Thought I would share the latest bump photo! Just under 3 months to go..... I need to get an appointment for my horses to get their hooves trimmed in February, that way I should be good until after baby is born and any recover that comes a long with that! Ranch Boy is going to have to take over feeding duties from me.



I will do it as long as I can. I got a great pair of "Yak Traks" to put on my boots so there has been no slipping or falling this year! I actually enjoy the twice daily routine of feeding- it gets me out and moving twice a day, as I don't have a very physical job. I love getting a sense of how my horses are doing, checking in on the weather, monitoring their feed, and saying hello to them.

Speaking of feeding, this is what I see out of the kitchen window in the morning around 7:30 when I get up for work. My Boy is so smart, he notices any sign of movement or a light on.  He just stares at me with this cute expression, anticipating I'll coming out soon to feed. It's nice to see my whole pasture and my horses out my back door! There is one blind spot corner where Luna likes to hang out alongside the ranch horse pasture. This, of course, is also near the area where she's escaped so sometimes when I don't see her right away I panic at first she's gotten into the pasture next door. However, if My Boy isn't in distress then I know she's just tucked in that corner. When she has made it to the other side, he won't cross the downed wire and then he cries and trots around for her. The fence has been good and hot lately so I've had no Luna escape episodes!




We haven't much more in the way of snow accumulation, but have had some frigid and foggy mornings. Look at Luna one morning last week- she looks like a roan again! Totally frosty-tipped fur!

I hope you have a great last week of January. Hard to believe February is almost here! Spring is around the corner......maybe?

This week I am thinking of my friend Amanda, Bush Babe, over there in Queensland as they are dealing with some awful flooding in those parts. Stay safe BB!!

Ranch Girl

3 Degrees

There hasn't been too much excitement here so far in 2013. I've just been working and enjoying my pregnancy. We haven't had snow in a week and a half.....it's been mostly really cold, dry temps. When we left to visit a local cafe for breakfast Sunday morning it was only 3 degrees!

Luna is so playful, poor My Boy has to tolerate her attempts at playing. She'll nip his sides then rear up at him. Once in a while he'll play with her a bit, but he usually just ignores her advances.

"I just want to be an Appy too!" After a roll in the snow, Luna jumps up all covered with the white stuff!

Luna gets so crazy on some of the cold mornings at feeding time. I would like to try to get a video of it sometime. While My Boy just stands at the fence and waits for me to wheel over breakfast, Luna will trot or RUN around like a banshee. I don't particularly like this as one of their frequented pasture areas is getting a well compacted and now a little icy.



There have been a lot of mornings with frozen icicle whispers! I need to trim up My Boy's one weekend.

Built like a tank!

I've been making Luna stand nicely at the fence while I pour their morning grain into their tubs. Luna gets hers first, because she won't wait and would start eating his. My Boy will now stand off to the side a bit and wait for his. Luna paces along the fence (right in front of My Boy, sometimes about taking his head off as she goes by!) Or as I'm pouring the grain she tries to get her head over the fence and bobs and fusses and is generally very impatient. I put up my hand and say "Whoa" and as soon as she stands calmly (even for just a few seconds, to start) I will push her tub under the fence. In the past I just tried to get them the grain fast to avoid any scuffles between them but then I realized these little things we do can create bad habits and there is no reason she can learn to be rewarded for waiting calmly for a few seconds!



My handsome boy!

More than anything, my girl just needs to be worked. Maybe next winter I will be able to board her for the winter. I actually could have done it for a few months this winter, but being pregnant.....realized it wasn't the smartest option because I'd rather spend the money when I can actually ride her! I'm not worried, she's just barely 3 and next summer will be a continuation of her education.

I had fun taking photos of my horses in the snow! It makes such a lovely backdrop for their colors and adds a lot of light in the photos.

I hope your 2013 is off to a great start!

Ranch Girl