Summertime sure is busy! We spent a couple wonderful days on a floating house this week.

Today we're pickling beets from our own garden. Never done it before. It's a lot of work!

I'll share a picture of the finished product later.

We had a nice sunset ride this evening on a new trail that I definitely want to explore more when I have time. Our ride was a little shorter than planned because we waited for it to cool off and then had to change a punctured trailer tire at the trailhead. Thank goodness for my nifty homemade trailer jack, we had it changed in 10 minutes or less without unloading the horses.

Sorry for the bad pictures, my real camera has become almost impossible to use so I'm relying on my cell phone.



We encountered two big black bulls several times, once in the black of night which was kind of shocking. They didn't bother us but I was glad to have my brave cowdog between me and them.

When we got home I fed and brushed my horse in the bright light of the full moon. There's nothing like a shining horse in the moonlight. Wonderful, soul renewing.

We had a great weekend out in the mountains. My parents brought their new motorhome. It's really nice. The first night we left the horses home (this is only 1/2 hour from home) so we could leave camp and go search for huckleberries in the morning. No luck. Are we too early? I think we just didn't find the right spot.

After searching for huckleberries we went home to feed and water and pick up Tonka and Cisco. I have to tell you, if you're horse camping and need to take forage, take hay cubes. They're awesome! Last time we took hay and they'd made a big mess we had to clean up. This time all I had to scoop up were a few piles of poop and the horse area was clean. I soaked them with water because their dryness worried me, and it's a good way to help with hydration away from home.

Liam had insisted that he wasn't going to ride and I wasn't going to bring Soxy (and clean up after her) if that was the case. But he decided he did want to go along on our morning hike/ride, so we each gave up our horses for a little while. My stepdad came along on foot and outdid the horses. He's in great shape - just climbed to the top of Mount Adams last weekend.

Here's John leading Liam on Cisco:

John riding:

John leading Liam on Tonka:

I swear, I did do some of the walking. John had already gotten down for Liam to ride Cisco but Liam wanted to ride Tonka and John didn't want to mount back up so I rode Cisco for a little while.

When we got back we were all HOT, so we played in the cold mountain creek for a while.

John and I got to go on an evening ride too, and it was really nice. The moon was HUGE coming up over the mountains, and while we followed the switchbacks and went in and out of the trees we got to watch it rise several times over different ridges. There were little bats flying around us and when we got back it was very dark in our campsite in the trees. Got the horses put to bed and slept restlessly all night.

This time I worried a little more about them being tied all night than I usually do, because we'd been having cows come through camp. They'd seen the cows, but I wasn't sure how worried they'd get if they heard crashing in the brush and didn't know what it was. They were fine, just very fidgety and ready to do something in the morning.

Today I took my resume' in to the vet's office. I'm excited. Although my vet's first question was, "Have you ever done a catheter?" Well, no... So we'll see.

Then we went and spent the rest of this hot day in the mighty Palouse River, way up in the mountains where the water hasn't had much time to warm up. It was great. I even got in and swam a bit. And then I got the joy of putting on warm clean clothes afterward. It's funny how you can remember how enjoyable that is, but not really remember the full wonderfulness of it until you do it again.

I think someone is coming to look at Dove tomorrow. It looks really promising. I'm not going to hold my breath, but she seems like she'll actually show up.

Going camping this weekend, I'm pretty sure. Hoping to go out to Horse Camp and snag the good camping spot if my mom's RV will fit there. I'd really like to take my horse. But we might just go to the campground.

It's funny how I'm dying to read everyone else's blog and disappointed when I don't see a new blog, but I don't have the time or energy to post anything myself. So here I am!

The boys got to try watermelon for the first time today, and they loved it! My dad bought Sox a whole one, and of course Cisco insisted on sharing.

I worry if it will make him sick, he certainly doesn't need the sugar. We'll see... I told myself it's mostly water anyway so it should be fine.

I think I'm going to stop Soxy's antibiotics tomorrow. I tried to call my vet today but it must have been a busy day, he didn't call back. I'll get him first thing in the morning tomorrow. I'm also going to ask if I should keep her on Tri-Hist. It seems to be helping now that I'm giving it twice a day instead of once.

Tonka didn't get much attention today but he did enjoy drooling his watermelon all over the front yard.

Have my resume almost done, just have to ask my vet if he'll be a reference (since I'm applying for a job at the practice he owns, I thought that might help). I'm excited. And nervous.

I guess that's all I've got today.

Last night I rode Gypsy to see how herd-bound she is. She did better than I expected but she needs someone who isn't afraid to gently insist. Isn't she beautiful?We went on a trail ride today - Me, my dad, John, and Huckleberry. It was nice to be able to take my dog. He has so much fun out there.

Sox enjoying a break at the creek:

They look like they're telling secrets.

Three hot boys at the end of the trail. Cisco, Huckleberry, and Tonka.

I am itching to ride! But nobody else wants to go... So here I am. I did some poop scooping, hanging laundry, and fertilized & watered the garden. Now I'm hot.

I'm applying for a job! I am so excited and nervous. It's the job I wanted at my vet's office and was going to apply for it in the fall hoping they might have something available, but I found out they're hiring for sure and taking resume's now. Awesome, eh? It's a vet tech/assistant job. I don't think I've ever written a resume' but I think I'm getting a pretty good one done. Just have a few polishing touches to make, and have my mom look at it. She's a marketing genius so she ought to be able to make me look good.

My son said the dreaded words today, "It's just not my thing mom." He doesn't want to ride. I'm going to call Soxy's old owner and see if she still wants her back. It breaks my heart, but as my sister pointed out, she'll be loved very much by her old owner so I shouldn't feel too bad. I'll miss her a lot if she goes though.

I also might have to find a home for Katia's new horse since we're not going to be a riding family and she's not really riding much anyway. She's a wonderful girl so I'm sure someone will want her.

I'm still looking for a home for Dove. I had some flyers printed today and got one put up. I'll do the rounds to all the feed stores soon.

I can't give up Scout just yet, but I'm thinking about it. If I knew he was going to a permanent home where he'd be trained well, I'd do it, but there aren't many homes like that, it seems.

Bella will stay here because my mom wants her. She'll have the stifle surgery and be trained.

Cisco will probably stay just because he's such a good horse for me to put anyone on, so even if my husband doesn't ride him much he's still worth keeping.

Of course Tonka will never go anywhere.

It's hard thinking about all this, but I suppose it will be nice to have less work and be able to spend more time with each individual horse. It'll also be nice to not have to feel guilty that so much money gets spent on my hobby.

But if none of them leaves I won't mind. Except Dove. She can't stay, period. Not that she's a bad horse, I really like her a lot, but she was never a keeper. I hate to think of euthanizing her if we don't find her a home, but the thought is there. I don't think I could take her to the saleyard, I don't know who the kill buyers are and I won't allow her to end up in a truck bound for a Canadian slaughterhouse, or worse yet, Mexico.

Today wasn't a fun day but we did have a fun ride in the middle of it. My dad is visiting - that's him on Sox in between Tonka's ears. I didn't realize I'd taken the picture that way until I got home. (Actually I usually just point and click without even looking at the camera to see what I'm taking pictures of. Do any of you do that?) Amy was up ahead, introducing Cowboy to the cows. He had a bad team penning experience and she wasn't sure how he'd react to the cows, but he did fine.

My dad on Sox with his 6 shooter and John Wayne holster.
Guys and their toys... Tonka was the big brave boy who got to (slowly) move cows out of our way later, but then there was a HUGE handsome hereford bull and I didn't want to cross his path, especially between him and his harem, so we went back and found another way to go.

Tonka was a total angel today. Too hot to really do anything goofy anyway.

I think our next ride may be a little different though. Tonka had a scary incident when we got home. Long story but he tore a door off of a shed and it chased him until his rope got unwedged from its boards. No, I didn't tie him to a door, it was just kind of a dumb accident. He was terrified of everything after that. Hopefully he is his normal self when I get him out next but I'm not going to hold my breath. We may need to do a lot of work with scary objects on the ground. Again. All this time he thought they were dangerous, I convinced him otherwise, and then a door jumps out, skids along the ground, chases him and tries to eat him.

Tomorrow we get part of our winter's supply of hay. Can't afford to get all of it now, so we're going to have to take our chances on what we can find later. Gotta love this slow economy. I'm going to look for a job when the kids get back in school. Actually, I should start looking now, shouldn't I? School really isn't that far off, what with how time is flying and all.

I put the mares out on new pasture last night (except Soxy):

This morning I turned the geldings out with them. (Except Cisco)

This is what Scout does when a small critter is in his area. Which is probably what got him porcupined last year.

Milling in the most dangerous spot they could choose - right in the gate. Dove is very popular:

A short run:

I love Scout in this one. He'd just jumped the ditch, I think:

Dove and Tonka - She doesn't look so small here:

Squeal and strike! She is a mare after all. You might notice Tonka is more worried about Bella:

Tonka and Scout, coming to check in:

Scout is a cutie:

Do-si-do!
(Or is it promenade? Or what? I don't remember my square dancing lessons...)

Angry, pretty Dove:

Settling down. Look how Scout and Dove's profiles match up, you almost can't see him:

Having a little snack (Boys are segregated):

Bella did not want Tonka to mess with her herd, which is what I counted on to keep the girls safe. I kept Cisco out of the mix because he's not afraid to take it to the next level and really fight. Soxy I kept out because she doesn't deserve to be run around. And they're both fat, so they don't really need the grass.

How are you all enjoying the heat? It's killing me! I'm going to have to become a morning person if I want to play with my horses at all.

Wordless Wednesday

This morning started with two phone calls that I didn't answer because I was sleeping in after all the excitement over the 4th of July weekend. But it turns out they were important calls. My sister's friend lost her horse out in the woods yesterday and she was needing people to go help her look. So of course we went.

We rode up and across this big burnt area before getting the call that the mare was found. She was unhurt, tangled up in her mecate reins in a slash pile near where they'd lost her. Lucky mare.
We didn't want to quit riding so we went and checked out this farm road that goes along the river.

That didn't go far and I still didn't feel like being done, plus we were only a few miles from home, so I rode home alone and my sister loaded her horse in her trailer and went her own way.

Tonka did awesome along the highway with traffic going by. THIS was terrifying though:

I did have to get down and let him look. I asked him to touch the tires since they scared him more than the sign.

I love this little shack in the woods:

At one point he was getting a little rushy and I thought about putting his bridle back on, but for the most part he did just fine riding in just a halter. I think he likes that a lot better than riding in a bit.

We ran into my neighbor on his big green scary tractor with the swather behind, and talked for quite a while. Tonka didn't like the tractor when it would start to roll forward.

All in all though, it was an awesome day! Tonka brought his "good horse" persona to the table and we had a wonderful time. It's not every day I get to spend over 7 hours with my horse.