4 posts tagged “horses”

Wonder of wonders, our farrier has found us another horse.  We went to look at her today.  She is a thoroughbred (did I say I didn't want another thoroughbred?) and is a bit smaller than our Sass, but every bit as lovely.  She is very friendly, unlike Sass, and has been in training for dressage in the past.  We are picking her up tomorrow to see how she fits with Bud.  I will post pictures soon.

This has been a weird week.  I know it is the anti-climax to the incredible vacation we just returned from.  Our vacation schedule went like this:  Some one tells you to get in the car, you get in the car.  Some one tells you to eat, you eat.  It went on like that for a week.  Food every time you turned around, and not crappy food, really really really good food.  Today dh made a lovely smoked pork shoulder that we shared with my sister and her husband.  Along with fresh sweet corn.  Ymmmm.  It was good, so back into cooking for ourselves.  Kind of a drag.

Next week will begin the work on THE FARM.  Well, it isn't really a farm yet, but who knows?  I need to find a surveyor and some one willing to lease it for farming and find out about wells and drainage and electricity and and and.  Did we bite off too much???  Maybe.  We'll just  have to see.

Work continues on Level 4 of the Master Spinners class.  I now feel really comfortable with a spinning technique called longdraw.  This one has always baffled me a bit, but now I think I have the fundamentals down.  I have quite a fair bit of my book done already, well maybe 20 percent if you don't count the 150 hour project.  I ordered the wool for it today.  I am planning on doing a very extensive blended color wheel with tints and shades of the primary and secondary colors as well as blends of the tertiary colors.  Not sure how I will present it yet, but I'm sure I'll think of something.

I rode Sassie today.  That might not seem like a big deal to most, but to me. . . . . .  Sassie is a 6 year old thoroughbred mare that hasn't been ridden in a while.  Her life before was as a race horse so we weren't sure how she would act.  We actually have been easing into the idea of riding her.  Saddle first.  Okay.  Saddle on for a while longer.  You know, bit by bit (no puns here).  Today was the day.  We really couldn't avoid it any longer.  DH was a bit nervous so I said what the hell.  A 6' plus fall can't be too bad.  Ha.  Any way, except for the stirrups not being adjusted quite right, and me not being an experienced rider at all, we managed a few turns around the pasture.  Since I am vertically challenged (5' 2") it was a real different image of the world atop a horse that stands almost 6' at the shoulder.  But really, she was very well behaved.  I think this is going to be okay.  Then DH got on her.  He has a bit more experience (read just a bit more) and he actually got her to trot a good pace.  She really seemed to enjoy the whole thing.  Ears up and everything. 

The other news is the convertible TR7.  We were offered a deal we couldn't pass up.  This will be Triumph # 8 or so.  I'll post pix soon.  Should be fun.

Some one needs to give me a dope slap.  Maybe.  I don't know.  Today DH and I went to a tack and horse auction.  It was a little disorganized and took a bit longer than folks thought, but we ended up buying a saddle for Bud (the mule), 2 bridles with reins, a longue line, some fly spray, a feed bag, (for spinning, not horses) and a breast collar for a friend.  We were looking to get a saddle for Sassie too, but they were not in our budget.  After we got home, we went to our local horsey type store and bought a snaffle bit and chinstrap and saddle blanket.  Now all we need for Bud is a cinch, but our friend has lots and we'll get one from him.  So, for grins, DH puts all the gear together and takes it out to the pasture to show Bud.  Bud is not impressed.  In fact, he looked Depressed.  His look said, "I came here to retire, what the heck is all this?"  Sassy on the other hand couldn't get close enough to the tack.  She knows what it's for and as soon as we can, she'll get her very own saddle.  We had to leave after they started the horse auction.  The first few were sold by the pound.  The highest went for about 11 cents a pound and the lowest was about 3 cents a pound.  Then they were priced by the head.  One beautiful colt was sold for under $15!!!  Soft headed me, I mean Soft Hearted me would've brought one home but for the fact we hadn't brought a trailer!!!.  No, not really, but you know what I mean!!!

We also found out today that our very own Allison is going to graduate with honors on Saturday.  Of course we knew she was graduating, but we didn't find out today that it would be with honors.  Not surprising really, if you know Allison.  But we are very proud of her for all of her hard work and effort.  When putting a resume together these days, every little bit helps!!

I don't know what it is about animals, but if you're outside with them a stranger will stop by to talk to you.  It's happened a couple of times now, while Tom and I were out with the horse and mule.  Today was like that.  We met a fellow named Rory who does ceramics (just down the street from us, it turns out) and he does raku and wanted some horse hair for glazing.  We didn't really have any just yet, it isn't quite warm enough for shedding, so I gave him some wensleydale wool roving and some churro.  He said he would make us a wedding pot for helping him out.  How cool is that?  I wasn't quite sure what a hair glaze was so google to the rescue.  Really pretty stuff.  I can't wait to see what he comes up with.

In other news. . . . .  Spring is here.  Barn owls have laid eggs, herons are making nests, maples are flowering.  Forsythia is out, my official sign that spring is here.  I am putting the finishing touches on my workbook.  Making sure all the skein tags are filled out, proofreading my papers, etc.  I've come along way since I started with my little home made drop spindle.  A looooong way.  I think my favorite yarn for this book is a polwarth wrapped with tussha silk.  After washing it looks like a spiral yarn.  Fluffy, bumpy, but with that little silk sparkle.