Sunday, November 29, 2009

Sunday Stills "T"

Ed has chosen the letter "T" for this weeks challenge. What fun it always is to participate! Please click the title to see many others version of the Letter~


TEETH & TONGUE


TURBINADO Sugar



TUMMY




Weekend Reflections 2



 Clackamette Park, Oregon City looking at the Gladstone Bridge over the Willamette River~
Weekend Reflections is a wonderfully creative MEME that James has perpetuated~ Please do click the title to visit so many others lovely,creative and stunning photo captures!

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Shadow Shot Sunday

The last leaves on the vine are beauties, yet they are shadows of themselves~
Enjoy Shadows galore from our host HERE!

Pumpkin lovin' Kitten


Here Kitty kitty-Elsie..."want a treat?"

I know it has been far -too- long since we treated you with one of your favorites...here ya go girl!

A purring kitten says..."This is good enough to eat straight outa the can!"

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

A Snowy Ride


Was thinking about this song all day ! Then Grey Horse Matters posted the words..Okay all...I am silly folks..hope this makes you laugh too!
Happy Thanksgiving all!
KK

Monday, November 23, 2009

For the wonder of each hour~














                                        I do give thanks~


Please have a wonderful Thanksgivingtime, all my lovley hearted friends. I give thanks for you!

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Sunday Stills HORSES!


The small herd where I board, are a tight group. They are all Morgans.The lead mare Panna, is 26, she can be seen here in the back. The other two horses, Danny and Romeo,she considers hers! She is pretty disdainful when my mare ever comes on the scene!
So we keep them separate.
Romeo loves to run, making the perfect match for my Thoroughbred mare. They run and run in the turnout fields, apparently, for the excersise and fun!



 Ed shocked me, as I went to his MEME sight to find out the Photo Challenge for the weekend! I had the afternoon off Saturday and I earmarked the time for taking photo's of his chosen subject...well, hahahahahaha! Okay...I took photo's for other MEME's instead this time- as you all know- I have 1,000's of horse shots in my files!!!
You are the best ED!!!

Please click the title and go see more HORSES!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Weekend(horsey) Shadowy Reflections 2

 
While we had some pretty nasty weather this week with high winds, torretial rainfalls and even a isolated Toranto at the coast...I was able to venture out on the mare to find some evergreen reflections(under my shadow!) in the water puddles on our riding route~

Please do go a visiting others reflections/shadow shots by clicking HERE! and HERE!

Friday, November 20, 2009

Off her feed



We had a great time away  for our Anniversary but I also came back to tons of work. Being self employed is like that...the work waits for you. I was not able to get out to the barn till late Saturday, and then stayed only an hour or so, till just after dark. That made about 5 days away from my mare. Might not seem like much to some-but for me- it is 3-4 days longer than normal.
I had been informed that Washashe did not eat her grain, which is HIGHLY UNUSUAL.
I also noted while there, that my mare had only eaten about a flake of hay- from her assortment of 4, over the nights time.

As I walked to the field, she saw me and whinnied...which seems like she may be happy to see me, yet actually, I know it to mean that she wanted to be rescued. She was alone in her field, as Romeo will eat all her hay, which he does not need, and she will let him.
I brought her in and she was very laid back. More than normal, so I decided to do all her vitals.(save heart rate...need to buy a stethoscope) Her respiratory was 12 BPM, and the temp was 100.1.
She had cool hooves and refill on her skin was O.K. a bit dehydrated , I thought. Her urine was far too dark  as well. I listened for gut sounds on both sides and they were there... low girgles and not high pitched ones.
I noticed she was a bit
bored and would go out and nibble on what used to be her favorite snack in the paddock...the thistle. My PBO had srpayed them a few months ago, agaist my will, and had left them there to wither.
So I decided that maybe since she was spending much more time in the paddock with the fierce storms we've had and the dimished light as well, she may have been eating them and gotten a sour stomach. I was told it snowed 2 days as well, while I was gone. I have heard that horses sometimes drink less water when it is soo cold.
I spent an hour with gloves and hoe=ripping  the remnants of the thsitle out.

After I did that, I  spent some time grooming her and making sure she knew I was loving her. I broke out a gift my sister had given to me for her.
It is this little soft rubber,circular brush. She normally does not like her face brushed,but with this little gem, she allowed me to really brush,all over her head/ears and treated me as if I had  taken off her bridle and just really leaned into it!



She closed her eyes and I could even go over her boney areas.
SO, I put her to bed and decided to come back early the next day to see how she was. Before I left I gave her a scoop of the Beet Pulp I soaked 4 hours earlier...thinking..if she does not eat this, I am calling the vet out! (I forgot to mention..she would not even eat apples!)
She was very happy to get that ration. I only feed Soaked BP in the extreme winter, when she may be off her water or in the hot summer when she is working hard for longer rides. The vet recommended it for the Hind Gut Moisture once when Pantz, my sissy's mare, had collic'd.

I got there the next day and she just stood-listless- in her stall. She usually greets me by shaking her head and wanting a treat . So the uninterested mare, was not a good sign. She also did NOT eat Her hay much  and again,  had left her grain.
I took her blanket off. It was a bit warmer after having snowed a few days earlier.
I detected a bit of sticky hair above her hocks and wondered if this could be a season?
Well, I was worried now,so I stayed with her, for  hours. I kept her and another horse in the barn..
She then began to eat and drink increasively more, to my relief.   I went to the tack room to fetch the other portion of soaked Beet Pulp, and she nickered at me as I came to the stall. Things were looking up suddenly. She had about 8 poo's in the stall and 2 in the paddock. I watched one come out, as she was so kind to poo in front of me. It  did look a bit "greasy". My sissy told me that if they are extra slick, it means that they have been in the horse longer.
I then thought to change all her grain packets to a more simple configuration of oats, rice pellets with Raspberry leaves + vitamims. None of the other supps I normally give her. I also put a 30 gallon water tub, in the back corner of her stall, thinking it may stay a bit warmer in there.
After staying with her and then hand grazing her on some longer,wet grasses I called it a day.
She has increased her normal patterns since then and I feel that,  trouble may have been averted.
In a months time, I plan on taking a fecal sample to the vet for analizing...gotta make sure my dewormers are doing what they should too!
Whew...I just hate it when animals are off...they only have actions to talk to us with, so you have to be a good investigator!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

More Riding Joys



My dear friend Michelle from-CHOCOLATE AND MARMALADE TEA- getting some really good instruction. This was her very first Dressage lesson!



It was a fairly nice fall day, with some gorgeous backdrops!

I also took a lesson this day with the mare. Washashe did well for having been burn't out in this arena, years before, with lesson plans that were not so planned..Hind sight is 20/20 vision!
I also found out I had some "unlearning" to do too. My last clinitian had focused on me not blocking the mare and I had mastered it soo well...I was actually not even there and had started to ride with my elbows locked forward. The mare had started to react to my ambiguous stance. This new clinitian caught me and stopped me...now I just need to practice!

When we were finished(right before Michelle) I parked the mare outside and she happily ate her hay.


I am so proud of this gal Michelle...I hereby nominate her as an "Intrepid Rider"...she is willing
to try new things-like riding English, on a tiny saddle(compared to Western). I called her up one day, told her about this clinic- and she was IN! It is apparent also that, she loves the Horse!
She asks and asks questiuons...all the right ones about stable management.She also has expressed a willingness to even come and clean tack with me!


Good Job Michelle!
You are on your way to an excellent riding journey!



Nice work Harley Horse!

Riding Joys


Last weekend was all about what makes me tick....I love to connect good people up with good people!
My "Must Ride Mondays" girlfriend allowed me to do this. Although I had not had the priveledge of riding with the instructor I had referred her to this day...we both had lessons with her  and it went from there.

I was sooo pleased to see her young mount relaxing and listening to her, as the instructor was able to convert her knowlege into understandable language for my friend. I think it is a GIFT for good instructors to do this thing...

I enjoyed watching my sweet friend really get it- and also reap the joy in....

....As she felt her mount moving into himself with her new legs and hands.


He is such a gorgeous horse, full of spunk and light...he really enjoyed himself this day it seemed....he totally had plenty to think about, as our instructor gave us many movements to try to accomplish.

My girlfriend was thrilled with all the new knowledge and we have signed up for a once a month riding time.
Good going my friend...it got much more fair to your mount and mine-as the help we both received will give our horses- an instant reward -for the work and effort they do give to us!

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Camera Critters



While taking some photo's of my friend while she rode in a lesson , I noticed her young horse Simeon...he was noticing me!


Young horses do have a problem sometimes, keeping  the mind on the task at hand.

He did really well this day, new environment and all. When ever he could though...he kept his eye on me!

Please visit others "Critters" shots today Via out host Misty Dawn!


Friday, November 13, 2009

Weekend(horsey) Reflections


I just found an exciting meme called "WEEKEND REFLECTIONS"...And I do sooo love them!
I have posted this particular photo before...but wanted to again ,for my blogs namesake to newcomers.
Please do go check out this very creative meme!! Click the title to go all over and view!

Looking at the Ocean Sky




Being at the beach is just sooo refreshing . It matters NOT, what the weather is doing. For me, the more clouds in the sky, the better!  I love the wonderful dimensions and "landscapes upon the sky" it creates!
Enjoy others wonderful skyscapes by clicking the TITLE! Thanks Tisha!!!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Ride and getaway!


Just a few pictures and words, before we take off for a few ANNIVERSARY days of togetherness!
Last weekend was a lesson day for myself and 2 of my favorite horselovin' friends. There is 1 photo of each of us. Michelle from "Chocolate and Marmalade Tea"...rode her first Dressage lesson(so very proud of her)!!
Myself on Washashe mare...she reached a bit more for the contact and I was made aware of a bad habit I formed from my last clinitian at my former stable(darn it, yet easily corrected!)

And my" Must Ride Mondays" partner on her 4 yr old Mustang blend Simeon~


My man and I cruise to the beach now!
See ya on the tail end of the week all! 20 years and we are having some fun!



Monday, November 9, 2009

Must Ride Mondays


On a drive I take frequently out to the stable, I suddenly noticed something I never had before....I usually am admiring a barn on the other side of the street. This time..I spied Mount Saint Helens and Mount Adams. You can barely see them left of the tree and right of it.

Mt.Adams below


Saint Helens below



It was the perfect day for a Must ride Monday Trail ride! I was with 3 other gals and we went to the next local BLM and Port Blakely lands, just up the road. I had spend the last 2 years riding these trails and still have not come to the point that I feel completely aware of Exactly where I am! I took ribbion markers and we set off down the trails.

I have not wanted to ride these trails this hunting season, as I notice many cars/trucks parked along side the roadway all along the tree reserve...that means foot traffic  and  maybe someone up in this! There is a local hunters haven, pretty close by as well. My friend over at "Equinemine"" has experienced it, near her stable.


Well, we were bright and loud and I whisted my trusty whistle, quite a bit as we traveled down the shady and cool trails.
Finally, we started to break out of the woods and into the open sun(warm) yea! We could just start to view Mount Hood here~




SUN AND SHADOWS ~  THE FOUR HORSEWOMEN!





Group behind me and Danny~

Me trying to get the group and myself!

Mount Hood between Dans cute ears~



My other riding place across the way.. If you center me in the pic...if you remember the times of view shots from "Stoney Mountain"...I would be right dead center- near the tree line in the foreground!



Heading back towards home after taking a new road...lets see if it does go homeward??!!




Cooler temps in the thick of the woods again...I start to mark trails to make sure we do not get lost.
Mustang Cazi is steaming it up!


Pretty gorgeous mosses with the light steaming through~



Finding the way back home again, to the trailer near the road. I was on the other side with Danny Boy and I heard a clamor...a commotion...whoa nelly...a donkey running towards us!!! "DONKEY-DONKEY!!!" I yelled out to Gemma as Danny started to pull away from his tie. HAW-HEHAW-HAW-HEHAWWWWWWW!!!!!!! It said loudly, as it ran right up next to the fence  to Danny! Look at his eye would you!!! Dan made friends with it soon after this look.

It was really freindly and liked the peppermints I had to share...seemed to be saying to us, "Please load me up in your trailer and take me home with you all!"



Sorry little Donkey, we gotta leave, for now~and without you this time.


Driving home I spotted the gorgeous Mount Hood with the sun setting upon her. As I waited there watching...suddenly the "Hunters Moon" appeared from behind the clouds!




Notice, I just had to change the name of my photography!(...It still was the perfect ending of the day)Have a great week all!
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