[Tiger Horse]

I have ordered one of those slow-nibble hay nets to slow down her eating as she is a very easy keeper, and having free-choice hay as the vet recommends may lead to her becoming very chubby.

Event4Life, thanks for your advice about DD. DH told me not to mention it as she is beginning a new semester in college, and he doesn't want her distracted. However, I have been thinking over what you advised, and I think you are right--if she doesn't find out till she comes home for the summer, she'll feel resentful and upset--she will expect to be able to see him and then find out that he's been dead for months! And she could find out by accident through FB, which would be dreadful as you point out. At the same time, I dread making the call: I know I'll fall apart on the phone and won't be much comfort to her. I may wimp out and write an email...I'll tell her I'll be glad to talk about it if she wants to.

Wish I'd known you'd needed one, I have one I am not using and would have been glad to send it to you - if anyone else would like it, please let me know.

As for DD, I also agree with Event4Life - you are much better off telling her now, as gently as you can. Finding out so much later would be awful, at least now you can share your grief and that in itself can be very comforting.

[Event4Life]

Dewey - Glad I could help, and I can only imagine what my mom went through in having to be the one who told me, but I did let her know how much I appreciated being told straight off. Hang in there.

Well I had a really wonderful day :-D. I ended up leading the ride because the trainer's son who was supposed to lead it had a conflict. It was a very very beginner trail ride, only walking around the perimeter of the property & mostly in the arena. There was a lot of focus on horsemanship, I love how curious and willing kids are to learn. These kids would have quite happily spent hours grooming if we'd had the time! I'd forgotten how much I love both teaching and leading trails. We had help on the ground too which was great & I think very reassuring for the kids. Afterwords we built a campfire and roasted hot dogs and s'mores - it felt like summer camp!

My guy was great, and he's apparently going to be my project to get ready for the lesson program as he had formerly just been a trail horse. He spooked twice, but this is the first time he's had to lead a group so I thought that was pretty good, and neither were big spooks. He went right past both scary things (first being the farriers truck, which he sees all the time haha and second being a pile of fence posts next to a puddle). We just walked though so I'm hoping to be able to ride him properly tomorrow.

[ParadoxFarm]

Great job, Event4Life. Sounds like a fun, fullfilling day!

[Tiger Horse]

Great job, Event4Life. Sounds like a fun, fullfilling day!

^
Ditto!!

[Finzean]

So I FINALLY got to ride the Amazon...what a lucky, lucky girl I am!! There is no emoticon to smile large enough!!

She is still being a PITA on the ground when she's away from her insta-BFF but I'm understanding that's sort of how she's wired. She was so difficult to get to the ring today, fussy, kicking out in the cross ties...just being a big ol' crank. Fortunately, she's so nice under saddle it just doesn't matter! her trot is enormous and rhythmic; canter is giant and "lopey." so excited for what's ahead. I did lunge her for about 5 minutes and she did one little half hearted bucky type thing one time and was just lazy the rest of the time. LOL

Sending good vibes out to everyone - sounds like some are nursing broken people and some are nursing broken critters.

Event4Life - what a cool treat!! Sounds like the Dub is going to be a good fit!

[ParadoxFarm]

Finzean, your Amazon sounds awesome. Glad you finally got to ride!

[Tiger Horse]

Congrats Finzean - she sounds wonderful!

[HazelG]

Dewey sending comforting thoughts your way. There are no words...

[HazelG]

Bumknees how are things with you? And your dog?

[TarheelJD]

Cool to see all the new people!

Dewey - I am so relieved to hear Sky is doing well and so sorry to hear about Jack. As hard as it will be, your daughter needs to know now. I would be really upset if my parents kept something important like that from me.

[Dewey]

I just sent the email to DD.

[bumknees]

Bumknees how are things with you? And your dog?

Hazel my dog is doing well, thank you for asking. Actually he is doing very well, someone taught him to beg when he was ill. He does not just beg he is in your face begging, which really pissess me off. He used to be the best when it came to not begging, now he is opposite. I have no clue how to break the "habit".
As for me. Had planned to go riding... but National Guard and Mother Nature had other ideas. Dh got a call to report,(just a exercise), and between the snow we've been under a "wind chill" warning for the last 3or4 days (meaning wind chills expected to be below zero from what I understand) and I am not that indestructible any more maybe 30 years ago. So not much happening on that front sucks not having an indoor but my BO takes care of Toby almost better than I "could" kwim. She is wonderful.

The othe problem... Well it is still a problem. No decent place to rent and because of the asshat buying isn't an option. We will figure something out.

[Finzean]

bumknees I wish I was closer and/or had some profound solution to The Other Problem.

This time of the year is just the worst! I am struggling to keep a good attitude about - well - everything. Sending good vibes out!!

[PaintedHunter]

Dewey, I’m so glad Sky is OK…but oh gosh, I’m so sorry about Jack. It’s so so hard to lose those special ones, and what a sweet boy. My thoughts are with you.

Tiger Horse- new saddles are fun! Hope it works out.

Finzean- sounds like a good ride…and sounds like a character!

Good thoughts to you, bumknees.

My weekend was totally filled with horsey stuff. Great ride on Saturday, and then a fantastic trail ride on Sunday with barnmates. We took a bunch of jumps out there (it’s on the land of the Olympic cross country course…only did SMALL stuff!), and Ollie snapped his knees to his eyeballs! I think he needs more of those to make him more careful.

Then yesterday, we did a lot of riding and then… we were silly and “jousted” with noodle floats, haha! Started at a walk and trot, and the horses were surprisingly OK with it, but when it came time to canter, Ollie did not like that noodle coming so fast at him! His version of freaking out, though, involved him simply continuing to canter at a really nice pace and just not wanting to stop. Three laps and we were good  We also played with him when he was lying down in the pasture. This is another girl at my barn on him – he is a SAINT and let us climb all over him while he was lying down. What a sweetie pie! https://www.facebook.com/v/10200113705192823

And recently, I also taught him to high five: https://www.facebook.com/v/10151165510415806

(please ignore my irritating voice in these videos!!)

[ParadoxFarm]

Painted Hunter, sounds like an awesome weekend. What a fun ride jousting with noodles. A most excellent idea!

Can't wait to ride! Did I mention that I'm in my aircast? This weekend I was able to walk around without crutches for the first time on three months. How liberating! Though I feel like I'm walking around in one ski boot.

[HazelG]

PH can you make the videos public so that those of us dinosaurs without facebook can see them too?

Dewey let us know how your daughter is with the news.

[Dewey]

Hazel, she's pretty upset. She also didn't like getting the news via email. I will have to call her to talk about it, but I still am tearing up over the whole situation. Just watched some old video of DD and Jack and was crying my eyes out. Talking about it is really difficult.

[PaintedHunter]

Oh shoot, I thought with those links that anyone could see them! What did the links say when you clicked? I wasn't the one who posted them originally, so let me see if i can get them in another format.

[ParadoxFarm]

I'm a non Face Booker, too. (Just don't like it.)

[Tiger Horse]

Hazel, she's pretty upset. She also didn't like getting the news via email. I will have to call her to talk about it, but I still am tearing up over the whole situation. Just watched some old video of DD and Jack and was crying my eyes out. Talking about it is really difficult.

So sorry Dewey, but I am sure once you talk about it with her, she'll realize why you had to start the "conversation" with an email. Some things are just too hard to verbalize at first. ((hugs))