Influensa update

Waiting on the vet for another bunch of tests on the sick fillies. Doesn't look like strangles from the early indications wich would make A2 influensa all the more probable. Same deal more or less but not as severe repercussions.

Summer Spectacular 5/6 classic's 1st go in the books and it took 213 to advance. Dont Look Twice share the lead with Little Pepto Cat and Matt Gaines with a 222 score. Good to see Matt up there and hope he makes the finals. Dont Look Twice has apr. $510.000 in career earnings and is chasing Chiquita Pistol for the "active" mark. Triple Crown winner Chiquita Pistol (Smart Little Pistol) has over $530.000 in earnings to date and just made the finals in the Senior Youth with a 215,5. The action continues today with the 5/6 classic 2nd go.

Made these yesterday just to keep busy: A bit hobble/curb strap and a new brand on my chinks!

Strangles or A2 Influensa

Summer Spectacular is underway, first go in the 5/6 classic. Dont Look Twice looks to be in the form of her life and took a 222 lead. Other notables from yesterday; 2010 Horse of the Year LHR SMOOTH JAMIE MAY unfortunately was a scratch, Third Cutting was on his mark scoring 218 most of wich was earned on the last cow.

Today we have Smooth Asa Zee, Boon Too Suen, Reys Desire, Rascal Cats and Bet Hesa Cat among others making their entrys as round 1 continues.

My next Bosal project; a 5/8" all Kangaroo.


Looks like our fillies have come down with Strangles (kvarka) or A2 Influensa. Tests are at the lab and we're awaiting the results. High temps, nose discharge and mild cough so far. We've pretty much closed down the operation over here pending the testresults.


I took the day off yesterday and headed to grams & grampas place. Here's what we did;
Pier

Uncle Klas built this beauty in the 60's



Ida & cousin Maja playing, jumping and swimming!



Grampa Jan

Changing Boi's

Cowboy hard at work!

Another daunting cowboy task!

As You can see it's a tough life this ranch living, wresteling horsepowers however they come!

Yours truly hard at work, no?

4 horses to ride, all of them different both in comformation and mental make up. 3 newbies and my tworein horse. He's starting to move into the bridle more and more. When the pace picks up to much I rely more on the bosalita and mecate though. Two of the fillies have had temps for a couple of day's and we're monitoring them to be sure it's nothing serious.

It's starting to look like a petting zoo over here too. Our newest additions Lena PH & Lotta Engberg! (Two Swedish celebs)

We're rivaling friends Jeremy & Brandie with the above two, 6 horses, 4 pony's, 4 cats, a dog, hamster, rabbit and a guinneapig.




They thrive in their little pasture pretty funny little creatures, really personable.

And ofcourse Idas daily shot of Gizmo.

Another rewarding day!

Rode 3 horses before 10 this morning. Cat, Diva and another client horse, Bosse. He's a 4yo warmblod gelding that has a bunch of holes in him. He's been sat on some before but I'll start from scratch. He's a bit coldbacked and has some buck in him.

Had to bail on Diva today. She had one of her moments where she want's it her way or else! Well, "or else" today was rearing sideway's, loosing balance and almost flippin' over! I decided to get outa there before having her land on top of me. Soft ground in the arena thankfully and nothing broken. We started over and she didn't throw any more fits. We'll stay in the arena a day or two more I think ;)

Cat was her usual self. Outside that means really quiet, soft and responsive. I absolutely love how she feels right now! I sure hope I can keep her this soft through out!

Gonna start earlier tomorrow though. It's getting awfully warm here, it's in the 30's C ( 90' F) and pretty humid so it takes it's toll. Bunch of horseflies the size of B52:s wakes up around 8am. They're big enough to take your leg off and head for the hills and we could really do without them!

Diva

Got on Diva for the first time last night. She did great. She's well prepared though so I suspected things would be fine. This is a big ol' mare already at 2, and I had to lengthen the stirrups a couple of holes just to get onboard, and I'm 6.3 so that's a first!






She's responsive enough and we should move right along. I Wan't to put about 30 day's on her before she heads back to her owner, so she'll be fairly solid.



Thank you for the ride, Diva

Kick The Cat get's her share of work also. We just stay with the basics at the walk still. She'll move out, but I don't want to push her with regards to her injury history. So walk it is, a little trot but mostly your basic manuvers stop, draw, turn, flexion & backups so far. She's doing great too. Really soft and responsive, I really like that.

Youngsters

We pretty much try to work our fillies everyday now. A day here and there we stay off of them, but they are coming along really nice. Annelie took a bunch of good pics of Kick The Cat & me and she's doing really well. We hope the injury bug stay's away from here on.



















Ida took this one of Gizmo on his 1st birthday yesterday and Annelie snapped the one below. Pretty qute...




Getting ready to climb aboard Diva. She does pretty good also and shouldn't present any more problem then the others. Annelie works her alot from the ground now that I've been incapasitated and she's done an excellent job too.


She stands close to 17 hands and is just a big baby still. Pretty smart though and she seems to take training pretty well.

High Chaparral

Took a daytrip to High Chaparral yesterday. We have an annual, weeklong western show down there and the Open Cutting was what got me on the road.

Pretty nice event set in an amusement park with an"old west" theme. Some international guests took the chance to show in Sweden among them Texan Ralph Hull.
Smart Camolena & Ralph Hull

Had lots of fun and ran into a bunch of old friends and aquaintances too. Styrbjörn & Mona brought "our" colt Ima Peppy Pistolero along as a turnback horse and he looked really good. A little bigger and a bit thicker but the same kind eye and easygoing nature.

Mona & Ima Peppy Pistolero

Bumped in to Brody Fitch, Cowhorse trainer Todd Fitch's son took a trip over the pond just to participate here. Did pretty well too.
Brody

Winner in the Open Cutting; Nadia Reinholdsson aboard Solanos Sugar Doll scoring a 72 that brought the house down! Her 2nd show ever, and she showed the pro:s how it's done!
Nadia & Solanos Sugar Doll

Non-Pro champion, (as alway's) Torbjörn Johansson & Highstyle Calamity scoring 73.
Highstyle Calamity & Torbjörn

The horse I came away really impressed with though was Urban Gullbergs great working mare CC Freuline by Seven S Keota-Rocky Mountain Star. (Seven S Keota by the way is a Shining Spark stud on a Son O Leo mare.) She was super correct and never outa possition. Great stops and turns and should have a very bright future here.
CC Fraulein & Urban