Tornado

Last Friday, a nasty tornado hit Aumsville and made its way out to Turner.  High winds and heavy hail hit all the way to Silverton.  It did a number on our fields too.  But it really hadn't hit me that we had a TORNADO in Oregon!  Until last night that is.  I was driving out to the Sherman Road Ranch for a lesson.  It was dark and raining a little, and as I came over the hill on Hwy 214 I had to slow way down because there was a twisted up torn up building looming on either side of the highway.  The beautiful brand new Machine Shop/ Barn that had once stood at least 30 feet off the road was destroyed, leaving chunks of metal and wood, mixed with tree roots strewn over the fields and the road.  It was a real eye opener.  Only blocks away from the barn, and a few miles away from my on horse.  Thank GOD no one was hurt!

Dipped in mud

So I brought my boy in from the pasture yesterday and low and behold his tail looked like someone had dipped it in that chocolate sauce they use at dairy queen!  It was solid, hard as a rock and the most delicious shade of chocolate brown.  (just don't mention the poop smell, or the mud smell). 

So today he had a tail bath, and as soon as it dries, its going back into a wrap.  Lucky him.  Lucky me. 

WHO-Deeny??

As I was driving up the driveway, looking out over the pasture, I was searching for my boy's Bright Purple blanket in the midst of the grey... but he was nowhere.  Panic struck me... maybe he was sick? Lying down?  Jumped the fence???  After all, he is training to be a show jumper...  I rounded the curve and came between the Arena and the dressage stall barn... and there he was... Standing free between the barns looking at me with that smug yet cute "look Mom, I got out of my padock, arn't you proud of me?" face.   I just exploded laughing.  I couldn't keep it in!  I was crying I was laughing so hard! 
So I got out of my truck and waded through the soggy grass towards him.  He sauntered up to me, and I put my hand under his big jaw and he followed me inside and into his stall like a puppy.  (Who ever said thoroughbreds were dumb obviously never had one, and doesn't know how loving and LOYAL they are). 
We had a good ride after that, but I did notice that there were big galloping hoof marks on the outside of all the padock fences.  So here is my theory:

Will decided he was lonely, and pushed through the hotwire that connects the little chain link gate to the wood fence.  Then he proceeded to gallop up and down the outside of the fences parading the fact that he was free, and showing off like a big bully to all the other horses.  I can just see him with his proud head up, mane flowing, swishing his tail braid, showing off his purple turn out sheet, thundering along the fence.  "HAHAHA you tiny arabians!  So there you little short quarter horses!  I'm a show jumper!" 

Oh how he makes me smile!  How he makes my day brighter, even when he is naughty.  :)

Update - better late than never

It has been a while since my last post.  So here is an update.  Will is doing excellent.  He is yielding better, and his topline is getting much better.  He is on a very balanced diet of strategy, beet pult, rice bran and alfalfa.  And of course his all you can eat hay buffet! lol.  He is getting stronger every day, and learing to take the correct leads when asked to lope.  He is trotting nicely on a lunge line, and if a second person helps with secondary ques, whe can get a nice figure eight trot out of him.  I know he is still tired though, and his topline probably is still sore.  Poor little guy.  But he is doing so good.  As far as jumping goes - which is the direction i want him to go in - he loves to go over poles.  It is one of his favorite excercises  :)  I will need to put up a video soon of his progress.  :)