August Is Done

Heating up around here.

He worked on the 'chattering' wheel on the flatbed trailer. The brake fittings had failed and melted, like a candle, and will need to be replaced. He worked on this with a beach umbrella over his work site.

Even in the shade it is brutal out there.

Ride Time!

We decided to ride, because it was the best day, weather-wise, of the holiday weekend. Now that the trail has been 'fixed,' going to Sykesville is a pleasure. We practically had the park to ourselves.

We tied up next to the Police Department, in the shade.

On the way back, Skip threw a shoe. Darn!

Loose Ponies

Lots of people (parents) get miniature horses because they are little. They figure they can handle them because they are little. This is a myth. These guys are the perfect size to injure you in ways you never thought about, faster than you can deny it is actually happening. To you.

Just last Tuesday Sprite knocked the veterinarian on her butt, twice. Glad I had cleaned the stall up nicely, only sawdust and a rubber mat to catch her fall.

This evening I was taking KC out of the dry paddock, moving him to field #2. I imagined I would come back for Skip right away. Instead, as plans go, Skip bumped the gate, swinging it out of my grasp, and he was now loose. I knew he would follow KC and me, but he made a slight detour and I couldn't reach the gate in time and Lil Fred and Sprite followed Skip out.

Now I have three loose horses.

I get KC in the field and Skip follows, close that gate. The 'littles' go to the edge of the parking lot, at the hay elevator, and drop their heads to eat grass. Cool.

As I approach, both trot the fence line, past my Adirondack chairs, and Skip immediately starts running the fence line, too. Great.

I follow them around to the road side of the fence, swinging wide around the septic tank lid and turn them back to the little woods. I keep on them and they get confused about where to go, with all the piles of debris (stone dust, dirt, fence boards) and decide to head out to field #3 across the new gravel on the dry paddock.

The gate to field #3 is open and they lit out of there like their tails were on fire. Meanwhile, he is weed-whacking the fence line of field #1, all the way around. He doesn't have his phone, couldn't hear it anyway, and I don't have mine. His sight-line prohibits him from seeing me and all of this playing out.

I can't close the gate because the gravel is too deep. It has also set up, like concrete, and I have to rake and dig a trench to get the gate closed. This takes time. He is still trimming the fence line. The 'littles' are so far down the field I can't see them.

I finally finish digging the trench and get the gate closed. Skip is not done running the fence line, his tail straight up, full speed ahead, and back again. He continues to incite a riot, and the 'littles' are running along with him, evading and eluding capture. I just took a shower, but my t-shirt is getting wet down the middle. Skip is soaked, too.

I get Skip, bring him in, putting him in field #1. He is distraught. I go into the house to tell him that the 'littles' are in field #3, and can he console his horse, who now is running the fence line and calling out in field #1.

KC comes up to the gate, but then goes back down to the bottom of field #2 to be next to the 'littles.' I walk, again, all the way down to bring him up, put him in his stall next to Skip, who now is in his stall and quiet.

He gets on the tractor and rounds them up. It took time, he was going as fast on that tractor as he could, and they were running through the field as if it was a movie set. A lot. Like "Misty of Chincoteague" or something, mane and tail flying with their speed. They both looked magnificent, really. Around and around we go. Mustang round-up!

Eventually she got tired, winded, and allowed me to catch her. Lil Fred needed more persuasion with the tractor, but he succumbed to the lead rope, too.

They really are cute.

A Tale of Two-Day's Worth of Fun - In One!

Ride time and a show!

Riding in the Rain

Saturday it rained. A lot. Wasn't supposed to, but it did. We rode anyway, because.

We HAD to ride in the rain because it was raining, couldn't reschedule for a better weather day because of time constraints, so ride we did.

He rode with his niece, and surely she won't forget this soggy ride. We got soaked clear through, but a good, memorable time was had by all.

Rotoring

Last year, last May, the rotors and brake pads were replaced on the 2004 RAV4, my favorite farm vehicle, at a close-by auto shop. It was well-rated, and we gave them a shot. We do not use this car to commute, the mileage is low, for a 10-year old car.

With just over 10,000 more miles on it, the brakes were getting weird, shaky. The steering wheel would vibrate, seriously.

This vehicle is perfect for jobs around the farm. Thrifty gas usage, light enough not to bend the grass, all-wheel drive; can get about seven bales of hay in the back, a dozen or so of sawdust cubes.

We took the car to our long-time car guy, close to our old house. He said the rotors were shot. WHAT!?! Barely 10,000 miles on those rotors. How can this be? Not genuine parts, cheap China parts. Not up to the task.

The auto shop that we used would, maybe, honor their work, but he decided to do the work himself, ordered the real-deal genuine parts and put them on. My sweet farm 'truck' is back in business, like it was brand new.

The long-time car guy didn't charge a penny for his time.

Little Dog Gone

Suddenly, Lexie experienced the immediate onset of IMHA, an auto-immune condition that painlessly killed her within three days. Her red-blood cells were exploding, she was lethargic, gums gray and pale, jaundiced; while resting she was panting as if she'd chased the ponies all over the place. Her urine was like rust.

She will be missed by all who knew her, and especially by Irene, her buddy and playmate.