Rio Lobo Ranch: June 2012

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Video: Hank and Shadow

As many of you know, Hank blew out his knee last November. Unfortunately when a horse blows out his knee it is like a human blowing out their wrist - lots of small moving parts stacked on top of each other 'just so', held in place and allowed to work by tendons and ligaments. Knee blown, ligament torn. Three, almost 4 months with leg immobilized. Then to a brace designed by Orthopets of Denver. Specially tailored clogs, thank you George and Dr. Page and was able finally come home the end of April. Since he's been home, I've been giving him time without the brace to work strengthening his muscles. Lately, I've been getting the sense he is bored (to screaming tears) so at breakfast this morning I decided to turn Hank out with the rest of the horses. That said - and to everyone who adores Hank ... he is the total instigator in this video. I stopped filming when I went over the fence to break up play time before anyone got hurt. Oh my goodness gracious.....

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Stormy Weather

The warnings started arriving in my inbox, about 11:00 this morning. Severe thunderstorms this afternoon into evening, tornado warnings into the evening. Then the phone calls came - 3 calls for tornado warnings, possibility of high winds and large hail arrived within 30 minutes.

Before you start thinking we're on the National Weather Service speed dial, given our remote location and the speed with which weather can move in AND the speed with which the weather can turn severe, even deadly - we signed up for severe weather and emergency notifications which are delivered to e-mail, cell phone and telephone.

We had non-stop darn near gale force winds for the last two days and today, boy howdy - did a storm system move through.

Kittens did well - everyone was in the barn early. Well, everyone except Fritzy - he finally showed up just after dark and now they are all tucked in safe and dry.

Geese are tucked in as well. They seemed to mind being tucked in early more than the nasty weather. They are silly. When I was sitting in Hank's room, I mean Hank's stall - they kept poking their heads over the barrier and yelling at me. No idea what they were trying to tell me; however, it must have been important, at least to them, because they kept honking and chirping and sqwaunking for quite a while.

OooLaaa it was some BIG weather. Big wild clouds. Thunder. High winds. Lightening all over the place. The horses did well. They stayed focused and reasonably calm in the corral. It might have helped that I distracted them with a little extra hay. You know, I am not above a bribe if the situation warrants. At one point, I was hanging out with Hank in the shed and it occurred to me that I was in a metal shed in a metal corral petting a horse with a metal brace on his leg and there was a lightening storm going on around me. Hmmm. Perhaps not my best decision .....? You know I would not leave the babies to fend for themselves in such severe weather - no chance. So I hung out. It was all good. Although I will tell you that even with 10 or 12 anchor bolts (5 feet long each) with the wind we had tonight, the shed shook!

The potential for dangerous and/or severe weather aside, I am not sure I've ever seen clouds like this - they were were amazing.

The big black cloud seemed to glide across the sky. It was so black it appeared solid.

Looking from the house toward the southwest - towards the road.

Little stick sticking up is a telephone pole.

There were at least 3 layers of clouds.

The big black cloud was just ominous.

As the black cloud started to move out, it seemed to pull the cotton ball clouds with it and flatten them out.

And then it was too dark for pictures and I went back to hanging out with the babies in the corral, watching the light show, listening to the thunder and being very thankful we were ALL safe.