Monday, August 31, 2009

Winners

Some of you may have thought I forgot to post the winner for my giveaway, but nope... like usual things have just been a bit busy for me to get to it. Today however I had some free time and gorgeous weather (the too hot to ride right now kind) as well as two handy assistants so I got to it.
Comet (assistant 1) was kind enough to bring me a hat for a "draw bucket"
Then I wrote everyone's name on a piece of paper... which was then torn into individual ballots and placed in the hat.
Misty (assistant number 2) supervised all of this to make sure there was no funny business. She watched both Comet and I very intently, afterwards she gave her approval that everything was on the up and up (although she also stole Comet's frisbee later on... hmmm)
I shook up the hat after the ballots were placed inside and then handed it over to Comet. Originally I was going to ask him to pick a paper out but I reconsidered... he was a bit slobbery in the heat today.
Instead I gave him the hat to carry around. I asked him to drop it hoping a name would fall out.
Nope.
Ok so we try again. But yet again he carefully placed the hat down.
Geez Comet, its not my good hat you can toss it around a bit!! lol
One more try. This time I put a bit more forcefulness into my voice when I said "drop it!" and he did! Even better a name popped out!!
So here is our winner:
In case you can't make it out it says Mrs Mom.

Now the title of this post is "Winners" so I should mention another winner. Well, not exactly a winner... a second-placer. Voodoo & I got 2nd in the 3d at the jackpot on Saturday!
While still not really running hard we managed to get our best time in this arena and scooped up the 2nd place. He and Applejack are running pretty tight against each other but I had given Applejack the day off and took just Voodoo.
This weekend is the real test - our district finals, and I've entered both horses.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Monday, August 24, 2009

Perfect 10s

Yesterday was such a fun day! It was another Sorting Sunday so Kimfer & I loaded up the ponies and went to Lazy Ass Ranch (where the team sortings are held).
When we got there we had a moment of shock. There were no other rigs there, Doug and the boys horses were in the corrals.
We looked at each other for a moment and then I said "It is this weekend right?"
Thankfully the "office" window was open and as we got out of the truck Doug came walking around the corner. We had the right weekend, we were just the very first to show up! lol
We paid our dues then went and parked and unloaded. I had brought Applejack as well as Voodoo in case that cut made Voodoo sore. (its healing nicely I just hadn't ridden him since he cut it)
While we were saddling some more people showed up. Thankfully Kathy parked on the side we had our horses tied to... Voodoo was a cranky butthead and I said some "un-bloggable" words to him. Oops. lol
Voodoo warmed up nicely but Kimfer's young mare (Isis) was a butthead in the warm-up arena. I'm pretty sure she got some "un-bloggable" words too.
When the sorting started I looked at the sheet of teams posted and was pretty happy, I got drawn with Susan, Al (aka Ace) and Holly. All three are good horsepeople, competitive spirited and good at sorting.
The cows were unusually co-operative. You still had to work but things just seemed to go smoother. Kinda refreshing after the not so nice cows last time.
(they were so bad last time I was giving them names like "Dog Food" and "Ribeye" lol)
Each team goes twice, with a break in between for lunch. The goal is to get 10 cows in under 90 seconds. Holly & I got 8 cows and then 10. Ace and I DQ'd and then got 10. Susan and I got 10 both goes.
I was super excited, I've only gotten 10 once before and yesterday I got 4 runs with 10! :)
When Ace & I DQ'd we had 8 cows and were getting our last 2. I was bringing in 5 and 6 together, Ace was holding the "gate" (the open spot between the two pens) 5 ducked to the right and 6 ran for the gate. Ace didn't cut her off in time and she ran through. Cow out of order = trash = DQ.
Oh, and I got a prize! Well actually everyone got a "prize" Bev (the announcer) called up a bunch of people (I was one of them) and we all got a prize for having blowouts (DQs) Then all the people who didn't blowout were called up and given a prize. The prize? A bag of baby carrots!
Holly had gone to her small town gas-station the day before to get some gas for her lawn mower. There was a guy there selling bags of baby carrots in the parking lot and when he asked if she wanted some she said sure. He opened the back door of his car and gave her a CASE of carrots! lol
None of my horses have ever eaten carrots or apples. They'll eat cookies just fine they just don't seem to into the carrots or apples. Big pieces, little pieces. Nope not interested. I haven't tried giving them to Voodoo before though so I offered him a baby carrot. He took it! I gave him a few more and then noticed that Applejack was watching with quite a lot of interest. Oh well what the heck, offer him one so his feelings wouldn't be hurt right? lol He took it! I was a bit surprised but kinda happy. I fed both horses a few more carrots and then saved the rest for later.
Voodoo did really well all day. He didn't have a lot of get up and go in the pen though. There were times I was expecting him to jump forward and he felt sluggish. His leg never bothered him so I'll chalk it up to a bit of attitude and being off work for a bit. His behaviour that morning was definitely a display of attitude.
I'll tell you what happened and what we did. Maybe some of my more experienced blog friends have suggestions on how to deal with this:
After I saddled I cleaned his feet. Both front feet were done, the right hind was done and I went to do the left hind. When I picked it up he leaned on me. Hard. Hard enough that I set it down and gave him a real good fist in the rump. When I picked it up again he leaned on me harder. Hard enough to crumple me under him. I called to Kimfer and she came over and smacked his rump hard. Then she took over picking up his foot, she's stronger than me. She told me to get after him if he started to lean. After a few more attempts to pick up his foot nicely, with me getting after him every time, he finally picked it up like a gentleman.
He has never leaned like this. IMO it was totally out of disrespect for me (or Kimfer). I picked out his feet a few more times over the day and he was fine for all the rest of them.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Little Bits

Do you ever think that, considering how busy you've been, you really haven't done anything? That's what I've been feeling like lately!
I spent the first week back from finals getting caught up back into the routine of daily life, and catching up on all that laundry. lol
I've gone barrel racing jackpot and to team sorting. Spent some time riding. Got some excellent barrel practice in on Voodoo - only to have to scratch him at the next jackpot because of a cut on his leg. Nothing too serious, but not too sure how it happened.
Kimfer and I moved our horses to the "back pasture" which is the 20 acre or so pasture across the highway from the house/barn and smaller pastures. The Department of Highways so nicely (that's sarcasm!) split Kimfer's dad's land into two parcels when they twinned the highway years ago. So now to use that back pasture we have to lead horses back and forth over the freaking highway.
The good news is the grazing is darn good in that pasture... in many places its knee high or waist high!! It also has lots of these weeds the horses LOVE. They are tall with little white flowers (sorry not sure what they are, I'll have to get a pic) Kimfer and I call them 'horse candy' because the horses love them sooo much. There is a patch of them that is taller than Kimfer!
Thankfully the new farrier will be out next weekend. When I went to ride Applejack Thursday he was missing his right front shoe. Poor guy is super tender on gravel. I led him across the yard and onto the grass by the driveway before I got on. He seems okay on the grass but I'll be much happier when he gets his feet done.
Cessa is in heaven. Seeing as Kimfer and I have our horses together Cessa has been reunited with her boyfriend Baron.
Work is, well I don't know what it will be like now. Our night bartender was fired while I was in Moose Jaw, got caught stealing. Our bar manager is on holiday for another 3 weeks. The girl that was night bartender for now got caught stealing today (giving out WAY TOO MANY free drinks) and was fired. Then we had a cook who had some kind of total brain melt down and was sent home at the start of supper. (Dude packed a take out order and threw it in the garbage, then packed two orders together as one and THEN tried to pack salad in a toast baggie)
Pie and I were going to go riding Sunday. The place where we have our sortings has horse games on the Sundays when there is no sorting. Not a full on gymkhana, more of just fun stuff to do with your horse to improve your skills and bond. Some gymkhana style games. This week was going to be trail obstacles and would have some very beginner friendly stuff which would be good for Pie. Unfortunately it has POURED rain since Friday night, all day Saturday and is forecast for Sunday.
Instead we'll be going to my mom's. Probably make some chili and play some Wii.
Pie is doing 130% better than before he was admitted to the hospital. He is getting control of his blood sugar, hasn't coughed at all and has his energy and pep back. Even better he is his good natured, happy self again. I really think he was depressed (because of his blood sugar) even though he didn't think so.
I also got to see my Auntie M when she was in town! She and my mom spent the week together, all over the place! Hope she had a great time :)

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Coincidence??

Right now my ponies and Kimfer's two are living in a nice little pasture. Just before finals however there were just my three living in this particular pasture. And every time I went in the gate I'd whistle and call their names. I'd also give the gate chain a rattle for good measure. I'm trying to teach them to come when they're called so there are treats involved as well.
Every time Voodoo would come to me first with Applejack and Cessa following along. They'd all get cookies and rubs and scratches and talked to (I talk to my horses like they know what I'm saying... actually to all my critters) before catching whoever was needed.
One day the neatest thing happened, it was probably a coincidence but was still pretty darn cool! When I went in the gate and did the usual whistle/rattle/call routine Voodoo came loping over with Applejack trotting behind. No Cessa. I wasn't too worried, when I drove by the pasture I had seen the boys were right on the other side of a bush by the gate. Cessa was probably just a little farther away.
While I gave them their cookies and scratches I kept calling Cessa. Voodoo had gotten his share and I was petting Applejack while still calling for my girl.
Suddenly Voodoo took off at a quick lope.
I thought to myself "hmm... okay guess you're feeling ignored!" and kinda chuckled.
But then a second later he came trotting around another bush with Cessa at his flank!! :o He trotted right up to me and looked SO proud of himself!
Of course I had to give him an extra cookie and rub and tell him what a good boy he was while giving Cessa her cookies.
Like I said, probably a coincidence but still darn cool!

Wordless Wednesday ~ new trailer!