Lacy was coming up the road when I snapped this shot of Gilly, I love this picture of him. I changed it to sepia tone and it really popped out. He is standing by the fence looking through the trees and down to the roadway.
Now to the problems with trailer mats! I thought they would go in easily, NOT!!!! They are six feet and my trailer is supposed to be six feet wide but NO it is five feet eleven and a half inches! So every one of them has to be cut in some way. The first one had to have notches to fit around the back posts by the door, plus the half inch off one side. Second one has to have half inch off one side but then were was another problem. Just past the escape door the trailer wall is not as thick as the back of the trailer so it is over six feet......ugh.....now I think we will have to run the mats from the nose back then trim the long sides. I will have to take pictures to show when we are finished. We have found that using a saber saw works pretty well but boy is that rubber hard to cut.......
Rats, if it's not one thing it's another!!!!!
Oh, tried to move the trailer around, did some backing......oh, my!! It was ugly; sigh, I see lots of practice in my future before Gilly and I hit the road! :-(
14 comments:
FYI- We put mats in our big stock trailer because it did not have any. They shrunk because we put them in the summer, winter came and you know how that goes. Anyway it came back to being warm and they expanded and now none of them sit in the right place! Screw them down or something. I wish we did we would have to take them all out and re-cut them and now they are torn up from the caulks on the shoes.
Oh and when cutting the mats apply dish soap, makes the blade slide nice and easy.
Aww...the pics of Gilly and Lacy are so sweet. Like two lovers all gooey eyed at one another. hehe!
The mat issues sounds like a real headache, but hang in there. Seems like all good things have a few snafus before everything is all ready to go.
It won't be long before this, too, is just a memory.
~Lisa
Beautiful photo of Gilly!
Yes, backing can be difficult at first. But practice does make perfect and there will come a day when it is second nature to you.
If you overthink what you're doing when backing up a trailer, you'll not get it right. {grin} Practice makes perfect!
Here's a backing tip - remember, always turn the wheel in the opposite direction you think you need to. Seriously. The hitch is a pivot, and I found that was the hardest thing to "get". Now I don't worry about parking at all.
Also, little adjustments do a great deal. So don't over turn.
Get a pair of "hitching rods" (just google, you'll find them. Best $20 you'll spend.
Pretty soon you'll be parallel parking that thing. That's some serious cow girl cred. :)
Sydney, I am not going to fasten mine down because I want to take them out occasionally to clean them and check the flooring. Also will take them and stand them up against the wall for winter storage. Since we live in a damp hollow the mats could cause the wood to draw moisture. Since Gilly is barefoot they should last and last!
Lisa, thanks, Gilly is crazy about Lacy, he loves to chew on her neck when he gets a chance. She will squeal and act offended then come back for more! LOL
We didn't get to work on the mats today we worked on the house instead.
Gail, Thanks, more practice with the truck and trailer is in store, I know I'll get it!
Jacque, I am sure I was over thinking and getting aggravated too! LOL I will keep working at it.
Breathe, I know what I'm supposed to do but my brain says it's not right so I do it the wrong way. I will get it and I do have the use of those hitching rods, have tried them once and they do help, more practice! Parallel parking, I don't think so!!!! That's hard to do in a car sometimes! LOL
Jane,
Just read your comment on Kate's blog about saddle fit - my quarter horse actually had high withers, narrow yet short back, wide shoulders. I ended up getting a gaited tree for him and it fit perfectly. I know you said the pad was working, but I just thought I'd mention it.
:)
Breathe, When I got my Abetta western saddle I thought about getting a gaited saddle but I didn't. The Abetta was fine as long as I used the Thera Flex pad, I have since sold that saddle and just ride my dressage saddle. I was thinking of getting a custom fit Aussie saddle but I think I will just keep the saddle I have now and save my money. He seems happy with it and me too! :-)
The mats sound like a nightmare. Good luck with them.
Love that picture of Gilly in the Sepia tones. Just beautiful.
Great pic of the Gil Man. Thankfully, my mat is in pretty good shape, because I can tell it had to be cut extensively to get it to fit as well as it does.
Jane. I will gladly take that trailer (with the difficult mats) off your hands for nothing.... :) What, NO? Enjoy that trailer, even the difficult problems. Backing. Breathe is correct. Turn the opposite way you think you should, and don't overthink. Be careful not to jackknife that sucker. And PRACTICE without the horse! (Duh, I know you know that!). I LOVE that pic of Gilly. Matte and frame that one!
Anytime you want to come do a photoshoot for Jax and I down here in Florida, preferably with the trailer.... :)
Cheers,
Mindy
Grey Horse Matters, yes, it was bad but now they are in and yippee to that! Thank you! The color picture was nice but he shows up better in sepia.
Leah, Thanks, he is quite handsome! I wish the trailer had had mats already in it but, they weren't so we had to cut and the fit isn't perfect but good.
Mindy, LOL, you are very funny Mindy girl! :-) The mats are in so I am happy! YES!! On the trailer backing, I think I do better with my neighbor Kim, she is good at maneuvering her trailer, husband makes me nervous and he has a different way that is harder for me. Us girls will stick together, LOL.
Thanks, I think I will! Oh, if it wasn't such a far, far drive I would come and see you, looks like such a gorgeous place where you are. Take pictures of your boy and we could play trailer!!!
Love that pic of Gilly!
I feel as if I have been in time warp or something!So much has gone by...being away from the computer.
I know that the mats are in now...wow! What a stinkin hassle! Mine came with some and the ones I bought for my last place...bought like 16 for 2 run in outdoor stalls (that they bought back from me!!) The owner cut them...he was a builder and he measured and cut them all with a large box knife...and 6 blades!
I hope to never have to cut my own...but make the stalls- BIG ENOUGH -to take them the size they are!! Haha!
Kim and her mare are cute!!! I do so love that photo of Gill man ..nice work!
So glad you have a closeby riding partner too!
XO
Kac
somhow are you doing your backing??? Found your technique yet?
I never go wrong with the hands on the bottom of steering wheel for backing...knowing the back end of the trailer goes the direction= I have them go!
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