Drama at The Q.C. Corral

I survived the attack of the 2nd graders yesterday. I have to brag though, they were very good. I was proud of them.

Hark! Who is THAT cute 2nd grader by the large dinosaur which I cannot remember the name of...gigasaurus or something. Bigger than a T-Rex, I do remember that much.

He was by far the cutest kid there! I think that is a fossilized dinosaur turd on the pedestal blonde rascal is standing by...oh and he's touching it too. Where is the Purell?

Yesterday evening was beautiful. No wind, praise God. The boys roped. I normally stay away from all that nonsense but the weather was so nice that I decided to wander out there. With my camera no doubt!

Missy tags along of course, with her BFF from next door, Dixie...

Before the roping action starts they decided to do their favorite thing...

...wrestle! I know it seems that Dixie would have the unfair weight advantage but don't underestimate the mad skills of a spaz miniature daschund.

She can float like a butterfly...

...and sting like a bee!

I told them to simmer down and watch the roping.Call me the dog whisperer.


Anyway here is a play by play of team roping for you city folk. The steer is in the chute, that blue thing, and they open the gate to the chute at which point the steer runs out. The steer knows the drill, so he runs fast since those crazy men on horses are chasing him. Hubs is the "header" on the gray horse and Dave is the "heeler".

Hubs has "headed" the steer...because well he is a soopa-star... and Dave is about to "heel" him.

And well Dave is a soopa star too cuz he got the legs. That's all folks. There you have team roping in a nut shell. They do that over and over and over....and over...and... I can only take so much before my mind starts to wander off...


Wooo weeeee look how looooonnnng and lean my legs are!

That's it, I'm done. Bored plumb silly out of my mind with the whole roping thing. You knew it was only a matter of time before I move on and focus my attention on my friends...

"Oh... hi guys! How are y......"

"....hey come back! Talk with me!!!!"

They always back away from me and then start pooping, punks. But they can only back up so far before they get to the one way thingy that keeps them from backing up any further! HA! Then I move in.
"You better talk to me Fred, don't you know what happened to Pedro when he ignored me?"

"Dude, your headband is filthy. Would you like me to make you one? Perhaps out of a lovely Burberry print?"

Those headbands, as I like to call them, are really called horn wraps...I think. They protect their horns while being roped. (You're welcome S.P.C.A.!) I should recover all of them in some cutsie fabric... as a surprise for hubs! Wouldn't he love that!

Well hello beautiful! Look at him, this is Smokey. Check out his eyelashes. He is gorgeous!

He is our neighbor's horse. Our neighbor is also a team roper. Someone gave him this horse because they thought something might be wrong with him. So neighbor wanted hubs to try him out and see what he thought. Hubs was considering buying the horse. Hubs roped on him last weekend and Smokey did a great job. Hubs did not ride this horse last night but had him tied to the fence. He had started acting sort of sore earlier in the week, so they were going to take him to the dentist next week. Believe it or not a horse's teeth can be a major problem, and then you put a bit in their mouth with bad teeth and it affects their performance. AN~Y~WAY....

The drama unfolds last night when they were walking him back to the barn and Smokey just drops. Sits down like a dog. Like from his butt down he is paralyzed. He can't get up. He lays down and they try to get him moving. Nothing.

They call the vet to come out. Yes, I said they called the vet at 9:30 on a Friday night to drive out to our house. (That means Mama's not getting new shoes THIS month!)

Based on the symptoms the vet thought it may be some be long named thing....similar to Meningitis. In which case yes he would be paralyzed and they would have to put him to sleep.
But the vet gave him a couple shots to relax him and they decided to leave him there all night. Thinking maybe it was a pinched nerve or something and once his muscles relaxed then he would get up on his own.

Nope. Still just laying there this morning. I was just sick. Poor, poor thing. He is a beautiful horse with a gentle spirit.

The guys decide to make a sling of sorts and then try to lift him with the tractors until he is standing to see if he can support his own weight.

I could not go out there. This is the view from my sewing room. I was just gnawing my fingernails hoping he would be ok.

They got him up and left him cinched up for a few minutes to make sure he could stand. He was doing good so they un~cinched him and backed the tractors away.He was standing by himself! I was sweating by now. I was so worried he would fall over. They had him stand there for a while. Then they took baby steps. He was wobbly. And then...Yeah Smokey! He is up and walking. With the gait of a drunk man, but walking all the same! So he is back in the barn where he will be supervised, until the vet can figure out what the problem is.

Whew, those animals they steal your heart....especially when they are hurt. Keep your fingers crossed for pretty Smokey!