The beginning of long cold winter

Although the end of class season means a slow down and generalized horse laziness, we are trying our best to at least REMIND the beasts what their purpose is.  If it isn't too cold....or dark....or windy....or snowy.... or icy.

RideAbility is pretty lucky to have great supporters who take some of the horses home for the winter:  Ginger gets to hang out at Val's; Sundae is making herself useful I'm sure at Dawn's; Dee and Merit are testing Katie's fencing skills.  We are so grateful to you for your help.

Merit and Hannah are both feeling pretty darn good after their medical issues of late.  Hannah is AWESOME and even trots and canters.  Merit is back to her sassy self.  She will definitely need some remedial work next summer because she is like a naughty teenager (and considering the two volunteers who work with her the most are naughty teenagers, we may all be doomed....j/k Penguin and Alex).

The Ride-a-thon this year did great and we got a nice matching fund from Thrivent!  There were lots of riders and opportunities to ride which is great for the horses and for the volunteers.

So, as we cover ourselves in flannel and fleece and canvas and hats and mittens and scarves and  we (I) whine about how cold it is, we will trudge out on Thursdays, weather permitting, to hang out with our friends Travis and Zorrian and Hannah and Chocolate and Soleil and Lilly and Faylick and Jewel and Rainy Moon (who'd I forget???). 

You're welcome to join us.... just don't whine any louder than me about how cold it is!

A benefit! Come one, come all!

Saturday, November 13, 2010, at Leashes & Leads in Byron, MN, to benefit RideAbility.

Summer is over and Fall is here

I have been so negligent with posting, but today's torrential rain which has caused a State of Emergency for Pine Island, I now have a good opportunity to get this updated.

Let's see....what has happened since 7/31/10 (my last post).

Summer classes finished up in August.  We were all ready.  As much as we all love the program, summer can seem really long by August...hot, sweaty, stinky, we all get on each other's nerves.  We had a nice break between the summer session and the fall adult class session which started a few weeks ago.

Our summer Barn Managers are gone.  Sam got some good hugs before he left.  All the ladies are missing Sam!

We had a great Volunteer Appreciation Night that was graciously hosted by Dawn and her family.  She has a lovely place (and is hosting Sundae for the winter).  Thanks, Dawn!

One of the two Volunteers of the Year

Jr Volunteer of the Year

We also had a fun night with Owatonna Park&Rec.  JennaB Jr. gave each person a ride in the pony cart (good Rainy Moon), there were horseback rides on the sensory trail and the world-famous RA hotdogs!

We had our ever popular student horse show.  I was pretty busy running around so only got some pictures of the Balloon Horse Race. 



Yes, a few of the horse balloons ended up in trees and the top of the Barn.

So, we ended summer with a BANG.  As we ease into Fall and the "quiet" (cold) season, we have lots of great memories from this summer from our many great adventures!



Horse on a Wire

Our little girl Merit got her chin in some trouble!  Somehow she got a long, straight, thin wire in her chin (from base almost all the way to her soft palete).  Of course, we didn't know that, we only knew that it was swollen and pus-filled and painful.  Mary and I drove her up to the UofM Vet School for some x-rays.  They found the wire and used ultra-sound to get the wire out.  The Vet was pretty excited when they found the wire, as it made it a lot easier to treat.  Merit stayed overnight and Katie, Janet and Penguin brought her back the next day.  For the next two weeks, Janet, Katie and I treated her boo-boo with syringes of water, vaseline and Swat.  Her two weeks of fixing-up is over and she is healing great.  No more open sore and just a little swelling that we will keep an eye on.  Pictures (awkward taking pictures of a horse's jaw...they aren't as cooperative as one would like):

7/13/2010

7/13 - All wrapped up

Trying not to fall asleep

Ok, I'm sleeping.

They find me fascinating, of course.

Yikes, I'm swollen.

I'm glad I'm asleep for this part -- it is a metal rod being jammed into my booboo.

And wiggled around.

Discussing my awesomeness.

More awesomeness discussing.

7/15/2010

7/19/2010

7/22/2010

7/22/2010

7/24/2010

7/29/2010 - almost healed, just a little swollen

Thursday Fun Night

My" Thursday night horse exercise team has been doing such a great job, I thought it was time for a fun night! 

We had pizza, played some games, "won" ribbons and ate Julianna's awesome cake (although on the drive home she said she wouldn't/couldn't guarantee no food poisoning!). 

We did some barrel "racing", egg & spoon and a sensory trail/memory game (hmmm, the success of this game was sketchy, we will have to figure out how to make this game a little better).  I think/hope everyone had fun.  They said they did.  They looked like they did!

Thanks to the whole team, those that were at fun night and those that couldn't make it.  We couldn't take care of these horses and facility without you!

red light green light

2010 Zumbrota Parade

Yep, another parade over and done with.  This one is really nice because it is in the evening and it is on Saturday (leaving a recover day on Sunday).  This year we had lots of participation:  Julianna, Shayla, Amanda, Alyssa, Emily, Sam, Janet, Penguin, Nancy, Leslie, Jeanie, Jim, Jacob, Christopher, Conor, Catherine, Jenna, Mike and "Mike's Friend" (never did catch his name). 

Mike and Friend pulled the wagon, Leslie rode DeeDee, Julianna rode Lilly, Janet for Chocolate with sidewalkers Shayla, Amanda and Emily, Nancy rode Hannah, Jenna rode her own horse Phoenix, Penguin was helping in the front, Sam was helping in the back, Alyssa/Conor/Catherine threw candy, Jacob/Christopher/Jeanie/Jim rode in the wagon. 

Beautiful weather + great horses + great volunteers = great parade!   (everybody thought DeeDee was the prettiest, of course, because she is). 

Waiting to leave the farm

Still waiting....

On the road

Saddle up!

 

Hannah and Nancy waiting for parade to start.

Penguin telling a story that DeeDee doesn't quit believe (see her raised eyebrow?)

Jenna, Phoenix, Nancy and Hannah as flag bearers.

Leslie and DeeDee waiting for the parade.

Waiting, but moving (see Penguin rocking out to the marching band?).

Fjord-eye view of the parade.

Our great fan, Betty!

Ready to go home (Chocolate is hogging the trailer, Lilly is whining that Chocolate is touching her and are we there yet and I'm hungry).