Kanti called me before 9am and I was still in bed. She said she was at the farm and it was quiet. She said he's wait if I could come soon. I made a cup of coffee and headed in around 1030. It was a nice day getting nicer. Duke doesnt have his winters but Hershey and Blue were available. Amanda took Blue in the ring for some leg work so Hershey and I went out on a wintery ride. When I got there I said hi to Duke he was with the boys eating. At the end of the day Laurie did the business for Apache with Bob, Sarah and Sandi put my stuff int he little barn and Cassie said that she will help me with my saddle. Im pretty excited.
Sarah was going out on an 11am ride with a nice lady on Tulsa, I was next and Kanti and Laurie. Behind me those two had an intese discussion about life and I was just keeping it simple. We didnt trot the conditions were not good the ice snow and mud water difficult for the horses. I was worried about the horses enjoying themselves. At one point I had Hershey go to the edge of the water and look.
Hershey kept me safe and I was able to spend some time with Sarah. She said that it will be great when we can go riding together. She said she could text me and we could go out on the trail together.
I cant wait!
Just a little visit and I also got to meet Val as she dropped by to say hello.
Everyone was there today and it made me feel so good. Olivia and Syrah, Anja and Winston [she rode bareback], Sarah and Hawk, Sharyssa and Casey, Theresa rode April and not one buck. Looks like Amanda and Theresa helped April stop bucking up during the cantering. Pretty cool.
Well Duke doesn't have his winter shoes yet but its ok. I hope the snow goes away. I think most of all the other horses have their winter shoes so he should be soon.
Tomorrow Ill be leaving my saddle for Cassie to put together. Im so dam excited.
Ill drop off the saddle tomorrow and maybe ride in the ring when everyone else is out on the trails. There were so many people going out on rides today I thought it was kind of strange considering the weather but I believe it was the holiday weekend and people from out of town visiting wanting to go for a ride. I hope they had fun on the rides. Amanda and Sarah was so chilly.
I got all of Duke's hoofs and cleaned them up with the pic. I asked Val and the girls to watch me do Duke's hoofs. I did pretty good but the back ones are more difficult for me. Theresa said its more problems in the summer than the winter. I will work on getting better with the back hoofs next time.
Here is Duke after I had my visit with him in the barn. He was enjoying some celebratory treats and 2 carrots. He's so sweet.
Sandy took a few pics after I signed the agreement and purchase agreement. Its in my hands in these pics.
Duke is looking at Hawk when he photo-bombed the pic, Ha Ha So cute.
Here Hawk is edging over to Duke and I and Duke has his ears back.
Still smiling, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face and still can't. Amazing!
Bob told me that Duke can stay with the herd until next spring. I am so relieved to hear because he has so many friends, like Hershey, Domino and the rest of the guys.
Buddies <3
This is either Mariah or Blueberry with Duke at the back end of the Dinning Dinning area, Quanset Hut.
**Felt bad after learning that Bob lost Maggie on Thanksgiving morning. He was so down Val said. Im so sorry to hear he lost his best friend and on a holiday. Its not fair. I am going to include a picture of Maggie running the horses into the barn at the end of the day. She was a great little dog.
Had such a nice visit with at the farm. Left work early on Tuesday to go over to the farm.
When I got to the barn Bryce and Amanda was leading a little horse across the driveway,walking. When I got there I had nothing specifically that I was going to do. I did bake a couple cookies for Bob for Thanksgiving. Bryce was pretty cute. She asked if I wanted to ride in the ring with her. We got a lead line and got Shawnie and Duke out at the room area. Duke was so cute eating with the other guys. We saddled our horses together and Bryce told me lots of stories. She is a freshman in high school. She said he had come to the farm earlier in the after noon because she got out of school early. It has been raining like crazy all day. She was excited to ride in the ring. She was interested in all the tack that I had gotten for Duke so far. She gave me some treats that Shawnie didn't like. She really loves Shawnie her horse.
She said she can tack her horse in like 10min. I told her that I do not tack very quickly. She said that I would soon. She went in and got both Shawnie's saddle and Duke's. I put the saddle on the rail and worked on brushing him out. She showed me how she brushes the tail and a great brush for doing it. The bristles come apart so that it is more comfortable for the horses hair. I used most of the brushes and got him tacked. I asked questions from Cassie and of Amanda and I got great answers.
When tacking up Duke,
Brush out Duke's coat and make sure he is dry. When I got Duke from the paddock out back, he was very wet and mud coated.
The blanket goes right up to the wither on him. It will line up with the center of the front leg.
The saddle goes about 3 inches back from the blanket.
Fasten the Cynch first Cassie says that if he gets spooked its best to have the saddle on with the cynch not the breast plate.
I put the cynch strap on and wound the strap on the other side of Duke quicker and tighter. I am feeling much better about it.
Fasten the front of the breast plate and then go underneath and fasten the bottom of the saddle.
Cassie showed me how to put the bit and bridle on [She is so good with the horses and with Duke]. She puts on his lead line and then stands on it with her foot. She gently puts it over his ear one ear at a time and then puts her hand in the bit itself and then gives it to Duke to put it in his mouth himself. Be careful not to bump his teeth with the metal of the bit.
Amanda said that later when you are untacking the horse, take it off in the same order as you put them on.
I enjoyed brushing out his coat and just talking.
Bryce brushed Duke's tail out and showed me not to stand directly behind the back legs.
In the ring, Bryce was totally trying to get Shawnie to Canter in the ring.
Amazing job Amanda was working with a new little mustang she is calling Fiona. When I saw them the little girl was so worried and jumpy. After the 2 hours I was there and Fiona was following along with Amanda. The bottom picture she is talking with Cassie, Bobby about how young she is by the look of her teeth. They were so small that she may be only 3-4 years old. She has a mustang marking.
Here is the little hen that Bob thought was taken by the coyote because she was missing. On Tuesday morning she emerged with her little chicks and walked into the farmyard to show them all that she could sneak off, lay eggs and raise a family. Bob put her in the office with a heating lamp. When I looked in the box she turned her head with pride about her sweet little baby chicks. Cassie said that she walked around later with the chicks to show them around the barn.
Great day for a visit to the farm. I was just after 9am so I missed Kanti and Laurie on the trails. IT was ok I wanted to spend time with Val and Tonto. Im so glad I did. Terry came around 1pm it was pretty cool, even Cathy and Sandy made it out to the trails. I should have really hopped on with one of the rides but I need to get ready to be Duke's friend and caretaking.
He was totally busy. I guess its the last few days he will be working on the farm before he goes to the boarder barn.
Time went by fast, Anja's mother let me know that she is going to buy Smokey for Anja. Anja is a young girl and she will have a nice time with Smokey and going on Guide rides. Who knows maybe I will go with her more often.
I sat with Bob in the tack room and he told me stories of how he used to be a machinist. I was almost emotional when I confessed that I was starting a new thing with Duke at a later age. He told he started the farm when he was 42 years old he said he put out a sign that said "trail rides". He and young bob and his sister started it all. He told me he was a machinsts for 25 years and then 25 years he had huge truck, plowed, and hauled back and forth. He said that it important to have good brakes. He said that he always loved real estate and he still follows it. He had some apartments and ran into problems with renters not paying and trying to be tricky with their ways. He said now he has some condos and everyone is paying rent. He answered my questions about the trails and how there was a foundation.
He mentioned Sheila twice after "it sucks getting old" He said that Sheila wont come back anymore. He seemed sad. He also said that the wrecked car out in on the trail was Sheila's sisters car. He also said he was making a new trail. He let me know about the foundation that I saw and he told me where there were some others foundations. He said there was a wrecked car someplace else and near it there was a strange set of rocks that made a circle. He thought some strange club met there and he tried to dismantle the arranged in a circle rocks.
I loved talking to him. He told me stories in the tack room and then on the way out in the office was when he talked about the trails and about getting Duke over to the barn. I said I wanted to see if I could be around during the move to the barn. Id like to help somehow. I hope Duke will be ok. Kanti and I went over to take a look at the barn and its just ok. I think I would like to have him in a comfortable stall.
Bob was very sweet with Val and getting Tonto out to a barn that she can access more in Pelham. I will so miss Tonto and Val. Winston and and Tonto were crying to each other in adorable horse ways. It was kinda touching. I know Val was getting sad for them both. Winston loves Tonto so much.
Duke after our ride. He has only a few days left wtih his buddies in the Paddock before he goes over to the Boarder area.
This is one of the boarder fields where there is a shelter for the horses
Bogie on the left with Kanti, Duke in front and Apache's butt on the right
Bryce with Teddy in the ring before I filmed them.
Cassie with Berry all black outfitted. Black saddle, halter, reins everyting.
Kanti having a little chat with Domino
The ride was actually later than I expected, when Laurie and Kanti came back to meet me when I got there and got off Bogie and Apache to hang out a bit with Cassie, Theresa, Bryce, Sharyssa, Bryce's mother, Sarah, and Bob said he didnt feel good so I think he took a rest.
Going out to the left of the trail avoiding the lake
Joining the trail and heading toward the long straight away.
The straight a way was frozen with big huge ice. One time today Duke's foot when through the ice and he was irratated. Then it didnt bother him. I thought the straight a way was too hard to trot or canter too much for the guys. I told Kanti and the horses like to step on soft ground, I cant blame them so I will always try and have a soft comfortable place to trot and canter. I dont want Duke's feet or legs to have a shock or get sore from the pounding of the hard surfaces.
Duke takes the lead on the way back to the farm after the straight away. I was so proud of him.
I was very excited when KAnti suggested that Dulke lead on the way back home on the straight a way. He looked so cool leading. I think he secretly would love to lead more often. I will want to get out with him a littel around the property to see how he is alone. Sarah told me today that the first time she lead with Duke there was a thunderstorm and he was solid with her. I was happy to hear. Also Val said that she had also had an opportunity to lead a ride.
Tonto's last day, I am going to miss that little silly boy.
