Summer!

How is it that it is almost August?

 Summer has flown by, again.

 

 

 

What's up?

 

 

Congats to Xina and Jan for their learning of the art of horsemanship. Sara is awesome!

We survived a hideous week of heat and humidity.

And everyone has some sort of fungus growing on their bodies.

 

 

 

Keep an eye out for damage on the trails from the summer storms and flooding so I can get ready for trail clearing this September.



 

 



 

 

 

 

 

Hay season!Sucks.

Meet the guys who made it happen.
Thanks so much!

What's that smell coming from the tack room?

Everyone was standing.

 

Isha always lending a hand!





The horses enjoy a lazy morning. I think Jeep drank the cool aid.

 

 

 

 

 

The flood of 2013!

 

 

Our newest amusement ride at MGS.

 

 

 

 

 

Oh dam. Do we know any little Dutch boys to stick their fingers in the holes?






Stable facelift.
New windows and paint.

 

The old girl looks good. Not bad for 90.


Finding the time to write is hard this time of year. We're all busy doing our thing.
Do your thing and enjoy the trails.

Remember, keep your heels down!
Holly.

 

April and May come and go so fast!

This maple tree always fascinates me as it goes thru the year.

The barn is busy this time of year. The winter routine and the summer routine are going on all at once! Soon, I'll start leaving the main stable out all night and all day for those few glorious days of very little stall cleaning. I can't wait. Then, it's hay season. Yikes.

News around the barn!

 



 Bear is still for sale.

Mito is recovering from a bowed tendon.

Eileen is itching to ride Tank.

Did Connie break up with Dougie or not???

Ruby looks like she's getting ready for Jenny again.
Christina Barss is learning to ride Lane.
Willow, owned by Callie is our newest boarder.
Will Azhar get over his cough?

THANKS FOR ANOTHER GREAT TRAIL CLEARING DAY! 

 

 

Rosemary and Ken Morgan are certified in trail maintenance. I learned a lot from them and I won't look at the trails the same way again. I want a Pulaski and a McCullough for Christmas.

 

From the left, Rosemary Morgan, Eileen Killian and Ken Morgan with their weapons of destruction.

 

Having the trail tools the Morgan's brought made this goofy hill much more inviting to go up and down. Nice touch with the rocks.

 

Anyways, this is the time of the year to get out and explore the trails. Just write on my planner sheet if you want me to go with you or else I'll mow grass.

 

 

As always, keep your heels down, Holly.

 

 

March is the new February

March 27th, 2013.
When I got to work this morning, this is what the front of the stable looked like.

 

 

 

 

Doc is on high alert.

 

This is the trail out back.






Just think, the spring peepers still need to be snowed on three times before it is truly Spring.

 

Keep your heels down, Holly.

 

Mountain Glen on You Tube.

Now I'm going to show off.

 

Watch!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Technology will not get the best of this poop scooper!

 

 

Keep your heels down, Holly

 

The sun says it wants to be spring.

This was a cold March 5th,2013. There was no one at the barn so I took advantage of getting out to see if there was any wind damage to the trail in the rocks. It was quiet. Calm. Just sun.

 

 

 

 

Last week was busy with Benji and Donna moving out and Sammy moving in that this was a treat. 

 

 

Getting up here makes up for dark gloomy days like last Friday and Saturday when Rolly was losing his mind, Coco ending up at Big Creek and Azhar Choking. 

 

 

 

 

This is the best time to be on Little Mountain. You can see everything. 

I'm watching you.

Keep your heels down. Holly.

Remember to have fun and be safe when out riding.

Kristi PDF'd me an ad for the safety vests that inflate on impact. If any one is interested, I'll post a the ad at the stable. There's a 10% discount for you and Kristi will contribute to the Friends of Sterling fund.      

I've written in past blogs about safety. They are horses and we are out in the woods, fields and streams where anything could happen. Don't forget to take in the sights, sounds and smells of those woods, fields and streams. That's why we go out out there. Of course, your horse may stumble, eat or spook. Don't bring that memory of your ride back with you. Bring back the memory of the woods, fields and streams that are the beautiful gem that make MGS what it is.

 

Ok, back to safety.

     I will hang this at the stable so riders and our new staff have something to consider when people go out for a ride and something goes wrong during the ride.

Emergency procedures.

Stable address

8754 Hermitage Rd. Chardon Twp.

Take care of the rider first!

These are the situations from the uneventful to the worst case scenario.

• The rider falls off and gets back on without any noticeable injury.
  When rider returns, ask if they have any pain or dizziness. Offer an ice pack from the freezer. Make sure they are safe to drive home.
• The rider falls off and is not injured and can't get back on. (I've had riders call me to drive out to give them for a leg up.) Find a log or rock to mount back up. When rider returns ask if they have any pain or dizziness. Offer an ice pack. Make sure they are safe to drive home.

When to bring a halter and lead rope.

• The rider falls off and is not injured and the horse runs away.
  Find out if the rider is ok and in which direction the horse went. Have them get to a place where a car can pick them up (unless they are so mad they need to walk off their anger). Find the horse and inspect for any injuries. Generally the horse comes back to the stable.
• The rider falls off, is injured and the horse runs away.
  Ask injured rider if they require 911 and how bad are their injuries. Can staff and/or help get to the location by car? Take rider to the stable (call 911 if necessary). Help make arrangements to get the rider home or to an emergency facility. Secure horse in a stall after inspecting for injuries.
• A non- Mountain Glen horse shows up without a rider. Try to catch the horse and safely put it in the round pen until the rider shows up. Sometimes a little black stallion shows up.
  
   
  Worst case scenario.
  
   
• Horse returns to stable without a rider and rider is not answering their phone.
  Secure horse in stall. If there are other riders around start a search for the rider. Back track from the direction which the horse came from. ATV will come in handy in this situation. Yell out for the rider (because they may have landed on their phone). Call 911 if rider is unconscious and direct them to the location. Start first aid/CPR immediately.
  
   

Who to call. Judith or Holly

What to do. Take care of the rider the best you can.

Where they are. Know the property and learn the names of the areas.

How to help. General first aid.

Emergency contact list. Cell phone.

Emergency vehicles can access areas via service drives on property. Map in the tack room has driveway entrances marked and the key for the gates is hanging by the sink.
Upper Duck Pond there is a gate on Clark Rd. and another off of Girdled across from Howard Van Dreist's house.
Judith's driveway will get to Upper Duck Pond.
Stone Cabin has a gate off of Mentor Rd. below Little Glen.
Sugarhouse can be accessed from Mentor Rd. at Little Glen.
The top of Little Mountain can be reached by a private driveway at the end of Little Mountain Rd.

I'm always thinking about safety but I still have fun. Some of us are bigger adrenalin junkies more than others. It's OK.

Keep your heels down, Holly.

Oh, January.

January, burrrrrr!

 

 

 

Nothing like fresh snow to clean off the stall muck.

 

 

 

 

 

Kaila the Brave!

 

I won't miss that week of wind and fridgid cold. Not to mention the horses in so much.

 

 

 

 

On a sad note...

 

January took away some of our four legged friends.

 

 

Lady went to the great  pasture in the sky and

Sterling is off hunting for adventure.

 

 

We'll miss you! mm'yeow.

 



 

Keep your heels down, Holly