Another day of winter, although they are forecasting very nice temps for next week. I really hope so! Spent the day in Red Deer and as necesary as breathing , we have to make a stop at Greenhawk! Bought a pair of killer purple gloves for cross country,along with some other goodies. Rose and I are going to look great out on course! Purple being our main color theme!
Came home and gave Mystique and Jeanne their 3rd and final Pneumabort-K vaccine shot. They are getting quite the pregnant tummies.
Next month it will be time to give all the horses their vacciantions and deworming too. April is always an expensive month on a horse farm!

Its Time !

It's time for conditioning that is. With warmer temps and the ice mostly gone from the roads, Rose and Jewel are back in training. Hoping to get a steady month of conditioning on them and then get into some serious training. Rose is going to expand her horizon this year, taking part in an eventing clinic and compete in a couple of 3day event competitions. I am confident she will be jumping 2'9" to 3' in time for annual Canadian show.
Both, Jewel and I are learning a new discipline. How to drive a horse! Ground driving is going well, although Jewel can't quite understand about the blinkers attached to the side of her head.She's like, Karen ,I can't see a thing except straight ahead! I think that is the general idea Jewel! I'll keep you posted on our progress. Already have a driving clinic lined up to go to. Should turn out to be lots of fun. Maybe we will even be able to give cart rides to family and friends:)

Short, Sweet and Cold!

OK, it warmed up to minus 20 and I couldn't wait any longer. I had to go for a ride! Chelsey and I saddled up Jewel and Rose and ended up going on the shortest ride ever. We first tried the open fields, it was way to deep and hard, so we next tried the road. It wasn't too bad if you stayed right on the edge, but wasn't the greatest either. After just a quarter mile Chelsey had a big white patch on her cheek so with frostbite developing on her face we turned for home. The horses were like, WHAT??, we just got out here! It was still great to be out, there is nothing better than swinging your leg over a horse and feeling like you have come home.

We also fed a round bale in the pasture and bedded all the horses today and did a shuffle around of pens. Mystique is now in a seperate pen, so she can get extra groceries, she isn't thin but I feel she needs a little extra. Its been a long hard winter and I want her and her soon to be new foal to have the best start they can. No one else is in need of any extras though! Jewel, Rose and Jeanne are now in pen close to the barn and Shim and LaDiva have taken their place out in little pasture with the two year old fillies. They were very happy to have more room to run and put on a nice show for us. I was very impressed with how they move. Big floating trot, so beautiful to watch. I can't wait to get them bred and have foals out of them next spring.
Photo is of Jeanne showing off her fine figure. Does she look pregnant?!
Stay warm and keep praying for spring...it has to show up sometime!

Coldest February Ever!

After enduring a very cold and miserable February, I am hopeful that March might start to show signs of spring. Obviously not this first week, because the forecast is horrible, more minus 30 weather and snow flurries, but PLEASE let it be soon. I am anxious to start working with horses in preperation of the coming competition season, but without an indoor arena there really isn't much I can do. The footing is horrible everywhere,ice covered roads and deep crusty fields. I bought my lottery ticket once again in the everhopeful dream of building my own indoor HEATED arena!!!

The horses are all doing great though, just keep feeding them hay and they are happy and easy to please. The one water bowl was frozen this morning, but Tom was able to get it working again in short order. Of course it was the main water for all the mares and everyone was thirsty. Jewel is first in line, once she is done there is more competition on who goes next, interesting to see how they get it all worked out. Usually just a head toss or a flick of an ear lets them know who is next in line. Jeanne just stands in the back and waits for the commotion to be over, and then takes her turn. What a sweet mare she is.
I'll sign off with this beautful view of Waiamia Valley,Hawaii from our recent escape from the cold. When I get rich and famous we'll just move there with horses in tow!