Even More Staycation

 Despite this being the absolute slowest summer this blog has ever seen, I'm still wondering how it's September already. Also, how is it possibly time for NFL games? And halloween candy?

 It's not even like I've been super fast paced in real life this summer. I've taken so many vacation hours and had a lot of very slow days. I'm at that sweet spot where I have worked in the same place long enough not to be completely sick of it, but also to have what feels like a never ending amount of paid vacation earned. 

The sun is setting again before I'm done evening feedings. I'm sad. But it's been summer temperatures and cooler nights so I can't be too sad!

 

After dinner swimming includes sunsets now

Good night

Good Morning! The turnout parade

The crew had their last week in their summer field. We mowed it last Tuesday. The grass is already coming back with the overnight dew so I’m hoping they will be able grab a few extra days here and there until rainy season comes and it gets too muddy.

They made the best of it because somehow their gate got opened and they escaped. Luckily the property owners and some of the neighbours are wonderful and returned them to their field before I even got there. My friend's farm where Sophie was boarded a couple of winters ago is across the street, so she gravitated towards there and took her little minions with her. This is why despite it seeming very unlikely the gate could be opened by an equine, I am not ruling it out - she has been wanting to visit her old friends and has motive for the crime.

My to do list for my most recent 'vacation' was extensive, as always. I'm finishing restaining the exterior of the house, and we are FINALLY picking up the kitchen cabinets. Our move in date is going to be about a year behind schedule at this point. Luckily no crazy contractor or house reno gone wrong tales to tell, the problem is just me, vastly overestimating how much free time I really have. I do enjoy all the house repairs and improvements, so there's additional reticence on my part to hand it over and hire help. Maybe I should make time by hiring someone to do the stuff I hate (anyone want to cook my dinner for me every night?lol Clean my house?) but then I think of all the hay bales that money would buy.

And two yearling colts eat A LOT of bales of hay. Like at least a 50lb bale a day. I seriously did not consider this when ordering my winter hay - I guess the cob mares I’ve had have been far less active because even full grown they’re more in the 15lb a day range. We’ve refilled the barn this week and I’m prepared, but still hoping they’ll slow down a little. They’re not overweight so I guess for now  they’re burning it all growing up (and running around like crazy ponies all day)

 

On the horse “training” side of things, it has evolved that husband G and I entertain ourselves with evening pony challenges, the results of which are often hilarious. The challenges can be anything, the only “rule” being G gets to pick which pony he wants to try to “win” with and I get the other. The boys actually love it. They’re so people oriented and curious about the world they’re pretty happy to participate in our dumb games.

We are currently in the middle of a 3 part 'pony show' challenge - night one was a super simple halter pattern that involved trotting in hand. Far, far too exciting for Mr Bakari and there were more airs above the ground than trot steps so we had to concede the win to G and Tradey :)  Bakari redeemed himself in the halterless fly spray application and show grooming challenge later in the week - Tradey needed bribery to stand still and had poop on his sock - the judges were horrified, lol. The tie breaker challenge has yet to be decided but I think will involve something Working Equitation obstacle inspired. The suspense is killing you, I'm sure.

Future challenge: Teach them to come reliably when called ? Tradey would probably win but Buck is a strong underdog contender, remember cheating is allowed so I could fill a pocket with treats and increase my odds.

On a more serious note, my wonderful endurance riding farrier friend has some creative non treed saddle ideas for Sophie (any riding is better than none and I'm done with spending money on futile saddle fitting for us) so I will let you know how that goes and what, if any, set up I end up using. She's a pretty spicy pony so a saddle would be more ideal than a glorified bareback pad, but also initial testing is promising as far as comfort and being secure enough to start thinking outside the ring. I'm also optimistic she's matured a lot in the last year and the shenanigans are fewer (or maybe the chaos twins are just setting the bar super low for everyone?)

I mean she’s barely sassy anymore

Actually it’s nothing but quiet horses here in general

Never fear, I’ve put aside Bridget’s saddles and a couple of others that seem suitably cobby, so let’s hope when the time comes we will have saddles for these two without too much pain and bank account stress. 

Even More Photos

Me again, over here being about 0% interesting this summer. Still working hard, doing all the boring non glamourous things, and hoping it will pay off later. 

Luckily, I have baby ponies. Even simply spending their days out in a field, they have ways of making things interesting. They're very, very busy creatures. 

It's going to be fun to see what their energy levels look like as adults - despite the fact they're both pretty easy to be around, it's hard to imagine them being respectable equine citizens one day when the levels of ridiculous are currently this high.

I left the door cracked while I was in the front part past the grain bins and Tradey came charging in like he owned the place, pushing the door open and trotting right up around that corner that currently has about 3' of space, max. He then calmly proceeded to make a giant mess of the place trying to extricate himself. At least nothing phases him, but also a little caution and self preservation wouldn't hurt!

Buck has enough caution for the pair of them, but look! That's his little bum loading and standing in the trailer all by himself again the other day. 

I'm failing a bit at resolving some of the herd bound issues. It's fun that everyone is happy to leave the others, but on the downside, no one is happy being left behind, even with a friend. One of the big downsides to having horses at home that I didn't fully consider. I'm stressed out too because the whinnying and carrying on is disruptive to the neighbours. 

Sophie says it's a love/hate kind of thing, for sure

Having them at home they get so used to their core group and my routine that it's not hard to upset them. Where with a busier barn and more horses and comings and goings which horse is exactly where at any given time seems too be less of a worry for them.

In an effort to do more things and still be a good neighbour I was looking at three horse trailers the other day, but I don't think I want three horses here long term and taking them all everywhere together isn't solving anything, so I don't know.

The nice thing about babies is that I have a year or two to figure it all out. Coordinating a few positive off property experiences here and there and leaving them alone the rest of the time to grow up is a valid approach, right?

Haven't included her patented pose for a while :)

Last night's thunderstorms incoming - the rain is much needed! Fingers crossed there is enough rain to revive the neighbours field so they can have a couple more months of grazing over there. Grateful for the space at home, but as you can see from the previous pictures they enjoy every inch of the extra room to run in their big field.

Summer Mood

Mostly a photo dump of the week's happenings. For the most part it's been sunny and (too) warm so I tend to do all things horses or outdoor work in the mornings and evenings.

This deer wandering by while G and I took an afternoon shade break. Not unusual for her to be around, she comes up to drink the horse's water and hang out in the shade too.

But this time when she went back out she left her little fawn in the bushes next to where we were sitting. I guess we passed the babysitting test? It worked, because I was paranoid about that baby being unbothered and safe all day. Momma didn't come back to get him/her until almost dark.

These guys have been at the neighbour's almost every day, performing their usual stunts and shenanigans

The bitey game is still strong

We stacked a lot of hay this week, I managed to fit almost 100 bales in what was originally supposed to be a stall and little tack/feed room. Feels good to have the barn full though!

Also took a trip to the sawmill. I'm lucky that's more of an annual thing. They save a couple of giant 500ish lb bags of sawdust for us when it's dry in the summer and those last most of the year for us. Sophie gets a big pile that lasts at least 6 months at a time since she only uses it as a bed. The boys get a couple of wheelbarrows a day since they trash their place nightly :)

Sophie's got a bit too chunky this summer, something I thought I'd never say

I've been using her old adjustable saddle with an xxw plate in it,  longeing and long lining with the intent of gradually getting her back to some form of shape that isn't round, after having most of the spring and summer off.

Non work afternoons also filled with beach visits

 Hawaii Mars last flight. A lifetime ago I lived in a little cottage on Vancouver Island next to the bomber base and these were anchored in the lake just off our dock and such a huge part of life there. Off to an aviation museum as a static display yesterday, but some coastal communities were treated to a final fly past and she's just as big and loud as she ever was <3

Back to the ponies. The boys are suddenly visually approaching Sophie size.

Looking more adult like from the right angle

Direct compare of Buck and Sophie

How is he so wide already? I'm going to have fun saddle shopping for this one a few years from now.

The ponies come in when the street lights come on:)

Grooming at 9:30pm with some daylight left, wish that could be a year round thing.

Good night ponies! I kind of like my backyard these days

All tucked in with bed time snacks