Yesterday's Work and Fun

We started yesterday early, the snow that was predicted to start falling at 4:00 am didn't but by 7:30 am bits of sleet were coming down. At 7:00 am Emily and I moved in 3 round bales so when we get home from the fair Sunday in the dark we would not have to worry about getting the horses hay. At 7:15 am we started the loading process. That went almost to plan but not quite. Ribbon was loaded first into the big trailer where we were surprised to find out she didn't fit. She is just too long to fit sideways into the slant load. Right about then we remembered we have always hauled her in the stock trailer. She was unloaded the other four loaded first and then using a great big imaginary shoe horn she was crammed in last. We had collapsed the back tack giving the 5th spot just a bit more room. The big trailer held all 5 fatties, Ayanna, Indy, Eliza, Zalena and Ribbon. The other trailer we put Evan, Oksana, Jenis, Anna and Marika. Unfortunately Marika is still favoring her back leg but still had to go as she is on antibiotics and her hoof still needs soaking. I was driving the smaller trailer and started first down the drive, got just past the crest of the hill and heading down when in the side mirror I see Evan's trailer door swing open. IT is HARD to stop this truck and trailer on a hill even when just crawling but I got the job done, jumped out of the truck and run to the door to see Evan looking at me very confused and thinking, "What am I suppose to do now, is this a new trick they are teaching me, to jump out of a moving trailer?" That was a scary beginning. Most of the rest of the drive went fine. By leaving early we missed the snow storm, although the trailer lights stopped working about half way down. Unloading went quickly and then it was time to start bathing horses. We worked like a well oiled machine. Karin and Rhoda bathed while Emily dried.

 Above Rhoda is bathing Ayanna while below Karin has just finished with Ribbon and taking her over to the drying bay.

 Emily brought her cattle dryer. She had to show the horses how it worked, let them feel it first on low then blasted them dry on high. That dryer is amazing!

 Below Ayanna is all done and and heading back to her stall.

 Hannah was in charge of taking all the braids out of the manes and tails and as soon as she was finished with that she and I finished the stall fronts then the rest of the decorations.

 

Rhoda took Evan to the coliseum to run around a bit.

 He put on quite a show having a ball galloping around bucking and kicking.

 More of the riders and helpers started showing up by noon and by 3:00 pm we were ready to check into the hotel. Some of us that is, Rhoda and Emily stayed back to organize everything. We had a very good dinner at the hotel. Best of all it comes with the room price. The hotel served 2 kinds of hot soup, a broccli cheese and chicken pot pie. Both were delicious. The other items on the buffet were baked potatoes with all the fixins, crispy chicken fingers, salad with more fixins and a couple types of dressing. We had to leave by 6:00 pm to make the first fair practice. The coliseum was reserved for us at 7:00 pm but the people using it before us never got done so we found another arena to practice in.

Jessica is our photographer this weekend and even though the lighting is terrible was able to get some decent pictures. To see the rest of the pictures click HERE.
The horses were put away, stalls cleaned, water buckets filled and hay fed, then we headed back to the hotel. The first thing there was to get into our suits and hit the hot tub. Oh how wonderful that felt. We didn't get to bed until after 11:00 pm but what a great first day.