Sunday, August 25, 2013

Uneventful, yet mentally stimulating day

     I've spent most of my day today up at Lisa Kirk's house, it's a bit over a 2 hour drive up there.  She wanted her Chinchilla Dutch somewhere safe and with someone that could use them instead of sending them to meat.  So I went and picked them up.  I intend to keep the doe at least, both are longer in shoulder than I like to see.  The doe and buck are basically full siblings so I don't need both in my barn.  The doe is the full aunt to my buck but I'll do that cross for the time being and see what I can build on.  Either way.  I've got a short list now of cull rabbits that will be dispatched and put in the freezer. 
     Work has been less than stellar.  I've been back at line lead now for several days.  While I don't mind doing the job, it's just a bit more stressful than it should be.  But the few that want to make it hard on me, well I can make their life miserable as well. 
      I've gotten this sinus headache that WILL not LEAVE.  I still have to call Micheal and get a trim done for the ponies and so much other stuff.  I enjoyed my late afternoon.  I got home from the Kirk's and got the new bunnies settled and then gave the ponies a much needed good grooming, then strip cleaned their run in and let them back into it.  I think I'm going to start looking into getting rubber mats to put down into the run in so it'll be easier to clean in the long run and won't deteriorate the flooring, especially raising calves in there next spring. 
     It felt awesome to just stand there and groom the horses, it had gotten a bit too hot to ride, plus I was in no way shape or form ready to ride. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     Heidi loves coming over and making faces for me.  She just wants her cookies.  I still have yet to get up toe the vet's office and get her appointment for her shots, teeth and cogging's pulled.  I DO know for sure we are riding on Thursday, that's my birthday present to myself.  I'd love to win a few of the give-a-ways that I have entered, the biggest two being the SmartPak and the Tractor Supply. 
     I wanted to touch base with the fact that I bought a new scale at Meijer.  A nice digital one and it was only $20.  I got that and I started to take my weight daily, and I also started eating Activia and I've kept a log of my weight daily since then.  I started the Activia at 265 pounds on 8/20 and today, 5 days later I was 262.5 so I'm going to keep monitoring and keep doing what I'm doing and maybe now I can pull my weight back under the 250 again.  I've got plenty that I'm going to start trying to help get the weight down.  First step is to get my foot back under control, the pain and swelling has to come down.  Going to keep working on it!  Right now I'm BEYOND exhausted for one day.  Not a lot of sleep last night due to sinus aching and my right knee/ankle/foot hurting.  I'm ready for some good sleep and plenty of time to pay with Heidi n the morning!! 

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Sad rabbit update

     Not sad in the way you would think it would be.  TKSRBA is on the verge of folding so the Frankfurt and the Shepardsville Rabbit shows will be no longer.  In fact I don't think there would be any rabbit shows LEFT in Kentucky at all at that point.  Maybe that's just god's way of telling me I'm not supposed to go this route, I'm not supposed to keep following the rabbits, not striving to work on them as hard.  Cut them back and spend more time with my horse.  I don't intend to get all religious but to me it's a sign.  With the way Heidi keeps working so much better for me and how little I actually WANT to work with the rabbits, it should prove interesting I might try to buy back either Eartha or Moe to bring my hank baby back or talk Rachel into breeding Hank with her Dutch by Design doe and letting me get a baby out of that.  That would bring Hank back into my lines and sit there. 
     Della, Hope, and Shel right now have perfect right of way to stay right where they are!  Marie and Hope's daughter are still sitting on toss up when I cut back, Jeanie's already made the cull list due to type.  As for blue does, all 5 that I have stay.  Zelda since I lost her mother Rebecca, Marcie , Gwen and Matilda(Unless her sneezing gets bad then it'll be CULL)  are staying.  The tort boys, Colby's already produced his replacement Dylan, but Colby will be a butcher prospect, Corbin's going to be hit or miss he'll depend on what he throws  and Hope's boy is on the sale list. The blue boys are both short listed for sale.  Lil Man might end up with the butcher prospect and Michelangelo I'm aiming to sell, but if he doesn't sell by the time I find a nicer blue buck that Kirk's are willing to transport back from convention he'll end up on the butcher block as well.  He'll have bred a couple does before he goes but I need a single buck that will do over everyone  and he sits with only 3 of the 5 does not related.  He might hang around but he might not. 
     The other colors, well the chocolates are working on building up and once they're big enough to breed and cull out it'll come.  The chin's are going to be adding a pair this coming weekend and from there I'll decide which Chin buck will stay or I'll cross them out and pull a baby from a pair and move the parents on.  Either way they'll be down to a working Trio.  Connie and Natalie can stay for the time being, Eventually I'll get a steel buck to go with the two.  Lawrence is OUT.  He should have bred Marie and hopefully the two will throw some chocolates and it'll replace him and Marie at the same time.  Marie might get lucky if Buckeye Hollow wants her.
     Anyways, depending on what I am doing tonight at work, I'll start mentally preparing myself for this cut back.  Most of my cut backs will be to butcher, but some I can try to sell first. 

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Wore out

     I am horribly wore out after this long weekend off from work.  In a way I'm glad, I need to get back to something more routine.  I might hate the idea of going back to Nestle and haven't heard anything back from the Resume I sent out Saturday for the Vet Assistant job, but I need some sort of routine.  It may take away too much time in the day for loving on my animals but it makes me think and prioritize everything and enjoy while I can.  I had 3 gorgeous days of riding. One rainy day and today I dozed off too much to do anything cause I was TIRED. 
     I did make one more mistake that I hadn't intended to- I got one more dutch doe.  I hadn't intended to get any more except for two bucks.  Well my current two blue bucks have made the cut list with the black buck, Lawrence.  I've hopefully got Marie bred to Lawrence, plus the Hope/Lawrence daughter that I'm going to go ahead and keep.  Here's my new blue doe . . .
     So I have her, the chocolates and Hope's tort babies left to name.  I'll start working on them.  Hope's tort buck baby will be put up for sale.  I want to breed Lil Man back into my line before moving him off, though he does have slightly long shoulders.  That'll keep Raf's bloodlines alive and hopefully I'll get something good out of him.
     I didn't get to spend as much time with Heidi as I had wanted to today.  I had wanted to bathe her but I dozed off and woke just after sunset.  So with any hopes I'll get a good ride on Sunday afternoon(the morning I have to go to Ohio to Kirkland Rabbitry and pick up a pair of Chinchilla Dutch) and then give her a good bath.  I still have yet to get ahold of the vet, have to get her shots all done, get ahold of Tamarack and get her spot secured for the winter.  At least November through April she'll be there.  I'm hopeful to find a better job and everything before that comes and from there I'll work on keeping her there and moving her to full board.  She'd have her own stall with a fan during the heat of the day during the summer, oh she'd LOVE it! 
     Anyway, it's late enough I need to go to bed here shortly, so I can have some groom time in the morning to groom Heidi and spend some much needed lovings! 


Monday, August 19, 2013

SUPER Happy!!!

     Sunday wasn't that big a deal, I went ahead and found Phoenix's registration.  I learned a lot more about freeze marks and even shaved his neck to read his.  I learned that his real birthday is 3/1/1983!  He's already 30 years old!  I got a copy of his 4 generation pedigree and Impressive is actually farther behind him than I thought! 
     But today~ I rode Miss Heidi again today!



Not bad looking for 30 years old!


     And for the first time we trotted more than just a couple of steps.  I pulled her back because it was too hot to keep moving.  I think the riser pad made a world of difference!  We'll keep with the riser pad and see if we keep moving forward like we have.  I've been SUPER DUPER happy and giddy all afternoon since then.  I was able to go with dad and get the car dropped off to have the back brakes done tomorrow.  I'm hoping to get my lovely lady a bath tomorrow. 

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Awesome two days, Very horsie

Friday was the start of one AWESOME weekend.  I tacked up Heidi since she hasn't been out under saddle in a while and we got to try the new bridle with the flash on it to see if it improved her working.  It did!
 
 
 
 
We tested out the blue that day.  I'm going to try to take her out again on Sunday depending on the weather and what else is going on.  I have to drop the stirrups another hole if I ride tomorrow. 
 I was at the swap meet today and they had someone there making and engraving tags.  I bought two with the money I got from selling 2 buck babies. 
 The purple circular tag was for Heidi's Nylon bridle.  I want all of Heidi's stuff tagged when I move her to Tamarack this fall.  I have a black circular tag for her leather bridle.  A silver heart tag with pink rhinestones for her halter and a tiny pink tag for her lead rope.  
Just to keep the fun up and going I tacked up Phoenix today.  He doesn't have much mane left up on her shoulders.  I also used several pads to make sure he was comfortable with me up on him.  So we got to go in purple today!
 Amazingly enough Heidi's warm blood sized bridle from Kylie shrunk down enough to fit Phoenix.  No brow band or nose band but the rest actually fit him!
 I got dad to snap a few pictures right before I got down.  Phoenix I don't worry about riding while no one is home or in mom's case asleep. 
 
 
 He's a wonderful boy.  I'm going to hate letting him rest this fall.  He needs it so he doesn't suffer come later winter when he can't handle the cold anymore. 
Then before I finished completely for the night I put the matte spray coating on Jody(the dark bay) and Dakota(the dark bay paint mini) models that I painted a while ago.  Last thing I have to do is put the clear gloss coat on their eyes and hooves. 
I am still curious if Aunt Lisa wants to look at that draft mare that's been on Craigslist lately.  I'm ready to give the mare try for her to see if it's something that she could handle but I'm not sure she wants to go look at her or not.  I haven't had an interesting ride in a long time.  I've got plenty of tack to bring, plus bring Lisa's tack and we'll find something that fits the mare.  Who knows.  I'll wait and see if she wants to.  She can come ride with me anytime!  I'd really LOVE to have someone to ride with. 

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Rabbit venting

     Okay so it's not a protein thing, it's a fiber thing.  The hay must have played a HUGE roll because everyone, including Colby and Natalie, ate everything up last night(but maybe a tablespoon of pellets) and EVERYONE was eager for hay this morning.  I've got so many cage floors to replace this weekend it's not even funny, it is however, tempting to just build a few new ones.  I can use the side and top wire of the cages and the trays Just need to build frames for the floor, new floor wire and legs to support the cages.  No more of this non-sense.  I'm done with the rabbits completely.  I'll be doing a massive herd sell down and get down to just a few select ones and that's it.  Done, done, done!  I'm going to stay looking for one more blue buck and that is it!  My torts are at the point of being self sufficient for a little while, nothing I'm going to worry about that's for darn sure.  I just need to do this and need to get it done and over with for a little while.  I can't get good coat condition and it's starting to drive me nuts. Something's gotta give eventually.  Right now it's them.  I'll keep my good buns but anything else will either be sold or eaten.
     I also want to have the extra time coming up soon so I can actually work with Heidi.  She needs it, I need it.  I have a new bridle coming in for her which should have slightly more wiggle room in sizing and if that one fits wonderfully then I can go ahead and clean up the old one.  It's been awesome having this one, do not get me wrong, and I won't be getting rid of it, but I need to see how this goes about getting Heidi together a little more and into riding, plus getting her to a boarding barn and getting the work into her.  I have what looks to be a lovely long weekend off, I might be going to look at a horse with Aunt Lisa- if she wants to that is- and I do plan on riding several of the days.  Mostly on Heidi, but I might take Phoenix out for a stroll at some point.  If Aunt Lisa wants to come take a stroll with us, I'll put her on Phoenix and we'll go.  Won't be much or far however far she feels comfortable doing and I have ponied Phoenix from Heidi.  I'm still learning it so it's a bit weird for us.  We'll work on it!  He's only got a couple more months and then Heidi will be moving and he'll be laying to rest before winter. 

Saturday, August 10, 2013

On a curious note

     On a more curious note, which is something I need to investigate farther, but the rabbits that I have that won't eat, I tried Chase's food(Southern States brand that he's feeding to his, he brought feed over to cover his while I'm watching them)  with a couple of them and they cleaned their bowls out.  I am super curious as to why.  So as I sit here I'm comparing the tag from his to the Purina Show.  Biggest and first thing to jump out at me is the protein content.  The Purina Show is a 16%, the SS is 18%.  Very strange indeed.  Less fat in the SS(2.5% over the 3.5% in Purina Show) and less Fiber(SS is 14-16%, PS is 18.5-21.5%).    Very, very strange indeed. Some parts of the label I can't read on the SS feed but I'm going to pick up a bag of it on Monday and use that until the Purina Professional comes in next week.  I really do wonder why the higher protein, less fiber, has corn seems to be much tastier than the other.  I'll have to consort with my rabbit books on this one! But heck, I'm just happy that Natalie's finally eating and I might be able to get my others to eat better too.  It could very well be the hay I'm using.  Why can't I find something that works very well and stays that way?  I really wish I knew.  The guy over in Salt Lick is the best option I guess! 
     I forgot to get up to the vet's office to set up the appointment to have Heidi's shots all done, and her teeth.  Hopefully I can get the vet to freeze off that wart on her back hoof while he's here too.  Get rid of that ugly thing.  I might have him try to float down Phoenix's teeth some at least too.  Make him comfortable since we've got about 2 months left until I let him go- maybe 2.5 months depends on how well things stay growing. 
     Well off for another exciting day of Nestle.  Yesterday we didn't end up working at all once we got there.  They had busted something earlier in the day and we couldn't run so we all got to go home early(as in right after we got there) and I didn't do much of anything after that! 

Friday, August 9, 2013

Minor Venting

     The rabbits are going to drive me NUTS.  I switched back to Purina Show because I needed something I knew worked with them to get them stable again.  I've still got a few that just don't want to eat.  I sat ALL day yesterday researching feeds, all sorts of different ones even ones I can't get in the area.  So I don't know what to do.
     I do know one thing I can do.  Cut them down- get rid of more of the hassle.  There's not as much enjoyment in the rabbits as there once was.  I'll keep my base few.  Carla's checking into Neutering costs for my Holland boys, Speedle and Gabriel, and once they're neutered and get past the timing then I'll build a big cage and put the two boys in together with Keisha.  Easier to neuter than to spay so she'll go without being fixed, but the boys have to be.  I'll be rebuilding what cages I have right now into wood frames and new floors.  Once that's completed then the demolition will begin of what I have and what's going to go bye-bye. 
     Heidi and Phoenix have again saved my sanity.  Especially Heidi.  I can't than her enough for holding me grounded.  This morning, she let me know that she was feeling good, bucking up and playing with the ground softer, then she leaned over the fence and gave me a good nudge.  I promised if the weather wasn't too bad and she wasn't completely soaked, we'd go for a ride on Sunday.  Phoenix must have been feeling good too, he came galloping across the field or breakfast.  I knew the ground was getting hard again.  I'll have to get a call into Micheal and set up for another trimming and front shoes for Phoenix.  He might as well stay as comfortable as possible these last few months.   Part of me doesn't want to let him go, but then I think back to the spring and how painfully thin he was and the 3 or 4 days that he just wasn't doing good at all and I know I can't do that again.  Let him go while he's not suffering.  I'll have to have that all set up soon. 
     I know it's coming which is the sad part but I'm kind of eager to step forward with a new chapter of my life.  I've never boarded a horse so this will be a new foray for me.  I want to see how much I actually do with her if I board her at a barn with an indoor and an outdoor arena to work in.  It's farther away from me than I want but it's got what I need, I LOVE the place I'll deal with it being farther away if I have to.
     Well time to go to work.  I really do hate my job, I really need to find another one.  Cutting back my expenses will help with the job hunt as I won't *need* one with such a high pay scale. 

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Short lived

      My vacation weekend seems to have been short lived.  I know I tried to forgive and forget but I think it's about time to forget my past and leave everything behind me that frustrates, irritates me.  Right now it's my vacation.  I had a heated disagreement with Rachel over something Michelle said and I over thought everything and how frustrated I was with my vacation in part of the people I didn't get to see.  It managed to raise my stress level too high and I'll admit it, I was an insufferable pain in the ass at work Monday night, so Tuesday I was better but tired.  I'll admit, I told Kylie about much of this.  After I butted heads with Rachel I was so frustrated I told Kylie about it.  I don't have any friends outside of the three of them, none that I'll call close enough friends to be there to talk to when I need it- that don't know each other.  I wanted to see Trish, I wanted to see Mark.  TR was out of town so I couldn't have seen him anyway.  I didn't get to see either one.  I was stuck as some stupid baby shower that I didn't want to go to in the first place.  Then back at Aunt Cindy's.  She was trying to talk me into a Shit-zu puppy.  I simply said, 'No I still want my Australian Shepard puppy.'  Rachel just blurts out, 'Why? they are so stupid.'  Well I certainly hadn't asked for her opinion.  Just like I never gave mine on about her pit-bull terrier.  I think pit-bull terrier's are dumb as a box of rocks myself.  if you want a pit-bull, get a pit-bull but the terriers are just wanna-be's.  Did I voice my opinion to her?  No, if that was what she wanted so be it.  I made nice and petted the thing but that was about it. I wanted to walk away when she said that.  I'm not sure if the other's noticed or not.  Maybe I've been gone far too long or they don't know me like they think they do. 
     I got the impression as well when I kept thinking back to my vacation how much Gena didn't seem to want me around.  I missed Spudley and I missed Dakota, her and the farm.  As much as I might have complained about it at times it really was a nice barn, farm and area.  I don't know if I can go back there again or not.  At times I still want to leave Kentucky and go back to New York, but right now I don't think I could. 
     Still it wasn't until today when I was able to go and spend time with Heidi and Phoenix, give them both very deep solid grooming downs and Heidi walked the field with me, I checked their barn, Heidi stayed with me, then around the field a few times.  It helped settle my nerves.  It made me think for a while that Rachel and I might just be too much alike cause all we seem to do lately has been argue, butt heads and fight.  It's been just not normal for me.  I'm not usually this argumentative. I'm used to being quiet, laid back and recessive.  I think it's time for a HUGE change in pace.  I need to be the person I used to be.  I know Kentucky has changed me.  Maybe not for the better but certainly not for the worst.  I think it's about time to move on with my life.  Take the leap, make the change and move on. 
     As for the spirit lifter, my Heidi.  She came up to me, and gave me several hugs, and made me hug her back.  I am very glad she did.  She stayed by my side until I told her to go ahead and leave me to go graze.  After she finally left she did come back a few times and gave me a few more hugs.  I do love her, she's got such a sweet, sweet, loving temperament.  She's still very jealous and almost get's herself kicked and bitten if I try to groom Phoenix but she just stands behind me.  I love her to pieces.  She's my rock, my world right now. 



 
     But I still had the bunnies to get to.  I let several out in the x-pens while I was feeding and watering.  Then when I was done, since it wasn't raining yet, I let my babies out, Michelle(called Shelly), Dylan and their sister, plus my three chocolate babies which are in the cage with them for the meantime. 
     Shelly is such a cuddle bug.  It was kind of creepy how much of a cuddler she as.  She just wanted to stay in my lap. 



     Yep, Shelly in my lap.  She's aptly named.  Michelle is such a sweet caring young lady. 
I'm going to keep thinking and working down my rabbit numbers.  I know I'll lose a few here and there as I'm going but I'm completely ready to give them up completely.  There won't be anything left in common with Rachel, except we hold an old friendship that has held us through much.  Maybe I'm just one of those that's not meant to have and keep friends for long periods of time.  Such a blue update but it is time to move on I think.  I'll keep it in mind as I'm going.  Maybe it is time to enjoy myself, be myself and be WHO I am deep down inside.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Happy Days

     It's been a happy few days being home.  I've been doing plenty of thinking.  I've done a lot of things and since I couldn't find any draft stuff in New York, I'll be saving up to order some things.  It's August already so it's time to line up Heidi's shots, teeth and Coggin's to be done so in another month and a half to two months I can move Heidi to boarding. 
     I finally was able to get pictures of the canine's that Heidi has.

    Instead of riding today I ended up just taking some pictures of Heidi and Phoenix while their water tub was filling. 





     It made for a wonderful, peaceful relaxing afternoon after James' house warming party.  I kept thinking more and more about it and I realized that Heidi needs the work.  I really need to start lunging and riding her.  Time to get a good mental focus on her.  First step is to get all the gates foam sealed so I don't have to deal with any more stupid wasps building their nests in the gates
     I've finally gotten my tort babies that I wanted.  This is my little buck to replace his daddy, Colby Jr, this is Dylan  
 And this is Dylan's sister Shelly.
 These little torts are from Hope's litter.  I'm not quite sure what I want to make of them just yet.  The two does look nice but the buck will be a seller buck, I much prefer Dylan.
 
 

     So for the meantime my rabbits are finally going where I want them.  I have 3 does bred right now, one tort litter, one blue litter and one chinchilla litter. 

Friday, August 2, 2013

Lots of think

     I've been doing plenty of thinking while I was feeding the rabbits this morning.  I did so quickly so I could jot all this down quickly. 
     The rabbits.  I just added 3 chocolate dutch.  They are by no means what I'm going to end up keeping in the long run, but they are a start.  I lost one baby in the transport so only got home with 3 of the 4 I picked up.  I figured it would happen but I had hoped I lost the other buck baby not the one I did.  I'll figure it all out.  I want to work down to Trio's of each- steel, Chinchilla &chocolate; then 2 trio's in Blue and Tort. I have my pair of Holland Lops.  Gabriel will be put down soon.  He's failing fast now he just can't handle it anymore as an older rabbits.  He's a solid 7.5 years old, he made the trip to Kentucky 4 years ago and he's just gotten worse over the past year.  I think had I gotten onto Purina Show and stayed there I probably would have been fine but I had to try a few other things before I returned back to Purina Show. 
     The horses train- I can't wait for the fall to come.  I'll be going up to the vet's on one of my days off next week to get an appointment set for Heidi's shots and Coggin's and if possible her microchipping.  I'll have to get the health certificate closer to the time that I'll be moving her.  Then, once I have the clean and clear on her I'll get called into Tamarack and get her spot reserved for the winter.  It'll be pasture boarding, no grain but she'll be alright, I don't plan on working her THAT hard and heavy.  I just hope to get her working a lot better.  Then come spring I'll decide to either move her home , leave her on pasture board or up her to full board for the summer. 
     I was told I had soft hands on the reins in the pictures of me and Amber.  She's a wonderful mare, I'm SUPER happy that Kylie never sold her.  The two are a pair, like I am with Heidi.  It does make me wonder what am I doing wrong when I am down here with Heidi.  Maybe a change in bit will help?  Maybe it's just me?  Heidi most likely needs farther training and I REALLY need lessons.  So that'll be something I talk to Tamarack about. Getting me lessons first.  Maybe I can start those sooner rather than later.  I do intend to cut the rabbits back, I'm just waiting to let a few get older so I have the room/space to start cage renovations because I have several cages that are starting to come apart- some of the original ones I bought from TSC, the wire's just coming apart.  I came home to put a new side piece on one and I have to buy a new roll of floor wire to remake the floor, for now there's a resting mat there.  I knew those cages would eventually fall apart.  I've got so much work I want and NEED to do to the rabbit barn that cutting back is VERY appealing.  My only toss up is I have a LOT of nice babies coming out  right now- murphy's law.  Of coarse.  I do have a small outlet for them and I'll be able to sell a few of them.  I homed Penelope with Rachel because she wanted Steels.  Okay, I have my Grand Champion steel doe, her Grand-ed black sister for my steel program.  Right now I just need a steel buck- which can and will wait until Catherine has a litter from Anna and Mel. 
     How did I get off track again?  Oh my.  I've got a few rabbits coming in for some boarding while their daddy is away on vacation.  It'll put me at full capacity and then Afterwards he might be going home with more and different ones than he left, it'll be fully up to him. I've got a few myself that'll be going. I really need to find a nice chocolate buck.  That's what I need BADLY.  I do have access to Shiloh, which is a chocolate x blue crossed baby.  Breed with him back to one of my chocolate carriers and hopefully get chocolates.  Back to the horses.  I want to get Heidi some training rides and get myself some lessons and then hopefully we can continue on.
     Ohh painting, thinking of horses, I just looked up to the photo's of Jody I have on my wall with the ribbons we won at a local fun show in Argyle.  I have a model to paint like him, I have to finish up/touch up Pheonix still and now I have one that I'll be painting to look like Dakota- once I get the primer down on him. Being a paint himself he'd need it. 
     So much that I want to in such a short time frame.  Time to get it all written down on paper and start working off that list!  Notebook is getting tucked into my lunch pail!