The Lone Cowgirl

Okay, you simply must...I mean simply MUST...go check out my Facebook friend Shirley Morris' blog. MUST! She's got some really nifty neato stuff to talk about. Today's feature is caring for your vintage photographs. Totally cool!

So, in other news? The sun came out today. No, really. It did! And I went outside to play with my pony, Bad Reputation! Reppi (should I spell that with one or two p's? Repi? That doesn't even look or sound right...must do some thinking here on the name) isn't too keen on being my friend, I'm afraid. Oh, she's first in line when the chow comes, and I can rub all over her face while she's got her snout buried deep in the scoop. But no grain? No can pet. Well...that's her take on it, at least.

I did get the lead snapped on, no problem, while she was munching away. That led to some lunging, and turning and lunging the other way. She's weakest to her left, but circles to the right are pretty fluid. I did get to scratch on her, but she told me she didn't have to like it. That is, unless I scratched her cheek where the halter sits. That was okay...

She has got a rather pretty profile, doesn't she?

Day Three, or Two

The rain is enough to drive a duck crazy. I know this, because there are a dozen crazy ducks in my backyard.

Hence, on day two, I didn't do a single thing with the new girls. They both looked like drowned rats out there, completely miserable and refusing to stand inside the barn on account of the funny noise it made with water pounding down upon it.

I wasn't any happier than they were with the weather. Only the ducks appeared to be enjoying themselves...in their crazy sort of way.

Day three didn't yield much productivity, either. That is to say, I didn't go out and try to work with them and get them halter broke in the manner I typically would one of the older horses. The new girls are naturally curious and friendly...or at least they were when we were at the corrals in February. So when I went out to fill water tubs (not that there was a huge need, given the extreme rain), I stood at the rail of their paddock for a moment and it wasn't long before two little noses were reaching out to sniff me.

After a few minutes, I went inside, not expecting quite the same response. After all, there were no rails to protect them once I was on the inside. But City Boy's little red filly finally got brave enough to reach out her nose for a quick 'breather', softly blowing some warm breath onto my hand. Bad Reputation stood alongside, and after mulling it over a moment, she, too, reached out for a quick sniff.

Good enough training for Day Three, out there in the rain! I'm really hoping there's a break in the weather soon, but if there isn't? We'll stick to sniffing each other.

"Bad Reputation" as a baby this past July.
Roan horses get darker in the winter, covering up
their white roan hairs with the color of their 'base coat',
in this case, bay.

Day One

I've been keeping a secret.

Back in February, City Boy adopted a filly. A cute, flashy little sorrel with three very tall stockings and a white blaze. She's only a yearling, and he's a bit disappointed that he'll need to wait for her to grow up, but I assured him this was a good thing. After all, I need to put more effort into Tika, and if I had a two or three year old here, she'd get moved to the back burner again. And a yearling would give us time to truly get her ready for life as a saddle horse.

The BLM was offering free shipping within 400 miles to anyone who adopted from 'Appy-Palooza', so it was a no-brainer to make sure we signed the adoption papers then. Yes, it would be a long wait...delivery was at their convenience, and last year that meant 2 months...but it was worth not having to haul the trailer down there.

A person can get quite anxious in 2 months, you know that?

But the waiting is finally over, and the new arrival is here!

But wait...what's that behind her?

Seems I've been keeping two secrets.

I saw pictures of the roan filly back in July when a friend visited the corrals. I was able to pick her out of the group of other yearling fillies at the corrals in Feb, despite the fact that her tag number had been changed. I'd really liked her...would have been thrilled if City Boy and Darling had liked her as well, but they didn't, so I thought I'd not end up with her.

But she haunted me, and when you're haunted, there's not much you can do except embrace your haunting! After all, as I explained to City Boy, I needed another resale project. Steve Holt! is up for sale, and who next? Better get something to keep me busy. Well...busy once Miss Tika is going a little stronger.

The girls are settling in well. They were unloaded at a friend's place, into his arena. When the BLM truck pulled away, I backed my trailer up. The girls looked at it with curiosity, and with the help of a half dozen people who were on hand, we formed a human fence behind those wild butts, and they walked quietly up to the trailer and stepped right in.

I've named my filly already: Bad Reputation! Mustang lovers gasp...why??? Well, because they have one, that's why! And I intend to poke fun at myself for always sticking with these wild things, and in the process, if I'm lucky, she'll be a winner. Heck, it's day one, and I've already touched her!

City Boy's filly hasn't been named yet. She's a bit flightier than Rep, but I was still able to rub her with the long pole. And back at the corrals, she came up and sniffed our hands, so I know it won't be long before she comes around.

So off we are on another adventure. You coming along for the wild ride?