Parade Pimpin'

Every year, we try to come up with something "cool" to do to the horses for the parade.  The first couple of years, it was skirts behind the saddle.  Each year, we added something new.  In 2009, Mom added red, white, and blue ribbons to Jesse's mane.

2009

In 2010, the year the parade didn't happen, we painted glitter paint on the mares' hooves.

2010

Last year, I went bareback and we added butt bows and glitter gel to the mix.

Red, white and blue sparkly feetsies,
Butt bow,
Glitter gel
2011

This year, I had a totally different vision.  I had seen the coolest mane weave on a draft horse and I had to do it this year.  Never mind that I was going to have to tangle my fingers in Estee's hair, it was going to get done.  And then Nebalee and I started talking and for some of Autobot's meets, Nebalee glues small jewels to the weave.  Oh boy, that really started my little brain a workin'.

For some reason, the parade organizers decided to push back the parade an hour, for an 11:00 start, which worked out perfectly - it gave me plenty of time to try to do Her Highness' hair (since I hadn't bothered to practice doing it).  Nebalee is pretty much our hair and butt bow expert, so she started in on Jesse while I started on Estes.

Nebalee whipped right through.

It took me a little longer.

While Nebalee and I worked on getting the manes done, I put Ashinator to work "Bedazzling" Estes' butt.

Estes and Ranger really got into it,
she's got marks all over her.

When Ash finished Estes, she went to work on blinging out Jesse's butt.  We've got Nebalee, who is the hair and butt bow expert, and Ashinator, who is the bedazzler/butt blinger.  Wonder how that'll look on a resume?

I had planned to ride bareback-bareback, but since Ranger was bad, Her Highness has a bit of swelling on her back, so I rode on one of Mom's bareback pads (which saved me from having the whole diarrhea-looking butt after the parade).

It took us just over an hour to get the horses ready (we didn't do a pedicure this year), but the effort was well worth it!

Jesse's mane ROCKED!

Estes' mane wasn't nearly as neat as Jesse's
but it looked pretty good anyway.

Parade Pimpin'

Them's some fine-lookin' mares, yessir!

Finally, it was line-up time and we rode over to our place in line, with Nebalee and her kids in Ripley.  Yes, we put our Korean car in the 4th of July parade, and she looked good!  Nebalee will probably never be able to listen to Party Rock Anthem again, as she and the kids were blaring it along the parade route.

Estes and me shuff-ff-ff-alin'

Stopped along the parade route,
have no idea what the hold up was.

Estes and Jesse were great for the parade - they pranced right along to Ripley's music and were pretty much rock stars until the end.  The turn-around is always tough - the Homecoming Queen makes her appearance and it's always a much more fun ride back to the Lodge.  Estes found a nice collected canter (yes, I did it bareback and on asphalt - and I didn't die!), while Jesse settled into her running walk.  This, of course, after some pretty dramatic shows from both mares of spins, sidepasses and moving on the diagonal.  Jesse is perhaps the best backer I've ever met and she gave one hell of a backing demonstration when it was time to come home.

This year was a huge success for the Bionic Cowgirl - in the past when Jesse started putting on a show, she'd have to dismount and walk back because she just didn't have the hip/leg strength to stick with Jesse's little temper tantrums.  This year, though, she stuck it all out.  Those bionic hips are kind of a cool thing (but Jesse may not agree, as she doesn't get her way a whole lot anymore).

There's No Place Like Home

Mom posted the pics of the horses' homecoming, which left me with the videos.  I'll do a real post in the near future, but for mostly Mom's your viewing pleasure, here's the video she managed to snag in between snapping pictures.


Here's a very abbreviated video montage of Ranger playing Wild Horse.  It really is a game for him; I'm pretty sure he stopped and laughed at Bill a dozen times.  He would stop, turn to look at Bill, lick and then take off again.  It must be payback for Bill embarrassing him on the trail during the summers.



Love how Ranger unloaded on command (okay, Mom's right, all of their horses unload on command.  Estes? Not so much, but we'll work on it.)



Estes started the herd off with her own snow pegasus, but we missed it on video.  We couldn't believe that she would chose to roll in the snow instead of the dirt, but then Ranger followed suit and Eli wanted to, but chickened out.

Day After Turnout

Since Mom and Bill turned out the horses at a pasture other than their usual one, they went back the next day to check on them.  Mostly to check to see if Jesse had hopped over the little fence to take the horses back to the lodge.



They'd settled in, but were still happy to eat the treats Mom took them :)

In a few weeks, Ida'll move them down to their permanent winter pasture.

Winter Turnout

Turnout is always a bittersweet day.  It's good for the horses to be turned out for the winter.  There's something about pretending to run free for a few months during the harshest part of winter that is just so good for the Mustangs' souls.  During the time they are out, they will be without humans to take care of them - they go back to their wild roots.  Mom and Bill hike in to see them every week or so, but other than a few treats, they don't take any food to the horses.  Foraging for food and water (don't worry, their pasture has three rivers crossing it) is completely on the horses.

This will be Eli's first winter as a wild horse since Compass caught him several years ago.  We've given him time to herd up with our herd and shortly, we'll be combining them with Ida's herd next month, so they'll be a healthy sized herd.  Safety in numbers and all that.  Last year, there was an issue with a mountain lion, so Ida brought them all down into her town pastures in early spring.  This year, the herd will be big enough (and without a mini - poor Tigger) that they shouldn't have any predator problems.

Surprise Visit

I spent last night at the lodge and on the way home, saw Mom and Bill's herd down by the river.  I couldn't believe my eyes!  They were just a few feet off the highway by the St. Vrain river.  All I could think of was, "Mom's not going to believe this!"

Mom's always bragging on her blog that all they have to do is call the horses and they come a'runnin'.  Yeah, right.  Time to put that to the test.

I parked the car, picked my way through the fence and gave a holler, "Jesse!  Washoe!  Ranger!"  Ranger's head popped up and he beat feet over to where I was standing, thinking that I had treats.

 Once he realized that I didn't have any treats, he kind of snuffled at me and went back to grazing.

Jesse and Washoe were up on the ridge overlooking the river, but Mom was right, they come when called.  Washoe bolted down the hill, headed right at me.  Though he's a bit lean after the winter, it's still disconcerting to see a full grown horse running straight at you.  I stood my ground and at the last minute shoved his head and neck away just as he was going to knock me over.  He's still kind of gangly and doesn't always have full control of his limbs.

I got him moved away from me and turned back just in time to see Jesse sliding to a stop in front of me, "hey, whatcha doin'?"

Once Mom and Bill's horses were done greeting me, Peanut took over.  He decided that I was his human and started grooming my ponytail.  He briefly allowed Doc to say hi before he flicked an ear and banished him.

Now if I could just get Estes to come a'runnin' when I call.  Guess we'll have to work on that tomorrow.

...And My All-Time Favorite Picture

Mom and Jesse

In Roosevelt National Forest, 2007