Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Marathon, Part 2

We finished our annual Spring Body Clipping Marathon on May 10th this year after starting on April 20th. I think we did 21 clips during round one of the marathon. We started round two about 2.5 weeks ago. Some of the Cushing's horses will only need the one clip they got in the spring. Others we will clip 3 or 4 times, some will get two clips, it just depends on the horse. So far Paramount, Renatta, King, Lily and Maisie have had their second clips, all staggered out over the last few weeks. My clippers get quite a workout spring through fall. The plan is to put them to work again tomorrow and give a couple more horses their second body clips.

Paramount checking out all of his hair; his second clip actually took place 2.5 weeks ago

his hair growth was too much but not as bad as others

Renatta had lots of hair to clip off for round 2; she'll be looking at a round 3  and probably a round 4; we also clipped her 2.5 weeks ago

Renatta's second clip job of the season

Lily is another one that will at a minimum need 3 clips  and possibly 4; she had her second clip 2 weeks ago

Lily in progress during clip 2

Lily's 2nd clip of the season

Maisie had her second clip yesterday

Maisie after her second clip

Charlotte

Rocky and Toledo

Cocomo

Cino and Havana

Bruno and Duesy

Levendi and King grazing in the fog

Roho and Gus

Magic, Rubrico, Ripley and Walon

Convey and Chance

Trigger

Thomas and Baby

Elfin, Grand and Rip

Gus, Roho and Rocky

Calimba and MyLight

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Sunday Stills


Walden, Merlin and Fabrizzio leading the charge in for mealtime . . .

. . .Merlin, Walden, Fabrizzio and Hesse . . .

Baner, Hese, Remmy and Duesy, Alfie by the tree, and Taylor running (hiding) behind him 

Sabrina and Sparky

Merlin and Duesy

B-Rad, Blu, Happy and Nemo

Elfin and Chance

Taco and Nemo

Sebastian and Blu

pretty sunrise

Convey and Apollo

Grand seemed pleased to have his picture taken, Rip not so much; "I said no pictures at this time"

Ripley, Walon and Wilson  leading the way . . . 

. . . Walon, Wilson, Magic and Johnny . . . 

. . . Walon, Sushi, Wilson, Magic and Johnny . . . 

. . . Squirrel, Rubrico and Toledo . . .

. . . Rubrico and Toledo

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Memory Lane

For twelve years Jason and I ignored a storage unit that we rented. We, well mainly Jason, packed that unit full. I will admit that I am not one for hauling around too much extra stuff. When I cleaned out my tackroom at my parents' farm a few years ago I downsized from 12 bridles to two, 8 martingales to one standing and one running, etc. I was a bit softer on my bit collection, but I still went from 30 bits to probably 10. I am a cleaner and a "purger," it runs in my family via my mom's side. Over the years there has been a few things I've regretted purging, but my life goes on with no real loss.

Jason is the opposite, he is neither a cleaner nor a purger. This is a family trait on his side as well. I had brought up cleaning out the storage unit from time to time for years, and Jason always got irritable and had 200 reasons why he didn't have the time. I finally drew a hard line with Jason and told him either he could go through his stuff and clean it out, or the owners of the storage unit could inherit it all because I wasn't paying the bill anymore after this month.

Yesterday was the day that we entered the time capsule of Jason's life. We had some interesting finds. I opened the lid on a rubbermaid tub and sitting on top was Jason's Dukes of Hazzard coloring and activity book. We found his dad's cassette tape collection. We found two of Jason's original stuffed animals from when he was a little boy. We found the show halter from Jason's first cow that he showed. We found his two Rubik's cubes (apparently he wasn't very good at solving them). One of my favorite rubbermaid totes was due to the label; "Christmas decorations and decorations not necessarily associated with Christmas." I'm not joking, that was how he had labeled the tote.  We found his skis, his toy tractor collection, his bag of marbles, every certificate or award he ever won from middle school on, and all kinds of stuff I've already forgotten. An entire 12' x 10' unit filled to the ceiling with  Jason's treasures.

In a hot, sweaty and dusty way it was kind of fun to look through the tons (literally tons) of stuff Jason has been storing for the last twelve years.

Jason's Mickey Mouse and teddy bear

Jason's tractor collection and Rubik's cubes


Homer coming through the fog for breakfast


a meeting of the grey horse club; Gus, Cocomo, George and Asterik

Romeo (back left) tried to sneak into a grey horse club meeting; Silver, Cocomo, Gus

Baner and Taylor hanging out

Baby

a snack for the World's Cutest Fainting Goats



Norman and Traveller

Merlin and Alfie

Rubrico and Johnny

MyLight, Cinnamon and Dawn waiting for breakfast

Lily and Maisie grooming before breakfast

Convey and Trigger

Donneur and Lofty

Blu and B-Rad hanging out in the woods