Josh Nichol Clinic & Spring Has Sprung

The weather has turned fabulous here in SW Ontario.   Today was one of those days we have been dreaming about all winter.   Beautiful sunshine, light southwesterly breeze and temperatures hovering at +20C.   Really it couldn't have been much closer to perfect!

I realize it have been a long time between posts.   I apologize readers...I just have no viable excuses!  

So lets see what's happened since the last post...

#1 - I had another amazing clinic with the ever so talented Josh Nichol from Athabasca, Alberta.   This young horseman is one of the most talent individuals I have been lucky enough to train with.   I will never be able to give Josh the accolades he deserves for his work...the best way I can explain it is...He makes horsemanship part of his everyday life.   In a way that makes him a better husband, a better friend...a better human.   His principles can be applied anywhere in a persons life and by giving ourselves confidence and courage to make mistakes, to learn from those mistakes and take the judgment  and emotion out of our actions.    We must always know that we are what we get back and our horses hold up a mirror at times that makes us at times painfully aware of our own need to change.   Thank you Josh for being such a compassionate, thorough and dedicated facilitator.    You have given me more than I will ever be able repay you for.   This reminds me of the line...Angels...they walk among us.

The Cowboy himself...

Izzy and I during a session.

The JN Sassy Chicks

The spring weather has been hit or miss for the past 2 weeks.   Last Saturday we had a snow storm with -2C temps and this Saturday it's +20C!  All the odd jobs are starting to surface and become jobs that NEED to get done as time waits for no one!

I have taken down all the old fencing and insulators in pastures 4, 5 & 6.   The new insulators have been installed in 4 & 5 and the new fencing plan is starting to take shape in my mind so that I will be able to put pen to paper and draft up the new chuting system to make pasture management simplified.   My objective is to make a larger scale pasture access system similar to our old place.   I believe that access to the fields should be centralized to limit the amount of time required to do turnout and to decrease the long runs of water lines for automatic or bucket watering.   I don't believe in turnout in winter with no water so it's also important that all the watering areas have accessibility to power for heated troughs.   The new layout has 5 of the 6 pastures opening from one main holding area.   Pasture 6 will be gated as an alternate to 5 so the access chute will serve either of those 2 fields.   This will require moving some fence lines but for the pain we will have to endure to move them it will save a lot of walking and a lot of bucketing of water!

The lay of the land.   This is Pasture 3, 4 and 5 and the chute to 4.

We have made the decision to move our round pen to be part of pasture 6.   This area will be elevated, levelled and fenced and then Pasture 6 will be surrounding it and the outdoor sand ring.  

Speaking of which, DH has put all the sand in the outdoor and the footing is fantastic!!   After all the rain we have been able to ride in the ring the entire time.  Drainage is excellent and the loft is nearly perfect!    The sand needs another grooming with the leveller and harrows but when I rode on Friday after work I was filled with so much gratitude for all that I have had bestowed upon me.   Lovely horses, like minded friendships, an amazing husband, family/friends that have good health and all of it situated here...on our own little piece of land that we call Heaven on Earth!   Really I have so much...it's remarkable.

My Happy Places!

DH has been busy again.   Last weekend he cut all the pastures.   We ran out of good weather to cut the VERY long grass that was left from the fall. This weekend he is on the tractor over seeding the pastures he cut last weekend.   So far 2 down and 4 more to go.   We have decided to use a plug over seeder.   This weekend is working out to be perfect timing...if we have time to get them all finished before the rain on Monday!  

My Dad and Mom have been out on several occasions the last several days.   They have been delivering wood for next winter and the following winter.   Some local people to my Dad have had trees trimmed and the county has been trimming trees along the road; so my Dad has been cutting it up and bringing it to us.   Feeling very fortunate for this help as the wood is a needed part of our heating source and we just have not been able to get that to the top of the priority list.   I started stacking the wood today and by my estimate we have about 6-8 cord already piled here ready to be split and stacked for aging.   This makes me a happy and warm resident!   Thanks Dad for taking care of us in this way...it's sincerely appreciated!

Lastly, from the creative arts side of my life...my friend Lana who own's Quilt Junction in Waterford, ON has launched the commercialization of my 5th pattern in the mini series at the show exhibiting at the Royal Botanical Gardens.  You can see this mini work at my blog post last month...Here.   As of blog posting time she has nearly sold out of my patterns!   Thank you Lana for being such a great friend and supporter of my creative endeavours!