Tallman Training Centre

Due to my lack of internet, it has taken me a very long time to get started on this project - transcribing the details of the journey - the journal entries.  It will be a drawn out process, feel free to check back for new entries and pictures as my time and circumstances allow...

Day Minus 3 - Monday June 29

I love my job, at least most days

Let me tell you about a horse named Blaze

Nice kid’s horse and was I amazed

To see Blaze’s hooves blazing at my face

What a race of my heart and out of my mouth

A blue streak of cursing north east west and south

All the words they knew

And a few new ones too…

The nice Glenside farm family got a lesson in determination

That hot summer day when I got kicked in the head

And rather than execution or evacuation

I bent over and finished the job instead

Day minus 2 - Tuesday June 30

… Spent the weekend at Lake Diefenbaker with Jasen - took a quick trip over to Glenside Sunday morning (should have been “coming down” but miraculously evaded hangover, the first of 2 headaches evaded that day). After trimming the yearling Paschia at Dawn’s, she and I went to her neighbour’s to trim up Blaze, a horse she had sold (who I have trimmed many times previous).

I was in my squishy blue shoes (had packed everything for trimming but proper footwear) and he was pulling and stomping his feet a bit so got a couple reminders about standing still on the first two feet, both right side. Upon beginning foot three, the hind left, Blaze got another reminder to which he responded by taking his foot back and walking off in a circle around his young and novice owner. Irritated, I went around her the other way while instructing her about letting him circle her. Right hand on his right side shortly behind the shoulder with Dawn somewhere behind me, I raised my left hand, nipper handles extended , to ask his hip back to “square one”. At about three inches from contact I got a lightning fast surprise when his hip slammed into my sending me back toward Dawn, with who I collided smartly and halted my propulsion in time to see a pair of hooves and a big red rump coming quickly at my face. Having Dawn to my right and the truck behind me I ducked down and to the left catching a hoof on the outside corner of my right eye, about a quarter inch from the sweet spot that should have killed me, and a little closer still to crushing my eye socket. Somewhere in the mix the tool exited stage left (I assume) and blade first took a chunk and left a dent in Jasen’s passenger door. Whoops.

After telling the gods and all who was interested just how I felt about most definitely being kicked in the head I took the rope politely from the girl and told Blaze in no uncertain terms the terms of his retaining his life. I then returned his to his proper standing place, told his he was most definitely getting his hooves trimmed, and handed the rope back to a very shocked and dismayed young woman. Of course, before I was allowed to go back to work, a very shocked and dismayed father requested a quick examination of my bleeding head. I assured him I was fine and shaking like the first time I sang in the dark on the stage of the Big River Theatre, I proceeded to trim a very obedient horse’s feet.

Meanwhile, my navigator, who was apparently also hurt, was lying on the ground near to my sunglasses and going into shock. She was hit in the arm and thought it wasn’t bad but suffered it worse than I. The girl’s mother, fresh out of the shower, arrived on the scene, displaying similar signs of shock and dismay, initially I am sure at the colourful language that summoned her out, and then at the scene she stumbled upon. Being a nurse and afraid of horses to begin with, she was as near to a casualty as I and she insisted we go to the hospital and get checked out. I of course wanted to return immediately to Danielson park and soak my head in the lake, knowing that if I had problems Jasen would drive me in later. Seeing Dawn’s condition which obviously needed attention, I relented and the best part of the afternoon was spent awaiting a pardon for my titanium skull. Dawn’s arm was not broken either.

“Did you black out at all?”

“No, I went back to work.”

“Oh. Well that’s a good sign…can you move your arms?…touch your nose?…good. . ….other hand please.

“Yes, and I can rub my belly and pat my head, too, see? I’m fine.”

Wow. It takes a lot to convince some people.

Well I got back to the lake at 2:30 and ate before going to lie on the beach and eventually (finally) do some fishing. Sunday was a reasonably early and sober night, and Monday morning we packed up beneath the threatening sky.

The end of yesterday saw me napping the afternoon, making some phone calls, packing up my food, planning my route and finally logging on to the computer for the first time in a month.

Today so far I have mined up pasture for Clearwater for the duration of my stay, lined up some trimming for today and tomorrow, organized a BBQ in honour of the missing Mitchell on his birthday, and tethered the horses on my new high tech picket lines - from the halter to a length of 3/16 chain (6-8 feet depending on horse size) attached to 15” doubled tarp strap for shock absorption, and followed by about 10’ of 5/8 cotton rope, with a swivel bull snap on the chain end.

I will be packing up the whole camp and doing a trial run this afternoon .

At 4:30 off to trim Jolene’s 3 then driving my laundry to Jasen’s and going with Jack to play ball in Conquest at 7. After ball, back to J’s to do laundry and sleep. Tomorrow bright and early will be moving cows and llamas to Jasen’s, followed by a trip to the east side for about 6 trims then a bit of shopping in the city before the BBQ at 7. Following that will be the fireworks by the river with Jasen and Paul, and then home to BED. Early morning Thursday heading north to Grandora.

Day 1 - July 2 2009 Thursday

Started with 5 but decided to drop one

Since then it has been a lot more FUN

Minus 2 miles, 1 pony and a whole lot of headache. Finally across the highway and a couple miles north - made adjustments to all packs once, tore down one road sign and narrowly escaped death for the second time this week.

THANK YOU

Wanda for taking Wilbur. Mom, Jack and Jasen for all your help and support. Ken Thomas for the water bowl pit stop practice. RM of Vanscoy for the road sign - sorry about the ruin, and of course - ARLIE & BRETT for the use of their pasture and lovely clean barn in which my hammock swings gently.

Last but CERTAINLY not least, thank you Dana for your smile and wisdom and your sisters and your waterbag and cowbell, and to the mosquitoes for not biting me… could you maybe lay off on the horses, too?

My cuticles are suffering but not like my index pointer but more importantly strumming finger which has had the nail peeled back just enough to feel laminitic - glad I don’t have to walk on it. I believe that was the repack and road sign adventure. I believe also that I am tucked warmly in and all of my things remain dry. They are calling for rain tomorrow. I am going to turn out the lights on these mosquitoes and hope they don’t find me in the dark.

…just kidding.

Chutney - bosal, endurance saddle w/shock pad. Good sweat marks. Behaved reasonably well for the most part with a couple brief episodes. Walked good all day. Electrolytes at 3 and 7:30 pm, didn’t drink before departure or at pit stop, but licked a bit of salt and drank good at night. Sponged off, stood good. Good with fly spray and rope under tail and traffic and annoying dogs. Scared of big signs and water tanks.

Danza - pack saddle, 80 lbs of cargo. Repacked once in the first mile, pack was slipping to the right - the light side - weird. Height, size and shape make a difference. She told me it was bad, all fired up. Sweat mark was dry around the white spots. She was dragging most of the trip. ‘lytes 2x, drank little.

Tandu - Rocky Mountain saddle, ties to Danza’s tail - pulling FORWARD hard all the way. Packed horse blankets, slicker and treasure chest (about 10 lbs). no back cinch. Worked excellent, nice sweat mark. “lytes 2 x, drank none till night, then good. No salt.

Cisco - Eamore saddle, Tandu’s tail. Pretty good but pulled every now and then. Packed about 60 lbs. Awsome. Electrolytes 2x, didn’t drink at all at pit stop and ate litle all day, but drank pretty good at Arlie’s. No salt.

Sponged off all the horses before turning out in 5 acre pasture.

Wilbur - never made the cut, or did he cut and run? More likely. Before the highway he broke loose of Cisco’s tail so went to live at Lauscher’s for July. Cisco is (seemingly) fine. My finger hurts. Good night.