Saturday, February 2, 2008

Horses, horses, horses...

Somebody needs to call me or send me an angry email for not posting on here in forever. (Somebody does not include you Mom.)

Well I guess I will start with last night.

Yesterday we (Mom, Tyler & I) went into town in Tyler's truck (I call it the Tymobile) because our big 4 door Ford diesel (we have had it for 9 years) needed to be taken to the mechanics to be repaired... The spedometer didn't work, the driver's side window wouldn't roll down, and the 4-wheel-drive didn't work, and the brakes needed replacing. Anyway so first stop, pick up the truck. Then Tyler went to the movies with Nelson and Adam from Youth group. They saw the newest Rambo.

It is a bloody, gory movie. I didn't see a movie, there wasn't really anything worth seeing, but even Tyler said it was, and he loves war movies and stuff, so that is saying alot. He said it was BAD. Don't go see it. Ugh.

Anyway.... Mom and I went to Ginsberg Music to look for some music for me to play, something along the lines of Chris LeDoux or George Strait, maybe some of The Cars or Billy Joel, but they had NOTHING to my tastes, so we went to the second hand/consignment store for a few moments, then to the teacher's supply store where Mom bought a grammar book for Tyler. Yay him.

Then... we... Went to Sams. Then to WalMart for a short period of time. Then we went to Sonic where I had a chicken sandwich/burger and a vanilla Dr. Pepper. Then we went to the extension office where we prepared for the 4-H meeting, which was rather boring I must say. Extremely boring really.

That started at 6:10. I am VP, but since the Secretary failed to show, it was my responsibility to take the minutes. If you don't know what those are... You basically jot down EVERYTHING we discuss during the meeting, it's terrible really it is. Don't be secretary at your 4-H club, I strongly advise you not to do this, seriously.

So the meeting ended at about 6:40. But D'aun (our group leader) wanted all of us officers to stay and help the little kids make valentines for... I forgot who. Maybe the nursing home or something. Anyway, there was a concert/ice cream social at the church that had started at 6:30 that I really wanted to get to, so I excused myself from the meeting (I think D'aun was a little upset at me for that) and we made it to the church at about 6:50. Inside we went, and into the sanctuary, where we proceeded to enjoy the worship music of a band from California called Ives. They were AWESOME ya'll I looooved their music. After I bought their CD, which doesn't have any of their worhsip songs on it, but definitely look it them up, they are not very popular yet, but I really liked them. Then it was time for...

ICECREAM! "I scream, you scream, we all scream, for ICE CREAM!"

Hehe sorry. I am kind of fond of this paticular sweet treat. Mmmm...

I got chocolate, with these mint-chocolate bits on top, they had SO many toppings, but these... Wow... I LOVE mint chocolate ANYTHING. Candy bars, fudge, ice cream... Yummo! So hehe I had two bowls... But so did Sara and Shadoe so I'm not the only guilty party here! It was sooo good... Then Tyler announced he wanted to go home. *sobs* So we left at 8:45. Had a very... interesting conversation on the way home. Hmmm. Anyway I texted Sara at 10:00 (I was waiting for Mom to get out the shower, so I could jump in) and she was still at the church. Phoo. Lucky Sara! Oh well, I can't complain, she usually has to leave right after Youth and I get to stay, so I guess it evens out... But still, phoo.

Anyways, I slept in this morning cause I didn't get to sleep til like 11:30 last night, and when I woke up Mom said that Daddy had said Jackson was having stomach problems and he was trying to get a hold of a vet.

Jackson is a 3 year old sorrel colt. Tyler announced that he doesn't want to ride him anymore (he only has like 10 rides) so Daddy said I could start riding him, after Daddy put a few rides on him first since he hasn't been ridden in like 3 months but I haven't gotten on him yet. Anyway.

It's Saturday. So Daddy called our horse vet, Dr. Blach. Couldn't get a hold of him, so just left a message. Later, Dr. Blach called back and said to have Jackson there by 11:00. So, I jumped in with Daddy and off we went to the vet's.

Now, my first thought was colic. Most horse owners really panic at that world, because colic is a fatal occurance. However, the horse I grew up riding, and my Daddy's first and best ever horse (I told ya'll about him last post I think it was), Poncho, colicked alot. I guess when he started getting in his teens, it got bad. You could not put this horse on hay for one night, or the next day he would colic. Even a grass hay, like sudan. And multiple times I remember walking Poncho around and around headquarters to keep his gut from cramping and to keep him from lying down and rolling and twisting his gut. Little kids don't know much about horse medicine, but I have ALWAYS known of two. Bute, of course, and Banamine, we always had these medicines and I remember Daddy always gave Poncho Banamine, it's like an aspirin for horses. Anyway... We also had to take Poncho to the vet alot for colicking. Dr. Box would run a tube down his nose and into his stomach and pump him full of mineral water. Or oil. I can't remember. Anyway... We would leave him there for a few hours, and he would be fine. So colic doesn't strike that much fear in me, because I just grew up around it, but it is NOT good I know that.

So anyway, back to our story. When we got to the vet's, the doc was waiting for us. We shut Jackson up in the vet box, and Dr. Blach took his temperature and used a stethascope to listen and see if his stomach was moving. (It's always a really good sign for a colicking horse if you hear stomach noises, it means their guts are moving, which usually means they are getting over that episode of colic.) Then he palpated the poor thing... He squirmed quite a bit, but I don't think anybody would really enjoy getting somebody's hand stuck up their butt. I know I wouldn't.

He then informed us that he was constipated. "Feels like a big loaf of bread", were his exact words. Hmmm. So he made up some mineral water, twitched Jackson, fed a tube down his nose and into his stomach, then pumped him full of the water, which would loosen the stool and out it would come. Hopefully. He then gave him a shot of Banamine and I forgot what the other was called, but it gets his stomach to moving.

He suggested we leave Jackson there, in case what he had done didn't work. He had to give it 8 hours to work, but if it didn't, he would have to repeat the process. So we will pick him up on Monday when Daddy takes some cattle into the cow sale.

Daddy and I then went to the Livestock & Farm Supply store where we needed some nuts, washers, nails, and plumbing parts. Then to Farmer's Country Market for baking soda (don't ask I wouldn't know), then home.

We ate a sandwich, then Daddy and Mom went on a short feedrun. Shortly after they left, I grabbed my bridle, because Wyatt was out in the horse pasture, but very close to the house, just right across the fence. So I walked through the lot, over the fence...

And there he was. The terrific beast himself, who's mere presence can cause you to tremble in fear.

The Danger Outlaw.

Wyatt Earp.

Wyatt Earp, the dangerous gun man and outlaw of the wild west, was being a baby. A brat. A donkey.

Wyatt Earp has donkey days. Rather often really.

I thought he was gonne trot off and make the whole herd leave, and I would have to bring them up to the pens, but I finally was able to get him. If you walk up to his face, or even his side, he trots off. If you approach his butt, he's fine. Weirdo. So I caught up, vaulted up like the pro- okay maybe not. I haven't mastered bareback mounting from the ground yet. I led him up to this little ledge on the side of the dirt tank, so I could get about 8 inches of elevation, and then I vaulted on... A little awkwardly, I must admit, but I got on! That's the point! Then I rode through that little lot (these lots are like 3 acres, just to keep cattle up in occasionally, 2 of them have a dirt tank) and into the big horse pen, where I dismounted to remove my hoodie. It was getting quite warm... So I used the fence to get back on, and off I went!

The wind has been blowing for the past week or so. I mean ferociously, not just breezy. And it was just breezy when I got on.... But once I got to riding, it was WARM. I mean it wasn't much fun. I rode around Middle Bull for a while, and when the wind picked up... This sounds weird but I was HAPPY. I was ENJOYING the wind. That is so weird, but true, yes I enjoyed the wind, it felt good, it wasn't breezy anymore, it was WIND, but it was cool and felt nice, it wasn't gusty, just very nice and kept the temperature perfect.

So I made my circle through Middle Bull, but it's very small, only... *looks at map* 754 acres. So I made it back to the lots at the house, but didn't want to stop riding, I had only been gone like and hour. So I went into South Bull. I thought about circling it, but then thought I would just ride the fence down to the South end of the pasture, and then enter Long Trap which is just West of South Bull, and ride down the fence that way. If I ride the fence in Long Trap, I thought, I can lope like almost all the way home.

I don't like to full out lope in the pastures, because where it's either really brushy and Wyatt will make some weird duck and I'll come flying off, or it has holes and he may fall, or I can't just enjoy myself and RIDE I have to like... steer him lol. This stretch along the fence is clear of grass, of holes, of anything, and it is good soft dirt. Wyatt hasn't been shod in years, he just goes barefoot, so riding on roads hurt his feet, and especially loping will chip his hooves.

So I started loping down and it was AWESOME. Riding down the South Bull pasture he was being an idiot, he kept wanting to go home, so he was being URRRGH. But finally, all was well. He was loping smoothly, not me asking him to, just at a good pace, it felt so good, it was awesome. So then I wanted to gallop.... But he was acting weird about it, and I was about to fall off trying (he's not exactly sensitive and I don't wear spurs bareback) so I just enjoyed the pace for like a half mile, maybe more... It was great.

Got home, turned him loose, came in here... And here I am. =)

Well the cookies are calling. Yes I am baking cookies. No you cannot have any. They are mine! I am hoarding them. Bwahahaha.

5 comments:

Sara said...

Tsk, tsk. falling behind on your posting. Shame.

Hmmm riding bareback. Riding, period. So AWESOME.

Yes, D'aun was mad. But she was WAY mad at me. She'll get over it.

Sara said...

NEW POST! NEW POST!

Ranch wife said...

Ok missy, I have held my tongue long enough. It is time to take your blogging responsibilities seriously. Enough of this goofing off( shaking my finger at you and using my mom voice). I am thinking that I may have your mom sit you in the corner until you can come up with a new post. Tisk Tisk.
Love
Auntie
M.

Anonymous said...

Oh where,oh where has Caitlin been,oh where,oh where can she be???
That's alot of 'oh where's' huh? But seriously,this is getting crazy! You.Must.Blog. I thrive off of blogs,I sit bored at my desk everyday,waiting for somebody to blog!

Ranch Kiddo said...

Nice to know I'm missed. LOL. *cringes* I'm sorry Auntie, I'm sorry! I promise I'll do better! *whimper* Mom voices scare me.

I'm sorry I'm allowing you to sink in a mire of boredom, Jennifer.