Sick Leave

I  resorted to taking pictures of the dogs today.  Sneaky is Lauren's Corgi.

I resorted to taking pictures of the dogs today. Sneaky is Lauren’s Corgi.

It has been three weeks today since the orthopedic surgeon cut into my shoulder to repair my torn rotator cuff and remove numerous bone spurs. I am tired of sick leave. Don’t get me wrong, I am immensely grateful to have sick leave and not to be fretting over how I will pay the bills during this time but I am so ready to be back at work (did I really say that?) and back to be able to do the things I enjoy doing and need to do.

Lauren will rush from the house eager to be anywhere but here and I will agree to do something simple like put on Mickey’s and Feather’s fly mask for the night and send them out to pasture.  Go try to put on a fly mask or halter with one hand.  Good luck with that.  Even if I am left with very simple things to do, I cannot do them.  Frustrating!

At this point in my sick leave, my daughter, my mother and all my animals are sick of me.  Yesterday, I dragged my mom and Lauren to the nail place to get our nails done.  Fun for all but not necessarily in a group.  Today I was lying down with my mom after lunch and she called the aide to come give her shower.  She told me, ‘see you later’.  Wow, that is harsh.

I am pretty fun but dachshund Lula says she is old and doesn’t want to go out to the barn again to look at the horses,  We already went seven times.  The poodle can usually be talked into to chasing the ball, which I throw with my right hand, using a “Chuck-it” that makes it go really far, but even he had enough of chasing the ball in the 80 degree sun today.

I don’t know.  I started taking random pictures of the other dogs and even found a Welsh Corgi Facebook page to post Sneaky’s picture on.  They are running from me now.  I took some pictures of BrownDog but apparently there is not a Lab-Australian shepherd with maybe some Doberman mix Facebook page.  Don’t know why.

Lauren and Kona at the final 'rally' at dog class last night.

Lauren and Kona at the final ‘rally’ at dog class last night.

Even the obedience class which was good for a few hours of entertainment on Mondays, ended last night.  I have to say that Kona has learned a lot but most interesting to me was that Lauren who has been around and worked with animals all her life, had never been to a formalized training session.  J-Canine Pet Resort in Rosenberg, with trainer Martine, did an outstanding job of helping  both the owner and the dog learn productively.  Lauren learned a lot about patience, giving good commands, providing strong feedback and getting the best from Kona.  Wow, what kind of class was it?  Because both Lauren and Kona learned a lot!

We will be going back for next step in training as well.  Bravo!

I will stick out another week at home and get back to work next Monday.  I am beginning to understand a little about why Bruno wanted to escape and his fascination with watching the cows across the road.  You have to do something.  By next week, I might drive everyone nuts.

New Adventures-Meet Bruno-A Bruno Story

Fiddler’s Pilgrim-aka Bruno

Life is never static at the farm.  New adventures, new animals, new opportunities abound for us.  Tomorrow it is off to Zone Finals for Lauren and Mickey.  Anyone that has followed this blog even minimally knows that Mickey had a very rough summer.  So sick with the pythium fungus he could barely catch his breath.  We didn’t know if he would show again.  But he did, he has and he will go into the ring Saturday at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center for Zone Finals in the Low Amateur Adult Jumpers with fences approximately 3’3″ to 3’6″ in height.  We hope for a clear round and a chance to get into the jump off.  The little man can fly.  I am thankful for all of your support and prayers.

Tomorrow after Lauren rides Mickey in a couple of practice rounds, bathes him and gets ready to head for home, it will be with a new horse. I know that sounds a little crazy but sometimes things just come along in life that are meant to be.  The new horse is another Off the Track Thoroughbred (OTTB).  His name is Fiddler’s Pilgrim (if you want to look him up you will find AP Indy, Secretariat and some other hotshots).  He was certainly bred to race and run.  But he’s a pretty laid back guy and thought a racing career was not all that much fun.  He is a big horse-17 hands and once filled out with granny’s feed probably will be over 1300 pounds.  He looks a lot my old horse Mac.  If he does half as well as Mac, we will all be pleased.  Bruno (he is from the east coast) is only five years old so we have some work to do.  He has a hoof that is healing so he will be enjoying some quality downtime while it gets better.

Mickey, after finals, will be going into semi-retirement, which he has certainly earned.  We will pull him out for a few shows next year but our focus will be on the youngsters, Bruno and Feather.  Sounds like a mob boss and his girlfriend, doesn’t it?  We will have Mimi, the pony coming home from the trainers soon and will be looking to place her in a pony home.

So very exciting times.  I was not seeking a new horse when the opportunity for Feather in Florida came up.  I bought her sight unseen and had her shipped home.  She has not disappointed us at all. Well, maybe during those weeks when we struggled with the trailer loading, I did want to kill her a couple of times but other than that, she has turned into a beautiful, talented mare.

Likewise, Bruno came to us from a top trainer in the area, Sherre Sims, one for whom I have the greatest respect.   We first met Sherre when we were admiring her Corgi, Nordic.  Nordic and Lauren’s Corgi,  Sneaky had an ill-fated love affair.  Anyway…Sherre’s parents live on the east coast  and their friends bred and trained Bruno.  He got sent to Texas to become a jumper.  Due to Sherre’s limited space and his hoof issues, he needed to go to a new home.  So, once again, I am taking a horse, sight unseen, this one I can’t even work for a while, all because I believe in what he can be.  I think this one is going to be a real special guy for us.  Gee, I can’t wait to see him!