tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952Mon, 12 Feb 2018 01:59:27 +0000trail ridingweatherwildlifedogshumoranimal behaviorveterinary carehorse trainingrural lifestyleproduct reviewsmovinghorse leadingreality checksridinghorse showshorse tackspookingSunday Stillshayhorse playhorse managementhazardsround penhoof handlingbarnsunder saddle traininghorse ownershiptributesgroomingtraileringhorsesaginghikingnatureScottsdaleexposurearena ridingfly maskshome improvementsgeocachingkitchen remodelanimal communicationmanureherd-boundlost and foundpet photographyherd dynamicsfearhorse booksletterboxingWay of the Horsehorse clinicsrock huntinglife lessonsphysical therapytrucksmedical mysteriesranchingwritingMy bookscompetitionsequine artherdingpasturepet namesbalkingrelaxationrespectsupplementsclicker trainingcomfort zonehalter trainingmountingtack roomtravelaggressionbicycleshorse newshorse sellinginspirationtrustgoalsprogress reportswater troughsfeedershorsemanshipphilosophysafety lessonsshipping bootsstall restat libertybitsbridlingconformationfly seasongawkinghorse buyingmusicskiestrail maintenancetricksNuzzling Muzzles is the place where I write and exchange news about the large and powerful beasts we call horses.http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)Blogger2473125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-4904101544683731832Mon, 05 Feb 2018 18:30:00 +00002018-02-05T11:30:20.050-07:00writingI've made an unpopular decision to set my blog to private.  I've tried to do this a few times in the past, but was met with resistance from readers, so I kept on posting publicly since I knew that my blog was appreciated, but now I just have too many good reasons to close shop.  I began this blog in December of 2007 and have picked up a couple hundred followers and several thousand readers along http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2018/02/privatizing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-6407062530643339022Thu, 01 Feb 2018 23:44:00 +00002018-02-02T10:55:40.535-07:00horse tackmedical mysteriesWhat I forgot to say in yesterday's post was that every time another obstacle pops up to prevent me from riding, I say to myself, "Gee whiz.  Someone really badly does not want me to ride a horse today." In the back of my mind, I always wonder if all these obstacles are there to save me from some awful fate. So, today I was going to try out my theory that Bombay would be more comfortable to http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2018/02/mumbo-jumbo.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-8101419772413935033Wed, 31 Jan 2018 22:57:00 +00002018-02-01T08:40:10.111-07:00agingarena ridingreality checksIt's easy to sit back and say, "I'm going to ride my horse every day and work on this or that...", but when it comes to actually doing it, that's a whole different ballgame.  Day after day has been passing me by without me being able to ride.  At first it was the wind, but then the weather changed and we've been having 80-something degree days with only a slight breeze in January and I still http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2018/01/a-bag-of-rocks.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-3848037862092896189Mon, 22 Jan 2018 22:37:00 +00002018-01-30T13:36:45.066-07:00wildlifeI'd like to thank everyone for their input on dealing with Rock's bratty behavior.  I haven't had the chance to try out any of the additional suggestions yet.  We had our first cold winter storm pass through this weekend, and it's been cold and the ground has been muddy ever since.  I started blanketing the horses at night, which means that they've had to stay locked in their stalls so that they http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2018/01/my-wild-animal-park.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-848405940676003973Thu, 18 Jan 2018 23:58:00 +00002018-01-18T16:58:43.815-07:00horse trainingNormally, people give me advice all the time, even though I'm not asking for it.  However, I'd like to invite readers into a brainstorm session on this one, because I really don't want to have to hire a horse trainer and I'm too lazy to go back and read some of my horse training books.  So, now's your chance to give solicited advice. I went for a trail ride on Rock and everything was going well http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2018/01/brainstorm-session.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-5030294063968964624Thu, 18 Jan 2018 19:47:00 +00002018-01-18T14:58:43.617-07:00Last week I had been working with a "Planning Advisor" at the cemetery in California where my brother was laid to rest.  I was trying to order a headstone or tablet, as they call it, for his grave.  The advisor emailed me the order form and contract, I filled out the parts she indicated, signed it, scanned it, and emailed it back to her.  I didn't get any response to that email nor another one inhttp://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2018/01/beyond-ridiculous.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-9121454379855674416Wed, 17 Jan 2018 21:55:00 +00002018-01-17T14:55:20.841-07:00round penI've had the hankering to ride, but I'm still weak and having breathing difficulties.  On Monday I led Bombay out on a short walk in the desert just to get some fresh air for both of us.  Bombay has been laying down a lot, acting either ill or depressed.  Even though I still don't feel like I've recovered from the virus, I have to start exercising at some point.  Bombay was very sweet, moseying http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2018/01/nope.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-5178094456673028032Mon, 15 Jan 2018 13:13:00 +00002018-01-15T06:13:35.768-07:00rock huntingMy hopes that I was over the worst of my sore throat and breathing difficulties crashed and burned, so I've been down for the count for the past week with either a cold or flu.  Don't know which.  Don't really care.  Me not feel well.  That's the gist of it. My husband came home early from work one day to deal with the dogs and horses so that I could get some rest.  I protested, not wanting my http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2018/01/another-week-under-bridge.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-9089503974314901741Mon, 08 Jan 2018 21:29:00 +00002018-01-08T14:29:41.715-07:00animal behaviorOpen and Say Ahhhhh Our new supermarket in town remains impossibly crowded, so we have gotten into the habit of waking up around 5:00 AM, showering, going out to breakfast at one of the two diners in town that open early, and then doing our marketing before the sun rises and before the crowds converge.  This weekend it was especially important that we avoid the crowds because we have two flu http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2018/01/four-stories.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-4015045641109582384Fri, 05 Jan 2018 18:16:00 +00002018-01-05T11:16:49.077-07:00rural lifestyleI went from having not much of anything going on to being overwhelmed in no time.  We're doing some spring cleaning and purging, as well as repurposing spaces within our house.  We had this bunk bed / futon taking up space that nobody would ever use again.  It belonged to our daughter, but she's getting married next month, so I'm sure she has no interest in sleeping on a top bunk anymore.  We've http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2018/01/purging.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-2061377460407631263Tue, 02 Jan 2018 16:08:00 +00002018-01-02T14:40:12.854-07:00hikinghoof handlingmedical mysteriespet namesrock huntingtruckswildlifeNot much going on in my horse and dog world.  The big news is that my farrier told me that Rock has good hooves, which is something I never expected to hear knowing the condition they were in when we bought him several years ago.  I guess our efforts of trimming them back gradually and me riding him barefoot have made a world of difference.  The farrier also found out why Rock had been lame for ahttp://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-rundown.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-7605473293548374204Wed, 27 Dec 2017 23:00:00 +00002017-12-27T16:00:30.850-07:00arena ridingwildlifeIt suddenly hit me today that I was running out of quiet, distraction-free arena riding time.  My new neighbors are moving in this weekend, and today is Wednesday.  I had planned to ride on Tuesday, but then a friend needed to meet me somewhere to get something from me and that turned into a yak session and there wasn't much time to do anything before barn chores by the time I got back.  Then I http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2017/12/bombay-and-bunny.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-1962746066851764503Thu, 21 Dec 2017 01:04:00 +00002017-12-21T07:55:31.934-07:00animal behaviorround pentrail ridingwildlifeI told Rock it was okay to tell me if he was still in pain, and then I wouldn't ride him if he said anything.  But there were no complaints when I saddled him up and mounted.  He was so good that he waited patiently while I stretched my leg out on the mounting block, and he didn't move a muscle until I was seated and gave him a cue.  However, riding up the driveway, he kept trying to turn around http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2017/12/whats-your-horses-motivation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-3407423477423730568Wed, 20 Dec 2017 19:36:00 +00002017-12-20T12:36:35.057-07:00hayI took the dogs out late at night and heard an engine idling.  I could see by the lights on the vehicle that there was a big rig stopped by the fence at the edge of my property.  I figured that the driver ignored the NO OUTLET signs and now he was stuck. Then this morning I woke to find the big rig parked on the hill by the fence to my backyard.  It appeared as if the driver had to spend the http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2017/12/a-load-of-hay.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-832218936510684268Tue, 19 Dec 2017 22:05:00 +00002017-12-19T15:05:30.444-07:00arena ridingwildlifeI've been putting pressure on myself to ride a horse before something else comes up to stop me.  I was supposed to make a bunch of phone calls this afternoon, but after being on the phone most of the day yesterday, I figured everything else could wait.  When my mother passed away, it felt like I worked round the clock for two years straight to settle her affairs, and by the time I was done, I washttp://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2017/12/charging-and-charged.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-4089726975898576097Sun, 17 Dec 2017 18:22:00 +00002017-12-18T09:11:43.860-07:00It seems that everything has come to a standstill regarding the burial.  Normally, when someone has a straight forward natural death, family is able to have the funeral within a week.  It's been a week for me, but I have no idea what's going on because the funeral director won't speak to me.  He's giving me a "don't call me -- I'll call you" response to my inquiries.  I was hoping this would be http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2017/12/on-both-sides-of-suspicion.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-5729572306684152821Tue, 12 Dec 2017 00:51:00 +00002017-12-11T17:51:18.095-07:00reality checksSunday morning I went out at the crack of dawn to feed the horses when I noticed a fancy, brightly painted pick up truck sneaking up quietly toward my backyard.  It's headlights were off with just parking lights on.  I watched as the driver got out and started to walk toward my backyard.  I got ready to holler at him for trespassing when he stopped and whipped out a camera and started either http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2017/12/cruel-world-blues.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-3993598183895328793Wed, 06 Dec 2017 17:48:00 +00002017-12-06T10:48:02.749-07:00home improvementsIt takes me a while to get moving in the mornings due to muscle stiffness.  Stewie helps me do my stretches by moving just out of my reach each time I try to cuddle with him.  That's his way of forcing me to get up to feed him.  This morning I took longer than usual to get out of bed, and I could hear the horses screaming for their breakfasts.  As I was preparing the dogs' food, I heard a http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2017/12/what-morning.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-8359966322924864834Tue, 05 Dec 2017 23:22:00 +00002017-12-05T16:22:23.205-07:00animal behaviorrural lifestyleI had just washed my hair, but didn't have time to untangle and comb it out when I went out to the barn to let the horses out of their stalls after breakfast.  I was hoping I wouldn't run into a neighbor looking like that, when this lady showed up on the hill with two dogs on leashes.  She stood there and stared into my backyard.  I hate that.  My backyard is not a wildlife viewing vista, but http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2017/12/whatever-you-say.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-1028142439315220030Mon, 04 Dec 2017 21:27:00 +00002017-12-04T14:27:27.199-07:00trail ridingweatherHere are a few pictures from today's trail ride... Lookin' both ways before crossing the street. Alerting on hikers way off in the distance. Gettin' his pets for being a good listener. When I unsaddled him, he was covered in sweat.  We're still wondering when it's going to cool down and when we'll get some rain.  The topsoil is so dry that it's like powder.  Just a slight breeze http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2017/12/december-sweats.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-8440198683963499122Sat, 02 Dec 2017 01:52:00 +00002017-12-02T15:08:31.894-07:00dogshorsesThe older I get, the more sensitive my feet get, and I've gone up a whole size as my feet have flattened and spread out over the years.  I've learned that if any part of the boot besides the sole touches my foot, it hurts.  I can't let the sides or top press on me.  I remember my mother telling me not to buy shoes that are too big, because they will slip, rub and cause blisters.  However, I'm http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2017/12/my-boot-experiment-and-other-stories.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-6895626237300332349Wed, 29 Nov 2017 22:26:00 +00002017-11-29T15:29:31.103-07:00trail ridingDespite wanting to get as much use out of my arena and round pen while I can, I felt that Rock needed a trail ride since my last few rides kept him at home or close to home due to extenuating circumstances.  I didn't want him to get barn sour by always riding him at home.  I opted not to check my brakes, since what he really needed was forward movement.  Heading out, he was a bit sticky, so I http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-usual-lessons.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-463876494832982257Tue, 28 Nov 2017 22:48:00 +00002017-11-29T08:42:43.454-07:00arena ridingphysical therapywildlifeI had my follow up with my orthopedist regarding the results of all those steroid injections I received.  I was so happy to report to him that I have much more mobility and less pain that I might have misrepresented my situation a bit.  The doctor asked me do one-legged squats, which sent me into a bit of a tizzy because I didn't think I could even do one-legged squats back before I had arthritishttp://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2017/11/end-of-line.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-7377617775379299598Sun, 26 Nov 2017 19:11:00 +00002017-11-26T15:33:56.080-07:00animal behavioranimal communicationhumorYesterday I went to a painting party, and I was talking with a friend who just got out of the hospital and was recovering from knee surgery.  She's been in medical care hell, dealing with a ridiculous amount of incompetence, everything from them losing her MRI results to them not working with her insurance to get her into physical therapy.  If anyone can empathize with her, it's me.  I was givinghttp://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2017/11/too-loud.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-6405707806117482083Fri, 24 Nov 2017 19:47:00 +00002017-11-28T07:46:50.733-07:00animal behaviorbalkingrock huntinground penMy "man" dwarfed into a toddler with attitude today, so I had to take him to the training pen.  He was acting a bit impatient, so it didn't help matters when the trash truck drove up right when I was ready to mount.  We had to wait it out while it dumped can after can, breaking glass all along the way.  Sometimes the driver pulls into the turnout that has the gate to the bridle trails and sits http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2017/11/tude.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)4