Well, circumstances don't provide enough time for Buck to feel ok being in a trailer. Karin's job ended early and it is time to go. Buck is staying on the ranch for now, but  there are some other leads locally we are checking on.







and some more shennanigans....Chandi said I have Buck legs, so I decided to do a comparison



he's got a better tan for sure.




Chandi and Annikan.








More heartbreak,Maple has to say good bye to her boyfriend




Check out the last gallop and other video snips here: Last Gallop

Well, it has come to this ladies and gentlemen, whoever is following this story.... Buck is just too skittish.Yesterday we were optimistic.  He has recently progressed to getting in the trailer, but shutting the doors behind him and going for a drive could take awhile. Today he broke a lead rope and ran back to the barn when I  was tacking him up for a ride after trailer practice.He didn't like it when I went to take my sweatjacket off, he yanked on his lead rope and turned into a bucking bronco, breaking away and galloping off..... I turned to follow him, but he was full steam ahead, leaving shoe marks on the pavement all the way home. Chandi arrived at the crime scene sometime soon after to find van doors open, half a lead rope and the horseshoe prints disappearing up the road. Unfortunately , Karin needs to go this week, and has decided we should make a decision, which ruled in favor of leaving Buck, sad as it is, she can give him to some friends. Soooo, onward to the rest of summer.

Van for sale
trailer for sale
horse, best offer


Also, in case anyone is in the market for horses, here is a link to some up for adoption in Maryland:

http://www.hswcmd.org/horses-for-adoption.shtml

Check your local humane society. Lots of people have ditched there perfectly good horses because of the bad economy.


Anyhoo, no picture today.

yesterday I did some fine tuning on the trailer.



guilty of damaging the ozone...

I think he likes it

or maybe not?



Buck goes inside his new digs






We are going for a test drive now,Chandi and I are driving him to a nearby campground for the night
 more later

bethany

Yesterday was stunningly beautiful so we took some photos out in the meadow.
Cloud shadow in the field



yep.


Now we step into the picture..



Buck dances around because it is windy and he is spirited...



Then dinner time, the usual veggie burrito from town.
So that was yesterday. We also looked at a campsite nearby that we will take Buck to for camping practice. Maybe he will like sleeping in a tent?
Today we had trailer practice again after having a serious talk about
Buck being left behind . He got in all fours and stayed for 15 minutes. Maybe it was because I told him about Wisconsin the whole time , the green pasture he can eat all day, maybe the oats I was tempting him with while scratching behind his ears. I also told him to stop being such a sissy. Some how the combination worked pretty well.
and now, Chandi Karin and I are going to town to get pizza. It has been a grey and chilly day, time for food.
byeeeeeeeeeee

Here he is , all 4 feet in the trailer on a quiet Sunday morning. He even hung out a little while inside. Now we will have to get him used to having the door shut behind him , not today though. Afterwards we went up to a stream so he could play in the water. He splashed around and liked the the mini water fall. The cold water must feel good on his feet because he seemed to like standing in it.  
All for today.









I don't know if you can tell, but he is splashing the water with his hoof like he's digging.

I  got out of town early this morning to go pick up Chandi from the airport and do some grocery shopping. Picked up  the usual burritos in Westcliffe before returning to the ranch. We got back just in time to find Karin bringing Buck over to the trailer to coax him in . We’ve been putting a bucket of oats  the farthest  distance into the trailer. Yesterday he put his two front feet in . Today, for the first time, he put all 4 in . 

Karin calming him, getting him to keep his head down.


The secret artillary





stepping in...


Stepping in....


Another step...



He actually did step all the way in, but I had moved out of the way so I wouldn't distract him. It lasted about 10 seconds.
Progress!


Chandi is checking out our apartment. When Monica and I first looked around, we peeked in the closet in the bedroom once and decided to never  go there again. We didn’t even use the bedroom  at all for the first couple days. I got tired of sleeping on the floor and caved . I have my sleeping bag on the bed now. Monica had used the couch the whole time she was here, not taking chances being near the closet. The apartment, by the way, is very cozy. We just got a case of contagious paranoia.  Now of course it is Chandi’s turn to snoop,  and her investigations have proven we were right . Evidence!, the closet is a bad place!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!





Well, that is a full day. Buck is on his way, we all are.

I took Buck out on the trail today, through the forest and the chopped down forest.

treepiles



This morning's tea bag guru said:


and here is yesterdays view on the mountain meadow:

The tidal wave cloud.....


From Monica:
Well, I’m heading back to San Francisco today. No flower in my hair. This morning Bethany asked me if I had regrets coming out here to Colorado.  Honestly, I had no idea what I was walking into but that’s usually how I approach things. I have no regrets. I got to meet Buck. I had some good conversations with Bethany, some of them in a state of delirium. I did what I could the best that I knew how.  I learned a few things along the way and met some friendly people. I can back a van with a trailer hitched to it, which is a real mind bender. All this mountain air has got a few things germinating in my mind and there may be a few paintings that come out of this. Maybe even a graphic novel. Who knows what may come of it. I’ll ruminate on it.
My advice to Bethany: Stay hydrated. Make lists. Eat food…(more food). Be flexible. Safety FIRST and good luck with Buck!
This is “low tech “ out.



Monica on the trail

Before leaving, she got to catch the Memorial Day Parade in Westcliffe, and some yard sales where she did quite well.





Alpacas just shaved..


Really you are

May 22nd

The Farrier came by to put shoes on Buck, also did a little training to keep him still.



We tried out the new shoes in the ring. The farrier says Buck has very nice feet.
(it snowed for a few minutes, day before was summery)


May 20th










May 19th -Well, Buck was introduced to his new spruced up trailer. He lived up to his name and after a few hours of cajoling, he left with a few war wounds. He got a cut on his head and a scrape on the nose after getting in and getting spooked(goopy medicine applied).  No shoes for Buck today


 It was back to the shop and we cut out two more windows for him. It looks like the plan is shifting and we are going to spend more time here with Buck. He was sporting a new barrette to keep his hair out of his wound.

May 20- Well, we made a list. We realize we need to make lists. At night we tend to be a little exhausted and not very focused.  We get a little silly and delusional. Here is the list for tomorrow.

May 21- We checked off a lot of the list. It sounds like progress. It is and now the plan is shifting a little more. It seems that Betty the Van needs just a little work. Brakes are a good thing.
  Karin here..... – today I told Bethany that she really DOESN’T  have to get my horse to Wisconsin!  She’s still up for it, despite the setbacks.  Flexibility is key.

Bethany here...not really a setback, just needs to be done, it's still a good van. and we'll hit the road soon enough, more safely.

Here it is folks,Betty the van and Rusty the trailer. They look busted but are actually very sturdy. The van doesn't even strain going up a mountain with the trailer. It's been a busy last couple of days. Monica has joined me .We still have to take Buck to get some special shoes tomorrow, so actual takeoff should be Tuesday. Tonight we are sprucing up  Betty and Rusty, could be some painting, welding and rearranging going on.
More soon.


We took ol' Rusty home to the workshop.


Bethany vacuums while Karin Grinds
and grinds the metal

and Monica ,metalsmithing