OK You Junkies!

Here is your delayed Monday Keeley fix, as promised.


Hell To Heaven


Provided tomorrow is quieter than today, you'll also get your hoof fix post on here as well. I've missed you guys, and am hoping that things can, will, and DO quiet down long enough for me to get back to the business of talking hooves with all y'all. Thrush on deck and coming up.

~MM

I Ate Too Much...

But it was SO worth it!

I've had a few emails requesting posts, and will get working on them again this weekend. Look for one tomorrow on thrush!

In the meantime, to keep you occupied as you digest the leftovers from feasting yesterday (for my fellow Americans that is,) here is the latest in the Keeley and Legacy story......And of course, Bad Ass. That cat is something else isn't he?

Thanksgiving

Hard as it is to comprehend, here we are, closing fast on the end of yet another year. It's shocking just how fast time does pass. I could swear, it was only two or three days ago and we were immersed in the lake splashing and swimming away.

There are so many things in life we give thanks for at The Asylum. Hearth, home and family are at the top of the list, of course. That list is long, and seems to grow tenfold every year. This year in particular we've a lot to give thanks for.

We'll be feasting on a bird and all the fixings- well, check that. Almost all the fixings. I forgot cranberry sauce. Can you believe I forgot CRANBERRY sauce? We'll for sure be going with out it, unless I wake up at 0' dark-thirty again tomorrow and make a mad dash to acquire a can of cranberry goodness. Always a possibility, but I'm not so sure I'd give it a high probability.

Some of the things that I'm thankful for this year?

- Health. It was a rough year, but we're all coming out on top.
- Horses. Yeah, kind of a no brainer there, but horses are always high on my list.
- A TRIP! October ROCKED with the Most Amazing Trip.
- Friends. True friends. The ones you pick for your extended family. The ones who in fact, are usually more like family than family is.
- You guys. Crazy fellow equi-bloggers, who are for the most part the salt of the Earth. (There's always an exception. It's just like Crazy Uncle Filbert that lives in Poor Auntie Flo's basement. Everyone has a Crazy Uncle Filbert somewhere in there, and so does the equi-blogosphere.)

There's more, but... well, I know you all have your lists as well. Eat, drink and be merry tomorrow and all the days!
Happy Hoofin-
Mrs Mom

And for you Keeley addicts...... click here! Will this be the day Legacy returns?

For You Keeley Addicts...

Another installment is up. And I promise-- I *will* have a post for HorseFeathers in the near future too.


Meantime.. here is your teaser for Keeley....

"Keeley stretched out on her couch, shucking her boots and tossing them aside. It had been a hard day indeed, as her father went from one rant to another, often times forgetting who she was and what the events of the day were. She tipped her head back for a moment, resting. The days when he was volatile and combative drained her physically, but they took a toll mentally and emotionally more so. She hated the thought of having to change the dosage in medication again, but it might be a road they would need to take in the near future......"

Want to read more? Click anywhere here!

Second Keeley Installment Is Up

For those interested, the second post in the Keeley story is up. Teaser below....

"Keeley stopped short. A horse? It had been at least five years since any horses were on the farm. How could she possibly be hearing a horse now? Keeley took a careful look around, hoping to spot a loose horse from a neighboring farm. All she saw were the birds, busy nest building and bug catching, and old Bad Ass sprawled in the sun for his morning siesta.

"I've got to be going as batty as Dad is," she muttered under her breath. ....."


Want to see more? Head here.


I am working on a post for here as well. However, it is taking a bit longer than I thought. Be patient, it'll be ready soon.

Change of Pace

I'm shifting my focus for a bit. Things here at Oh HorseFeathers! are going to be quiet. But, so that you don't get lonely.... Here's a teaser of what I am working on....



The ground shook from the thunder of drumming hooves.

Wind whipped his long, thick mane back into Keeley's face, getting into her eyes. Her own long tangled hair streamed behind her, the wind from the speed of their passage creating more snarls in her curls. Keeley threw herself into the moment completely- sitting up tall, throwing her arms wide, embracing the wild feel of the horse under her.

Bareback, with her jean clad legs wrapped around her mounts barrel, Keeley could feel every stride, every breath and the sheer power contained in the massive horse. She knew with out a doubt he would not falter, nor would he tire. The big gray covered ground effortlessly, carrying them with a sureness that few can master.

Want to read the rest of it? Click here.......

Veteran's Day, 2010

The time to say Thanks to those who KEEP us free is upon us once again. Veteran's Day. Remembrance Day in Canada.

It really hit me hard a couple weekends ago, as I listened to a veteran speaking, and watched him move. These men and women give up so much more than their time and their lives outside of the service. And they do this for people they have never met, and probably never will meet. They carry scars inside and out for the rest of their lives- the depth of which many of us will never, ever know.

Then I worked on some massage on his back and shoulders. His beat to hell and back body told a story louder than any words ever possibly could. The scars under my fingertips each had their own story, told in more graphic detail than the words coming from this man's mouth as he explained calmly- that one is a knife wound, that a bit of shrapnel, that from when his chute malfunctioned and wrapped around his arm, tearing apart his bicep and messing up his shoulder in the process. We didn't even get to his lower back, which had been severely damaged and left him wheel chair bound for a time.

I watched his face. And the face of the man seated across the table from him, as they each relived memories from their time serving together.


At the range, I've watched a veteran move also. Tall, lean and quiet, he moves with care, favoring his back. Lines of pain have been etched around his eyes, aging him before his time. There is another veteran there as well, quiet, slow to smile, and with an air about him that is pretty much unmistakable. Both of those men probably know about 83 ways to kill a person with a q-tip and a toothpick.

I marvel at their dedication to America.

My family and I extend a heart felt thank you. It seems simple- too simple-- and like it is not enough by far. But Thank You is all I have at the moment-- a Thank You and an ability to encourage others to be aware and say Thank You as well.

Our thanks goes out to all who have served, and who do serve.
To Lance Frazee, Retired USARMY- the man mentioned in the beginning of this post.
To K. Harrell, Retired US ARMY- the man who sat across the table and shared stories of his own.
To K. Jenkins, active US ARMY
M and J Wright- active US ARMY
J. Scull- Retired US ARMY
M. Rudolph- Retired US ARMY
E. Ailes- US ARMY
"Gizmo" - US ARMY
T. "Grunt" Huett- Retired US ARMY
H.L. Harrell- Retired US ARMY and US AIR FORCE RESERVE
R.W. Moore- Retired US AIR FORCE RESERVE
and the countless others we've met.

To fellow bloggers, COFFY POT, Retired US NAVY
WHEELS, at Momma Fargo's Blog, Retired US MARINE
FINSKI, Active US AIR FORCE
REDDUNAPPY'S Children- active duty
And to C-INGSPOTS family, deployed and active as well.
To Wade's brother, active duty, US ARMY.


To the older gent I see a few times a month in WalMart, who proudly wears his Retired US NAVY hat. I thank you sir, for your service.

To the vet's we saw on the plane, and in the airport- we thank you.

Which reminds me-
In the Atlanta airport we were treated to two demonstrations that gave me goose bumps and had me fighting tears at the same time. The Welcome Home Project was in full swing.

I don't have the words to describe the feeling. Watching a volunteer march proudly ahead of returning troops, carrying an American Flag, with a snap to his step and strength to his spine. Hearing the crowds break into whistles, cheers, clapping and shouts of encouragement. Seeing the effect of the welcome on the troops faces- tired and worn with tales of their own that we don't know- the cheering and welcomes brought smiles and eased brows.

If you ever get the chance, this is something you need to see or participate in. It will rock your world.


Yes, these are "just" men and women, people who have diverse interests, families, hobbies and probably loads of other things they would rather be doing. These "just" men and women stepped up and beyond, and keep us safe. They allow us the freedoms we revel in.

They stand tall and proud,
Proclaiming strongly, loudly-
Not
On
My
Watch

Thank you all.

Light At The End Of The Tunnel? Maybe? Please?

Since we arrived home from our visit to Heaven (ie: Allenspark Lodge), Life has jumped up and just bit the hell out of us.

Not even in the predicable, "normal" (whatever the hell normal is,) place either.

We came home to countless errands needing to be run, a family member laid out with extreme back pain (we're talking E-X-T-R-E-M-E back pain- worse than mine was this past August,) and company coming. Within five days of getting home, the kids and I were struggling to get back into a routine of walking and regular work, but... it was not meant to be. Day Five brought about two irritable children, who were well on their way to getting sick. (AKA: Sickern Hell. Seriously.) Endless hours of tending their needs, worry, laundry and trying to get them to eat ANYTHING ended up with me also Sickern Hell.

Well, of COURSE.

To say that this has been an educational time is an understatement. We stressed the dickens out of Jo the Wonder Nanny Dog/ Jo the Wonder Nurse Dog. Poor old girl had her paws slam full taking care of both her boys, and now me at the same time. When the Locust Brothers were so sick, Jo would go from one to the other, checking on them, placing her nose on their heads in what I swear looked like a fever check, and coming to me if one coughed too hard for her liking. About the third night the Sickern Hell Creeping Crud settled in on me, I wound up propping myself up on the couch all night. Jo would come running from the bedroom every time I went into a coughing fit. Then the kids would cough a bit, and she would run back there to check her boys again.

Even DAT got in on the action. When my cough got severe, she would come running and put her tiny furry paws on me, pushing her worried looking face near my hand. She'd purr the whole time, paws patting my hands or whatever part of me she could reach. Every time I'd make a trip to the potty, DAT was there. Jo stayed with the kids to make sure they were OK, and DAT went with me everywhere. She did not let me out of her sight until yesterday, when apparently she decided we were all healthy enough for her to spend some time outside being a kitty.

I think that we are nearing the end of this Creeping Crud. At least the Locust Brothers are. For me, well, I've learned that yes, high fevers still have the ability to reduce me to a shivering, shaking mess, endless bouts of coughing can reduce my abs to painful masses of knotted and spasming mush, and the quantity of "sludge" that my head can create is... endless. I think filling a five gallon bucket with sludge would not have been a shock, or out of the question. There was a point two nights ago that the coughing was so hard I thought I broke a rib. (Thankfully, I didn't.) But I still have to wonder about the state of my throat- I've no voice to speak of (which my husband and sons love,) so I suppose we will have to wait and see what, if any, damage has been done should the voice decide to return. (Thank you to everyone who has called to check on me-- I'm sorry you didn't get me, but no one has unless they come face to face. And no one but my Dear Husband and crazy children have been brave enough to try that! Smart move really...)

In the meantime, I've been scarce online. And probably will be as we recover from the last lingering effects of this insanity. I have a feeling that catching up with everyone is going to be interesting and time consuming, but it is always worth it in the long run.

Go kiss some horses for me, and breathe deep of their scent and warmth. (That is of course, as long as YOU can breathe deep and NOT go into a coughing fit.) And if any of you wind up with this hellacious Creeping Crud, well..... you have my complete sympathy. Drink loads of fluids, have about eight boxes of Puffs Plus on hand, hit the NyQuil or Delsyum, and hang on. It's going to be one hell of a rough ride.

Signing out for now, headed to my blanket on the couch-
~MM

Ground Eye View of Movement

Courtesy of a fellow equi-blogger, I woke up with my coffee this morning watching horses move.

This is an excellent video, that provides an amazing look into the realm of equine movement from the ground up. Be ready to sit in awe.

Since the technical challenge of posting the video directly here is beyond me, follow the link and see it at the same site I viewed it.


The only thing I wonder about-- I'd like to see a barefoot video like this, and compare the two side by side. Makes one wonder a bit just how many differences we would be able to spot......

Trimming Your Own Horses

Not long ago, KatyM asked for advice on learning to trim your own horses. Which honestly, is not a bad idea. In some areas in fact, it is just about a mandatory idea. Finding someone to do the job, and do the job CORRECTLY can be incredibly difficult.

If you are considering learning this for your horses, here are some pointers to keep in mind.

1) Study Anatomy. Understand WHERE things are, WHY they are there, and WHAT those parts do. You don't have to know the minute detail that PhD's should, but you DO need to know the placement of the bones inside the hoof capsule.


2) Spend time every few days surfing the interwebz, and look at hoof photos. The more photos you can view of bare hooves, from all angles, the better off your understanding will be.


3) Spend MORE time watching your horse(s) move and study their feet. Start looking for what is normal wear patterns for each hoof.


4) Invest in QUALITY TOOLS. A SavEdge Rasp, The Knife (by Anvil Brand), and a good hoof pick with a brush on it will do wonders and last the average horse owner a substantial amount of time. (If you want nippers, invest in GE Nippers.)


5) Work in small increments. You can not glue sole, frog or hoof wall back in place. Take small amounts, and you will avoid injury.


6) Give your horse AND yourself breaks. This is an unfamiliar act for you. Trimming is hard work- even on a well behaved horse. Work in small bits, and stand up and walk around a bit. Stretch your muscles out. Do not expect to get the job done in one day when you are first starting out.


7) Attend clinics. Many hoof care providers are now hosting clinics, or are available to do so. There are schools that will give a three day clinic that will teach you to trim your own horses feet.


8) The Interwebz are both friend and foe. Reading the endless amount of material online (like this blog,) is a start. BUT-- Use Caution. Find out for yourself what will work for YOUR horse, and YOUR unique situation. Remember- every foot under every horse is different.


9) Trimming is not Rocket Science. If your horse has pathologies, get professional help in the beginning. If you have a sound horse with good solid feet, study, observe, listen, ask questions and give it a try.


10) Be conservative in what you do. Take your time. Do not rush.

Learning to trim is a good idea. It will teach you and your horse a tremendous amount. You will become a better horse person for it. The knowledge to be gained quite literally from the ground up is endless, and will give you a much better understanding of how horses move and function. Don't over analyze things, don't over think things, and don't over do it.

Education in all it's forms is our friend. Better yet, it is your HORSE'S friend.

Study up folks, and get out there!

True Story Tuesday: A Hair Raising "Tail"!

I've been reading the TST's at Rachel's blog for a while now,
and SOMEONE (*coughGunDivacough*)
roped me into participating this week.
Pop on over to Rachel's
And join in the humiliation...
err...
I mean FUN.
Join in the FUN!
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~

As everyone now knows, we went to Colorado for a bit of a hoof care mini clinic, and a bit (who the hell am I kidding? A BIT?? HA! It was LOADS of fun) of fun time not that long ago. We enjoyed the company of everyone there, and yes, we found a True Story Tuesday moment. (Actually, there are probably several TST moments in there, that my on strike brain is refusing to rediscover...)

Seeeeee, it was like this....

We rode first, because Bill and Juanita stuffed us full of incredibly good breakfast. (Why does that matter? Because if you go to bend over for an extended amount of time, such as providing equine pedicures, with a full stomach, things tend to go very very wrong with a quickness. You just gotta trust me on that one.)

As many of you have seen by now, I have rather long hair. Which under *normal* circumstances, I keep in a tight braid.

Yep- there is nothing about this situation that is *normal*.


We get rolling along, altitude cheerfully kicking my ass all over the place, horses coming and going, video cameras rolling, still photography clicking away.....

And the winds start to pick up a tad.

Which moves my hair around.

Right in my face.

Makes it hard to not rasp my fingers off when there is a hank of hair in my eyes blocking my vision, ya know?


Out of frustration, I peered through the mass of mane, and spotted potential help- GunDiva was right handy, watching and asking questions. I gasped out (cause you know - that altitude difference had me winded the entire time we were up there,) "Hey Diva, can you grab my hair and hold it out of the way?"

I wish I had pictures.
Seriously- I wish I had pictures of GunDiva's very expressive face.

Seeeee, our dear GunDiva has a *thing* about hair. (She has a wee bit of trichophobia, which at times rapidly leads to trichous inductus vomitus.) My asking her to move my mop out of my face was akin to someone asking you to move that (big, steaming, filled with bits of who knows what) pile of fresh dog poop bare handed. And The Diva's face reflected that sentiment. Perfectly. (Click the links-- I dare you! They are HILARIOUS.)

I have to give the woman credit though- even over her voiced, "Wait a minute here woman- you are asking *ME* to move *HAIR*?" she bravely grabbed a hold of my now wildly blowing mane, and moved it out of the way(if the mop had been wet, I'd be sporting two less fingers these days). And she didn't even throw up on me. Gagged a bit, yes, but the thought of throwing up and wasting what was left of the amazing breakfast we'd had a few hours before was just too much. GunDiva's got guts- and sometimes, guts is enough.

But I can say, for the rest of the time the wind whipped my streaming mass of mop in my face, Juanita stepped up to save both GunDiva and myself from it. I don't think Juanita wanted to see Diva waste breakfast, and I'm pretty sure watching me rasp off a finger wasn't quite an option either.

There you have it. How I managed to totally gross out my host. Next time GunDiva, I promise-- I'll braid the mess and be done with it!