Mustang Saga

What a wonderful, busy week! My dad was here last weekend, and my cousin came to visit with her little boy too. I wish we'd been able to ride together, but it will have to wait for a longer visit. We did have fun just hanging out with the horses. I love having a curious, friendly bunch of horses to show to people. I think my cousin would really enjoy the therapeutic, stress relieving horse time, if she could settle in and just spend time with them. Her little boy was kind of afraid of them. They are rather big and a little overly friendly.
Then my good friend Della and her kids came to spend four days. Four wonderful, too-short days. The kids got in some good horse time. Her daughter got to sit on all of the horses and loved it. She got in a longer ride on good ol' Coda, and did some solo riding on both Coda and Soxy in the round pen. Della had her camera out for that one, but I didn't. I'm hoping she'll send me some good pictures soon.

The wee baby is 11 months old, just old enough to really think the horses were neat. He stuck his fingers right into their noses. He hasn't quite got the knack of petting yet, but he did get a good grip on Scout's mane just like a seasoned bareback rider.

If you click on this next picture and check it out full-size, you will see a most beautiful, joyous face on a very happy little girl. (I'm there holding her if you look closely.)
Tonka loves to sniff feet, by the way. He is a strange one...

When we had the old horses saddled up for a ride I turned Liam loose on Coda in the round pen. When he was asking Coda to trot a very shocking thing happened. He bucked with my little boy aboard! I was petrified. As was Liam. But he kept his seat and was very proud of himself afterward. I was livid. Darn horse! But the next day after I had some cooling off time and went back out to pet the very apologetic old man, I realized we had asked too much of him. His feet hurt. I mean they really hurt. He tried to refuse and we insisted and he did the only thing he could think of to do. So I won't be asking that of him again. He'll get to do pony rides for the little folk at a walk, but that's all.

It really got me to thinking it may be time to put him down, because his feet hurt so bad all the time, but my sister talked me out of it. When she had him she'd let his feet get really long and absolutely horrible looking, but he was sound. So I'm going to let them grow, against all of my instincts, and hope it helps. I will try not to think too much about backhoes and injections until I know there are no other options.

School is starting this week! Free time! Horse time! Time to get a LOT of projects done that got neglected this summer.

• Cleaning up of old fencing and mowing to do before the environmental group comes to remodel our creek banks, plant trees, build a creek crossing, and put in a wetland.
• Start Bella under saddle.
• Get Scout gelded and then weaned.
• Powerwash and paint the house.
• Put up another horse shelter.
• Add a lean-to for tools and yard equipment.
• Put in a couple new hitching posts.
• More to come, I'm sure...

Tomorrow I think I'll start with some poop scooping, moving the trailer, riding Tonka a bit, and maybe even get Bella into the round pen and see how she and Scout react to being separated. The rest of the week I'll be going to a meeting, taking down old wire fencing, sorting and holding sheep for their selenium injections, visiting with a friend, and getting ready for my grandparents to come visit. Can't wait to show them my sweet horses!