“I learned that if you work hard and find others to help, you can really make a difference,” Emily explained of her project experience. As a member of Girl Scout Troop 9362, she received her award through Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council. She would like to thank Southern States and Dovers Saddlry who donated items to the cause.

With the Silver Award, the project is just one facet of the comprehensive achievement program. The Girl Scout Silver Award represents a girl’s accomplishments in Girl Scouting and in her community as she grows and works to improve her life and the lives of others. The first four requirements of the Silver Award help girls build skills, explore careers, gain leadership skills, and make a commitment to self-improvement. When the first four requirements are completed, a girl may undertake the Silver Award community service project.

Emily is home-schooled, and has been a Girl Scout for nine years. She is the daughter of Patricia and Michael Capps. Her troop leader is Melissa Dickie, of Keene, and her project consultant was Chris Russ.

I was going to post about the Great Pollywog Massacre, but this is better. K

So it looks like I might just do laundry, clean a bit of tack, sort blankets… I don’t know. I’m going to run back to the other barn now and see if Don was crazy enough to come out in this weather.

Anyway, another cold, rainy day, so not much else going on. The grass is growing, and the horses are all gaining tons of weight, which is good, but if it doesn’t stop raining we can’t get the bushhog out there. Then we will look untidy. Don’t want that. But I guess it beats getting the tractor stuck in the mud.

Got a call into the farrier. He’s coming next Monday, at precisely five weeks, but another pony tossed a shoe, so I guess we aren’t going to make five weeks this time of year. Gets costly. Guess Sue better get out there and raise more money (sorry Sue, but you opted not to stand in the rain or shovel poop with me, so you get option #2. Lord knows I can’t do it).

And that’s about it. Horses fed, horses checked, all well except the shoe. Tony and Roy will go back into “work” soon. Enzo, of course, is perfect.

And, as usual with horses, things were going along beautifully, until everybody decided to take some time off (just as the weather started to get nice, too.  I suspect a plot. Or mutiny). Roy played too hard in the field, and came in with a fat leg. Vet flexed him, he’s okay, but gets time off. Reggie decided to drive a stick or something into his gaskin. He’s okay, on SMZs, but more time off. Tony is still on time off, but doing fantastic. That leaves Dunny and Teddy, my trail riding boys, and I think they are tired of taking up all the slack. “Somebody else’s turn! Really! We went for a walk yesterday!” Sigh.  I’m starting to feel very unloved, the way everyone turns tail and runs when they see me.  Except Enzo.  Golden Retrievers are the best.

And I’m certain some of you are counting on your fingers thinking, “Roy just now cantered? What have they been doing down there?” Well, I’ll tell ya. Roy had a steering problem. As in, he didn’t. I didn’t feel it necessary to go any faster on a horse who didn’t turn and didn’t care if he knocked over everything in the ring. He also walked around with his head tipped to the side with his tongue hanging out (no more head tipping, tongue much better). It was a bit, shall we say, challenging. Okay, he still drives like a truck (not a nice, new one with leather seats, but more like a deuce and a half without power steering or brakes. Ever driven one of those? I have). But we do turn, and change gears and the whole lot of it. Just without… Um… Finesse, maybe? But he is so much better! And I think he is starting to have fun.  Every now and then he will give me a few “power steps” where the back end kicks in and the front end comes up.  A mini horse wheelie.  It’s that wonderful (if you’ve ever been lucky enough to sit on a dressage schoolmaster who really knows his stuff), powerful, almost out of control feeling you get on a really engaged horse.  Or one that is about to explode.  Until I realized Roy is actually very kind, and really is just trying to figure out what to do with his very large self, he kinda made me nervous with that.  When a 16.2, 1200 pound horse decides to leap into the air, it is a long, long way down.

As an aside, thank you Anna about the tip for Amazon.  I got my new phone for a lot less that AT&T would sell it.  How is it they can give away a phone when you sign up for a plan, but if it breaks, it is suddenly 600 bucks?  Makes me think these things are made in China for about 37 cents, and somebody out there other than me is making a pocketful of cash on this deal…  Hmmm.

So, aside from treating scratches and rain rot, scraping mud off potentially rideable horses, and hauling a lot of hay around (pretty much the usual, you know, drink coffee, muck stalls, count ponies) not much has been happening.  I’ve been getting a few calls about horses (hooray!), so we will just have to see how it goes.  I want horses and humans to be happy with the match.  And yes, while the adopter could always bring the beastie back if it doesn’t work out, I’d really like it if it did work out.  If I do my job right, and the adopter is very up front and honest about what they want and what they can do and are comfortable with, it usually works out just fine, and everyone is happy.  That’s a good thing.  Like Gator and Madisyn:  they qualified for regional pony club championships again this spring I hear.  Go Gator!  Maybe they will send pictures I can post so we can all cheer for them.  Maybe Tony and Roy will find great homes this spring.  If it ever dries up enough to get back on Roy and double check that faulty steering mechanism.  And if it warms enough for baths, I’ll get pictures up.  At least on the blog.  I’m not clever enough to get the girls off the adoptable page, let alone put the boys up.

Well, gotta go finish feeding ponies so I can go home and get my own dinner.  I hope more happens soon so I won’t have to sit here and invent stuff to say.

AND my beloved Blackberry has bitten the dust. They don’t make those anymore. Not with the keyboard. And it will cost almost $600 bucks to replace it. So if anyone has an old Blackberry Torch 9810 they are willing to part with (that actually still works) I will buy it. Seriously. I can’t upgrade to anything until June, and then I can only get an Iphone. I don’t want an Iphone.

Other than that, shedding season has started in earnest. So has scratches and rain rot season. I think I’ve already used up my MTG allotment in the budget. Will have to check with the treasurer about that.

Okay, off to fax in hours so everybody gets paid, and the guys don’t leave me tied to a fence post without wellies.