In No Words Or Less
A life with horses and photographyArchive for January, 2007
some cool
Yesterday it hit over 40C here in Sunny Cape Town – the city center was even hotter, and the rural areas inland were up to 45C. I stayed inside as much as i could, and only went down to the stables at around 6pm. I took Catch for a gentle stroll and some grass, as his hind right shoe had come off. I spoke to J the farrier this morning and he said he is not in the area but will do his best to make an arrangement with another farrier to come sort Catch out. I hope he does so before S rides again. I’m just _waiting_ to be blamed for that. She hasn’t ridden in a week and a half, because it’s been too hot (and i completely understand that, i know she doesn’t do well in the heat – but she could just say something to me and i’d be happy to make a plan to ride Catch for her) and i thought Catchy deserved a little trundle. We didn’t go far – just down to their big front paddock for some grass. It was still hot, but a nice cool breeze was starting to bring the temperature down a little, by the time i left.
I had to go back to L&B’s house to wait for them to get home from JHB. Tequila was very pleased to see them, it was so sweet 
Then i drove home along the coast road. It was lovely – still warm, but that lovely mist coming in off a perfectly still ocean.
Just got news – my online friend S and her long time boyfriend, K, are engaged! Congrats you two!
This morning was nice and overcast – still alittle warm, but so much better than yesterday, and the clouds are blocking that hectically severe sun. I took the pooches for a walk on the Common, in Noordhoek. They had a blast! now i’m home, waiting for some more photo orders to come in, but not too worried if they don’t come in today – i had loads of them this week and i am well pleased with that Even some from old archived shows !
I’m hoping J will ride with me this afternoon – it’s so much cooler, and i’m looking forward to riding Ex. Perhaps we can go out bareback… that would be fun, we haven’t ridden bareback in ages. I was going to get onto Catch, bareback, yesterday, but he’s just so huge i couldn’t swing my leg up high enough – and i was wearing baggy pants which didn’t help the twisting around thing. I’ll have to find somewhere higher if i want to get onto Catch i think. He was very good, just stood there while i flailed around with my foot in the air. But i think it’s better that he isn’t ridden while that shoe is off, not good for his hoof (not my extra weight, that’s for sure – S could probably get away with it, because she’s so tiny)
Sipping tea now, and pondering some more toast with cheese.
What an exciting life i lead!
technorati tags: horses, horse, shoes, farrier, riding, HOT, summer, house sitting, engagement, friends, online, photography
Cappi
Originally uploaded by genewolf.
I was asked to become regular rider (monday and wednesday) again and this morning was the first time this year i’d ridden Cappucino. He was really good and we had a good ride with the gang (Penny included this time – he was well behaved with George! Not like with that poor other lady he took off with on the beach!) on the beach. We saw a pair of seals playing in the waves close to the shore and the others saw dolphins in the deeper water (i just couldn’t see them, and i was concentrating hard on riding Cappi properly) as we trotted passed the Kakapo wreck.
a good start to my week – now let’s just hope Cappi behaves himself next time too!
Maggia
The 19 year old mare, Maggia.
I remembered her from the SAFCOL stables, and it seems she remembered me too, which was cool.
She looks awesome!
To explain
The photos of Brutus and Isabella were taken after bringing the poor things home from the vet. We went for a nice early morning walk and got attacked (TWICE) by the same dog. The owner DID NOTHING. He just stood there. Didn’t even call his dog back. Not a whisper. He also didn’t even help me try and pull the dogs apart. I got bitten for my attempts, and Izzie and Brutes got the nasty wounds seen in the photos.
I was FURIOUS. In an actual _fury_. if that man had said anything to me (as it is, he said “they aren’t usually like that” in the brief respite between attacks, and that’s it) that in ANY way made it out to be MY fault or my dogs’ fault… i would have physically attacked him. Probably bitten his throat out myself. i wasn’t angry with his dogs ( i was more horrified at the total unprovoked hostility) i was angry with him. Angry doesn’t even cover it. I wanted to hurt him. and he just strolled off… and after the second attack (where he once again did nothing) he just strolled back to his car.
Luckily, we (my cousin S, who owns Brutus and Izzie) know who he is and M (S’s husband) was going to “Have A Word” with him when they got back from their trip. At least it happened a day before they got back…
So that was pretty traumatic for the poor dogs (and me too), but being the happy, silly dogs they are, they were still friendly and loving and willing even after all that crap.
I took my pooches to the forest this morning – it was STINKING hot, so i let them romp around in the only bits of water left of the winter river (two tiny pools) for as long as they wanted, then we moved on and tried to stick to the shade.
I did a commission on Thursday morning and the client was very pleased with the results… the words “brilliant, genius, magnificent, unbelievable” and “wow” were thrown my way rather a lot – it was both wonderful and embarassing I’ve posted some photos to flickr (obviously) and i’ll post one or two here, just for reference. It was so good to see Maggia again! She looks in excellent condition! I’m glad I could help.
The show seasons starts again next weekend…. i’m looking forward to it, i’ve had a break now (except for the house sitting, which has made me rather tired) and i’m ready to work!
technorati tags: horses, photography, dogs, attack, wounds, bites, walking, the forest, summertime
Poor angel Brutus
This is the wound on Brutus’s front left leg. It was much nastier than Izzie’s…
Both wounds were really bad.
Poor little Isabella
This is the bite, after being sewed up by the vet. Her left leg.
stop me if you’ve heard this one
ok. a small green and orange parrot, named Billy, just got all Barry White on my hand.
Yes. my hand was just humped by a parrot.
I can’t say i’ve ever had that happen before.
I guess it’s that time of year and i just happened to smell really good to him or something…
you think?
*cough*
i tried to remove my hand but his claws were _firmly_ gripping my hand… and he kept biting the skin around my thumb and holding it, while making these odd “squirking” noises… it was a little freaky… i thought he was unwell at first (i thought i’d poisoned him with the grapes i gave him… i was in a panic for a few moments!) and then i thought he had a toilet problem and was attempting to use my hand to help with that… but um… i soon worked out what was really going on.
i tried not to laugh loudly as he got his swerve on… he’s a sweet boy, he really is. he certainly pays attention to me and calls me “beautiful” all the time and is always happy to see me… 
so. it was a little awkward afterwards… he climbed up into the corner of his cage and fluffed up on the perch and ignored me at first… but we’ve worked it out now and he and i will just stay friends.
it’s not something i shall forget, even though i’m trying to!
back to the house sitting….
Macky
Intense concentration – get the ball. must get the ball.
Well, in this case it’s a purple spikey thing, but you get the idea.
Been house sitting (missing my mutts and cats terribly) and working at the vets in the evenings…
Luckily, the vet thing is over (it was much easier than last year – i worked the evening shift this time and actually coped rather well) so i’m trying to get back into the daily riding routine (and dog walking routine)…
last house sitting is on the 10th of January.
2007.
can you frikkin believe it?
3 years till 2010.
WHERE ARE MY FLYING CARS?!
summer is getting up into 2nd gear – hot hot days and sweaty nights.
i have a tan! and not just a riders tan! actual TAN on my legs (and not from a bottle!) and my stomach and back! I wore a bikini! it’s weather-changing behaviour!
haven’t eaten too much over the “festive season” ( i hate the “festive season” ) so haven’t gained any holiday weight… i think i’ve actually lost some – been swimming in C’s pool. Might as well use it while i have access, right? Nobody around to gawk, so it’s been good.
Poor Gonzo was very scared on new years eve – crackers and fireworks. Poor little man was shaking so hard at one point, i thought he’d have a heart attack (not joking) or something. I gave him some rescue remedy, which helped a little. he managed to sleep a little, around 2am… which meant i managed to get some sleep around 2am…
i’m tired and hot – but happy to get back in the saddle.
Rode catch yesterday evening (around 6pm) and it was SO good to be back.
J has let me down rather badly. Promises and promises and nothing but “unfortunately not today” etc etc.
i’m not even going to factor her into the riding equation anymore – just going to get on with riding the old boys in my own schedule. they don’t deserve to be let down like that. i love those horses and i will get my fat ass in gear all on my own if i have to.
Al is not well – yesterday when i went to ride Catch, Al hadn’t eaten his food and hardly even nibbled his carrots… a sure bad sign.
If i see B at the stables this evening, i am going to ask about getting the horse dentist in – i think it’s Al’s time to be sorted out. he looked like he was struggling to chew. he’s also depressed because he has hardly been ridden at all. j’s broken promises. i’m tired of trying to explain to Al. and i’m not even going to bother making excuses for J if B asks about where she has been. i’m tired of taking it all on my shoulders. i asked for a little help over this holiday time and got nothing but excuses. so i’m washing my hands of it.
if B tells her to not bother coming back, that’s her problem, not mine.
i’ll make a plan. i always do.
anyway
back to the heat and all that.
