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Comment by Shirley on March 20, 2012 at 1:23am

OMGosh! What a project Al has taken on!! And not accepting help....you MUST get frustrated. A major understatement? A new kitchen sure would be nice. Our house is over 100 years old too. The cupboards are ancient too and I think the bath must have been put in around the 50's. There is golden yeloow fixtures. We did take the old plastic tiles off and wallpapered a couple of times but I'd so love to have a nice pretty bath and better kitchen cupboards, especially nice countertops!!!!! We have so much stuff from Jim's mom's estate still to get rid of so that is the immediate project and then maybe we can focus on redoing something. more exciting.

I can imagine how hard it is to get around in the pasture. For the few times that you would probably come to the barn and need help getting Cooper out, could you take a little treat for the gal that has offered to help you? I'm sure she wouildn't expect anything but would it make you feel better? Or maybe just bring her a little something now and then so you know you are letting her know that you do appreciate it? A little treat from the bakery or good cup of coffee or bag of apples or horsie treats? Even when things are going well with Cash and I, I very seldom ride him with no one else at the barn but I do play with him alot alone inside and outside or take him for a lead walk down the lane (after making sure he is calm) or just sitting with him while he grazes or on a day like today, I love to get out a lawn chair and read a book while he eats grass. haven't done that yet this year...maybe tomorrow....it may turn cold again in a few days. It's suppose to be up to a high of 86 here next couple of days. Now that is scarey crazy to me, this weather is just too bizare. I'm  trying to stay in the moment and take things as they come, one day at a time and enjoy everything as much as possible. No sense in worrying, can't do anything anyway & the past has shown that generally what I worry about never happens so then I have to deal with the worthless worry that didn't happen and the bad things that do happen. lol...just not sensible to worry. I used to say"If I don't have something to worry about, I will find something." And that seemed to be my reality. After too many years of that, I did get a better grip on things and life is easier.  

Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on March 19, 2012 at 2:21pm

Oh no!! Mosquitos already, Coopers due next month too for his vaccinations. I love the sound of Cardinals, there are a few that sing out in the apple tree at Al's house. If he ever gets the back deck done it will be very nice to sit out there, you don't hear the traffic or kids playing.

I have been in the same building since 1989 and haven't moved around. Al is trying renovating this 100 year old home to try to get us moved in there, since 2007. He is doing it on his own and in spare time, which he doesn't seem to have much of these days, and with very little money to get supplies. It's took him over 5 years to replace all the knob & tube wiring and replace the insul brick siding with new insulation inside. All the plumping is rotten and he has to replace it. We picked up a new to us, used kitchen from the Habitat For Humanity Restore in 2007, some of the cupboards are in. There is still a ton of work to do, floors, the basement leaks, it needs eaves-troughs, and he's replaced all the windows and doors. We had a consultant or something like that come in to help us decide what to do, set a plan or budget. He didn't tell us much that we didn't already know and we had to come up with money out of thin air. We can't pay for contractors to do the work and he's going to be 63 this year, it's not easy for him. I want the house gone, he won't let it go, family home he grew up in. He has had many offers from my family members to help but he won't call them. He wants to do it himself and doesn't like any one else around.

Hopefully the elevators will only be down a few days, so meanwhile I when I get back upstairs I will not be going back out for anything until they are fixed. It's just after 2 p.m. here and my legs are still shaky from doing the stairs. I should do them more often and get used to it, build up my strength. Good idea to take a magazine for the trek up the stairs.

I have too much clutter in my apartment. My daughter has tidied up a few times and threw things out on me that I can't find now. Grrrr LOL

It's hard to go out in the field to get Cooper, it's so muddy near the gate and I can't get through it. We have only been up the one time when he was out and Al had a hard time walking through it when it was frozen. At the other barn Cooper was starting to come to us so we wouldn't have to go through the muck, but he likes it too much in this field to want to come to us now. The barn manager said to come get her if I am by myself and she would go out and get him, I just don't like to bother them though. Some day soon I will have to take her up on her offer.

I'm hoping that when it is dry and they run the tractor over the ruts to smooth out the ground that it won't be so hard for me to go out and get him. Then I could go alone, but I would not be able to ride, would just be able to do groundwork and have the bonding time.

Comment by Shirley on March 19, 2012 at 11:22am

Yes, Allergies here are already worse then usual, Seems to be they were worse even during the winter. The winter was so mild here and now this possibly earliest (in my memory) ever spring. There are already a few mosquitos at the barn. Darn!!! No shots yet. I'm set up for April 3 for Cash's shots.

I missed that you had a kidney infection. Traditional doctors are for many like many husbands, "you can't live with um and you can't live without them." I do have an MD now that I like and unless she STRONGLY feels that I have to take something that I'm not crazy about taking she isn't pushy with the meds at all. And she tries to be open minded about the alternative things. No, REALLY not good to ignore pain. Good for yoiu for useing a treadmill at all. I hope you get to feeling good and more energetic too.
There is a cardinal outside doing lots of calling. Sooo pretty and nice to hear with the door open. And the blue sky and sunshine are so welcome! (Not w the hot humidity!) And now the children from the day-care come out for recess....there goes the pleasant morning. When they are playing and giggling I don't mind then at all but there is really a break w/o screaming and crying. Worse then a school playground cause the kids are younger and cry more.

OUCH! Sorry to hear about your knee! Just what you needed along with the elevator being out.Eight flights for a few weeks. That's crazy. You might need to take a magazine for a few breathers on the trips up the steps. That'll have you in shape!!

If your husband is into renovating, do you move alot? I have another friend that did that for years and I don't think they were ever in a house for over 2 years but they did stay in the same school district so their kids didn't feel that transition. Moving often would I think help a person to not collect too much clutter. We are about to pretend we are moving and downsizing and get rid of bunches of stuff....lots and lots of clutter here, Enough of our own and then lots from Jim's mom's estate. Prepping now for a some sort of sale and then give away/donate what's left.

If you got to the barn alone, could you just hang with Cooper or would that still be too risky? It's great for bonding and spiritual energy!

Gotta run, ck. mail and get off PC>!!!Gotta get off my pc chair and onto my saddle.

We will succeed or die trying.

Shirley 

 

 

 

Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on March 19, 2012 at 9:42am

I heard on the news with this crazy weather we have been having that allergies are going to be very bad this year. I watched your RTTH videos on youtube, very nice!! I have been getting allergy like symptoms the last few years too. This weekend set some new heat records for March in Toronto.

It is taking a long time to recuperate from this kidney infection. The antibiotics were finished on Friday. With what I was born with, Myelomeningocele, I tend to get kidney problems, doctors are always watching me. I get the attitude that I don't want to go to anymore doctors, I am sick and tired of them and tests and then I ignore the pains, not a good thing to do. I got back on the treadmill 2 times last week for only about 10 to 15 minutes each time as I was getting weak and dizzy on it. I didn't do it for the 2 weeks.

I twisted my knee yesterday walking around at home with the prosthesis off. The elevators in my building are broke down and I had to walk down 8 flights of stairs this morning to go to work. I don't look forward to going up them after work, for the next 3 or 4 days!! I can't stay at the house that my husband is renovating as there is not one room complete, no walls, nothing. At least I will be getting some kind of exercise for the next few days.

Sounds like your Friday was the same weather as ours here, maybe a little warmer for you. I had to take off my jean shirt and was wet from sweating. I was worrying that Cooper would take off on me too, like Cash, when he saw those open arena doors, but he handled them very well. I was trying not to feel to scared myself near them so he wouldn't get nervous. I was hoping to get out to the barn in the afternoon this past weekend so I could take Cooper in the outdoor arena, but that didn't happen. 

I didn't get out to see Cooper all weekend again!! Waiting around for my spouse to go with me. He is staying at the house he is renovating and our daughter and I are in an apartment. House was supposed to be ready 5 years ago, you will likely see me writing about this still for the next 10 years!!

I really wish I could go alone but it's not safe for me, and he doesn't want me to go without him. I have said it before and I am saying it again, one of these days I am going to go alone. There is always the what if this happens or that happens, and with my prosthesis I need to have someone there with me. I can't always depend on someone else being at the barn either, and I wouldn't want to have them have to look after me when they are they to work/play with their own horse.

I don't know when I will get out to see him this week, maybe Tuesday night. I will have to take a change of clothes with me to work to avoid another walk up and down the stairs in my building.

Comment by Shirley on March 17, 2012 at 11:51pm

This is neat....how good Cooper is being for you.
You have been sick for too long. Sorry to hear that. I've had a cold/allergies thing off and on and a nasty intestinal bug for a few days but sounds like you have been sick straight thru for far too long. I did feel good while we went to Road to the Horse but did not feel very good on our Florida trip with my mom the month before.
Friday I went to the barn with wet hair just after taking a shower and after an hour or so I dumped some really cold water from the pump over my head & was still hot. Yuck! Today (Sat) was a little better but I was wearing a TANK TOP! What the heck?! First few days it was warm here, Cash was like an angel. Yesterday he was a little sassy and today he was FULL of it! Took him to the outdoor arena, went to do the circling game with him and in a flash he was off.. Planned very well in his mind. But fortunately he only did one lap with his rope trailing behind him and he stopped at the gate. So I walked over to him expecting him to take off again but he didn't so I stayed near the gate and made him to half circles back and forth around me then I moved away from the gate just far enough to give him a smallish circle around me each way. He did fine since there was no where he really wanted to go cause we were already at the gate. So I was extra firm with him the rest of our time together and he was a good boy. Never a dull moment with our guys! Enjoy while we can! Hopefully the really deep do-do will be a ways off. LOL...Hope! Hope! Hope!

 

Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on March 17, 2012 at 3:27pm

Same here Shirley! I was soaked as it was humid last night working Cooper and all the arena doors were open! I can't stand summer heat, especially having to wear a helmet too. We'll both be in deep do-do LOL

Cooper was very good with those open doors, its the closed ones he was spooking at, but he was much better than the night before. I used the carrot stick with the bag again and he was fine with it. He gets to be a little antsy in aisle way when the treats were going in his bucket so I did some walk, whoa and back up in the aisle before putting him in his stall.

Comment by Shirley on March 16, 2012 at 3:36pm

For me, it turned to too hot way too soon., It's just not natural. If it's 20 degrees higher then it normally is. If it goes 20 degrees warmer over normal this summer...I'm in deep do-- do

Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on March 16, 2012 at 12:19pm

Visited with Cooper on Tuesday night. That Satin Sheen that I sprayed all over him did a great job, the mud came off so easily. I had to wear a mask and gloves while grooming as the dust was thick. 

We went in and just did a little circling on the 12' rope. He seemed to be a little off going to the left, I can never tell which leg he is favoring. He was calm, another rider in the arena could not believe that he had not been worked for almost 2 weeks. If you call that working, we only circled in both directions for about 5 minutes then went back inside and did some flexing and walk whoa in the aisle way. Sprayed him all over again with the satin sheen, in the saddle area again, oops LOL

Went again last night, Thursday. The mud just slid off, boy, I should go buy another bottle of this stuff while it's still on sale. I took him into the arena and let him loose to run around as no one else was in there. I put a plastic bag on the end of the carrot stick, didn't even faze Cooper. We walked around the arena while I waved the bag and stick back and forth. He still was spooky at that far end of the arena, not with the bag though, but he would freeze up and snort at the doors. I did approach and retreat in those areas, wonder if he will ever get used to it.

I did some changing eyes stage 1, he was bending around me so nice. I then let him out farther circling and he had a big belly in the rope while bending around me. I wished I had of tacked him all up, he was so calm I think he would have been a nice ride tonight. But I am not ready as I am still trying to gain my strength back after being sick. We walked around for about 1/2 hour, my legs were so wobbly after. I did some head shy exercises, he was a little distracted with my partner putting treats in his bucket, just wanted to follow him around with his head. I keep forgetting to do the run up and rub exercise, I would probably trip and fall in front of him if I did that LOL I have fallen in front of him before and he stops and he has stopped and looked at me.

Hope to get out again tonight, if not will go tomorrow, maybe even ride, we'll see, no hurry.

Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on March 13, 2012 at 11:26am

No, it's not a magic formula, wish it were. A huge jug was on sale, almost the same price as a smaller bottle of Cowboy Magic so I got it. It does help with making the mud come off easier. It's under show coat finisher at Greenhawk or other tack stores and says it keeps manes and tails tangle free. Produces a healthy sheen and a very soft coat. Non-toxic for sensitive horses. I poured it into a smaller bottle and used half a bottle on him, mostly on his tail. It makes them very slippery and not supposed to use it in the saddle and girth area but I am not going to ride for awhile so I did his whole body. He's likely covered in mud now, we have had several mild days and a few more are forecast.

Comment by Marlene Thoms on March 13, 2012 at 10:13am

Is this Satin Sheen something magical that stops mud from sticking to them? With a fleabitten grey who wishes he was a black and loves to wallow in mud, I could use something like that. I did convince him this spring to go with a rain sheet and it's really helping. We've had a couple of really wet weeks, his paddock is mucky clay, and it takes me just a couple of minutes to clean him up now.But something for his knees, legs and neck would be even better. Does this stuff work on white or is it just for darker horses?

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