No trail ride tonight

We were supposed to ride our trail for the first time tonight with Vicki and Craig, but I had to cancel. We are working on several projects around the farm to get ready for our Glomski family reunion here on August 2. We are so stressed. We are expecting 50, so in case of rain we want to use the hay mow in the barn. That has taken every spare moment. We are clearing out over a foot of hay, replacing rotten boards and patching holes.

Time for a trim

I was relieved to have Kate come by for hoof trimming. Banjo seems to have gotten over the pain from wearing down his hooves during a long trail ride. A quick nip was all he needed. He checked out fine, except there seems to be some thrush yet in just the front feet. Sparkler and Gilly did fine as well despite some surface cracking. Kate suggests using anything with pine tar as a topical treatment for the cracking.

Princess or pain?

Dan came tonight for our neighborhood lesson. He warmed up Gilly while I saddled Sparkler. She started with her kicking just as she had on Sunday. But instead of getting better, it turned into bigger kicks. I said, "Dan......" and he said, "Sure." We switched.

When she kicked, he made her go faster. When she got to the side of the arena, she whacked the wall with her hind leg. Around the other side, she whacked it again. Then the third time I think it was both feet. He just laughed and kept going and eventually it stopped. However, each time during the evening, starting up after a rest, she would whack the wall once or twice, then settle down. She was perfect once she got over whatever it is this is.

So, I have this dilemma. Is this physical or is she being marish--a princess, as Dan puts it?

Princess theory

Last month, when she was left outside alone while the rest of the horses were inside the arena, she ran around the outside of the arena, whinnying and kicking the walls, mad because she couldn't get in. This kicking started last fall, so it isn't leftover pain from ehrlichiosis this spring.

Pain theory

The farrier says her left rear leg is sometimes more difficult than the others, though not substantially.

Sally says there is an old cowboy test for this. Hold the leg up uncomfortably high for about a minute, then let go and make her trot out. If it's an injury, it will show in her movement. I'll have to give that a try.

What a kicker

I wanted to ride her on the trail, but Sparkler was a bit spooky, so I opted for the arena instead. After saddling her, she seemed pretty calm and was perfect for mounting. She started out beautifully, but when we got to the end of the arena, she started the kicking routine with her left rear leg. So I stopped moving and thought about what to do. Back up? OK, she liked that. But asking her to move forward again produced a kick with her front right leg. I flexed her head to my foot. At first she did circles, but soon stopped and just gave me her head. I got more kicking when asking her to go forward. So I tried a circle before moving forward a few steps. But then she'd stop. I clucked, squeezed, kicked. Nothing. My kicking produced a bigger kick from her. The chicken in me had visions of getting bucked off, but I wasn't going to let her win.

A quick circle via pressure on the front quarters and we were moving. After that, as soon as she would stop moving, I turned her head, put pressure on the front shoulder with my foot, squeezed as we came out of the circle, and moved forward. Pretty soon, there was no more kicking.

Happy trails ahead!

At long last we have a riding trail!!! We started it last week but it was too muddy for the tractor. It was dry enough today so out we went - Bob and I in his p-p-p-p-plower. We went all the way to Art and Vicki's back gate and widened the path on the way back.

Country Jam

No horses today--we had to check out Country Jam. The lineup for tonight was Pat Green, Little Big Town and Big and Rich.

I'm a latecomer to country music, so I didn't know what to expect.

It was great. Beautiful weather, good sound. I just took it easy and took it in.

They're back

I took the morning off work to go to Baraboo to get the horses from the trainer. Banjo is fine with bute in him - it makes his feet feel better. We had just the smallest trouble loading them and then we were home. Gilly was so happy to have his buddies back.

Out in the pasture, I took advantage of Banjo's sore feet. When he moved away from me, I cut him off from the other two and chased him away until he stopped. I repeated a few times and finally he stopped moving altogether. Then I could come up to him, go around him, move away and come back. I'm such a meany.

Banjo is lame

Heather called me today. After an 18 mile trail ride a few days ago, Banjo won't move. The vet came out and says he has thin hoof walls on his rear feet and they just got worn down too far. Bute should be all he needs with a couple of weeks rest. We should still be able to get him tomorrow.

Here's her take after 4 weeks of training: Banjo is fearless. He doesn't spook and will go anywhere. He has a lot of energy, and could be a great endurance horse. Sparkler will kick out when you leave the barn. She doesn't want to go, but once you get past that, she is great. She does spook at small things, but it's just a spook in place kind of thing and she should be great with more experience.

Gilly needs a herd

I think I am getting to know Gilly, now. Since being alone, he has been very insecure. He's afraid to even come inside to get his grain. He will eat it and immediately go outside. Tonight, after he ate, I tried to encourage him to stay inside away from the flies by shaking the treat bag. He went from 0 to 90 mph in a flash -- out of the shed, around the corner and down the pasture at a gallop. I was so glad I wasn't nearby.

On a brighter note, his skin is so much more silky since his bath.

Gilly likes a bath

It was the hottest day of the year. We started cutting the trail with the tractor, but nearly got stuck because of mud from the recent rain. So I gave Gilly a bath. He loved it. We kept him inside for a bit, only to have him immediately roll in the dirt as soon as we let him loose.

Report on Banjo and Sparkler from Heather

Heather says, "We rode them 18 miles today and they did great. Banjo rides great alone and isn't as spooky as Sparkler, but he is quick. Sparkler will ride alone. It takes a little bit to get her away from the barn, then she is great. She is a bit spooky and jumpy. They just have a lot of energy but will make awesome trail horses. Banjo is also lame in his back feet. They got worn down on the ride so he will need a break for a while until his hooves aren't as short."

Gilly won't go

It was very warm tonight, but I grabbed Gilly and took him to the arena anyway. My foot is still colorful and sore, so I didn't want to have to use stirrups. And Gilly was dripping sweat, so I rode bareback. Danged if I could not get him to move. We'd do circles, then a few steps, then barely a lap, then stop. So I thought I'd try the pasture since the other horses aren't around to bother us. But he still didn't want to move. A flock of starlings took off and he turned into a whirling dervish. He did a full circle and a half, then stopped dead in his tracks. I persisted and got him to take me back to the arena where we did half a lap and I gave up.

Maybe I need spurs.

The Best Day Ever!

My foot is still swollen and sore, but I am determined to have my day with the trainer. My husband drove us to Baraboo. We arrived at 10:00 to find Sprarkler and Banjo ready and waiting. Jenna rode Banjo, even though she had just been bucked off a new horse. I rode Sparkler and Heather rode a three year old Arab she is working on.

We went down a path to a neighbor's gravel road, through the woods, under a tree to the road with cars, trucks and a runner.

Starting out was the worst. Sparkler has a new boyfriend, having foresaken Banjo for a gorgeous black Foxtrotter. The Foxtrotter called to her but with the smallest amount of nudging we moved on.

Sparkler wanted to lead, but Banjo is too fast. She was quite calm and I never felt out of control with her. The bucking isn't really bucking according to Jenna. It feels like it on her back, but it is just that she kicks out with her rear leg. Her mother, LIsa, could see this when riding alongside her. She never bucked or reared the whole time Jenna rode her. On one ride, a deer came out of the woods and Sparkler just planted her feet and took it in without moving.

We switched horses half way out. I really like riding Banjo. You don't need to kick or squeeze him. A cluck will get him going. You can't do a one rein stop--he will just go around and around. Just a pull back on the reins though, will get him to stop. We had a truck with a canoe on the top pass us by on the road and Sparkler did a little tiptoe dancing, but nothing terrible.

So, another week and they will be even better. They've been exposed to a bridge, dogs, even a goat. I will be riding when I get back, although there's still no trail. Yet.

On the way back we stopped at the biggest bead store in the midwest, Turtle Island Beads, to satisfy one of my other passions. Bob checked out the shoe store up the road, then came back and patiently waited as I finished up. On the way out, he noticed some sale items and free bead tubes. I ended up going back through the checkout a second time. What a great store!

We went back to the shoe store and I found a pair of shoes on sale. If golfing tonight had panned out it would have rounded out the most perfect day. But a storm got in the way. That gave me a chance to pick some strawberries and catch up on some household chores.