I've been scanning everyone's riding posts with jealous eyes these past few months, wondering when I'd actually get a chance to hear some hoofbeats on the trail myself. So, I'm thrilled to report that I've actually managed two rides in the space of a week (well, three if you count the 5 minute jog around the pasture on Sunny Saturday a.m.).
Holiday Monday after the 4th Rufus and I had our ride - doesn't he just look thrilled?
You'd think we loped 10 miles
rather than the four we walked
He was a good boy, and didn't have hysterics over the moving road-carpet of baby frogs we encountered, although he did look askance at the plinking and plashing from the ditches as the bigger hoppers hit the water. Most of the ditches are still brim-full from all of the rain, and the frogs are taking advantage of the water to multiply like crazy - hopefully in such numbers that they're cutting down on the mosquito populations at the same time!
This past weekend we loaded Sunny up -
first horse in the new trailer! YEAH!! - and headed over to the vets' place for a ride. The trailer must ride okay, as he loaded nicely for the return voyage, as well. I got a hard time for letting him turn around and walk out when I unloaded him, but really - he'll back out if I want him to, and given that he can stand completely sideways in the trailer with room left over (yeah, I know, I have a short horse end to end,
not to mention top to bottom!) I don't really think letting him step out head first is that big a deal.
We rode about 8 miles walking most of the way with a bit of trotting here and there. Sunny was prince charming considering he hasn't been out of the pasture since last September/October some time. I didn't take the camera along, so no pics, unfortunately.
Passing the first of several herds of cows we encountered the two Quarter Horses in the group had "avoidance issues" and kited backwards repeatedly until we'd passed them. Not sure what was up with that, as both are seasoned roping horses - herding anxiety? They did fine with all the other cows we saw, including the three or four loose ones (the owners were in the process of putting the fence back up) that spotted us coming and high-tailed it for safer ground.
In contrast, both of the "flighty" Arabians, Sunny and Rufus, checked the bovines out and moved on - Sunny kept looking around to see what exactly the other two were so worried about. You could almost see the thought process: "Huh... I see cows... something out there must be scary...". He just kept walking along head up, ears swiveling busily as he tried to spot whatever they were so concerned about.
Of course, I was giggling to myself and trying not to smirk. *grin*Thankfully, after the initial cow episode aside, it was an uneventful ride. We had enough breeze to keep the bugs off, which was nice since it was also pretty warm. There were still a ton of tiny frogs hopping every which direction.
In the trailer post-ride
In other news of my world - M had his second riding lesson. (He's getting so TALL!) I took some pictures inside, but managed to capture nothing but blurrrr.
He rode Justice, a 19-year-old Arabian who's seen a
lot of kids. A really lovely boy not just personality-wise. He looks about half his age.
Thunder's gash is almost completely healed -
This is actually from last week. This week it's just a fine black line with hair starting to grow.
if you enlarge the picture,
