Fuel still very expensive

Despite a drop at the NYSE to $118.58 a barrel…gas continues to be very expensive.

Here in Alberta...we not only refine the oil - but it is dug up here as well...so there are no shipping costs of any sort. We do not buy on the world market as well.

Edmonton (where I work) has 2 of the largest oil refineries in Canada...the other is in Fort Saskatchewan which is only 25 minutes away.

Right now at the Flying J - which is the cheapest place you can buy gas. We are paying $1.269 per litre. which works out to $4.62 a US gallon (if I have my conversions right). That is for regular fuel

For diesel we are paying...$4.49 a gallon.

And it has dropped drastically since Paige was here...and since I went to Saskatoon with Hyde.

When I went with Hyde - I was paying between $1.359 and $1.469 for diesel.

Still waiting for camera - August 2

It finally arrived at Paige’s and she rushed like a madwoman to get it out via fed ex for me to arrive on Tuesday. I am sooo excited!!!

Now comes the wait over the rest of the weekend for it to arrive on Tuesday morning!!!

Hyde is such a good boy - August 3

We had a horrific accident yesterday with Hyde.

He laid down WAY TO CLOSE to the fence and rolled over...getting ALL FOUR feet caught in the livestock wire.

I watched him do it from the house...put down the phone...ran to the back room to see him through another window start to struggle. as I am pulling off my socks to put on flip flops (fastest shoes to put on), I yelled WHOA HYDE. And he did. Just stopped and laid there.

So I run out - thank god it is only 150 yards - if that. So then I am thinking - now what??? NO wire clippers...no help...good lord...I am in TROUBLE.

He lifted his head and looked at me and put his head back down. I reached out for his HIND FEET and said DON'T KICK ME!!! he looked at me again and laid there. I got his hind feet out of the wire squares...and started to push him over. Well, I am not very long limbed so we kinda got stuck once he was right overtop of his tailbone. LOL And he was still laying there. I let his feet back down towards me, still saying "easy". He would just lift his head enough to see where I was and then lay it back down. I got his hind feet completely untangled...lifted the wire so his feet were on the ground...and then went to check his front feet. They were okay but not under the wire...so I did the same thing - lifted the wire - thank god it wasn't completely attached to the post that was at his belly.

I yelled at him to stay put...and ran for the barn...hoping to get a rope and put it on a back foot and pull him over from the other side. Well, by the time I got out of the back side of the barn with a halter and lead...he was standing there waiting for me. NOT A MARK ON HIM!!!

I was just stunned. I thought for sure I would be calling a vet on an emergency fix it call or a "put down" call. I then cried a bit...gave him a big hug. MAN HE IS SUCH A GOOD BOY!!!

So this morning, I got up...went out...did chores. Couldn't figure out why my arm hurt. Pulled up my sleeve and have a weird looking bruise (see attached pic). Took me about an hour to figure it out. It is from the wire...and me pushing Hyde's legs up and not having the leverage to push him higher because of the wire pushing into my arm. The bruise continues for another inch or so under the arm yet as well.


There are more lines coming up in bruises...but I don't think they will be so bad - you can see the one starting in the 2nd picture - about 1/2 inch lower - right now it is just two small dots.

I guess if there has to be a small injury from this incident I am glad it is on me and not him.

Still riding - August 2

Hyde and I enjoyed another short ride tonight in the pasture. there is a nice round clearing - probably 160 ft in diameter that is fairly flat - so that is where we worked today. I just did work at a walk again...did some figure eights, some stops, reverses, and tight turns. We then meandered around a little more of the pasture - closer to the house and road than he has been.

He just got nervous when we turned to go into the clearing and couldn't see the other horses tonight. Bounced a bit until I jabbed him with my heels and then he settled. then he spotted the neighbor riding in his field. OOPS. That didn't last long which was good...lol

My rides are very short but we are doing one a day. Which is really good for me. I don't want to overdo it for my back. I know Hyde could take more but I am happy with them...and what we are accomplishing. I am more comfortable each time I get up on him...which is a big thing.

Tomorrow I think we will return to the arena in the morning for a short ride before I head over to Jason's to ride GIDGET. That could be interesting as she only has 21 rides - EEPS. I HATE RIDING GREEN HORSES WHEN I FEEL SO GREEN MYSELF STILL. She comes home on Tuesday.

Website changes taking shape

I have been playing with the pages for Gunner and Molson to get them more “professional” sounding instead of just your basic “here is my stallion isn’t he beautiful” stuff.

Paige has been helping lots as she knows WAY more than I do about their pedigrees and earnings in their backgrounds than I do.

So here’s hoping I can do as good a job on theirs as she did on Hyde’s.

Then it will be off to Rondee and Ding’s blurbs as well.

Pheonix changes color - August 1

Well, so much for staying a light sorrel. He is now almost a liver chestnut in color. Such a flashy boy. And BIG.

He is now 4 months and 2 days old. Time to start thinking about weaning and sending him on to his new home.

Handsome Hyde

Here is my boy relaxing at home.

Group shots

Here are the two groups.

The first is Rondee, Ding, Angel and Lucky. Ding is in the front...followed by Rondee in the blue halter. Angel has the bald (white) face and you can just barely make out Lucky's legs in amongst everyone elses.


The second group is Ace (red bay), Cuba (black) and Skeena with the blaze face.


Both groups are in adjoining pastures. One of the pastures is about 12 acres (where Rondee is) and the other is about 25 acres. No wonder all the horses are sooooo fat!!!

Rondee - August 1

Here is Rondee girl. She sure is a sweetheart now that she has figured out that we aren't going to eat her. LOL

She is always at the fence waiting her turn for some pats...and is usually the first to start the long walk up for them as well.


Her temperment is pretty low key for the most part out in the pasture. She isn't the boss by any stretch of the imagination.

Her eye healed up really well - you can see the small scab just above her eyelid. She is very good about me looking it over now.

Ding - August 1

Well, the name Ding stuck. She knows it and it is very original. LOL

She is looking really good...has filled out and I am sure she is growing.

She has shown no ill effects from going up and over the fence and her leg that was scraped up a bit has healed really well.

She is very very friendly and only shows attitude if she doesn't get all the attention that she thinks she deserves.

Here she is coming up from the back pasture for her pats.