Holy Cow We're Horse-N-Around Now...

Friday morning I saw an ad in Craigslist of a horse in urgent need of a home so after the music man got home from work we jumped in the truck and drove out to see her. I've been on the look out for another horse for a while now but have some specific parameters in mind. Our next horse would be in need of a safe and loving home as well as make for a nice trail horse for monkey and the music man.

Upon arriving we saw that the horse was an underweight Quarter Sorrel mare approximately 10 to 12 years old who was in need of some groceries and yep a good home. She has good feet, sweetness in her eye but hasn't had any formal training... Since we needed to make a decision immediately on an unknown situation, sort of like a crap shoot with a heart beat and knowing she needed work and that though we wish we could help many we could only save one right now. We decided to keep her in our hearts and prayers and hope for the best.

Saturday the music man and I couldn't get her off our minds and were talking about it while sipping coffee and watching the chickens we felt she deserved a chance, an opportunity.  I called my trainer who is amazing and she agreed to go back out with me and give her opinion. I'm happy to report that she felt and saw the same things I did although with a little more caution. After working with monkey and this mare for a little bit we loaded her in the trailer and headed out.

She will be spending the next 30 days with our trainer. She's already making friends as shes the only mare in the mare motel and the boys of course love her, she IS a cutie. She's enjoying the attention from everyone and filling her belly. She needs to gain 100 to 150 pounds and will also be in training several days a week. In addition she'll undergo a safety evaluation before bringing her home.

I sure feel this little girl, she is such a sweetie pie and eager to please. I know she is open to learn and I know she's gonna do great! Monkey, the music man and everyone who meets her is smitten.

Saturday we visited Toby's Legacy, a local horse rescue facility where the owner Lisa is doing amazing things for the neglected. Giving a voice to those who need it so desperately. We took snacks and gave lots of hugs and smooches.

                                                          our buddy aka muscles :)

Giving some smooches 

and more smooches from our visit

It amazes me to see how much we have accomplished in such a short amount of time. If you've been reading along here for the last few weeks you know we have been working non stop around our new place. Well this weekend was no different and we were able to cross a few more things off the "to do" list.

One huge check mark is done next to Chances turn out. The Music man finished it and it's perfect. Seriously perfect! I love it and am so thankful for his hard work and dedication in helping bring him home. I swear we have been busting out all these moves in the hottest days of the entire year.

Yesterday he came home. He is pacing and nervous about the change just like a couple weeks ago when he went to my neighbors but I have no doubt he'll be happy again in no time and is already starting to settle in.  Since this IS the final destination he wont have to go through another move and I know he likes that!

Change is often scary and we've had so much of it over the last few months but these days are incredible. We all feel such a peace even though the work is hard, a confirmation that we're on the right path indeed.

Dookie Pookie Pie

Duke
Dookie Pookie Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Snuggly Puggoly Pie

Has allergies, not sure to what maybe to dirt. Is that possible? I hope not. When I brought him home from the rescue I noticed his inner eye lid wasn't opening all the way up. I called his foster and was told it was allergies and that she noticed the same thing but after a few days it seemed to get better.

This sweet boy loves to play in the dirt. He runs, rolls and hunts out any soft spot to literally bury his nose and face in. I've noticed on the days he buries his face that night and the following morning bring on some serious itches. He scratched his eyes and nose so hard that they bleed.  A couple weeks ago I took him in for a Vet check and was told again it was allergies.

He has gone through a box of Benadryl which makes him tired... and I'm applying a pricey ointment to his eyes three times a day which does seems to help a bit.  He went around the house the other day and gathered several doggie toys and piled them up for his nap. He is such a good dog.

Have you every had an animal with allergies? Any ideas on how to help this sweet boy find some relief other than keeping him drugged and on lock down inside the house?

Welcoming Fall

Yesterday was the perfect weather for the first day of Fall in our hood. Overcast, cool and some quiet time inside watching football. Yep, perfect.

Ohhh how I love this season!
I love...
How the days are slowing getting shorter. A rest for nature but also for us.
Cool nights and warm days.
Planting seeds for a winter harvest.
Soups, Chowder and Chili.
Football, of course!
The feel of my knitting needles back in my hands and the clacking sounds they make.
Falling leaves and their rainbow of colors.
Warmth from a fireplace.
Pumpkin Pie
Boots
Apple harvest
Scarfs and Sweaters, yay!

How about you guys, what do you love about Fall and what's your favorite season?

This Week...

1.  We enjoyed Chicken TV and treated the girls for mites, again. I think I have a handle on it but want to be sure. Betty's fuzzy butt is coming back, yay!

2.  Shadow play with Chance.

3.  Made good progress on the tack room, so excited. 

4.  Soaked in the night light from a harvest moon.

5.  Slowed down enough to smell the flowers or pretty weeds in this case :).

6. and 7.  I enjoyed lots of snuggles, smooches and dirt baths this week from the pooches.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend,

Jen

Update Post

Thanks everyone for your kinds words. Chancie was much calmer yesterday morning when I went to see him. It's not uncommon for horses to fret when they are moved and I guess it really wasn't that long ago that my poor guy lived in isolation.  Since being with me he has lived in turn outs with horse buddies all around him and he's now a social butterfly. Though there are gelding close by that are friendly he wants those ladies in the lower pasture.  Of course the ladies don't seem to care much for him.

He is so funny and I am thankful he's settled down. I rode him down to the house yesterday and around his turn out,  loved it. We both did.  Today we went on our first trail ride in the new hood. Check out the views and the old oaks... Amazing!

Imagine in the spring when everything is green, sign. It is gorgeous here! Photos were taken by my buddy to document our first ride. And what a fantastic one it was! Thank you God for all these blessings, my heart is full and I am incredibly grateful...

Hauling Chance

With temps over 100 degrees again this weekend we drank lots of cold water and continued to make progress.  We were able to get all the post sunk for Chances turn out and half the fencing up on his 40 x 80 foot turn out.

Sunday morning he was hauled to my neighbors house for a couple weeks while we finish getting ready to bring him home. I'm happy I don't have to drive into town daily now, makes for more time to keep busting out moves here. 

I went over a couple times to check on him and he is not happy. He's been running the fence line and calling for the two mares in the lower pasture. He's soaking wet with sweat and I'm surprised. And worried. Its hot and I don't want him to get dehydrated.  He's never acted like this before, apparently he's a ladies man now... Fingers crossed he's calmed down a bit this morning.

I'm thinking I may to have a companion for him before I bring him home. I don't want to rush into getting our 2nd horse as I am looking for something very specific there. So perhaps a mini donkey? I want to get one for the goat and sheep for protection anyways, maybe I'll just get her early? I'm off to finish my coffee with Chance and ride him over to our place for a visit. 

Happy Monday Peeps!
Jen

Dragging The Pad...

This morning muscles,  ahem... I mean Monkey and I went to our local home improvement store and with some help from their nice employees we picked up T post and horse fencing for Chancies turn out. We're getting so close to being able to bring him home I can't hardly stand it!

 The people in our new hood are so nice and everyone we've met thus far is incredibly helpful.  Yesterday I met another neighbor of ours who also does tractor work. Today when we got home    he was dragging the pad where the horses will go.

Isn't this a cool photo? Monkey took it and it's sooc. no edits at all. I think she's got the eye too.

Meet Dick, my neighbor. What a nice man and...

he does great work, check out the pad!!!   Now we just need the Music Man to get home from work and the weekend to sink a load of posts...

Happy Friday!
Jen

We've Got Happy Girls... Again

In the midst of our moving chaos and temps over 100 degrees last weekend the Music Man and I finished the coop addition for the girls.

I am really happy how it turned out and I think the girls like it too. Look how big the pullets are, four months old and in with the big girls since the move.  Betty is a bully but thankfully there is enough room for everyone to get around or away from her. The other girls get along fine and I'm hopeful Betty will come around too.  I get the whole pecking order thing but it's hard to watch sometimes.  All the girls get to enjoy some daily supervised free ranging time.

The wire we used is not chicken wire but instead a really strong gauged stucco wire. The gauge we used is 2 gauges stronger than hardware cloth at half the cost.

I am meeting with a local pipe corral company to see about using panels for Chancies turn out or if I'll use 6 foot horse wire. Either way Chancie will be home very soon and we're looking for a trail horse preferably a rescue to add to our family.  Heck if all goes well I could have a goat and sheep by spring eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek! Super excited!

Our Weekend

This weekend was another busy one for us but happily I'm feeling productive again, not chaotic like the last few weeks.  Although we are completely fried and overheated we were able to bust out some major moves. The Music man in temps over 100 degrees and I finished the chicken run.  The girls are happy and I'm hoping to get it painted later this week.  Once done i'll post some pics.

This weekend we unpacked a few more boxes and I shot Macy Grays concert last night at a local winery. The venue was gorgeous and I ran into a concert photog I greatly admire. I had a blast and am excited to work up the pics later this week.

Here's a shot from last night. Tammy, thought you might like this one :)

Happy Monday Peeps!
Jen

Catching up

Slowly but surely we are making process. Unpacking and starting to settle in. I think we moved during the hottest days we've had all summer and with monsoonal storms in the afternoons to boot.  I said a couple weeks ago it felt like Fall was in the air... I lied, it's still no doubt summer!

Phone and Internet are not the best in the new hood, apparently we are in a black out area. It's okay though, we're working on getting a signal booster and the atmosphere out here is totally worth it. I am really liking being further from town and all the possibilities this place brings.

My girls are not very happy. I put them all together and that is going okay but they cannot free range here all day like they could on the vineyard. I think the ratio between wild life and humans is about the same out here so they have to stay in the coop while the music man finishes building them a fully enclosed play yard and run. They are enjoying the fan I put in coop though and ice cold melon for an afternoon snack as well ice cubes in their water. I'm trying to keep them hydrated and cool. It's hot. 105 degrees hot and the temps are not supposed to get under 100 for a few more days.  I've also started to let them out for some supervised free range time in the late afternoon. I'm hopeful we'll get it all worked out and they will be happy in no time.

The dogs are super happy and seem to have immediately settled in. Duke loves watching over the property and following me around. The heeler in him is such a perfect match for the ranch and Jackson is enjoying the house and air conditioning. Smart dog he is... Both of them had a check up yesterday and all is well. Jack got a manicure and Duke some medicine for his allergy eyes.

I'm shopping for used corral panels and will be moving Chance to a neighbors until I can get my turnout done. I hope to be able to have him here in the next month or so.  I cannot wait to ride the trails here. It's gorgeous and since we are in an equestrian HOA all the trails are beautifully groomed.

On the photography front I've had a couple really cool shoots over the last couple weeks as well. This weekend, Macy Gray. I'm looking forward to finishing the unpacking, working on photo edits and throwing my feet up with a glass of wine and catching up with you.

Are these not the coolest spur straps? I love them and may need to pick me up a pair.

And finally one more sky shot. I know my last few post have featured the sky here but I continue to be blown away every evening and can't think of a better way to end the work day then with this amazing view.  Sorry for the long post this week but I had so much to share and the last couple weeks have been so rushed.

Hope all is well in your hood,
Jen

Hello from the new hood....

Phew, we are beat! Moving is not fun at all. SO much work but we love the new place and are looking forward to unpacking and getting settled in. I am super excited to bring Chancie home. I'm hoping I can find some used corral panels soon.

 The sunsets here are breathtaking. Check out these clouds, aren't they amazing? !!

We've met a couple of our neighbors and they are wonderful too.

Meet Mark, one of my new neighbors. He said he has a desk job and loves to drive his beautiful lil red tractor around. It relaxes him being active outdoors.  I know we can all relate to that. Anyways he came over the other day and mowed down the area where the horses will be. How's that for a welcome to the new hood? Awesome I think!

This pasture and huge oak's are the view out my kitchen window. I like being able to see the animals from the house and having just a short walk down to them. I think they'll love the shade the trees will give them as well.

Today we have to add on to the coop as all eight girls are now together. It's going well but they need more room and free ranging all day here is not an option.  Okay I better get going lots of unpacking and building to do today.

Hoping your having a great long weekend to.
Happy Labor day,
Jen