Things are a bit quiet around here at the moment. I’m enjoying it because I know that it’s the calm before the storm, with a lot of things happening in the next few weeks.

Henry was back to 100% within a day of having his shoe pulled so his abscess could drain. He’s having to wear a boot on that foot because he’s not getting re-shod until next Monday and he’ll chip it up otherwise, but luckily we’re used to working with hoof boots since he has a history of pulling shoes (although way less with this current farrier than any others before). I don’t really like jumping in them, although we have before… it just feels a little clumsy, but he can flat just fine so back to “work” he goes.

Naturally he is FULL OF BEANS having had over 2 weeks off total, between my Cali trip and his abscess. There’s been a lot of dolphining around the hacking trail. It’s like a Sea World audition, although with the current state of his dad bod the sounds that come from him are more like grunts than squeals these days. It’s entertaining either way, and he feels great. LOOKS a mess… needs a bath and a mane trim and another body clip, but…. he FEELS great.

This weekend we also took Mina down to the river refuge for some hiking.

She continues to not like car rides and she definitely has anxiety about unfamiliar places. Plus no one ever taught her how to walk properly on a leash, omg. Her shelter notes said “strong puller” and they were not playing. At home she’s really never on a leash, because farm dog, but we’ve been working a lot on her verbal recall, and thankfully it’s translating over to the leash walking. She’s learned “wait” now, which helps tremendously when she wants to start shooting ahead and pulling. It’s light years better than when we started.

Luckily the place we went was largely deserted, so we only came across a few other people and dogs. I had her step off the side of the trail and sit while the others passed us, so she wouldn’t spiral. She just gets overexcited and overwhelmed easily, trying to prevent that from happening seems to be the key when she’s out and about in public.

At home she’s a fabulous farm dog. A bit overly enthusiastic sometimes, but she’s really settled into farm life well. It’s a good outlet for all of her energy, and she likes the routine of it. On days when I hack Henry she comes with us and runs around the pasture… it’s the only way to actually get all her energy out. I have no idea how the hell she was ever an apartment dog, she’s off the charts energy-wise. Methinks that has a lot to do with why she ended up back at the shelter. Her nickname Beans really suits her because she’s permanently full of them.

The weather here is cooling off and the leaves are starting to fall… I can’t believe it’s already Thanksgiving week. What the heck. Where did the whole year go?

I go today to get my covid booster, fingers crossed that it’ll go as easily for me as the first two shots went. I’ll have my first draft of the Black Friday sales post up on Wednesday, so be looking out for that! And more fun horsey news tomorrow…