Feeling Comfortable

     Things are going well. I must admit I had been nervous the whole weekend Zorro had arrived.  I just worried about SOOO much.  Was Zorro feeling okay? (He has had some loose stools, has laid down a few times and was pawing when tied up.)  I got up early and went to bed late Sat-Tue to walk him around and check on him.  I was worried about he and Onyx getting along; worried about how it is going to go when we go to load either of them on a trailer; worried about Zorro "pushing" Courtney around; worried about Courtney, Joe, Dan or I getting hurt by one of these horses; worried about surprise expenses (vet visit etc.)  By the end of last week things
                                                                                   finally seemed
to be coming customary.  We are all settling into a routine and I am feeling comfortable with this new norm.  Onyx has figured out which is her stall now and goes right through her old one.  Poops are looking more normal.  The horses are becoming good friends and learning what we expect of them.  I know I will become more and more relaxed and comfortable as time progresses.

     I bought a used saddle last week that ended up not fitting so I had to return it.  I had another lesson with Marj. She is training me as much or more than she is Onyx. 

     Joe bought a used round pen off Craig’s list.  We got it put together and set it up in the old orchard, right near the barn for convenience.












     It has a walk through gate for easy access.  I have used it some, but need to get in there and level off the ground and fill in some of the holes and ruts.  The area also has old thistle stems that are like big sticks sticking out of the ground that I want to remove.  I have let the horses graze in there a few times to help “mow” it down some. 

      Joe bought an old, used dirt bike.  It is actually fairly small but should be fun for the non horse people to ride.  Dan helps Joe unload it and Joe goes for a spin.

     Then Joe gives Dan instruction and Dan is off and running/riding.  The head light and tail light are broken, so the bike will not be ridden after dark or go out on the road.  Jason, the manager of Beck’s Seed, has given us permission to ride horses and motorcycle on the dirt roads around the seed plots.  We need to get a motorcycle helmet... the roller blade helmet is lame.

       Monday night Marj came over to help us load Zorro on the trailer.  We had tried Sunday with no luck.  Well, it took us two hours to get him to go on.  We tried several different approaches.  Marj also worked with him quite a bit to wear him down.  He is a stubborn little boy at times, but once he knows who is boss, I think he will be good to work with.  Being so young though, I know he is going to keep testing us and “pushing the envelope”. 
Here he is watching Joe hook the
trailer to the van.  We ended up using Onxy after about an hour, to put her on so Zorro would feel more comfortable about getting on.  Onyx loaded right on the trailer and stood in there for the next hour.  She has come a LONG way since our first trailer loading.  Next Monday I am going to try out some saddles at Marj’s and hope to borrow (or maybe even buy) one.

     Chuck has been “feeling his oats”  The other night when I went to bring the horses in, he came charging along behind them.  Usually he stops a good distance away, but this time he kept on a comin'.  I didn’t want him to get too close so I threw up my hands and yelled.  Well he stopped, but pivoted, jumped and kicked up his heals all at the same time.  Then he jumped


up and down like a frisky goat.  He is so cute.... but I need to be careful around him....and he needs to learn to stay back... or some one might get hurt, like ME.  Here he is hiding in the tall grass to take his nap.



     Our hay was cut Friday night and we bailed it Monday afternoon.  We didn’t harvest the back pasture, only the two front ones, but got just over 300 bales this time.  These are much better hay bales.  We even sold some right out of the field.....to the lady who sold me the saddle.....which she
                                                     picked back up when getting the hay.

Never a dull moment here at the ranch.










     Some old bales that aren’t going to be very good eating.... we have sold to a lady (cheep) who needs them for seating at an outdoor country wedding.











These are the 100+ bales we sold right off the bailing wagon, with Dan and his two friends who were our hired helpers.