Video Montage

David Parkin has included one of my photos, Red Rowdy, in another of his incredible photo/art montage videos featuring the artists and photographers of redbubble.com. This one is dedicated to the memory of Michael Jackson and includes two lovely but not well known songs by M.J. Here is the LINK.

The Postcard Horse

My hand is improving quickly. Although there are still a few tender spots that I think will keep me from handling a camera for a few more days, I can now use my "typing fingers." So, yesterday, I took an image I did a few weeks ago and "worked" with it a bit. I tried to give it the look and visual texture of an old postcard (thus the name) and I added the wings because I thought he looked as if he should have them and the text to accompany the wings. I've got this one available as a poster on my Red Bubble site and I'll put it up later on my Etsy site. I'm also thinking of working with it a bit more and making a Tshirt out of the design. We will see. I had fun; it was nice to get my hand into creative work once again. 

I have an amusing story that made me smile on a Monday morning and I hope it has the same wonderful effect on you. I saw a news story on TV about the rescue of two baby raccoons from a vending machine where they had somehow become trapped. It was a sweet story with a happy ending but the funny part was the fellow who came from Wildlife Services to rescue the raccoons. He turned his back to the camera and on his shirt was written, "I handle wild animals for a living. So, if you see me running, TRY TO KEEP UP!" hehehehe...you gotta love it:))

Oh "Deer" Me!

Too bad that I can't yet handle a camera with my injured hand because I would have gotten some great wild life shots today. I had just finished feeding the horses. As I was walking back up the hill toward my truck, Fred, my dog, came barreling out of the underbrush being chased by a deer!! I don't know what she did to him but he was terrified and headed toward the house. I called him back and tried to get him into the truck but the deer had circled around and Sadie had now taken up the chase. Fred ran off and followed and in a few seconds, all three came running out of the underbrush again. This time the deer was being chased but it almost seemed as if she was trying to lead the dogs away from the underbrush. When the dogs gave up chasing her, she circled around and came up into the pasture where the horses were standing. All three horses had been standing watching all of this happen with rapt attention. The deer saw Sadie headed back to the underbrush and she ran after her. She leaped across the fence twice and came within a few feet of me. I was beginning to wonder what was wrong with her but it did seem that she was trying to get the dogs to chase her. I thought then that she must have a fawn hidden in the brush. This game went on for quite a while with the deer leading the dogs in loops until they were completely exhausted. They finally gave up and loaded into the truck. As I was backing up, I saw the deer had circled back yet again and was standing between the horses and watching us leave. It was the oddest thing I've ever seen and all I can think is that she must have been protecting her baby.

Unexpected Rodeo

I'm typing with one hand here so forgive any typos, please:)...Horse owners often talk about how similar horses and small children are. I've just encountered another case in point, they both seem to relish making a liar out of you. Our farrier, Dale Collis, came yesterday to shoe my boys for the first time here and to trim Miss Brandy who has no need for shoes since she lives a life of leisure these days. We still haven't put in cross ties or a hitching post so I handle this the old fashion way and hold each horse as Dale works with them. Dale has the most uncanny ability to soothe a horse...usually.

Since I knew that Brandy would be bothering the other horses by curiously standing right beside me as I held them and nudging them with her nose every time she got the opportunity, I decided that she would go last and Rowdy right before her since he was the one that I expected some reluctance from. So, Django was chosen to go first because of his easy, laid back nature. Django and I had been standing there under a shade tree waiting on Dale to arrive and Django seemed his usual agreeable self, relaxed, grazing, enjoying some scratching. 

Django became alert when he saw Dale pulling into the driveway to the barn but I thought this was just normal curiosity.  As Dale drove up beside us, he rolled down his window and commented on what a beautiful horse Django was. I responded in the same manner I always do when Django's mama, Mouse, is complimented, I agreed, lol. I apologized and Dale told me not to worry about it because he was gorgeous. I told him that he was also the sweetest most laid back horse I'd ever met. I said that I expected a little trouble with Rowdy because of his stubborn streak but Django was always so good that shoeing him should be a breeze. 

I'd just finished this statement when Dale set down his tools, petted Django's nose and lifted his front hoof. Neither of us are quite sure what happened next to spook the horse but Django freaked! He slung Dale sideways, in Dale's own words, as if he were a handkerchief and then connected with Dale's hip when he, the horse, spun around. I was trying to hold him and calm him down but he was dragging me down the hill despite my best efforts to dig in. Finally, he gave one mighty jerk and the the rope and half the skin on my right hand went with him. Then I asked myself why I hadn't been wearing gloves. 

After, Dale assured me that he was sore but not seriously injured, he gave me some tape to cover my bleeding hands and I put on some gloves before we went to try and catch Django. I managed to corner him once but my hands were too sore to hold him. He reared and pulled away again as soon as we got close to Dale and his tools. So, we continued with the other two horse and Rowdy proved my prediction wrong again because he was the perfect gentleman. I did manage to get Django corralled in the round pen but he was still too agitated to do anything with.

Dale said that he didn't know why but the horse was obviously spooked of him so we would put off his shoeing until next week when my rope holding hands are healed and I've gotten something from the vet to sedate Django with before Dale's next visit. Dale said that a few sessions where the horse has been sedated should convince him that we aren't going to harm him and straighten out this unexpected problem. 

The almost comical end to this story is that as soon as he saw Dale leave, Django, who'd been running in circles full tilt around the round pen, stopped, turned slowly and walked over to me. He then gently laid his head against mine as if he was saying he was sorry. So evidently it is Dale he has a problem with which is surprising since Dale is usually amazing with even the most agitated of horses.

A post script to this story:

We still had no luck with Django this past Friday when Dale returned. Even after two shots of Dimosaden, one in the muscle and one in the vein, Django still managed to pull away. Steve was there to help but I think that Dale and I both are a bit wary of being hurt again. Dr. Hamilton will be coming next week to administer the sedative and hopefully get our new "rowdy" boy docile enough to at least remove the shoes and trim his hooves. I think I might try riding him barefoot for a while, lol.

So, thank goodness, no serious injuries over this latest lesson in horse ownership for me or Dale. As Huston told me when we were out in Missouri, when you ride a horse it's like you're driving through rush hour traffic in a big city; you have to be constantly aware of everything and everyone around you including your own horse and ready to react at a moments notice. It appears that lesson applies to ground work, too!