SPRING IS HERE!!!

Yesterday I got a load of hay from my usual guy - the horses & me are both happy but now I have to send this off for testing.

Finaly a spectacular sunny warm day!! Dave dragged the arena for me, although one corner is still frozen & wet. I went to catch QT she was waiting for me since she saw me getting the brushes out, put her head in the halter & licking her lips, so happy to finaly get to do something... After a good grooming I lunged her, she was excellent at first then got a wild hair up her but... Then by the time she finaly quit acting silly she was puffing so hard I put her away. No ride for her for a few days till we work off the winter sillyness.

So I was all bummed out about that so caught Dox, gave him a good grooming & haircut. Lunged him for a couple minutes, saddled up for the 1st time in 2 years. OMG he was so good!!! He acted like he had just come off the show circuit. So quiet & well behaved, push button. He is one in a million & that is why he is DAD!! He is simply the best!!! I love him so much. He was waiting at the gate then tries to put the halter on himself. He does that when I bridle him too, opens his mouth & tips his head towards me at the perfect level. Holds his legs up for me when I clean hooves... He is good for everything except when the vet comes he trots off & won't be caught for a moment - saying screw you David...lol... but always good as gold for whatever he does to him. He's so kind & gentle, anyone can do anything with him although I have never sent him to a trainers or had anyone but me do any training with him. Nobody rates to get the honor :~)

I can't wait to ride again tomorrow. A friend has been bugging me to get Dox in shape again!! With his mother being out of & by Lindy Burchs' cutting horses & his sire being a brother to a supreme champion & apha champions he never really had the opportunity to be the champion horse he could have been. Reining shows were so limited when he was in his prime.

Well better go cook - I am so excited for SPRING!!!

Day 1 -

Not much to post yet as i am STILL waiting for my arena to dry out. I could use my round pen but without shoes it will trash her hooves for shoes.

Dave built a nice stand today for me to hang my hay scale from. I sure like knowing that I am feeding my horses exactly the amount of hay that they need based on the DE in the hay & level of exercise, pregnancy, stallion... My stand is right next to the hay stack so very easy to weigh.

I am really looking forward to finaly getting my minerals balanced too.

I thought I had found some excellent horse hay. Talking with the woman that owns the ranch they are trying to grow the best hay that they can... this lady went on & on about how wonderful this mountain hay is. well out of 27 bales 3 are bad, one had the bones from a fawn that got baled, some are wonderful but most are dusty & am finding pebbles in the bottom of my feeders. Does she think we are stupid or something?? I am bummed out as she had a hay analysis done & i was ready to balance... Oh yeah - the bales are supposed to be 60# each??? I've been feeding for 13 days with 3 bales left - I am weighing out 71#/day... It should last 23 days... geez....Oh well... going back to my usual guy on Thursday.

I got my extra stall that I use for hay all cleaned out on the weekend!! During the rainy season I can put Jemmy in there, then QT can have her own stall & Sapphire & Belle can share the run in barn. All are getting fresh sawdust tomorrow.

The mares were all passed out today in the sunshine laying in the sawdust out front of the barn. Belle decided to go flat out & was laying on Sapphires legs snuggled right up to her. Sapphire is so cute she liked it.