First, we had stall cleaning and water barrel scrubbing. You can see Lisa has an unusual technique, and work garb....
Jules and Jan started by cleaning stalls, and continued with filling and cleaning water barrels as well.
Then, tack cleaning. A lot of stuff was donated with Allie and Comet, and cleaned up, may be saleable either at our upcoming Open House/Yardsale, or on craigslist... Here, Jan works on one of the western saddles. The seat was suede, so I have to figure out how to brush that up, and I didn't have cleaner for all the silver conchos and other decorations, but she was able to clean up the smooth leather parts and make a big difference in it's overall appearance and condition.
Julia cleans a set of reins...
and multitasker Lisa cleans and entertains!
Here Jan holds Shine for Lisa to bathe - I came in quick to clean his sheath and show Lisa how to do it. She took care of Victor and Oso later. Jan was our horse whisperer - Shine was pretty fussy for this but had a HUGE bean....
This was Lisa's first effort at sheath cleaning. Shine was too restive, and she needed to see it done, so I finished this and demonstrated for her. She took a huge bean out of Victor, and like any nurse (?) SMELLED IT! OMG.... Later she did the same for Oso, and this time, let PEPE SMELL IT! And you can guess what face he made! "-)
Then Julia lunged Brave and Hershey. This is no easy task. Although Hershey needs the exercise (SUCH an easy keeper!), he's not real motivated; Brave on the other hand really needs the exercise and wants it, but only in one direction (the other way, his blind eye is on the rail and he can't see it....) But she did a good job and kept them moving for 20 minutes...
Then Jules gets a lesson with her love, Silver Mystic. I worked her hard, and she made great progress with learning to post a trot, and sit a trot, and communicate more with her legs and weight than with her hands. Silver, as always, was brilliant and took great care of her! After the lesson, Julia groomed him up and loved on him a while, which he just loved, and put him away with his dinner and carrots.
And while Jules was doing that, Jan, and Lisa and Katie spent time schmoozing with the other horses
Kate gets the Ronan inspection - what, no carrots?
Lisa hugs Keller. Doesn't his head look like it's as big as she is?
Jan chats with Oso, while Buddy asks for attention, and while Lisa instructs DeeAnn in how to get the shot....
Who could resist such a kiss? Not Keller....
And then it was time to feed. We were all busy putting horses away, making buckets and distributing them, - a well oiled machine! But there were a few shots:
Lisa started to make buckets; I took over, made and distributed the first set while Julia and Jan and Katie put the horses in their stalls. Then I made the next set of buckets and Julia distributed them while Nurse Lisa, Jan and I doctored Remy's leg and Victor's hock.
And these smiles at the end of the day. They did my chores, and lightened my heart. How could I not watch them leave with regret?