Our black yearling colt who looks quite brown in this pic.

Cinnamon, 11 yr. old mare - boarder.


















Mayberry, 3 yr. old filly - boarder.













Choco, 3 yr. old gelding boarder.












Fizzle, boarder who's in the pasture with our three kids.














This is the 2 yr. old colt.












Smoke, a coming two filly - friendliest of the three.

I woke up to no electricity Thursday morning around 4:00am and after about 30 minutes of worrying that I would need to get out the gas stove perculator for coffee I got up around 4:30 only to see 2" of snow on the ground - and more coming down. So Vincent and I left around 5:00 and made pretty good time up there. I called the lady when I was about 20 minutes away only to find out that I should have checked my email because her boarding barn was flooded and she wouldn't be able to get back to her trailer. You think that stopped me? No, not a bit. After an hour or so of wrangling and trading vehicles, pushing, laying down boards, and catching the three kids in a knee deep pond that used to be a pasture, we headed down the road. An hour out, my transmission went out and I barely made it to the side of the road.

So Vincent, the three scared horses, and I were stuck on the access ramp for nearly three hours waiting on Ed to come get us with the shop's wrecker. He towed the van, with the trailer, and we reached a top speed of about 40 mph in most places. We arrived home very late and then I borrowed a friend's truck to go back to KC on Friday and return the trailer. When I arrived the lady told me that after she moved the remaining horses this week she was selling the trailer so I quickly sealed that deal because she was asking a great price for it.

Saturday I walked the bay filly, Smoke, and she did pretty well. Today I was able to get her to lift her feet and allow me to touch her whole body, including tail and legs. We also worked on me gently tossing the lead rope over her body, ears, and rump - and she never flinched! I was quite proud. We'll start on standing while tied soon and I think she'll progress nicely. The sorrel allowed me to lead him today but is still not happy about it so I didn't push anything with him. The black one allowed me to touch his cheek today but I never raised my hand farther because he's easily spooked. After the trauma of their trip, I wanted to spend time with them and just see what they were willing to do now before asking a lot of them.

Sunday was spent cutting up that cottonwood that fell and getting it burned. Then we walked the entire fenceline and repaired it since another three boarders were arriving later in the afternoon. We then ran a three wire electric fence across the short section that was open from the barn next to the pond and closed off the open front gate leading to the house area. Moo noticed this soon after and spent the rest of the day expressing her displeasure. Once she saw the electric wire she knew she was now trapped in the back pasture and pouted behind a tree for the remaining daylight. The boarders arrived about 4:00 and after walking the fenceline the owner's sat with us for a while to visit. Their horses are just beautiful and I am excited to have so many here now.

And the best news? Ed checked the van last night and the transmission isn't out, just the seal! He'll still have to drop the transmission to fix it, but it's the difference between $12 and $600. I'll take that any day. :)