"Rodeo" Day

So the day started early, too early it felt.
I made sure to get there early to help Kelvin with the am chores. A group of us powered through barns while others got everything set up. Everyone started at approx. 9 am. The tilt chute arrived, and they got underway. Everything seemed very calm. People moved the horses into the bucking chutes where they were deloused. One by one they were put into the tilt chute, where the farriers worked quickly to trim their hooves, and they were dewormed, given numbered collars, and any of signifance were given halters (mares in foal, stud colts who are still too shy to be caught, which the total is now at [if I remember correctly, 29]).

Not sure if many of you know how the tilt chute works, but it is far better than it sounds. The horses are moved into the chute where they are secured, the sides of the chute are close enough to support the horse. The chute is then tilted sideways so that the horse is laid down. The farriers then quickly get to work trimming the hooves. Once it is all completed the chute is set up right and the horse is set free. In all it takes maximum 5 minutes.

With this we were able to sort the horses into the appropriate fields. For everyone wondering we did get the elf shoes off the pretty grey mare, although she was none too thrilled about it. She I believe was the only one who needed to be tranqued, and even still was quite wild when we brought her inside. She's now settled into her accommodations with the Mini, or as we have dubbed her Minnie Mouse.

After a long day, Melissa and I stayed the night to do field checks every few hours. Everyone looked alright, most were a little sore with their newly manicured feet, but will be thankful that they are how they should be.

http://canwest.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/canwest-globaledmonton-pub01-live/current/launch.html?maven_playerId=globaledmontonallvideo&maven_referralPlaylistId=3ab17c664819c2ddf69af47f86df012b608863fe&maven_referralObject=217e4dbf-9799-493f-bc04-6e72e61c9973

This is the link to the news story done on that day. Shows some of how everything was done.