TGIF

Soon I'll have made it through the workweek. I mostly enjoy my job but performance review time is a stress. But I got my summary written up wed night and it didn't feel so bad. A Rx in the tropical western pacific is behaving weirdly and the help I got was 'google manual pages' well that worked -if I had gotten that in a quick email I'd have been content. I got it orally at a meeting from the person I thought was the expert and would just know - or would have the manual ready to hand since he bought systems! Tone implied I was so lazy for not googling myself as he said "I will google and find the manual pages" The Rx is owned by our rich sister/parent group with the satellite project --they haven't missed the data yet let alone offer any help even though they set it up, but at least last night when I emailed the boss he said its important and they want to replace it if need be, BUT 'all their reserves for fiducial sites are being spent on ground stations' ????? Other agencies are supposed to be funding and providing those stations to collect the data from the SV's.

Oh well at least I rode yesterday morning, just 4 miles but I went down the hill on rd 35 1/2 mile and back up after going down 6 along the irrigation ditch and back up that hill. I think Shade is fitting up already and she has started shedding, spring cannot be far behind.

Hrumph day

Is that a good word for a wednesday where you feel like blech? Actually I snapped out of it pretty well now. Zinc lozenges can kill more than just cold virii, they also help chase away foul moods I guess. I did shut the gate so my horses are confined to their roughly acre sized paddock and the grass has a chance to grow if we get more dabs of moisture. I also hauled V's tire feeder over from the pen where I had Sadie and Shak last summer and threw it on the rubber belting in her horse's pen, took down the bottom strand of electric on that side and tied the tire feeder to the fence. I could not deal with the always tipped over old water tank any longer. Those greedy geldings are breaking the fence down more, we have to get the top electric working again or put some boards or something. But mom is going to have to get off her sickbed and tend to it I don't have time now and I wont make time when its not for my horses. I need to ask mom to make calls and arrange for a gelding party SOON. I'll pay for V's minis and she can give me lessons this spring/summer to pay me back. I hope she doesn't back out on gelding when it changes from "I'm ready to do it but don't have the $ to this offer"

Did snow a bit last night

So I REALLY need to get my gate closed so the pasture has some chance to grow a dab of grass amongst the weeds. I got my electric hooked up sunday, just want to tape around my connections to make sure they stay since I used some insulated wire with copper strands to make it easier to connect w/o shorting out on the corral panel between them. LOL that is barely sensible to me, oh well its not like this 'blog' gets read by anyone else. Then I need to hike down and close my gate and turn on the juice. I was overheating in a snowsuit today and could not bring myself to move. The snow's probably all melted now so I won't overdress to keep dry tomorrow. I don't feel as much like I'm getting a cold as yesterday either so knock wood the latest virus will not get to me. I wont ride until thursday I think. Have to check forecast and find out if I may need to squeeze a ride in on the good day in spite of the schedule at the office.

I wish it was still weekend

In lieu of a proper conditioning log I'll note here that I rode Shade 6 miles saturday and 8 miles sunday. I love my little bay mare. Her trot did feel smoother so I can say I noticed a difference after the chiro work. We felt lazy on saturday and it was 60 on sunday, pretty warm for me in my sweatshirt so since Shade still has her winter coat so we did lots of walking with some trot and canter stretches. GreyMoun is tired of doing belly lifts already I think. I dropped to asking him for only 2 seconds holding, seems a bit better. I did a coupe on Shade just loose in the pen and I think she was holding it after I released --didn't realize at first and thought ' dang she wont give me a 2nd lift with just using my fingers' and then when I stroked her back she relaxed. Sadie squirt was running around this morning in the wind. Few flakes of snow as I did the graining and then nothing all day. Wonder if we'll get some snow tonight. We could use some wet snow, its extra dry this winter.

Equine Chiro came this morning

I had an equine chiropractor out today. That lightend my wallet nicecly :P But I really liked Dr Judy. I had her check Sadie out and she didn't charge for that. She adjusted Duke first. Our retired guy that was a lesson horse, she kept saying how cute he was I guess he is in a fuzzy teddy bear way. He's the first to start shedding this year. At least its a good sign that he is NOT cushings.

Duke has a bad stifle injury that happened last summer and I figured he might have some chiro complications from that. Dr J found he was very locked up on the left side (its the R stifle.) She adjusted his pelvis and back and neck. Duke didn't like the neck work or the tail pulling for the pelvis but he was happy and licking at how he felt after each step. I told Dr J he is on 3 bute/week and Eq. Recovery for stifle and she said he's doing pretty well to only need that amount of bute. If he continues happy I may try to take him off the bute for my riding season. Then I wont have to worry that I'm going to trigger a positive with Shade from contamination if we should actually be tested. But they changed the rules so that a trace amount should not be considered a violation and except for my stirrer I'm already keeping things separated so if Duke needs his bute he'll get it.

Then Sadie got checked. She was more suspicious than I expected. She loves me rubbing her but she was not sure about Dr Judy. Luckily she didn't need any work and she wasn't really wild, just evasive especially for checking her poll. Judy likes polish arabians, luckily and was pretty tolerant. Next came Grey Moun. I should have got before and after pictures. Grey is sway-backed and having been totally off riding since his tendon bow he was extra droopy. Dr J explained how his conformation sets up the L6 (if memory is right) to get out alignment; and she did the tail pulling on him too. Wow it very noticably flattened the angle of Grey's croup and raised his back at least an inch. I also have homework to do belly lifts and butt scruntches on him to
strengthen those back muscles. I've been giving Grey separate feed anyway with some goop for his tendon so I will be good and do his homework at least for the time being. I am pretty bad about keeping up with things like that or general stretches but if I see results I'll keep on.

Then I brought Shade out. I had warned Judy that Shade might be the wild child to work on, but I was surprised how resistant Shade was to even walk up to where Dr J was waiting. She even kept pausing in chewing her horse treat. Judy elected to skip standing on the block with Shade, since Shade was so suspicious and evasive, luckily Shade did not need much done on her back or pelvis; but she was locked up in her scapulae and apparently it felt good to get release, she was deciding that Dr J was not so bad and she was not perfect but was less resistant for the neck work than the geldings had been, especially the last side. She really liked how much better she felt afterwards. I have homework to rotate her upper front legs in circles when I pick feet (probably more often since I skip feet picking a lot when its dry) and do do belly lifts with her too; but Dr Judy said she is in good shape. She said Shade is nicely balanced in her conformation. Which I knew but its fun to hear.

So I have some happy horses and I am happy that no issues were found and we are not scheduling a set of visits. Dr J said I might want to have Shade manipulated again when she is performing hard this summer. But after the wallet recovers I think I'll schedule Dr Judy back out this spring to give Cindy, CJ, RazzMo and AJ check overs and may have her work on Duke again to see how he's holding adjustments with that stifle. Hopefully mom gets feeling better and will want to have AJ tuned up and they can take some more jumping lessons. Mom was down today -- I guess I understand cuz its the pits to be sick, especially with something causing facial pain for so long, but OTOH I have limited sympathy because I find it extremely frustrating that she seemingly will only try 'western medicine' to try to feel better. ITS NOT WORKING. She thinks she's getting relief from one treatment --faulty bridgework out or antibiotics and then something crops up and she is miserable again. I am trying to nudge her to think about 'alternative treatments' -TCM, chiro, new carpet even; but not very hard because we are both stubborn & I don't want to get her digging in her heels --of course trying to stay on that narrow beam is a bit of stress in itself for me. Thank goodness for the horses.

Never trust the forecast

It was quite nice this morning. I did take a quick short ride of 4 miles on Shade. 4 miles is so much better then none, but I wish I had committed to a longer ride to make sure I set my alarm last night -normally I double check it and its on; and plus I would have made myself move faster this morning if I woke up with 'need to get a 6-7 mile ride in to take advantage of this nice sunny morning.'   Oh well, Live and learn. I'll have to get in a mindset of committing to being ready for a longer ride whenever I might get the chance. I'm such a bad blogger for pictures so here is one of Shade from a ride memorial weekend 2007.

Not liking the forecast for tomorrow morning

It probably wont be actually storming but its supposed to be overcast and damp; that tends to turn me wimpy even when the thermometer has a number that is not all THAT low. Oh well monday was much nicer than they were forecasting on sunday so perhaps the sun will come out and I'll take a little ride. Friday the chiro I called is coming at 10:30. So I COULD take a short ride before she comes if its nice and thursday morning was icky. Whatever will be will be. I told her 4 horses so now I have to decide whether to have her work on Duke or Cindy. I'm kind of leaning towards Duke. I don't think Sadie or Grey have actual issues (or Shade either although sometimes she feels a little funky when we've been riding a while so SHE is getting checked out since I have riding goals with her this year; and I'd like to have Sadie gone over since I did not do it after the physical stress of being born and dads 'help' wrangling her that first week when I was putting desitin on her bum. I did not give him a big lecture about "Don't set up any yanks on her head/neck if you can help it" guess I should have. And I would like to have Grey checked out from his tendon bowing trips and the injury. I don't think Cindy has issues other than the sidebone so probably not anything for chiro to fix and I know Dukes stifle is not going to be fixed any by chiro work but he had such a hitch in his gait and still has some so he might be out of whack from it. TIme to start wresting with the graphing program now though.

chocolate must be working

I was cranky and had a head-ache this morning. Could not decide if one caused the other or anything. I perhaps drank way too many cinnamon teas yesterday or just not enough water, or perhaps just have the tuesday blues. I don't know why but tuesday after a monday holiday is usually harder than a monday. I guess because the things I should get done in a week didn't drop by 20%. Also need to write up the yearly activity summary for work. I hate doing those. But I am feeling better now. Still a bit stuffed up so perhaps we'll blame the headache on sinus congestion and crankiness on headache. Its nice to have a scapegoat lol. And luckily I didn't unload on anyone while I was cranky. Not sure if its all V-day goodies the recipients didn't want or what but there is an abundance of various candies, mostly chocolates at the office today. Thank goodness we don't have that all the time, Shade would be groaning. Which brings up yesterdays summary.

I was moving slow in the morning. Finally caught Shade for a ride, come in the house and mom is in agony from sinus pressure. She called her oral surgeon since she'd had an infected implant removed about 1.5 weeks ago. Was so dramatic that I asked if she needed me to drive her to dr. No straight answer of course, so I said, well I'll take a quick ride then and you should know when I get back. So we did a quick 4 mile ride. Mom had decided she was fine to drive. I didn't argue since I wanted to do some fencing and pen cleaning. Well the fencing got 90% done, no pen cleaning at all. What is needed for fence is just to restore a run of wire from the ac fence charger in the house to the north fence and for me to join my hot wires for the east end of the paddock and then I have to close the gate. With the fence charging I'll be ok to put Sadie in that pen and may rearrange horses again. Not sure who I want to combine. No matter which way if I put Sadie in the big paddock with 2 horses I'll have to add a 3rd feeder which will not be a big deal. If the house charger would be a pain (shorting out) I could also get a batter charger and hook my solar panel I bought for my so far unused DC water pump to a battery in the pasture but that could become quite a bit of 'building' and I prefer to avoid it if possible. Then I have to restore the 'pasture' fence on the bottom 5 acres so I can let Sadie have some green grass access and lots of room to run and play in late spring. Well I don't HAVE to, but I'd like to have that option and there is about as much chance the fence would fix itself as there that the landlords -my parents would fix it. Since its mainly my horses in those pens they are not going to invest any effort. Heck they are so darned sickly so much of the time lately I wonder if they could provide basic care of their critters and keep the place up if I moved to a place of my own. A pitfall to not breaking away and living on my own when I was younger, now I could manage the $ and could probably find/afford farm sitting if I didn't get a house mate but I'd feel like I was leaving them in a lurch.

In other news I finally got a small payback from the extended warranty they talked me into when I bought my car. The water pump has started leaking. $3xx to replace with parts and labor. $100 deductible on the warranty which has not quite expired. I payed more than 300 for it but at least I remembered and am getting a little bit back on it. And last friday mom bought herself a new prius. Her Volvo was leaking oil and they said the seal was shot and it would cost $900 to fix it. Well that car has enough age and other issues that she went for a new vehicle instead. Us tight fisted norwegian gals want to shell out as little at the pump as possible. I hope she finds hers as or more reliable and good MPG as mine has been. Ingrid has said good things about her newer model Prius (likes it so well her DH got one also so they have a pair)

Brrrrr

Its not terribly cold for february but a lazy wind (Anybody else read Tall and Proud?) that goes right through instead of around you. Other than feeding I believe the only horsey thing that will happen today is worming the mini's. I'd bail on that if I hadn't already drawn up all 5 double doses of safeguard to give the little buggers. Mom did spend some time halter breaking Frosty and getting him ready for therapy visits this summer and she does schedule and pay for their hoof care but an outside viewer would probably think I have at least a share in the mini raising business.** I wormed Sadie last week (and CJ) so she wouldn't pick up shed worm eggs right away last week. Better make a note on the calendar. Record keeping is not my strong suit but I want to keep the kiddo on a decent schedule her first couple of years.


And the forecast for tomorrow has deteriorated. It was supposed to get to 50 when I checked this morning, now its 38 but that doesn't happen until the wind picks up in the afternoon. Oh well, I guess sunny and just a little below freezing will work for a slow conditioning ride.

Halfway to a conditioning program

Rode again today. 3 times in 7 days. 3-4 rides a week is good, but I need to increase the length of my rides. Oh well I have time. The first ride I want to do is in late April. I called a chiro/vet. I've been meaning to get the horses checked out and finally got around to it. She wanted to schedule for wednesday though so I'll have to delay, and then the weekly team meeting at work will probably be canceled. I've got into a rut of needing a lazy morning on the weekend. But I got some more cleaning on the pens. I need to get Sadie and CJ's cleaned and should do more on the 3 musketeers' pen. I cleaned a bit on Cindy's pen, but the hot spot was too frozen to clean with the picker and I didn't try to scrape it with the tractor bucket.

Poor Shade; she had to go close to the scary skeet shooters again, then the moto-cross cyclists came past us. They were nice and I took Shade into the CRP off the ditch road but she was nervous and gave my a whirly ride. But then she followed them and was a brave girl and went by the spot where they do their jumps 20-50 yards off the road and we got a good ride in. The wind got chilly as we headed home. Oh and my dad took the dogs for a run while I was cleaning pens and then Ole came with me when I rode. Ole was still moving with spring in his step when we got home but tonight we have a very good dog.

A year ago

I was getting ready to drive to eastern Kansas to pick up my foal, who was still growing in Shaks womb. We had over a foot of snow on the ground in our yard still and I'd had to get from truck bumper facing trailer hitch to getting hooked up by moving the trailer with our tractor (with dad's help) so I could get the p/u turned around and hitched. I trailered to Chris's place on saturday. Stayed the night and we went to TroyLynns to visit her and Leonardo (my foals full brother 23 months older than her. On the way home I stayed at Colby KS at a horse B&B after stopping at Hayes and meeting Deby. Shak had a nicely bedded 14x14 stall and I had a luxurious room. Shak hardly ate or drank overnight but I enjoyed both the bed and great breakfast the owners served. I gave Shak some mash from chopped timothy to hydrate her for the trip home. She was much happier when she saw the humble setting (with no stall door) that would be her home for the next few months. Then on Apr 28, 2007 I woke up to find this. I wanted to name her after a star when I saw she had a small one and settled on Sadalbari, the arabic word means 'Lucky Star of the Excellent One'. So BRA Szybki's Sadalbari was named and instantly nicknamed Sadie. By the next day she had learned to use those long legs and was already scratching her head with them. (photo out of order ) Today she looks like this. She loves to eat --a trait I love to see in my future endurance mount.

Looking forward to June 21-22

An endurance friend has a new ride in Billing MT. Naomi will be able to join me so we can have some sister time. I wanted to attend the inaugaral year last August but Naomi had a scheduling conflict and there was a ride 70 minutes from me. That worked out overall, I ended up with a certificate for Ariats out of the local ride and have really enjoyed my Cascades for winter riding but I'm pretty stoked to attend this years ride. --stay healthy Shade. My horse bulletin board has a gathering that same weekend but its in Illinois which is really too far except to fly. I enjoyed meeting folks at the last 2 gatherings & there are folks planning on attending this one that didn't make it in 06 or 07 but its like a bagel competing against a brownie.

Valentine from Shade

Well maybe we won't call it a valentine since she was spooking when the neighbor came by with his crane when we were almost home. Not just a start which I expected since this was his big crane, not the smaller one she has seen on the road a dozen times but whirling, and getting right next to the fence while spinningso I was worried about her putting a foot thru and basically acting pretty stupid for a horse that will turn 11 in April. He stopped and I made her turn around and go behind him so he wouldn't have to wait forever for me to get home so he could go past and to his place and she resisted and finally rushed past him. sort of a 20 yard bolt I guess. But then like a good Ayrab she settled down and was fine. As long as they don't stay stupid I kind of like a bit of that reactiveness -puts the spice in my life. Computers don't give excitement, occasionally stress but not excitement. So we went 8 miles on sunday and 4 today. It has been months since I rode over 10 miles in a week. If I get a good ride on saturday we should have 20 miles for the week. Then I'll be 1/2 way to a reasonable # of weekly miles to condition for rides. I better get with the program, I really do want to ride 155 miles in 3 days at the Shamrock ride this year early in July. I think Shade can do it if I use the hackamore so I have good braking when needed and I ride smart and no 'gotchas' happen. LOL - I am full of disclaimers but there is no certainty when riding endurance, if there was I wouldn't like it as much.

There was a sheep carcass in the irrigation ditch which we rode 1/2 mile alongside it and turned around. I could make out the head. I think it must have gotten out of its pasture and coyotes got it; its not a spot people should dump a carcass even if there wont be water in that ditch for 3 more months and while I didn't study it closely (Shade was nervous and I didn't want to invite Ole to scavenge on it) it did not look like a butchered carcass to me.

ugh Sadie -you have got to STOP that.

I'm pretty sure she is the culprit that has been pooping in the water tank in her pen. Today I figured I needed to add water so make sure the drain plug heater would be covered and for the 3rd time in 2.5 weeks I find manure in the tank. So after I dumped it, I dragged it out and brought a 1/2 plastic barrel over. And flooded it trying to squeeze in one thing too many while it filled. Some mornings are just sooo aggravating. I was not patient with ms Sadie when I put her away from her pellets and extra alfalfa chuff afterwards; then I felt bad but she forgave me. I have got to get some kind of better system and get moving faster in the mornings so I can have more horse FUN.

Thanks Shade

I was bumming this morning. It felt cold and damp and I was having a hard time getting motivated to ride my horse. Finally got out there about 1. Chris talked to her on our practice AC board last week and said she was ready to get serious about conditioning. I was wondering thursday when I rode, it was cold and breezy and neither of us seemed to want to get very serious. But today Shade was definitely sending signals that she wanted to get some miles in. At the start she was pretty unsure as some neighbors were plinking/target practicing just past the top of the rise where I can go straight, or turn left. Shade is very nervous of guns (she regcognizes a rifle by sight) as well as gunfire. I got to try out the ESCT that was one of the talks at my MRER convention yesterday. Not sure it was doing much but Shade did keep going forward a few steps and pausing rather then trying to whirl and bolt and then when she'd gone quite a ways I got off and led her past the corner. Had a nice ride and on the way home a couple of moto-cross style cyclists caught her eye. Last time she saw them she seemed very nervous. Today it was more curiosity. We were on the road home, and the cyclists turned on the irrigation ditch and went south of us. I gave Shade the option to turn away from them but she turned and followed them south, went over 1/2 a mile and went to within 50-100 yards (I'm lousy at judging distance) of their close loop point as they were jumping around an oil well pad site and Shade watched them for a while and then was ready to turn and head home. It was the perfect antidote for my winter blues. Then I wormed Sadie and her pen mate CJ this evening. Lots of farm chores that need to be done sometime that were ignored today but having had a nice ride makes everything good.

Happier girls today

Well Cindy is still not happy to be dieting but is more resigned that she is not getting any alfalfa mix hay anymore. Sadie was visiting with Shade over the fence this morning, and is getting used to the idea of working around hungry CJ. They both came running to the feeders I put less weedy hay in this morning. I'm going to feel mom out about just laying heavy plastic or vinyl over the icky old carpeting downstairs and putting new carpeting on top. She HAS been wanting to do some redecorating but doing full on mold remediation and putting down hard flooring seems like too big of a hassle to her and dad. Dad doesn't think he can live with hard flooring, wood floors when he was a kid were cold, he wants his 'luxury' carpeting. I'm trying to decide if I want hard flooring in my room. I would like to replace the solid blue carpet in there, but I want a surface that will hold pet hair somewhat so I'm not forced to swiffer or mop daily before I go to bed to keep hair from swirling up and making me feel allergic. I have to ask how tile is for that.

Sadie is missing Cindy

I put CJ in with Sadie and Cindy by herself to go on a diet. Poor girls. CJ is not picking on Sadie but he isn't being nice either, he pushed her away from any food he wants -at least he is only doing this with pinned ears and head snakes. There has been some chasing but none of it looked very serious, but Sadie was hanging on the dividing fence line to Shade, Grey's and Razz's pen this morning instead of eating the 2nd round of hay I gave. I'm feeding pretty generous and she dug into her pellets, but I still felt bad for her. and Cindy --well being on a strict diet just sucks, but if I can get some weight off her maybe she can go back in with Sadie and get the 'good stuff' again. If only she didn't get so 'hot' but I hate to pony anybody off her or pony her because she is trying to run run run and its so hard to manage. Oh well we'll all live but we're bummin right now. And last night it hit me how much our boarder had been charging me (last 2 weeks ) and mom for 2-3 months to feed evening hay. Mom will feed the late afternoon hay snack to Sadie and any 'buddy' she has for now and I don't know what she is doing wrt to Duke and AJ. I told her I could feed them when I get home, they are ok to wait that long same as my adult horses. I sure hope if mom is going to spend that kind of money she gets back to taking some jumping lessons instead of paying anyone thru the nose for just feeding hay and checking/topping off water while she stays in the house feeling sick. I am still thinking there is some environmental issue (mold or whatever) --too bad its not clear cut since she has had the jaw misalignment from the jerk prosthodondist (sp?) and some failed implants too; but I am TIRED of her being sick all the time. If she doesn't get better pretty soon I am going to start some major arm twisting to try this, try that. I've been ignoring it --my sympathy well went dry several months ago, but is better now but only in a 'you should NOT be sick all the time, how about trying this' way.

wintry monday

Got the pen cleaning fairly caught up this weekend, we got Duke and AJ's stalls and runs in quite good shape on saturday. Today the stalls look icky again already. Blech, well mom has GOT to clean them herself or find someone, I just cant keep getting more behind with my own horses to do it. I had a ride on Shade on sunday afternoon, it was chilly and not a terrific ride, but even a bad ride still beats vegging out watching tv. I got the pen Shade shares cleaned and Sadies share pen cleaned fairly well also on sunday morning and Sadie was sooo cute. She's just entralled with the little John Deer 810 tractor. Last week she was pacing at the gate when I had it in Shades adjacent pen,this week she got to nose it thoroughly. She did not leave the food & horse company to be with it when I cleaned the shed up and dumped the loads at least. But I left the tractor by the gate and fetched dad to help me keep horses in their respective pens while I took the tractor thru the dividing gate and Sadie was rubbing her jaw on the top of the tractor when we came out. Such a cute, goofy sight that was, ah makes me smile a bit just writing it and I need a smile; because today is an icky gray snowy monday. Since I work inside I should be glad to have weather that makes me happy I'm not in it hit on monday instead of the weekend but I guess I'm missing my usual sunshine thru the windows. Oh well sun is supposed to return soon.