Versatility Trail Challenge, there were 14 things to get scored on, 0-5 , 5 being best. We got a score of 55 in 12 minutes and 6 secs. The judge wrote on the bottom of my paper she wished she could give points for patience. Did she mean that I had patience or Bandit had patience dealing with me?? :) After the challenge I rode Bandit out on a trail all along the edge of the property. He did very good, never whinnied or tried to turn around to go back. All in all we had a great day, thanks to Fred for hanging out with me and taking pictures. Now to treat my sunburn....

Had to back thru some barrels, end of challenge. there were a few other things we did too. Had fun and that was my goal.

Do you know how hard it is to pull a log on a horse that doesnt neck rein? Poor Bandit he tolerated alot today.

We started out like the first picture, thot we were going straight thru, judge thot so too cause she originally put a 5 down for my score, BUT Bandit had other plans, he got that far about 3 or 4 times then backed out, with a little persistence we finally did make it thru and got a score of 2, can you believe it??

Swimming noodles OH MY!

Big wooden bridge, no problem. Bandit says how do you like my butt muscles?

maybe if i smell it first it will be okay to walk thru, yup, i can do this except we went thru from the left side and was supposed to from right side.

Had to throw a hula hoop towards a white block like the one in front of B. I was the only one out of 18 to actually get a "ringer".

Bandit is catching on that when i come to him with something in my hand it is not going to taste that great. Tonight he didnt want to open his mouth to take his antibiotics, but eventually got them into him. I am mixing them with diluted applesauce so that it will taste a little better. I am taking him to a versatility trail challenge tomorrow in Limerick. It will be interesting to see what the obstacles will be and how well he will do. Going to have fun no matter what we make it thru.. Hopefully it wont be too hot!

Today began with my back bothering me some more, then on to the barn... gave Bandit his meds and some hay gave Bud hay too.. around 9:30 Bandit was pounding his door so I figured stall rest just wasnt going to work for him. Debbie came over and helped me with the 20 minute cold hosing of his leg, scrubbing and filling water buckets and cleaning stalls... thanks Deb! Then I went to Lebanon and picked up 20 bags of shavings, brought them home and unloaded and stacked them in barn. Rearranged tack room a little, then dropped down 15 bales of hay and stacked them. Then just sat and relaxed for a while. Brought Bandit in around 7:30 and he seemed to be walking just fine, gave him more meds and cleaned his leg with Betadine, he behaved very well. Went to the barn later and put salve/ointment on his cut which is in pic below. Off to work tomorrow. :(

This is what was under the bandaging. He was walking much better today!

He was such a good boy! The vet shaved his leg where it was cut, poked and prodded with a tool to make sure there werent any "pouches" for it to drain into, gave him a shot of bute, took his temp and he never gave her a hard time. Poor Bandit, you can tell he was sore. There is a little swelling and heat in his knee, hopefully with stall rest tomorrow and some bute and antibiotics he will be okay for me to ride on Saturday in the versatility challenge at a walk. Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Poor Bandit has a booboo! I think Bud kicked him and bruised his knee and made a cut on the inside of his leg. Stall rest tomorrow with good drugs.

Bandit making ladies smile while on vacation.

Bandit, spider web on fence line, Fred thinking? My good friend Charlene and me... I miss her, she needs to move back to Maine!!

AAhhh , fall like weather today. Lovin it! another crazy day at work for a MOnday??? glad its my Friday! got a letter from Jung In today. It was so nice to hear from her. She included a small picture of herself, she has changed since we first met her at 15, she looks much more mature now at 18. She is still cute! Miss her and Linda very much! Well, gotta go clean stalls and maybe bring horses in out of the rain. :)

Well, I got to ride Bandit for half an hour yesterday, it was at a nice leisurely pace and had a good time. Worked 4-12 and then back to work this morning at 8 am til 4, what a zoo today, we literally had a parking lot traffic backed up from NH to our toll. It took a co worker 45 minutes just to get from Wells to York.... glad when summer is over!!

Happy grandparents, worried pepe, happy hailey with her squirrel puzzle, she did a good job! No fingers were lost!

Abbey got to make a pen, Grammy Deb worried about Hailey on scrollsaw, Fred is giving her instruction, a determined look on Haileys face.

Bandit putting a smile on Abbeys face, she hasnt been on a horse since she was around 8 yrs old, she is now in college.

I had such a great visit today with Charlene. Went to breakfast, she got to see the horses, hung out and chatted for a while then went to lunch at Applebees with 2 of her friends from the school where she worked when she lived here. Had a great day!!! Stopped by to visit Peter and Debbie after I dropped Charlene at her friends home. P and D came down and helped clean stalls, ok so they did most of it I helped a little and of course Fred was just like a blister, showing up after the work is done! :) Went grocery shopping and forgot my Hershey Syrup, whats a girl to do without her chocolate milk in the morning????

Yahoo! Yahoo! My friend Charlene is here!!! I am so glad, I have missed having tea with my good friend of over 30 years....

Had a good night on my day off, went out with Lori, Fred, Debbie and Peter. Good food, good friends and good weather... loving it!

my friend Lori riding Bandit

Fred and Peter put this in Buds stall for him to rub on, Bud looking like Darth Vader

Lots of planes in the sky today, things Fred wanted but havent moved since he brought them home ???

Took down the round pen today, dont need it anymore, Fred mowing down the weeds,they were quite high

The "boys" were buggers last night. Bandit gave Alyssa a hard time with some tossing of his head and bucking, Bud wanted to go a different direction than what Peter was asking, but the humans succeeded in getting accomplished what they wanted to do... good job! I think the saddle is pinching Bandits shoulders, so that could be an excuse for some of it, other was attitude I think. Oh well, we had a good time and socialized too.

Dollar store clothesline makes for a cheap obstacle challenge

Alyssa riding in shorts and half chaps, hot day

Bandit getting a lesson on how to step across and over and keep the shoulder away from us, thanks to Deb my photographer :)

Am I supposed to pull this or eat it?

Bandit watching Bud go down the driveway

Peter and Bud getting their workout