Let there be lights... please!

If all had gone as planned, this would be a picture of us leading two horses back after a nice long ride.  Instead, it's a picture of us walking them back after they loaded up for a brief four mile ride in the trailer.

Something's up with the truck wiring, and we could either have trailer lights or trailer brakes.  Not both.  Grrr...  We've had a problem on and off with a clip, but this time the usual fix didn't.  I think welding may be in order.

We were supposed to meet J to ride, and we were already late because I forgot a couple of things and then we had to stop for fuel.  And the days are getting shorter.  We could have continued the couple miles over on back roads and worked on it there.  But as I saw it, our options after getting there were either a) waste riding daylight trying to get everything working, b) ride, and trust that we'd get back with enough daylight left to get home safely, c) try to fix it in the dark after riding, or d) just drop the horses back off and take the trailer back to town.  I wasn't going to risk hauling the horses in the dark in a trailer with no lights.  And no trailer brakes didn't seem like a fantasticly safe option, either.

After some "discussion" we decided to go back to the farm and unload Sunny and Thunder - no complaints from them - and then head to J's.  T could still ride Rufus, and I'd take the empty trailer back to town.  Best laid plans.  T and I ended up swapping roles, so I got to ride Rufus for 6 miles, and he got to put dinner in the over :)

Rufus is getting fat (more riding needed!) but he packs on the pounds differently than Sunny.  Where Sunny, round, feels a lot like saddling a 55 gallon drum, Rufus fat feels like riding the pointy end of a hard-boiled egg.  We jog-trotted and loped most of the way, and I couldn't keep my calves wrapped around him.  Not a comfortable feeling at all.  Although I did manage one of the smoothest walk/lope right lead transitions I've had with him.  Unfortunately, left was not nearly so pretty.  But I'm starting to think this whole issue with getting the left lead is something I'm doing.  Something else to work on.

It was dark by the time we got back.  But an absolutely gorgeous night for a ride.  I LOVE fall!  Just can't say that enough.

~ T says still no joy with the lights, but we'll pull things apart and see what we can see in the morning.