My Afternoon Project

This afternoon, when Sqwid went down for a nap, I felt like being outside. So I grabbed my camera and baby monitor and went to hassle the horses. I rarely have had time for this. My two 3 1/2 year olds are virtually untouched. I have not done half the groundwork I really should be doing. OK, I've done none of it. In the past year or so, since I got fat with baby and caring for newborn, I have just managed to feed and move the horses around for pasture once a day. Trim feet as needed. Oh, and build a home made automatic waterer because I am cheap. But that's it. Bad me!

So I go out with big intentions! lol

I halter and tie the two up. Give them both a swipe with grooming tools. Hmm. No crying baby yet. So I dug deep in the horse shed. Crawled over used feed bags, mountains of folded sheets and rugs (a bit obsessive about these). And I pull out the old saddle. This could be interesting. I have not done anything since putting the surcingle on that one time in the fall.

I grab a cavesson for Red. I plan to do a bit of work on our hit and miss lunging program. I do this about once every 3 weeks (or months). I do a bit, then haul over the saddle. He inspects it thoroughly. He could probably tell you the name of the sheep the pad came from. I pulled off the heavy stirrups and tossed the saddle over. Hmm. Nothing. So I go grab the cinch, do him up. Still nothing. I tighten it up. Is he alive? OK. Back out on the line. Backing, bending, disengage the hind end; on both the near and far side. All good, very responsive. I take it all off and let him go.

Still no crying baby. Must have been tired. Maybe it was stealing and eating all my ripe cherry tomatoes. (Grrr!) Over to Evil Poneh. Same treatment. Zero reaction to the saddle being tossed on. Same lead work (she HATES off side work - ears were pined the entire time). Always gives me giggles. But gives me lots of try, so I let her go too.

Now, I wasn't expecting fireworks. But I at least expected their feet to move a little. Red had the biggest reaction, he turned his head to watch me cinch up. I even tried to get a reaction by moving them around, letting them feel the saddle move with them. But no worries. He trusts me. I love that horse.

I even had time to scrub out the waterer before Sqwid woke up!

Oh, and pics of Oh-so-impressed ponies...






Saddle fit sucks. I need to make some adjustment to the saddle. I was planning to buy an industrial machine to sew tack, so I can "fix" the saddle later.

And yes, feet are in desperate need of a trim. Haven't done in a month, man are they ever growing this summer! Hubby comes home next week and can watch Sqwid while I trim. Yeah?