At last the New Year approaches and a chance to begin again--nunc pro tunc. I installed the green gullet in the Isabell. Yes, it's true things are not moving along right now. I'm going to try the Gloves on when my boy's toes grow out a bit. By measurement, his foot is too short for the width, but ordinarily it isn't, so I guess my farrier is getting his toes really mustangy.

Plan to ride New Year's Eve and Day with my special niece--what a way to start the New Year!!!! Get ready for photos--I'm using Adobe LightRoom 2!!!!

The Isabell came, nice, but I've had to order the medium narrow (green) gullet--with the regular black one, it slides up over his shoulders too much. I'm working to get him to stand still while I mount on rocks, logs, etc. Next will be to get him to stop as soon as I get (or fall) off.

Things are moving pretty slowly on the endurance front--I plan a big push on the first (of course!)

I do have most of my Christmas shopping done, though!

Plodding on. . . .

Went for a nice ride with number 1 son. I used the chance to ride with a novice to do the steep mine road and down the back side. It was a nice 4 hour 12 mile ride that we all enjoyed. I'm varying quick fast rides with daughter with slow long steep rides with hubby and son. This time I used the Easy Boot Bares. They obviously were adjusted too large but it's such a pain in the a** to adjust them on the horse--and I can't adjust them to fit before I install them. I figured, correctly, they'd stay in place for walking.

I'm looking forward to the next dressage lesson with Aniah. I've not felt 100% comfortable about the fit of the Thorowgood dressage saddle and was looking for a used Thorowgood T4 Dressage (since they're new, fat chance) or a used (same price or more than the Thorowgood T4) Wintec Isabell with CAIR panels. Finally got one on e-bay and hoping it gets here before Friday. I can't find out what gullet it has installed, so may have to order another.

A Boot Failure

An abject failure. Put the front boots on and took of for a short, quick ride. They mushed around sideways and I had to take them off. I KNOW they are the right size. So, why wouldn't they stay on? Does anyone get their Gloves to stay on? I fit using the fit kit, but tomorrow I'm going to measure and see how it compares with what we bought. So disappointed. :--(

Trimming & Worming & Measuring & Fitting Gloves

Boy, it's when one does all that stuff it really hits home how many horses 11 is! Only trimmed 6, the other 2 that need it will get it soon, the farrier had another few appointments. And, when we gathered them all up and wormed them, I measured them with a stick for the first time! I always "weigh" them with the tape before worming. It turns out that my horse is the talles! He's over 15 h! No wonder it seems like I'm always looking down on daughter's horse when we ride.

The New Gloves.
I have a pretty varied assortment of boots, the Easyboot original, the Bare, the old Old Mac, and I'm strongly aware of the necessity of a good fit. So, I ordered the Easyboot Glove/Glue-on Fit Kit and, a week after a trim on my boy, sized him at a .05, which is halfway between a 1 and a 0, on the fronts. So, I ordered a pair and, again after a trim, tried them.

Hmm, it sure seemed like they were going to be too small. Unlike the "shells" they sent in the Fit Kit, the Gloves have stuff around the heels that causes them to be less flexible. Well, I had confidence in my original fitting, so I stuffed them on his right (smaller) hoof and waited a day. They now look really perfect. If one is accomstomed to the old easy boot, they look too small, but EasyCare has really lowered the profile on these and they are intended to just barely come up from the weight bearing surface of the hoof.

Today I will see if I can take the now, hopefully, enlarged boot and put it on his left hoof. Only then will I know if they are a real fit. And, I'll have to get one of those handy little rasps for between trimmings! He's always tender for a couple of weeks after a trim even though he's been bare his entire life.

Well, I'm having a heck of a time figuring out how to use my Garmin e trex Legend HCx with Google Earth, the Garmin map source, and the National Geographic Explorer 24k super quad maps. I just need to do a single perfect project to learn the interface. I really want to be comfortable with this.

In the meantime, had the farrier out to trim 6 horses! Two more needed it but he'll come back another day when he has more time. I do believe their hooves are growing faster, just as is the grass.

Planning a ride on Sunday with my hubby. Every chance I get, I want him to have fun with horses!

Gotta drive to the city today for a dinner meeting, back late again, then to the other city for work tomorrow, then working from home on Friday!!!

Photos from the Sunday ride promised!

Where We Are Now

I have a new girth for the dressage saddle--to replace the "girth from hell" (no roller buckles); stirrup leathers (daughter wants mine); and, finally, a used Treadstone bridle, since other daughter says endurance halter/bridle combo is not "appropriate" for my dressage lessons. Note: I cannot find a noticeable difference between the really really inexpensive ($25 new on e-bay) and this bridle which retails for $100 +.

Finally, I bought us a really, really, nice sheepskin half pad at the RamTap Horse Trials last weekend (older daughter was suitably jealous) that is machine washable and vouched for! I guess we're ready to roll!