| Tack Sale |
April 29, 2008
by Bonnie Davis
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I spent the last few days sorting out the tack room. Not dusting and sweeping -- sorting. What tack do I need? And what tack don't I need? Had quite a few bridles, bits, blankets, boots, books, brushes so after getting them into a stack what to do with them was the next big decision.
The Santa Clara Horsemen and Ohlone Riders Unit of the Backcountry Horsemen of California were having a 'tack swap and sale' so I decided Saturday to take it all down there. Maybe make a couple bucks. Enough for supper. Or maybe even enough to fill up my diesel truck. (Well, it was a nice thought anyway!)
Becky, my daughter, went with me. That was a good idea -- she could help sell and we could double our money. Nice thought too but it didn't quite work out that way.
Becky and I should never go to some places together--especially an auction AND a tack sale or swap. Since I had packed the boxes, Becky unpacked them at the sale. She put everything on a couple tables we had brought and it really looked nice -- all neat. And clean. And shiny. Then she began to inspect it. Why were we getting rid of it? Once it was on the table it was no longer "my tack" but "our tack".
Take those bits. We don't need three Egg Butt Snaffles. Or 18 headstalls with only 5 horses. But then you never know when a headstall may break and could always put one of the Egg Butts in a horse trailer. Only problem, each trailer is already equipped with extra tack in case something gets lost, broke or wanders off. We even have extra blankets, boots, pads in each trailer. Pads and horse blankets just seem to multiply in the tack room. Think it's because they're in the dark all the time......
She lined up the stuff on the tables and then we both began to consider if we should really "get rid of it." Piece by piece we discussed each item. This was the headstall that Houston wore when he spooked at that deer. Here's that pad we needed for that sway backed horse, why couldn't we find it then? Here's all those Chicago screws we couldn't find a couple weeks ago. We went out and bought more but we should really keep these too. Never know when you might need an extra 50 or 60 Chicago Screws! Boots, which even though they all didn't match in color they were still usable. Nic doesn't care if he's got 4 blues on his hooves or 2 green, 1 white and a blue. They still fit. And do their job!
Of course while we're debating on our tack, we begin to look at OTHER people's tables. There was some pretty darn good looking items. Items I couldn't figure out why anyone would want to sell! One guy even had a blue bell boot that would match my one blue bell boot. And some of those leadropes were only a buck -- heck, a new snap on the end and they're good as new!!
Long story short, we were there about 4, 5 hours and managed to find a lot of really neat stuff that other people had to sell or swap. Some we swapped something for it -- other stuff we just bought!
We got rid of some pads, blankets a couple bits and 4 headstalls. Bell boots, books, brushes all came home with us along with a few other bell boots, bridles, blankets that had previously been owned by other people. They just couldn't understand the logic of why each horse should have 5 winter blankets and at least 3 summer sheets.
Today I spent most of the afternoon rearranging the tack room to make room for 'returned' items and the other stuff. Had to put up a couple extra bridle hooks. One for a really neat rawhide headstall that only needs a couple strands fixed. And with a little rearranging managed to get the blankets back on the blanket racks along with the other 4 we bought. Actually got everything back into the tack room.
Don't plan on going to anymore tack swaps or sales. And on the bright side, made enough money to buy supper! Even if it was a couple Big Macs, fries and cokes at McDonald's. All in all it was a good weekend........
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| Help!!! |
April 21, 2008
by Bonnie Davis
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Spring is here and summer isn't far behind. With it, comes plans for trail riding and with those plans -- I need YOUR HELP!!!
California's federal agencies -- National Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, etc. -- have not 'officially' ordered the use of California Certified Weed Free Feed. But they are close to it!! Other states such as Nevada have.
The National Forest Service in Nevada began requiring Nevada Certified Weed Free Feed back 2001 -- and they are enforcing it. Even on the section of the Toiyabe National Forest Service land located in California up at Wolf Creek Horsecamp. According to the Closure Notice (CN) caught without Nevada Certified Weed Free Feed in Nevada's National Forest is a $10,000 fine!
What I'd like to find out (hopefully with all your help) is where in your state Certified Weed Free Feed can be found? Is weed free feed requested or required in your state? Does it have colored twine or a paper certification? And what's the cost?
Again, here in California there is no program in place but an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) has been signed by NFS, NPS and BLM to start the procedure for requiring California Certified Weed Free Feed on all federal lands. Finding a grower who has had fields certified is a huge problem -- even the Ag Commissioners can't get together on how to manage the program! Plus price for a California Certified Weed Free bale is about $5 more than an uncertified bale of hay. The last bale of CCWFF I bought cost me $20. Basically for that piece of paper because both the certified and uncertified bales were stacked in a field, side by side, uncovered and looked the same to me!
For pellets Elk Grove Milling has the only California Certified Weed Free Pellets. To be certified, they have to be screened, milled, pressed at a specify temperature. Much higher than the normal 'pelleting' processing. I'm feeding Elk Grove (which my horses love!) along with hay just in case I can't find a bale of weed free hay when on federal lands and suddenly have to switch to all pellets. (Remember, never change feed all at once -- can lead to colic.) If you'd like information on California Certified Wed Free Pellets, call Pam (888) 346-7649 or go to their website www.elkgrovemilling.com. They have sacks of California Certified Weed Free pellets at feed stores all OVER California -- easy to find and not that expensive! Elk Grove has 'saved' me a few times when it came to talking to a NFS ranger and locating pellets!
So if your state has a weed free feed requirement or even a recommendation for its use, please let me know. Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado have requirements. Heck Rocky Mountain National Park won't let horse feed in that has timothy in it -- timothy is considered a 'weed' to the NPS! Illinois and Indiana and other states back east are looking at weed free restrictions too.
You can contact me at bonnie@horsecamping.com or horsecamping@comcast.net or at info@weedfreefeed.com. Thanks in advance for your help and when I get that information, will post it here and on website www.weedfreefeed.com for everyone to read!!
Stay safe......
Bonnie
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| Ground Squirrels |
April 11, 2008
by Bonnie Davis
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It seems this year that the pasture has a bumper crop of ground squirrels! They're running everywhere, under the trailers, into the barn, sitting on the fence posts. (The other day there was 14 of 'em each sitting on the top of a fence post -- all in row. They did look sort of cute up there!!) They even sit on the trail and just dare a horse to step on 'em.
Ground squirrels are different than tree squirrels. Ground squirrels live in holes in the ground which they dig just about anywhere. Not just at the base of a tree or fence post. Tree squirrels like to live in trees but since we've only got walnut trees in the pasture, tree squirrels only pass through on their way to the neighborhood park and the big oaks.
This is the first year we've had squirrels in herds or flocks or bunches or whatever you call a pasture of squirrels in such numbers. They're even getting into the tack room and they aren't happy chewing a corner on ONE sack of feed, they have to chew a corner on EVERY sack of feed.
So, I decided to start herding them around -- using my dog, Holly. She likes to chase things: Balls, birds, other dogs. So I figured she'd like to chase squirrels too. Plus she gets the added pleasure of digging which she can't do in the backyard at home.
The first day at the barn went pretty good. She herded squirrels out of the barn and back into the pasture to the point she 'retired' to her blanket at about 6 p.m. That was one tired dog that night!
The next day she took up her duties again. Chasing squirrels. This went on for about a week and then suddenly, the squirrels must have held a squirrel meeting because they began to organize their retreats.
Two or three squirrels would wander into the barn and Holly would take after 'em. Just as she got into the pasture (she can't run fast enough to catch one and if she did, I doubt she'd know what to do with it!) they'd split up and each ran a different way. Before, they sort of followed each other down the same ground squirrel hole. So Holly would have to decide which squirrel to chase. But then their organizational skills began to show.
If she took off after squirrel one, two and three would chirp, distract Holly and she'd turn to run after them. They'd part and then squirrel one would chirp so she'd slide to a stop, turn, look at squirrel one and take after him again. Squirrel two would suddenly cut across in front of her and she's peel off after that squirrel. Pretty soon she'd be running in a triangle pattern trying to get each squirrel but never quite making it.
This went on for four or five days then suddenly Holly didn't want to chase squirrels anymore. She'd lay under the truck and look the other way when one would skip across the barnyard. She's also gone deaf. She can't hear 'em chirp anymore but the hum of a can opener taking the lid off a dog food can 100 feet away seems to manage to filter through her hearing problems.
She's given up chasing 'em. Hasn't caught one yet so guess she just figures leave 'em alone -- it's too much work.
I'm seriously thinking about taking my cat over to the barn. Beau is a GREAT mouse catcher. Ground squirrels are bigger than mice but Beau's up to the challenge. He can make Holly get out of 'his' chair by just standing there and staring at her until she moves. Maybe he can use his evil eye on the ground squirrels!
If not, was wondering if anyone has had success training horses to herd squirrels? Let me know if you have.
Bonnie
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| Fill 'er Up (ha, ha, ha) |
April 3, 2008
by Bonnie Davis
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Don't know what the price of fuel is where you hang your halter but here in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, gasoline is around $3.50 a gallon and up with diesel hovering at $4.50 a gallon and up. Yesterday a station I went by on the way to the barn had diesel at $4.49 and when I drove back home and by the same station, it was $4.59 a gallon. That's a ten cent per gallon jump in less than 24 hours. They anticipate diesel reaching $5/gallon by the first of July. So driving in and fillin' up my truck is really becoming a laughing matter!!
I can remember when gasoline was 25 cents a gallon. When it went to 35 cents a gallon my dad had a fit. "What's this world coming to?" he'd mutter as he'd fill up the old truck. Of course that was when a McDonald's hamburger sold for a quarter and a Big Mac was REALLY a Big Mac!! You could even go to a movie for less than a dollar and still have enough change left over for popcorn and a Coke. Now one can't get into a theater for any less than a ten dollar bill. Like my dad said, "What's this world coming to?"
But regardless of what the price of fuel goes up to, I've got my plans made for going trail riding and still enjoying trails. I just won't haul as far and now I'll find out what some of those trails in my own backyard look like. I'll ask a friend to haul with me and maybe even plan a night of camping at the local regional park. Instead of stopping for a meal, I'll pack my own lunch and eat it under a tree somewhere along the trail. And I'll make sure my diesel is tuned up and running right so I can get another mile or two out of every gallon of fuel.
Sometimes it seems we take things for granted. Nothing will ever change. And when it does change, it catches us off guard. It's like the sky has suddenly fallen and we're running around like a chicken trying to get things right. Actually what we should do is take a deep breath, find a tree to sit under and contemplate how to make the best of the situation that has come along. We can be our own worse enemy sometimes -- tend to jump into a fire before we really figure out just how hot the frying pan will get!
So before you start canceling your trip plans, think about ways to still take that journey. Maybe it will be just a jaunt down the road a few miles or out the back pasture gate and into a neighborhood park. Or maybe it will be an overnight camp out IN the back pasture -- why does one have to drive miles to overnight camp when you can just go over the hill from the barn?
But one thing is for sure, unless you've won a state lottery -- never, never go into a service station anymore and say "Fill 'em up." If one doesn't have money to pay for a meal in a restaurant you wash dishes. I'm not sure what one does if they say "fill 'em up" in a service station and don't have the cash to pay for the fuel.........
Stay safe and slow down, you'll get more miles to a gallon if you drive at 55!
Bonnie
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