Hee-Haws!

The little fella's have finally shed out.

Because I don't shave them, they only have a few weeks of "slick" before they start hairing up back up.

Love these little comedians!

Pretty Sure This Is A Test!

Of my will?

Of my desire? 

Of my dedication?

Of my intestinal fortitude?

I'm not really sure how to categorize it....
This hurdle I'm currently lugging my chubby butt over.

I've never really been a quitter, but I HAVE stopped doing things.  I'm not afraid of hard work OR sacrifice.
I'm a put your head down and push through it kinda person. (Or so I think!)

The things I've stopped doing vary.

Some things were bad for me, some were good, some were fun, some were hard, and some were quite time consuming.  There were things that only benefited me, and things that benefited others.  But all of them were put aside for one reason or another.

The two things that they all have in common is that I've NEVER picked them back up and I've never really loved them.

But this, this is different- of that I'm sure!

I've always had goals of one type or another, but rarely did I assign them a time line or end date.  They just flap out there in the wind waiting.  I'm good with that.  I've reached a few.  Deleted a few.  Revamped some.  Thought what the hell was I thinking about others.  But I have never really been driven to accomplish these things NOW.

Maybe I lack focus.

Maybe I lack drive.

Maybe I lack structure in my thought process.

Maybe I'm lazy.

Maybe I'm actually unmotivated, but don't want to be without a goal.

I could also be crazy.

But this, this HAS to be a test.

A test of what?

A test of my goal to continue riding during Kases' "early" life.

A test of my desire to ride my horses under any and all circumstances.

And to blog too.

(Driving home from work, vacuuming, moving the lawn, and various other mundane things I have written at least 20 blog posts... They just never make it to the page!!)

I'm actually pretty proud of myself.  Mindy and the boys and I got "home" on the 8th of June and I've ridden Fiona 5 times.
But it's not been easy.
  But I have done it!
 I know it's not nearly enough.
And I know that Remi hasn't been ridden in over a year now.  And honestly just saying I'll do it tomorrow seems so much easier.

Easier because my old dog can't go out anymore, he can't be left alone, and I feel bad about leaving him and Abbi "out" of the fun.

Easier because I don't have anyone to really watch Kase while I ride.

Easier because Kase won't always take a nap of any real length of time.

Easier because Kase's naps of length aren't always conducive to me riding while he sleeps.

Easier because it's suddenly gotten HOT.

Easier because I'm lacking a real "arena" or spot to ride at home within reach of the baby monitor and house when Kase does decide to sleep.  

Easier because when Chad is home and can hang with the boy, there are at least 100 other things I could do with that time that benefit more than just me.

Easier however, doesn't leave a smile on my face quite like accomplishing it the hard  way!!

And honestly every tomorrow that I've had since Fiona got home, I've evaluated, studied, planned and tried like crazy to get out there and on Fiona.  Mostly it's been a flop, but not entirely.  I need to figure out how to get on Remi too.  

But she really isn't complaining.

Oh, man.  Was that an excuse I just through out there?

Nope, she really needs ridden, and she's really not complaining!  Feed her.  Scratch and love on her, and she is as happy as she can be!  (0:

This little person turns 10 months tomorrow!
(0:               

I've Got My Horse Home!

Mindy and I made our trip to Southern Idaho last week, and boy have we had a good time!

Now the problem is getting all of that fun is how to relay it to my blog!  (0:

We left my house on Friday morning and drove Highway 95 the entire way.

This route took us through Lewiston where our parents just happened to be grocery shopping...

So we met up with them in the park next to the Flying J.

We got fuel, food, used the rest room, checked the horses that Mindy was hauling, visited with the parents, and then hit the dusty trail!

We got to wish them a happy 40th wedding anniversary too!

We tried to plan a party for them, but dad said  we'd better not or we'd be in hot water...

We hosted surprise party for their 25th and it took mom years to forgive us.  She hates surprises...but that's another story!  (0:

We made really good time, from the time we left my house and the time we arrived we were "on the road" for 7 hours...

This of course includes our little family visit, fueling up, and stopping to eat lunch.

It was also a route that we don't really travel all that much so there was a lot to look at!

We found Mike's employers ranch easily and dropped off Mindy's horses while meeting up with Erin, Mikes girlfriend.  We also saw Mike, but he was working.  They were processing 800 head of steers.  Those steers were there a week early, and were going to be followed by another 400 Saturday morning, that were to be processed on Sunday.  So this did indeed cut into our planned riding time.  We had originally planned to ride Friday evening, twice on Saturday, stopping for lunch and the Belmont, and then another two ride day on Sunday stopping for lunch, and with us leaving on Monday morning.

Real life on this great planet, nothing really ever goes as planned!

Our revised schedule ended up being loads of horse talk and only riding on Saturday and us leaving on Sunday morning.

We parked the horse trailer in Mike and Erin's drive way and set up camp.

As Mindy put it, we're gonna Hillbilly Up your Neighborhood.

To which Erin replied, you'll fit right in!

And oddly enough we did!

Mike and Erin had Fiona and Pima in their back yard...how perfect is that??

Pima is a paint that ain't and he's had her for a while, I can remember her from when he lived near me, BEFORE I met Chad...  So over 11 years.  Her sire is by Pima Country, I think, but it could be her dam is by him... I cannot remember anything else about her breeding.  (0:

OOPS!!

So when Erin said we'd fit right into the neighborhood and no one would think it odd she was right.  

AND on the first day we were there, we saw the neighbors being served a warrant by the Sheriffs Dept.

Erin said it happens from time to time there, and that last month, their 13 year old daughter was taken away in hand cuffs and hasn't been back since.

Odd part, is that the mom is a nurse, and the dad is a professional too, no one could remember what he did.  They have a nice house, a large motor home, two new cars, and a 4 year old at home... But it's a chaotic place with plenty of police activity.

The next morning ( it was about 11:30, so you could say early afternoon.  We were on our way "home" for lunch) one of their neighbors was pulled over by the Sheriff's Department, both of the passengers were arrested and their car was hauled off...

They said that more than likely it was a DUI for the driver, and that it's not uncommon for them to be good and drunk by 9:00 am on any given day...

Oh, small town life at it's finest...

But you know what, our presence really didn't even garner a sideways look...

Matter of fact, everyone smiled and waved as they drove past!  (0:

We did however pack a lot into our time there and we had a pretty good time to boot!!

Good Fences

I'm slow posting because Kase likes to help...and when he sleeps I've got a million things that I try and smash into that nap...  It also makes me slow to unresponsive when I get questions in my comments area.  

So, I find it pretty funny that while walking the kid and the dogs yesterday I looked down my fence line from the old rail bed behind the house and saw this. (Looking at the picture below, you are looking from my house towards the rail bed.  You can see the corner of my fence line and it running to the left. I was actually standing "there" when I saw "this"!)

You may have to enlarge this picture and look at the wires from the bottom up to really see what I'm looking at. (Fingers crossed you can, because it's a cell phone photo!)

If you're still struggling to see it, look at the picture below...

This pisses me off.  

These are not the neighbors that the horse intruders entered from.  This is the neighbor that the first AND second owners of this house had trouble with...or so the neighborhood gossip goes.  So far it's been fine for us.  It's a man and his wife and his mother.  I don't think that they have kids, but I could be wrong... They do have dogs, two beautiful Rotts.  We chat occasionally, and are friendly I suppose.... 

Anywhooo, this is the fence line I share with them.  They have a no climb wire fence and then we have our fence...  I'd say we've got a 2-4 inch gap between the two fences... 

The Hee-Haws and Horse Girl lay on the fence during the spring, so I turn on the fence to remind them that they need to keep on their own side of the fence.

When I brought Fiona home, I was wondering why Horse Girl had her head on the top wire and just figured that Chad had unplugged the fence...  But no, my neighbors decided to ground out my top wire... So they could feed the horses treats.

How do I know they are feeding treats?  

Because they have ever since I've moved in...

Do I love it?  No.  Do I worry about it?  Kinda.  Did I make sure that they know NO grass clippings?  Yep!

So we finished out walk and then went to the gate and walked down the fence line and took my wire off of the tee-post.

Their ground spot was 3/4 of the way down the fence line... Way away from my house, the barn, where I water my horses, where I feed my horses, and far enough away that you can't hear the snap when you're outside.

Ugh.

Not sure what I'm going to do about it...

Right now I have the boys in the "Jenny Craig For Men Pen", but they won't be in their for ever...

Then I guess if they don't check to see if it's still grounded out, Granny's gonna get lit up.

Our property only has no trespassing signs on the front- top of the driveway and then at the back, where the rest of the driveway would be if we ever finished it.  Neither side has signs.  Mostly because I never really thought about it being necessary.  And the one side is completely fenced!

Now obviously, I think a bit differently, but I'm 99% sure that our motorcycle neighbor and his buddies wouldn't cross over.  But this mysterious horseman, they are trouble!!  LOL!

Never a dull moment I suppose!!

If Only This Would Fit On A "Normal" Sized Piece Of Cardboard....

I'd have it posted on the back of our property AND in a few different places on the West side of the property that's yet to be fenced:

Thank You For The Heart Attack That You Gave Me This Morning!

My Heart Really Wasn't Pumping Enough Blood,

But When I Saw Your Horses Shod Hoof Prints Going Up My Driveway, 

That ALL Changed.

 I Was On My Way To Work When I Noticed Them,

And Then HAD To Back Down The Driveway To Check My Horses.

The Pounding Of My Heart Deafened Me, And Drown Out Those "Regular" Annoying Voices In My Head!!

And The Adrenalin Coursing Through My Veins As My Mind Raced REALLY Did More Than The Coffee I'd Consumed Early Did!

It Was Amazing!!

And Those Two Nags Dozing In The Trees At The Back Of The Pasture, Have NEVER Been So Beautiful!!

Thanks So Much!!

Happy Trails!!

I honestly have no problem with anyone riding through, but goodness did my heart stop!

After work I looked around to see where they came from, looked like they actually passed through my neighbors motorcycle course and onto our place...but I'm not 100% sure.

That I'm not too crazy about them riding through the neighbors, I don't want him to think it's me!!

He's a super nice guy, and I see him from time to time...

Since it's never happened before, I hope if he did notice the tracks he didn't think it's me! 

Good fences make good neighbors, so we'd better get on it I supposed...

When we have time...

(0:

'Round These Parts

Lots of things have been going on lately 'round here.

Mindy and I've got our dates picked and set up for picking up Fiona.  We're just looking for someone to take with us to watch the boys while we ride... Any takers?  (0:

They're pretty cute!!

I check in with Mike this weekend to see how things are going on his end.  Last time I talked to him he had pretty much decided on the drills and thing he wants to cover in the mini clinic he's going to give us... He's also hoping we have some questions and things we want to work on... In my head I'm wondering just how much time he has!  LOL!!  Mindy's a pretty technical rider with a goal, so I'm sure she will make sure we're busy!  LOL!!
He told me that after 6 months of setting he stepped on her today and rode off.  No warm up, no tip toeing around it and she rode off better than when he put her up for winter!  He said she is ALMOST perfect!  He then declared her broke!
I told him that I'm forever in his debt and if he needs anything that is within my means, he'd better call me!!

I'm of course pretty excited to get to ride my horse, have an adventure with my sister, nephew, and son!

I'm also excited to have Mike yodel for my son.  Kase loves music, so I'm thinking "Mikes Music" will really make the little fella grin!  I'm going to try and video it if I can!!  (0:

Mindy brought Speedy home to The BRC's barn to start him on the pattern.  

Unfortunately there were some holes left/made by the first trainer that The BRC is going to have to work on.

And Speedy digressed in his socialization while at the initial trainers.  My sister worked hard to keep Speedy socialized and familiar with other horses, fence lines, and spaces.  Because Speedy had all of his body parts she was really sensitive to keeping him a good boy...

But as soon as he arrived at The BRC's farm he wanted to demonstrate that he was "THE" man.

He was respectful to the humans, but wanted to whip some ass on any of the geldings that got close...including those that were on the fence line.  It took two weeks to decide that with some deep soul something drastic needed to be done.

My sister decided that Speedy having a happy life, NOW, was more important that trying to "teach" him that he was acting unacceptably.

Speedy is now a gelding and a few of Mindy's goals have changed, but the end dreams are still alive and well.

Chad and I are getting around to getting some of our pasture/driveway stuff moving forward.

Mostly because dad had some time off, but a steps a step!
It was nice to have him hand out with us for a week, and even nicer that he likes digging in the dirt!  Pretty sure that's where Wyatt gets it!  And hoping Kase gets that gene too!!  (0:

Dad said he found himself "distracted" by the shenanigans of the Hee-Haws...  He said he'd be working along and then he'd look up to see them racing around after each other, little puffs of dust behind them.  He also said he was surprised how fast they were and how long they carried on!
I told him that now he knows why I keep them around.  They truly are our comic relief and cheap entertainment!

Our grounds pretty soft still and wet believe it or not, so there's more to do, but not without making more things to fix...

Chad and I now have enough burn piles to keep us buys until the burn season's over until winter...and then probably plenty for winter too.  I used to work a burn pile at a time by myself, but with Kase, I'm trying to figure out how to go about it.  Safely of course!  (0:
If all goes semi according to plan, we may have our second side pasture fence in for winter!
I did say MAY, but heck we are moving forward!!
Whoot! Whoot!!

They look exstatic don't they?  LOL!!

What they are really less than impressed with is this....

This is Chad's pile...  He says he's going to use it to fill in low spots and fill in around the trees where the equine family members have warn the ground away at the bases.  It's full of rocks, sticks, roots, and goodies that we, meaning I, need to clean out.  I guess it's a good idea, if we get it moved!  (0:

Dad said Remi was watching him the entire time he was dumping over the fence, and when he would move the front end loader to another spot to dump, she would move with him.  Always at a distance, but never yielding her watchful eye.  And when he got off the loader to eat lunch she walked to the pile and inspected it.  When he walked back after lunch, she resumed her position watching him work....

This mare is crazy cool!  Sure wish I had her papers!  (0:

And that's what happened 'round here since my last post!

Still haven't ridden, yet!!

Dec. 2013- April 2014; A Little Catching Up

Wow, being a mom is hard!!

I'm falling behind in so many areas that I once really enjoyed.  I'm mostly OK with it all and determined to get somethings back on track so to speak.

So here goes a little catch up of the past few months!

December 2013 was of course Kase's first Christmas.  It was fun to have my "own kid" for Christmas, not that I would ever trade the exceptional moments I shared with either of my sister's kids.  But there is something about having your own that makes it different.

Chad and I put up our first tree in 8 years and are going to try and get a few of our own Christmas traditions going for Kase.  We decided to start with the tree because it was the easiest place to start!  (0:

The hauler that I had tried to hire to bring Fiona home, well I'm not 100% sure how to put this...

Kinda turned into a flake.  After 2 months of contact off and on, (the off part was her disappearing), she contacted us to let us know she could squeeze us in.  Neither Mike nor I was impressed with the run around we got, so when she gave us 2 days notice that she'd be in the area, we decided to pass.  As a team, not just him and not just me.  Fiona has fit into his herd so well that it made no difference if she wintered there or here, so there she stayed.  I paid bored and Mike fed her.  Mindy and I plan on picking her up and doing a mini clinic with Mike the end of May.

January 2014 was pretty uneventful.

I found myself barely able to get my basic chores done, let alone snow removal too.  Chad has been picking up my slack at work as Kase and I are usually there only for about 4 hours a day.  We're having a hard time getting Kase to sleep at work and by 12:30 he is almost unbearable...  Until you get him in his car seat and he knows we're headed home, then he couldn't be happier.  So rather than worry about it, I hired someone to plow the driveway.  Nice guy, best $35 I could spend if you ask me...  He came out 4 times.  I have an extension cord running across the driveway for the horses water.  Blake would make sure it was un-plugged before he started plowing and the plug it in for me on his way out...he even shoveled the sidewalk for me once.  Probably NOT going to ever do the driveway myself again.  (0:

Feburary 2014 was a little disappointing...

We missed Wyatt's 4th birthday.  We had scheduling problems, Mindy had scheduling problems.  It was a mess.

And Horse Girl tried to poke out her eye.  I was in the habit of not going out and touching them everyday due to cold weather and a baby who wouldn't nap, so when I found her injury it was at least a couple of days old.  Now I do see them everyday, but from a distance, so something like a runny, swollen, gross eye wasn't visible.  /0:

I'm not going to lie, I had a fairly dramatic breakdown.

Then I put on my big girl pants and decided that even if I had to go out with a flashlight at 4:00 a.m. and again at 9:00 p.m. I'd start touching them everyday.  I had all kinds of eye stuff raging from drops to salves along with my bute stores, I just started doctoring her myself three times a day.

She healed up pretty good, but I think she did end up with some eye damage that didn't heal or vision loss...

I only "assume" this because even though her eye healed, she still has some blue scaring at the bottom of the afflicted eye.

She is neither jumpy or odd acting on this side, but I my guilt won't let me believe anything less. 

March 2014 spring fever started.

I've got lists, lists, and more lists.  Things broken down in order of importance for horses, dogs, kid.  Oh, man it's so HARD to be a mom.  (0:  

I have also decided to be OK with not even getting 1/4 of the things on any of the lists done.  I also informed Chad this month that we will be doing something for our 5th wedding anniversary.  Our wedding was the last time we went on any type of vacation.  I think it's due time.  We've decided to take a 4 or 5 day weekend just him, Kase, and I.  Maybe a dog or two, but we're not 100% sure.  I am also in charge of it all...  Thank God I've got until October to decide on something!  (0:

Got any ideas?

Pass 'em on!

I also started walking the pup and dogs this month.

Man am I out of shape!  (0:  

Unfortunately Kage is having a harder time getting back into shape than I am.  He's 11 and all the time off since Kase was born and winter hit has really hurt his muscle tone and cardiovascular system.  I'm not sure how far are walking, but I'm going to down load the Map My Tracks app to my phone and see.  I would like to make our walks longer, but can't figure out what to do if my dog can't make it any farther.  Sigh.

April 2014 isn't going too bad so far!

Kase loves going for walks, and seems to be understanding me when I ask him if he wants to go for a walk while holding his camo coat.  I've been doing the same thing that I do with my dogs and horses, using a visual clue with a verbal command/clue.  I'm not sure if it really works, but he certainly doesn't get as worked up when I get out his blue coat and ask him if he's ready to go to work.  LOL!!

I've got Remi's shoes on on Wednesday and am trying to figure out what kind of schedule I can get going so I can ride.  My Aunt Marti has offered to watch Kase on her days off or weekends when she's not doing something else.  I'm having a hard time asking for help and scheduling that help.  For the last 20 years I've just gotten on and went when I was damn good and ready.  Thinking about calling Aunt Marti makes me sick to my stomach.  I know it's ridiculous, and I'm sure I'll get over it soon enough.  (0:  

I'm not ready to give up our family time once Chad's home from work to saddle up and leave him and Kase in the evenings just yet.  Chad is 100% supportive of me still being me, but this is my hang up.  I want our kid to see/remember us together at home, not just at work!  (0:

And that's about it!  I'm going to try and get some new pictures of the girls and get them up.  (0:

Dogs too.

I've got tons of baby pictures though!  LOL!!

And that's what's been going on here for the last little while!  (0: