Mother and Daughter

A few weeks ago, I was chasing the horses and I decided to take some photos of mother and daughter, Annie and Yalla! for comparison. (I'm noticing how splay footed Yalla! looks in front. Hopefully, it's due to her long hooves. Oh well, thankfully, she's not a halter horse.)

Annie has a gorgeous trot. She brings her head down, arches her neck, and just floats, inches above the ground, as you can see in this photo, touching the ground quickly and only as necessary.  

Yalla! did not inherit her mother's trot, unfortunately. She keeps her head up with her nose out and tends to stay more grounded at the trot.

 However, she does have a beautiful stride at the gallop.

Notice how much mother and daughter resemble one another in the next series of photographs.

 Here they are for a side by side comparison. Yalla! should still do some growing. Her legs are as long as her mother's. We estimated that she would be about 15 hands at maturity. Currently, she's barely 14.?

Yalla! is cantering in the next shot while Annie is doing a slight turn but you can see that Yalla! still needs substance.

 There are certainly some differences, besides color, like Yalla! has a short triangular head while Annie's is quite long and narrow, but overall, Yalla! is certainly Annie's little girl, don't you think?

blizzards and blue skies...and clouds

I took my son to the doctor and he had to get X-rays for his foot because, in spite of the exam in the emergency room on Sunday, where the Ottawa Rules said that there was no X-ray necessary, the doctor was concerned that the top of his foot was extremely swollen. Fortunately, the results came back negative- no breaks this time. He is doing better each day as long as he keeps it elevated and iced. Considering the weather outside, it shouldn't be hard to do! Sunday, it was almost 80 degrees. This morning- lots of snow and freezing temperatures!

I'm glad I had the foresight to blanket both Annie and Nadia. Annie always gets cold easily and Nadia, being older, does too. 

I love how the snow settled on the fence and gate.

Check out the curvy snow at Yalla's neck and forelegs!

Scout is looking for breakfast.

This afternoon, when I got off from work in town, the snow was almost all gone. Here's a view of the Sandia Mountains near my work. It was blizzarding in the morning and by afternoon, blue skies, with just a touch of snow on the west side of the mountains, in the afternoon. That's New Mexico weather for ya!

I live on the east side of the mountains, at a much higher altitude than the city, so there's a bit more snow around, but not much. I think the best part of the weather around here is the cloudy skies. Check these clouds out. This photo was taken just down the road from the previous mountain photo.

Then I noticed that the moon was up. It's almost dead center in the next photo. There's a little bit of reflection from the window being up.

 So I retook the picture with the window down. Notice how very similar this one is to the previous one.

Check out how the clouds have reformed, into a hand perhaps? You can see the moon better too.

The car window is open in this next photo so there is no reflection. It's all real clouds. Crazy, huh?

And I could go on and on with ever changing cloud pictures...

Educating Yalla! Bridle time- almost! and more

The weather has been so nice this week that last night I decided to go for a ride after I came home from work. After a quick dinner, I grabbed the snaffle side-pull bridle and a curry comb and went out to see my herd. Of course, the two "people hogs", Annie and Yalla!, came right up to me and demanded to be brushed, while Scout and Nadia were kept away from me. Since I was brushing them with the bridle slung over my shoulder, I decided to see what Yalla! would do with a bit in her mouth.

I brought the bridle up to her face and put the reins over her head. No problem. Then, holding the bit in my fingers like I always do, I tried to pry her mouth open while inserting the bit.
She would not open her mouth!
No way!!
Her teeth were locked down. Tight.
I took the bridle away and pulled her lips open to look at her teeth. Oh my!!
She is missing a bottom tooth and she has two top teeth growing in above her baby front teeth. No wonder she didn't like the bit banging on her teeth! I wouldn't either!
Do you know how hard it is to open a horse's lips with one hand while taking a photo with the other? You really should try it sometime!
Check out her poor mouth!

But, I still wanted to see what she'd look like in a bridle. So, I put the reins back over her head and pulled the headstall back over her ears, only I let the snaffle bit hang underneath her chin, like a curb chain, with the noseband on top of her nose. The bridle is adjusted to fit both Scout and Annie perfectly but, oh my!, Yalla! has such a tiny head that it hung way down on her nose. Awwww, she still looks so cute! Don't ya think so?

Almost like a full grown horsie!!

Well, since she was bridled, sort of, I decided to lead her around the arena for a lesson, using reins. It's only a few more months before I will be "backing" her for the first time. Of course, at this same time, my son drove the car over to the barn and began unloading some bags of feed for me. And, it was feeding time! But that didn't seem to bother her. However, he also let Skyy and Sandy run around. And boy, did they! They ran all over the arena and the neighboring fields and even behind Yalla!, who wheeled and kicked at them. She hasn't been led around for a while and she was certainly acting fresh. I worried as she fidgeted that she'd hurt me but I realized that I would need to get her under complete control and calm in any circumstance if I was going to be riding her. I could see that she was calming down in spite of all the canine commotion. Every time she fussed or jumped, I'd circle her back. I noticed how she was spooking off to the side and wondered if that is what she'd do under saddle. We worked on whoa, back, and walk. I stood on both sides of her and worked her in both directions. I could tell she was "getting it" because I'd say whoa and then pull on the reins until soon I wasn't even pulling to stop her. Same thing with backing up. I was glad to see that she was relearning the voice commands. This will be a big help when I first ride her because then she will move out from the walk command and stop on the whoa command.

Once, Annie suddenly came running up to us and then dashed back to the barn as if to taunt Yalla!, or plead with me to let Yalla! go and feed them all their dinner. Naughty Annie!!! Thankfully, Yalla! didn't bolt. She was really calming down by now even though the dogs were still scurrying around us. We walked around a few more minutes and then we walked over to the other horses. I turned her loose. She stayed right with me and I put the bridle back on, sans bit, and took it back off. I still can't believe she's going to be three in a few months! She's smaller than I expected at her age but Scout didn't mature until his fourth year so I keep hoping for a growth spurt.

I tried to pull her front teeth but they are still in pretty tight. I'm going to keep checking on them and maybe I'll have some more horse teeth to add to my collection. I got the molars from one of my youngsters when, during a vet check, they were loose and the doctor pulled them out.  I guess that's why she was grabbing the handle of the curry and biting down on it while I was brushing her.

I never did make my ride last night but I did tonight! After currying out all the loose hair and picking his feet, I rode Scout with the same bridle I used on Yalla! last night. The sidepull is my favorite bit to use on both Scout and Annie because it's a ringed snaffle with a rawhide noseband. I cover the noseband with fleece so it's not so harsh and I find that they respond to the lightest touch on the reins because of the noseband reinforcement. I'm sure both of them would be ideal candidates for bitless bridles. I often ride Annie in a halter because she tends to get worked up when she carries a bit.

I put on a helmet and rode bareback. He was his usual awesome self and we walked, trotted and loped around the arena. He never even spooked as we rode past bushes and flushed out little birds with every step. I took him into a faster trot and sat him easily. The only time he got worked up was when I asked him to trot tight circles around three tires placed only a couple of yards apart. He is hard to turn to the right just as he refuses to strike up the right lead unless he's running in a field or taking a jump. He leans out rather than bending. I really, really need to work him on this because it does get old. Here's my view from the top of Scout's back in all his shagginess and a not-so-focused side view.

Hopefully, tomorrow night will be Annie's turn for a ride. I put the bridle on her a couple of times tonight just so she wouldn't feel left out. My daughter has been riding shaggy, old Nadia in the afternoons. Poor thing, I brushed her again tonight and took off lots and lots more hair. She always looks her worst in the spring. And the ground looks like we've had a snowstorm. 

But, now it's time for me to use nasal spray and antihistamines. I'm actually allergic to horses...Goodnight!

Standing in the Sunshine

These photos were taken last weekend, but I never got around to posting them.

Here's little Sophie.

She eats hay now 

but she still prefers her mother's milk.

Here's butterball Scout.

 Horses love to roll, don't they? I like the way Annie's feet are all in the air.

Check out the new snowy whorl Annie has in the middle of her forehead.

Everybody took turns having a good roll in the deep, white stuff.

After rolling, they didn't know what to do with all that deep snow. The sunshine was very warming, however, so just standing and soaking up the sun rays seemed a good choice.

I guess this is what Yalla! would look like if she turned gray, huh?

She decided to come over and join me. We watched the other horses stand around.

And she chewed on my boot.

Why does Yalla! always look like a cute little pony??

Standing in the Sunshine - song: Safe, artist: David Bowie

Should have took a picture

The other day I went out to run the horses and ended up taking a photo session.

Here is Scout, my pinto/Arabian/Appaloosa gelding, born and raised at my ranch although not bred by me. I would never mix up the color breeds like that! I bought his mother, Beighley, a 1/2 Arabian/Appaloosa, already pregnant with him. Unfortunately, she tragically died shortly after we got Annie and Nadia. Scout was only two at the time.

This is Fantastyk Gal, Annie, my registered Polish Arabian mare and Yalla!s mother. That is dirt on her back by the way. She always gets her dirtiest when I pull out the camera.

Here is my sweet old Nari Asbah, Nadia, my Egyptian Arabian mare. I've had all three of these horses for the last fifteen years. You can see Sandy/Seven, the stray who came to stay, in the background in the next photo. We've had her a year now. She adores my daughter but she enjoys being with all of us.

Yalla! FantastyKheema, my selectively bred Arabian filly, found my whip quite entertaining in the next photo.

I bred her highly excitable race-bred mother, Annie, to a champion cow horse, Kakhem Sahib, to get some "calm." I think it worked. She has "cow horse" so instilled in her that she chases Sandy all over the place.

I am finally going to acknowledge that she is going to stay dark. yay! By now she should have signs of gray appearing or yellow in her tail, at least. Although, when I brush her, I find minute white hairs in her coat. huh?? She's still on the small side for a two year old but so was Scout. Like him, I won't ride her until she is three years old, next summer.

They did run a little but mostly, just stood and watched me. Oh well, next time they'll get more exercise.

Should have took a picture - song: Everyone Says Hi, artist: David Bowie, album: Heathen

One inch thoughts

Today was a really good day for me. I didn't finish everything I wanted to do, but I accomplished a lot. Warning- long post!

I went out to feed the horses this morning and completely cleaned out Nadia's stall. Talk about the Augean stables! It hasn't been cleaned in 30 years! Well, at least three months anyway. I turned Nadia out with the others and let them roam around the outside of the barn area while I cleaned. They ran and grazed and ran some more. Then they gave up and just went back to the hay. There just isn't anything growing for them to eat; it's been so dry!

I went over to feed the alpacas. I sat with them a while and hand fed them some pellets. They came right up to me for the hay and then they grazed just a foot or two away from me. But, no touching, except for their mouths and chins as I hand feed them. 

I went inside the house and had my favorite breakfast, red chile enchilada casserole with a fried egg on top.

Then I finished the library book I've been reading, Ghost Riders, by Sharyn McCrumb, about modern day Civil War reenactors and actual Civil War people in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina. It follows a real person, Malinda Blalock, and her husband as they join up with the Union soldiers and also Zebulon Vance, who was the actual Confederate Governor of North Carolina. It's an interesting book with a novel idea.

Several of the window screens in my house needed replacing so, after four trips to Home Depot in the last couple of weeks to get the right supplies, I went to work on building some. I am not very savvy about building things, which is why I kept buying the wrong size rods: 5/16 or 7/16; and they come in all different lengths; color of rods: white, chrome, or black; color of screen: gray or black; spline color: gray or black; size of spline: 5/16 or 7/16; and corner parts: 5/16 or 7/16.

Terra was right at home sleeping on the old screens and purchased supplies.

Since Terra was away guarding the screens, Buddha had an opportunity to sit with me.

The first thing I had to do was cut the metal rods to the right sizes.

Buddha enjoyed the warm sunshine while I worked.

Once I had the form made, I had to cut the screen mesh.

Then I had to spline in the spline cord using a spline roller. Is that what you say?

And voila! one screen is finished!

 I am so proud of myself for getting these screens made! Yay!!

While I was working on the screens, these birds were watching me. Anybody know what kind they are? He sure is pretty with his red front.

After installing the four window screens and cleaning up the mess, I went to WalMart to buy some grain for the horses and some tropical fish. I have a 55 gallon tank with just a red-tailed shark, two giant danios, and a couple of red fish. I forget what kind they are. I have been meaning to get some additional fish and today was the day. I bought a pair of gold gouramis, three giant danios, and two tiny little algae eaters. This took quite a while because I had to wait for assistance and the clerk was busy changing out a betta's aquatic garden in a vase. He had to wash out the gravel, fill the jar with water, treat the water, put in the betta, wash out the plants, and arrange the greens with a little flag, etc. It looked very cute but not $23 worth, although the plants were some kind of exotics with crazy looking flowers. After hobbling all around the giant store, and then waiting to check out, I reviewed the receipt as I was walking out. I realized the fish department clerk had charged me for two plecos which were $6.98 each instead of the gourami price of $3.29 each. Fortunately, I hadn't left the store yet so I went to Customer Service and got the pricing corrected.

When I got home, I floated the new fish bag for a while and eventually added them to the tank. My old danios are in heaven with the addition of the new danios. They're all swimming together in a school chasing each other and running relays. The gouramis are hovering around as a pair and I completely lost the algae eaters down at the bottom somewhere. I didn't take any photos but I think the tank looks much better now.

In the afternoon, I started a pizza dough in the bread machine. Yes, I still use mine. It's actually my third one. I wore the other two out.

I grabbed a handful of cut up carrots and went outside to visit Thelma and Louise. I was able to catch Louise by the dangling catch lead but I didn't have a lead rope handy, so after rubbing her face and neck, I let her go. Then I got smart and had a lead rope in my hand so when I caught Thelma by the catch lead I hooked the lead rope on. I tried to catch Louise again but, alas, she wouldn't come near me anymore since I tricked her. I led Thelma out of the pen and took this photo. Then I walked her away from the pen about 50 feet but she was getting nervous leaving Louise behind so we walked back to the pen.

YAY!!! I am so happy that I was able to actually catch and touch both girls today. The other day, my mom asked me if I was still enchanted with them. I said I was, but I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to be able to handle them. I told my son that we might as well catch them and take off their halters because I really don't like leaving them on. But now, I have hope again. While I was holding the catch lead, I was able to loosen Louise's halter a tiny bit in case it was too tight and I found that when I rub the underside of their long necks they seem to like it and drop their heads. Also, when I led Thelma back and she was trying to hurry, her neck got all snakey as she walked ahead of me and I tried to hold her back. It was the strangest thing! Her body was in front and her head was in back, by me. Anyway, here's proof of me leading Thelma outside of the pen with Louise looking on. Notice the lead rope and the shorter catch lead? Those things really do come in handy. Look at her goofy smile! I just love this photo. It proves that I did in fact catch her and take her out of the pen. High fives to me!!

I had planned on giving Nadia and Scout baths, and maybe Yalla! but then I decided just to ride. I tied up Scout in the barn for a "patience" lesson and he was actually very good, standing still while I went inside the stall and brushed Nadia down. I put the bareback pad on her and attached the reins to either side of her halter. Then I put on my helmet and climbed up on the rails and over to her back.We rode out of the stall (I love my high ceilinged barn!) and I untied Scout along the way. Then we went out of the barn and around the neighborhood, me riding Nadia and ponying Scout. It must come from being stable mates but both Scout and Nadia ride and lead so well together. I never have to pull on the lead rope. Nadia stepped out in her usual fast, alert walk and we saw strange blue water tanks in her old pasture that she had to do a double take at. We walked out to the back area and then came back along the pasture. There was a huge black bull and his four steer friends in the pasture and they wandered up to and past us. I stopped the horses and we waited for them to pass before we moved along in the opposite direction. It's not the first time they've seen cows but they always act like it is and I didn't want any spooking today. Scout was the calmer one today, as Nadia usually is when she is ponied. I guess the pony horse puts all their trust in the ridden horse and rider, because Scout was actually looking sleepy as he walked along with us, occasionally trotting to keep up. It occurred to me as I was riding, that my horses ages added together are almost as old as I am. Nadia is 28 and Scout is 16, a total of 44!! WOW!! They certainly don't act their ages.

I rode them back to the barn, tied Scout up, and rode Nadia into the stall where I was able to climb back over to the railing to get off. Then I tied her up and brushed her down. I went back over to Scout, brushed him down, and took some pictures of him. I love his blue (pinto) eye with the black liner but, I'm sorry, I just don't like the sclera of the Appaloosa eyes.

 I do like his spots. This is looking up towards his tail. You can almost see the little welts he gets in the summer time from allergies. Is that what they call Summer Itch?

And here he is begging me to let him go. I always forget what a character he is, because Yalla! takes over the barnyard. How could you not love a face like that? And look at that mane! I never cut it; that's as long as it ever gets. Yep, Appaloosa genes again. lol. However, his tail is nice and long (Paint/Arabian) although it's not shown.

After I let Nadia and Scout go, I went in the stall with Yalla!, haltered her, and tied her up. Then I brushed her down on both sides while Annie backed her butt right up to me asking to be brushed too. It could have been a very compromising position being right between two mares' hind ends but Annie always does this to me so that I'll brush her. She never threatens me in any way. And Yalla!, all I had to do was tell her over and point at her hind end and she actually stepped away from me. YES!! Our little lesson yesterday is working! I still don't trust her but at least she isn't showing any aggression like pinned ears, etc. As I brushed my dark chocolatey little mare I noticed tiny little white hairs coming out. Do black-bays shed white hairs? Or is she going to sneak into being a gray next year? Very curious!!!

I brushed her down with some water on the brush which she wasn't too sure about and then I turned her loose. I gave them all some sugar beet pulp mash and grain and a generous serving of hay. Since I have taken back the feeding duties, I am trying to gain weight back on the horses. Nadia is looking pretty good although she still needs muscling in her hindquarters. Scout is borderline pudgy. Annie is her usual thin, athletic self. She never seems to get rounded on her back although her coat shines and she looks fit otherwise. Yalla!, poor thing, still needs some weight and growing to do, although she is looking better and she does have a beautiful shiny dark coat. Unfortunately, in this photo she's standing downhill so it's not very flattering.

While I was brushing Annie and Yalla! I noticed a dark blob in the water barrel. I reached down and scooped it out and then I realized that it was a baby swallow. I set it down in a safe area of the barn atop some scattered hay.

 He really seemed to perk up as he dried off- notice the beautiful blue colors. I don't know if he can fly yet but he sure has a better chance of survival now that he's not in the water barrel.

I fed the alpacas on my way back to the house. My pizza dough was done and looked lovely in the bread machine, ready to mold onto the pie pan. I made up the pizza pie with lots of sauce, cheese, pepperoni, black olive, tomato, and green peppers. Yummy! This is a 18 inch, btw.

I also bought a watermelon but I haven't cut it yet.

The only down side was that my kids were all away, having barbeques at friends' houses instead of having dinner with me. My daughter did come home a little later and we went to visit the horses at the front gate in the dark. Sure enough, Yalla! came running. But she looped around and came back again, waiting for Annie to come with her this time. Sandy came and stood with us outside the gate as we fed her and the horses from a box of corn flakes. What fun! I think my daughter enjoyed the nocturnal equine visit as much as I did.

I wish every day could be like today!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!

One Inch Thoughts - song: Sons of the Silent Age, artist: David Bowie, album: Heroes