Gettin' It Done

It's been a busy couple of days!

Whenever you are trying to get something done at my sister's farm, there is never a shortage of available helpers.

We hosed out the horse's boots and hung them to dry.

We also made it our mission to find my sister's Australian Shepherd dog, Sadie, a plastic kiddie wading pool. You see, Sadie loves the water. Due to the hot summertime weather, the creek bed on the property has dried out.

Sadie has the need to constantly get her feet wet. So we searched high and low for a pool. Every store was sold out. Even Walmart's warehouse was sold out. So we bought a different style than what we were looking for. This one had vinyl siding. It took lifting her in and giving her some doggie treats to help her understand it was an okay place for her to be. Then, we couldn't keep her out of it. She has been in and out of that pool on her own ever since. It was the best 16.99 investment in a dog's happiness my sister has ever made!

Since the pastures are dried out, it was time to do a spring rock-picking. Over the winter, since I couldn't get a wheelbarrow through the pasture mud, I would either toss rocks over the fence into the woods, or, make little rock pile formations near the bases of the pasture trees. Kind of Stonehenge artistic, no?

Ingredients for a successful rock-picking day are: 1. An apple picker:

2. A wheelbarrow and an Appaloosa assistant:

3. A really good prying stick. I got this rock out with some determination and a prying stick. See, wouldn't I make a good catch? Yes, a shovel probably would have been easier, but too long of a walk away. Besides, I pride myself on being resourceful.

That rock was my beauty of the day. I am thinking of entering it in the county fair.
By the way, I had to fire the assistant. He took way too many breaks.

Later, I got a workout in for My Boy. He was loping out well on the longe line without a saddle. No hopping. So I will be revisiting the saddle and equipment fit, and determining how the chiropractic assessment goes, before continuing work at the lope under saddle.

The last item on the agenda today was for my sister and her boyfriend to pick up some local grass hay. I tagged along and helped tally the bales. That was my very important job. Here is the field next to the field we got the hay from. The man was riding an ancient tractor yet it was putt-putting along, and the baler was spitting out bales. I have never seen this process before.
The fields were very peaceful, and the fresh hay smelled great.

Almost ready to go. They loaded the truck and trailer with 73 bales of hay. Uh, maybe. I hope I tallied them correctly!

One more day left at the Painted Creek. Tomorrow is a My Boy Only Day. I am hoping to get in a ride, bathe him, and put new shavings in his shed. I also need to pick up his blankets from the cleaners. And give him a big hug, of course. A cowgirl's work is never done.

And when I get back to my apartment, you should see the list of things I need to do there!