A Pain In the Butt...Part 1

**CAUTION!  SOME PICTURES BELOW ARE GRAPHIC!  IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE SIGHT OF BLOOD OR HORSE'S PRIVATE PARTS, DON'T CONTINUE!**

 Shannon had the day off and I asked him to put the horses (Anna, pictured above & Iney) in the foaling stall since the farrier was coming to put shoes on them.  Being a good husband, he did what I told him to.  lol  Just kidding!  He did though.  We were eating dinner on the porch waiting for the farrier to show up and we heard a racket in the barn.  We ran out to see what was going on.  Anna was practically climbing the walls and circling, and Iney was agitated.  Shannon opened the stall door and Anna flew out.  Shannon noticed immediately she was bleeding.  She was gushing blood from her va-jay-jay, and her knee.  Her nose was really scuffed up, too.  I called Frances, our trusty vet and great friend.  She was on the way.  Luckily, she lives next door!

 Anna's knee...

Her bits...

 Frances sedated her, numbed her and started stitching her up.  Nothing ruffles Frances' feathers.  I was a ball of nerves, and was in charge of holding Iney while the farrier put shoes on her, while Frances worked. 

 Anna had a tear on the outside of her vulva Frances stitched up.

 The after effects...

 Frances stitched up inside her va-jay-jay.

 She stitched up her knee...

 Her nose and band-aid (as Pyper pointed out).

Her nose.  Pyper said she needed TWO band-aids.  We figured that while in the foaling stall, Iney, being the dominate mare, kicked the snot out of poor Anna.  That's what caused all the damage.  Mean Iney!  I went over the foaling stall to see what could have torn her bits all to pieces, but found nothing.  Frances says a kick can do major damage as well.  Shannon and I were both thinking we would have to take her to Va Tech.  Luckily, we have Frances.  She isn't sure if she'll ever be able to breed again, but only time will tell.  She was given Bute (an anti-inflammatory) and pasture rest, away from Iney.  Her stitches will need to be taken out in 2 weeks.  Whew.  That was scary! 



The Walls Dedication Built

 The walls are up!  It's so exciting to see it actually happening!  Shannon's dream is coming true!

The picture above is the main area, and if you follow the bulk head on the ceiling, that indicates where the pharmacy counter will be.  The big cut out on the left is the drive through window.

Looking out from the counter into the retail area. 

 This is the education room looking to the storage room (left) and the office (right).

 The education room looking to the hallway (far left), closet (center) and kitchen cut out.

The kitchen.  Next up is the paint!!!

Saddle Time

 As promised...Mark got on Abby Wednesday.

 She did great.  I'm more and more impressed with this little filly everyday!

She is learning so much!  She's learning to appreciate a nice cold bath after a hard workout.  I am ITCHING to ride her myself!!!



Buckin' Bronco

First and foremost, I am not a photographer. I don't even TRY to pretend to be one. So, I will apologize for the quality of these pictures now. Even in "Sport" mode, Abby's quick movements are blurry. I swear I need a PhD to figure this camera out...Without further ado...

Wednesday was day 3 for Abby in training.  Already, I see an enormous difference in my girl.  She has gone from being a pasture pony to a gleaming black beauty.  Mark Noel has already worked wonders with her.  She is standing tied...

Trotting out...

Showing great confidence already...

Stands patiently, if not a bit curious as to what will be asked next.

Mark gets her used to having her girth area cinched with a rope.
She wasn't phased at all.

He tightened it up...

Got her ready for the saddle...

Put the saddle on.

And YEE-HAW! 

She calmed down soon enough once she got it out of her system and realized the saddle wasn't the boogie man.

He lunged her out..

Gave her some reassurance and love...

Mark did get in the saddle, but I'll save that post for tomorrow. 

 
Hunter and Pyper tagged along as I wore Raegan on my back.  As they were playing in the hay, a little dog jumped up in Pyper's lap.  She was THRILLED!

 
On a side note, I bought this horse trailer yesterday!  I've been saving for it for some time.  I'm so excited to go trail riding this summer!  I've missed it!!!

Encouragement

Shannon took this picture of his girls this past Sunday.  These were "supposed" to be our Easter dresses, but sickness prevented us from going.  I look at this picture and shrug.  I see that I have at least 10 more pounds to lose, how blindingly white I am, and how I wish Pyper were looking at the camera.  I see the imperfections.  I always do.  As an adult,  there are times I feel I am still  learning to be able to accept who I am, how God made me,  and to not worry about fitting into any one’s mold but the mold God made for ME.   I want my children to learn to be okay when someone doesn’t accept them for who they are.  That role starts with us.  I have posted several times on my radical ideas for educating, and creating a loving, safe environment for my family, and we want to do this to make them the best that they can be.  We want to protect them, SHELTER them from sin.   I want to teach my children to love and fear God.  To know that He created them perfectly and that even when someone comes against them, they know that beyond a shadow of a doubt, they are loved.  For who they are. 

In Deuteronomy 6:1-9, it states: These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.

 Shannon and I were both raised in loving, Christian homes and we are passing that legacy onto our children.  When difficult or trying times came into our lives, my parents and his parents would draw on prayer and the Scripture to guide us.  I want this for my children. That doesn't mean we are perfect parents. We are not.  Far from it.  But we are forgiven, and can set out each day to make it as best day as we can.  There are several things I see that I wish I could change.  I will start with having Christ shine through me so that my children will have an example to live by.

TIMBER!!!!

 We had a huge UGLY walnut tree in the backyard that shaded our garden, and we decided to have it cut down.  Steve, Jenn's hubby, was a forest ranger and is an expert tree cutter!  So, he and the Wells family came over for a day of cuttin'.

 Steve notches the tree to have it fall in the direction he wanted it to.

 Cuts the front...

 And it was down!  EXACTLY where he said it would land!  Bravo, Steve!!!

 We stood around and observed Steve working hard...

 Cutting branches for our future bonfires.

 Big Steve leveled off the stump beautifully and said that he thinks the tree was around 70 years old.  I plan on putting planters on it.  But I may keep it empty to act as a stage...For now, Little Steven strikes a pose.

 Pyper flexes her muscles...

 She and Hunter discuss the economy...

 And then they bust out the wood splitter. 

All that wonderful walnut wood went to the Wells' home.  That's a lot of W's.  I think I counted 4 truck loads of wood to heat their home this winter.  Thanks so much for helping, Steve!