Round 'Em Up, Head 'Em Out.

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'
Keep movin', movin', movin',
Though they're disapprovin',
Keep them doggies movin'
Rawhide



     This week went extremely fast, starting with a trip to Carol's farm in Indiana over the weekend.  Joe and I scurried around Saturday morning getting ready to go, trying at the last minute to catch the two roosters to take.  The round up took longer than expected and was not completely successful.  We could only catch the old rooster, so left the young one home and headed to Indiana with Brooster, dog, trailer and some alfalfa. 

     We were only there about 30 hours, but made the most of our visit.  We started off with a walk on the rails to trails.  The dogs love the adventure.  After posing for us in front of someone's left over trash, we rounded it all up and headed back with our little doggies to place it in the cans where we had parked.
     This eagle swooped down in front of us on the trail and later we spotted it perched here high up in the trees.  Due to Carol's great photography skills and nice camera she was able to capture it on film.










     It was a lazy weekend with lots of good eating, talking, watching TV, and messing around on the computer.  Brooster settled in to his new home fairly quickly and was soon trying to woo Carol's chickens while the ducks scamper around in the excitement.




     We did do some work in the field chopping weeds and I watched Ike herd sheep at Carol's direction.  With his help, she moves them morning and night, in and out of the barn.

    






Move 'em on, head 'em up,
Head 'em up, move 'em out,
Move 'em on, head 'em out Rawhide!

     Joe unloaded our 5 heavy bails of good alfalfa and then loaded 55 of Carol's very light, stemy, sort of crappy hay that we hope at least the cows will eat.  We brought Carol some peaches and pears and took many tomatoes.  We may be exchanging some of our beef for some of her lamb when we next visit.  We also rounded up and loaded 6 large rocks for my garden... it is an ongoing thing, collecting rocks.

     We were back home before 3pm Sunday, just in time to get a call from Lisa to go riding.  Joe quickly unloaded the hay while I took care of the 
rocks.  I managed

to smash my baby finger with the little trailer hitch (not the rocks) and was not much help with the hay after that.  But, I did get Roni, tack and gear loaded up and was out to  Moraine View in time to join Lisa and her two boys for a ride.   

     Kaysha's view of a Rawhide round up is a bit different than the show.  Here she poses by my new rocks holding her rawhide chew.

      Monday started with a pep assembly in the morning to kick off homecoming week.  The faculty was as wound up, wild and crazy as the students. The theme was Wizard of Oz and each day was a different "dress-up" day.  Our school spirit was great.

     Tuesday afternoon Sir Loin was scheduled to go to market.  We had been practicing feeding him in the trailer, but with not much luck.  So when he got on to eat first thing Tuesday morning, Joe shut him in, called the meat packing place, and took Sir Loin early.  Round 'em up.

  

Head 'em out.

 










     I stayed late at school for a meeting Tue. so left the horses out late (9 pm).  When bringing them back in, they kept spooking.  I am not sure what the deal was, but it was a full moon.  It was easy to see, but there were lots of shadows which I think scares them. The wind blowing also riles them up.

     I was up early and back at school by 6:30 am Wed. for our PLC work.  It started raining just before noon and kept it up till 5pm.  I came home early to let the hoses out, but had to wait till it wasn't as wet.  When I finally did, they were so revved up they went bonkers.  It was cold, windy and damp.

I am not sure what these two lines from Rawhide mean,
but some how they seem appropriate.
"Rain and wind and weather ...  Hell-bent for leather"

  

     Zorro was going crazy while I was bringing Amiga out.  And then when I turned her lose she just added to the frolicking.  These two don't look lame to me... or in pain.  But, if a horse with suspensory ligament injury is not treated properly, long term, and with the utmost of care, it continues to suffer repeated injuries from those of microscopic nature, even though it may not appear lame.  Our concern is that their break down was from minute injuries that compounded over periods of time and may well be a case of multiple and continuous injury.... until the proverbial straw that broke the camels back, and they go lame from one too many frolics.  Notice Roni is just quietly eating in the background.  He is the older, more mature and wiser horse.

     I took this picture through my office window of the humming bird perched on the bird feeder pole. He looked like part of the cast iron silhouetted against the gloomy morning sky.... until he decided to fly off.

     Joe cleaned out the corn crib and then moved half our remaining lime from the pile in the paddock into the corn crib.  We are hoping this will reduce moisture, stink, and flies.





      Everyday at the end of school, it is a mad dash for students to exit the building and parking lot.  I am glad I am usually long gone by then.  And in the morning, they sometimes come racing in.  I am also thankful I do not have to be a part of that stampede either. 
Thursday morning this car (which was going
way too fast) hit a pole, rolled into the field and burst into flames. Luckily the two students got out with just some scrapes and bruising. 

     When it comes to moving through the hallways, the students are a little more poky.  We are almost 500 students over capacity, so it is a challenge to move 'em down the hall.

Keep movin', movin', movin',
Though they're disapprovin'

     I dressed like a Kansas farmer Thursday, adding Grandpa Bullock's cowboy hat and my cowboy boots from college.  Once home and out of the tight boots, I threw on my riding boots and took Roni for a spin.  We communicated pretty well.  I took him over to Becks and had a few fast rides along the highway (I-74).  I guess I was kind of showing off.  Got some honks from some truckers.  But, I did want to work on speed transitions with Roni.  He will slow down, however, once I let up on rein pressure, he thinks it's time to get-up-and-go once again.  And he has troubles holding his feet still when I stop him.  These are things we continue to work on.

     Friday I drug all day.  I could tell something had invaded my body and was trying to take over.  I had to take Roni to Marj's right after school for a chiropractic adjustment.  He did well, and you could see relief once the Dr. popped his atlas (1st vertebrae) back into place.  She prescribed 2 to 3 days of rest (no riding) which actually was a relief to me.  I went home and crawled into bed.

This is a great video... click on photo to link to video.

Don't try to understand 'em,

Just rope and throw and grab 'em,

Soon we'll be living high and wide.
Boy my heart's calculatin'
My true love will be waitin', 
be waiting at the end of my ride. 
Rawhide!