June Update

It's been a long time since we had a fountain pic, so here's a current shot

We had an opportunity to buy some grass hay at a phenomenal price. I usually pay $20 for a 100 lb bale of timothy, which is a good deal in my area for that type of hay. (but insanely expensive for many other areas of the country, but then again - that's SoCal for ya!) But we had the chance to get some orchard hay for $6/bale, I just had to pick it up myself. We picked up about 30 bales from the grower... it was a first to look out at the very fields where the hay was grown!

Hay fields in Ojai

However, both horses colicked within a week of being on the new hay. Faith colicked for the first time ever - on the same day that Hope had passed from colic last year. To say I was a wreck would be an understatement. Both Jordan and Faith had mild colics which resolved relatively easily with some pain treatment and hand walking, thank God. Since I had the hay tested before buying it, I knew exactly how much sugar, starch, protein, etc. was in it - so I knew it wasn't too rich for them... which was a huge relief, although a mystery to a certain degree. In the end we think it was due to the softer leafiness of the orchard hay vs. the more stemmy structure of the timothy. It's possible that Jordan choked again, so we are making extra certain that his supplements are in the form of slop! And I bought "Freedom Feeders" and "Nibble Nets' which are both slow feeding systems for the hay, so they slow down to eat and their food lasts them longer. It more closely mimics a horses natural grazing/foraging pattern of eating small amounts throughout the day, rather than "meal feeding" like most domestic horses experience. They have both been doing really well since then, so I'm knocking on wood and being grateful for their health.

Faith demonstrating eating from a Nibble Net

My own health took a hit the last week or so when I severely strained muscles and ligaments in my lower back. Just too many days of trimming in a row, trimming too many horses at a time. Then I did a trail ride and a belly dance class, and by the next day I literally couldn't stand upright. I was so pathetic and miserable because it was supposed to be my light week... I had a dressage lesson booked, plans to work out, relax and just enjoy the down time. Instead I was unable to do much more than lay around in various states of discomfort. I can't tell you how bitter I was, and Mario will surely tell you that I am an awful patient! I went for a massage, had 2 chiro apts, used ice, heat, arnica, Advil and wine. A client of mine therascoped my back, which is a microcurrent therapy. I also did stretches on my inflatable ball and wore my brace... But nothing has been the magic ticket, and it's obvious to me that I need to be more careful in every way while working. I need to stretch more, and build and use my core, and not do too many horses in a row like that. I just have to learn to say "no". In the meantime Mario has been filling in the gaps and taking up my slack. I don't know what I would have done if he wasn't trimming?? It was soooo boring standing there holding horses while he trimmed, though. Yawn!! I can't be standing around doing that, no way!




And on that note, in the interest of working softer and not harder... we are working on a deal to get more into selling the horse supplement California Trace. I already sell it to some clients, but we are working to get into selling in a much greater quantity. In order to do that, we need to get a loan. So that's been a sticking point that we are trying to sort through. I am sure it will get worked out, and I will be able to make more money selling that and can trim less and therefore save my body over time... and maybe have more time?? That would be nice!

Mario and Randall celebrating the

Lakers winning the 2010 Championship!