It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

Hard to believe that Christmas is almost here! Where does time go? Had a spell of frigid temps but yesterday it was 47! Everything thawed and is super mushy. I dislike it when that happens! But we did get Ranch Boy Junior out for a walk. We were gettin' some cabin fever staying inside while the temps hovered around 10 degress!

 

Let's "catch up" a bit!

Luna finished up her 30 days of training just as the weather turned for the winter, so she is home now and "processing" all of her good experiences. Here is her last ride with my trainer the day we picked her up. I got to ride too, but opted to stay in the round pen rather than this field, which was slightly sloped and a little wet. The round pen was half frozen so it wasn't much better, I only got to trot a little but I got a good feel for where she's at and I was impressed. 

 She even learned to shimmy up to and allow her rider to open gates!

One of her last rides was a haul-out 3 hour trail ride! We'll do another 30 days next spring with the trainer, then I hope I can continue her education on my own.

 Our tree~ cut from the Ranch property, of course!

  I'm hoping for a white Christmas, just like a little kid! It's not looking like it's going to snow, though. In fact, right now it is down pouring rain. The ground is so water-logged there is nowhere for the water to go, it's just getting muddier.

Here is the little one opening some really fun Christmas presents at Grammy's. Right now he can't quite ride the Radio-Flyer Scooter so he just has to stare at the box children and dream of the day that he can.

We lost a horse at the Ranch this morning. It was very sad, she was a sweet 22 year old gray Arab cross mare that took many, many children and adults on rides over the last few years.  It appeared to be a bad case of colic but the vet suspected stomach tumors that contributed. Its amazing how you go into the mode of caring for an ill horse, despite wind, mud, and rain, hunger, last minute Christmas presents, etc. Everything just takes a back burner. Getting her comfortable and trying to keep her pain free and on her feet while waiting an hour and 20 minutes for a vet.....it was a hard wait, as any of you that have been through it know. Not what you want to have to do around the holidays but I am glad she is pain-free and galloping through horsey heaven.

I hope you all have a fabulous holiday. I intend to do more blogging in the new year! I want to chronicle the life of Ranch Boy Jr. as he follows in his daddy's Romeos.  Most people are moving to Facebook these days, but I really miss blogging. I am hoping to get a new laptop and Internet at home which will really help. I tried writing this post from my phone and despite it's extremely SMART capabilities, it was still a challenge.

Warm and cozy wishes to you all!

Ranch Girl