I always remember the turn to lake dennison is after that stupid sign "stuff and things" selling junk. so this blog will be about that. mostly for my friend Judy who I haven't talked to in so long and miss so much., here is a short story of my summer.
Chapter 1 "indy"
Well indy went on a 2 month trial june 1st to a woman in middleboro. she didn't have alot of horse experience but seemed to be a nice person who would take care of her animals and would just be doing some pleasure riding so I thought it might be a nice home for him. She assured me she had tons of grass and a new barn. I brought him down and found a "barn" that was just 2 stalls with a small corral out front. Where is the grass? oh, we are fencing in the yard and I have fields across the street that we are going to fence in. should have just turned the trailer around then. but I didn't. I put indy in with her 4 y.o. TB and they got along great, he seemed happy enough eating the really nice hay she had. so I left him there. she promised to keep me updated on how things were going. she never called me and every time I called her it took at least 3 tries for her to get back to me. she told me the pastures were built, indy was happy, her daughter had ridden a couple of times and everything was great. finally the 2 months was up and she was supposed to make her decision. I called her 10 times, sent email to her husband and left messages on her kid's phone. no response. So I hooked up the trailer and went down to get him, not knowing what I would find and afraid he wouldn't even be there. I had planned to call Chris's father if they gave me a hard time to call the police down there for me. so I pull in and he is there in an electric enclosure with the other horse without a shred of food. no one is home but the house is open. kids come by looking for their friends, but no one comes to the door. I had to take down the electric fence to get indy out, no gates. then 7 guys on motorcycles fly in and ask me what I was doing. said I'm taking my horse home. where is robin? no one knows. I am afraid they are going to kill me and cut me up into little pieces and bury me somewhere but they are actually nice. say they are going to find the husband. I said no, I am taking him. then Robin's mother shows up and tells me if she hadn't met me before and knew he was my horse no way she would let me leave and writes down my license plate number. whatever. she gave me the impression that robin is an odd duck. really? huh. so Indy came home, his skinny friend was having a fit and I felt bad leaving him there. Indy had lost about 50#, never had his feet done and never had his halter taken off in 2 months. poor poor boy, the guilt is horrible. it took him a couple of days to want to eat grain and goodies again. but he knew his buddy socks right away. In the meantime, some great people who had come to see him previously had contacted me and they wanted him for their 17 year old daughter. so I brought him to them in Wrentham. beautiful barn and nice turnout. very nice family. Valerie is quiet and kind and a very nice rider. they wanted a 2 week trial, but after a week said they loved him and wanted to buy him. great! then they decided to let the trainer see him. she loved him, great!! then they decided to do a vet check, fine. day of the vet check she decided nah, they loved him didn't need the vet check, check was in the mail. great!! 3 days later she sends me an email that they are worried that he won't stay sound and want to return him under the massacusetts state law within 3 days. huh? WTF!!!! I told her she needed to get a vet check, I had promised all along that I would take him back if he didn't stay sound. can't just send him back because she was worried about it. FREAKS!!!! the world is full of FREAKS!! so the vet check is tomorrow. in the meantime val is riding him everyday, just loves him and doesn't want to miss a minute with him. I don't get it. update on what happens tomorrow ....If he comes home, I will have to kick Deacon out, but since her owner doesn't pay her board or do any work or buy her horse grain or shavings, no great loss. except we love deacon.
Chapter 2 Sereele
she is the oddest horse I have ever known. she is afraid of life. but so very sweet. she tries so hard. she falls down. she spooks at butterfly's and sunlight and purple flowers. but she is so sweet and tries so hard. she is kind of ugly, but kind of cute, but she is so sweet and tries so hard. she see's dead people. she hears things from the great beyond. but so sweet. she tries real hard. Our relationship started out with her spinning in her stall, not eating, unable to be separated from her friend. she was never mean or bad, just scared. once Haley left she got better. I tried hand walking her and she had a meltdown screaming and spinning and flipping her body around. the next time she was a little better. I gave her lots of treats and let her graze in rainvilles field. after a few tries, she actually stopped screaming and the prancing was controlled. I rode with socks, she was very quiet, very good. we only walked. I got off often when she made me nervous. We rode more, we both got braver. started to develop a little trust. I rode her alone, I cried she was so good. so sweet, tried so hard. very nervous but she is a good girl. she fell to her knees and scared us both, got up holding up her RF leg but was OK. we are working on shoeing to try and stop the tripping. we rode in Stow twice and then lake dennison this weekend. she was a star. a few sliding stops that escalate into running backwards - sorry chris. but she tries to be brave. I let her move out more on the nice terrain and she wasn't as trippy. I had SUCH a great day with my funny sweet little girl who tries so hard. I get glimmers of hope that some day we can do an endurance ride. but then pessimism (or experience) hits and I wonder when she will have a melt down and what body part I will break.
Chapter 3 Hay
ordered a tractor trailer load of hay in april. then it rained for 3 months. that's ok the guy assured me we'll deliver and bring a hay elevator. lou gets a load and it's dusty moldy crap. I tell him I'll wait for second cut. OK. 2 weeks. 2 weeks later, well for sure next week. next week, well maybe 2 more weeks. 2 more weeks and it will be there this weekend but I have to buy a hay elevator. OK we get one (thanks mom). chris almost cancels her vacation to be here. but no hay. a couple more weeks? I've lost track. finally it's coming labor day. YAY! another call the saturday before - coming tomorrow. different hay. real good stuff. right, we'll believe it when we see it. It actually does arrive and it is good! chris and shawn have like 7 friends to help put it away, it goes fast and kind of fun:). more boring and annoying stuff to the story but yet another year to re inforce that WE HATE HAY.
that's all for now....
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Lake Dennison
Ah, yes, another goal attained. Saturday I got out of work, showered and boogied to the barn to go with CB and Sereele to Lake Dennison to ride. Woo hoo, a ride and no sleep.....should be interesting! =) Socks actually loaded very nicely on the trailer but just as CB was putting up the back bar, he shot back and scraped his leg down the ramp. UGH! We were sure that there was going to be a fight but sure enough, he walked back on the trailer like it was his job. WOO HOO!!!!!
We arrived at Dennison and unloaded and both "kids" seemed ok with the horses that they saw nearby. We tacked up and off we went. CB walked Miss Sereele for a little bit and then hopped on. The road to the trails were a big rocky and Socks and his tender little feet had some problems but he dealt with them pretty well. Then, we got to where the trail started. YAY! What a beautiful place to ride! It was so nice out, not very hot but very sunny. We trotted quite a bit and neither horse was in the mood for naughtiness. YAY!
We came out along a trail where there were about 5 people on horseback enjoying some adult beverages. As CB came out of the woods, one of the guys asked her if she was a warmblood!!!! Say what?!?!?!?!?!? Sereele has put some weight on but jeez! ;) We got a chuckle out of that one for sure. So, onward we went. Socks got a bit "up" but did ok and was listening to me at least. Sereele was very good and I think she only tried once to be "naughty".
Then, came the dam.......Sereele was scared of the area. I stopped Socks as he was started to plow ahead without her and he kept looking at her and then where she was looking as if to say "What am I supposed to be scared of too?" CB got her to go onward and up the hill we went. It was a bit rocky so we just walked. At the top of the hill, was a long log on the side. It was a bit pitted and rotted but nothing too scary. Socks seemed fine with it until Sereele got nervous behind him and CB commented that it was an alligator. ALLIGATOR!!!! WHERE?!?!?!? Socks immediately decided that that was true and that it was going to eat him alive!!! He was trying his hardest to take a wide berth from the "alligator" but on the other side of the trail was a mushed up piece of log that was equally scary. So, we serpentined through it and CB got off and led Sereele past the horse eating alligators. Oh man!
We continued on, both horses doing ok after their run-in with the fake reptile. However.....we took a different turn and CB wasn't sure where we were. UH OH! We continued on....not sure where we were going but at least it was in a forward motion. Hee hee. The trails were great so there wasn't even a grumble from either horse or rider. Eventually, we did find our way back in not much time. YAY! We had to pass a little dog who had never seen a horse before and was nervous......and we had to pass some people fishing that was kind of scary for the two equines but other than that we were good. CB decided to try to canter and actually got a few strides out. YAY! Now, it was my turn.....the last time Socks and I cantered, he crowhopped a bit and scared me a bit....ok, a lot but it was also in the ring and this was a trail where he's much happier. So, I found a soft spot where the rocks weren't bad and asked for the canter and did a few strides myself. How invigorating!!!! He was great and not even an ear back! YAY, more demons conquered!
We got back to the trailer and untacked and gave the kids some beet pulp (Socks favorite). He was savoring his, Sereele ate all hers and then tried to eat some of Socks'.......he was all "Oh no you didn't!" Ha ha ha. What a face he made at her! He even took his bucket with his nose and scooted it closer to him! Ha ha ha! Sereele got some more from her mom but it didn't have sweet feed in it so she wasn't impressed.
So, we loaded up the kids and again, no arguement from either equine about getting on. We started to go and realized nothing went wrong with this trip. It was then that CB stopped the truck and we decided to check the tires....one must be flat or something......this trip was going too well! Well, nothing was wrong and we got home, unloaded and set the kids free in their pastures. I was tired but had a great time. We attained yet another goal of going out and about. YAY! Next, we ride with Lou and Bec maybe and then, just maybe, we could try a hunter pace or something like that....ah yes.......more goals to reach for!
We'll get there......in the long run! =)
We arrived at Dennison and unloaded and both "kids" seemed ok with the horses that they saw nearby. We tacked up and off we went. CB walked Miss Sereele for a little bit and then hopped on. The road to the trails were a big rocky and Socks and his tender little feet had some problems but he dealt with them pretty well. Then, we got to where the trail started. YAY! What a beautiful place to ride! It was so nice out, not very hot but very sunny. We trotted quite a bit and neither horse was in the mood for naughtiness. YAY!
We came out along a trail where there were about 5 people on horseback enjoying some adult beverages. As CB came out of the woods, one of the guys asked her if she was a warmblood!!!! Say what?!?!?!?!?!? Sereele has put some weight on but jeez! ;) We got a chuckle out of that one for sure. So, onward we went. Socks got a bit "up" but did ok and was listening to me at least. Sereele was very good and I think she only tried once to be "naughty".
Then, came the dam.......Sereele was scared of the area. I stopped Socks as he was started to plow ahead without her and he kept looking at her and then where she was looking as if to say "What am I supposed to be scared of too?" CB got her to go onward and up the hill we went. It was a bit rocky so we just walked. At the top of the hill, was a long log on the side. It was a bit pitted and rotted but nothing too scary. Socks seemed fine with it until Sereele got nervous behind him and CB commented that it was an alligator. ALLIGATOR!!!! WHERE?!?!?!? Socks immediately decided that that was true and that it was going to eat him alive!!! He was trying his hardest to take a wide berth from the "alligator" but on the other side of the trail was a mushed up piece of log that was equally scary. So, we serpentined through it and CB got off and led Sereele past the horse eating alligators. Oh man!
We continued on, both horses doing ok after their run-in with the fake reptile. However.....we took a different turn and CB wasn't sure where we were. UH OH! We continued on....not sure where we were going but at least it was in a forward motion. Hee hee. The trails were great so there wasn't even a grumble from either horse or rider. Eventually, we did find our way back in not much time. YAY! We had to pass a little dog who had never seen a horse before and was nervous......and we had to pass some people fishing that was kind of scary for the two equines but other than that we were good. CB decided to try to canter and actually got a few strides out. YAY! Now, it was my turn.....the last time Socks and I cantered, he crowhopped a bit and scared me a bit....ok, a lot but it was also in the ring and this was a trail where he's much happier. So, I found a soft spot where the rocks weren't bad and asked for the canter and did a few strides myself. How invigorating!!!! He was great and not even an ear back! YAY, more demons conquered!
We got back to the trailer and untacked and gave the kids some beet pulp (Socks favorite). He was savoring his, Sereele ate all hers and then tried to eat some of Socks'.......he was all "Oh no you didn't!" Ha ha ha. What a face he made at her! He even took his bucket with his nose and scooted it closer to him! Ha ha ha! Sereele got some more from her mom but it didn't have sweet feed in it so she wasn't impressed.
So, we loaded up the kids and again, no arguement from either equine about getting on. We started to go and realized nothing went wrong with this trip. It was then that CB stopped the truck and we decided to check the tires....one must be flat or something......this trip was going too well! Well, nothing was wrong and we got home, unloaded and set the kids free in their pastures. I was tired but had a great time. We attained yet another goal of going out and about. YAY! Next, we ride with Lou and Bec maybe and then, just maybe, we could try a hunter pace or something like that....ah yes.......more goals to reach for!
We'll get there......in the long run! =)
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