The Big Green Monster

My truck has been a bit fussy about running lately. Though once it gets going it usually runs fine but........ So, I asked my husband if he would clean off the battery terminals just to rule that out as a problem first. Well, it is nearly impossible sometimes to get the hood of my truck open. My husbands van is just the same way, both are GMC's.........Grumble, grumble. And sure enough, we could NOT, even between us, get the stupid hood to open. But, the truck was running so I headed over to pick up a round bale from a nearby farm. About half way there, the stupid hood pops!!! Well, that was fine as the safety latch kept it from coming up. I got to the farm, got the round bale loaded into the truck and the farm owner notices the hood is popped and goes to shut it!! NOOOOOOO!! I headed back to the house and we then cleaned off the battery terminals. Now I'm just hoping this is what the problem has been. Though I have a sneaky suspicion that the problem might be the alternator.

I had run out of hay stretcher pellets so I headed to the grain store to pick some up, only to find they were out of of them at the store. Dang! They told me a delivery will be coming tomorrow afternoon. The hay stretcher pellets are certainly not vital to my equines diet (though they would tell you different) so I'll just go back tomorrow. From the grain store I went on to Upper Pond Stable. I backed my truck down just a little way to the boys turnout. I didn't go too far as it is downhill on grass and it was 50 degrees today and mud everywhere. I figured I'd just unload the bale where it was not muddy. Rolling the bale out of the truck bed was an activity that was of great interest to all equines in sight. I rolled the bale down near the gate but was not even remotely interested in rolling it into the turnout with all the mud there is right now in the front half of it. It is supposed to get very cold overnight so the morning will be a better time to roll the bale out into the turnout as the ground will be frozen. I then went in to the barn to take a look at the Bale Buddy that Tracy had brought over for us to use. I brought it outside, turned it inside out to shake out the old hay and decided to see if I could get it on the bale by myself. Much to my surprise, I got it on the bale with no trouble at all. I noticed a few taped up holes in the Bale Buddy. I later found out if was from the first time Tracy used it and Prize decided he didn't want to share the hay and dragged the whole new bale across the pasture putting holes in it as he went. Silly mule! Of course the whole putting on of the big green Bale Buddy (aka: mule eating monster) near the gate freaked Louie right out and he and Prize took off to the back of the turnout. Once done with the bale, it was still a bit too early to bring the horse and mules in for the night so I decided to get Louie and work with him in the indoor arena.
He was no trouble to catch, though I did have to go get him as he did not want to come near the gate. The trouble was leading him to, and then through, the gate with the big green scary mule eating monster near by............. the problem being compounded by Prize, who was not in the least bit worried about the big green monster and was more than eager to come out. So then ensued a delicate dance of trying to scare Prize away without causing further anxiety to an already nervous Louie........... Finally, Louie screwed up his courage and shot through the gate taking a hard left towards the little pond. I had been smart enough to put the chain on him so he did not get away.....for once...... But, Now I'm trying to quickly get the gate back up while holding a very bug eyed, snorting Louie on the end of a taut lead line causing me to be just a few inches short of being able to reach the gate hooks.  I did manage it eventually without losing hold of Louie or letting Prize get out. Someone really should mount a video camera out there.  I then spent a few minutes getting Louie to take a look at the big green monster. It didn't take long to get him to walk right up to it and even grab a bite of hay out of it. I didn't end up doing much with Louie. He was on high alert tonight and with the wind blowing and making so much noise in the arena, I just stuck to easy and familiar things. We did some free lunging and then a bit of ground work. I brought Prize in last tonight. He is not used to being last and did not like it. But, though he was not happy about it, he was a perfect gentlemen to lead in. GOOD BOY! I even practiced some stopping, backing and turning and he was wonderful.