Ghost riders??

Just  a pic  I took today  on my phone, I thought it  was  pretty. Looking later it  gave me  a moments  pause, when saw  something  special. Just  a  trick of the  light or  my  eyes...  but I can  clearly  see in  the  background the  mist  shaped into the  image of  horses  running.
Can you ?
 Stay safe  my  friends

So here's "The Thing" Guest post #3 By Ron Horricks

In the picture of the Haymobile there is also a picture of a 1937 Ford 2 ton truck with a large 12 inch auger suspended by a cable from gin poles and a winch.It was powered by a Ford Flathead V8 mounted on the deck of the truck
This is the same auger used by the Namao light and power co-op and the telephone co-op that dad was president of. My nephew Ross Horricks and his son Chad have decided to restore both the Haymobile and the Ford truck with Auger.
Now to “The Thing”, but first I must tell you about cutting hay with horse-drawn mowers and raking a with horse drawn dump rakes. My first experience with the dump rake was when I was very young, probably for five years old, Bill was raking hay in the field just south of our house and I took a drink and lunch out for Bill.
Bill is 3 1/2 years older than me and Uncle Charlie had put blocks on the dump rake so Bill could dump the rake.
I sat down on the front of the rake frame to have lunch with Bill which was fun. What was not fun was what happened next; one of the horses reached forward to get a mouthful of alfalfa blossoms and pinched my bum between the double tree and the rake frame! To this day I have not forgotten that pain.
Bill also had an exciting time cutting hay around the reserve at Ministik Lake, we had the only Private land inside of the Ministik game sanctuary, anyway the mower plugged up on a molehill at the same time as the horses stepped on the ground hornets’ nest and all hell broke loose! Also a couple of years later Bill and I were cutting hay on what we called what we called the South meadow at Ministik, they were natural meadows with trees sometimes growing the middle.
Bill was on the horse-drawn mower and I was driving a model M tractor with mower mounted on the back. As there were lots of molehills that tended to plug up the cutting bar I was looking back as I cut around the corner by the trees, I did not see Bill stop soon enough to stop completely and the grill of the tractor hit the back of the mower seat, and threw Bill between the horses and the pole.
Luckily the horses were well taught or just tired and other than a severe scolding from my brother everything turned out okay. In talking to Bill he has never forgotten the incident with the hornets both Bill and the horses were badly stung and it could have  been an even more serious wreck. My older brother Bud was badly hurt a few years before when the pole of the dump rate broke throwing  Bud  off the seat of the rake into the team then he was  caught in the dump rake teeth.
We also would ride Roman style on the backs of the teams coming back to the yard from the Meadows.

In the early 1950’s our farming was changing to tractors and power Mowers, side rakes as well. We had a 24’ foot dump rake mounted on the draw bar of a John Deere model B tractor with tricycle front wheels.
This made raking hay much faster than using a team of horses with a 9” or even a 12” dump break.
In the mid-1950s we also made a power mower mounted on a 1927 Chev car. We first removed the body then mounted a truck transmission behind the car transmission.

This allowed us to change the speeds for working in the fields at slower speeds and also a power takeoff mounted on the side of the truck transmission allowed us to power the cutting bar we mounted on the side.
As we had to travel several miles from home to the Namao military airport which where we cut hay around the runways we were able to carry extra parts, fuel, oil, etc., as well as several workers. We had three or four other mowers mounted on tractors. There was a song in the 50s called The Thing and so that is what we called that 1927 car mower.
One drawback to unit had was the water pump on the motor which had a grease cup that used  water  pump grease, the pump would sometimes leak a small amount of water on hot days. More  so on  hot  days  it  would spray  a fine  mist  back  at the  driver

Bill drove “The Thing” most of the time and would sometimes have a sunburned face and nose from the moisture blown back by the fan blades.

P.S. we donated "The Thing" and the Ford 2 ½ ton truck to the Fort Edmonton Park. They have restored them to take visitors around the park.
We also allowed the Light Rail Street Car society to store a 1919 Toronto streetcar. They have restored several streetcars and you can take rides around Fort Edmonton and across the high-level bridge built around 1910.

The Fordson tractor was the first one built by Ford on an assembly line and also the first one in Edmonton Dominion motors made a  deal with grandpa Horricks, the deal was dad had to drive the tractor around the old market Square for two days to show it off to the public.

I  have  found  these  walks  down memory  lane  quite  enjoyable  and have  decided  to  continue  to put more of the family of history in words for our own family and  others  to share  and  enjoy.

_______________________________________________________________________________

 Thanks  again dad  for  these  great posts ! I received  an  email  from  a gentleman  who  has  become a friend  to  mom and  dad,  and  also  become  a  reader/follower of  my  blog. He  was unable  to post his  comment  so I agreed to post his message here ;

Dear Sherry,

About an hour or so ago I was speaking to your father Ron and also Patricia at Laurier House, courtesy of my wife Colette, who is currently there visiting her Mum. Ron told me, through the crackles, freezes and groans that went with our Skype connection that he had written an article on your Blogsite, the start on many I believe, about the Horricks family.

As you know, I was in Edmonton in August this year; it was then that I first met Ron and Patricia at Laurier House – they both kept me quite spellbound and fascinated by the stories they had to tell of the Horricks family; related to me over their lunch or dinner at Laurier House.

I am sure that Ron will find a great deal to write about, he had many interesting stories to tell me; I will follow up with interest.

Your Poetry works still make great reading for me; I have read and continue to re-read both books. As I mentioned before, you are a great Poetry writer; not only that, but you live the life of a Canadian Rancher, as pictured in the minds of many, including mine and your horses are just beautiful.

Thank you  Mr  Lunn, I so  appreciate  your kind  words  and support.

So  there you  have it,  not sure  where  dad  will go  next  with  his  guest posts,  but I am pleased to know he  will continue.

Meanwhile my  friends  stay  safe and  warm! 

A repost, but a good reminder I think

This  post  was  originally in  2009 ,and  was one  that  was  nearly  lost  due  to the  blog  being  hacked. I did manage  to save it ,sadly  without  the  original  pics  and  comments . I am reposting it , but a  little  explanation  first 

I  had  a  conversation  with  a new  friend  I met  at the  course last  weekend , and we chatted  about  many  things, not the least of  which  was  my  little mare  Cat (also known  as Whoa  Dammit, The  fat  baby ,  and  of  course  her  actual  name  FV  Catch  a  Dream )
Cat is a  sweet  girl, but a  great  barometer  for my  feelings  and  mood. She  is a  confident,  competent    gal (future  boss  mare  I think ) and  she will  take  no "fakers" if  I am  in  a  good  space in  my  mind  and heart  she is welcoming and  friendly , if however I  am  letting  stress  take  me  down  or  angry ? she  will  take  one  look  at  me  and  walk  away,  not  fast , just  away , then  stop  some  distance  from  me  as if  to say " get it  together  girlfriend! " 
Usually  a  couple  deep breaths , and  often a wry  laugh  later  I ditch  the  baggage  and try  again,  sure  enough  she is  good to  go and  will walk  right  up  to me . Today  was a  good  day  , she  walked up  straight away

 even brought  a few  friends! 

 Annie ( giving  me  her  come  here  to pet  me  look , but that is a  post  for  another  day ) Cat,  Digger and  of  course  Johnny.

Anyhow  here is the   original  post  from  July  2009 

_______________________________________

Get in the Moment , and leave your baggage at the gate

So here it is , I am pretty good with horses, I have a decent seat, light hands, and generally have a feel for what is going on . A dear friend of mine once said to my dad "she just does magic with them" well wow! I don't know about magic , but all in all I am a pretty good hand.

No ,it is not Alberta toot your own horn day! Two things happened to bring me to this post , first ,I heard a song lyric that just struck a chord with me

Corb Lund

"She won't come to me . She won't come to anyone who's frightened to be free"

About a cowboy trailing across the land to catch his good saddle horse ,but she won't let him near.

second was the mommas and babies got out last night and were dashing about perilously close to the stallions.

So here is my point about baggage and being in the moment,

Baggage shows in our voice & body language , when I say baggage I mean ,bad day at work , squabble with the spouse , financial stuff ,lack of time , and FEAR,I don't just mean fear of being hurt , I mean fear of failure , of not measuring up , fear of letting go and learning to trust (you see where I am headed ... fear of freedom) We all have it on some level .But here is the cool thing about horses , they don't care ,or judge you they live in the moment and when they are working with you they just are . No judgment, no malice ,just are.

When you ditch all the baggage "at the gate " it changes your approach , When you ask for something from your horse ,ask it like you expect the answer to be yes!

You want a walk , kiss cluck nudge, use whatever signal you use then prepare to start moving ,

same with whoa, ask for it , but you better expect to stop.

When you ask a horse to get in the Trailer, don't stop and turn around in the doorway , walk right on like you expect them to be behind you 9,out of 10 times they are!

Last night when I realised what was going on , I rushed out hollered and Cactus to settle down grabbed a rope and was cussing a blue streak till I got to the mares.It was extremely important that I get them and their foals safely out of the area fast so I focused on that walked in caught Richie and called Jazz to follow, got both of them and babies in one try.

By not focusing on my (btw) very real fear that the foals would be nervous ,or the Stallions would distract them ,or my anger at the situation ,I was able to be calm , get in their moment and get the job done .

Of course then I got seriously p#**d and double checked and rechecked the gate and chain which had apparently come loose ( trust me ,it wont anymore!) Everyone was fine by the way.

So that all said ,here we are in summer ,time to ride ,drive or just work with your horses ,so try to remember to leave the crap at the gate and get into your horses moment with them .

And the magic ... well sometimes if you are lucky , and its a good day , you can walk away afterwards leave the baggage behind altogether!
__________________________________________________________

Stay  safe  my friends,  and  since  it is  not in  fact  summer  like it  was  when I wrote  the  above,  stay  warm also.

By  the  way ,  dad's  next  guest  post on  THE THING, is here  and ready  for me  to  type  out and post, I just  had this to say  first 

Sunshine in the winter

I have  been  remiss, I received  this  award  from Kalin at  Cash's  Steppin'  up, and  Paolas Horse  blog ,and  most recently  from Aurora  at  Equine  expressions 
Thank  you  to all of  you ,  and sorry  for  the  delay 

The Sunshine Award is for people who "positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere." The nominee must do the following: thank the person who nominated her, nominate ten bloggers of her own, answer the ten questions given to her, and post them and the Sunshine Award button to her blog.

 Here are the questions:

1. Mares or Geldings? Geldings. no real  preference,  I have had the  best of  both 
2. English or Western?Western is  my  go  to ,  though  I have  ridden  english  in  the past 
3. Do you prefer "younger" or "older" horses? each has  a  lot  to offer,  but those  seasoned older  ones  do  feel  safer  these  days 
4. Have you trained a horse from ground zero?yes
5. Do you prefer riding or groundwork? It really just depends.I really  enjoy  both  but if I had to  choose 1 I would  be  in  the saddle 
6. Do you board your horse or keep it at home? home
7. Do you do all natural things or just commercial stuff?(in sense of products) a  little  of  both , I  use  what  works 
8. All tacked up or bareback? Tacked up! too old and out of  shape  for  bareback 
9. Equestrian model?too many  to name 
10. What's your one, main goal, while being in the horses world? hmm, might  have to get  back  to you on  that one 

Now for the nominees.

Lawless  sort that I am , if  you  want to  grab it and  go  for it , All  the blogs  I follow  bring  joy and  sunshine to my  life! 

And  as  always  my  friends , stay  safe 

I am finished!

My  EAPD  training  that is ,
After 4 long and interesting  days,  2 very treacherous  drives in to town and  back,I have  completed  my  EAPD  training!

Its  a  lot of  info  to absorb, and yet  somehow  feels  all to familiar, in  that years  ago when I worked  with  Adult  survivors of  Brain injury  we  had  the  group out here  a few  times , and my old  stallion  Chips ,  was  so very  good and  gentle with  them, one  fellow in  particular  Chips  would  not leave this  young man's  side, he  was  wheelchair  bound and they  would  just somehow  connect , no fear,  just  comfort . I wish I had  had  this  training then , we  could  have  done  so much  more!

Anyhow I think  this program is a  good  fit and I am looking  forward to what  I can  do  with it.
Lots  to think about and I hope to share  further  but  for now  a  few pics  of  the mock  scenarios  we  worked on and  exercises  that  we  developed. They  are so powerful even in  a learning  setting  that we  each  felt  moved on  some  level as  though it was  real. So  much  so  that t he  exercise  I designed  for a  particular  situation, hit a  little closer to home  than  I expected and I suddenly  became  the focus  of  the horse nurturing  protection! Suffice  to say it  was a  cathartic  experience , and while I don't  love to cry in front of  others , it was a safe environment and I believe  of  great benefit to me.

 I  did  not  stand  on a  horse, but  yay  for the  brave  gals  who  did 

 Metaphorical obstacles  to life  path 

 multitasking,  how  many directions  are  we  pulled ?

I did  not  explain  or  caption  all of  the  exercises , and  with  not being  there  in the moment  it  can  be lost in  translation, and each  exercise  would  warrant it's own post. But believe me it is  effective  and   the horses  bring  a  variable  to it  unlike you could imagine,  such powerful and  sensitive  creatures,  these  horses  we love.
Thats it  for  now , I am  one  tired  girl! Actually  I am  one  tired EAPD COACH !
Stay  safe  my friends!

EAPD coach training

I  mentioned  a  few  days  ago I would be  taking  the  equine assisted  personal  development coach  training. Well I am through  day  one! It  was a  great day  with  3 more to go, will post a  full update  after  the  weekend  but  for now  just a  glimpse of  2 of the handsome fellows I am  hanging out with

Stay  safe  my  friends

Guest post #2 (a really good rig)

Dad's  second installment,  as  promised about the Haymobile, in talking I have  leaned  there are  a  few  more items I  may  need to grab  photos  of  before  they  are  gone, and also  I need to dig in  my treasures,  because  somewhere I have  a  copy  of one of  the  photos  from the  news  article written  so  many  years ago  about my  family and their  innovations! I  have linked  a  couple of  titles  to the Overshot, and Jahyhawk  stacker  and  for those  who  do  not  know  what  an  Erector  set is . and  forgive  me  I do  not  know  much about mechanical  so I also  linked to what  a  camber and  towin is .

Getting back to my first post about the haymobile well, it may not be the first loader of it's kind it was the first one in our area in my first post I talked about Overshot stackers and Jayhawk stackers there is much info about these on the internet information the first Jayhawk stacker dates back to around 1915 The Overshot stacker, many years before that.The first Jayhawk stacker was a breakthrough as it could sweep the hay then lift it up onto the stack. The first Jayhawk used horses, one on each side to push the stacker and by ground drive lift the stacker up and dump the load. Later models had rubber tires instead of steel wheels and hooked to the front end of a tractor or pick up truck, we had a rubber tire unit.

By steering from the rear it did not have a problem with the sweep going over the windrow like other sweeps and loaders. This was one of the reasons we made the  Haymobile with steering at the rear, and wide stance drive axle at the front for stability and traction. We had already made several hydraulic loaders on tractors The  Haymobile lifted larger loads higher, about 24 ft  with a live hydraulic systems, and a larger pump it also had a self-leveling system which kept the sweep level as the load lifted.I believe this was the first self-leveling loader ever built!

 I first built the loader with an erector set to figure out where to place the pulley cables and hydraulic cylinders to make the stacker self-leveling. 

The basic Haymobile was built on a  1947 three-ton truck, we turned the cab around, mounted hydraulic controls in the cab. We  then turned  the  drive axle upside down which changed the direction the Haymobile  went in the forward and reverse gears. We changed the camber on the steering axles and reset the towin so the Haymobile could travel at speeds up to 45 mph safely.

We also built a bucket for dumping concrete into forms for building basements, and our  all concrete barn, concrete pads etc.

 After we quit using loose hay ,we used  the  unit to lift up to  30 bales at a time onto our large trucks and trailers . One of the safety features of the unit, because the loader was so far in front of the cab, you  had a full view of the load even when the loader was that it's full height.

We used Haymobile for many years due to its extra strength and stability even at high speeds. My two older brothers Albert and  Bud did most of the cutting and welding,  Dad, a lot of the design. Bill  and I some of the cutting and welding. Bill  was the prime driver but I also drove unit many hours. 

 My next installment  is about something we called "The Thing"

There  you  go  folks ! #2 is  out  and  we eagerly  await  the story of  "The Thing

Thanks again Dad  for  sharing  this!

Of  note,  my  dad (Ron ),  and his  brother  Bill  were in  their  early  teens  when  this  was  built!  Albert  and  Bud still  very  young  men  as well.  Amazing  to think of  the type of  hard working  youngsters  they  were in light of  how things  are today . A  different  time  and  generation  for sure.

Until  next  time  stay  safe my  friends! 

just this

just stuff

So  thanks  to  my  dad  this  silly little  song  has  been  running  around in my  head  for the  last few  days 

And  speaking of  dad, he is  busy  working on the  next installment  of his  guest  posts, this will  be  where  he  talks  about the Haymobile  and how it  came  to be, and  shares  a  cool  little bit of  history  about it.
Then he is already  talking  about his  next   post  beyond  that , about mowers , and  haybines and the "Thing" which I have  no idea  what it  was  but  was apparently  a (as  dad  would say it ) "a  great  rig"
so  stay  tuned  friends  !
Meanwhile I  have  something  exciting of my own coming up...
Finally  after  a  whole  year of  waiting , the  EAPD (Equine  assisted  personal  development  coach )  training  is  going to be in  Edmonton , and the garrison. and I am  signed up and  confirmed to be  there!!! It is  4  days  after which  I will  be a  certified  coach,if I then chose to go  further I can  take  the  next  step to become an EAL facilitator, (kind of a  train the  trainers  thing !!)
I have  my pre  study material, and a whole  lot of  high  hopes!
So  other  than feeding  critters ,

studying and shoveling  snow ,I don't  have  much  going  on right at the  moment. Hope  all are  all enjoying  the weekend . And as always  my  friends ,  stay  safe 

Some thoughts

So I have  been  thinking about this  post  for  a while. First let me  say it is not about a  horse of  mine, just about horses in  general  and 1 in  particular that I know of . I had  started to write about the  tough  decisions facing  horse owners  when our  critters  become old ,ill or injured. But honestly I have  written  about that before. The  long  and short of my  philosophy is simple.  we  are  to be  good  stewards  of  our  animals , and that includes  caring  for them  through  their  lives. Providing  boundaries, and healthy  environment , and yes  at the  end ,quite simply  loving  them  enough  to let  them go. 

Is it easy? nope, and it doesn't  get  any  easier. My sister  commented about all of  the  difficult  decisions I have  faced over  the years, and  sharing those insights  might  be of  help to others. Maybe but each of us  face  those  issues  with our own  set of  feelings, I am  no  better  , stronger or  wiser  than any other in   similar  situation. It is hard, and as I said  doesn't  get easier. 

The  comment  " I am  not  ready " has  come up from  time to time  with  folk  facing  that tough  call. Not to be  cold, but it is not about you  being ready , it is about the  animal. After all  at the  end of their  lives  we need to realize as hard as it is  we will  get past it, they won't. 

I was  going  to talk  about a  few  cases  in my  horse  career that might  show  some insight , but  really  as long ago or as  recently as  they  are, they are  scars I am  not sure I want to reopen. I think  this poem ,written  a few years  ago(it is in my first book)  states my  feelings  clearly  enough. 

Give me a horse

Give me a  horse

With good heart and mind

Yes give me a horse

And I’ll find the time

Give me the knowledge

To manage his care

To teach and to train

In a manner that’s fair

Give me the space

And days in the sun

To first learn to walk,

 Then learn to run

Give me the push

To do what I need

 To earn both our keep

And pay for his feed

Give me the courage,

When he’s done his best

When his time is done

To put him to rest

Leave me the horse

In my mind and heart

The joy and the memories

Right from the start

Yes give me a horse

And I‘ll do the rest

As he does for me

I’ll give him my best

 A  bit of  a downer  post I guess, but its  been on my  mind . 

Stay  safe  my  friends

Criminal Cuteness

Well truly the only  thing  these  cuties are  stealing is  my  heart (and  a  snack of  each other's  grain  ration)

Hope  everyone  had a  good  weekend , and  were not  too  badly affected by the  weather out there.
Thanks  for all the positive  feedback on  Dad's  guest post, he is working on the next installment so hopefully  before too long...
Meanwhile I may  post a  few  thoughts soon too.
until  then stay  safe and warm  my  friends

Guest Post #1 A little background on the Horricks family ,by Ron Horricks

For many years growing up on the Horricks dairy farm I was exposed to 2 amazing people, namely my father George, and his younger brother Charlie.Many stories were told of the years growing up on the family farm which was started by their father William in 1899. 
George lost his right hand of the age of 14 in a farming accident but was still able to take on near impossible projects, including driving a 12 horse team! Charlie, lost his left arm above the elbow in a trucking accident at the age of 21.

Both men were known for their great strength. George, at age 16 could lift  1650 pounds, and pick up the rear wheel of the tractor! 

I can remember at the age of 56,Dad(George) was at a John Deere dealership and asked by the owner if he would show the the staff how he could pick up the rear wheel on a tractor,I was with him and he said he would try.Dad then backed up to the rear axle of the tractor and picked up the wheel off the ground! 
My uncle likewise was a very powerful man, as well as regular farm work he also was known around the district for his blacksmith work, done  with special handmade tools he could use with his hook.

Both men were known for their innovations, I grew up with some of their inventions dad George was also involved in setting up the first rural electric program in Alberta as president of the Namao Light and power Coop
Also the  Rural telephone cooperators
He was also president of the Natural Milk Producers Association, later served on many agricultural organizations, including the Federation of Agriculture,Edmonton Milk Foundation,Dairy Farmers of Canada, director and president of the Northern Alberta Dairy Pool, and Alberta Dairy  farmers.

He received an award from the province of Alberta for excellence in the field of agriculture
More recently the Horricks family received recognition by the city of Edmonton and the province of Alberta by presentation of a large rock with a bronze plaque showing the history of the family in Alberta.
Sherry's motto of, "if it is possible I will do it.If it is impossible it will take me some time" goes back many years, no one  ever considered George or Charlie to be handicapped.

In the early 50s were  was going around about some of the things we had built, a farm paper came out to the farm to take pictures of some of the equipment to be shown as "new ideas" they included a loading chute on wheels first put together in the 1920s by dad and  my uncle which we still use today. An all steel cattle squeeze, a truck mounted manure spreader that was first mounted on a modelA 2 1/2 ton truck, later mounted on newer trucks and finally converted to a side discharge for feeding silage.And  of  course, the Hay Mobile, within very  short order of this article most  items  were in  production  by  large  manufacturers.

We converted a 1919 Fordson tractor to  rubber tires including putting on a live power takeoff.

At around age 14 was the first engine overhaul that my brother Bill was involved in.Mine was age 13, I overhauled the engine in 1937 Ford car which I drove to school picking up other children along the way.

The Alberta government brought out a drive safely license plate for the front bumper and I had one on the front and the rear.

One day when I got to the Turnip Lake school the RCMP were there for another matter,when one of the members saw me arriving and all the kids getting out, he came over to look at the car,and saw the license plates he then called the other member over just as my friend Jimmy came in with more kids in his 1920 Essex car.
That was too much and both officers broke out in laughter we were then told to drive safely as it  said on  the  plates. Now what would happen today?

Getting back to the reason I started to write this,the hay mobile , but first I must mention the stook loader which was first made to be pulled by horses.
My older brothers Albert and Bud  did most of the work to change it over to rubber tires and self-propelled, the engine was out of and old Hupmobile car, looking back we should have kept the car, but oh well hindsight is always 20/20. The last time it was used with our wooden threshing machine was in 1957 and CFRN TV came out and took pictures for the news I wonder if they still have them. 

This stook loader picked up the stooks, divided them up and dropped them into a large rack about 10 feet wide 12 feet long and 12 feet high, it had a false front which with chains  tied  to the wheel  of  the  tractor, open the rear doors and pulled the load out neatly beside the extended feeder on the threshing machine. It saved having having several bundle crews and wagons loaded by hand.

The next installment I will try to tell how the Hay Mobile evolved from overshot stackers, Jayhawk stackers and finally  our Hay Mobile.

to be  continued ...

Ps. I saved  the Hupmobile  name plate and it  hangs above the bar in my  basement

Thanks  Dad,  for  writing this, and I hope  you  will continue to share  your stories  of our  family's  proud  heritage. 

and  to my  fellow  bloggers and  readers, as  always  friends, stay  safe