Carpe The Long Weekend!

Well this Memorial Day weekend has been sunny and warm and we have seized it! On Saturday Nancy was helping out at a clinic held by the Paso Fino Association and Sean and I were out there! We walked two miles, we fed the horses, we watered the horses, we fed 'em again, we watered 'em again. We walked another mile. Sean was one happy guy! The day was hot, then in the afternoon some thunderclouds rolled in and we got a bit of a light show.

Of course the dogs, particularly Snowby, hate thunder, so they scuttled inside and hung out in the bathroom.

Nancy came back in the middle of the evening and was full of chat about the day's activities and Sean? Sean was cream-crackered - after a big dinner he was out for the count.

Sunday morning of course we had the early wake up call which I just wrote about in the previous blog entry.

Sunday was the big Paso Fino Association Fun Show and Nancy was in the thick of it helping out - Sean was out during the day with Doc and I got to hang out, do a lot of walking and horse feeding and avoiding the urge to smoke (I am in the middle of quitting). It was another glorious day and Nancy got back home in the late afternoon and Sean got back in mid afternoon and we were all hot and happy.

Monday - a third day off for Mick. We were up and about early (as usual...) Nancy had been up since two am because she was worried about a young lady who had had an accident at the fun show. Sean and I charged around and were out there feeding horses early, getting the watering done because it looked like another hot one.

Once we had done the feedin' Sean had his breakfast and it was time for us to get out on the road and do some walkin'. We did a couple of miles, came back, rewatered the horses and then laced up the entranceway tight so Moon could get out and graze along with Bailey (Moon does like being out in the bigger pasture - well, she's a big girl..).

While Moon was turned out Nancy took the chanceto get out there and give Rosa her medication. Rosa has Cushings and is on some special medication. WE sprinkle the med on some senior feed and give it to her in a bowl - normally we have to run interference with Moon of course who can be a little hoglet when it comes to snacks. But with Moon being outside it was a good opportunity for Nancy to take Sean with her and give Rosa her stuff.

here's another pic -

Stand off at the Bailey Corral

It was early Sunday Morning (yesterday) - and I mean early. Around 5 am. We are usually up around then because there are dogs that need to "go", a cat that needs to explore and a day just needing to be aired out. I let the dogs out and went off to put the kettle on for some much needed coffee.

I looked out of the kitchen window up to the horses' pasture (we do like to look out of the kitchen window and see horses ...) and I noticed, on the far side of the pasture (the south, beyond the fence) a ... horse trailer??

Then I saw our little herd making a fuss and then I saw a young stallion on the far side of the fence racing up and down the fence line - and Moon (that young tart) was racing up and down our side of the fence line too.. There were two people with the trailer unloading a paint and saddling it up and with two dogs charging about the uproar was complete.

This stallion has escaped before - and for some reason he seems besotted with either Moon or Rosa (those hussies). This is the third time he has been by to pay us a visit.

It can be a tad exciting when there is a randy stallion on the loose - there isn't much of anything on his mind except getting through the fence and this young lad was no exception. he bought down the electric rope fencing that we have and broke the top strand of the smooth wire fencing on the south side of the pasture. In the meantime the two guys were busily saddling up the paint so that they could rein in the stallion.

And then Bailey takes charge.

You all know Bailey. He is our elderly gelding - must be around 30 years old, he creaks around everywhere and we just love him to death. This horse has been around the block a time or two.

So, suddenly, before our eyes, 30 year old Bailey disappeared and in his place stood 10 year old Bailey- No slouching, no tripping - head up, ears pricked coat shiny. He bossed the two girls back behind him, he had them rounded up in an instant, he faced up to the stallion on the other side of the fence. He stood tall and he looked all business.

Boy I wish you all could have seen him - he was magnificent.






The adventure went on for the next half an hour with the stallion racing around, evading the horseman and the other guy first on the south side of the pasture and then, a race along the road and he was into our yard and then our neighbors to the west's yard where finally the owners caught up with him.

Throughout it all Bailey stood tall.

You all would have been proud of him.

Some Horse!