Freezing Rain

I guess two good days in a row is too much to ask.  Yesterday school was canceled due to ice and freezing rain. 

 It was looking like spring was trying to get here.

 Even Sissy was looking for a dry place to stand.  She has gotten too big to fit under the cracks in the doorways now.

This was the closest she could get to being in the barn.  Surely she has enough fat to insulate her from the cold.

Under Saddle

We've managed to string together 4 days of training in a row on Brother. 

 He has been doing super.  I've ridden him bareback in the round pen a couple of times.  Now we are putting the western saddle on him.  We call this saddle "Old Squeaky"  because it is the loudest, squeakiest saddle ever made.  I have been pulling him up to the fence to get on.

 Then rubbing,

 and patting all over.  So far he has been great about standing still.  None of the flapping, squeaking or shifting around bothers him at all.   I'm still just using the halter.  J is wanting  to ride with a bosal hackamore but I don't have one so I will probably just move him up to a snaffle bit before too long.

 He has even been keeping his head down.   I think having the barn to ride in helps tremendously   There are really so few distractions, Emma being the major one, and we can just train without worrying about what's going on outside the ring.

He has some big expectations following behind Otoelene, but he's holding his own.  I think it's time for J to start riding him or else I've got myself another one.  (His excuse has been that he has had his coveralls on and  they are too bulky to ride in.)

Mini Roping Clinic

I had a record turnout for our 4-H meeting yesterday. Six, count them, six kids of 4-H age.  I know that doesn't sound like much but it is a 100% improvement over last month.  

 We had a team roper come and talk about roping; how to, types of ropes, safety,  training your horse and such.  (J wants me to point out that that is Brother in the background getting use to lots of activity.)

 Then he let the kids try roping the dummy.

 We found out there is an art to recoiling the rope.

 J even tried his hand at it.

 Cory, on the left, was more than a little dangerous to start with until we found out he was left handed.  Summer, on the right, is the daughter of the instructor and showed off her perfect form.

He ended by showing us how he desensitizes his horse to having a rope thrown off of it.  A good day and everyone learned a little something.

Just Kit Sunday #3

This weeks photo shoot took place at the hay bale lot. 

 "I am so handsome."

 "I am so athletic."

"I am so cool."
Kit does not have a self esteem problem.

And the Winner is...

"Snowflake", name submitted by Grandma.  

 I keep thinking about taking Snowflake and Frosty to the barn but it is so much more convenient to have them at the house while I'm feeding them 3 times a day.

 They stay in a large pet carrier in the garage at night and I've been letting them run around the yard during the day.

I am not too sure Emma is down with this new invasion into her territory.  But she is a very tolerant individual.
Kid count - 24 -

Fridays Fences #71

And day # 16 in a row for me posting on this blog.  That might be a record.

I did have to make a stretch into last month for the fence.  This is one E took during the snow storm we had in January.  I like the gate and fence in the background through the foreground fence.
Click HERE for more Fridays Fences.

Product Review - Ariat All Terrain Boots

Several years ago J got me a pair of Ariat boots for Christmas.  I didn't wear them much to start with because I always wore tennis shoes everywhere.  When I first tried to wear them they just felt to high and rubbed my ankle.  Finally, to make him happy I started wearing them more.  

Dare I say it, once again J was right.  Now I wear them all of the time, riding, hiking, farm work, shopping...  But I was getting worried that they might wear out.

 So I searched and found these.

I couldn't find the same grey color I liked but they seem identical in every other way.  They look too clean to wear.  I guess I will have to start with shopping and eating out before I take them endurance riding.

Name That Goat

Welcome to "Name That Goat."
The set of triples (all girls) that was born in as snow storm with temperatures in the teens all made it.  However, there mother doesn't have enough milk to raise them.  Two had gotten chilled and had to come to the house.

 The first one J named Frosty.   The name stuck right off.

This is how the second one looked.  She spent the night on the heating pad and I had to tube feed her twice.

Now she needs a name and I am not accepting Snowman as an entry.  Give it your best shot.  I've already had one called "The Other One," and I don't want to go there again.

Their little play pen won't keep them long, but it's easier to feed them more often when they are at the house.
Two more sets of twins yesterday.
Kid count - 22 -

Coming Home

The bred heifers are do to start calving before too long.  They were doing really well where they were  but it's 20 minutes from the house and J wanted to be able to keep a closer eye on them during calving.  It's also easier to get them up here if there is any trouble. 

 As usual, I hide while J tows them into the lot with a little hay.

 They still have some grass to pick and J's been feeding round bales but I guess a square bale is a treat.

 We had to make two trips to get them all.

 Kit wasn't around for this.

 But Emma, our official greeter, always likes to welcome the new residents.

 They are in pretty good shape for just pasture and hay.

It's amazing how much can come out of 20 heifers in a 20 minute trailer ride.
On the goat front, 3 more sets of twins, 2 singles and 2 sets of triplets.
Kid Count - 18

Judging Results

I took E to the Block & Bridle Horse Judging Contest Saturday.  She didn't really want to go but she has too much talent to waste sitting at home in the recliner.  On the scheduled they had all of the activities (judging and reasons) taking place at the arena.  Because E has done the contest several times before and I had no other kids there, I left to do some shopping and visiting during the performance and reasons part of the contest. 

Unfortunately, the scheduled was wrong.  They had moved the reasons to a building on campus.  E had to find a ride there.  She waited after she was done thinking I might find out about the change and come get her.  I however, was blissfully ignorant of any problems while I went to go vaccinate my sister's cat.   E then  had to walk over a mile in below freezing temperatures to grandma's house for her to then bring back to the arena.  

Needless to say, E was not happy.  She also thought she had done poorly in the contest. 

She only let me take one picture so here it is.
Results, 4th in halter
             2nd in performance
             3rd in reasons
             3rd overall.
It ended up being her best contest so far.  She said she should just care less more often.

Just Kit Sunday #2

I had a very successful week photographing Kit.

 After we had finished working with Brother on the trailer, Kit decided to inspect it.

 J didn't want to spring for a Farm Use tag so he just used a flipped the temporary cardboard tag around and painted on it.  I'm surprised it has lasted this long.  I think the sign describes Kit pretty well.  We haven't had near the mouse problem this year as last after we had lost Oreo.

 Do you think EBY would like this for and ad campaign?  "We haul anything, inside or out."

And my favorite - Majestic Kit -

Non Event

J had to take a cull cow to the market Thursday.  He decided to just leave the trailer out so we could work with Brother loading and unloading. 

 He hasn't been on a trailer since we brought him home and that was the first.   He is always curious and willing to check things out.

 What we have to watch with him is that he doesn't go on too strong.  We started by just letting him go in with his front feet then stopping to let him settle.

 Then back off,

 and on again with just the fronts a few more times.

 When he was slow and comfortable with that, we let him on all of the way.  I like how relaxed he is with his back leg cocked.

 He backed off like a seasoned pro, really checking for the ground and not getting nervous.  All of the backing exercises I've been doing with him are paying off.

 After all of that I wanted to measure him and he didn't want to get on the concrete.  Noisy, moving aluminum trailer is ok but not the stationary concrete.

After a few attempts he was going back and forth on that too.  Mission accomplished.  Not quite 2 years old and 14.2 hands.  He is already taller than Otoelene.
I'm with E at the Block and Bridle Horse Judging Contest today.  Hope she does well.  I don't think she's too thrilled about doing horse judging still, but it's too good of an opportunity to let pass. Maybe she'll thank me later.

Fridays Fence #70 Brace Posts

Wire fences need brace post either at corners, bends or long stretches.  

 Here is a sample of the bracing on a fence that came with the farm when we bought it 17 years ago.  I think the fence was fairly new then.

 It's held up ok but is a bit rustic.

Here is a sample of the brace posts we have put in.  It may not have the same character but let's hope it last longer.
For more fences click HERE.