Show Results

J drove me and E to an open horse show today.  There was a good turnout with a wide variety of horses. 

 E started out in Showmanship with Pep.

 She got First.

 She also got first in her trail class.  Pep is a pro at the bridge.

 She didn't place in the Juvenile Go As You Please.  There were 18 in that class.  But she came back and got 4th in Juvenile Western Pleasure.  No problems loping on this surface unlike the Bland show where it was deep gravel.

 V is in Northern Virginia working out with the State 4-H Horse Judging Team so it was left to me to show Hank again.  I remembered the gloves and helmet cover this time but I had my number upside down for 2 classes before J told me.

Hank acted super.  We were 3rd in Adult Go As You Please, 4th in Hunter Under Saddle (a lead bobble), 5th in St. Jude Go As You Please (proceeds going to St. Jude), then we got everything together and got 1st in Open Hunter Under Saddle.  I'll count this one as a success.

Nap Time

I found Kit Kat napping in the shop on Jessica's saddle pad.  He really is the sweetest cat and he likes to find comfortable resting places. 

 "What?  Who's that?"

 "I don't think I got my nap out."

"I ready now.  Where's the mouse?!"

More or Hopefully Less Thistles

We've been busy spot spraying thistles again this spring.  

 V sprayed some a couple of weeks ago and those are starting to die.

 This field that I worked on last year is not near as bad as before.

 We've been using a 15 gallon sprayer on the back of the 4-wheeler.  I sprayed out 5 tanks yesterday.

 I like the spot spraying because the spray kills clover too and you can see how much clover we have right now.

 But some areas just seem hopeless.   I've been just driving through the middle then standing up on the seat of the 4-wheeler and spraying as far as I can reach.

This section has never been sprayed before.  Maybe I'll get it beat back after a couple of years.

Friend Day

E's friend Ashton was over today and wanted to go riding.  Her last experience here had been on Hank the Wonder Horse so she wanted to try something a little less bouncy.  

 So of course E picked out Pep.

 After a little lounging Pep joined up with Ashton.

 A little help from the bucket never hurts.

 Not having ridden much before Ashton wanted to be led first.

 She quickly graduated to circles in the round pen and the walk, jog and lope.

 They decided to ride outside.  I suggested ponying Pep with Hank.  E practiced first because she had never ponied before.

 One loop around the barn,

and I turned them loose.  I think everyone had a good time.  Maybe we can get Ashton to show in a beginner class at our next show.

Yard Work

Today was a beautiful day to work in the yard. (and to ride Otoelene afterwards)  J had mentioned that he thought the nandina needed to be pruned.  They have really thrived in this location.  I started these from some runners off of a short hedge in the yard.  That hedge has never gotten half this tall.  

 Anyway, after a you tube video this is the pile I ended up with.

 It said there wasn't really a good time to prune.  You either lose the berries or the flowers that make the berries.

 I could probably trim out more but I didn't want to send it into shock.

 I should have taken a before on this tree.  I can't remember for the life of me what it is.  I think it came from a group for free  twigs trees from the Arbor Day Foundation.  It has been looking like a shrub until this year then it went wild.

 I've been trimming off the little inside branches to make the trunk visible.

 Any ideas on what it is?

 The roses and coral bells are in full bloom.

 These lillies that I got for mother's day several years ago are very prolific.  Some of the stalks have over 12 blooms.

And I can't believe the purple cone flower is already blooming.  What is going to be left for fall?

Friday's Work

As I mentioned before, we worked another group of cattle yesterday.  J does a lot of prep work to make it easier on the rest of us.

 He already had the cattle in a smaller field near the barn.  V decided she would try out Hank for the cattle drive.  She got along fine with him.

 That left me and E on foot while J called them at the gate.

 He already had set up the portable electric fence to make a lane to the barn.  Once again, it was pretty painless.

 V did an excellent job on the head gate. This one is a little easier to work than the one from Tuesday.

 E doesn't like all of the bawling so she wore earplugs.

 I was the official eartagger and tail holder.  J didn't get kicked once.

 We would work a group of cows first then the calve.  The cows would wait at the door waiting for their calf to come out.  It took 6 hours from start to finish for 70 pairs.  I think we need to look into a different holding pen and chute system to make things work smoother once we get them in the barn.
Anyway, that's one more chore out of the way.

Fridays Fences

Everybody loves Sissy.  Well, maybe not J so much.  There is no way to keep her out of the barn so she has been getting into everything.  Since we were working the cattle in there today, Sissy had to be locked up. 

Her sentence was only 6 hours then she was released for good behavior.  Check out other pictures of a fence or through a fence at Life according to Jan n Jer.