cool manipulated pics

So I lost all my recent pics of Sahil when the hard drive crashed in April. I didn't want to spend 500 bucks to recover what was there because I thought I had most of it backed up. Well, not quite. I did some video frame grabs for my friend Marjorie Moore, She is a fabulous artist and said she would paint a picture of Sahil in the future for me. She needed stills with some life so I looked through the video and grabbed some frames. Since the quality was dicey, I didn't mind putting it through the Photoshop wringer. These are my first efforts.

Time Flies!!!

Holy Crap! I look at the date of the last post and wonder how all this time has flown by.

I have been tremendously busy at work with flu coverage. It seems silly to me in a way because more folks have died of influenza than this strain but I am not a doctor just a mom with some common sense. At our daycare, hand washing has become more stringent although it was always the norm. The hysteria seems to be dying down even though the cases are rising.

At home we have gotten rain. Mixed blessing because while we really need it, the lawn has really gotten lush. I just have not had time to mow. So Thursday night, I roped off certain parts of the front yard and let Bailey loose on the front lawn. He is a voracious eater but not an even cut (as far as lawn mowing goes). He also does not eat the weeds.

Friday went so well, I put Bailey and Sahil on the lawn. Sahil has matured quite a bit so even when the dogs barked and ran after their imaginary rabbits, he ignored them and continued to eat. He and Bailey stuck together, heads down, munching grass. Chop, rip chew, chomp, rip, chew. Very rhythmic when you listen to them.

Later in the afternoon, I walked out the front door to see Sahil standing on the walkway to the front, looking as if he was contemplating walking up the stairs onto the front porch. I moved him away but not ten minutes later he was peering in the screen porch windows. Does he have a "not so secret" desire to come in the house and hang out? Being an Arabian, he probably does.

Dewey in the meantime just jogged up and down the fence line screaming for his friends. They flipped him the horse equivalent of the middle finger and ignored him, noses buried in the lush green grass.

Last night, I went to put them back in the pasture after dark. I couldn't see them in the light of the moon but all of a sudden, I heard the clatter of hooves on the driveway as they went flying by. I walked to the gate and heard them running back. Why they were running on the driveway and not the grass is beyond me. Drama queens! I think they just like the noise of the hooves on pavement. They were happy to get back into the pasture with a very "put out" Dewey. Dewey was angry because he did not get to partake in the feast. He is too young and I did not want to be chasing horses around the 'hood at 11pm at night.

Sahil's Lessons

I really would not say which one of us gets the most from the lessons, Sahil or me.

Sahil is an Arabian. Arabians have the reputation of being wild and high strung often choosing flight over fight. I have experienced the flight when the helicopter buzzed the facility where I have my lessons. Since then, I have had this in the back of my mind, worried that he would do it again over something I would not expect.

Here is the truth that I have learned since the fall. Sahil is not spooky. I walked him up to an open trash bin. Most horses would dance around it and pretend they thought the trash bin was going to eat them. Sahil walked up to it and put his head in it. Plastic grocery bags also freak out many horses when the blow in the wind and get stuck on trees. I led Sahil up to one and he sniffed it then picked it up in his teeth and shook it a bit. He is sweet, smart and curious.

So Sunday when I led him down to the neighbor's house for my lesson, I was not bothered by the wind picking up (it has been really windy my last 3 lessons). I was not worried by the 4 yr olds running along in front of us (kiddo and his best friend were along and Sahil wanted to run with them). I was not even concerned about all the horses along the way who wanted to greet Sahil (I let him have a little touchy feely nose time with them).

I DID have a problem with the Tyvec wrap that was blowing off the house under construction next door to my neighbor's round pen. It was so loud. Picture being on the beach with huge waves crashing constantly on the shore. I thought for sure Sahil was going to freak.

As it turned out, I was the only one worried. He could not have cared less. He was more concerned with what the other horses were doing in the pasture. We kept him busy and thinking during the lesson and he was fine. We trotted and did well. The confidence in each other is building. He is going to be a wonderful horse to trail ride on. His movement is smooth and elegant so he will also be good in the dressage arena. Not bad for an ugly little runty throw away. He is truly the ugly duckling that has turned in to a swan.

Little Stallion

Dewey is trying so hard to fight for his place in our new little herd. Bailey has decided to let him eat next to him, Sahil still chases him away and Sahil has the scars to prove it. They are constantly fighting for the #2 spot. I am not sure who has it yet.

I was planning on waiting to get Dewey snipped in the Fall when the weather is more favorable for an operation. Cooler, fewer flies and recovery is easier. I am not sure I can wait though.

I was petting his forehead the other day and he decided to be playful and take a nip at my arm. He connected with the delicate underside. Hurt like a MOFO!! I put ice on it but still ended up with a bruise larger than a poker chip that folks keep mistaking for a tattoo gone terribly wrong.

Last night I was feeding them after a pretty hard rain. (YAY RAIN!!) Dewey is last to be fed because he is the baby and needs to learn his place. Not sure he likes this very much. In the process of dumping his feed in his pan, he stepped to left and onto my right foot. I body slammed him off of me and smacked him for getting in and on my space.

"You are getting cut very soon....very soon" I muttered all the way back to the gate.