We're almost through the first month!!!

Well, thankfully, January is almost done! Taz is healing very nicely and the cut is almost gone! YAY! Flash has come back to Massachusetts but is staying up near Orchard Hill to continue his training over the winter months with the use of the indoor.
Apparently, there has been some love lost between Taz and Socks. They don't seem to be hanging out nearly as much as they used to and Socks no longer cares if Taz goes in for dinner first. Hmmmm. Even Smokey hasn't been hanging out at the barn at night. He's missing out on his cookies!!!! Holly gets them all. However, she's working for them for sure. She's learned shake, shake the other paw, and down (all the way). Next, I think I'll see if she'll crawl....she's fun to play with while Carolyn changes out Taz's bandages.

Next month, Carolyn, Lisa, and I will be attending a roundpen clinic at Crimson Acres. It will give us something to do that's horsey related and hopefully teach us something. The "babies" will probably do well with it too.

2016........

I've made a new year's resolution to keep this going this time for sure!

So, new year's started off with a bang with Taz getting a cut on his fetlock that ended up being a lot worse than expected. It almost hit the bursa and the synovial fluid was "very angry". Luckily, with the help of Essex Equine, he is healing and VERY tired of small enclosures. We spend quality time changing leg wraps and/or bandages every night. He loves the fact that he gets copious amounts of hay stretcher when we do it. Poor Socks, Rio, and Pacino don't understand why this guy gets so many treats while they are "poor starving peasants locked in jail at night". (Those are their exact words to me!)
In other news, Flash has gone to Vermont for some bootcamp work. He's learning to use his back better and apparently is learning some driving as well....bonus! It will be interesting to see his progress when he returns to Longrun.
Socks is doing well in his new role of Big Brother since Zak has left us in 2014. He's not so sure how to be a boss but he's doing the best he can with what little knowledge he has of the boss role. He's been Taz's companion in his journey of healing from his stifle surgeries to the present day injury. He also was accompanying him on his jaunts out back for rehab. That was great as I got to ride as well. I've been VERY spoiled riding Alazon up at Orchard Hill. He and Debbie are amazing teachers and I've come along in my lessons thanks to them. I've also gained more confidence on my dear Socks.
Rio and Pacino are growing like weeds!!! Mr. P has hit the 15 hand mark and Rio is hot on his heels to catch up. He's not too far behind that's for sure. Both boys are looking much more mature now. The goofy little colt stage is pretty much behind them now. They hit the big 3 in the spring. Whoa, what happened to the little tots that ran around the yard?!?

2015

So, I'm back and writing this out again. A LOT has happened since my last post for sure!
July 18, 2014, I lost my best friend. Zak's leg just got worse and the decision to euthanize him in the fall was made. He could enjoy his summer and we could spend that time together and not worry too much. Unfortunately, this wasn't to be. Zak went very, very lame and I decided that it was time. I spoiled him rotten that morning. He had alfalfa and cookies. Mom bought him some sugar cookies and he just about ate the whole bucket of them! He had all his friends with him at the end. By the grace of God, he went swiftly but gently and that was thanks to Dr. Nostrant and crew. There's a big empty space in my heart that will never be filled. It's not the same without him but we've moved on. He's around I'm sure.
We welcomed back Judy and her horse Flash to Long Run. She and CB finally got to do some rides! CB's horse Hope is a good girl. She's green but trusts CB.
The "babies" are getting big as well. Pacino is 14.2 and Rio is 14.1-ish already! They're still little rascals when they want to be but they are definitely growing up for sure. Both have had a saddle on their back without any fuss and both load on and off a horse trailer like pros. They're going to be 2 this year!!!!! Holy moly!
I also decided to get back into riding again come Hell or high water so I went back to Debbie Baldelli for lessons. I ride a cute little old Arab who is teaching me a ton! I've learned so much since August and my confidence has grown tenfold! I've also gotten the ok to try and do some light riding with Socks. This weather certainly hasn't helped much but my goal this spring is to be able to do, at least, a 20-30 minute trail ride.
So, we'll see where 2015 leads us..............

Holy crap I'm so behind in this!!!!!!

So, it's been quite a while! April 13th Kharma had a baby boy! Patriot for Patriot's Day weekend and his barn name is Rio. Watching him grow has been an amazing journey for sure!  He gets bigger every day just about.  It goes without saying that Carolyn was smitten with him from his first breath. He is a "pretty good egg" to quote Lindsay Robbins. Unfortunately for us, Judy has decided to take a break from horses for a while. So, the number of barn buddies shrunk to just 4 horses.

Socks had a second opinion (or 3rd rather) with Dr. Nostrant and he was finally deemed retired with his stifle not healing properly. It was bittersweet news to me. I was glad to finally have an answer and while I didn't have to worry about euthanizing (I was extremely worried about that), I now have 2 retired horses and no one of my own to ride. Socks was also put on Previcox for pain management. He has some ouchy days but for the most part seems happy being a pasture potato. We did get the ok to do some clicker training/in hand trail course stuff from the Dr. so hopefully we can do more of that.

In good news, we welcomed Lisa Gorski to Longrun as she had adopted a foal. She brought him and his mom home the beginning of August with the intention of weaning the foal and giving the mare back afterwards. Pacino was a weaning master and never looked back and Jerseygirl (the mare) just recently left us on the 15th of September to go to training to gain a step closer to a forever home for her too. Rio is having a bit of a hard time with the weaning process and still cries for mom despite being out with Pacino and Zak.

This morning, Kharma is going to training as well (same place as Jerseygirl) and she'll take her first steps into being a working girl for the first time in a while. She's going to Crimson Acres in Orange Mass. to work with Peter Whitmore. He's a pretty amazing trainer and I can't wait to see how she does. That being said, we're going to have to put Socks and the kids and Zak together and hopefully that goes seamlessly with no major problems. Crossing fingers for sure.

Ok, that was a whirlwind catchup post for sure. I'm going to have to try and post pictures and keep this up now that there are babies growing and Kharma in training. This should get interesting again!

Check your baggage!

Well, it's official. Miss Kharma is starting to get a little bagged up in her udder! It's a teensy bit but it's definitely there! She now has a bigger stall to have her baby in thanks to Speedy donating some of his to her. Thanks Uncle Speedy! =) She's getting more and more comfortable with Carolyn touching her all over too. She's also getting better with the farrier as well. It's all a very good thing!
We're still awaiting Miss Roxie's return to Long Run Farm from her training in Orange Massachusetts. She's been a good student for Peter and she seems to catch on rather quickly although being a girl, she does have her opinions. ;-) She'll be home soon to tell us all about it!
As for the boys of Long Run.....well, they're all fat and seemingly happy. I say seemingly as Zak is always grumpy in the winter anyways. Zak has been moving pretty good on his supplement and we await Dr. Heidi's arrival next week to draw his blood for his ACTH level recheck. With any luck, we can reduce his pergolide dose to one pill a day instead of two. My checkbook would absolutely LOVE that! Speedy has been going out for rides here and there. Our weather has not been very cooperative at all for riding though. It's either FREEZING or extremely muddy or icy or both. Socks seems to be moving well and is very happy to be out with friends. He was covered in dried mud last night and I curried his body and in my haste to find my horse under the coating, I curried his stifle that had the surgery. He didn't even flinch! YAHOO!

Catching up......

Well, Roxie is off to training and learning well. She's been round penning and such and learning to wear a person on her back. =) Kharma is getting bigger...and her belly is getting closer to the ground. Carolyn got a stall camera and we had some fun setting that up. Now she can see the big event when it comes time. That is, of course, unless Miss Kharma waits until 4 a.m. to have the little weenie tot. As for the rest of the scoundrels at Long Run Farm...Speedy is, well, speedy, Zak is back on his old supplement and moving great and Socks and I went for walks this past weekend with Carolyn and Kharma. Saturday was just a handwalk with tack on as he was a bit too hyped up for me but Sunday I was on his back to go "around the block". Let's hope that this is a better year than 2012!!!

White with a red stripe......

....and we're not talking candy canes folks! Yup, Carolyn did a pregnancy test on Kharma and it came back POSITIVE!!! How disappointing, scary and exciting at the same time for Carolyn! She will have the vet out Tuesday to get her some more info, like how far along Miss Kharma is. And so, the foal pool begins...I say, it'll be a February baby! We'll have to wait and see.