Have fun! mostly on topic

When I was working in Sutherland (NE Scotland) in the 1970s the more fanatical golfers would continue to play when snow lay on the course. Their secret weapon was RED golf balls which showed up in the snow.

Our quarter horse had been a barrel racer -- I never got good enough at riding to attempt that.

DH also had a qh stallion at one time, but he got thrown and the horse fell back on him into a ditch -- nobody was hurt, but it upset his dad so much he sold the house. I don't know if DH ever forgave him for that.

HORSE, he sold the horse....not the house -- though when DH's dad got to drinking, he might have sold the house as well.

On 1/19/07 11:09 PM, "Jere Williams" wrote:

I figured you meant the horse, not the house. I suffer from that typo thing, as well.

DH isn't much for horses, but, essentially I explained to him that I felt about horses more strongly than he does about hockey, and reality is the bank=breaking tix cost more than upkeep of a horse for a year. For real.

I expect that I'll start looking into things, and hope that by next year - as in next fall I've lost enough weight, and money things are better with me working so that I can get back to it. I think that I'll likely look for a barn where I can get back into the saddle - so to speak, and find a suitable new pal to lease until I'm ready to buy. I have no ambition to do major competing - for me, too - it's simply the joy thing. And hopefully, Puckster will becaome a good barn dog. But, all things in good time - or something like that.

Luckily I've only had one shattered wrist/arm accident. And a whopper set of bruises. One great one - summer camp - getting things all set the couple of weeks before the campers get there. The owners had had a small island built in the lake which they owned. It had a nice little wooden bridge - probably 8' wide, and the causeway/bridge was only about a total of maybe

So, early in the season, I'm taking a couple of campers down, they each have a horse to lead, and I have 2. All in western tack, but bridles not on. When we get there - I tether up 2 of them, and walk the other 2 across the bridge - it's a little creaky, etc - and the kids are going to hold them on the other side. All good. Then I go back, get 1 - walk her over with the kids. Go back, get "Big Red" - who I'll ride first. He's the large walker mix - good 17 hands. Lovely mover. A little temperamental - but good for not total beginners. I always liked him a lot. Very red color - with a white snip on the forehead, and 2 white socks up front. As we're walking across the bridge - and of course the kids are now holding their horses - he steps on a dry limb that I didn't notice - it snaps - some kid yelps - and he's up and rearing like a maniac. I'm doing what you do - but he gets me good with one foreleg in my forearm (covering the face). As I get him on the island - he's really going - so I somehow get him heading into the ring, and as I'm letting go - he turns and clips me good with the rear legs - right on the front of my right shin. Eventually everyone calms down - the others are fine - I'm not too happy - catch the horse, calm him, have a nice little ride, and then we have our abbreviated lesson. The kids were a hoot discussing this when we went back to the main barn -riding. I end up over at the infirmary - with a swollen leg, and arm. Go into town to the doc. He takes a look, asks me who, what - as there are 2 clear hoofprints on my shin - and amzingly nothing majorly broken - just a minor greenstick on my leg, and big bruise on the arm. I tell him - and he says "you didn't have shoes on him - cause that would've shattered your leg - did you?" Nope - well, the doc knew our horses, etc - we shared a farrier . The farrier was supposed to have been there that morning - early - but postponed the apptmt til the next day. So, some providence there. I always feel lucky, etc not to have had any more serious hurts. Though after the shattered arm, I was definitely antsy anytime going from a trot into a nice, full canter.

The camp owner, my boss, was really pissy about the accident - meant I was limping around for a couple of weeks, and I think the arm was in a sling/bamdaged up for about 10 days so I had to do other stuff. Oh, well.

When my friend with the Swedish Warmbloods told her husband that she wanted to learn to play hockey - her husband said firmly no - she already has one dangerous part of life - she'd recently had her nose broken - in one of those freak horse comes back at you with head rearing - she leaning forward collisions.

But, either you love 'em or you don't care.

ellice

Another Shetland Wool here.

Rosemary in Melbourne, Australia

merino wool

It's a kind of sheep that I think is bred mostly for it's wool.>

Yup, Merinos are lovely sheep, prized for their long, soft, coats, Merino wool is very soft, not inexpensive, and nowadays there are several versions which are washable - sometimes called superwash. It's really nice, cushy, soft and pretty warm wool. I have several projects being done in Merino wool.

Ellice

Yup. That's one of the advantages of reading "The Thornbirds" instead of watching the mini-series--you get to learn a bit about raising merino sheep.

I wonder if that's why I knew that answer?? I'm the ultimate city girl and my only knowledge of sheep is what I read in books and saw in zoos.

Lucille

Been to ABQ and agree.

We're in Elephant Butte, further south on I25, about halfway to El Paso. We thought it would be warm here, ho ho ho Some melting went on as it fell, but a guess is at least 3 inches fell. All gone now.

Grew up in nw Kansas, know and love snow, but now we travel to places that 'usually' are warmer in winter.

Barbara T

Interesting place to choose. I'm a little familiar - having spent way, way too much time on the range, and living in some interesting motels in Socorro.

I can understand that.

ellice

Merino wool is the normal sort of wool in Australia. Most of our sheep are merinos. We eat them as well as using their wool.

Rosemary in Melbourne

Weren't merino sheep the ones bred to be both tasty and good wool producers. I recall that tidbit from somewhere. Too lazy at 6:30 AM to go chasing it.

Cheryl Isaak ,in rec.crafts.textiles.needleworkwrote: and entertained us with

Rings a bell, there is also Botany wool which I always used for knitting kids sweaters, I think because it was tougher wearing than merino.

There is a lake here and we have a boat and intended to go out and explore and maybe see if there are any fish that are hungry. No such luck. We play when the weather is comfortable. At least we didn't buy our fishing license the day we got here. The boat will wait till spring, maybe spring comes earlier that it did in Kansas... The country is nice, we do like desert and most important the folk here are great. Makes up for any lack in temperature

Barbara T

I think you may be right. I believe the original merinos came from Europe somewhere, but we've had their descendants here in Australia since the very early days.