Today was a great day! After bribing the horses with carrots, we saddled up and took off toward the Hennessey. Yesterday, Lynn and Shirley had some excitement. First they saw some illegal farming, but thankfully their friend told everyone on the mountain, "Nobody was to mess with women on horses." Okay. Kinda scary.
Secondly, someone pulled a "monster" of an old oak branch down onto the meadow cutoff we have been taking. Star whirled around and headed back toward the trail, but settled in to watch Lynn and Ziggy rodeo. Ziggy had whirled around and was crow-hopping in the ruts. Lynn was looking down at the hard, unlevel ground thinking, "I'm stayin' on." Finally, everyone calmed down and did a little snorting at the big monster, but managed to walk by it to the creek.
Today we had none those shenanigans. We had others kinds. Fun kinds. Sort of. We did the Hoop-de-do trail again. Brady is in good health and high spirits. We jumped gracefully over every log and as long as we were in the front he was happy. His head was up and Lynn said his tail was curled all the way over his back.
We rode upto the Bray house and down to a little meadow for a snack. Shirley went in the bushes to pee and scared up some cows who came flying out until they saw us. They didn't know what to do! Mouths open, eyes wide and bunched together for safety. Finally they recognized we were okay and they went to graze in the bushes some more. It was funny. Later Shirley worked on teaching Star to straddle a log so she could get on easily--that was funny, too.
Coming back on this trail is a more fun ride than going out. We trotted, cantered, and jumped. Jumping uphill is lots easier than downhill jumping. I felt more relaxed and comfortable than I ever had before. I told myself, not to get too comfortable. Sure enough, Brady, whose head kept getting higher and pace kept getting faster, decided to notch it up a little. Then we came to a sharp turn and he went one way and I wasn't quick enough. I was hanging over his left shoulder, one foot out of the stirrup, but I elbowed my way back on. Sheer willpower kept me on that time. (and maybe the boot stuck into his armpit!)
He was high on life. We got out in front and headed for the monster. Shirley reminded me that it would look different from this side. However, no one minded it. We went through the creek and Brady jumped us up onto the bank with ease. We were all just kind of ambling along, but somehow, Shirley and Lynn turned the corner around the berry bushes before us. Lynn called back and I said we were coming.
Suddenly, Brady realized that they were out ahead of us and running up the meadow. I swear both his front feet came off the ground and it was "Heigh Ho Silver!" Zero to sixty in nothing. We were flying. I have never gone that fast on him before. They had stopped to watch us and when we caught up and he stopped--urch, urch, urch on his front feet. This time I almost went off on the right side. I was hanging over his neck and head again. It was lucky because now my back is balanced--both side were torqued so I should be okay.
Lynn said she couldn't tell if I was scared or having fun. Well, it was a little of both.
Like I said, it was a great day--it was the epitome of a perfect summer morning in the country with the animals and friends you love. It doesn't get any better than that.
*Pictures coming soon.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Summertime and the livin' is easy. . .
If the early morning sky was any indication, Saturday was going to be a gorgeous day. After some confusion from a hurried message on my phone Friday to "come up and catch mud-caked horses to brush," I arrived at Lynn's about 6:30 am this time, which worked better than 6:30 pm Friday. Hey--if someone says let's brush horses, I grab some carrots and I'm there.
Lynn had already caught the horses and was in the process of bringing them to the trailer to be brushed. She feeds Brady his "old man grain" and usually gives the rest of them a treat every morning so they came right to her. I brushed Brady and whispered sweet nothings in his ear and then gave Star lots of attention, too. Lynn saddled up Star while I put all my apparatus back on my saddle--cruper, breast collar, and lengthened my bridle. Although it was fun to ride Star, and easy to get him ready, I was happy to be back on Brady.
Shirley arrived; we hitched up, loaded the boys, and were off. We took the "hoop-de-doo" trail, which is Brady's favorite. I don't think we walked over many downed logs; he was feeling good and we jumped and jumped! I reminded him that downhill jumping was not my favorite as my almost 50-year-old back muscles would complain later.
Coming out, Lynn let Ziggy run a little going up the trail and through the woods. Brady was in seventh heaven--we ran and leaped like he was 10 years younger. In fact, he took me by surprise over a new downed log that was pretty high and I came out of my stirrups and lost my front pack. Of course where we stopped to reload, the trail was not real level so I centered Brady over a small log in the trail to use as a step up. Being the kluts that I am, my boot slipped off the log as I went to put the other one in the stirrup and everyone laughed. Brady even looked back at me like, "What are you doing? Sheesh!" But then when we were on our way again with more running and jumping. Both Star and Ziggy were jumping and having fun, too. At one point when Star and Shirley were in front of me, I had time to notice how easy she sits her saddle--she was leaning up a bit, but her bottom never moved. Then there's me! Banging away in the saddle, poor Brady--Lynn always says he's rough, but I think half of it is me simply being out of control and trying to stay on!
Back in the meadow, Lynn and Ziggy practiced rounding up cows. He blew at them a little at first, but he does pretty much whatever Lynn asks him to do. (Except keep his tongue in his mouth!) He stood patiently still earlier on the trail while Lynn stood in her stirrups sawed some of Yew wood hanging down dangerously over the trail (as the bruise on my shoulder will attest).
As Brady and I took the last hills his favorite way (running to the top and then walking down to the bottom, then doing it again up the next one) Shirley and Star had a little rodeo. Because I was in the front, I didn't see it happen, but she said Star bucked a couple of times on each hill because he was mad about being last and not being able to run with Brady. He's never done that before! Hopefully she's not mad at me--it's probably my fault because once again, I let Brady do whatever he wanted and felt good about doing.
Anyway--we walked the last bit out like always and the boys seemed as happy as we were. After a good brushing and a little bit of grain we went home. It was another beautiful day ahorseback.
Alisa, if you're reading this--what are you planning for Labor Day Weekend? In the mood for wingdingers and laughing till we pee?
Lynn had already caught the horses and was in the process of bringing them to the trailer to be brushed. She feeds Brady his "old man grain" and usually gives the rest of them a treat every morning so they came right to her. I brushed Brady and whispered sweet nothings in his ear and then gave Star lots of attention, too. Lynn saddled up Star while I put all my apparatus back on my saddle--cruper, breast collar, and lengthened my bridle. Although it was fun to ride Star, and easy to get him ready, I was happy to be back on Brady.
Shirley arrived; we hitched up, loaded the boys, and were off. We took the "hoop-de-doo" trail, which is Brady's favorite. I don't think we walked over many downed logs; he was feeling good and we jumped and jumped! I reminded him that downhill jumping was not my favorite as my almost 50-year-old back muscles would complain later.
Coming out, Lynn let Ziggy run a little going up the trail and through the woods. Brady was in seventh heaven--we ran and leaped like he was 10 years younger. In fact, he took me by surprise over a new downed log that was pretty high and I came out of my stirrups and lost my front pack. Of course where we stopped to reload, the trail was not real level so I centered Brady over a small log in the trail to use as a step up. Being the kluts that I am, my boot slipped off the log as I went to put the other one in the stirrup and everyone laughed. Brady even looked back at me like, "What are you doing? Sheesh!" But then when we were on our way again with more running and jumping. Both Star and Ziggy were jumping and having fun, too. At one point when Star and Shirley were in front of me, I had time to notice how easy she sits her saddle--she was leaning up a bit, but her bottom never moved. Then there's me! Banging away in the saddle, poor Brady--Lynn always says he's rough, but I think half of it is me simply being out of control and trying to stay on!
Back in the meadow, Lynn and Ziggy practiced rounding up cows. He blew at them a little at first, but he does pretty much whatever Lynn asks him to do. (Except keep his tongue in his mouth!) He stood patiently still earlier on the trail while Lynn stood in her stirrups sawed some of Yew wood hanging down dangerously over the trail (as the bruise on my shoulder will attest).
As Brady and I took the last hills his favorite way (running to the top and then walking down to the bottom, then doing it again up the next one) Shirley and Star had a little rodeo. Because I was in the front, I didn't see it happen, but she said Star bucked a couple of times on each hill because he was mad about being last and not being able to run with Brady. He's never done that before! Hopefully she's not mad at me--it's probably my fault because once again, I let Brady do whatever he wanted and felt good about doing.
Anyway--we walked the last bit out like always and the boys seemed as happy as we were. After a good brushing and a little bit of grain we went home. It was another beautiful day ahorseback.
Alisa, if you're reading this--what are you planning for Labor Day Weekend? In the mood for wingdingers and laughing till we pee?
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