Yay for Rain!!

About 6:20AM this morning I heard a huge crack/boom....what I thought was Peanut knocking over something was actually Thunder.  I didnt recognize it!  Right after the thunder, the rain started and pouring hard.  I never thought I would be so happy to see rain.  It has been raining all day so far here.  Plants and animals are loving this.

The pond is depleting even more.  As of Sunday, there was no water under the bridge.  Our island is now a peninsula.  Brad submitted a photo to Channel 2 news weather facebook page and it was featured on the 5 o'clock news on Friday afternoon.  We were told by a friend; I didnt actually see it myself.

My new riding routine will be Tuesday - Thursday ride Gunner and on weekend mornings ride Classy before it gets too hot.  Thats my plan at least.

Gunner did very well yesterday.  We rode for about 45 minutes all around the property all 3 gaits. I am making an effort to get him into "sticky" situations to make him think before reacting.  Saw some deer, walked over by Classy who spooked at me raising my hand.  Gunner was a good boy.   We were back in and out of culverts and all around trees and trunks.

Will see how dry it is today and ride again.

Classy is doing well....knock on wood

I rode Classy yesterday and we walked around the property for about 30 minutes then I checked his breathing and he seemed fine.  So we trotted around the easement for about 5 minutes and then came to a stop.  I checked him again and he was breathing heavier and a little out of breath.

I called it quits for the day.  I think he did very well considering the heat.  But the heat really isn't his problem.  It's the humidity.  These last few weeks with the temperatures rising, the humidity has actually stayed relatively low compared to most Spring/Summers here in Southeast Texas.  There has been a great breeze in the early evenings that helps keep the humidity down and keep Classy from completely overheating.

I have added electrolytes and a hoof supplement to his One AC supplement regime for this summer.  He isn't eating the electrolytes so I will start mixing a little water in his feed to sort of mash up the supplements with his grain.  A trick I learned from my friend Christine.

He cooled off quickly last night after a brief rinsing with a hose.

Today would've been Gunner's turn for a ride, but we had to run errands instead.  I will ride Gunner tomorrow and hopefully have Friday off to ride both horses (weather permitting).

So very dry...

You can see where the water line USED to be.
6/13/2011

The drought continues here at L5.  Our pond is down at least 2 feet from last year.  Under the bridge the water used to be 3 ft deep; now it's no more than a few inches.  Pretty soon the fish wont be able to circle all the way around the pond.  We also now have a "beach" since the water is so low I can sit down by the water and feed the fish.  Saturday, the turtle and Roy the Koi fish were about 1 foot away from the edge of the water coming to get their bread.

Water under bridge is now about 3 inches deep
6/13/2011

Bucky loafing around looking at the fish in the pond
6/13/2011

After feeding bread to some of the fish I cant believe how low the water is
6/13/2011

I rode Classy on Saturday around 11am.  I saddled him up and we walked for about 45 min around the property.  I stopped under the shade of a tree and he was panting/puffing so I knew he was done for the day.  I untacked him, hosed him off and turned him out.

I rode Gunner on Sunday afternoon around 1pm.  He did just fine.  Classy was panicked the entire time as I put him up in a stall and he couldn't see Gunner for most of the ride.  We rode for over an hour mostly walking the property and then some trotting and cantering at the end.  I became overheated after cantering and knew we were done.  I called Brad out from the cool Living Room to help put the horses up in their stalls for the remainder of the afternoon.

This morning, Brad put the horses up in their stalls with their fans on.  This whole week is supposed to be around 100 each day with no rain in sight for at least 3 weeks.  Classy seemed fine once I got home to turn them out after work.  Tomorrow I will try riding him after work and see how it goes.

Crow...

Well, I found a dead crow in the horses' water trough last night as I was feeding them.  Does that mean bad luck???

Oh well....Luckily I don't buy into that theory. :)

Tonight we had a farewell happy hour for a friend at work who is moving to San Antonio for her husband's work.  I hope we stay in touch.

Had a blast in Austin this past weekend with my hubby.  We visited some friends in Round Rock and in Dripping Springs.  It was Fun!!!

Looking forward to tomorrow getting back to normal and riding either Classy or Gunner...whomever is the least overheated.  Classy had a good day yesterday and today.  Threats of thunderstorms kept the temps down Monday afternoon into the evening.  We came home Tuesday evening and he looked fine.  I have added Farrier's Formula to his diet as well as the One AC in the AM and the DuMor electrolytes AM/PM.  I read somewhere that someone put their barrel horses on Farrier's Formula and it seemed to work for the anhidrotic horses.  Keep your fingers crossed that Classy starts to sweat more soon!!!  At this point I am willing to try anything for my old man!!!

Classy and I -  Christmas 2010

Its getting hotter!

Couldn't ride Classy today....He was puffing too much and only a tiny smidgen of his neck was sweaty.  So I hosed him off and put him in a stall at the barn.  That seemed to help.  Next week I may have to start keeping them in their stalls....will just take it one day at a time.

I did get Gunner out and saddle him up in his western saddle and rode all around the easement.  Just hacking.  Did a lot of circles and slow trotting.  Nothing too stressful.

Brad was kind enough to check out the box fan in Classy's stall because I read of a recall on one model.  Sure enough his box fan is on the list.  There is a 4 week waiting list for the replacement part.  I am sure we will buy another $10 box fan before that.

Quiet evening at home. We are watching the last DVD of the Pacific and then chilaxing!!!

No more eggs in the nest.  Soon enough there will be little baby birdies chirping away.

Bucky enjoying a dunk in the trough

A good ride

Today was Gunner's turn under saddle.  We started out with a couple of minutes of longing then I tacked him up in my English saddle.  I got on and warmed him up for a few minutes up and down the easement.  He wasn't too excitable today (not that he ever really is).  I trotted him over some ground poles.  They were a little wide set for him but he did fine.  After that we moved over to the acre in front of our house.  We did lots of serpentines around all the trees; figure eights; walking and trotting.  That seemed to help him pick up his inside shoulder to keep himself level anticipating the next turn.  Its too hard to duck a turn when you are making another turn, Gunner!!

I am learning just how sensitive of a horse he is.  Every little shift I make he will adjust himself.  Even so much as if I have more weight on one seat bone he shifts his body.  This is making me very aware of how I am cueing him and how little effort is needed to get him to move.  I remember when I first started him, he had no clue what was going on.  And now at age 6, he has grown into himself, mentally and physically.  I am very proud of him.  I am also beginning to be proud of myself for learning the patience to stick with it and finally realizing that this is a long term, one baby step at a time process.

After all the serpentines, we moved to paddock #1.  This paddock always seems to make him move out a lot more than even the easement.  We got some good ground covering trots in and then he cantered.  Each canter "session" would last about 8 strides, but I can tell we are making progress.  I am in no hurry.  And the more I push him into a certain timeframe, the more frustrated he seems to get and then we both go down hill from there.

Oh and the STOPS on this horse are crazy!!  Make sure you are sitting up straight and just the slightest verbal "whoa" and his butt plants down and he stops in 1 maybe 2 strides!  He is definitely reining/cutting bred!  It will be a fun day when we are doing some long canter strides and then feel his butt sink under me for a stop....If only I had some deep sandy arena to practice!  Maybe paddock #3 will have to do.

The last 5 minutes of our ride were spent with me riding without stirrups at a trot.  When setup correctly, he has a very easy trot to sit.  Just keep remembering to get out of his face....All you have to say is a little "easy" and he slows down.  Such a good boy!

On a different note:
We have a birds nest in our wreath in the front door.  Over the last 4 days, there has been appearing one new tiny little speckled egg each day.  Too cute.  I think they are finches, although this time I haven't seen the parents around nearly as much as the last time some birds built a nest and laid eggs in our wreath.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4