I went to feed the mares this afternoon. We have the two pregnant mares separated from the rest of the herd. We don't normally separate them, but we needed the stalls for the horses that we were working and riding. So, the two mares got sent across the street. Our wonderful neighbor lets us use her pasture. The mare have about 6 acres all to themselves. I walk across the street to feed them everyday. They are always waiting for food. I wonder if they get to craving feed like we crave foods when we are pregnant?
Blaze was not in the mood for photos. All she wanted to do was eat her grain. We have to keep an eye on Blaze. We really watch her weight when she is bred. Three years ago, when she had a colt, she got an abscess on her front left. Then that abscess really stressed her out and she ended up foundering. But not a whole lot. The vet thought it was strange that she only foundered in the one foot and it's a minimal rotation. So, we keep an eye on her. We don't want her to stress out or to gain too much weight and maybe founder any more. After she has this colt we are going to be taking her to the chiropractor to get a few adjustments. Then she will be put back into our riding program. She has had professional reining training and is a real dream to ride. I am hoping maybe Big Cowpoke can rider her just at home, to keep her in shape.
Blaze really didn't want to get her head out of her bucket. Blaze's belly always gets bigger than Pearl's belly. I think it's because Blaze is only 14.2 hands.
Just look at her belly. Blaze is due March 26th. She is bred to our paint stallion, Ima Dlux Red Robin. I love her babies. I have broke them out before and they are super smart and quick learners. So, I am really excited for her baby. Just a few more months to go! Then we have Pearl.
Pearl never can keep her head in her bucket. And she has to drop her feed all over the place. She is the messiest mare ever. After she finishes with the feed in her bucket, she will go back and clean up the ground. I have had her teeth floated lots of times and it still doesn't help. I would help a lot if the mare would have some trough manners. She eats with her mouth open.
See that lower lip? Seriously, she almost looks like Bubba Gump. And that is not as low as she normally lets it hang. In the summers that lower lip must hang about 3 inches from her mouth. But that is okay, I love her anyway, Bubba lips and all.
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Are you making fun of me?" Poor Pearl. But I love her. I know most of you know this but I am the only person on Pearl's papers that has owned her for more than two years. And she isn't going anywhere. I love my dead head Thoroughbred. I wouldn't trade her for anything. I can put anyone on her and know they are safe. And her babies are just like her. Sweet and lovable.
She didn't pay attention to me for long. She soon had her face shoved back into her bucket. Pearl gets fed the good stuff, and a lot of it. She is on Omolene 300. I love that stuff. It's the only feed that I have ever fed my pregnant Thoroughbred mare, that has kept the weight on her. Pearl is high maintenance, and if not fed just right, she will drop weight like it's going out of style. Now, me on the other hand, I look at cookies or fudge and gain weight. I guess if I were a horse I would be a Shetland pony!!
I think Pear's belly is doing great. She is due in April. Her real due date is March 19th, but she always holds her babies in for an extra 10-15 days. Also, I have never seen her have a filly. She has always had colts. When I bought her she had a three year old paint gelding and a 16 month old stud colt at the farm where she was, that were hers. And I have bred her twice and she has had colts both those times. So, I think I am doomed to have a colt. I really would love a filly. So, I will keep my fingers and toes crossed.
Pearl is bred to Final Review. I can't wait to see her baby. Just two or three more months! Those bellies will only get bigger. When ever Pearl gets close to the end, she gets huge! Even with her long legs. Now, I know those bellies may not look that huge in the pictures, but they are getting bigger. Just a few more months and I will have two foals to play with. I am so excited, because this is the first time that I will actually get to play with the foals. Every other time we have had foals, I have been pregnant! So, this year, I will be able to get in there and have some fun.
Both Cowpokes were really excited about having their pictures taken, just not at the same times. And Little Cowpoke showed his excitement by jumping all around. 
Cowpokette wasn't too sure about that. She just wanted to sit pretty and smile for the camera. Then we tried to get animals involved. That was interesting. 
Since sitting wasn't working, I did try the standing next to the Christmas tree pose. And, I just do not think that three year old boys are meant to stand still next to a tree. 
Big Cowpoke thought he looked cuter if he had a winter hat over one shoulder. And yes, the child is bare foot for Christmas pictures. I can try to dress him up to look at proper, but you just can't take the country out of the boy. Cowpokette was a bit upset with how Little Cowpoke was acting. She wanted to be in front of the tree. 
She sure does have that face down. The I am so sad look with her mouth wide open, screaming. And the tears are short to follow. Big old crocodile tears. Poor dear. I eventually got Little Cowpoke to kind of sit still. And then my cruddy point and shoot camera would not take clear pictures. 
Oh well, you can't say I didn't try. And I also had one more participant that was easy to take pictures of. 
Good boy, Brodi. I can always depend on him to listen to me. I love that old fellow. Then there is this fellow.
He sat there on the floor pretending to help. He told me it was useless to try and get pictures. Well, he was almost right. But I will get some good ones tomorrow. I promise. Mr. Cowboy got one shot of me and Cowpokette. 
I love having a girl who likes to have her picture taken. It's too sweet. And after I finally gave up on pictures. What do the kids do?
Some floor tumbling. Yes, because that is what we do in our nice clothes. You gotta love them.
And I think it made the kids happy. We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!!
They all gathered at the table and grabbed the frosting and decorations. It was a lot of fun. All of our Holiday cookies have been eaten, so I think Little Cowpoke and I will have to make some more. Cowpokette was better at undecorating than she was at decorating. 
She sure was into the frosting though. She also tried to help Big Cowpoke undecorate his cookies, but he wouldn't have it. Cowpokette tried to make it up to him.
With a super slobbery sugary kiss.
Just look at that face!! She is in sugar cookie happy land. Big and Little Cowpoke were a bit more professional about the whole ordeal. 
Simply perfect. The yummiest candy cane ever. I have a small obsession with sugar cookies, white frosting, and red hots. Oh dear, they are my favorites.
Little Cowpoke liked to decorate. He had a little help from Mr. Cowboy. But Big Cowpoke, didn't have help from anyone. 
Big Cowpoke was all business. He made some really pretty cookies. 
The more sprinkles the better. Big Cowpoke likes to do artsy things. Then I got to decorate some cookies too. It's so hard to decorate and not eat the yummy cookies right away.
I can't wait do decorate some more cookies for Santa. We will defiantly have to do that tomorrow night. Santa likes fresh cookies, so I heard. Cowpokette just like any kind of cookies. 
Just look at that drool!! I really wish her eye teeth would come out all ready. They are just sitting under her gums. I can see them. And the poor dear drools everywhere. So, does anyone have any fun Christmas traditions that they do the night before Christmas? We are going to make more cookies to leave out for Santa.
They love to play in all the pool poles. Yes, they are still sitting on the ground. One of these days we will finish something that we start. Sigh. 
I really could not believe how incredibly warm it was. It's December and my kids are outside with short sleeves and no shoes. I could get used to this.
I love Cowpokette's chubby legs. Those folds around the ankles. I love baby chub. I love the nice summery days we have had in December. But that was not how today was. Today was about 37 degrees. And this morning we had sleet. I have not seen sleet since I lived in Ohio. It was cold. Nobody wanted to go outside. Not even the dogs. 
As soon as I pushed the adorable pups out the back door they would turn right around and try to come back in. Sorry dogs! Belle is a really big baby. She is from Canada and acts like she doesn't like the cold weather. She will sit by the back door and shiver. Belle will actually push her little nose up against the glass and beg to come inside. But do you want to see Belle's new trick? 
See it? I make sure that my dogs wait at the door when I open it. Then they have to wait until I say their name and say, "Okay". Brodi will sit there all day waiting for me. Belle is a little more impatient. But she is getting better. And I also wonder, why are Belle's eyes blue and Brodi's eyes yellow? Is Brodi more cat like? He is really lazy and likes to lounge around the house. I always thought he had a little cat in him.
She has some of the chubbiest cheeks.
That was her "Gangster" look. 
I think she really liked her hat, until.......
She got that look in her eyes.
Then the arms went up, and........
Oh, dear, what are you doing!! Stop, don't.....please don't.........
"Oh no Mom, it just fell off!!" Well it was a cute idea anyway. I guess it's the thought that counts.
No I am not talking about those two guys, but what Mr. Cowboy is making. He is a lolly pop making fool. When he was in High School Rodeo, he made it to the Nationals in Colorado. His family didn't have a lot of money so they were not going to be able to make the trip. But Mr. Cowboy wanted to go. So, he and his mother started to make and sell suckers. They sold enough suckers to get to the Nationals, and they took 3000 suckers with them. Mr. Cowboy said he made about 1500 dollars at Nationals selling suckers. That was back in the day when they sold the suckers for .50 cents. Now, we just make them and give them away as Christmas gifts. Mr. Cowboy didn't want me to post pictures of his candy making methods, but he doesn't scare me. 
He doesn't have anything to worry about. No secrets can leak here, because I really have no idea how to make the suckers. So, his secrets are safe with me. He boils some water and some other stuff in a pot. Then he adds flavor and color and pours the finished product into his molds. 
He has a wonderful system. And he can make a ton of suckers in a short period of time. He makes half batches and makes plenty for us to giveaway. He makes all sorts of flavors. There is root beer, strawberry, pina coloda, cotton candy, bubble gum, hot cinnamon, sour cherry, sour green apple, french vanilla, banana cream, strawberry daiquiri, and lots more. 
That one is hot cinnamon. It's way to hot for me. It's like one of those atomic fire balls. But they are really pretty. His suckers come in many different shapes and sizes. 
I like the hearts. 
These are cotton candy suckers. The half brown and half aqua sucker is root beer/cotton candy with sour stuff in the middle. Normally Mr. Cowboy does the sour stuff with the hot cinnamon and I can't try them. But this time, it's all mine!! I love sour. 
It's a lot of fun to watch him make the suckers. And it's rewarding too, because we get to keep some of them. We really can only make the suckers in the fall and winter time because in the summer all the sugar and stuff melts. Good old hot sticky summers. So, there is a plus to the winter, we get suckers!!!
