August 30 More moving

So, on 8-21 we moved Sherlock to Heart and Soul. I am so happy. He did gain weight at Kiowa Creek and I was sad to leave super-cute mustang Sebastian behind.

Sherlock and his little friend Sebastian

Sebastian hiding behind Sherlock

But Heart and Soul was one of my top choices -just on the edge of my acceptable price and distance range. Sherlock is doing well there and starting to learn to go out to pasture with a whole herd!

Sherlock in the round pen at Heart&Soul

Sherlock eating hay like it was his job

More pictures later as Sherlock learns how he fits into the herd and we get to use our arena!

July 4th- Today

And today, Sherlock is in his new home! It's a bit further East but not too much further to drive.

Sherlock grazing under the cottonwood tree.

I watched Max pass his pre-purchase exam, and then loaded Sherlock to be Liz's first horse move of the day! She took Max to his new home in Colorado Springs and then moved her own 2 horses and Clover and the foal. Yikes! What a day!
Sherlock loaded very nicely, waited for me to get out and close the door, and came to the window to have his halter off. Perfect. Could not ask for more. When we arrived I stepped back in, put the halter on, and he stepped carefully out. He was so excited! We went in and started walking the fenceline, but anytime the little mustang Sebastian cam close Sherlock get very nervous. We circled back to the trees where there was a shady spot to graze, then tried the other side of the pasture, working back towards the gate to the water tank. He looked at the next-door horses a bit then we went back to the gate and I let him go. I got my white duct tape and watched sherlock run away from Sebastian for a few tense minutes.
"Pay attention!" I kept shouting as he neared the fence- and he'd put his head down and look, and turn. No mishaps. He followed me all the way out to the South end of the pasture along the fence before fleeing Sebastian again. Sherlock outruns him easily, and after a couple of laps settled again under the trees.

Water-cooler conversations 

When I reached the water tank this time Sherlock came to meet the others. He sniffed noses politely then tried to bite. Every time. Sniff- Squeal of anger from other horse. Sniff-Squeal. He wasn't so sure about the new water but I used it to cool his sweaty neck and shoulders and nose, and soon he was drinking it. I left him under the trees, with water, grass and a large amount of hay.

Sherlock and Sebastian

The next day things were calmer. Sherlock came running when I called and we walked to the water tank, and I gave him more hay. Lots of petting and no pressure.

Yesterday when I went to check on Sherlock,  I whistled and called to no avail. I loaded up the hay feeder and got my brush box out, then started hiking out to get him. Suddenly he saw me and came running in, whinnying frantically. OK, that's better.  Was starting to think I was forgotten. He ate his hay while I gave him a good grooming and slathered him with just about every fly repellent that can be purchased in Colorado.  Sebastian was quite shocked that Sherlock allowed himself to be sprayed with smelly, scary hissy stuff.

So, I am very happy with the new place. I don't have a key yet for the tack room but fellow boarder D let me put my saddle in. Sherlock is gaining weight already and looks happy. I hope to walk sherlock from his pasture up to the tack area and introduce sheep and very large horses into his life experience.

July 4th- Yesterday

So we moved Sherlock! Thank you, Liz for the ride!

These are pics of the old stable, look back a few posts if you want the name but I'm not naming them here. There are still people I like there. But 12 boarding horses did leave June 31st, and A and her trainer are moving theirs as well. The stable owner sold one of their own horses to buy hay to last until the first cutting could be made on the back hayfield. I think maybe they will lose their lease, and I hope someone with more experience takes over. I love the facility when it is in good condition and would like to return there.

Max almost knee-deep in mud

Other TB almost knee-deep in mud

Sherlock's ribs showing. Time to GO!

June 19- Ride 65,66 Exodus

MUD MUD MUD

5/29 Farrier came and Sherlock was very good. I hand-walked him all week, doing sidepasses and hip stretches so he would not be so stiff and sore. He was excellent. The gate is disgustingly deep in mud, manager is feeding the horses at the gate so they are trampling the hay into the mud. Everyone is getting skinny. Complained to the owner.

5/30 Ride #65- Rinsed off the mud then rode Western 30-45 minutes outdoor arena. I fell trying to get on, stirrups were SO long. But Sherlock didn't move much and got on fine the second time. Walked with other horses, threatening to bite but didn't. Sore-footed but tried hard. Standing with others, was spooked by runaway horse from barn, jumped 2 strides then stopped to watch, settled back down well.

6/1 Bought bale of compressed alfalfa hay, fed in the only dry corner of the paddock. MUCH excitement and drama, long story short and not getting into the fuss- L is taking her horses away at end of month. I'm starting to look myself.

6/3 Fed alfalfa in dry corner of paddock. New horse red Tobiano Mustang very aggressive, ran him off with whip. Sherlock coated with mud on L side, looks like he fell in the slimy mud. Complained to owner about gate and problem horse. Rumor is that the gate solution will be to open up the gate between dominant and non-dominant pastures. That way we could use the gate in the other pasture to go in and out, and feed could be spread farther. But my horse is all beat up right now, so I am worried about even tougher horses moving in.




6/5 Checked on Sherlock in the morning after Tornado went through just a mile or two North of us. Still muddy, I was planning to bathe him but got caught up in caring for Clover and her brand-new foal, Fiero. Cute smoky-black colt. I hung out all morning pretty much, getting the placenta ready for the vet, talking to the vet, etc. I am surprised no one bedded the stall or took care of the placenta or caught the mare after they found the foal. A could not get out of work (what?) so I waited for the vet, L came and did some basic care and paid the vet.




6/10 Gave Sherlock a bath and grazing today, I've been giving grain all week. Several shallow scrapes on L side under the mud- he definitely fell. Bite marks as well. Gave my notice that I'm moving Sherlock. What else can I do? He is dropping weight and getting bitten up. Owner refuses to believe there is anything wrong with the gate, even though I can smell the foul mud from yards away.



6/14 Feeding Sherlock and Beatrice extra alfalfa all week. Gate open and both herds have both pastures, but no real fighting thank goodness. Aggressive red Mustang has bonded with Sherlock and Bea after Max moved to 2-horse pen. Only treats today, as I had to run home for G to go to the Urgent Care! Spent all afternoon at Urgent Care waiting for kidney stone to pass.

Trail rides are not so scary when there's fresh grass

6/17 Ride #66- Trail ride with L and Tchai around back of property. Sticky, backed up into mud and stepped on LF, slight cut. I got down then and led him up the hill, got back on. Walked along back fenceline with only one other really bad stoppage. Walked and ate and relaxed a lot, Came back into arena no argument where I dismounted and gave treats. Big breakthrough.

Checking Sherlock's cut and giving grain last 2 days, doing well and not sore. I've decided to save money next month and take Sherlock to Kiowa Creek for his transition to good grassy pasture, then perhaps move somewhere with fancier facilities like Blue Cloud. Anyway, VERY stressful month so far, with driving to stables, trying to get weight on Sherlock, following Gray like a hawk in case he feels unwell, and working as much as I can at Sounds True trying to figure out a very troublesome web interface for the databases that will carry downloadables to the Amazon stores.


My recent talks with the other boarders have revealed that at least 12 horses are leaving this month. A's trainer did bring 2 of her horses into the stalls with runs- those horses and the barn horses are decently fed and cared for. The gate area is still deep in mud, even with no one using it, and filthy smelly. Owner said "what gate?" when I mentioned it again. I hope someone tracks that mud into her house.

SO! Big changes underway with the horse. Everyone is well and holding up despite challenges, and I hope Sherlock's new home will be a great relaxing place to do some very mild riding and get him to gain some weight.

May 24- More MUD +bits Ride 62,63,64

My training journal says:
MUD MUD MUD MUD Beer grain MUD

Cleaning up the grain bucket.

5/16 Ride 62. Rinsed him off decently. Very sloppy everywhere. Finally got the Courbette saddle from Hawaii. Tried it on him and walked without stirrups (I had left them on the old saddle) in the indoor arena. OK fit but pinching withers if he raised his head.


5/17 Ride 63. Outdoor arena with Courbette with homemade tester half-pad (memory foam bath mat cut in half lengthwise). Walk/trot, walk over poles. Sore-footed, definitely from standing in mud so much. Good-natured. Refresher in standing for mounting, turn on forehand, back, whoa. Today preferred front of arena and wouldn't approach the back corner nearest the pasture which is usually a favorite place to stop and watch Beatrice throw a fit that he's gone.


5/19 fed grain in pasture. MUD MUD MUD

5/24 Ride 64. Rinsed legs again, better manners this time. VERY stiff picking up both hind feet, wanted to stretch forward instead. Slipped in the mud? Seems likely. I don't think I can get the horse chiropractor out before the farrier comes on next Friday. Very short easy ride in half-flooded round pen (I will take a shovel to it next time I swear) with bareback pad and new Western bit. Trying to introduce leverage bit but he hated the single-joint mouthpiece and he hated the double-joint copper mouthpiece one today. I should sell them both and buy a Myler... Very fussy and easily distracted, but he has not had a lot of exercise lately with the footing being so awful.

At least the grass is growing nicely, and Sherlock gets to enjoy some hand-grazing as we walk to the barn and back. This picture as about as clean as he ever got this month. And still had mud in his mane.

The best part of the day- snack time

May 9- MUD

We returned from a wonderful but exhausting trip to LA, we drove this time and spent a day in BC with Mom and Mike.

And it was raining. And it has continued to rain all week. And it's likely to snow tonight. Crazy.

galoshgalosh

5/5 Sherlock was allowing the other horses to share the shelter until he saw I had carrots, then he drove everyone off. Lots of grumpy faces but he didn't actually bite or kick anyone. I cannot find my jelly-scrubber mitt. It's a soft rubber grooming mitt that Sherlock loves- I can even get mud off his face with it.  Went to Murdoch's to get a new one and they didn't have any. Went to Saddle Up and they didn't have any. Oh well. Plenty of time.

5/7 Early to work, so went to Foxcreek to get a jelly-scrubber. They were out of them, despite the owner and the clerk and me all staring at the wall of grooming tools willing it to appear. I don't know why we insist on continuing to search when we have looked at every single thing five times already and determined the needed thing is not there.






5/8 Day off work. SO I went to Colorado Tack to get a jelly-scrubber. YES! They had two left in stock and I got them both, so now I have a backup. $4 item and I drove all over the county to get it. Planned to buy some sandbags to improve the pasture drainage, groom and feed. Took one look at the hardware store lines and went home, drank tea and finished reading both Small Favor and The Third Man Factor.

Bea, Max and Sherlock demand carrots

5/9 Bought my first-ever pair of galoshes and went out to the stable with my new jelly-scrubber. Drainage has actually improved, it has cut a channel now and is running off instead of standing water at the gate. Mud at gate might be shovel-able tomorrow. Sherlock was ruling the shelter as usual, but he, Bea and Max all emerged for some carrots.

I got him cleaned up a bit with the awesome powers of the jelly-scrubber, he rubs his face on it quite happily. Still a lot of mud but cleaned up his topline where he's most likely to get rainrot. He really needs his legs rinsed and dried. I hope early next week it will clear a few days and give me a chance to get him totally dry.

A river runs through it today

April 17- Ride #59, 60, Spring in Colorado

Where does the time go?

March 28th Ride#59- Sherlock and I took to the indoor ring again. I lunged him over the trot poles until he was calm about them, then mounted up, warmed up and trotted the poles several times very nicely. No leaping, no trouble. A bit stiff picking up hind feet, BL Solution in grain.

Protecting my herd. 

March 30- Cat, Liz's OTTB in re-training, added to pasture. Lots of galloping and chasing. Sherlock and Max guarded Beatrice and stayed mostly out of the way.

March 31- Excellent for farrier! Really perfect. Much praise.

April 2- Snowing. BL Solution and Banamine in grain.

April 4- Shedding Season begins in earnest. Groomed, tight belly due to weather.

April 6- fed grain

April 8-Tried hangs-on-the-fence feeder but Sherlock was very flinchy about it. Worried about the electric wire probably even though I hung the feeder far away from the wire. Had to hold the feeder for him and groomed some afterwards.

April 11- Small birthday celebration. I brought 2 balloons to torment Sherlock with and cupcakes and apples. He wouldn't try a cupcake- sticky! And rubbed the purple icing all over my shirt.

April 12- Sherlock was grazing at the very back fence of the pasture and couldn't hear me calling him over the wind, or was obsessed with the tiny bit of grass available. He seemed quite startled when I appeared 10 feet away. Caught him up easily and took him over the the broken waterer, got on bareback and rode back to the gate. SO I guess that's ride #60 even though it was just a minute. He did fine, a bit nervous in just the halter but did fine. Beer grain and his usual.

Sherlock ruling his little herd of Beatrice and Max. 

April 14- Happy Birthday, Sherlock! Mints and grooming.

April 15- Snowing. Grain with Banamine and offered blanket but he was too busy claiming piles of hay from the other horses. I know once the hay is gone he'll hog the shelter all day, so didn't push him to take the blanket.