September 29 2007

Today was a busy day but the weather was gorgeous. The forecast called for 60% rain tomorrow, thwarting my plans of riding the 10 mi Kinnear loop with Dale and Kittee. I headed out to the barn and got there about 5 pm. I groomed and tacked up quickly and decided to ride up Cache Hollow. Kittee lent me her red vest so we would not be mistaken for large game. Sinwaan was slightly hesitant to go out alone but agreeable and we did a fair amount of trotting. About 3/4 of a mile he stopped and I listened and we could hear voices. A little while later a vehicle came down the mountain and was very courteous. I figured those were the voices we had heard, as when we went throught the 1 mile point I saw a cigarette butt on the ground that looked fresh. We went up almost 2 miles and then I spotted a hunter in the field above us (red coat) and decided that was far enough. We trotted most of the way home. The bushes along the roadside were changing colors and were flaming red, the scenery was brilliant and the air was fresh and crisp and cool.

After untacking, I looked closely at Sinwaan's hind fetlocks and could see just a slight nick with some blood on his left side. So he is still knocking himself a little but it is an improvement. I grained him and gave him a large carrot and some love.

Then Kittee helped me measure both Ollokot and Sinwaan for blankets. I had looked on the internet as to how to measure a horse for a blanket and it said from center of chest to level with point of tailhead on the hindquarters. Kittee said no, to center of tail. Well I took both measurements and should have written them down as my memory is so bad. I measured Ollokot about four times. He ranged from 65-69 depending on where I ended the tape at the hind end. Sinwaan looked to be about a 72. I went in the barn and pulled out Sinwaan's old blanket (the one I knew was too tight) and it had a tag that said 68" so we pulled Ollokot out of the pasture and decided to try it on him. I held his head and Kittee pretty much sacked him out. He was curious and very well behaved for all of this. The 68" was a little big but if he grows at all this winter it looks like it will fit him well. Unfortunately this particular blanket is more of a cooler so won't work at all in the rain. When we pulled up the straps under his girth area and mid-section he took no mind a'tall. That was good to see.