What Ratweasels Do

Ratweasel (Cindi) and
R-WIT (Martha)
doing what they do best.
Here the little itches make life miserable
for a poor, defenseless toad.
It's a hard-knock life.

Never fear, the toad lived
to tell the tale.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

Summer in Texas means I am greeted each morning
by at least one kamikaze toad that has sought
refuge in the dogs' water bucket,
then is unable to escape.

Can you stand one more photo of poor Jaz's tail?
The cortisone cream they prescribed
was pulled off the market or something.
They gave me a spray called Genesis,
which says it's for dogs.
So far, I'm not impressed.
His condition will get better as the weather cools,
regardless of how I treat it.
His mane is not this bad.

Dosed both Boyz with EquiSpot,
which was on sale for cheaper than
I have ever seen it — about $8.

I hurried to take this photo before Pokey shook.
His mane is very thick and grows forward.
After he shakes, you can't even tell there's a bridle path.
I'm grateful he has more mane and tail than
most Appies. His tail grows quickly,
but this is 3 years worth of growth in his mane.

Speaking of growth ...
Here is Martha at the shelter.

Here she is yesterday. She is a PIG.
We call her "R-WIT" —
Rat Weasel In Training.
She's turning into a little
sausage like Cindi.

THE big lesson for dogs at Casa Fry:
the laundry room is off limits.
Stay away from the cat food and the litter box.
Bad things will happen.

I can't break Martha of raiding the cat food,
despite instilling abject terror with
a strategically placed crop in the doorway.
Every time she takes a step down the back hallway,
I snap that crop on the tile floor,
and say in a menacing tone, "Never, never, NEVER."
She immediately drops to the floor
and rolls onto her back in submission.

But she's too smart for her her own good.
She gets it that the crop itself is not evil.
It's Mom plus the crop that equals trouble.

She's gotten in trouble every day this week.
I've popped her butt with that crop,
literally scaring the piss out of her.
Still, it continues.

—

It's a beautiful morning.
I plan to tack Poco up
and walk him down the road
like I did with Jaz last week.
I hope Norma Jean and her buddies
are out barking themselves silly
so we can do a little desensitization.
Then I'll turn around and ride him back.

Skywatch Friday Season 4 Episode 7

Sunrise
Tioga, TX

I really need a bumper sticker
that says something like
"Caution! Stops at random to take photos."

All That Jaz

Poor Jaz is a mess.

He beats himself up.

That, coupled with his allergies —
or whatever it is that makes him itch this time of year —
and he's looking pretty rough.

His mane was only an inch long,
but that didn't stop him from rubbing,

and rubbing,

and rubbing.

While I was at the vet yesterday for something else, I described Jaz's malady, and asked for suggestions. The doc wanted to test him for pinworms. Well, he's 11 years old, and he's had this since he was a colt, but sure, I'll pay $18 for you to tell me he doesn't have pinworms.

I had to drive home with a slide, take a piece of scotch tape, make an impression of Jaz's rectum, stick it to the slide, and take it back. Aren't you glad I spared you the photo? Negative, like I thought. All the OTC stuff they suggested, I've already tried, so they ordered cortisone cream to arrive this week. They don't keep it because it's so expensive. Of course.

I gave him a MicroTek bath this morning,
then soaked his whole body with
MicroTek spray.

I roached him down to his skin. I don't like to roach him that short, but it's easier to treat. To allow the MicroTek to soak in and dry, I led him down the road, let him graze. We walked down by the crazy Labs, but only one was out. We walked right over by the fence, as the manic dog barked. I led Jaz back and forth, and allowed him graze close to the fence. He was relaxed, which I hope he'll remember next time we ride past Norma Jean and her posse.

You-know-who felt slighted.

Bareback on a Rockstar

Who did you think I was talking about?

I rode Poco today for the first time
since my rodeo injury.

We rode in the round pen
for maybe 20 minutes,
then around the back pasture,
across the dry creek bed
to the hitchin' post.

Thumbs up to the new bareback pad.
I am going to ride
bareback more often.
I enjoy it and I know it will help
me be a better rider.

I should have named him
Wildman Rockstar
"Rocky"
My beautiful, beautiful boy.

But he'll always be my Pokey Pony.

It is what it is.
This photo only made the cut because of Jaz,
our resident comedian,
nudging the back of my helmet.

He licked my hands.

And was just being Jaz.

I'm chillin' in the silence as Mr. Fry sleeps.
Hope y'all are having a great weekend.

Yeehaw! New Tack Store!

Sergeants Western Wear
closed its doors last year.

I can't complain too much, since
I profited greatly from their misfortune.

I got a ton of stuff at fire-sale prices,
including my saddle, saddle blanket,
2 headstalls, my pink ProBabys,
breeches, halters, etc.
I'm sure there's more.

Oh yeah, the prize for my 100th post.
Speaking of, my 200th post
is fast approaching and
I've got some fun stuff to give away,
so pay attention!

Anyway, on August 1, a new tack store
rose from the ashes —
Dennards.
There is one near Heather & Nita's,
but this one is on my way home.

Nobody's as cheap or has the selection
Paul Taylor does, but choices
and competition are good,
especially during August,
when PT is closed.

I'll give you a virtual tour one day.

Falling Down #12

Tioga, TX

Sunday Stroll

It was a beautiful morning to worship at the Heavenly Church of the Divine Walkabout. I was curious to see how Jaz would do after last time. I didn't want it to be a long ride, because I'm still getting back up to speed after my rodeo injury. I wanted to devote my full attention to the ride, so I didn't take my camera. I'm relieved to say Jaz was back to his sweet self.

There was enough of a breeze that the flies weren't as bothersome as last time, but it also rustled things around. Jaz was ... alert, but mostly steady. A new pair of loose dogs was at the same property as killer balloons tied to the mailbox. That was well in front of us, and I didn't feel like dealing with it, so it seemed like a good time to turn around. We were only gone 30 minutes, maybe a little longer. So far, my leg feels great.

Poor pitiful, unloved, left out Pokey Pony yelled the whole time we were gone. At no point could I not hear him. He was sweet when we got back. I'd have ridden him a little (bareback) in the round pen, except there's a round bale in there. Poco's been a good boy since he came back from Heather's. He now stands by his bowl patiently while Jaz gets fed first. He may go after Jaz's when he's done with his, but I haven't seen any of the greedy nastiness where he used to run Jaz off both feed pans. He's being respectful. Maybe aliens abducted him and this is a pod pony.

Both horses are at a perfect weight. As Heather says, they are only getting enough grain to make them think they're getting something — literally 1 kitchen measuring cup — and they have grazing and a round bale. I can feel ribs, but not see them. With cooler temps and my leg feeling better, they'll be getting more exercise.

Speaking of exercise, back to the round bale in my round pen: Mike wonders why we can't "just ride around it." I told him I'd fill the dining room table with food, then make him run around it.

This afternoon, everyone but me is asleep. I am both enjoying the quiet and trying to keep it that way for Mr. Fry. Hope y'all have had a great weekend.

Mama's Baby Girl

The best thing you can say about Martha — and the thing that supercedes all other things — is that she has her priorities straight: she loves her some mama.



10 other things you can say about Martha: she

1. is (spoiled) ROTTEN to the core — wants ALL the attention, ALL the time
2. thinks she's a big dog — gives those horses what for
3. is a chow hound that doesn't chew her food — her teeth have improved eating dry food
4. is afraid of storms and the camera, like her best bud, Chula — I had to be very sneaky shooting the video
5. still has a lot of puppy left in her — mouthy
   
6. is crate trained — a HUGE plus with our schedules, since we're still a little spotty on the whole housebreaking thing
   
7. has grown and gained more than a pound (see #3)
   
8. is SUPER smart and fast — this is the kind of dog that could be trained to do obstacle course races and such
   
9. has terrier breath (like Cindi) that could stop a train
10. LOVES peppermint Altoids (like Chula) — helps with #9
    

It's been a long time since a dog has chosen me, and the first time I've ever had a little dog. Martha makes me laugh, and I love her to pieces.

The Math of a Mess

2 buckets
+
1/4 watermelon a bit past its prime
+
1 cup dry mix grain
+
1/2 cup BOSS
+
1 scoop Source
+
1 scoop Nature's Essentials
+
1 scoop Sand Clear
+
1 scoop daily wormer

+
1 piggy pony who eats anything not nailed down

+
1 pony with only a slightly more discerning palate

+
a lot of slurping & sloshing & drooling

=

2 happy Boyz
+
1 big mess

Oh, the carnage.

Still Raining, Still Dreaming

Rainy day, rain all day
Ain't no use in gettin' uptight
Just let it groove its own way
Let it drain your worries away
Lay back and groove on a rainy day
Lay back and dream on a rainy day

"Rainy Day, Dream Away" (Jimi Hendrix)
from the 1968 album, "Electric Ladyland"

Minnie
(aka Princess Minniemonkey)

Leeloo Dallas Multipass
(aka Tawanda the Amazon Princess)

Leeloo, what are you looking at?

Minnie checks it out.


It's those giant outdoor creatures,
munching in the rain.

Do you see Jaz's disembodied head
by Poco's foreleg?

No farrier appointment today, I'm afraid.
Rescheduled for next Saturday.