Foggy misty rainin afternoon

Barn was empty no cars no nothing.  The doors were closed, I was relieved but then I was disappointed.  Disappointed that they poor horses were in for the day, quiet but relieved that I would be alone with them all. yesterday when I got their, Duke called me over from the back of the paddock that he has been breaking into by stepping over the broken board (that Krystyn says he keeps pushing down) I know hes a pushy guy.  Anyway I grabbed my Corsequin, CocaSoya put it in the office.  Duke was very happy to see me when I pushed the door open.  It was so dark.  He stall was nice and clean. I walked around and gave the other horses some hoofsnax.  they were all bored, As I walked down the ailse all of the horses greeted me, all at once. It was so beautiful but they wanted snacks, food attention supper. Then I heard my own horse Duke neigh from the other side, I realized that life is short time is short I better get back there with him.
I was remembering how special it is to be in the barn alone and get to bond with my guy alone.  Having time alone with Duke today was important to me, to get his muscles and bones stretched.
I went into his stall and brought the scratcher to see if I could get Duke when he gets scratchy, it didn't really work but I did get him itched. When hes in his stall and I want ot brush him out he goes from one side to the other and he pops the doorway bottom and it makes a bang. Hes so naughty.  I got halter and his lead line and he slowly sweetly lowered his head to get that lead line on. I was debating on whether to go outside and walk the road or to get his legs stretched out while he walked in the arena. I looked in the arena and it was flooded again. This is pretty disappointing to see puddles of water.
Well I walked out of the barn door and the fog was so thick you could not see the other side of the field and the fog was floating thickly.  I could see Duke's eyes shift from lookin at me to scanning the fields with the strange fog. As I heard him he made a faint strange sound, it was saying "its creepy in the field I don't like it".
Then I thought the outside arena can be really fun Ill try real hard to get him in there and exercised. I had a pocket full of hoof snax, and I was in the paddock, then I decided to run along the edges of the paddock and then have Duke chase me back and forth. Each time he runs to the end of the paddock I would give hm a snack.  We went back and forth many times. I had the cleats on my shoes and I ran on the ice.  When I pulled into the barn I stayed to the back of the hay barn, with no mud and then I gently put the car on the edge of the driveway. It was filled with deep mud and lots of deep wager with ice covers and chunks of ice. I was able to run fast.
When we went back and forth Duke did the big back kicks with his double barrel kick. then at a few points, he began to canter as he came back and forth.

Stalls, grooming and a walk in the snowy edge of Greenwood Road

Went over to the barn today, not too early Bonnie and Krystyn hadn't started the stalls and it was about 1145am.  I said I'm good Ill get to it. I went ahead and did Duke's Lily Joliet and then went back to Gaelens and I think I did Spicey.  then I went over and did Brat, Kenzi In not sure if there Is any more. It took a while to get the stalls clean. As I go in and scoop up the little nuggests that are sprawled around each of the stalls, I learned that if you thow them up against the wall you can get the nuggets out.
Duke was in the paddock that he likes not his.  Krystyn said he's been just walking over the fence and going to be with Muke.  I like that he is a boy who wants to go beyond the limits of the paddock.  Hes free when hes with out him.  When I walked over to him before I went into the office with a big apple for him and one for Muke too. He was in the far away corner saw me and began to talk to me. It was pretty good feeling, your horse sort of talking to you because he sees you. I gave them both an apple, it was so nice.
I took Duke out for a walk on the snow on the road. I talk to him and tell him that hes not going to jerk away of to jump up. Hes got to stay cool while we walk.  When I checked the arena Kristie was on Jonny working out with him and her newer saddles that she was working with him. I walked him in to the arena and then right back out.

Finally not frozen to a crack, no stall this week :)

Saturday afternoon needed to work with Duke, on his ground manners. We headed out to the fields in the icey covered field.  He did a few jerky jumps but is improving. I wasa able to give him his dewormer too.  I got him exercise in the field. I missed the stall cleaning.

Last week

Only saw Duke one day, Saturday because of the big dress order /pickupNeed to update with pics

cold saturday moring

Bonnies birthday was Friday night, they had a nice party for her at the house so many family and friends.  Bonnie sitting in her easy chair next to the fireplace that wasn't working anymore. She had a drink going and her brother, daughtesrs, nephews sister in laws all around the living room.  Evne the kiities and her cat were upstairs feeling the good times we were all having.
Next mornig I went over at bout 11am,  all the horses and stalls were finished, I was able to go into paddock and get Duke and I spent the time in the arena.  Duke was in Muke's paddock again, sitting there. I know hes been making Krystyn mad, running away and being naughty. Hes been running away from her she said.  Hes still rubbing his but. I'm considering a sheet on him to keep him from rubbing his tail off.   Took Duke over to the field to graze for a while.  Then into the barn for some work.
I worked on his walking did about a mile and a half in the arena put up the rails. When we first got in there I felt a little bit unsafe with him.  duke dd that thing when he got in there where he kicks up his heels too much.  I don't like  She said, he thinks hes the alpha and he needs some displine. I think she's right. I see that he throws his head and does crazy stuff too much. We di dsome exercises, where when he did it, I backed him up a couople and then we would go on. I did not have any treats. he worked very well but had his head tilted toward me as we walked. Soemtimes he looked forward but honestly we need to work on his manners. As he walks around he will come too close to my head. I think hes a candidate for being lunged. I would like to get a long crop and teach him that I want him to do that. He needs the training so back.  Ill work on it this summer.

All the STalls and helped mend the fence Duke broke

SATURDAY -  Tried hard to get over early, 11am isn't that early.  Krystyyn and B
onnie were in the office chilling. Krystyn n said that Duke was naughty and took down a coupe of planks of the fence between He and Muke ], He was just standing there in his friends paddock just like owned it. Krystyn started to try and get the hose out of the huge trench filled diwth deep ice and the hose was buried in the ice.  She used a hammer and I took a large rock and we started smashing the ice. The we went into the paddock and fixed the 2 boards that Duke had nocked out.
Then I wentt to town and cleaned all of the stalls on both sides. It was crazy. I feel pretty tired.
SUNDAY - Drove over to the barn after going to O'Connor Hardware, getting the soil and the container for the bulbs to plant so that I can get them into the ground to bloom for spring.
Next week I hope we can get the Blue Bird feeder in right near the paddocks in front of the house in this picture below, so that I can visit Duke and see the Blue Birds. The paddocks were less frozen on Sunday than they were on Saturday. Duke didn't come right when I called him, I had the gate open pushed Doc back and then finally Duke came, I had stepped toward him with my boots on onto the mud but it was sort of still a bit solid from the cold over the past few days/weeks.  I stepped over and he came over to me and out the agame. No grass to eat but he kniew I had somethig in my pocket. We walked down the path, over the mud road over the gravel and down Greenwood Road on the soft wet dirt on the edges and then as we walked we drifted over to the grassy moist dead straw like growth.  As Duke walked he didn't look as strong as he had looked last week.  He was also stiff and not comfortable walking. Last night I only walked out about 1/3 the way down the road. Today we walked all the way to Bonneis and on the way back we stayed on the same side as we had walked.  Most times we cross the street and walk back on the other side the side of the fields that face the opposite of the barn.  A cyclist biked past us on the way down. I stopped Dke and we had snacks and grased in the field. I talked to him. The funny thing is on eh way back the cyclist turned around and duke looked at him, same time a car also came by on the road.  We saw the car the cyclist and then we took a cookie and ignored them all. We walked back toward the barn and just before we walked our walk behind the hay barn and then behind around and back into the barn.  It was a good grazing plenty of chewing and then back to the barn.  Into his stall and I brushed him out great. Then I did his tail with the itchy stuff.  Brushed him all over as Scottie told me about how she was kicked in the stomach and she showed me the terrible bruise she said that Doc liked her when he was in the arena he back kicked her as he was running around crazy.  I felt terrible. I gave everyone snacks and then Kayla came over with Duke's supper.  He snorts and jumps around when he sees her with the buckets. I was just about to get picture   from Scottie  posing to take it.  he was so sweet to me at the stall window.  Then there food came around the corner  and he became a hungry horror boy.  Stamping at the corner with his feed bucket hangs.  I broke of some of the crunchy oat bars and shared them with all of the horses in the aisle and then back to Duke. I gave all of the snacks out and then talked to Pattie as I left out the door.  She said that Sienna threw her in the arena last week when Scott and Gaelen. also that it was very difficult to ride Sienna when there are lots of people here a the barn. I agree and really avoid it.  Im so sorry she was thrown because Siena loves her. <3

Walked up today and saw Duke quietly playing with Duke in the corner playfully stuffing on their halters <3

This was after he saw I was here, he stood there not coming as I was calling. Dusty aka Doc tried to get snacks and be pushy, I had to push him back.