The Latest on Ranger

Our vet headed out to see Ranger yesterday and do another set of x-rays. He called me with his findings...the good news, Ranger isn't any worse. The x-rays look almost exactly like they did back in September. Bad news...Ranger isn't any better. Now, that can kinda be expected since he won't be growing much new hoof now that winter is here. The truth is that we won't really know what hand we are going to be dealt until we are a year out from when he foundered...when the foot has totally grown out. Then, we will pretty much have what we will have. He could always get worse in the meantime or any time after. So, we will have to monitor him closely for the rest of his days. The vet thinks since he isn't in any kind of pain or discomfort right now, if we can keep it that way, that we have a good chance at using him as a light riding horse for trails or as a lesson horse. However, there is still the chance that once we try to start using him, that his feet won't tolerate it. Time will tell, I guess. The vet did say that he is still worse in the left than the right and that he does display a little (the tiniest bit) of stiffness when he moves. This could be attributed to arthritis or from complications of the previous founder (of which we had no knowledge). There is no way to tell though. The x-rays show about 3 degrees of rotation in the front left, which is not much, and less than that in the right front. The sinking has improved and he has a good deal of sole and hoof wall, which is excellent news. So, all in all, he is doing good, but we aren't out of the woods by any means and we still have a long way to go. I did get a few photos of him from the barn owner yesterday, which was such a treat. It has been hard not to be there and see him in person and put my hands on him during all of this...especially with my being a little bit of a neurotic horse mom at times. I will admit, when it comes to my "kids" I can be a teeny bit controlling...not always, but sometimes. So, these photos were a welcomed sight. Here's my pretty boy in his paddock with his new shelter which the barn owner built just for him to stay out of the WA winter weather. These people are such lifesavers and I am so grateful to have found such a good place for Ranger to stay.

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Birthday Team Sorting

Saturday was my birthday, though I won't mention my age....I hate birthdays. I am not a fan of aging. However, I did talk the hubby into going to a horsey-thing (which is quite difficult for my husband) on my birthday and ONLY because it was my birthday. I have been searching long and far, high and wide for something horse-related that my husband would enjoy doing...so we can do horse things together. He doesn't really care for the training stuff I like to do such as clinics and he gets bored doing trail riding. The most fun I have ever seen him have on a horse was when we had to round up those horses on the neighbor's ranch in West Texas. He truly had a blast and couldn't stop talking about it for a week! He likes things with purpose. Well, here in New Mexico, I have started to meet some other horse people. I recently met the owners of the barn where a friend boards her horses and they told us about a team sorting they were hosting. I have been interested in sorting and penning and wanted to know more about it and find out if it was something that might pique the hubby's interest. So, we went...sans horses, of course. Right away the barn owner introduced himself to my husband and the talk was on. The hubby learned all about how sorting works and then started asking about cow working lessons and roping lessons! I think I have him on board...finally! We stuck around and watched most of the sorting and we are hooked. We were already strategizing for our sorts and can't wait to get our horses back up here and get started. The barn owners are super nice and have offered to help us get our horses started on cows and teach us more about sorting. The husband is buying a rope and wants to learn the basics of roping too. I am hoping this is the answer to my dilemma. Maybe this will finally be the horsey thing the hubby and I can do together. I'll let you know how it goes...

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What's Really Been Cooking Lately...

The real reason I haven't been blogging as much, aside from the fact that my life has been pretty mundane, is that I have been busy working. Yep, no job, but I HAVE been working. I have been makin' lots of jewelry. I have done pretty well in the past month since starting a business Facebook page. Next on the "to do" list is to start selling on Etsy and FINALLY decide on a business name. I still draw a blank, even now. Anyhow, I really wanted to share the newest "branch" of my business and the one I am most excited about. I am now making and selling custom rhythm beads. Or for those of you who don't want the jingle, but still want the bling...horse jewelry. I will even do matching necklaces, bracelets, and/or earrings for the rider. I have never really cared for the rhythm beads you typically see on the market. You know, the ones made with the plastic pony beads and big ol' jingle bells. They just aren't my cup of tea. So, I thought, why can't I make really nice ones...ones I would almost want to steal from my horse and wear for myself? Well, that's what I am doing and I am having a blast. I love getting a photo from someone wanting beads for their horsey friend...a photo of a girl and her beloved horse...and creating something totally unique that is completely definitive of the horse-lover's personal style and taste. It warms my heart, actually. And what a personal, from-the-heart gift it is! So, if you are looking for the perfect gift for your horse-loving friend, consider these. It would be my personal pleasure to create something for that special friend. Or just get some for yourself!

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THE Futurity

Sorry I have been absent from the blog for a while. I have been going all over the place doing all sorts of things...lots of which I don't care to blog about right now. However, there is one exception to my non-blog topic list. I managed to convince the hubby to let me go to Fort Worth with some of my girlfriends to watch the Open Finals of the 2010 NCHA Futurity! Boy, did we ever have a blast! Shopping, good food, good company, good horses...what more could a girl ask for? If you haven't been to the futurity before, I highly recommend it. The finals were so exciting and lucky us, we got to see the record-breaking run of 230 by Lloyd Cox aboard the adorable One Time Royalty, which, of course, won the open division of the futurity. It was breathtaking poetry in motion, mixed with a shot of adrenaline. :) And now, a few snapshots from our big city cuttin' horse adventure...

ONE TIME ROYALTY on his 230 point record run

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Here, There, and Everywhere

Lately, I have been trying to spend as much time with Bailey as I can, though I haven't managed to be very successful at that goal. First, we hit a little speed bump....she started displaying some serious attitude. It was so bad that I couldn't even saddle her to ride! She would pin her ears, try to bite, squeal, act cinchy, and so on. No matter what I did, it wasn't getting any better. So, I had that friend of mine help me. We got everything fixed right up. She gave me some great advice and confirmed my suspicions that Bailey's antics were, in fact, just that...antics. She was bored and started making her own fun, instead of waiting for me to do more advanced things with her. She is that smart. You only have to show her once, and then, she's got it and its time to move on. I don't need to be afraid she's too young or not ready to do some more advanced things. Now, I can saddle her while she's tied without her giving me any sass and then check her out on the ground and hop on. Ah, she's a dream.

Our second hurdle was that after being with my friend for a week, we headed to the Hill Country for a week. Well, shortly after she arrived, she and 2 of her half-sisters all shared a cold. I had planned on riding her quite a bit to keep our momentum going from the week before but thought it better to let her rest up. So, I left her behind for week two while I returned "home" to the parents' place. While I was away, she and the other girls got over the cold without any further problems. She also lucked out and got a fabulous trim from my friend's farrier while we were there. I was so impressed with his patience with the horses and his knowledge and ability. He uses an electric grinder, of sorts, and it is amazingly precise and quick in his guided hands. A fraction of the time of a regular trim and Bailey's feet have never looked better!!

I headed back to Kerrville to pick Bailey up after another week and to do a one day Parelli workshop and play day nearby. On Saturday we headed over to Camp Lonehollow in Vanderpool. This place was unbelievable! The facilities are, to put it modestly, incredible and over-the-top. Every detail was planned to perfection and it is set back in a private valley surrounded by cedar and oak covered hills dotted with several small lakes. The buildings all blend in with the natural scenery...it is gorgeous. The weather was perfect, cool and sunny. Bailey was awesome! We went to two workshops in the a.m. I chose to work on Liberty first. We hadn't done much of that other than work on our "draw". She has no problem sticking to me. So, we advanced what we knew and played all the games. It was a blast. Before lunch we all did a short freestyle riding lesson. So fun! After lunch we did a freestyle timed tournament. I was impressed at how well Bailey did. She did everything I asked of her with much try and she even cantered when I asked, picked her correct lead (the second time around), and did it all without much attitude. I was thrilled! So funny how those little things can sometimes mean the most. We continued the afternoon working on some patterns for developing impulsion. It was a much needed fun and informative day led by great instructors. I had a great time riding with several of my girl friends and I met some new ladies as well. Can't wait to go back!

Below are some photos from our day at Lonehollow. That's not all we have been up to lately, so more to come soon.

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Update On Ranger

I am still wandering across Texas, so I have been neglecting the blogging world a bit. I thought a belated update on Ranger was a little overdue...Our WA vet went out to see Ranger last week and gave me some good news. Ranger is still doing very well, in fact, our vet suggested we skip x-rays this time around and just re-shoe as we had been doing. Ranger will still be needing front shoes and the same type of gel pads for a while, but at least we aren't moving backward anymore. The farrier agreed that things were going very well and that he didn't see why, if I was home, I couldn't start riding Ranger again in the near future. I am so relieved to know my handsome boy is doing so much better. Now, if we can be better prepared for next Spring and prevent this whole ordeal from happening again, we will be doing great!

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"They call me the wanderer..."

That old song definitely defines my life of late. We just got word we won't be returning home to WA until late spring or summer. I have been galavanting all over the place and next week I am off again to visit my old stomping grounds in the Hill Country. Which, I might add, I have been sooooo looking forward to doing for a while now. So, I have returned to TX for a while. Good thing. Life's been quite eventful here in the south. The morning after I arrived, I went out to feed the horses, having kept Bailey up to avoid her fighting with my youngest gelding, Blackjack, and having their meet and greet turn into what usually becomes a trip to the vet for one of them. Last time they were both together he kept trying to breed her. She was sore in her back and bitten all over. I have since kept them separated when I return to TX. Well, this time the separation proved to be in vain. Blackjack came up for his morning feed with a 10 inch horizontal gash across the lower part of his left shoulder. We have no idea how he did it or what he came across because it is at such an odd angle and height. It took 20 stitches and an overnight trip to the vet. Not because he wasn't ready to come home the same day, but because he wouldn't get in the trailer that night. If you know me at all, you know one of my pet peeves is a horse that won't trailer load. ALL my horses willingly get into ANY trailer and travel well over long distances, if necessary. Well, Blackjack hasn't gone anywhere in over a year and I can't really blame him for not wanting to get back in the trailer after what I am sure was an unpleasant visit with the vet. So, we went back the next day and he loaded up without too much fuss. We will be working on that issue once he is all healed up.

After picking up Blackjack, we headed south to a friend's house. Well, really they are a family of friends, 7 to be exact. The eldest daughter is quite the horse-woman having her own lesson and training business, which is helping pay for her college. Really, she is humble when it comes to her abilities with horses, but I think she is amazing. So do a lot of other people. She has performed at the Parelli tour stops on more than one occasion, if that tells you anything. Bailey is now staying with her for a few days and then we are going back to get some lesson time. Bailey and I have been having "issues". I know it is all me, just not being savvy enough for her. It is challenging for me to have a more confident, intelligent, athletic horse who is very playful. She gets bored easily and I am not provocative enough for her in many instances. I am used to my other gelding who used to be much more fractious, unconfident, and less playful. He needed comfort and consistency. Which I am now well-versed in providing. Bailey needs play, variety, and incentive. Its not that I don't know what to do...the knowledge is definitely there. But I sometimes have trouble accessing it and keeping my emotions out of it. As my friend put it, Bailey is a bit of a princess. At least I know now and can admit it, and hopefully we can get over this hump pretty quickly and move on to the next. :) I'll let you know how things go next week!

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