Off The Wall

Re: McCue Redkan Escambia Desert Conference

ladymccue — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 09:16:08 GMT

Glad you put up a link. I was thinking about doing that, but got involved with the Nasty Gram the IRS sent us. Updates on GP.

Re: McCue Redkan Escambia Desert Conference

momsonthemac2 — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 19:49:30 GMT

Just adding a link for any readers who are wondering if spring will ever come to NY or if Maverick has bitten/kicked any IRS agents lately or if you like smilies :

http://forums.delphiforums.com/greenpastures1/messages/?msg=3459.1

Re: McCue Redkan Escambia Desert Conference

ladymccue — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 10:36:13 GMT

It's always good to have a "fresh set of eyes". Hubby is mine alot of the time. He leaves on Tues AM and gets back Sat PM. He notices changes more than I do, since he doesn't see the boy's every day. Of course my farrier really notices any changes. He doesn't have any horses right now, but he's owned alot of horses over the years and is very knowledgable. I've learned alot from him. I ask him alot of questions and he always takes the time to answer me and explain things to me. I definately got lucky when the people we bought our' place from recommended him. He's worth his weight in gold in my opinion.

We could start a second Conference thread on GP. If we keep Conference in the thread title people will know what kind of thread it is, and that it will be a running thread. We can keep up here too if you want. I do read a little bit here on other threads now and then, but the pages take so long to load I get discouraged and run out of patience. And that's my bad LOL!

I haven't read the article you put the link in for yet. I'll do that after I finish this. Sounds interesting.

Did you get a good dose of sticker shock when you looked at the horse vacuums? They better be the best vacuums in the world for the prices they ask for them. It's a good thing somebody can afford that kind of thing, cuz I can't. Except for the noise I would think a shopvac would work just as well. Right now Maverick would probably plug up my little shopvac LOL! Not that I'm ever going to find out. I'm dumb. Not suicidal.

Good thing you noticed Boots testing the fence before she tried a freedom run. I notice the boy's checking the hotwire every once in awhile. That's when I start checking hotwire. As far as I know Blaze hasn't been zapped yet and it's been a long time since Maverick has shocked himself. I'm sure there will be a next time one of these days. Maverick can't seem to go too long without getting zapped. Hope things thaw out soon for you. Your' walk didn't sound at all fun. We had a quiet morning today, but the wind kicked up again as I was finishing chores. I retreated to the house and didn't go out again until evening feed. Cowardly of me, but that wind was cold.

This will be an interesting visit with H & R Block to be sure. I can't believe they'd make a mistake like that. And I really can't believe how much the IRS is demanding as additional tax. They are demanding more than we got in refunds from federal and state both last year. It's not tax, it's extortion. I can't believe they can get away with charging people such high amounts, but I know they do. This will be interesting to say the least. I figure the real hassle will be for H & R Block.

Re: McCue Redkan Escambia Desert Conference

momsonthemac2 — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 05:09:35 GMT

It's great isn't it when a farrier can offer his opinion and we value it?! I take our farrier's opinion seriously, since he's such a good horseman himself, and because he doesn't see them everyday, it's a chance to have a set of fresh eyes judge their weight from time to time. Keeps me from giving in when they give me their 'big, brown eyes' look.

I'm bad, I still haven't gotten over to Green Pastures, but will after this post. While we don't have to start an actual conference thread, I think I'll post this link to an article about our local therapeutic progam (where we volunteer):

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070304/NEWS01/703040337/1002/NEWS

It's a bit of happy news in this week of tragic events, forum horse illnesses, injuries, etc. I especially liked that they honored an 85 y/o horsewoman, now residing in a nursing home (she wasn't just raised on a horsefarm as mentioned in the article, but had ridden, etc. most her life and truly missed horses). The day she visited in Nov., was really heartwarming/wrenching for the staff present.

I priced horse vacuums, hahahahahaha, forgetaboutit. Maybe a shop vac, but that's probably too loud. Back to the drawing board, lol!

Computer time is the one thing I have right now, especially as the weather changes back to arctic brrrr. But, if you're only checking in here at the conference on Equisearch because the ads bog down your 'puter, it might help you. I'm not trying to make it an either/or just trying to make it an easier read. I've missed the folks over on GP and have to make the effort to get more involved over there.

I noticed Boots gingerly reaching across the hotwire (well supposed to be hot) and went out to do a perimeter check (found 4!! spots where it was grounded/contacting out). What a walk on the wild side that was! Knee deep in spots and heavy, icy grab-my-boot-and-not-want-to-let-go slogging. C'mon spring!

Edited to add that while mistakes can happen, geesch, H&R Block really screwed up. Seriously, good luck and I hope it all gets settled without too much hassle!

Re: McCue Redkan Escambia Desert Conference

ladymccue — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 10:32:01 GMT

So far I don't have any weight worries with the boy's. The last time my farrier was here he declared Maverick and Blaze in good weight. I'll have to watch it when the spring grass comes on, as usual. After last year with the well pump malfunctioning our' pasture doesn't look as good as it should. Might take a year or two to come back. We'll see.

I drug out last years return and I think H & R Block screwed up royally. Either that or I'm reading it wrong. I can't find where our' stock sales were declared. This is looking bad. And it's not gonna be my butt in the fire. H & R Block might just find themselves in deep doo-doo. I guess I'll find out Monday.

We could go over to Green Pasture's I guess. I could go over and see what they think of that. There's lot's of people I like over there and I know some of our' oldies but goodies I miss post over there. I don't have time to keep up with more than a couple forums. That's why I don't get too far. Or we can keep it here. I'm OK either way. It's tempting to move the Conference though just to keep up with our' old members. Maybe it's time for a Conference on the Conference thread! Think I'll wonder on over to GP and bounce the idea around. Stay tuned. Or better yet, come on over and add your' input.

I can see where you might not want to jump into vacuuming Boots right away. I know there are horses out there who do tolerate it, and probably some that actually like it. I'm not looking for that in my barn any time soon. Maybe clippers and cross ties would be a better Boots project for right now. But if the balloon didn't faze her, I'll bet she would be OK with the vacuum. Eventually. Just let me know when you're ready to try it. I'll bring my camera LOL! And my hardhat, and my running shoes and...my insurance card.

Gilligan and Blaze are on the same wavelength. Blaze is a dirtball right now. It rained last night, so of course he was wearing a new mud bogging coat today. I'm not sure about the vacuum with him though............I'm not quite that brave.

Re: McCue Redkan Escambia Desert Conference

ladymccue — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 09:40:50 GMT

I'm not sure why a UBB forum couldn't do an unread message feature. Sure wish they would. That doesn't address the slow page loading issue. Oh well, I'd complain if I was hung with a new rope.

Glad the ice storm wasn't worse than it was. Winter isn't through with us yet for sure. We're trying to work on spring here. Still freezing at night and probably will through May. I've got a little grass poking up green in spots that the boy's are all over! I closed down thier big paddocks to give the ground some time off so the grass will grow. Those paddocks are the first place they go in the spring if I leave them open. They just mow the grass down to nubs before it really has a chance to get started. It'll be awhile yet before we really have grass, but those little bits of green are a hopeful sign at least.

Good thing your' horses aren't shedding yet with your' temps nosediving again. -11 is just too cold! I feel for ya! I'll see if I can't send some sunshine your' way. Minus the wind that's taking all the heat out of it.

Re: McCue Redkan Escambia Desert Conference

momsonthemac2 — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 06:52:28 GMT

Hubby kept checking the radar, happy that the worst weather was missing us, without realizing that it was hitting your area! Glad it wasn't worse, but sorry the ice took out your power for a bit!

<"Fortunately the horses haven't started shedding yet"> Same here, but our dogs (indoor) are, lol!

Re: McCue Redkan Escambia Desert Conference

momsonthemac2 — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 06:49:03 GMT

Well, no more free choice hay when the winter weather is average, but as Cyniska's mentioned in her post, we're aheadin' back to the deep freeze for at least a couple of days next week, so I'll cave in and feed more hay those days, lol! When the farrier was last out, he did Gilligan first and commented on how although Gilligan was plump, it was a good 'winter plump'. Then I brought out Boots and he had nary a word until I brought the subject up that <maybe> she was a bit more than winter plump, lol! I kept telling him, but she's big boned, but he wasn't buying it! I am seriously trying to get her weight down before spring grass. As with last year, I'll have to limit their grazing at first.

Yikes, the words 'IRS' and 'audit' are enough to send shivers down my spine. You poor woman, I wish you well. If it's any help, when I was a teen, my father was audited (and appalled & terrified that he'd been chosen) and it turned out fine. Scary at the time, but ok in the end.

Since Green Pastures has the old format, a better loading time for you, and most the Conference folks are there, maybe we should just continue our chatting over there. Just a thought, as I'd hate to watch the Conference drop off the first page. I've only posted there a couple of times, and read there a couple of times a week, but could go there more regularly for "Conference" calls, lol! It does seem as though it's just the three of us (you, me, & Cyniska) posting here regularly and all three of us can/do post there along with Redkan, Tasji, etc.. Not that I'd stop coming here to Equisearch, too much going on to miss out on!

After Boots response (ho hum) to the balloon bopping her on her head, I'm not sure what her response to a vacuum would be, but I do want to start with some other desensitizing and training, such as cross ties and clippers, stuff I don't usually use but are good for her to learn, since I know I have to shorten and thin her mane (so it won't tangle in the reins - one rein stops). We'll see where things lead once the weather hits the 40's, until then it's too ccccold to do anything but the necessary.

Actually, now that I think about it, it's Gilligan who NEEDS vacuuming, not Boots. She's neat (other than the manure projects!), he's the dirtball!

Re: McCue Redkan Escambia Desert Conference

Anonymous — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 05:37:30 GMT

I miss the "unread messages to me" feature too, and dread to think how many I've failed to reply to.

I woke yesterday morning to the sound of freezing rain lashing the windows...shades of the Great Ice Storm. No school buses running, branches coming down and trees coated in ice.

This time we were spared though, since by noon the temperature had climbed to 40 F and the worst consequence was getting hit on the head by falling ice. We lost power briefly, my daughter's was out for about three hours, so we've been lucky as some areas to the northwest may have to wait until the beginning of the week to have power restored.

The next couple of days are to be relatively warm, with daytime temperatures getting a bit above freezing, but Monday night we're to be back in the deep freeze, -11 F. Fortunately the horses haven't started shedding yet.

Re: McCue Redkan Escambia Desert Conference

ladymccue — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 10:59:08 GMT

This format is "weird" and I really don't like. It's very annoying. So is the one on the About forum. I still like the Delphi format the best. This forum is extremely slow to load pages. Partly because of all the ads. I pay a small yearly fee to Delphi so I don't have to put up with ads. The pages load fast, even with all the signatures and the fact I'm on dial up. This forum drives me batty waiting for things to load. Nobody listened when we complained way back when, they aren't going to listen now.

I think the one thing I miss the most is the unread messages to me feature. I don't have time to sit here all day and search for posts to me, which is one of the reasons I don't post on other threads. This forum is just too time consuming. It probably wouldn't be if I had DSL, but they won't bring it out here. They stopped about two miles from us with the "cable", and have no plans to bring it any further. We don't even have cable TV out here and we're only six miles from town. Under the circumstances I feel lucky to have dial up and two phone lines.

You can only access the smiley smiley? That's weird. If you can access that one, you should be able to access them all. I'm still in a snit that I can't use my "dudes" on here. It's not at all fair. My "dudes" are much better than the ones they provide here.

Actually I do know I'm a founding member of the Conference Thread. And proud of it! We original goofballs got in trouble for highjacking a thread with silliness, so started our' own thread where we could goof off as much as we wanted to. The winter we started this, we all had really bad cabin fever and it showed. We had fun though, and we were harmless, so they let us have our' Conference. I kinda miss the silliness.

Blaze was a little quieter today. The tractor's are still running up by the fence, but he wasn't as silly about it. It was cold and we had a strong NE wind, so maybe staying in the barn and eating hay was more attractive to him. Maverick wanted to play. He was doing his "I'm eating grass where there is no grass, and ignoring you" routine, while watching me intently. When he goes into that routine all I have to do is snap the whip once and the game is on LOL! I didn't do it today because of the wind. It was just too cold to take a chance on either one of them getting sweaty. And by the time I got the chores done, I was frozen and ready for a hot shower and lunch! We can play this weekend if it warms up like it's supposed to.

Glad you didn't get hurt this morning when you fell. Slick and mushy plus a wheelbarrow is a bad combination. Bad enough to have to pick up the mess, but getting hurt would be adding insult to injury! I'm still not sure how I managed to avoid bitin' the dust when we had that freezing rain. The ground in front of the run in was like a skating rink, and I don't ice skate well at all LOL! My feet were going but the wheelbarrow wasn't. It had to have been sheer luck I didn't end up face first in the hay wagon or worse. I know you will be, but I still have to say, be careful out there.

No more free choice hay? Poor babies, they probably think thier throats are cut! Blaze only gets free choice when it's really cold or the wind is blowing like it was today. He has a tendency to get a little fluffy otherwise.

We got a nasty little surprise in the mail today. The IRS decided to audit us and decided we owe them alot of money plus interest. I have a hot date with H & R Block Monday. I think somebody at the IRS has been smokin' whacky tabacky! They're claiming we didn't list income that's clearly declared on our' tax return. Makes ya wonder how they can get anything right. It'll be interesting to say the least.

I definately want to know how that works out with Boots and the vacuum cleaner if you decide to do that. Maverick isn't bothered when I run the vacuum in the barn when he's around, but he's never been in the same space with it. As in his stall with it. I don't know how he'd react to that, but I suspect he would leave. Fast and over anything in his way. LOL! He did live through the barn construction so isn't bothered by alot of different noises. Annoyed by them, but not afraid of them. The only thing he never really got used to was the hammer or nail gun. He'll tolerate that for just about so long and he has to leave. Anyway, keep me posted if you decide to "vacuum" Boots LOL! This I gotta "see"!

Re: McCue Redkan Escambia Desert Conference

momsonthemac2 — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 22:54:05 GMT

It's this forum's weird format. I've given up 'trying' to remember where/which thread I've posted, so I know that I miss posts, yet I post anyways, lol! My bad, I know!

Even worse, my reallllly bad, is when I read a post to me (usually first thing in the morning, like this morning), have to get off the 'puter and then forget I haven't replied to it. My bad, bad. <rolling eyes, shaking head smilie> (So far, I can only access the smile one: )

Besides, the Conference is a running thread, with no 'must' reply requirement! You're an founding member and I'll bet your didn't know that, 'cause I just made that up!

Oh man oh man, I'd have been beside myself with a neighbor burning off their field next to my (dry) pasture grass. You showed mucho restraint to keep yourself from freaking out on them. And the chemicals on the adjoining fields would also make me concerned, especially any weed killer or insecticides being applied.

I love the springtime follies, when they use something - anything - as an excuse to frolic around. Right now ours are still in "we're soooo boooorrrred" winter mode with the occasional frolic. For instance, I haven't seen Boots rear since the day I took that sig photo. I've been putting on their breakaway halters, so they can play halter tag, and they're back on winter lock down, as the pasture ground is both slick and becoming mushy (on the footpaths). Slick enough for the wheelbarrow and I to take a tumble this morning on our downhill slide to the compost bins. At least I didn't dump it on myself (!) and no injuries -still a lot of snow to cushion the fall.

And to make matters worse for them, I've stopped giving them free choice hay. The horror, the horror! The bitter temps are no longer day after day, week after week so it's back to their four flakes a day routine, poor babies.

So far little shedding going on here, but we're hovering around the freezing mark, so that's a good thing - although it's 40* and raining today, it's back to winter tonight. At least it's not the blizzard that the midwest had, just a bit of snow for us (I think).

Because the weather will moderate before the ground dries out enough to ride, I'm thinking up stuff to do with them, Boots especially, so your vacuuming remark has me thinking 'what a good thing to desensitize her to', lol!

Re: McCue Redkan Escambia Desert Conference

ladymccue — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 11:47:59 GMT

Hmmmmmmm. I didn't get an email on your' last post. Decided I'd best have a look see and sure enough! Either I missed it somehow or I didn't get one. Oh well. I'm here now.

The dinner bowl in the water bucket isn't the first stunt. The last one flattened the bucket. I have no idea what Blaze did, but the water bucket was destroyed. That was during the "getting to know you" period when he was breaking lot's of things LOL! Now he just destroys sprinkler heads. We've "Blaze Proofed" everything else. At least we hope we have. knocking on wood

I hadn't heard that about the Lickit stall treats. I wouldn't put it past her to eat a whole one in one night either. A friend of mine had a QH filly that ate a whole salt block in one night. It was a small one. Talk about a thirsty horse. Not to mention a bad case of chapped lips. No more salt blocks in stall for that girl! When I first got Maverick I got one of the small mineral blocks for him and he bit chunks off of it and ate them. But it took him a couple weeks. After that he didn't bite them very often. I figured he was just in need of the minerals. Now he has the Dynamite free choice loose minerals. He does much better on them.

Blaze hasn't been bored the last few days. The alfalfa fields behind us have been plowed under, so he's been on tractor patrol. There was a crew burning weeds and sagebrush right up to my fenceline Tuesday. I got a little excited about that because they hadn't plowed a fire line between my fence and thier fire. My pasture is covered in dead grass. One spark and the whole thing would burn. I went out and watched what they were doing for awhile. My body language said I was about to blow up. In fact I was ready to go over the fence and give them you know what when one of the men got on his cell phone. A few minutes later the tractor showed up with the plow and did a fire trail. I watched until the fire was completely out just to be sure. I know it's winter and we've had rain, but there's alot of fuel in my pasture. I'm not taking any chances. Then the tractor's started in. They've plowed right up to my fenceline. The fertlizer and chemicals have been flying. So far I don't think there's been any drift into my pasture, but it really concerns me. One of the truck drivers hubby works with that we've sold hay to, was telling us about one of his wife's horses that died from eating grass that chemicals had drifted on from the farm field behind thier pasture. It was her once in a lifetime horse. A yearling. He wanted her to have an autopsy done to prove the chemicals had killed him, but she wouldn't do it. She had him buried while her husband was on the road. I'd have the autopsy done. The farmers don't care if thier chemicals poisen our' animals and our' wells. There has always been a good amount of land between my fence and the ground that's been farmed before this. I don't like all this on my fenceline. Nothing I can do about it though. I guess I could put a sign on my fence, but the guys who work for the farmer probably don't speak English and I don't speak Spanish. In the meantime, Blaze has been a little wound. Lot's of running up and down the hill. I think it's more an excuse to be silly than him being afraid of the equipment. He used to live surrounded by wheat fields. His former owner owned part of them. The combines came right up to the fencelines. He's seen lot's of big tractors and farm equipment.

Hope your' weather has let up. The news has been full of bad weather. We've had rain and wind and some sun. We even had a snow shower this afternoon. Typically March, it's coming in like a lion LOL! It's supposed to be nice this weekend. If the wind isn't blowing I have a hot date with Maverick and a shedding blade. You can't pet him without the hair just flying all over. Here we go again! Shedding season is on and the weather is stormy with lot's of wind! I'm already spittin' horse hair and I haven't even touched him with the shedding blade. I'd vacuum him, but I think he might get just a tad excited. As in I would be wearing hoof prints all oooooover my body LOL! Sure would be easier. Maybe I should talk to him about that....................

Re: McCue Redkan Escambia Desert Conference

momsonthemac2 — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 07:03:59 GMT

I love it! The winter follies have reached Black. Must be the younger horses just have to find something to do with their down time, lol, so let's play with the water buckets!

I thought about one of those lickit hanging treats, but have read that either the horse devours it all at once or doesn't like it at all. I have a feeling that Boots would be the former.

I think they'll all be less bored & a lot happier when spring finally arrives!

Re: McCue Redkan Escambia Desert Conference

ladymccue — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 11:28:19 GMT

When I first met my MIL, she quite terrified me. Then I met my future SIL. She just pissed me off and had the misfortune to say the wrong thing to me. She told me I was lucky she liked me. I put that shoe on the other foot and told her "You're damn lucky I like you!!!" Since she's about three times my size, I thought that was a really good impression of the mouse that roared. She was pretty nice after that. She does need regular reminders of the status quo. If not she's a bulldozer. DH has had her in snit for two months now because he won't listen to her whine about how hard her life is since her husband had back surgery. She even quit calling me all the time. I'm devestated. Really! I am. All broke up and stuff! But back to the MIL. She stopped being scary one day when she ticked me off and I slammed the phone in her ear. Then I had to tell hubby about it. Now that was really scary. He said she had it coming and she'd get over it or live with it a long time. Sure enough, a couple weeks later all was well and the incident was never mentioned. We've managed to get along well over the years. Now we're both too old to snarl at one another LOL!

I finally remembered your old moniker. Nanook o' the North! Sounds like you're living up to it too! Snowdrifts up to Toby's chest? Yikes! That's just too much snow! Glad Toby and Sarah were able to get out and have some fun. Sounds like they both had alot of fun playing in the snow, and made some progress. That's good news for sure.

Re: McCue Redkan Escambia Desert Conference

ladymccue — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 10:44:46 GMT

Dang!! Almost snorted coffee? I'll have to try harder. Trust me, that Jolly Ball was possessed! I wish I had a picture of the look on his face when he was "attacked". We worked through the trauma, and he's able to interact with the Jolly Ball now without succumbing to Jolly Ball Troll panic attacks. Now that's progress!

I'm not sure if I want to shoot the dishwasher with a shotgun or my .38. Hubby's shotgun is ancient and closely related to the This Blunderbluss Will Kick Your' ???? line of guns, so that's out. The .38 should do it. I have this vision of painting a bullseye on the front of the dishwasher..........

I was fortunate not to have ice the night it got down to 2F. sS far so good with the salt. Looks like we're in for crummy weather again. Not as cold as you, but nasty weather on it's way for the weekend. Might even see a snowflake. We had sun today and wind. It was "warm" out of the wind. Just can't stay out of the wind doing chores. The weather map showed Arctic air coming down again this next week. But if you check out a different weather report, you'll get a different weather report. I'll stick my head out the door and see what it's doing when the time comes.

BOSS dispencers!! Too funny! I can just see Boots trying to worm her way through your' walk through. Silly girl! That's awesome that she responded to your' voice command like that. I'd have rewarded that with plenty of melty mints too. Even with the required "Eskimo" dress. I have a walkthrough of sorts in the barn around the "outside" water, but the boy's can only poke a nose in there. I keep that blocked with water buckets. I can get through there, but they can't get close enough to try a breakout. Neither one would fit, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't try it and I'd rather not have to call 911 for a stuck horse. Knowing my two.............

OK, so the Jolly Ball in the stall is out. Maybe one of those hanging toys that have treats in them? Either that or you could sign her up for a book club.....................

And speaking of things in water buckets.........guess where I found Blazes dinner bowl the other morning? I use those black bendy feed bowls that don't break when the horse steps on them. They're kinda heavy. And there it was, sitting on top of the de-icer in his water bucket. I looked all over for it too, before I happened to see it in there. Dinner bowl in the water bucket did not occur to me. It will now. I have to wonder what's next? Dull moments are rare with Blaze. He's a hoot!