Whoa Nelly .. erm Rhia!

So, yesterday I was run over by a truck.  Wait, no, it just feels like I was.  I took my lovely Rhia out for a ride yesterday afternoon.  My father-in-law was going to hold the lead rope and walk with me, but B saddled and bridled her for me and forgot.  We should've made the change, but we shrugged it off.  My cinch slipped (the part that pretty much holds the saddle on) and her bit somehow loosened.  A lot of very dumb mistakes ... MY mistakes, MY fault.  Ugh.  I am signing up for riding lessons (or seeing if my neighbor down the road would like the job) this week.  I need it and I know that I should've done many, many things differently over the past couple of weeks.  I got excited and jumped in.  But, here's my defense.  When you are making huge changes in your life, even if it's things you've thought about for many years, you have to sometimes take a risk.  Sometimes those risks are the right choice and sometimes they aren't.

Anyway, so B's dad and I set off.  When we brought her out she was mowing the grass like she'd been starving! lol  But, the second I got into the saddle, she brought her head up and went.  I didn't have to cluck at her, use my heels or anything.  She knew just what to do!  She kept turning her head to the left, but the neighbors horses were making a ruckus, so I didn't think much of it.  I also had this ... feeling ... like she was desperately trying to keep herself from running.  But, as this was the first time I'd ridden a horse other than on a trail ride, I thought maybe it was just her strength or something.

Nope, she was wanting to run.

We turned onto the road and after a minute she took off.  She made a sharp left onto the dirt and grass aiming for a fence.  At the moment she turned, the saddle slipped a little and I thought ... I need to get off this horse NOW!  I didn't have the time to make a nice dismount (lol), so I pushed my left foot most of the way out of the stirrup, kicked my right leg over and hoped for the best.  I think I took the brunt of the fall with my shoulder.  I turned and it was like a movie ... I just saw hooves pawing in the air.  I rolled to one side praying it was the right way and she came down on the side and took off.  Apparently she turned her body mid-air to miss me (B's parents were right behind us).  She took off and tried to go home, but B was standing there (after seeing her go by minus me lol) and it scared her, so she went off down the road.  Neighbors there were able to catch her and re-saddle her by the time Ben got down there.  She had zero issue being re-saddled and no worries with Ben.

I ran in, cleaned my face up and ran right back out to help walk her back.  I wanted her to know that I wasn't mad at her and really that I was thankful that she tried not to hurt me.  We let her relax for a bit and then haltered her back up and took her out to the backyard to graze for a treat.  She has actually hurt me quite a bit since because it seems like she just wants to be right next to me!  This morning she nuzzled my shoulder and I had to bite my lip ... which is cut, so that made me want to yell too!!  HA!

Saying all of that, I'm still thinking that she's too much for me.  Oddly enough, falling yesterday and how it all worked out makes it harder for me to think about selling her.  But, I suppose I have to be very honest about what is best for everyone.  The past week or so has been extremely stressful on me and my marriage.  Thankfully, we both know each other so well that even though it's heated sometimes, we make it just fine.  I would really like to be more relaxed, feel confident and actually gain some (less painful) experience.  So, we'll see where this road goes.  I won't make a quick decision and I will be cautious about making sure she goes to a good home, if that's what we decide.

Oh, and if this wind stops, I will get back on her ... with some extra precautions.  Like bubble wrap.

Happy Homesteading!

Life is draining!

I knew life would be harder, with a lot of amazing rewards.  I just didn't realize HOW hard it could be!  We had a major answer to prayer, calls to the universe, etc.  Last week my sister-in-law left for Oregon where she got a job.  Yes!  The trip wasn't the easiest for my in-laws, but we're all hoping things pay off in the end. They took her so that they could pick up a '66 Chevy pick up truck.  It's caused a few headaches so far, but it all seems like it's starting to work out.  Another call in to the universe is in order!  It looks like Bella's truck from Twilight (though, my brother-in-law pointed out some difference about a step up or something ... whatever ... lol) and I can totally see taking it out for a date night spin sometime!  Too bad we don't seem to have a drive-in movie theater here, I mean, how perfect?!

While they were gone, my wonderful hubby turned 27.  So in love with him, still!  In a couple of weeks we'll celebrate our 7th anniversary AND, around the same time we celebrate 9 years together.  NINE!  Crazy.  I feel like we just met and fell in love and I also feel like we've been a part of each other forever.  He is the piece I was always missing.  Add in parents that I absolutely enjoy sharing a home with and I am lucky.  Oh, and don't forget that little monkey of ours!  I truly don't know what I did to deserve it, but I'm not going to mention it!

My mother-in-law's birthday was a few days after B's and monkey and I made her a chocolate mousse cake.  We used my brand new mixer (that I LURVE) and had a lot of fun learning about directions and measurements.  We talked a lot about how we have to do things in a certain order and not just throw it all in at once. :)  He did great and let me tell ya, that kid loves to cook!

and clean ... 

... and clean some more ...

and I'm always happy to get a nice smile from my love!

As for farm life, well, it's been trying lately.  The first week with Rhia went really well.  I groomed her every day and took her out for a short ride.  She was a little pushy for treats, but that first week I just brushed it off.  And then she decided that I should have brought treats during one of our walks and she reached back to bite me and then turned and knocked me over with her hip.  I have been desperately trying to keep things from crashing this last week.  I've tried to go in every day and be as confident as I can be (but, I'm not a confident or self-assured person ... the thousand pounds she has on me doesn't help).  B ran her the other day for about 20 minutes and she settled down quite a bit that day and we ran both horses again today.  She's gotten much more dominant over Lilly, my assumption is that because I'm not letting her assert dominance over me any more, she's asserting it where she can.  

I worked with her for a bit today while B worked with Lilly, but I can only do it for so long.  If she starts to get pushy it is usually my cue to make an exit.  Today, B had Lilly tied up so he could work on brushing her, so I couldn't just leave (Rhia would have got into the middle, which isn't the safest place for B or Lilly for that matter).  I worked on staying calm and collected before B's mom came in and worked with her.  She did nip at her, but M is so much more confident than I am.  I am hoping that a good friend of mine is coming to help me out for a few days early next week.  I miss her tons anyway, so it'll be really great if she can make it.

Oh, and added to all of that, it looks like Miss Lilo is nesting.  So, looks like we'll have a few more little bunnies arriving soon.  We're all trying to watch over her, make sure she has lots of food and water, not to mention treats, so that she has a better start this time.  

And, that's it from the farm!  Happy Homesteading!

And the farm grows by two!

It has been a BUSY few days here at the newbie farm!  Friday was a very long day for B and his parents and his new little mare.  They drove down to Phoenix and picked up a saddle for me and then made their way out to the farm his horse was being kept at.  P decided her name should be Princess Lillifee, after one of his favorite movies, Pinktopia.  We call her Lilly and oddly we happened upon a pink bucket out behind the garage and on it says "Princess"!  She loaded perfectly, however, she is definitely not broke to ride.  In fact, it took us more than an hour to detach her lead rope.  The halter will be staying on for a bit until she let us take it off.  She is definitely making strides though.  She loves to eat, which is great because she's a touch on the thin side.  At first she would jump if we tried to touch her, but B gave her a good scratch on her nose today and he didn't even give her a treat first.  I actually have to shout "back" several times to get her to let me in to the enclosure because she crowds me for treats!  So funny!
On Saturday we went the other way and picked up this gorgeous girl for me!  She is young, but gentle and should be perfect for me.  I'm still working on a name for her.  I'm thinking of Rhiannon, Rhia for short.  I will have to work on my own demeanor, because she is a little pushy and will dig against my coat for treats!  Silly girl!  She isn't completely on my side yet, but the apples are helping!  Earlier today she didn't want me to pet her face, but would reluctantly let me scratch her neck.  By the evening she was much better about her face!
So, Friday was the Lilly trip, Saturday was the "Rhia" trip (and several hours working on the truck's suspension :/) and today ... well, today was a rush to make some temporary fencing so that the girls could get to the shelter because ... snow is here once again!  Gorgeous outside!  They seemed perfectly fine when it snowed during the day and played around in it even after they'd been in the shelter.  I'm sure they're cuddled up in there now, though!  Oh, and they get along so well!  Mine is the dominant, even though she wasn't at her old home.  But, she's bigger and a little older than Lilly, so it's not a surprise.  Today she was herding Lilly, trying to get her to go into the shelter.  (We assume, of course ... I haven't learned to speak horse yet lol) and Lilly would go toward the shelter and then take off the other way, so mine would head on back to get her!  Man, watching them run and play was absolutely breathtaking!
One HUGE help over the past few days was my mom!!  We haven't seen her in about a month and she just got home from a cruise with her best friend.  Things would not have gone as well as they have if it hadn't been for her.  We are so blessed that she and P have such a special relationship.  I know he's loved seeing her and hopefully it'll only be a short time until her next visit!
I sit in awe of my life and my blessings!
Happy Homesteading!

Flipped around, upside down!

Today was a pretty awful day that seems to have turned out okay.  I won't share the sordid story, but our taxes took a turn for the worse.  We hadn't expected to get anything back, so we were shocked two weeks ago when we thought we were getting back a substantial amount.  We went from thinking horses would come in the summer to thinking we'd have them ... well ... this week LOL  What little girl doesn't grow up wanting a horse?  I did, but my mom is severely allergic, so I never even uttered, "Daddy, can I have a pony?" ha!  So, when we started this big move and found this house, the distant little-girl wish started to form into something that could actually be real.  I have learned SO much about horses over the last couple of weeks.  So, let's start at the beginning of this journey.

Almost two weeks ago, we came home from dinner giddy about finding horses.  We searched through CraigsList and a few different horse classified websites.  We knew that even with our taxes that we were still looking for a deal.  When I saw the first horse listed for $87,000 I almost fell over!  Because of the high hay prices right now, finding a deal isn't as difficult as it once was, I'm guessing.  But, I did decide that I needed to be realistic about finding a horse that was calm and patient with a beginner.  B wanted a horse with some spirit that would give him a challenge.  I was surprised when I found two horses at the same home with those exact specifications.  An Arabian (the one in the previous post) and an older Quarterhorse who was amazing with kids and beginners.  We set up an appointment to go and see them .. and then right after the owner told us that her daughter (who turned out to be 3 :/ ... ) decided to keep the older horse.  Again, fortunately, I found another listing for a beginner horse, a Tennessee Walking Horse (the black horse in the previous post), in the same town.

First house, the Arabian ... it was a strange experience.  The owner seemed experienced, but she was making very strange decisions.  Finances weren't allowing her to feed the horses well, yet she was letting her 3 year old decide whether they'd keep one of the horses.  Very sad.  The Arab was extremely underfed.  The QH was also thin, but not quite as bad.  B decided that even though the Arab would need a lot of work to bring back to a healthy weight, he just couldn't leave him in that situation.  We were even trying to figure out if there was a way to generate some quick money so that we could get him sooner because she told me that she was going to take the horses to her mom's so they'd have weeds and grass (not much in this area) to eat.  A couple of days ago, I contacted her and she told me that the horse had colicked the previous night.  I'm sure she was hoping that by the time we'd talked again he'd be better and she wouldn't have to tell us.  We decided that the mounting problems were just beyond us.  That has been a very hard decision.

Backing up to the TWH I looked at ... oh boy was that FUN!  Her owner hadn't brought a saddle, so she suggested I ride her bareback.  I haven't been on a horse in maybe 10 years (until that morning) and I have never ridden bareback!  I was nervous, but it was such a great experience!  It was fun to see just how easy it can be to ride a horse who is totally nonchalant about a newbie!  I did wonder how on earth Lady Godiva did it ... not the most comfy ways to ride a horse!  But, I'd do it again just for that amazing and close feeling with your horse.  She and I have kept in contact, but ... the tax woes struck and there's just no way I can afford her.

I cried ... truly, I did.  In fact, I cried the day we met her, I cried the day the owner told me she could be mine and I definitely cried today.  Broke my heart.  I really hope (I'm sure, honestly) that she'll find a great new home.

Anyway, we had (and, I suppose, still have) a huge decision to make.  Do we save for the next several months to buy horses or do we try and find horses that need re-homing because of financial issues.  We spent hours today pouring over ads and calling about horses.  I am SO thankful to my friend Amie for sharing a bazillion questions with me to ask the owners.  Especially in this situation I've been able to weed out a lot of horses that would definitely not work for us.  I've still been pretty positive that I need a horse who is good for beginners.  And, I found one!  Oddly, she's younger, but a good beginner horse.  Her owner is having some problems and needs to re-home.  We had a long talk and this horse is fantastic with kids, super easy and sounds like a love.  She's beautiful too!

Now for B ... this is our riskier decision.  We found a lady who rescued a horse from a family who lost their home.  She has several of her own horses and her husband has told her that if she isn't able to find a home for the mare this weekend, that she'll have to send him to the sale barn (think that's what it's called lol my understand is that it's like an auction and that most likely the outcome will be slaughter).  The scary part is that the contact, D, knows very little about the horse.  The mare was a little skittish the first day, but got over that quickly when she realized that D had food.  D tells me that now the mare follows her around every time she goes out to the pasture.  She also has puts dominant mare out with the rescue and she's done fine, definitely a submissive personality.  She's able to pet her, so my hope is that after some time she'll trust us and happily be a part of our little farm.  We saw a few mustangs the other day that were supposedly "mostly" broke.  When B slowly walked toward one, he went backing up like crazy and wanted nothing to do with any of us.  Knowing that she'll come for food makes me cautiously optimistic. Oh, and the crazy thing is that, while she's a little thin, she doesn't look too bad.  She is a beauty!

I'm having trouble uploading her pictures, so I'll edit them in later!

OH!  I forgot about Zig!  So, this lady emailed me the other morning and asked if we would have room for her horse.  He's kind of a senior, but he's still good for a ride up the street.  He just needs some attention and she's not able to give it anymore.  She's going to pay for his hay and he'll be B's mom's horse (and P's, since he should be perfect for a child).  We talked for a long time about what we'll do if she doesn't follow through on buying his hay and my in-laws have decided that they'll be more than happy to take care of him.  He'll be fantastic for B's mom, she is in need of a good "healing" animal and this just seems like the answer we've been waiting for.  And, get this ... she's giving us his round pen, his corral and his 2 horse trailer!  I mean ... nothing is absolutely set yet, but she's coming by on Saturday.  She's had Zig since birth and she's asked if she'll be able to come and see him (we've said yes, of course).  I think we'll all be a good fit!  This could all be some very huge answers that we've been all asking (most of us while we are gazing at the moon lol).

I've learned about horse gaits, saddle trees, tack, what kind of hay is fattening and how to actually fatten a horse up in a healthy way.  Today my lesson was that even when it just seems impossible, we are still moving toward our purpose.

Live and learn

Just after my last entry, we sadly lost all of the kits.  We aren't positive why, there are a lot of factors.  Since we didn't know that she was pregnant, she was not only kept from making a nest, but she was also moved immediately after.  For all we know, it could've been her first litter and she just didn't know what to do.  More likely is that she was stressed from the situation.  It seems like she suffocated the kits.  Very sad, but hopefully things will be better next time.

We've kept them apart, however, there was some time right after birth that they were together.  (I know what you're thinking, ladies!)  Apparently they can immediately become pregnant again, so we're watching her carefully.  If she doesn't deliver any kits by the 22nd or so, we'll put them back together for a bit and see if we can't get another litter.  Anyway, it was a good lesson and monkey handled it very well (better than I did!).

What else is on the horizon?  HORSES!  Yes, we found 2 horses.  Good prices and we each really were happy.  B's is an Arabian and quite malnourished.  Originally we were going to say no, but after some research and a couple of days thinking, he knew that leaving the horse in that situation wasn't an option.  In fact, we'd get him today if we could.

As for me ... oh, horsey love!!  She's a Tennessee Walking Horse, very sweet and perfect for a newbie like me.  The owner hadn't brought the mare's saddle, so she tossed me up and I rode the horse bareback.  It was seriously amazing!  Neither of us can stop thinking about these two.