One Week Review

 

 

It’s been seven days now since I started the new feed regimen for Fancy and Windy.  It rained all week and today was the first nice day.  I had to take an inch of dried mud off Fancy to even photograph her.  What a pig!  Windy was better, but not by much.  (Look at the green grass in the arena and the alfalfa coming up in the field behind them!  Incredible for March!)

 

One Week Ago

Today

 

Her coat appears in worse shape today but that is only because she is a filthy dirty mess.  I chipped off the big chunks for this picture.  If I see any difference at all, it is very subtle.  Perhaps in the hips or it could just be the angle the picture was taken.  The texture of her hair has not improved at all.  But she is shedding a lot more, so hoping it will just be a matter of time.  It’s only been a week so I wasn’t expecting anything drastic at this point.

 

         

 

The left picture was last week, the right was today.  Again, I don’t see a huge difference.  She might be rounding out a bit better on the hip – its just too early to tell, I think. 

 

One Week Ago

Today

Windy was dirty, too, so you aren’t seeing the shine she had last week  She looks good.  If she has put on weight, I don’t see it, but I don’t think she necessarily needed to.  I just know my riding time is going to be picking up and want her in great shape. 

So what do you think?  Am I missing anything or do you agree its just too early?

 

 

While I am showing before and after pictures, these pictures were taken out our front door.  The one on the left was taken a year ago; the one on the right was taken this morning.  Can you believe we’ll be mowing before long?  Some of the ornamental trees at work are already blooming.  Most often ours here at home bloom a few weeks or so after those in town; we are just a bit north of there.   According to my notes, ours didn’t flower until the first part of May last year. 

 

 

And last year it snowed 4 inches on March 26.  I feel like we are VERY blessed with this weather but sure don’t believe we are out of the woods yet.  I am looking at the weather bug right now and it shows 57 degrees at 10:00 PM.  I’d better go saddle up! 

 

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Getting in Shape

 

 

I keep looking and Fancy and thinking she just doesn’t look as good as she did when we got her last October (picture above).  Granted, she wasn’t much more than a pasture pet for almost a year prior to when we brought her home and I would expect some weight loss just from an increased workload, change of environment, hay, etc.  But because she is now working, I would also like to see her starting to tone up. 

 

 

We keep our horses on round grass bales 24/7 right now.  We also supplement with alfalfa.  But I don’t typically grain the herd; usually only Windy when I would start preparing her for the ride season and sometimes Ginger when we would start conditioning her for big trips.  We have never had a problem with our horses maintaining weight (as you have seen with Blue and Butter) and our riding horses have always looked good. 

 

 

But Fancy’s coat is dull.  It doesn’t feel good to the touch where the others have soft hair.  They are all starting to lose their winter fur and you can feel the new growth coming in.  I told a friend that Fancy’s coat felt like hair after chemo.  Course, brittle and falling out.  She has lost some weight in her stomach.  I also think through her neck.  I would also like to see her hips taking better form and they almost seem hollow.  I don’t know…. maybe I am just being too critical. 

 

 

I took some advice from a friend and also had a discussion with Nutrena on their Facebook page.  We have put Fancy on a full can of Safe Choice each day.  They also recommended a Nutrena supplement booster but I had already purchased Purina Amplify which was close to the same, so will use that in addition to the Safe Choice.  The pictures above were taken when I started this new feeding program on March 16.  I am told I should see a difference in about 14 days, so I will take more shots at month’s end.

 

 

I also started Windy on Safe Choice.  Not as large of a serving and I am not including the Amplify because I don’t really think she needs any weight gain.   I think she has good weight right now but I am increasing her miles as the weather warms.  Look at the difference in her coat compared to Fancy’s.  It just looks healthier.  They are built a lot the same way, but Windy’s hip and neck are more filled out.  Realizing that I put close to 700 miles on her every year, it should be, but I guess I am striving for Fancy to look similar as we continue to bring her along. 

 

(Oh, and for the record, the horses are not tied to the panel fencing.  The rope is just thrown over the rungs.  Either of them could walk away from it at any time.  Only mentioning this because I’d hate for the Fugly-folks to try to out me for tying unsafely.)

 

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Signs Your House Needs Cleaning

 

 

When you have to move a gun off the kitchen counter, it is a sign that the house might need cleaned….

or maybe that we are rednecks….

or that I live with a houseful of men (can no longer say boys)….

or perhaps all of the above. 

I do know that I have been on a horse every day after work and on weekends for the last eight days and haven’t really noticed guns or dishes or laundry.  Or this blog, for that matter.  And now I’m paying for it.  Next week shows rain in the forecast but I don’t think I can wait that long.  It is getting pretty bad around here and it is definitely not “company drop-in ready”. 

 

 

Last week I turned 51 years old.  Gosh, it still blows my mind because I don’t feel 51 years old.  It freaks me out a little bit when I think I am 9 years from 60.  Or 21 years away from my Dad’s age when he died or 26 years away from the age Mom was when she passed away.  And I won’t even bring up the “cancer gene” that is probably hiding away in my “feels like 36 year old body.”   Anyway, my goal was to ride at least 51 miles last week.  And I did. 

 

 

This past week, we have had temps from 40 degrees to the 70’s.  Heck, it may have even hit 80 degrees yesterday!  I don’t even know what is normal, but this is not.  So combined with the time change, I have no reason at all to be INSIDE the house except for that pesky house work and raise your hand if you feel that can wait.  I do know the horses aren’t shedding fast enough for the weather. 

 

 

The fun thing about riding eight days in a row is getting all of our horses out.  Windy has been out about every day.  I rode Fancy 15 miles last Friday.  John rode Blue one day, I rode Butter and even switched out with him one day and rode Baby.  

 

 

I got the gooseneck hitch installed in the new truck and pulled the trailer out of storage.  Had one low tire was all.  I seem to have found enough truck to pull this trailer; pulls so much easier than the old truck.  But, as we get raped with gas prices nearing $4 a gallon; sure don’t know how much I’ll be pulling this year for casual rides.  I hate to even think about it. 

 

Okay, so I have a few loads of laundry done, the gun is put away, the blog is completed.  Dishes?  Well, they might have to wait.  I think its time to ride. 

 

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Horse and Tack Swap Meet

Did you miss last week's big tack sale or had a booth there but still have items left to sell?  Here is your chance for a do-over!  

An Old Fashioned Horse and Swap Meet will be held at Chance Ridge Event Center just off West Dodge Road on Saturday, March 31.  Here is your opportunity to offer up some of your great new or used tack, saddles, show clothes and other horse related items.  Have a trailer or farm equipment for sale?  Bring it here! 

And big news!  You can sell horses here, too.  Not an auction but a chance to showcase your "for sale" horse in the areas finest equestrian facility.  All horse sales private treaty.  No commissions; you pay only stall rental.  

Click here for information on reserving your space.  Early discounts available.  Dealers welcome.

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Best Wishes to Mikey & Wade

A virtual toast to Mikey and Wade on their upcoming nuptials.  I have enjoyed following your life and times on Postcards from Arizona.  Good luck and good blessings on your future life together & keep in touch via blogspot.

I look forward to seeing the pictures of your equestrian wedding.

Cheers!

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Catching Up

 

 

I spent most of the week in Austin, Texas; work related.  (Can you believe this sign was posted off the terrace of a restaurant we visited?  Oh, my!)  Although the weather was nice there and the magnolia trees in bloom, I was missing some nice weather here, too.  This past Sunday, my brother and niece came out to ride but the wind was gusting so bad that to call the ride unpleasant would be too nice.  Why is it when I finally have riders for my herd, the weather does not cooperate?

 

I got home yesterday afternoon and took some time last evening to mess with the horses.  I started with Fancy, riding her in the arena and then out to the field.  Some Canadian geese flew onto our pond and that sure had her attention; even more so when Ritz decided to check them out. 

 

Butter was up next and she and I came to an understanding about leg vs. spur.  If I spur, she bucks.  But, if I apply pressure with my knees and keep my body in motion, she will proceed past the arena gate.  Now I know.

 

Last but not least, I hopped on Windy bareback with just a halter and lead.  The sun had set and it was almost dark.  As we walked next to the corral, both Windy and I saw Fancy rolling on the other side of the fence.  Right as we passed, Fancy got up quickly, shook, farted, bucked and ran – all at the same time, it would seem.  Startled, Windy did a quick jump to the left; inertia left me where I was, hanging onto the withers with the back of my knee.  Before I could gather myself, I got a bad leg cramp and dropped off.  I didn’t land on my feet, so I call it what it was.  No one was around but Windy to see me.  She waited for me to pull myself up.  I  sidled her back up to a bucket and remounted.   

 

The temps are heading into the 60’s this weekend and next week.  I’m planning to make up for lost time.