from head to toe now -with insulation!
The air being so very crisp on these gorgeous "Looking" cold, dry days...the mare's breath hung in the air, like fog!


A really funny thing occurred to us on one wet ride out. It's only funny for me,  because my mare is well spook proofed. We had the quarter sheet on and while it is rain proof it is NOT wind proof!
Some wind came up fast, from another storm coming in before we could get back.  We had just come out of the woods to a clearing, where the clear cut area  slash was being burned away in huge piles. A far off pile of slash was smouldering...the whitish smoke would appear thickly,almost animal like, then get blown off. It would appear, and then disappear. The mare was fascinated, and high headed, holding her breath watching this. We could NOT smell the smoke, for the wind was coming from behind us.
All of a sudden, as asked her to move forward and closer to the billowing white forms, the wind caught the quarter sheet! It billowed too, above our heads, as it came off her back end- almost over and off ! I had a flash of thoughts quickly enter my head about if she'd react but- no problem, she hardly noticed. She was way more intrigued by the smoke
. WHEW! I knew right then, I would have something sewn upon the mid section of the quarter sheet, to the front of my legs, for keeping it RIGHT-WHERE-IT-NEEDED TO BE!

Excuse my photos..they are ALL from the Phone these days. My antiquated computer has totally shut me out of loading any more images from my camera. I really must  go forth and trade it in soon. So for now...the smart phone comes in handy. I found a neat case that allows me to take photos even in the rain, though it does add a sleight "blurry softening effect" to all the photos, through the plastic.

Our water world trails, at every turn we made a couple weeks in a row


It brought many a new mud bog



Tried to turn down this trail, nope, tis a new creek now!


How about this way?



This road was okay, by the ponds. The waters were contained and stayed inside the set boundary.



All these are from 2 weeks ago.
Then, the last Saturday in January, I got "THAT CALL" again from the stable. My mare had gotten injured running around when some fireworks or machine gun (sounding )shots had spooked her and Theo at dusk, when the stable hired help arrived. My B-man went out as soon as we got the call.
It appeared to be a terribly deep cut  through my mare's frog, a bad heal wound on the same Lf rear, and a mysterious edema- on her right chest, the size of a quarter roll...it just hung there. She definately was in pain and bleeding badly from the frog. She was weaving and yawning to try to calm herself.


I have this cool can I found at the second hand store, it has Greek looking people and horses...and this dude, he is doing a TTouch!!


I have Ledum Homeopathy (puncture wounds) -Anrica  and Rescue remedy. I gave them all to her in some oats.  I "TTouched her" then  Nolvasan scrubbed the hoof thoroughly, before an Epsom salt soak for her  Hoof that was injured. The good thing was, it bled SO MUCH...if anyting was in there, it got fluched on out. It did appear to be a very clean cut. But boy, what a bruise...she would not let me touch it hardly!

She seemed to appreciate all and calmed down very quickly.  I also gave her 2 grams of Bute, put standing wraps on her hind legs, before we finally left for the night.

WHEWY!
I'm wiped...double horsey duty, mine and sissy's and double duty with my own, making sure to clean, soak, wrap and also cold hose legs and chest each day last week.
So, next post will be the outcomes... Sisters Surgery and my mare's health overall.
It's all pretty good!

15 comments:

  1. Hi AHS! Long time no hear!Lol.

    Lovely post, and good shots. Sorry to hear about the puncture wound. horses eh?
    Its finally let up raining here, now we have snow! Well for a day. So then it rained again, and froze!
    So now we have about an inch of solid ice over just about everything!
    Take care.

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  2. Ow, awww, poor pony. Hope she's feeling better soon.

    I'm curious about your quarter sheet, as I often ride with one in winter too. Does it not have a fillet string at the back that goes under her tail to hold it down? Or does it, but it wasn't enough? You've got me wondering how careful I need to be in the wind as Leo would definitely not react so calmly if it blew right up over us!

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  3. Oh poor Wa and your poor sister too. Hope all injuries heal well and good. And swiftly :-)

    I was thinking about the (what a nice present) quarter sheet. Doesn't it have a tail string (no idea what the technical term is)?

    Anyway, glad that didn't spook her.

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  4. You and Wa are real troopers to go out in all that wet weather. Love the rain quarter sheet. Sure hope she is doing better now.

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  5. I'm sorry to hear about Wa's wound-but you were so well prepared with all that 'stuff'! I love that it is homeopathic, too. I haven't heard of those products, but I think I might just look into them. :) I'm sure Wa is having a speedy recovery with your care!

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  6. I was so worried about your Wa! I sure hope she's feeling better now.

    My goodness, you've gotten quite a bit of rain this year, I hope this isn't the start of a trend. We were flooded over here for most of last year, I hope this one will be dry!

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  7. Sorry Wa got hurt again, but you know horses. They'd find something to hurt themselves on in a padded stall!

    Glad you got some good rides in through January - even if wet.

    Prayers for your sister!

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  8. Good on you for riding out in any weather. You and Wa are my trail riding heroes.

    Sorry your sis and Wa are laid up - KK to the rescue!! How many drops of the rescue remedy do you use?

    Good luck on the computer search. Hoping everyone heals up quickly! :)

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  9. I commend you for riding in that lousy weather! I'll take any, except rain--too many years of trail riding when I had to sit in a wet saddle first thing in the morning--YUCK! But I do have a rain quarter sheet like yours, so I guess I need to buck up and use it. :)

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  10. Poor WA! I hope she and your sister heal quickly. Wa was very brave about the soaring quarter sheet. You must be very proud.

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  11. I'm so glad you get to go out riding ....otherwise I would never get to go. Sorry to hear the Mare got wounded....it's always something isn't it. Wow you guys really got the water, at least you have something to look at...we are still looking at snow and gray ugly sky lines.

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  12. Loved the photos (wish I had handy trails like that). Isn't it funny how sometimes those "I'm gonna die now" instances turn out to be no big deal? Whew!
    Where do you get your Rescue Remedy? Just curious.

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  13. Great equestrian blog! Why not come and post it at hay-net.co.uk an Equine Social Blogging Network for more to follow? Be great to have you there!

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  14. "....thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog this evening, your unique and interesting writing style and the varied topics on your blog helped to take the focus off of my present sadness; in other words, getting immersed in your blog was just what I needed; so, thank you very much! Lastly, I want to take yet another moment to thank you again for the warm and wonderful comments you've
    posted on my blog, you have been very supportive and that means so much to me! ....my best to you and the "mare"!"

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