Happy Thanksgiving!

So, the new camera takes great pics! I'll post some awesome pics and video of Chester soon, I swear it!

Again with the view, I'm obsessed...

This took forever! It's hard to get them to all smile at the same time.

Hubby took me seriously- longer he doesn't smile, the longer he sits with a camera on 'em!


Caught!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Riders Rasp!

http://www.ridersrasp.com/

Okay, I love the riders rasp! I was a little skeptical at first, but I got it-used it-and love it. It's easy to hold in my hand and it does exactly what it says it does-removes chips and rounds the hoof. Chester had a big chip this week that could have caught on something and I rasped it down in no time! I recommend going to the website and watching their video. It's really informative.

Euphoria

I have been hit with a mild case of euphoria...hubby called Thursday and said a friend invited us over-I have to work. He asks me do I mind if he takes the kids and goes out of town for the weekend. Hmmm, BYE! No hesitations, no reservations, just a sense of yeah! ALONE TIME. Much needed alone time, I must say mommy/wife etc has been wearing me out and having time to just hang with my horse and my dog is probably the best thing he's given me in a while - I'm not ashamed to admit it.
Chester has been doing excellent lately. I've extended our walks because of the rain and he seems to look forward to them almost as much as I do. I've also been experimenting with our communication in the round pen and have found that at free lunge he's doing excellent-as long as it's not feeding time...

Here's another self portrait-I feel thin just looking at it!

Ms Sami, do you mind the quiet? I didn't think so!

Hubby has done something else wonderful, he bought me a camera! I picked the Kodak Easyshare Z915. I felt like it would be an excellent camera, but at the same time not be to darn complicated for me. So far, it's just perfect...I will have to post pics from it soon.

Darn it!

Oh nooooo it didn't snow! I was really looking forward to posting pics of at least some dust of snow in the morning grass, but my wishes did not come true. It did rain though, the cold kind of rain that really should just go ahead and turn to snow. Oh well, you can't have everything all at once, right? This afternoon was crammed with errands. I had to get Chester his weight builder, get the dogs/cats their bedding and food, and do supper and homework: plus get ready for work and be there on time. HA! Everything but the "on time" got done :)

Cold. Wet. Snow?!

Oh good grief! Life turned hectic last week. I don't like to blog about work (leave it at work), but all of the sudden my whole entire life got rearranged because of a schedule change. Not just MY life either, everyone has to adjust...hubby, kids, animals, etc. Really a pain in the ass...oh well, enough about that. This weekend we had a last minute rescheduled birthday party for the boys-and they really had a great time. Hubby and I made a cake and a batch of cupcakes, MIL brought food from our fav restaurant and some family came. With it so last minute, not everyone could get here...The rest of the weekend was fairly normal. This morning, I dropped the kids off at school and went to play with horses! It's been raining and it was darn cold this morning-it's supposed to snow tonight! Anyway, Chester was super happy to get attention and the whole time I worked with him Princess Gracie pouted and ran around the round pen.






After I got done with Chester, Soli practically INSISTED that I pay attention to her. Soli is so sweet. She is very timid and you can tell she's trying so hard to do whatever it is you want. I was telling D this afternoon that I'm getting really attached to Soli and she said "Oh well, I'll just have to sell her to you eventually!" -Well hubby did ask what I wanted for our anniversary...and she would make a perfect present! (Crap-I already told me not to get attached!)

I think Ms Sami does not like the new weather pattern. (Ah em-neither do I Sami) I'm gonna have to get her a new coat this week and maybe boots because she gets so cold even going out to pee.

Hopefully, life will settle back down...In the mean time, I hope I can get some awesome snow pics in the morning!

Lazy Afternoon

Fallin Hard

No, not on the ground.. I was so super tired this weekend. Chester didn't get any quality time until Sunday afternoon. We went to work out in the round pen and he laid his ears back and I could tell he was limping-not bad, just enough to be uncomfortable. He must have whacked himself, we're both a klutz. Exercise got cancelled. Then, I got a wild hair and asked hubby for a leg up while D held Chester-not all the way, I just lay there on his back. Darndest thing happened-for one; I got an image of my big ass hangin for everyone to see and couldn't quit laughing. For two; I really, really, really liked it up there on my horse. He didn't seem to mind to much. Oh boy, you're in for it Chester. For today though, another walk was enough.

Okay, and this one is rather silly, but read it anyway:

If horses aren't in heaven

I may refuse to go.

For without them, who'll carry me to and fro?

If my dog's not there to greet me,

I just will not stay

Who'll sit with me and watch the horses

munch their sweet baled hay?

-Sally Massey

The Farrier

What a ham! Soli got her pretty face in there too.

Steve the farrier stopped by and did some shoes and trims for Dian and trimmed Chester for me. Steve is a very interesting character. He loathes the fact that he is an "okie" now (he's a former Texan-thank goodness we got him) he's extremely knowledgeable about horses and he's nice. Being nice is a requirement...anyway, D and Steve were talking about putting front shoes on her two year olds and I inquired as to why. Apparently to get them used to it and they have to wear shoes when D takes them to the shows next year. I don't think I'll put any on Chester for now, it's not a requirement for Sport Horse (in hand). I'm leaning towards boots if they'll work-just have to wait and see. Also chatted about the "riders rasp" and he says to go for it. Use it about every two weeks in between trims and it will eliminate chips, cracks, etc. Thanks Steve! Thanks D for waking me up-I hate missing out on the farrier!

Good Day!

Chester is progressing so fast! Today, I took him out-tied him up and then groomed and saddled. He stood so patiently. The kids were playing not twenty feet away: throwing buckets, dirt, and just being busy and loud-he never moved a muscle, just stood and watched. After I got him saddled, I put the lunge line on and we went out to the pasture and lunged. He is finally catching on to the outside (the round pen) lunge. He actually did beautifully. Then we went walking and did some zen grazing. While Chester did some grazing, I ordered pizza-talk about a multitasking mom. With the time change, it gets dark so much quicker so I feel a little pressed for time. The weather has been so beautiful, I love fall.

Tryin out the new saddle!

Chester does not seem to mind. I even got a canter out of him without any protest!

The little saddle fit him just right. D snapped a pic of "whoa" which he's perfected.

I really love my horse.


Finally got over a little "exhaustion slump" and got some good quality Chester time. Dian snapped some pics while Chester tried out the new/old saddle. He really didn't mind and maybe tomorrow we'll just wear it out and about on a walk...The weather has been cooperating with outdoor time and I hope it holds all week!