Valentine's Flood

As the clock struck midnight and we entered into Valentine's Day 2014, it started to rain.  It poured.  At 1am it was still raining.  At 2am it was still raining.  Gary was concerned as the rain was coming down over about 8 inches of snow and he was concerned that it would wash right down the hill and into the barn because it wouldn't be able to sink into the ground.   He had cut some ditches but it was really, really raining.

At 2:30am, he went down to the barn to have a look.  At 8:30 am he came back up to the house for breakfast. (I had fallen back to sleep.)  Apparently everything was flooded...including the indoor arena. The INDOOR ARENA, I asked?  So...back down to the arena we went after breakfast and what a mess.  We went to town and bought a sump pump....starting pumping at about noon.  At about 5pm, Shelley and Todd showed up and gave us a hand.  We gave up around 9pm that night.  Exhausted.  We had managed to regain the parameter of the indoor so people could ride a bit if they wanted to,  but everything else was still a mess.

The next day, I went to a fundraiser and Gary stayed home.  He hopped on his tractor and for another 5 or 6 hours solid, he played with the flow of the mud and graded the arena.  I still cannot believe this, but when I got back from the fundraiser, the arena was fit to use again!! All of it!! Nothing is as sweet as a good man with a good tractor.  I put together a video of the flood and it is attached at the bottom.

We also found out that our "drainage system" was clogged so what water might have sunk through the snow, had nowhere to go.   So the next weekend, Troy worked away at it for hours, draining, digging and fixing.  It is all fixed up now.  We honestly don't know if the drainage system alone will be enough and we've taken other precautions as well, (re-routed some ditches at the top of the hill and bought 2 sump pumps) so hopefully, this never happens to us again.

Troy cleaning out our big drain

Pam helping Troy dump the "silt" that has accummulated in the drain over the years. 

Getting ready for Ride Season 2014

Mister and Willow's most frequent winter activity 2014!

Last winter we rode a TON but this winter's weather has not been as ride-friendly, so much ice! We've had Willow to the indoor only a couple of times and sometimes weeks went by with no riding at all. But then came some nice snow! We've had a few good snowfalls with nice fluffy snow, so we've been back having fun riding. Willow's shoulder seems to be Ok, she was a tiny bit limpy after an hour of indoor in October. The riding we've been able to do lately hasn't revealed any limpy-ness. Whew, for now. We think that speed is, although fun for her, not the best thing for that shoulder so no CTRs this year for her. If we can get to LDs and/or JPs, we'll be happy.

Mister has been doing well in the weight department, he gained in the fall once we started feeding an extra mid-day meal. He's been keeping it on and he's looking healthy. He's happy to go out riding most times and if he isn't (he goes very slowly to communicate this!) then we don't ride long. He seems content to watch Willow keep going while he gets the hay to himself. 

Marie and Mister Jan 2014

Miss Willow gave Marie an awfully hard time this morning. When I looked out at them riding in the pasture I could see Mister taking slow big steps and Willow trotting tiny circles. Eeeek! That's usually the last step before "off & lunge". And it's hard to ride those circles on her bareback! By the time I got out there, lunging was in progress - tail flagging, head shaking, canter when asked to trot, neck sweating & blowing. Nice.   Was a long session full of transitions and "deep breath breaks" as I watched from a distance. Into the barn for blanket, cool off & snacks & hay & water. More lunging. Another break.
Now she & Nicole are riding double, one blanket blowing in the wind like a cape and Miss Willow as nice as can be. They said, "She's being SO GOOD we never want to get off!" The girls came in hours later, smiling telling how perfectly Willow did what they asked. They took turns in the double driving seat and they even got in some cantering. They're thrilled! Each time I saw them, Willow looked just as happy.
That's how Willow is, when she's good she's very, very good!
Whew! I was proud to see them work it out.

Willow with Marie and Nicole Feb 2014