Still waiting... waiting now for some missing piece to fall into place that will make our path clear.
Walter's foot is healing up remarkably well. I'm going to start him on a rehab and conditioning regimen tomorrow, in hopes that he will be up to at least light road riding 11 days from now. (Having our packs hauled for the first week if possible, and starting out at only a few miles a day.)
Eleven days from now is Saturday August 3, the date I had set to leave one way or another. If we're hauled to NM, it's the latest date Linda can take us... she's going out of town the following week. It's also the latest we can ride out of here and make it to KC in time to arrange to return to AZ before October, or ride west to the NM border and arrange same from there.
As far as arrangements though, doesn't quite seem to be falling into place. I've called and contacted everyone I can think of and still haven't found a drop-off base camp in central NM, nor a trailer from NM to AZ or a single trailer haul from OK to AZ.
So if Walter isn't healed up enough to continue the ride, not sure what I'll do.
I think what I'd like to do at this point, assuming Walter is recovered and conditioned enough, is ride west to Texas, maybe even across it to Clovis, NM if there's enough access to water and graze; have us hauled past the empty stretches and extreme drought danger of west TX/eastern NM into the mountains of the Gila National Forest; and ride back to Tucson from there.
But at this point I'll take whatever patched-together combo of trailering and riding comes through!
I appreciate all of you who follow this blog...
if anyone reading this has ideas or suggestions, please contact me by email,
pentimental@yahoo.com
I can't respond to comments made on the blog (though I love reading them, thank you!).
In the meantime, I have access to a computer a few days a week here (at work) and will post updates as soon as I have news.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Trip to Mount Scott above Medicine Park, OK
Saturday, July 20
And on the way home, Linda spotted these horses out the window. The "lake" the levee juts into is behind a chain-link fence with a sign identifying it as the county sewer lagoon. Hey, it was hot, there was a breeze coming off that water...
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Rain
Finally...
After weeks and weeks of drought...
Rain!!
Saturday afternoon the little puffy white clouds began to gather and mass and darken into a beautiful blanket of grays across the horizon. In the wee hours of Sunday morning, the sky opened and water began to pour down. Sweet, gentle, steady rain. It's Tuesday afternoon now, and still coming... it ebbs and flows, from light mist to heavy downpour, with only rare moments of gusting wind so even the most fragile trees are uncurling their browning leaves and drinking in the life-giving nectar.
Caroline was supposed to come change Walter's bandage on Sunday. It was raining too hard and the yard where we treat him - being the clearest spot - was awash in red clay mud. I asked how much longer we need to keep the wounds bandaged?
She told me, until the big cut closes up from the inside. Caroline said besides keeping it clean while it's open, the main thing was to keep the wound from drying out during healing. And she said not to change the bandage unless it was obviously soaked clear through and/or letting in dirt.
By Monday morning I could see it was obviously soaked clear through, and letting in dirt. Walter stood still gratefully while I cut it off. Imagine my surprise - the deep wound was closed! From the inside out. I stood staring in astonishment for a moment, then gingerly picked his foot up and cleaned all round it with a damp cloth, and touched it lightly. Nope, not imagining things - it really was sealing itself. No signs of infection. So I left it unwrapped.
One thing I did notice, though -Walter was shivering in the damp early morning drizzle. His pasture's only shelter is a tree in the far corner where the 3 pastures meet, and he and the three horses like to congregate. I was concerned, but figured he'd warm up as the day went on.
Nope. Came back from work around 6pm and there he was under the tree, shivering all over while the other three took the weather in stride. Now I was more then "concerned." I was a bit frantic, my imagination running away with me since neither Linda nor I had a thermometer to check his temp, and I had visions of finding little Walt in dire straits come morning. Linda has perfectly good pastures, with trees and windbreaks in the other two, but for many reasons the herds can't be put in together or changed around. The pen where I had Walter before was now a boggy mud pit. We had washed tack on Friday afternoon and Linda's horse blankets were hanging on the fence, sopping wet.
Linda and I were sitting in the camper, me staring out the window at a soaked Walter with my gut twisting as I watched him shiver while the sun set, and the ever practical Linda, hands on hips, looking around for some solution. In a frustrated voice she said, "Well, if he's tarp-trained maybe you could take that blue tarp out by the barn and tie it over him..."
I looked down at the "couch" I was sitting on. It consisted of a twin mattress on the seat part of a fold-out spring frame, which I had covered with the industrial-strength space blanket I use as a ground cloth for my tent. The space blanket is orange vinyl on one side, some kind of shiny silver stuff on the other, and the silver side is made to reflect body heat to save your life if you wrap it around yourself when stranded in a snowstorm or other such hypothermic adventure.
It is slightly rectangular... about as long lengthwise as a little foxtrotter mule from neck to tail.
Space blanket plus bailing twine:
And believe it or not, Walter loves his new blanket! His entire body language changed to that of a warm, happy mule. This morning, he was cheerfully hanging out at the fence waiting for grain, still sporting his sporty duds. No sign whatsoever of having tried to get it off. I took it off though, knowing rain or no rain, it'll get up in the 80s today.
Needless to say, the cut is staying moist as it heals in this weather, which is good. Those of you who follow the ride, please keep thinking good thoughts for Walter - I truly believe it helps. Thank you all for your caring and support.
After weeks and weeks of drought...
Rain!!
Saturday afternoon the little puffy white clouds began to gather and mass and darken into a beautiful blanket of grays across the horizon. In the wee hours of Sunday morning, the sky opened and water began to pour down. Sweet, gentle, steady rain. It's Tuesday afternoon now, and still coming... it ebbs and flows, from light mist to heavy downpour, with only rare moments of gusting wind so even the most fragile trees are uncurling their browning leaves and drinking in the life-giving nectar.
Caroline was supposed to come change Walter's bandage on Sunday. It was raining too hard and the yard where we treat him - being the clearest spot - was awash in red clay mud. I asked how much longer we need to keep the wounds bandaged?
She told me, until the big cut closes up from the inside. Caroline said besides keeping it clean while it's open, the main thing was to keep the wound from drying out during healing. And she said not to change the bandage unless it was obviously soaked clear through and/or letting in dirt.
By Monday morning I could see it was obviously soaked clear through, and letting in dirt. Walter stood still gratefully while I cut it off. Imagine my surprise - the deep wound was closed! From the inside out. I stood staring in astonishment for a moment, then gingerly picked his foot up and cleaned all round it with a damp cloth, and touched it lightly. Nope, not imagining things - it really was sealing itself. No signs of infection. So I left it unwrapped.
One thing I did notice, though -Walter was shivering in the damp early morning drizzle. His pasture's only shelter is a tree in the far corner where the 3 pastures meet, and he and the three horses like to congregate. I was concerned, but figured he'd warm up as the day went on.
Nope. Came back from work around 6pm and there he was under the tree, shivering all over while the other three took the weather in stride. Now I was more then "concerned." I was a bit frantic, my imagination running away with me since neither Linda nor I had a thermometer to check his temp, and I had visions of finding little Walt in dire straits come morning. Linda has perfectly good pastures, with trees and windbreaks in the other two, but for many reasons the herds can't be put in together or changed around. The pen where I had Walter before was now a boggy mud pit. We had washed tack on Friday afternoon and Linda's horse blankets were hanging on the fence, sopping wet.
Linda and I were sitting in the camper, me staring out the window at a soaked Walter with my gut twisting as I watched him shiver while the sun set, and the ever practical Linda, hands on hips, looking around for some solution. In a frustrated voice she said, "Well, if he's tarp-trained maybe you could take that blue tarp out by the barn and tie it over him..."
I looked down at the "couch" I was sitting on. It consisted of a twin mattress on the seat part of a fold-out spring frame, which I had covered with the industrial-strength space blanket I use as a ground cloth for my tent. The space blanket is orange vinyl on one side, some kind of shiny silver stuff on the other, and the silver side is made to reflect body heat to save your life if you wrap it around yourself when stranded in a snowstorm or other such hypothermic adventure.
It is slightly rectangular... about as long lengthwise as a little foxtrotter mule from neck to tail.
Space blanket plus bailing twine:
And believe it or not, Walter loves his new blanket! His entire body language changed to that of a warm, happy mule. This morning, he was cheerfully hanging out at the fence waiting for grain, still sporting his sporty duds. No sign whatsoever of having tried to get it off. I took it off though, knowing rain or no rain, it'll get up in the 80s today.
Needless to say, the cut is staying moist as it heals in this weather, which is good. Those of you who follow the ride, please keep thinking good thoughts for Walter - I truly believe it helps. Thank you all for your caring and support.
Monday, July 15, 2013
visitors
Last Wednesday had a wonderful surprise. Part of the extended
Sappington family - Kristal, Bailie and Ms Laney - came up from St Jo
to visit and deliver maps, clothes & tent. They had said they would
but didn't expect them til weekend. What a wonderful reunion!! Balm
for the soul. Bailie told wonderful animated stories, Kristal
introduced me to Braum's ice cream, and Laney traded sneakers for
flip-flops. I only wish we had had longer.
Then yesterday an even bigger surprise... Mr Corkey and Allie B of
Nocona dropped by unexpectedly.
They heard the latest news and had tracked me down by calling the area
vets to see who had treated a mule lately. The rural pipeline in
action! Corkey wanted to see Walter for himself to determine if my
mule and I needed to be hauled back to their place. (!) He and Linda
stood around talking racing bloodlines while Allie B and I grinned at
each other, I got such a kick out of it.
These visits meant so much to me. Being in limbo for so long here, the
ride begins to seem like a dream... How did we get here? Did we really
travel all that way? Where is everybody? The visits and phone calls
not only assuage the loneliness, they also ground the ride
in reality and offer the gift of remembrance.
Maybe I will have to write a book, if only to pass the gift of
remembrance along. Yes, we did pass that way... Your lives touched
ours and we are changed... we will not forget you.
Sappington family - Kristal, Bailie and Ms Laney - came up from St Jo
to visit and deliver maps, clothes & tent. They had said they would
but didn't expect them til weekend. What a wonderful reunion!! Balm
for the soul. Bailie told wonderful animated stories, Kristal
introduced me to Braum's ice cream, and Laney traded sneakers for
flip-flops. I only wish we had had longer.
Then yesterday an even bigger surprise... Mr Corkey and Allie B of
Nocona dropped by unexpectedly.
They heard the latest news and had tracked me down by calling the area
vets to see who had treated a mule lately. The rural pipeline in
action! Corkey wanted to see Walter for himself to determine if my
mule and I needed to be hauled back to their place. (!) He and Linda
stood around talking racing bloodlines while Allie B and I grinned at
each other, I got such a kick out of it.
These visits meant so much to me. Being in limbo for so long here, the
ride begins to seem like a dream... How did we get here? Did we really
travel all that way? Where is everybody? The visits and phone calls
not only assuage the loneliness, they also ground the ride
in reality and offer the gift of remembrance.
Maybe I will have to write a book, if only to pass the gift of
remembrance along. Yes, we did pass that way... Your lives touched
ours and we are changed... we will not forget you.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Living on mule time
Here in Oklahoma the wind blows hot and dusty across a weedy back
pasture, daily the sun beats down, the air gets drier and cracks
appear in the thirsty earth.
And we wait.
Walter spends his days in the shade of one lone tree in the pasture's
far corner, lazily swishing at flies in the company of Linda's mare
TeeKay as they converse over the fence.
I spend my days going into town on errands with Linda, looking for
chores to do or projects to work on around the homestead, sitting in
the trailer by the open window catching up on correspondence and tack
repair and all the other things I never seem to have time for while
travelling. There is no computer.
I get the maps out and think about options again... and again... and again.
Sketch a little. Write a little. Check the water trough. Take a walk. Take a siesta.
And wait.
We are waiting for Walter to heal enough to tell us that given a bit
more time he will be ready to continue on, or for it to become evident
that he needs more time than is left of the summer and this year's
ride is over.
Right now it's impossible to tell. There are multiple cuts at his hind pastern and two of them are deeper than we thought. Not a candidate for stitches due to the location. He's healing well but very, very slowly. He might do better now he's been moved from the pen, where he paced
constantly, to the pasture where he stays calm and content. His dressing is changed every 5 days, more often if it slips or I feel increased heat and/or swelling.
Linda found me some temp work (thank you Linda for that on top of
everything else!) starting Monday so that will ease the situation.
Options:
1. When Walter is healed, continue on to Kansas City. Wing it from there.
2. When Walter is healed, head west and just see how far we can get,
figuring to arrange trailer home from wherever that is if water, time
and means run out.
3. When Walter is healed, have Linda haul us to east of Amarillo (she has
offered), find someone to haul us to the NM border and ride home from
there, figuring the worst of the summer drought will be over by the time we
turn south.
4. Settle in somewhere out here in TX or OK, if can arrange enough income (work) to live on, transportation and place to live and board Walter, and winter over. Continue the ride next spring.
or
4. Accept Linda's offer of haul to Amarillo area as soon as Walter's foot can withstand the strain (probably another ten days), and find some way to get us home to Tucson from there.
There might be other options I havent thought of, or that will appear in future.
Meanwhile, I am extremely grateful for the gift of time
that Linda and her parents have blessed us with. And for Linda's
expertise and sharing of supplies in helping care for Walter, and for
Caroline the vet. tech donating her services.
It wouldn't be an adventure without the unexpected... and we couldn't
have survived all the "unexpected"s without the help of so many good
people.
pasture, daily the sun beats down, the air gets drier and cracks
appear in the thirsty earth.
And we wait.
Walter spends his days in the shade of one lone tree in the pasture's
far corner, lazily swishing at flies in the company of Linda's mare
TeeKay as they converse over the fence.
 |
| Linda and TK |
I spend my days going into town on errands with Linda, looking for
chores to do or projects to work on around the homestead, sitting in
the trailer by the open window catching up on correspondence and tack
repair and all the other things I never seem to have time for while
travelling. There is no computer.
I get the maps out and think about options again... and again... and again.
Sketch a little. Write a little. Check the water trough. Take a walk. Take a siesta.
And wait.
We are waiting for Walter to heal enough to tell us that given a bit
more time he will be ready to continue on, or for it to become evident
that he needs more time than is left of the summer and this year's
ride is over.
Right now it's impossible to tell. There are multiple cuts at his hind pastern and two of them are deeper than we thought. Not a candidate for stitches due to the location. He's healing well but very, very slowly. He might do better now he's been moved from the pen, where he paced
constantly, to the pasture where he stays calm and content. His dressing is changed every 5 days, more often if it slips or I feel increased heat and/or swelling.
Linda found me some temp work (thank you Linda for that on top of
everything else!) starting Monday so that will ease the situation.
Options:
1. When Walter is healed, continue on to Kansas City. Wing it from there.
2. When Walter is healed, head west and just see how far we can get,
figuring to arrange trailer home from wherever that is if water, time
and means run out.
3. When Walter is healed, have Linda haul us to east of Amarillo (she has
offered), find someone to haul us to the NM border and ride home from
there, figuring the worst of the summer drought will be over by the time we
turn south.
4. Settle in somewhere out here in TX or OK, if can arrange enough income (work) to live on, transportation and place to live and board Walter, and winter over. Continue the ride next spring.
or
4. Accept Linda's offer of haul to Amarillo area as soon as Walter's foot can withstand the strain (probably another ten days), and find some way to get us home to Tucson from there.
There might be other options I havent thought of, or that will appear in future.
Meanwhile, I am extremely grateful for the gift of time
that Linda and her parents have blessed us with. And for Linda's
expertise and sharing of supplies in helping care for Walter, and for
Caroline the vet. tech donating her services.
It wouldn't be an adventure without the unexpected... and we couldn't
have survived all the "unexpected"s without the help of so many good
people.
 |
| Linda A. |
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