August 30, 2017

54!






One of the best days ever.
Thank you all for your kindness and friendship.

August 28, 2017

trail notes, mmxvii-viii-xxviii

green. in august. 'tain't right.

horse notes, mmxvii-viii-xxviii






Last night the kind folks at South Wind took in five refugees from the flooding. The ponies and the dark bay are Bluebonnet horses but the paint and the gray are probably the foster family's personal horses. They're all super friendly.

Hot Shot was lame this morning. He wouldn't move or eat, scary - we thought he might have torn something but it turned out he had an abscessed hoof, which should be treatable. Thank gosh it wasn't something more serious.

Check this out: How horses got their hooves (NY Times). Timely!

August 27, 2017

evenin' notes, mmxvii-viii-xxvii



trail notes, mmxvii-viii-xxvii




We thought we had a dry band opening up but it turned into more of a steady drizzle. CĂș liked it better and better the wetter we got. (We don't know where the parakeet came from - we saw a bright flash of yellow flying among some sparrows and followed it into the trees.)

snippets, 8-27-2017

On Tom Dorrance:
More than a horsemanTom Dorrance, a most extraordinary horseman, Part ITom Dorrance, a most extraordinary horseman, Part II.

August 26, 2017

critter notes, mmxvii-viii-xxvi

trail notes, mmxvii-viii-xxvi


We had a blustery dry band at noon so Ondine and I walked to the park. She was as supercharged as the atmosphere - loved it. 

August 24, 2017

horse notes, mmxviii-viii-xxiv




Sunny, the pretty palomino mare, just arrived, and there are a couple more gelding boarders on the way - full house at the ranch! Hot Shot seems to be doing better - he still has a little swelling around his hind fetlocks but he's not limping. It was raining when I left the house but dry at the ranch, and it turned into a really nice morning - got to chat with Kelly while the Natural Lifesmanship folks were doing some videography in one of the round pens. Those guys are doing some real cutting-edge connection/relationship work - I might have to look into taking their "fundamentals" course.  Glad I had a chance to get out today in case Saturday is wet; sounds like the coast might be in for a beating this weekend.

August 21, 2017

partial eclipse, august 2017



A fortuitous cloud swung by at the peak. :)
It was fun to see everyone all excited.

August 19, 2017

lesson notes, mmxvii-viii-xix


Hot Shot fetched up lame this morning so we did some care-taking - a cold water soak and a bath, then some quiet grazing while he dried.

August 16, 2017

horse notes, mmxvii-viii-xvi

snippets, 8-16-2017

The Guardian's caption for this painting, Kōnosu Station by Eisen, says that "the traveller on the left is a mendicant monk wearing a tengai – a conical straw hat that obscured the wearer’s identity and symbolised detachment from a worldly life." I gotta get me one of those.

Oh, this is great - check out this visualization (Dressage Today).

August 12, 2017

lesson notes, mmxvii-viii-xii



Rode Hot Shot solo in the round pen for the first time :)
The middle picture is Aria forlorn - her bff Wremi left the ranch this morning, off to college with his owner. (She'll be fine - her owner rocks.)