Sunday, May 29, 2011

Lovely Sunday

Today was beautiful, if a little chilly. We planted the rest of our veggie garden so we will be expecting quite a bounty (including LOTS of watermelons!) this summer. Next year we really have to get our stuff together and put some more fruit trees in as well, I can't wait to grow my own peaches! Ahhh peaches off the tree are the most amazing thing in the world, not to mention the mere smell of them growing on the trees. There is a straightaway on Hwy 70 towards Marysville that is peach tree orchards on both sides of the road, it is absolutely divine to drive that stretch in the summer with the peaches ripening. Anyhow our veggies are now in the ground and will hopefully get off to a good start. Unfortunately tomorrow is cool and sunny but the rest of the week is a chance of rain. Very very cool weather! We haven't had a hot spell yet. In fact I think the hottest its been was that week or two in January! The avg temperature this time of year in the valley is 90 and this year the avg temp is 70. We are a little different being in the foothills, but the same general idea. A cool wet spring for sure.
After cleaning paddocks and doing some other work around the place I was taking a break and reading my book in the chair in the front driveway (I like to sit there as I get a view of everything and can watch the horses) and Blaze started trotting and cantering around his paddock. He was really showing off and looking lively so I figured he was inviting me for a ride! Lol. Maybe not but he did walk right up to me, nickering, to be haltered. He seems to really enjoy going out these days, his codependent "run away with my herd!" thing has definitely gone away..of course he is currently in his own paddock so he doesn't have a herd technically. But he still used to trot to the far end with his next door neighbor. I think the piglet mare and foal who are so people friendly and looking for treats are a good influence on him, he doesn't want to miss out on whatever they are getting, and they are getting lots of human attention. Anyhow I put my Garmin on for the arena session just to see how long I actually ride in the arena (I always forget to check the time and then can't tell if I've been 10 minutes or 40) and it turns out I worked Blaze 40 minutes and went 2.6 miles! I was actually pretty surprised I went that far just going round and round our little arena. I did leave the arena (he is getting better at opening and closing gates) and walked down to the bottom of the big pasture and trotted back up, just for fun. The mini lost us in the tall grass and was squealing like a stuck pig until he located us again. He sounded like he was going to keel over dead after running all the way to the top of the hill! I don't even give him hay and he is just a fat little tick. Lively little bugger though.
Blaze did pretty well in the arena, he tried to push the pace of course but making him circle every time he tries to break gait eventually got the point across. I did get really sick of doing the circles but had to stay consistent. I got him to do a fairly slow collected trot without too much trouble, but the canter was like wweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee lets haul ass around this little arena! I got him to his working point when he finally uses his brain and starts to round and collect, he always starts snorting softly on each stride like he is really working hard.
I tried another method of wrapping his interference cut tonight, well really its the same method I just wrapped the vet wrap way higher than I have, at least 5 or 6 inches above the mark itself to try to keep it from sliding down. It survived the arena workout which no previous wrapping job has survived so that is a good sign. I just want to get this thing healing and looking better before Hat Creek Hustle in a few weeks.
Hmm, time to figure out whats for dinner!

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