Tuesday, March 16, 2010

I'm Baa-aack

Hard to believe my delusions of grandeaur rest on such an ugly bugger...
Oh well, like momma says, "A person can get awful tired of packing hay and water to a pretty horse that has no talent."

Moon was not real impressed with his first day at work. It was a mighty effort to stretch out and keep up a working walk.

I ponied the Sta-Puff Marshellow buckskin too. Poor fat bugger was huffing and puffing after 10 minutes. I know how he feels. Megan and I have been talking about getting out and walking/jogging for the last week. Just the thought makes us tired. So we have continued to poke at each other's 'muffin tops' and joke about how fat we are.

Strawberry wintered well too...
But Strawberry is Strawberry. Unlike a lot of horses, he never looses his form. No matter what shape he is in, he just travels 'cute'. Meg is pretty excited that there is a show just a few weeks away and wants to have the Berry Butt ready for that.

There is no way I'll have Frosty(the buckskin) ready by then. But maybe Moon will be ready to show in a reining class.

Even the brat, Shooter got a bit of a workout. Man, does he need more of that. Sometimes I wished I had more Moon and Shooters...but then I work with them and I remember why there are not more. These are not 'easy' horses. They are dominant, opinionated and belligerent when they don't get their way. Shooter got a few good whacks in the shoulder and neck to remind him he needs to stand and walk beside me...not on top of me.

And then there was this little mud monster...
And this pic was taken AFTER she had been groomed-LOL. Three fourths of Beretta's pen is dry. WHY does she insist on laying and rolling in the mud?

There is nothing like spring to make a horse decide people are good for something in their life...Beretta has enough hair for 3 horses and the poor little girl isn't shedding a lick of it yet. Ohhhh...does she love her grooming time now.

I was laughing at her 'jug' head, but most of it is hair...
I'm tempted to take the clippers to her jaws and throatlatch, just to see what's under there-LOL.

Beretta's joints have cleaned up. All the lumps are gone and they feel nice and tight when I pick her feet up and roll them around. Whew! It's pretty obvious how much better she feels too. She bucks and kicks and runs around. Boy, is she going to be a catty little thing. It's so natural for her to stick that hindquarter in the ground and can she ever spin around and leave-WOW. Just like her momma! That was the one thing that endeared big, clunky Chunk to me. That mare can STICK IT!

I'm sure people have wondered why I put that much effort into making sure Beretta got over her joint problems...it's not like youngsters are worth much on the open market. But ya know...I don't raise horses for the open market. I raise them for ME. I know what these horses are going to be when they grow up. I don't have to wonder or hope they are going to turn into nice, capable horses...I just know they are.

Next on the list of getting everyone back in saddle horse form...DA feets! If we manage to make it a couple more days without rain, I'll start hauling to the desert to ride. My boys need to cover some miles.

Man, it feels good to be back to the horses!!

17 comments:

Unknown said...

Berry Butt - LOL!

I lots and lots of winter hair in your post. I can see it floating around and feel it in my mouth just looking at your pics.

PS - The voting page is back up if you still want to vote for Roper!

Angie said...

I a green with envy here. I had to stop riding in October because I started having complications with my pregnancy. I am so looking forward to when the baby is born and I am released to ride again.

I love seeing horses that winter well. I can't wait to hear how everyone progresses this year.

Mrs. Mom said...

Ugh... feet... I see them in my sleep these days.... dammit!

Looking good ;) Can feel that fuzz drifting into my shirt and getting stuck where it does NOT need to be stuck....

And WELCOME BACK TO HORSES!!!!!!! Office stuff sucks huh? ;)

Laura said...

Glad you had a chance to get your crew out and about for a bit. Thanks for posting the pic of Berry Butt (lol), I really like that guy!

Beretta is so cute - I like her face. Can't wait to see how she grows up!

Unknown said...

We just got mud now. Before the mud was the ice and before the ice was the wind. Hasn't been nice. Remember only 4 more days till spring.

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

By the end of this week, we are going to be seeing some massive shedding from these ponies. It got warm here...like overnight!

Musta been the time change-LOL.

Strawberry really is the bomb. Every kid should be so lucky to have a horse like him.

I think Megan is really missing her big, blue roan horse though. Her and Rip had the same kind of rapport she has with Strawberry.

Looks like I will have to add him to the list of who needs to come out.

Sherry Sikstrom said...

No one here was short on groceries either , but I have to wait a little longer till we have safe footing , still very icy here

C-ingspots said...

Oh man, can I ever relate to all that hair coming off, and to me and the horses wintering well. :)
None of us lacked groceries...we've had a very mild (overall) winter with the exception of 2-3 weeks of unusually cold temps. Spring has sprung here, grass is shooting up, flowers are blooming everywhere and it's warm. Glad you're back with your horses and out of that office! Sure wish I could be out of this clinic and at home with my ponies too!! Life is just too stinking short to have to work all the time!! Have fun!

LuLo Designs/Blue Eyed Tango said...

Beretta definitely does NOT have a jug head...cute....cute....cute head. My paint mare has the most hair of them all. Our buckskins do not get much during the winter. I had hair in my eyes and mouth the other day trying to de-hair her with only a slight breeze inside the round pen. Welcome back!

Andrea said...

Hooray! It's nice to see ya working with the ponies again!! Your horses always winter well! The tanks that they all are!! The Berry Butt is adorable as always!! And mine are all muddy messes too!! My five year old gets hairy like Beretta.

Fantastyk Voyager said...

Yeah, I'm looking forward to the days when the ground is dry and the horses are clean-ish so I can ride again.

Pony Girl said...

They all look great! I can't wait until the mud finally dries up and I can hit the trails! I feel bad sometimes that I don't do much riding in the winter, but I still longe out and see my horse often. It's just the riding conditions in a slippery outdoor arena and hitting the trails is nearly impossible in the winter around here.

Paint Girl said...

I thought my girls were hairy, yours are extremely hairy!! I just did a face clip on Brandy, and am thinking of body clipping her. I can't stand her hair this time of year, it's like a pony winter coat and it turns yellow. Yuck.
That is one dirty little horse there!!

cdncowgirl said...

So yeah, fat horses... Sunday at team penning Norbert asked when my horse was due to foal. Smartass! (I was riding Applejack) lol

Chelsi said...

I am likin' the look of that filly! Video of her in action? SO glad her joints are all good:) When do you plan on starting Shooter?

City girl turned Country Girl said...

I am so glad you are getting some horse time finally!! Cannot wait to hear how the shows go for you guys!!! I too want to know why they will always find a mud spot?! Poor Beretta! So much hair! I have a couple that are pretty thick!! I am hoping for some shedding soon! But of course it's supposed to snow this weekend :(

The Equestrian Vagabond said...

the ONLY time my horse Stormy will tolerate brushing is now, when he has a ton of long hair to shed. Oh, sure, THEN it's alright. Most of his hair stuck to me, so I know for sure WHY he wants to get rid of it.
- The Equestrian Vagabond