Potpourri - July, Aug, Sept 2010

[JPG]

She's a beauty farmer. Never saw markings like that before. What kind is she.....

That's a 'Painted Pony' Mike!:D

I think Francis is 'colour blind'! (the 'u' is for Shipwright!;))



P.S. She???????:D

[shipwright]

[quote="JPG40504"]

I think Francis is 'colour blind'! (the 'u' is for Shipwright!;))


Thank U.

Paul M

[JPG]

[quote="shipwright"][quote="JPG40504"]

I think Francis is 'colour blind'! (the 'u' is for Shipwright!]

Yer Bloody Welcome!!!!;)

[mbcabinetmaker]

How did we end up with so much Shopsmith woodworking content in a potpourri thread in the Community section?
This is supposed to be for off topic stuff like a picture of this horse I accidentally bought Saturday...
http://picasaweb.google.com/robinson46176/OurHorses#5513666063508747266

Ok Farmer how do you "accidentally" buy a horse??:D

[joedw00]

That's a 'Painted Pony' Mike!

If that horse is painted, I hope it don't get wet and the paint wash off.
Sure is a nice looking horse you "accidentally" bought Farmer.

[mickyd]

[quote="JPG40504"]That's a 'Painted Pony' Mike!:D

I think Francis is 'colour blind'! (the 'u' is for Shipwright!]
Not certain on the 'hardware'. Farmer will straighten it out.

[robinson46176]

"He" (well, he used to be) is an Appaloosa about 7 or 8 years old. I told someone today that he looked like the worst batch of rust holes I have seen since my old 1977 GMC...
Below is a blog I did about the purchase.
------------------------------
He followed me home, can I keep him?

OK, so maybe that excuse is a little thin, especially since my wife was sitting next to me on the bleachers at the auction telling me to go ahead and bid on him... “Him” being the most gorgeous brown, tan and white Appaloosa horse I have ever seen.

Backing up a little, Saturday was the date of the big Amish fund raising consignment auction to support their schools. A regular 5 ring circus. Some come for the antiques. Some come for all of the hundreds of quilts. Some come for lawn equipment and farm equipment. Some just come for the fun. My main interest these days is the horses and tack. I bought a super 10 year old sorrel quarter horse mare at the spring sale in May.

Saturday I was not really looking to buy a horse (that is my story and I am sticking with it) but I had to go out in the lot and look at all of them. I spotted him out on the far corner of the area where they were tied in rows to chains that ran between big post in the ground. I was about 400 feet away when I first saw him. He jumped out at me almost instantly among all of those other horses. He looked a little like a white horse that had been massively attacked by a gang with paint-ball guns, all loaded with tan and brown paint-balls.

I went ahead walking the picket lines “interviewing” horse after horse still telling myself that I was “just looking” and not really interested in buying a horse. I discussed many things at length with some of the horses while walking past some with little more than saying “hi, how are you doing”. When I reached the brown and white Appy I looked long and hard and asked him a lot of questions. I finally concluded that he was a lot more horse than I could afford especially since I didn't even have a personal horse budget now. The current month's horse budget was devoured by things like feeds, farrier service, worming etc. We are also renting out some horse pastures and fencing etc. ate through funds big time this month. Still, I had “adjusted” some investments in August and since all expected rents had arrived in a timely fashion this month I was able to tell myself that I had some “extra” money. I had left the Appy gelding and went ahead looking at other less desirable horses. I was “sort of” looking for a sound, calm horse ready to ride. It didn't have to be flashy. I did look at several huge drafts that I really liked but I already have that great 11 month old Belgian filly and I have a limited need for horses that can eat as much as your average elephant and come close to one in body weight. I picked out maybe a half dozen rather generic horses that I made a mental note of their numbers. A mental note... In my case that is about like writing on clear water with clear water. I also made note of a couple that looked like they might be in need of rescuing and told myself that if they went too cheap for comfort that I would maybe buy them and restore them to soundness for re-homing. I can usually find a little patch of grass somewhere.

About then I found myself wandering over to the corner where the Appy was patiently waiting and dozing off now and then while other horses at various points along the line were either freaking out a little or bickering with their neighbors. He and I had another lengthy conversation and then I went looking for my wife so she could look over the horses of which I had made note. I finally found her and we walked the lines again and I introduced her to the ones I had noted. I also noticed that she too was drawn to the Appy and I warned her that he was probably out of reasonable range so we probably should not waste too much time on him but instead concentrate on some of the more common horses that were likely to sell at a more digestible price. Still, I felt like the Appy and I had a mutual attraction.

When they started selling horses I kept watching and rejecting one noted horse after the other for one reason or the other. Then I spotted the Appy in the line-up near the gate. When they brought him through the gate he looked even better than he did out on the line. When the bidding started he was not going nearly as out of range as I expected. He was part of a group of 8 horses who were the property of a horse showman that had died and his horses had been sent to a boarding facility until they could be sold. They did not have any papers or even know the names of most of those horses. Without a full history the showing folks have little interest in a horse. Happily it turned out that I could afford to buy him after all, or at least tell myself that I could. I was debating with myself when I felt my wife nudge me and quietly said “you might as well bid on him”. That was all of the arm twisting I needed...

It turns out that he is very well trained and truly loves attention. He is about 8 years old and on the line between a bit spirited and quite calm. They didn't know his name so we had to come up with one. I came up with a few which were rejected by my wife outright. She used her veto power to bounce such wondrous names as “Bubba” and “Swizzle-stick”... I vetoed the likes of “Poppy-seed” and a few others. We both liked Cherokee and settled on that.

So far my only regrets about the horses is that I waited so long to start keeping them... What wonderful loving creatures they are.
=============================

Had a good young lady trainer on him Sunday and Monday and he is remarkable. He and I both need a few more hours on us before I climb on him. Maybe later this week? He is remembering stuff well. She was on 4 different horses of clients of mine today (plus mine) including one that was closer to a rodeo ride at times. That one tossed her once but she climbed right back on.
This little pasture boarding enterprise of mine that was to start with a horse or two and add a couple more of them after maybe a month has exploded on me. I am now already keeping 9 horses for paying clients as well as my 5 and I'm about to shift into "waiting list" mode. This is after only about 3 weeks since actually starting it. I am about exhausted trying to keep up building fences. I am building a second round-pen this week. The first was 42'. This one will be 62'. The only woodworking I'm getting to do is a couple of shelters I need to build.

[mickyd]

Great story farmer. Thanks for sharing. Congratulations. Guilt free purchase too since your better half was all for it. Can't beat that!!!
"He" found a great home.

[heathicus]

What's the old addage? There are a few thousand perfect people out there: the rest are right handed.

I thought the rest had hair on their head.

[JPG]

I thought the rest had hair on their head.

Top - Or Front????:rolleyes: