It seems like every time I go out to ride lately I end up bathing a horse. Or two. That's what happened yesterday when I went out to ride. Salina came and stood by me, I looked her over, she seemed itchy, and since it was a warm day with a warm evening predicted, I shifted gears and bathed her.
She stood and stretched her nose forward, enjoying every moment of her bath. I used a very soft-pronged curry in one hand, soapy sponge in the other, and ended up removing about another half-pound of shedding hair. The bathing part is actually not what takes the time - it's the rinsing. I'm not sure why, but she seems especially hard to rinse - the shampoo seems to really cling to her coat and skin. Fortunately she loves being rinsed, so after a moment's difficulty when Keil Bay sauntered down the grass paddock and she was determined to go with him, I just dragged the hose and finished her rinse under the holly tree.
We got into it together, the sound of the water, the flow of suds off her back and down her legs, the cooling. Even when Keil got bored and led the herd back up to the barn, through the aisle, and across to the big barnyard, Salina and I stood entranced and connected by that stream of cool water.
I was still planning to ride, but when I got to Keil Bay, he too seemed itchy. In his case, he had a few ticks attached in the groin area, and he was fussing (by walking away) each time I tried to get them off. So I got his halter and a lead rope and we went to the bathing area for his first real bath of the year. Keil likes being bathed too but he is very nudgy as he tries to pull my arm with the hose to different parts of his body - do this part, do that part - mostly he just wants me to hose right beneath his jaw, but carefully so he doesn't get sprayed in the face.
Yesterday, though, he stood nicely while I sponged and did tick removal (easier with soapy hands and skin), rinsed him thoroughly, which took about 1/4 the time it takes to rinse Salina. You're done, I told him, but he followed me to the barn where he clearly expected to be treated for his time. You can see with Keil Bay how the expressive horse gets rewarded for being expressive, and thus it blooms into even more expression.
All through his bath he kept presenting his muzzle to me to be kissed, and when he comes along to the feed/tack room and stands patiently, it's absolutely impossible for me to not give him a handful of something. Yesterday he got a handful of alfalfa pellets for my interrupting his grazing to get bathed, and then he got a handful of oats because... well, just because he asked and I love saying yes to the Big Bay.
By this time it was dusk and I still hadn't checked and refilled water troughs.
With springtime and growing season there are many more chores to be done.
The week before last I cleaned and dragged the arena, last week I mowed buttercups, this week it's rotating/dragging fields, and the next big thing to do is weed-eat.
And grooming gets more detailed. Brushing, bathing, checking for ticks, dealing with biting pests, and managing the heat... all this is partly why spring is NOT my favorite season. But right now it's still more my favorite than this long, cold, wet winter we just came through!
On another note, we have a certain kind of cicada emerging right now by the dozens. They are everywhere, and anywhere there isn't a live cicada, there is the shell of one. These are like no cicada I've ever seen - they have golden wings and red eyes, and resemble little insect demons. Is it a coincidence that the leaves, every single leaf, on the squash and cucumber plants are now simply gone? All that remain are stems and blossoms.
May! I can't quite believe it but it's here.
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Sunday, May 01, 2011
promoting Signs That Might Be Omens today
Today I'm promoting my adult literary novel, Signs That Might Be Omens. If you've been considering buying it, go ahead and do so today and help push the ranking at Amazon!
If you already bought it, I thank you. If you've read and enjoyed it, I would greatly appreciate your taking the time to write a review on Amazon - the reviews do help with new books. It's also very helpful if you "agree with" the tags that you feel best represent the book. All of this works on Amazon to bring the book onto various lists where other readers can find it.
I also welcome invitations to do blog interviews, talk via Skype with book clubs or groups, and any other word of mouth promotion you might give.
You can get a free sample of all my books on Amazon, but I've also pulled a Signs excerpt from further in and posted it HERE.
And remember, claire-obscure, hailed by Eight Cuts Gallery as "a delightful, enigmatic masterpiece," is a connected book to Signs. Both are part of the Claire Quartet, and both are available on Amazon. Click the covers to your right to go directly to the sales pages.
Explore November Hill Press to find out more about the press, the books, and the writing life.
If you already bought it, I thank you. If you've read and enjoyed it, I would greatly appreciate your taking the time to write a review on Amazon - the reviews do help with new books. It's also very helpful if you "agree with" the tags that you feel best represent the book. All of this works on Amazon to bring the book onto various lists where other readers can find it.
I also welcome invitations to do blog interviews, talk via Skype with book clubs or groups, and any other word of mouth promotion you might give.
You can get a free sample of all my books on Amazon, but I've also pulled a Signs excerpt from further in and posted it HERE.
And remember, claire-obscure, hailed by Eight Cuts Gallery as "a delightful, enigmatic masterpiece," is a connected book to Signs. Both are part of the Claire Quartet, and both are available on Amazon. Click the covers to your right to go directly to the sales pages.
Explore November Hill Press to find out more about the press, the books, and the writing life.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
lessons in riding, 4
I went out late this afternoon thinking I would groom the Big Bay and we would have a ride. The sky was shifting from sunshine to dark clouds, and I was hoping we might find a chunk of cloudy sky time to ride in so it would be cooler and the insects might disappear.
Keil came into the barnyard for grooming and it became clear that he needed to be brushed, curried, scraped, brushed some more, and then all of the above yet again - his hair is shedding in huge packets right now. At one point the wind was blowing as I was brushing and his hair was swirling around me like a mini Keil Bay fur-nado.
Still though, I intended to ride, and kept working until he was shining and clean and I was dirty and sweating. I realized he was being besieged by black gnats on his belly, so out came the fly spray and a cloth to wipe it on. Just as I finished up, Rafer Johnson literally wedged himself between me and the Bay and asked for his own grooming, so I set the fly spray aside and got my brushes going on Rafer. He's shedding too, which is unusual so early in the season, but he enjoyed getting a nice groom and some neck scratches.
About that time, Salina came out of the barn and started switching her tail between her legs, over and over. I thought for a moment she wanted me to groom her, so I did, but she kept up the tail swishing. Then I thought she wanted me to STOP grooming, so I stood back. She looked at me and switched the tail about 15 times as hard as she could. Finally, I got the message. Look where her tail is pointing. And there was a hard knot of a tick bite with not one, but two ticks attached on the inside of her hind leg. I rubbed my fingers around and onto the bite area and she stretched out, curled her upper lip, and said, YES, that's IT.
I removed the ticks and then went in the feed room to get a cold cloth and the calendula tincture. She waited for me in the barnyard and stood while I held the cold cloth on the bite, then swabbed with the tincture. She sighed and walked on. No more tail swishing - relief.
When I went to put the calendula and cloth away I heard some tiny chirps. A Carolina wren built a nest in my tack cleaning bucket, which hangs on a hook in the feed room. The eggs hatched on Easter, and as I glanced into the nest today, I could, for the first time, see the neck markings on at least five baby birds, all tucked in a row, and then disappearing as they lifted their heads and opened their tiny mouths in unison.
I think it was then I realized this was just not a riding day. I let Cody and the pony through to the barnyard and watched while all of them milled about, grazing, enjoying the breeze, and simply being equines.
There is a little voice inside my head that tells me I need to get that ride in. I'm not sure where it comes from. Keil Bay and I are on the path to pleasure, with no plans for competition or getting to a certain level of dressage, or even to a specific level of fitness. I love when we make little leaps forward, and I especially love when we find harmony in motion, but it's a whimsical path we're on, not a driven one.
Periodically I get a bee in my bonnet about wanting to get on a schedule and ride a certain number of times a week, or ride daily, and I have to stop and remind myself that for me, there is a fine balance when it comes to routine and schedule - I like having both, but I hate when I allow myself to be ruled by the schedule to the exclusion of being in the moment and following my gut, and Keil's.
Today it was hot, the weather was funky, bugs were profuse, and everyone in the herd had things they needed me to do. The right thing for today was to listen, to offer my hands for holding brushes, giving scratches, and removing ticks. It was a day for watching Keil Bay sink knee deep in a compost border as he reached for the perfect bite of grass. And for watching the pony march around like he was playing I-spy for the best mouthful to be found in the barnyard. For taking time to stop and peek at the baby wrens, who had needs too - and to know that their mama bird would soon be there to feed them.
Today's lesson in riding: it's okay not to.
Keil came into the barnyard for grooming and it became clear that he needed to be brushed, curried, scraped, brushed some more, and then all of the above yet again - his hair is shedding in huge packets right now. At one point the wind was blowing as I was brushing and his hair was swirling around me like a mini Keil Bay fur-nado.
Still though, I intended to ride, and kept working until he was shining and clean and I was dirty and sweating. I realized he was being besieged by black gnats on his belly, so out came the fly spray and a cloth to wipe it on. Just as I finished up, Rafer Johnson literally wedged himself between me and the Bay and asked for his own grooming, so I set the fly spray aside and got my brushes going on Rafer. He's shedding too, which is unusual so early in the season, but he enjoyed getting a nice groom and some neck scratches.
About that time, Salina came out of the barn and started switching her tail between her legs, over and over. I thought for a moment she wanted me to groom her, so I did, but she kept up the tail swishing. Then I thought she wanted me to STOP grooming, so I stood back. She looked at me and switched the tail about 15 times as hard as she could. Finally, I got the message. Look where her tail is pointing. And there was a hard knot of a tick bite with not one, but two ticks attached on the inside of her hind leg. I rubbed my fingers around and onto the bite area and she stretched out, curled her upper lip, and said, YES, that's IT.
I removed the ticks and then went in the feed room to get a cold cloth and the calendula tincture. She waited for me in the barnyard and stood while I held the cold cloth on the bite, then swabbed with the tincture. She sighed and walked on. No more tail swishing - relief.
When I went to put the calendula and cloth away I heard some tiny chirps. A Carolina wren built a nest in my tack cleaning bucket, which hangs on a hook in the feed room. The eggs hatched on Easter, and as I glanced into the nest today, I could, for the first time, see the neck markings on at least five baby birds, all tucked in a row, and then disappearing as they lifted their heads and opened their tiny mouths in unison.
I think it was then I realized this was just not a riding day. I let Cody and the pony through to the barnyard and watched while all of them milled about, grazing, enjoying the breeze, and simply being equines.
There is a little voice inside my head that tells me I need to get that ride in. I'm not sure where it comes from. Keil Bay and I are on the path to pleasure, with no plans for competition or getting to a certain level of dressage, or even to a specific level of fitness. I love when we make little leaps forward, and I especially love when we find harmony in motion, but it's a whimsical path we're on, not a driven one.
Periodically I get a bee in my bonnet about wanting to get on a schedule and ride a certain number of times a week, or ride daily, and I have to stop and remind myself that for me, there is a fine balance when it comes to routine and schedule - I like having both, but I hate when I allow myself to be ruled by the schedule to the exclusion of being in the moment and following my gut, and Keil's.
Today it was hot, the weather was funky, bugs were profuse, and everyone in the herd had things they needed me to do. The right thing for today was to listen, to offer my hands for holding brushes, giving scratches, and removing ticks. It was a day for watching Keil Bay sink knee deep in a compost border as he reached for the perfect bite of grass. And for watching the pony march around like he was playing I-spy for the best mouthful to be found in the barnyard. For taking time to stop and peek at the baby wrens, who had needs too - and to know that their mama bird would soon be there to feed them.
Today's lesson in riding: it's okay not to.
Monday, April 25, 2011
for those who use Adequan
A heads-up: I read on an equine list yesterday that due to a recent FDA inspection, production of Adequan will stop for about six months. I can't find any information on this with a quick Google search, so I'm not sure what the entire story is - but wanted to put this up so that anyone who uses Adequan for horses and/or canines can look further.
I don't think there's been a recall, but I'd want to know what happened, why, and whether the product will be available during this interim in production.
I don't think there's been a recall, but I'd want to know what happened, why, and whether the product will be available during this interim in production.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
two very special birthdays
This week and today, Keil Bay turned 22 and Apache Moon, aka The Little Man, turns 11. Magical numbers, magical equines!
Keil Bay is a handsome, regal, expressive, talented Hanoverian who makes me happy every single day. I've had 7 wonderful years with him. My only regret about the Big Bay is that I didn't know him from the day he was born! Sometimes I daydream about what he looked like as a foal, and as a young horse growing up. Happy birthday Big Bay - today you will get a lunch tub just like Salina does (ODTB cubes, though, but with a sprinkling of oats).
Our birthday boy of the day is Apache Moon. Apache came to live with us when he was 4 years old and my daughter was 7. At 11 and nearly 14, they are still a wonderful team. With the pony, we have an amazing book of photos that his breeder gave us, showing him from birth all the way up to when he came to us. We leased his mother, Black-Eyed Sioux, for about six months, and got to know one of his brothers. He's a very special pony, who has done many special things with my daughter.
To see some of the firsts they shared, GO HERE.
Happy birthday, Little Man!! You get a lunch tub too!
Keil Bay is a handsome, regal, expressive, talented Hanoverian who makes me happy every single day. I've had 7 wonderful years with him. My only regret about the Big Bay is that I didn't know him from the day he was born! Sometimes I daydream about what he looked like as a foal, and as a young horse growing up. Happy birthday Big Bay - today you will get a lunch tub just like Salina does (ODTB cubes, though, but with a sprinkling of oats).
Our birthday boy of the day is Apache Moon. Apache came to live with us when he was 4 years old and my daughter was 7. At 11 and nearly 14, they are still a wonderful team. With the pony, we have an amazing book of photos that his breeder gave us, showing him from birth all the way up to when he came to us. We leased his mother, Black-Eyed Sioux, for about six months, and got to know one of his brothers. He's a very special pony, who has done many special things with my daughter.
To see some of the firsts they shared, GO HERE.
Happy birthday, Little Man!! You get a lunch tub too!
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