On Monday I decided to rig up the hoses so that I didn't have to haul water any more (now that they're not freezing at night). Looked at the hoses that were left out all winter - a few cracks and one fatal split. Trip to TSC for hose fix-it gear. Fix fatal split, np. Apply duct tape to the cracks. Spend a reasonable amount of time getting hoses off the ground so horses can't trample them. Turn water on.
Right. Did you ever play the game Leaky Pipes as a kid? uh huh. Reminiscent of that. It turns out there are some things beyond even the power of duct tape. Who knew? I tell ya, I was sorely disappointed at that discovery.
Alright fine. Give in the inanimate objects and head back to TSC, returning with more hose-repair equipment and, more importantly, new hoses. So THERE inanimate objects. Fight me and be kicked out >;-P Pull out old hoses, rig up new ones. Get smarter and test that they'll actually work before going to the effort of tying them all up off the ground *g* It's only stupid if you make the same mistake twice. hahaha and these ones worked just fine. Get them tied up. Attached diverter so can send water to both paddocks without having to continually attach and detach and we're good to go.
Taught through the windstorm on Mon night. That was fairly entertaining. Horses were all remarkably well behaved though, which is always good :)
Tues the farrier came in the am - which is great, but it meant I didn't get to ride. On the plus side, Si's shoe went back on since she removed it on Sat, and Nick's abscess (that he came with) was deemed entirely healed. Sweet. So finish off all the chores - made significantly easier by new hoses and warm weather *g* Got rid of my two least favourite chores at the same time. hahaha but yet, feeling tired and moderately guilty for not riding Si. And Jack's pbr was there getting him ready n it was nice and warm and sunny out. Sobeit - tack up my horse and go out to ride with Jack.
Did I mention Si *loves* Jack? Every time we ride with him in the ring, she's a saint. So I decide we'll jump a bit. For the first time in almost two months. Yup - absolute superstar. She was a little confused when I pointed her at the baby gymnastic the first time, but she did it eagerly and happily. Over jumping a little, but quiet and civilized about the whole thing.
Ok so figure we'll go for a hack - first real hack of the season for both horses, so we walk out part way n then dismount and let them graze and relax and enjoy life before walking the rest of the way around the field in hand. Horses come back happy and cooled out and all drama is avoided. Perfect. We can create drama later - I want calm and quiet first!
Put horses away and, since we now have full-time water outside, turn the boys back out. Their first night out :) Apollo was a little confused about why he was going outside for a third time (am turnout, in for a lesson at lunch then turned out again, and now once more???) but went willingly enough. Jack was all for it.
Teach some more - my first lesson under the lights :) Rider got to do some more jumping than she has in the past and did a great job of it. Extra hands dropped by to help with night chores. Not half bad.
Alright, still with me? Wed go to the barn - look out and Apollo is flat out in the field. Now this is pretty normal for him, so I wasn't terribly panicked, but still - first time out overnight... So I pick up Bella on the way by and turn her out and then go check on Apollo. He stays flat out till I'm within 5' of him and call his name - at which point he grudgingly looks at me and then gets up. Felt like telling him it was ok, he could go back to bed, I just wanted to make sure he was still alive! hahaha
Feed horses and ride Si - figure we'll do some more of that nice quiet jumping (we're talking like 2'6" here; this is not stressful) Yeah. Forgot we didn't have Jack with us. Also chose to ignore the fact that it's *always* day 2 that's exciting. Trots up quietly as can be, jumps a solid 3'9" and lands in an fairly frantic hand-gallop. hmmmm less good. Took a long while but by the end we had "walk up, jog over, canter quietly away, circle like a civilized horse" down. Actually trotting to fences can be tomorrow's challenge. Cantering - next week :) So we go for a hack - she was higher without Jack there, but not bad. Again went part way around and then hopped off and let her graze a bit. Also took her to investigate several of the xc jumps so I can figure out exactly what we need to repair. Found a water jump between the two hay fields that I didn't know existed, so pretty excited about that. hahah Si was pretty sure I'd lost my little mind ("ummmm Laur, that's *not* the way home!") but followed me around willingly enough, if a little high.
Chores super fast with two horses having been outside all night. hahaha feels like cheating. Go out in the eve to find Apollo asleep on the roundbale. Not only is he passed out flat-out, but he's got hay covering his hindquarters like a blanket!
hahaha so knowing this is his thing I went back and got my camera and snapped a few photos before calling to him. He's gotten smarter though - "you woke me up once already today lady; I'm not getting up unless I have to!" He deigned to acknowledge my presence and come up into sitting position, but he wasn't about to get up unless he had to. *g* Apparently boys night was pretty tiring last night!
And tonight? I'm actually taking off. Off to Just for Laughs :)
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