Random 5 Friday

Passage has been complaining that she isn't featured enough in this blog.  She's joining us today.

1.  Theresa asked if we have considered a wireless fence to keep Kersey inside the property.  We had two neighbors at Aspen Meadows who used those systems.  When they worked, they worked well but it seemed like they rarely worked.  And a smart dog, like Sedona's boyfriend Zeus, can figure out how to evade the shock.  Kersey found a new spot to wiggle under the fence yesterday, Brett suffered numerous puncture wounds from the wire, and the horses scraped the tractor with their teeth.  I tried to mitigate the damage with dinner.  All his favorites: salmon, potatoes and sauteed mushrooms.

2.  Today they measured the snow pack in the Sierras.  We are at 20% of normal for the first of January.  We are at 7% of where we need to be by April 1st.  The hills are still brown and we should have turned green in December.  We desperately need rain.  Restrictions on water use have been imposed in many counties.

3.  I saw this quote today.  I think it is equally applicable to life in general and to riding.

The inner struggle is extremely difficult for all of us,

because we all have faults,

severe ones, that we will struggle with forever...

It's wise to accept that faults are inevitable.

Factor that in and keep going.

--Alice Walker 

4.  We have been putting the dogs in the barn at night.  They don't bark.  They hate it.  Last night, Sedona tried to avoid following me into the barn at bedtime.  Once inside, she took her treat and then ran to all the doors to see if she could get out.  We've had comments from four other neighbors telling us that our dogs don't bark anymore than anyone else's, that we live in the country, and that we shouldn't worry about this neighbor's complaints.  We are torn.  It does seem silly -- the dogs bark and chase away raccoon and fox but are otherwise quiet.  We like that they chase off critters.  But we don't want bad feelings between us and the neighbor.

5.  Katy has invited me to sit with her and a group of local dressage folks at the California Dressage Society annual meeting symposium in a few weeks.  I'm so excited to be linking into the horse community (and perhaps making some horsey friends), it isn't even funny.  

Katy demonstrating the work she's been doing with Winston

I've been thinking all day about those of you living back east.  I hope you have power, I hope you are warm, and I hope you don't have to do much more shoveling (Lori).

Welcoming 2014

The horses had another day of wandering the entire property.  The perimeter is fenced so Brett opened the pasture gates and let them wander at will.

The spent time grazing on the front lawn.

Then they wandered out to the dressage court where the grass is green and plentiful.  They were happy there until something startled them and they headed back to the safety of the barn, with Jackson in the lead.

They milled around the barn for awhile before heading back to the front lawn.

Sedona kept watch.

Kersey slept.

Brett worked on closing the fence gaps between the wire and ground.

Kersey has figured out how to wiggle underneath.  Naughty dog.

I want to thank everyone for the comments left on yesterday's post.  You are right, I need to take it slow and not expect everything to be fixed/perfect immediately.  Patience has never been my strong point.  I spent some time in the garden today, pruning the nectarine tree and puttering.  It does feed my soul.  Thanks for the reminder.