Redheaded Endurance Herd: Week In Photos

There was rather a lot of this...soggy horses, soggy everything. We got totally sick of it were grateful. Are grateful. 

Scrappy loves turn out from the barn best. Mudhoggin it RC style

Then he met my little friend, Shedding Comb. They got along famously.

Sheza had a real issue with my attention being focused anywhere other than entirely on her Royal Self. 

Because I look like this, that's why.

Rambo is shedding heavily, as is the whole herd. Here he is after a good comb out. My little friend shedding comb definitely cemented our status as Good Friends.

After a few delays, my vet finally made it out yesterday for general check on Rambo, dentals on Blaze and Desire, Coggins and Health Certificate for Scrappy for the April 4th Nevada Derby, and spring shots for all. Blaze's dental went swimmingly but then we had a slight equipment malfunction halfway through Desire's dental. Between the two of us we muscled the fried machine apart and replaced a part, then had to re-sedate the poor beast, and get back to it. My vet mused that Desire had opened her mouth quite willingly for the dental head piece the first time around but had a death clench on it with her teeth this time. I assured her that she wasn't likely to get a second chance with an Arabian mare ;-) 

Blaze and Desire feeling drowsy-good after their dentals

Sheza was in total shock that I actually did bring her mother back from the barn in one piece and smelling mostly normal, if a bit tooth powdery. She doesn't believe me about stuff sometimes, but then I rarely believe her and her shenanigans. Dubious redheads, the pair of us, well suited I suppose! 

Rambo was cagey about having his teeth checked by the vet, preferring me to handle his head and mouth, but he settled down and was a good boy for his shots. She said that he is 6, coming 7, by the teeth wear and has had dental care before. He's looking great and with that age reveal he may well have a bit more added to his work load soon! 

Sheza was completely unimpressed that all she got were two needle stabs in the neck. She saw Blaze and her mom come back from the barn stoned and surely knew there was more fun going on elsewhere ;-)

Unfortunately, along with all this horsey goodness, we had a livestock loss incident, too. Wednesday morning my mares weren't eating breakfast and were staring down into our largest pasture, so I patrolled the perimeter with my two biggest dogs, but didn't find anything. Thursday morning I counted 3 out of 4 goats and again went scouting around the pasture but this time found loads of bear prints, including running and sliding tracks, in the softened mud. It wasn't a large bear by the tracks and our goat was pretty hefty, but the goat is nowhere to be seen nor did we find sign of an attack within the pasture.

 This a.m. I saddled Scrappy and scouted the dirt roads around our house in the off chance the goat had squirted out a couple of appropriately sized holes we had found in the far fence line and was hanging out or dead somewhere nearby. I had a heart attack when I saw a fresh white fleece hanging at my neighbors but even from a distance I could see that it was sheep and not goat. Still, I had a fleeting impression that my goat's hide was tacked up for display a few houses over from mine-- Ah, country life!

Scrappy and I didn't learn anything of use about the missing goat but did do a couple of nice long trots out on the scout, and he threw 2 effortless flying lead changes at a loose reined canter along the straightaways where it was safe. He's feeling great as this first 50 miler of the season approaches, I am so looking forward to it and crossing my fingers all goes well to get there! 

 My husband was waiting in the drive with the enthusiastic dog pack and snapped a couple of pics :-)

 4 miles in 45 minutes, wait, that's almost Speedwork or something, right Scrap?

That is THE spot

condition shot, beg March 2014