Smiling-Horse

Well I did it!  I got myself a little puppy!  He is a 9 week old Australian Shepherd.  He is tri-colored and the cutest little puppy in the whole world!  I have named him KC.  He is so smart.  I just can't believe it.  I can't wait to teach him things.  I am so excited.  Tomorrow I will introduce him to Oliver and Woodstock.  I will let you know how it goes.  I will take more pictures tomorrow.  In the meantime here is a short video.

I just can't believe that I have the best horses in the world!  My sweet Oliver greets me with the happiest smile on his face and whinnies to to say hello.  He remembers everything that he has been taught over the years.  This week I had to ride him bareback because he has a tick bite where the girth would go.  I decided to try the "pass" that signals the lifting of his front leg for the Spanish Walk and he just remembered it like we had been doing all the time.  I am always so amazed at him and how smart he is.  My sweet baby!!

Woodstock (aka Lil Brother) also greets me with a whinny.  I have given him the nickname because he wants to do everything that Oliver does.  If he doesn't get to, he gets really mad.  So I have to be sure that I have time to do for both because if I just do for Oliver, Woodstock will get very upset.  I am still amazed at how flexible he is.  It is so easy for Woodstock to bend and reach various body parts with little to no effort.  I have ridden him now a few times a week.  He has gotten a lot steadier. We has been learning to steer.  I ride in a bitless bridle so he has had to relearn a few things.  Plus he has helped me realize when I don't keep the outside rein.  We get better everyday.  He really is amazing on how quickly he learns.  He also has a very good memory.   Before he came to me, he was taught some of the natural horsemanship stuff.  I am not sure which method but I know that when I am leading him and I say whoa, he turns and faces me.  This can be a little annoying but I am glad that he stops!  

I have the best horses in the world!!  My life will never be the same because of them and I am so glad for that!

Well I am happy to find out that though my pastures have some weeds and will need some work, they are not bad.  Eric from the cooperative extension office spent about three hours with me walking the fields for toxic weeds and identification of trees.  I do have some trees that will need to come down soonest.  I have a red maple, a few cherry tree, and trees of heaven that have to go.    In Oliver's pasture there were a few horse nettle and lamb's quarters that were identified.  After he left, I quickly removed them.  Oh...and in my neighbor's field about three feet from the fence was a poison hemlock.  I was stunned.  That thing came out quickly.  I will have to monitor what is over there too.  Hopefully once they move in, they said they would clear that area so hopefully there will not be anymore.  Next week, Eric will be back to take soil samples so I will know how to proceed from there.  A little more progress!

Happy Birthday to Me!!  Another year older.  Day started out pretty good despite the late night storm.  Both horses were happy to see me this morning and so were the bees!  I disrupted a bee's nest in the hay barn and got two stings!  All I know is that they are lightening fast in their attack.   I guess they thought I was in need of some bee juice!  I do not know how I will be able to get them out of there.  They are actually in a bale of hay.  I can't spray anything cause I don't want it one the good bales.  So I will have to work around it and hopefully not get stung again. Well...off to meet with Eric from the Extension Office.  He is coming here this morning to look at the pastures and help me out.  Yeah!!  See Ya!!!