Up on the Roof...

It's an annual "thing".  Every year about now, if we haven't already, the roof at the cabin must be shoveled.  Sometimes it only needs to be shoveled once in the winter.  Other years, it has to be shoveled multiple times.  There have been times in the past where the snow was so deep that we had to shovel it UP off the roof vs down.

I know who they are but their names are safe with me (and my childhood memories)...those who roofed our cabin, placing the corrugated tin in the wrong direction so that the snow will NEVER slide.  Oh, if I only knew then (when I was seven years old) what I know now!  But they wouldn't have listened to a 7-year old anyways.

The picture above was taken a few weeks ago when my husband headed up to the cabin to do the yearly task.  This year the deep snow had been soaked by rain, making the weight on the roof dangerous.  It had then frozen into a (very hard) crust of ice.  One could actually walk anywhere they wanted outside and not sink down in the deep snow.  Very nice for a walk but not so nice for shoveling a roof.  In fact, miserable for shoveling a roof (or more miserable than usual).

My husband knows the drill (although he surely doesn't like it).  He took four days to shovel the roof, knowing that slow and steady wins the race (and avoids health issues).  Fortunately, good weather was with him while he worked and (this year) he didn't fall off.

And here is the end result.  Since this picture was taken we've had more snow but thankfully it's almost March and we know that spring will be here soon.  This year we (my husband) got off lucky with only having to shovel once.  But next year?  One never knows...



Back in the Saddle

Today I finally got a chance to ride at home.  Seems whenever I've got time to ride, it rains and when I don't have time it's sunny.  My weak link is getting on.  I've been working on that during the weekly lessons I've been taking up at the barn where I used to board.  During those lessons I've been getting off and on multiple times.  It's helped. 

Although I still miss Poco, I've come through the other side of mourning.  My passion and joy at riding are back - full throttle.  The one-on-one time I've spent with Bob at home has bonded us.  We head out with my Cowgirl Pals this Saturday to go sorting.

And as you can tell by my goofy smile (after giving Bob multiple hugs (and kisses) after today's ride at home), I'm back in the saddle!  :)

Fixed It and a Question for You

These days this is what greets me each morning as I wake up and look out the window.  It's Bob waiting for me at the gate.  I open the window to wish Bob a Good Morning.  I'm greeted in return with a low nicker/whinny from a horse that six days ago ran away from me in fright when I approached him.

Once I'm dressed I head out to halter Bob up and move him into the "summer pasture" to graze.  I practice groundwork with Bob each morning before, during and after our trip, same on the return. 

Bob now stands quietly when I go to halter and handle him.  And (melt my heart) comes to his name when I go to catch him in the evenings.  Today I started taking him on my morning walks.

My next step is riding Bob, here at home.  I've...just...gotta...ride...I can't stay off.  Like many of you, I need my fix....But I'm uncertain about doing that...And this is where I need your help.

On a different horse, I rode alone for years and loved it.  But I'm older and this isn't that horse...these days my biggest issue is getting on.  Once I'm on I'm fine, but it's that commitment of swinging my leg over the saddle that zaps my confidence - so:

Do you ride alone by yourself - without anybody within earshot should there be an issue?

If so, do you have a "safety plan" should something go wrong?

And Beeeel...you are right...thank you.  I'm back.  :)

Fixing It, Day 2

This morning dawned sunny but cold. I came out to start my journey of "Fixing It".   Gus was asleep in Bob's old pasture.

Frost on the hitching post where the sun had yet to hit.

Bob was nowhere to be found. Probably in the loafing shed around back eating.

I called his name...

...and he walked up to the gate.

Today Bob was a different horse.  He remained where he stood when I approached him to put on his rope halter.  His eyes were soft and he was focused on me.  So different than yesterday.

I gave him a good grooming.  We took a walk out to the back pasture that used to be Gus's, now Bob's.  The pasture needs a break.  I will need to put Bob on the summer pasture to graze until spring rolls around. 

There in the back pasture we went through the ground work exercises that have helped me with other horses in the past.  It didn't take long for Bob to give that big, slobbering sigh.  With that sigh I led him to the summer pasture, stopping and backing up periodically along the way.

"Mom!  There are buffalo across the fence!!"

"Shouldn't we go sort them?"

"Well...maybe I'll just graze instead."

Tonight I put Bob's dinner in his stall before going out to catch him.  He once again moved away from me when I got close.  I moved a bit to his side and continued towards him.  He stood quietly while I haltered him back up.  As I finish this Post look who watches me through the window.

There is more work to come.

Fixing It



With my shoer due in a few hours, I looked out this morning to see Bob eating hay in his loafing shed off of the barn.  Since he usually spends most of his day away from the barn up at the other end of the field, I figured that I'd catch him close to the barn now and save myself the extra (muddy) walk later.

Out I went recently showered and wearing clean clothes.  When I went into the loafing shed with Bob's halter, he allowed me to come close but then spun away and galloped across the muddy field up to the far end.

I wasn't pleased, but I also wasn't surprised.  Bob has never been a hard horse to catch but ever since we lost Poco he's been unsettled.  And with the holidays and then the weather, I've been more of a hands-off owner than a hands-on one.  In the last month I'd noted that each time I try to approach Bob in the loafing shed during feeding time he has backed away.  Recently he has started to run away.  And I've let him get away with it. 

Today it caught up with me.

Off I plodded through the mud and water to where Bob stood watching me.  I'd be darned, clean clothes or not, if I was going to let this go any further.  It was time to fix it.

I was able to slip the lead rope over Bob's neck but his twitching body told me that I was lucky to get that far.  As I slipped the halter over his nose and went to buckle it behind his ears, he started to pull away.  I replied with, "No, you don't."  And with that the halter was secure.

But I had a nervous, unfocused horse on my hands.  Head high, Bob was looking anywhere and everywhere for something to spook at.  The last thing I wanted was for him to jerk away from me as we walked back to the barn, knowing I'd surely slip in the mud and probably fall down. 

So with freezing, soaking feet I decided to go through some groundwork steps and set the tone before we moved on.  It took awhile but eventually he settled down and focused on me instead of anything and everything around me.  I could tell by his slobbering sigh (which I adore) and body language that we were in a better "place". 

As we walked back to the barn I kicked myself for allowing things to get to this level.  I knew I had to address this behavior before it got worse.  I made the decision right then and there to commit to bringing Bob back to me as the partner I knew last summer.  I knew if this behavior went further it would impact my future rides and life with Bob. 

This must be fixed.

Securing Bob to the hitching post, I moved Gus into Bob's middle pasture where he will now eat out of Bob's loafing shed.  Closing the gate to the back pasture, I secured Bob's new home, the riding area (that is outside my office window) with access to the back loafing shed (that Gus was previously using).

Turning Bob out in the riding area with his new shoes, he seemed content to be in a more contained area.  I spent the next hour along his fence line, picking up tree limbs (I seem to spend a lot of time these days doing that).  Bob hung around with me, not the same horse that ran away a few hours earlier...but still a horse that needs my hand on him more than I've recently allowed.

I'm fixing it.

My Special Place

I've spent a lot of time at home due to the challenging weather.  Our road resembled water that had been poured over ice cubes and then re-frozen resulting in many a car meeting their fate.  Not being a fan of driving in snow and ice, I decided staying home would be best until all the "hoop-laa" died down. 

I had no idea that it would take 7 days for things to clear up.  I don't think I've ever remained grounded in one place for that long (unless I was sick).  I would have surely had cabin fever if I didn't have My Special Place to turn to.  And where was that?

The tack room in my barn.

Retiring from my professional career two years ago to work part time for a technical consulting company was a once in a life-time opportunity.  But I'd need an office to work out of.

The tack room in the barn had heat so it was a logical choice. 

But to me it was the only choice.  After working in a large office building for 30+ years, the idea of taking my dog to work with me and being surrounded by the wonderful smells and sights of horse gear was absolutely the coolest!

To be able to walk out my "office" door and into the barn, steps away from placing my hands on a horse was an amazing thought!

Every piece of tack has a special memory associated with a horse from the past or the present.  It also represents horses of our future; including the horse we will purchase to replace our dear, sweet Poco.

The view from my office window looks out on my riding area, the trailer and distant fields.

I even get visitors! 

There's something about coming out here that thrills me each time I walk in the door.  I always return to the house feeling refreshed and happy after spending time in My Special Place.

A Good Hurt

That's me last summer, my first sorting with Bob.  I had a blast but when it was all over, I hurt - a Good Hurt.

Today dawned sunny, the first time in almost two weeks.  Hank and I headed down the road for our morning walk without slipping and sliding.  The sun was so warm that I was hot in my jacket.  I felt the early (very early) spring!

As I passed all the downed limbs and branches from the ice storm, I knew that today would be a great day to tackle them. 

And that's exactly what I did.

I pulled and hauled limbs and branches.  I raked and piled.  Although I didn't get finished, the end result was a driveway where Hank and I can once again safely throw the ball.  I finished as the pink sun was setting, pleased with the results.

Tonight I hurt a Good Hurt.  I relish the feeling because it speaks of accomplishment and reminds me of the great day I had.  And although the world around me isn't exactly as it once was, the Good Hurt tells me that today, I made a positive difference.