Kids and Equine

Yesterday I did...  another 'Thing'.

I brought home 2 youngsters for a visit. Remember my visit with my coach's kids and their little pony in July?

Ponies and little girls...

Well today I got to have them for a few hours after CrossFit and Mobility Class. 

The girls are 7 and 9. They wanted to meet my mules and ride.

I will let this video speak for itself.

It is 2:39 long. The older sister has some experience and the younger sister is gaining confidence with her sisters help.

Both girls did very well!

The girls had a great time and even enjoyed visiting with Rich. Rich watched from the house and complimented them on their riding.

After a late lunch, we went for a hike in the woods to check the mule's forest fence and the girl's spent some time on my home made swing.

The youngest one fell sound asleep on our ride back to town where I returned them to their mom.

I'd forgotten how fun it is to have younguns around to 'play' with.

We'll probably arrange for another visit soon or make it a once a month thing. I could really enjoy that and these kids were polite, sweet, engaging, kind, and very well behaved. Kudos to mom!

Fat Bottomed Girls

 ...you make the rocking world go round...

I have no idea why that came to mind. Do you ever get a song stuck in your head?

This tune did and I hummed it while getting Sunshine ready for a forest adventure.

That butt! It makes me laugh! Sunshine inherited some of her mom's body shape and most of her Dad's common sense. 

I pulled the britchen over her butt and started humming about Fat Bottomed Girls. I kept it up throughout our adventure into PeeWee's Woods. 

At one time it was a breeze to ride through my neighbor's land. There were great cow trails and the underbrush was grazed by his wild and crazy beefers. His cattle were experts and jumping barbed wire fences or ducking in between the wires.

For about 5 years after my neighbor died and they removed the cattle..., I was still able to ride the old trails. 

Then the 4 wheelers came and made some nice trails but they were not supposed to be ripping up the property. I gave up a lot of riding because their load machines were out there so often. However, I road at dawn when I knew they wouldn't be out.

Now those guys were kicked out and Mother Nature has been wicked at taking over.

I thought Sunshine and I'd take the driveway out to the snowmobile trail and head into the valley.

In the shot below there is a young doe eating in the soy bean field. She is on the curve so the photo probably won't show her. We nearly walked right up to her before she bolted.

Sunshine saw her before I did. Love those large ear signals.

I didn't take any shots going through the cropland because it was tricky enough to avoid the plants. The 'snowmobile trail' was somewhere under Parsnip plants that were as tall as we were. 

We made it to the woods 'entrance' where the cattle gate used to be. 

Sunshine is not a mule to hurry along and frankly I wasn't in a hurry. She knows this trail by heart. We've been travelling it for nearly 20 years together. 

She is watching a buck that was watching us.

We headed down the long hill.

I'll stop for a moment and take a trip back in time to 2008. My husband is riding Sunshine with 2 yr old Dennis in front and I am on Badger with Ariel behind me.

We are in PeeWee's valley.

Here is what it looks like today.

However, Sunshine knew where the trail should be so she didn't hesitate except to shoulder her way through the tall weeds. I totally had a minor freak out because I was slapping Parsnip with my shoulders.

The creek appeared to us when we stepped down into it. Well, I should say, SHE knew it was there before I did. We had an awkward moment where her front end was in the creek and the hind legs were on the bank.

She had a notion that the grass that was in her face was worthy of her attention.

Tilt! So glad for the britchen.

Once we got back into the forest, the trail was a bit clearer except for the downed trees.

This was the best part of our ride. We were in the dips and doodles section. We had two dry runs to cross and a steep climb. True to her mule-ness, she just did her thing. 

I was so tickled with her performance after her butt-headed-ness the other day.

We got into the oak/maple forest section and went hunting for mushrooms or other cool stuff. I took her to the Hugging Tree for this  cell phone shot:

We then headed back out to the gravel road to get the mail and go home.

Sorry if this sounds like I am bragging on my old gal, but she lifted my heart and made me sing.

I'd figured I'd have to give up riding, but it seems that maybe I can eek out some nice little rides to warm my soul. 

I know for sure that the valley trail along the creek is out of the question at least until there has been a killing frost.

My other Fat Bottomed Girl will be taking me out later this evening for a stroll. 

Not that newsworthy...

I live in a mini house. It is a cottage. The top photo is Charlie on our love seat recliner that we inherited nearly 20 years ago. His toys are strewn in that little hallway that leads into the other 'half' of the house. That is the kitchen/dining area that actually has a nice plank floor on it. 

The living area has old carpeting in it. It is nasty, dusty, and of course it has been through more than one puppy if you get my drift. When we remodeled, it was supposed to be pulled out and replaced. Hubby said he'd do it.

The photo with my feet in it is a sample of the new flooring I am finally winning approval for. I brought home samples of linoleum flooring that looks like wood planking. Frankly, I do like the planking on the kitchen floor but this cushy flooring I have as a sample is the same as what is in my bathroom. It is CUSHY! There is a huge difference in the feel of it when I walk across the planking vs the bathroom floor.

Personally I found some awesome 'rock' looking flooring but hubby wanted something that looked like wood.

I had several samples and he picked the old reddish barnwood flooring look. I agree, it is the better choice.

I was told that I didn't want sheet flooring, it would look stupid. But I expect since I will hire an expert to put it in, it will look nice. Bonus points for the fact that the flooring people will remove and dispose of the old rug and underlayment. Sure it will cost me, but I've been saving for it. 

Once that dusty old carpet is removed, I will be very happy. A stick vacuum and a mop will be easier.. well, I think.

AND!

He agreed to go with me to look at a replacement for the loveseat. Yep, my house is too tiny to have a full couch. At once time I wished to have a day bed. But I like putting my feet up at the end of the day. Plus it can only measure something like 67 inches to fit where I want it.

The very last project I want to do internally is put up floorboard trim. However that is not a hot issue. 

My outdoor work is continuing.

Pulling Burdock and chopping down Elderberry bushes that have taken over like crazy.

These nasty yet tasty things grow everywhere and by midsummer completely shade the grass out.

The shoots look harmless enough, but they grow by seed and extend by root shoots. They are less harmful than the Buckthorn but just as hard to get rid of.

So I work with a reciprocating saw and pull the shoots as they appear all year long.

It is a constant battle and eventually I will give up when I am older or no longer have equine.

In the photo below there is an Elderberry shoot with its LONG root extended next to a regular sized rake. Just wow....

And here is a section I have worked on now for almost two years to keep clear.

And this is why I do it.

Lazy bums!

The elder mule Fred with Mica who has breathing and heart issues. They are so happy to be with the others right now.

So there it is. 

Not very news worthy, but my week so far.

I will take the rest of the week off from hacking, chopping, piling, and burning.

There is a trail calling my name in KVR.

Soulmates

The horse that started it all. Her name was Cheyanne and I purchased her for about $400 green broke. I was green broke too. She taught me so much about equine. She was super sensitive to human attitudes. 
Her awareness of her rider's mental state was hypersensitive.

She did a stint in 4 H with Horseless Horse riders and went to state with a rider. 

Unfortunately that atmosphere was not her forte. She did well but stressed out so badly especially when her rider came out of the arena and started to slap Chey because she didn't get first place. 
The rider blamed Cheyanne. Interestingly enough the rider's mother came up to me and complained that I should have made them do better and they would win next year.

I asked the rider to dismount and told mom that her daughter would never touch my horse again.

I ended up moving from the Kenosha area out to the western part of the state. 

I started riding mules and Cheyanne was bred to our Jack. Her first daughter, Sunshine has that floating trot that Chey had. Cheyanne was 1/2 Arab and 1/2 Quarter horse. We never were quite sure which breed would show up while riding her. If we had really tough trails, she would be calm. If it was boring, she would look for monsters. That was Chey.

Rich purchased a big tall lanky mule for me in Missouri out of our Jack. His name was Badger. If ever I had a soulmate in equine form, Badger was it.

I had to finish 'training' him and by doing that, I learned so much more about mules and their loyalties. We showed in Western Pleasure, played at Gymkhana, and explored wild woods nearly every day together.

The man who 'started' Badger under saddle said he was worthless and no good. He didn't have heart and sulled out all of the time. 

Badger was 15 hands and thought he was tiny. For the rest of his life he did not tolerate big male people. 

He even tried Endurance Riding with me. We never won anything, but we always passed vet checks with a great score card.

He adored little people.

We lost Badger in 2012 and I struggled to find another soul mate. 

Sunshine is Badger's half sister out of Cheyanne without the Cheyanne attitude. We also had Siera a Peruvian Paso mule with an amazing attitude. 

Sunshine is steady. She has had her moments, but has turned into one of the best wild wood mounts I've ever had. She is small enough to go morel hunting with, easy on and off, and confident in solo riding.

Siera is an amazing ride. On the flat she can gait out like nothing I've ever ridden. She is calm when she has company and a bit nervous solo. She rarely gets bothered if her rider doesn't understand what they are doing. She just stops what she is doing and waits.
Best thing of all, when she is frightened she just stands there. Siera is the ultimate in lazy.

At first I thought Siera would be my next pure mule soulmate. 

The more I interact with my mules, the more I have discovered that Sunshine, that little red mule that everyone laughed at...has become my little darling. 

Every day at chore time. She comes and stands before me and waits for me. She is kind and attentively listens to my daily troubles and offers only her friendship.

She never runs away from me when I have a halter.

She is like her half brother. True through and through. 

My beautiful redhead.

There I go ... Memory Lane. Mules, horses, life, and love.

I can't wait to go riding again!

I may have take Siera or Sunshine out when the weather warms up and do some snow play.

Have a great day.

Be Chilled My Heart

I don't do Valentine's Day. But that is okay, I don't have a grudge against it, I just don't buy into it anymore.

So everyone loves to talk about weather. -15F translates into -26C? I never understood why we don't all use the same measurements. But that is for another day.
I know others are much colder. And I looked at the forecast for us. -17 tonight and Monday? Oh bother.

I measured the temp in the shed yesterday, because it actually felt a bit colder. It wasn't but it was out of the sun so that made it feel so much colder inside.

This is how the girls spend their afternoons. I get obsessed by worrying if they are warm enough. 
Everyone gets about twice the amount of hay during this cold spell. And thankfully, no one is showing signs of cold. 

When I had a place in the flat lands of Kenosha, I had to have a run in for my horses. There was no place for the equine to get out of the wind. 

I am literally going stir crazy inside. It is too dangerous to go hiking even if I get out of the winds. I'm wearing a mask, over the glasses goggles, and a fur lined hat. The secret of keeping warm hands?

My Grandmother's hand made knit mittens with a pair of little knit gloves underneath.

Grandma's Secret Weapon
Knit Mittens

I tried the insulated gloves that are called HotShots and every other high tech glove. Nothing. works like mittens. I've even been able to open gates with them on. If I have to put a halter on someone, I do have to pull the mitten off.

Watering has become a nightmare. The hoses work well and drain from the top of the hill at the outside hydrant. In the past, when we had these cold temps, Rich would help me drain hoses after disconnecting them. With subzero temps and one person, the draining doesn't work as well.

[Yes, one time the outdoor hydrant froze up. That was once in 30+ years. A year when we had no ground cover but subzero temps for an extended period of time.]

Mittens crossed that I don't have to fill the tank until Monday afternoon? With a high of 3 degrees, I may be able to get 'er done. 

Oh and for the curious. The mailman DID show up! His huge Jeep with knobby snow/mud tires could handle just about anything thrown at him. So now that he knows where the house is, I wonder if he'll make deliveries next time. 

I spoke with him this summer at the post office and he told me he couldn't find our house. True Story.

So for those who celebrate, Happy Valentine's Day.

For me? Just a daily outdoor chore challenge and then a day of walking about this tiny cottage waiting for a chance to get out and hike.

Stir Crazy.

Goat, Pony, Fence, Dew, Mules

That about sums it up.

Sven got a new lot and I put Mr. Pony Baloney...Lil Richard in with him as an experiment. Lil Richard used to be an escape artist but I've found that putting him an electric fence with a third line keeps him from going under the fence.
Likewise, I had so much trouble keeping Sven in any mule fence. He would just duck under the hot wire.

I can't mow this section because it is a hill and it is littered with huge rocks. I needed to be cautious and not cause erosion so Lil Richard will make visits and Sven will have the run of the area in the summer.
He is a grazing animal and has suddenly become infatuated with the pony.

However, he is also respecting the fence. The only time Sven got out was when he and Lil Richard were playing 'tag'. Since then it has been very peaceful. I'm happy I can have Sven earn his keep!

I fenced in this section of the 'yard'. It is a pain to mow. And it was used for hay storage for round bales for years. It also is a place for Mystical Things that Hubby keeps that are stored and forgotten. Like the Tractor he had and parked next to the fence in 2015. I didn't fence in his mom's car, the old tractor or the manure spreader [that has become part of the landscape]. There is still room to use Lil Richard to keep down the grasses around them.

But now the mules can eat the good stuff out of this area and I can run the mower over the weeds to keep it tidy.

Yesterday morning was one of those incredible misty mornings we often get in the 'Driftless' Region of Wisconsin.
The early morning is absolutely incredible.

It is time to trim up these mules and get back to riding now that all the Spring Fence work is done.

The fog and the dew was rather incredible. I do love early mornings!

Today it is overcast but it is supposed to be warm. Rich mowed yard yesterday. The first time he has felt good enough in 3 years to actually mow!

Today I'm taking a break with my Hiking Buddy, Bill. I'm going to show him Black Hawk Rock.

So.
Even with the Covid-19 threat, our CrossFit Coach has come up with a plan that I can modify work outs and do them at home with items I have here.
I'll write about that later.
Right now I have to go work out and report back to my Coach.
Just call me happy!
I'm back at it.

The only draw back is I don't have the music they played in the gym.

Continuing...

We remain in self isolation.

Our State Supreme Court tossed out the 'Stay at Home' order and most areas are not enforcing any of the rules that were imposed. Suggesting to use masks are still recommended except by those who have decided that masks are a political statement or some such thing.
Social Distancing was still being respected [with masks] at the two stores I stopped at Sunday morning.

When I stopped for gas, it looked like pre - pandemic era. No masks, everyone milling around inside the gas station, no sneeze guards for the cashiers, no distancing [the place is small], and the general chaos that ensues in these places.
Since I hadn't purchased gas in nearly 4 weeks, I was surprised.

I won't go back to that store unless it is immediately after opening.

Enough of that...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've been busy as a ... well, an ant!

Seems I am a fence builder. Yesterday I spent the entire afternoon making two more lots for Sven and Lil Richard to keep the grass and weeds in check. Last year I staked them out in those areas but I find that if the goat is in a lot with the pony he is far more content and will eat the thistles and burdock while the pony takes care of the grass.

This is an area behind the little red shed that is a tough one to hand mow. Sometimes I just resort to the weed whacker, but I hope the pony and goat can keep it under control. This isn't a good spot for a lot but it is an area that I hope to find a good use for other than growing grass. It is shady most of the day so it makes a good alternative for Lil Richard and Sven to spend hot days here in the shade!

I had half a mind the other day to just put a wire across the driveway and one around the house and let everyone loose.
We've done that before, I believe that was when gas prices were so high and for whatever the reason the yard had gotten out of hand [I'd had shoulder surgery!]

I just recall that using the equine was a great alternative.

However, having my laundry hung out with a donkey around...well....

That didn't work out so well.


Another gloomy day is in store for us and I can finish up the lot for the pony .. and then work on another section for the mules. We had such a dry early spring that the pastures need more time to recoup from where I let the mules out earlier.