Things you should NEVER say to your farrier

•  If you will just give each of the dogs a piece of hoof they will get out from under the horse and quit fighting.
• As much as you charge, I should get to use that truck too.
• If you get that done in 30 minutes, you’ll be making $200 per hour.
• That’s not the way they did it on that horseshoeing show.
• I see who makes all the money in horses – it’s farriers!
• My last farrier couldn’t finish this horse’s feet - they gave me your name and number.
• You don’t mind if I feed the other horses now, do you?
• Are you sure you have them on the correct foot?
• If he didn’t kick like that, I’d trim him myself.
• Would you mind trimming my new WILD BLM mustang?
• Can we shoe him in the arena? If he rears in the barn, he hits his head.
• You sure earned your money on that one!
• I forgot you were coming; I just turned all the horses out.
• Oh, it rained (or snowed) and his feet are REALLY muddy, just clean them off before you shoe him will you.
• I’m sure glad you don’t mind shoeing him after he’s been standing in all that poop.
• Can you make it after six, or on Sunday because I have to work.
• I just cannot believe that he bit you.
• I read all about the Natural Way to trim on the internet, and you’re supposed to. . .
• Did that hurt?
• I know that he is difficult to shoe, but he is so good on the trails.
• It doesn’t look like he’s leaning from here.
• Good morning – glad you’re here – can we reschedule? I have a lot going on today.
• It’s so cool that he can balance on just two feet.
• Can you shoe him so that he doesn’t paw?
• Don’t tell my husband that I used the grocery money.
• Most times when he kicks, he misses!
• Just do the hinds – I’ll do the fronts.
• I left the checkbook in the car, and my wife/husband just left – can you bill me?
• Does it mean my horses have some sort of deficiency when they chew the paint off your truck like that?
• This horse does forge, also interferes, and sometimes hits his knees….
• We need to keep the price down on this bill. I got a bargain on these shoes at a rummage sale, could you use them instead and save me some money?
• Oops! Wrong horse.
• I know I said just one trim, but can we shoe ‘em all as well?
• My weanling colt needs a trim, and I figured you could halter break him at the same time.
• I’ve got a new horse whose feet are in pretty bad shape. The previous owners said their farrier wouldn’t work on him.
• I know it’s been a long day for you; that’s why I saved the worst one for last.
• If my other farrier’s ribs weren’t broken, he’d be able to get shoes on this horse.
• It’s a good thing you’re slow today, or he’d have had shoes on when he kicked your truck.
• My grandpa used to shoe horses like you, only he used a sledge and a corn knife.
• I don’t understand why the shoes didn’t stay on. I just had them done 12weeks ago.
• I know I haven’t used you before, but I need the horse in the morning and every other farrier I called was busy

Closer......

Kim and I tested Poppi's milk last night. Her calcium is over 200 ppm!! Her PH has dropped, but it has a little bit to go yet.
We are hoping she will go tonight, but we have a mid April snow storm moving in. Apparently, Mother Nature hates Wisconsin! From the research that has been done, mares can delay the delivery for up to 3 days after her milk tests ready. Part of me wants the foal to be born tonight just to get this horrible waiting over with, but the logical part knows tonight would be bad with the colder weather moving in. I don't want to sleep in the cold barn tonight, and I don't want a little wet foal in this weather either.
I checked Medusa over last night too. I think we have a bit of a wait with her yet. She still has quite a bit of muscle tone in her tail and no jello muscles going on in her rear end. Her udder is large and full, but the rest of the signs say she will be about a week.
We should have foal pics to share soon! :)

So tired of the waiting!

What do mares teach us? Patience. Lots and lots and lots of patience!
Waiting for 2 mares to foal requires a lot more patience than I possess. Today, Poppi is at day 350, and Medusa is at day 333. *sigh*
Medusa seems to be progressing much faster than Poppi, despite a due date of 17 days later. Hopefully, that means I will get the filly I'm wanting, since colts seem to take longer to "cook".
I've been testing Poppi's milk with pool test strips, since I don't know much about her breeding history other than she has had one foal, and she aborted her 2010 foal. Her calcium is testing at about 150, and her PH is holding at about 7.2.
I have not tested Medusa's milk, as I'm sure the cranky witch would love to take a shot at my head. As her pregnancy progresses, she is getting more and more grouchy. Poppi on the other hand, is such a sweet mare.

I hope to be able to update later this week with foal pictures. I hope that Poppi gives me a bay colt and Medusa gives me a buckskin filly, but as long as they are happy, healthy babies, I'm a lucky girl. :)

Introducing our new mare, Imachocolatelollipop!

Allow me to introduce our newest addition!

Imachocolatelollipop, 2001 dark brown mare by Chips Count Chocula out of Rhonda Rosemont. She has almost $2600.00 in NSBA earnings.

 Imachocolatelollipop

Poppi has had one other foal, Absolutely Oprah, an '08 filly by Absolute Investment. This filly sold at the AQHA World Show as a yearling in '09 for $5200.00.

 Absolutely Oprah

Poppi is bred to the same stallion as Medusa for 2011. Hot by Invitation, 2006 AQHA Buckskin stallion sired by Multiple Congress Champion, Gucci Only out of The Hot Mouse, by Hotrodders Jet Set. "Rodney" was named Buckskin Congress Champion 2 year old stallion his only time shown. His show career was cut short due to injury.

Why Do I Like Horses

Why do I like horses? I think I must be mad.

My mother wasn't horsey - And neither was my dad.

But the madness hit me early - and it hit me like a curse.

And I've never gotten better. In fact I've gotten worse.

I hardly read a paper - but I know who's sold their horse.

And I wouldn't watch the news - Unless Mr. Ed was on - of course.

One eye's always on the heavens - but my washing waves in vain

As I rush to get the horses in - in case it's gonna rain.

I spend up every cent I've got - on horsey stuff for sure

I buy saddles, bridles, fancy boots - and then I buy some more.

I can't sew on a button - I don't even try

But I can back a truck and trailer - in the twinkling of an eye.

It's jeans and boots that I live in night and day

And that smell of sweaty horses just doesn't wash away.

I ache from long forgotten falls. My knees have got no skin.

My toes have gone a funny shape - from being stomped on again and again.

But late at night, when all is still - and I've gone to give them hay,

I touch their velvet softness and my worries float away.

They give a gentle nicker and they nuzzle through my hair

And I know it's where my heart is - more here than anywhere. 

~Author Unknown

GAH! I'm losing patience!

I am usually pretty good about waiting for horse related things. I am all for waiting until AT LEAST 3 years old to start horses under saddle. I ride dressage, and good things come to those who wait when bringing along the dressage horse.

But I am losing patience with Medusa. She still has 142 days to go before she foals. I know, I know, I can't change it, but darn it, I WANT TO SEE THE BABY!!! :(

I will post baby belly pics soon! In the mean time, here is a cute pic of a buckskin mare with her baby buckskin! :)


On the bright side, the bitterly cold snap is over for now. It's pretty sad that I am excited about being 17 degrees, but anything above zero feels great!

A little somthing about my daughter....

My little girl is getting to be more and more aware of herself and her surroundings. She is also getting to be a bit selfish and possessive, especially about a little pillow that belongs to Kim.

The Toddler's Creed

If I want it, it's mine.
If I give it to you and change my mind later, it's mine.
If I can take it away from you, it's mine.
If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
If it's mine it will never belong to anyone else no matter what.
If we are building something together, all the pieces are mine.
If it looks like mine, it's mine.

Lets talk about the weather!

Today, I would like to piss and moan about the cold snap we are having in Wisconsin following the huge snow storm that just went through. We got about 18" of snow, 30 MPH winds, and now we are in a deep freeze with lows around -15.

The outlet that my tank heater is plugged into took a shit, my water hose froze solid, and my damn truck gelled up this morning! I am so ready for it to warm up!

We got the outlet fixed last night thanks to Timmy and Chaz, so now the steers have liquid to drink. We dragged the hose down to the heated part of the lower barn to thaw out (dragging hoses around sucks. However, it doesn't suck nearly as bad as hauling buckets!). I had to 2 foot my truck most of the way to work, but she is now in the shop warming up.

I really hate Wisconsin winters. On the bright side, neither of my frost free hydrants (which I hate with a PASSION) have frozen yet. I pray every night that they stay nice and warm and keep working like they are supposed to. I am not looking forward to having to dig one or both of them up and take the torch after them! Kim and I did adopt the heat gun from the shop. Horsepower Acres is now the proud new owner of a slightly used heat gun, and Pure Diesel Power needs to buy a new one. :)

Kim has been frozen solid for the last 5 days. I think we are all pretty tired of having little snot-cicles hanging from our noses. I got pretty annoyed last night when I got my jeans wet while rinsing and refilling the waterer for the chickens. They froze solid instantly. Luckily, I remembered to put on a pair of thermal underwear so it didn't freeze right to my leg. Crunchy, ice crusted pants are no fun to walk around in!

Speaking of chickens, our girls don't seem to care that the days are short and it's cold outside. They are laying too many eggs! We have been giving them to whomever will take them. In this cold snap the eggs that are layed after we leave in the morning are frozen by the time we collect them after work. Silly chickens! I hope they figure out it is winter and slow down the production soon!

Stay warm my friends!

A bit of horsey terminology

A bit of terminology to help you newbies decipher those Horse For Sale Ads!

* Event Prospect = Big Fast Horse
* Dressage Prospect = Big Slow Horse
* Hack Prospect = Pretty Color
* Sporting Prospect = Short Fast Horse
* Camp Prospect = Fast Horse which can turn
* Endurance Prospect = Fast Horse which will turn sometimes
* Flashy = White Socks
* Attractive = Bay
* 15.2hh = 14.3hhh
* 16.2hh = 15.3hh
* To Loving Home = Only Expensive
* To Show Home Only = Very Expensive
* Needs Experienced Rider = Potentially Lethal
* Elegant = Thin
* In Good Condition = Foundered
* Free Moving = Bolts
* Quiet = Lame in Both Front Legs
* Dead Quiet = Lame in All Four Legs
* Good in Traffic (Bombproof) = Lame all Round, Deaf and Blind
* Loves Children = Kicks and Bites
* Pony Type = Small and Hairy
* Arab Type = Looks startled
* TB Type = Looks Terrified
* Quarter Horse Type = Fat
* Warmblood Type = Big and Hairy
* Draught Type = Big and Exceedingly Hairy
* Easy to Catch = Very Old
* Must Sell = Wife has left home and taking kids
* All Offers Considered = I am in Traction for 6 months
* Reluctantly selling = Sale Comes with Title Deeds to Sydney Harbor Bridge

Introducing Medusa!

That Mito Look aka Medusa is a triple registered (AQHA, ABRA and IBHA) buckskin mare by the late great Mito Cierra. She is a 2000 model. She is a multiple futurity money winner, Reserve World Champion, ROM in Longe Line and World Champion producer.

A pic from back in her show days in 03:



I'm waiting on more of her old show pics from Jan Gates of Gates Performance Horses in MI. Jan campaigned her throughout her show career. I'll post them up when I get them.

A few pics of her daughter, That Krymsum Look aka Gracie, by One Hot Krymsun:





Medusa came to me in August of 2010 by way of my friend Nikki Seehafer of Seehafer Quarter Horses. Nikki was having a personality clash with her, and Medusa had to go. I wanted another bitchy mare to keep Turbo in line, so it worked out perfectly!

Shortly after Medusa came home:







Oh, and did I mention that she's due in May? SQUEE! She is bred to Hot By Invitation, 2006 AQHA/IBHA/ABRA Dark Buckskin Stallion by Gucci Only (by Invitation Only) and out of The Hot Mouse (by Hotrodders Jet Set)

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the foal! I will have to get some more recent pics to show off the baby belly, which is HUGE already!

I should probably get a few pics to show why we call her Medusa too. :)

Until next time....be good and stay safe!

Meet Willow!

So we picked up a couple of new girls that you fabulous masses haven't heard about yet because I am admittedly a terrible blogger!

Meet Willow!




Turbo, Vegas, and Willow



Turbo making Willow look tiny!!



Kimberly likes Willow, too!!



Willow is a Clydesdale/QH cross mare. I first met her in 2009. She's not the prettiest thing, but she is SAFE.

Garrett has ridden her a couple of times (LE GASP!) and he likes her.




Elida also thinks riding Willow is super cool!




Willow is safe enough for the beginners, is trail safe, and I also think she is going to make a cute little lower lever dressage prospect. She is broke, but has never had any formal training, so she has a long way to go. Right now we are just taking it slow, learning how to give and how to bend.

Did I mention she is safe? LOL! Here is our newest employee, Chaz, riding Willow. First time rider! Woo Hoo!

Conformation Critiques

Whew! It's been awhile! Sorry boys and girls, fans and haters!

Today I want to talk about conformation critiques. Why do people ask for a critique and then get all butt hurt when their horses faults get pointed out? I just don't get it. Did you think everybody was going to say "Le Gasp! OMG what a perfect pony!" Sorry, even the best halter horses in the world have faults.

When you see these "perfect" horses turned out for the show ring, be sure to watch the handler. The handlers know how to set up their horses for minimize faults. That's their JOB. They know how to set up a horse that may be slightly sickle hocked. They know where to put a horses head to hide an imperfect neck. They know how far they need to rock back a horse that stands under himself.

Are you only looking at these fabled perfect horses in print? Do you realize how much photo editing is done to these pictures before it goes to print? And what it takes to get a shot worthy of even bothering to photo edit? I'm betting that most of you would be quite surprised if you saw these "perfect" horses dressed down and in their farm clothes!

Shall we even get into corrective grooming? Neck sweats, etc?

Moral of the story: Don't ask for a critique if you can't handle it. No horse is perfect. Does that mean your horse sucks? Nope. If he/she does what you ask if them and stay sound doing it, don't worry about it! Love your horses, and try your hardest to become the person they think you are. :)