All about my horses!

Miscellaneous

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Who Rang my Doorbell at 10:30 PM?

Who could possibly ring my doorbell at 10:30 PM?  I had to put on an item of clothing so I could be decent when answering the door.

Were my horses loose?  Did they get out of their pasture.?

I tuned on lights, turned off the alarm and opened the front door.  There was a county patrolman standing at my front door.  I exclaimed.  I immediately assumed I had hit the fall button or emergency button on my new Apple Watch.  I tried apologizing for my error.

The patrolman asked me if I was Hope Robinson.  No, she’s a friend of mine. Oh, I thought.  My watch contacted my close friends.  Hope must be an emergency contact.  Again, the patrolman asked if I was Hope.  No, Hope is a friend.

For two days my small county in the world has been knocked off the Internet.  AT&T  is a huge cell phone and WiFi provider.

Hope had tried to message me about our plans the next day. I never answered.  She called and immediately got my voicemail.  The phone did not ring.

it’s the damn Internet the handsome young patrolman and I decided.  I told him the Hope Robinson lives in Grandview.

We both cursed the Internet.  I ran out out of Kindle books to read last night.  Thankfully it was time to sleep.  Cell service  is functioning this morning.  The grocery store in town was selling groceries with check or money order.  My tire shop had a tough time getting a replacement for my flat tire wheel.  Our Internet was out part of a day and nearly all day yesterday.  It was hell!

The Fart

We had a three person/horse group lesson today.  One of the groupies sold her main horse and brought Mabel.  Mabel is a “been there done that” boss mare.  During our ride, Fancy pinned her ears at Mabel, trying to tell her, she was dominate.  Mabel probably made a mental note at this disrespect.  We were at a point where Fancy was standing still, resting and Mabel passed us.  Out of the blue sky, we heard a very loud, bossy FART!  There is no smell with horses.  Mabel was going at a fast speed in a great traditional fox trotter gait.  Mabel has been a show horse in her past life too.

I was shocked at the volume of noise of the FART.  I immediately voted a complaint to the leader of the group lesson.  I shouted my complaint, “Mabel FARTED at us!”  My complaint was dismissed with a laugh.  Sheesh!  I thought Mabel should have been put in a time out punishment.  During another part of the lesson, again, when Fancy was resting, Mabel farted again.  THE NERVE!

I’m starting to ride Fancy bridleless now.  We are prepping for our Lever 4 Parelli Freestyle Audition.  My assignment during the later part of the lesson was to ride big figure eight circles.  The other horses were following the rail.  My figure eight meant there was time when Fancy and I were going to the opposite direction of the two other horses.  There were screams during this failed attempt on my part.  Fancy did not respond to my signal to move to the inside of the arena when meeting the other horses.  Oh NO…we went straight at the lead horse, which happened to be Mabel.  Thank God Mabel and Fancy have a “stop”.  I was able to stop Fancy using the string around her neck.  The rider was able to stop Mabel and gawd know what was averted.  This happened twice, both times the stops saved the day.

At the very end of the lesson, Fancy and I owned the outside of the arena.  The other horses were resting out of our way inside the arena.  Fancy and I made our bridleless third flying lead change from the left to the right.  We have yet to make a right to left bridleless lead change.

Give Me A Car that Starts!

I’ve not had a good time with vehicles lately.  This time it’s the 2015 Town and Country Mini Van.  It was the last year Chrysler made the minivan.  Cry. I love(d)my minivan.

A life time warranty is a lie.  100,000 miles is the end of a lifetime warranty.  Minivan made it to 103,000 miles before putting me in hell.   It’s 90 something degrees is the Midwest. I have a wheelchair spouse in the car,  sometimes, I have the spouse and a German Shepard in the car.

When starting the car, it clicked, clicked and wouldn’t start.  This is similar to the noise a dying battery makes.  About 3 months ago, it gave me the low battery remark.  I immediately went to the local NAPA car parts store. My battery was checked and proclaimed fully charged and wonderful.  Ok!

Months later I got a click when trying to start the car.

This happen a couple more times.  It clicked, I tried again and again and, it started.The second or third time this happened, I took apart the key fob to find the key.  I removed the “Press this button while your foot is on the brake” button.  I put the key into the place where you start the car.  That didn’t work. It doesn’t have a key slot. The fob is the key.  The key is to unlock the door.  I used the other remote and the car started.  Spouse and I went to eat with Emma, the German Shepard.  It was much too hot to turn off car with a dog inside.  Car was left running. We came home and I pushed the fob spot with my finger not with the button, I couldn’t fit it back in its place to turn off the engine.  Nope.  The engine did not turn off.  I could not turn off the car! My pushing the thing didn’t turn off the engine.  Scream!

I immediately drove to the Chrysler dealer.  The service guy turned off the car using the key fob.   I was still stuck in the 19th century car world to use a key, a real key. The service department decided it must be the electronic ignition problem.  I spent the day lounging at the dealer while the mini van got a $800 new electronic ignition. My remote start did not remote start. Now I put the key fob into the ignition and turn it…sort of like the cars of old, but with a key fob. I told my service guy I wanted to buy a new car.  While my car was “getting fixed, I was set up with my new boyfriend, the most experienced car salesman.  Me and my new boyfriend decided I needed a Pacifica.  Sadly, in this pandemic. There are NO NEW CARS anywhere.  This dealership has many dealership “cousins” in the area.  There are no new cars.  I had to order one.  I bet young people reading this have never “ordered” a new car. I ordered a new car back in 1967ish as a college graduation gift!  I got a 1968 Ford XL Convertible. (That car lasted through three husbands!)  I will get the get the new car in October/November.  It is currently mid August.

The service technician had me come to my car while he showed me how to start the car.  I had no idea of starting the car with the key fob!  I vaguely remember a rental car in California being a mystery, but that was 11 more or less years ago.

Oh! The key fob had to be inserted into the place where us old timers would put a key!  When he tried start the car, it clicked again, but started the 2nd time he tried.  He took the car back into the fix it service department to check the  alternator.  He decided the car hadn’t been used enough, sitting around and battery was getting low. Internally I scoffed.  I drive 6 miles/day.  Maybe that is not enough to keep the battery charged.  Home I went and it started about 3 more days until the click happened again.  Scream!  This car is dangerous to old people..dangerous in 90 degree weather with a wheelchair dependent spouse and maybe a dog too.  SCREAM!

Off I went to car dealer. I told the service person the clicking happened again and a couple of other things.  Now it was afternoon and I was the fourth car in line. The service person told me chances of getting it looked at today was grim.  They had no rental cars available.  I made an appt for early the next day, for which there were no rental cars.  No rental cars on that day, or the next day.

Note:  2021 pandemic Covid.  Rental car people will not come and get you.  Dealer will not take you to rental car. There is no way to get a rental car!  I made an appt for 7:00 am the next day.  I usually get out of bed at 11:00 am.this is going to be difficult.  Bestie friend Hope was alerted to possibility of picking me up at dealer for our lunch and taking me home.  I owe Hope a lot!

I got up at 6:00 f…. early the next morning, went to the town “everyone knows your name” restaurant and ordered Terry a blueberry pancake. He was to eat that for his 9:00 am breakfast.  I figured out to leave the key fob in the ignition and it started.  Yep, solved the problem.

The service dept people might have got to work at 7:00, but service dept. did not open till 7:30 am.Scream!  However  I was first in line.  I was curled up in dealership lounge trying to sleep when my phone rang.  I tried to answer, but the person hung up.  It said this was the dealership calling me!  Again it called and hung up. What!  A young woman came into my area and asked me if I was Susan Engle.  Yes!  Turns out this is the rental car person!  They have a rental car!  Oh boy!  I made it home before Terry got up!  We went out to eat our breakfast lunch.  We came home and I was taking a nap when I was called by the dealership. Good news and bad news.  What is good news?  They found rusty wires that could cause the problem.  Bad news is “engine clicking”, which I had ignored, was a $1500 fix.  What to do, I was asked.  My car could last until I got my new car several long months from now, or it could explode.  I exclaimed, “Are there any used cars I could buy?  Service guy said he would contact my new sales boyfriend guy.

Hours later my new boyfriend called me.  “No problem  I have a used Dodge Journey that is big enough for the wheelchair that you can buy.  When your new car comes, you can trade me for the new car.”

I know buying two cars will give tremendous profit for the dealership and sales guy.  I know this.  However, I have a wheelchair spouse.  It’s 90 plus degrees out there.  Spending at least $1500 to possibly fix car that may or may not strand me again in 90 something horrid heat means Terry and I might die or be stranded at home forever.  I am “old” and Terry is 81 years old, tough guy, but numbers should be considered. Why would I want to pay money to fix a 103,000 mileage car, when I’m buying a new car.

I now own a 2019 Dodge Journey with “low mileage”.  I think it is a 2019.  Low mileage.  It has 60,000 miles on it.  That is low mileage?!  It has racing stripes!

By the way, I had a lifetime warranty on my 2015 minivan.  Lifetime warranties expire at 100,ooo miles.

My intention was to pay off the mini van and buy a newer used truck and again be in debt forever. Sadly, my 2001 truck will have to last 7-8 more years or until I give up my blessed horse life.

The “Cowboy Couple”

We eat our evening meal at the Wine Stop.  It has a sticky entry door and with incessant rain, the wood door has sweat and is hard to push open.

The staff open the door for me to make it easier to get Terry and the wheel chair in.  We walked by a couple sitting near the door.  The man was wearing a cowboy hat.  That is unusual in Missouri.  Some time went by and the cowboy walked past me and back to his table.  He was wearing cowboy boots.  When he got back to his chair, I discerned his boots were wearing spurs.  What!  Did he just come from riding a horse?  Wow. I also think he was wearing a buckle.  A buckle usually means he won it in a horse sport.  Oh my!

The time of the day came when the customers started coming in.  Cowboy saw the door was difficult to open and he came to the rescue.  Every time a customer came to the door, he opened the stubborn door.  Wow, I thought. This is how a real cowboy acts.

Next the cowgirl made the same trip past me and returned.  Oh my!  She was wearing boots to and I thought I saw a flash of a buckle.

Boy Howdy, I’ve got a horse couple.  I thought about going over and telling them about my horse life, but I decided not to be ridiculous.

Customers continued to come in and cowboy continued to open the door.

Terry and I were ready to leave and I decided to go to the cowboy table and tell the cowboy he was honoring the cowboy tradition.

So I did.  Then I asked if both of them were wearing a buckle.  Yes, they said.  However, they both showed me just a plain flashy belt buckle, not a “silver prize buckle”.  I asked if they had just come from a horse sport.

Oh, the woman said,  “We just went and petted a horse and it was smelly.’

WHAT!  These are not horse people!  Smelly!  Manure is not smelly.  Good Lord!  I have been fooled by complete non horse people!

SCREAM!

Day 5 San Francisco

Nathan Performing!

That afternoon, Jamie, Esther the Opera Dog and I went to Cow Hollow District to eat lunch and light shopping.

Esther scored French Fries. She isn’t into veggies!
Esther’s home on wheels!

Level 4 Audition Finesse Prep 2

iPhone Finesse is lacking. How can I remember the costume changes, mandatory tasks and how to film with my iPhone! I ask you!

Today I remembered to bring my cell phone into the arena. I put all my costumes in place in the front end of arena and Swan Lake blue tarp at far end of arena.

I mounted Fancy wearing my witch hat, warmed up and practiced leg yields. I was able to place my phone at far end of the arena and start the recording. I hurried back to the front end of the arena and started the witch’s role.

Witch maneuvers done. Went for tutu and swan hat. Where to put my witch’s hat.? Got it. Oh, remember, I have to put on the tutu over my head before putting on the swan hat. Did some stuff and then remembered Swan Lake waiting for me at far end. Got the blue tarp and drug it. We did some awesome things with the tarp. We drug it, we changed directions and ended up standing on it! Wow! Perfect! Back to front end to turn into the Cowboy prince. Oh, I have to put the tutu on the hanger. The tutu didn’t want to be on the hanger and decided to fall into the dirt. Scream. “Fancy, don’t step on the tutu.” “But Mom, you want me to get close enough to the cowboy hat. The tutu is very close to my front feet. Oh very well! I won’t step on it this time”

I put on the Prince Cowboy hat and set out to canter one half of the arena, do two flying lead changes, one each direction and two drop to trot lead changes. YAY! Done!

Back to costume area. I got my hand on the Princess crown and the crown part fell off. I’m left with a narrow silver head band. Oh well, this is a audition practice.

The cowboy hat kissed the crown…meaning the Prince kissed the Swan Princess which changed her back into a a beautiful young future Princess. Since and Princess were “in love”! The dress rehearsal ended.

Note to self: Get a chair where the costumes are. Throw the witch hat, swan hat and tutu into a chair. Much faster plus the tutu won’t fall into the dirt. ugh…Poor tutu suffered tonight.

I decided to do it again without the costumes. I did manage to get the phone video stopped and started it again to film the practice session. Fancy did outstanding and she was done! We rode over to pick up the phone, stopped the recording and I put it in my pocket.

I decided on a third practice and set the iPhone clock to time for 10 minutes. With no costume changes, our practice session was only 5 minutes. With the costume changes, it will take longer.

I lavished much praise on Fancy and took off the saddle and pad. I let her graze on the green clover and grass outside the stable while I took care of the maintenance including picking up the manure from the arena and Fancy’s stall…and dumping it. I checked her constantly to see that she was safe and grazing.

I took the chair outdoors and sat down to keep Fancy company and keep her safe. I looked at my phone to check the dress rehearsal and the “undress” rehearsal.

What! Two black screens. What the heck is that? Oh, I forgot to tell the iPhone to reverse the picture taking. I filmed the wall. Twice.

Scream!

Later in the evening, I checked the black film time. My audition time is limited to 10 minutes. The wall film was 9 minutes, 59 seconds. It could only have been more perfect, if the camera could have filmed us in the arena instead of the wall!.

Tomorrow in another dress rehersal!

Lipstick in My Underwear

The Rosy Cheek Road to Ava

This is the first year for the #1 World Grand Champion Boyfriend, the next essential is make-up. I haven’t been anywhere dressy since “you know what” started. I grabbed the make-up essentials out of the drawer and nestled them snugly into the essential underwear, and went in search of my summer, fall, and winter clothing. I held my hands up to reach for a shirt and noticed that I was bleeding. It looked like Jack the Ripper had sawed my hands with a dull blade. What! Oh, it’s not blood. What? It’s creamy. I washed my hands three times to get the fake blood from my hands, under my fingernails and embedded into the wrinkles that I don’t have. I must have touched something wrong in the drawer, but I’ll check that out when I get back from Ava.

The essentials looked good, and I overstuff four weeks of clothing into the suitcase and slammed it shut.

It’s time to head to Ava, never figuring out that the lid on the lipstick had come off in the midst of my underwear.  

I can drive from my home to Ave, Missouri, with my eyes closed. I can drive to Ava and let my “go home” instincts take over. I’ve been to the Missouri Fox Trotter headquarters every year since 2007 and two years in 1997 & 1998. I have four hours to get 200 miles in time for the free member dinner. Us seniors need free food, along with all my friends and #1 Boyfriends accumulated over the many years.

A hitch into dementia occurred. In Springfield, I was supposed to get on I-44 east, head south on 65, and east on 60. Nope, not me. I was thinking of horse things and forgot about highway 65 south. I sailed on on I-44, going northeast. After 30-40 minutes, I became puzzled at not recognizing my landmarks. Where am I? I called on Siri, and Map Locator took over. Siri screamed at me, “Up there, dementia brain, turn on that narrow, curvy paved road and head east to 5 highway.”

I was pleased with the 5 highway directions. It is the road that leads straight south to Fox Trotter Heaven every Labor Day. Good Golly, there are a million curves, and I don’t recognize any landmarks. It’s beautiful out here in dementia country. Where am I? If I thought I might get to Ava before the show starts tomorrow, I would be thrilled. It’s a little tough to take these corners at 70mph. Thankfully, I met the policeman in Hartville while obeying the 35mph limit. Whew!

Siri sez only 45 more miles to go. Oh lordy, forty-five minutes is another hour. I keep slogging through the curves, and near the time that all the other people will be eating most of the food, Siri says Mansfield is only ten more curvy miles. I finally know where I am. I have driven many, many miles too far east. I break the speed limit from Mansfield and most other straight portions of the curvy road and triumphantly roar into the Fox Trotter Grounds while some people are still eating and listening to a band. Whew. I get my food and find my tribe. I load the crucial things first into the small suitcase. I never want to be without the essentials, even though there is a Walmart in Ava.

If you are in Ava this week, you can use my new code name, ‘Rosy Cheeks.’ If you are not in Ava, there is no code name, and you never read this story!


Human Body Fail Fall

It was about five weeks ago that the hay bale twine tripped me and made me fall hard on my left hip. All the muscles in my upper front, inner and outer and thigh were ripped. Riding was initially painful and slowly got better. I limped, putting weight on my right leg. Different thigh muscles made themselves known during this time. They all had a voice, a painful left leg voice at different times.

A few days ago a pain spot started up on my knee…on the other side of my body than the hip. I started limping on the other leg, wondering, “What the heck is going on?” The next morning I attempted to bend my legs and the pain around my knee made me yell quietly. The pain to get up was intense. What is happening? I made a valiant attempt to get to my feet and the pain was eight on the ten scale. Something ripped inside my right knee. I screamed Holy Hell, but got up and tottered in place for a few moments. I wondered if I could walk. The pain quieted to around four and I made it to the bathroom. The desire to water the toilet was intense. I sat down with support while pain went up to five. Oh Lordy. I’m certain my knee bones have dissolved. I was able to get up and learned how to straighten the knee pain leg. That helped. I got two canes that Terry had not used in years. I was able to get around.

I stayed in my chair for the remainder of the day and tottered around when necessary. The next morning, I got up again to eight on the pain scale. I screamed again. My knee has dissolved. I managed to totter around and pack my emergency room bag. I stopped by Patterson Stable and put Fancy’s fly mask on. I chatted with Erin and asked if she would ride Fancy and that I was in the way to the emergency room. I was walking good at the time with hardly any limping. However, I knew my knee was dissolved.

I walked into the emergency room door, had my temperature checked and told the check-in person, my knee was destroyed. I had to use the restroom and walked to it. There was no eye roll. None.

I was escorted to my own private emergency room and told the nurse about my knee being destroyed and the recent fall on my hip. I chatted with the doctor, Xrays were ordered for my knee and hip. The X-ray technician told me that my bones looked good. Whew.

The handsome young doctor came in and told me all my bones were fine. I was so fine, I didn’t even need a knee brace. I almost skipped out to the car with my diagnosis….contusion.

Fancy has her chiropractor vet appointment tomorrow. Plan B will start on Monday. Plan B is me and Fancy’s conditions for flying lead changes.

I’m living the dream

Rescue Volunteer

I was a rescue volunteer for wrecked truck towing a trailer with one horse inside.  

Car driver put on turn signal about a minute before he braked and slowed down.  Truck and trailer behind could not stop.  I probably drove by about 5 minutes after the wreck.  I beat the emergency responders.  Glass and broken stuff all over the road.

I was on my way to ride Fancy.  Instead I stopped and asked if a trailer was needed for his horse.  He hesitated, looked at me in my bright yellow Parelli sweatshirt with a huge horse and said yes, he needed to get horse out of the trailer while all the stuff would be happening.  I said I live close and it will take 10 minutes to return with truck and trailer.  

Horse was uninjured.  He unloaded and loaded into my trailer easily.  Whew!  

Cowboy was a rodeo guy, probably a roper, and horse trainer with his son…about ten years old on their way from St Louis headed to central Kansas to let the horse spend the winter on a ranch to learn how to be a horse.  

Truck was probably totaled. He slowed down enough that air bag did not inflate.  Corner of his bumper struck the car. Truck and trailer slid into guard rails and bounced back to the other side of two lane highway on a bridge!  Truck probably totaled.

Horse was calm and easily loaded into a strange trailer.  Me and the Cowboy took horse home and put him in a stall.  A local roping 70-80 year old friend came about 25 miles to get trailer and horse.

I didn’t ride Fancy today.

A million police, highway patrol, ambulance and fire truck were on the scene about 5 miles from the house.

The son pointed out to me that the air bag didn’t inflate while we were waiting for the friend to show up.  He told me how scared he was after the accident when all the emergency response people showed up. Then he said he had an assignment in school to tell something that happened in his life.   Now he had a story to tell. His favorite thing to do with horses is with the bulls.  I’ll never forget that young man.  He was able to talk with strangers.  His father kept hugging him when they were standing on the road. Lord…

Yes, I had wine with my supper!

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