It's my birthday!

 

Look how silver and shiny Z's back is!

We started the morning with poodle cuts, thinking it would warm up by the time we could ride. Um no. It was still in the 30s. This is only the second time we have ever been able to ride on my birthday; it was cold and damp and the rain is coming, but it was awesome. :) Fall colors are still vibrant--both on the trees and on the ground. We just took a little turn around the ranch and had mostly warm toes and fingers. I said the best presents I ever bought myself were Ziva and Jupiter, but I should have included my chinks! lol.

My birthday wish is for a healthy and happy year ahead with lots more time in the saddle with my friends.

Well. . . .

This weekend was a tough one. Saturday, Toby/Cobie tossed Lynn off onto the ground. Several crow hops into the bushes and a couple good bucks thrown in. She did not have both feet in the saddle as she was in the process of getting on. She held on pretty good and has the sore muscles to prove it: shoulders, hands, clenching muscles in her arms and legs. She is bruised from the saddle horn and has a little scrape across her nose from the tree. She landed on her hip and back and probably has a few bruises from pokey things on the uneven ground.

She rode him on hard trot all the way to the top of Hennessey. When we caught up (lots of belly shaking whinnies along the way), Toby/Cobie was drenched in sweat and foam. It was running off of him everywhere. We rode a short loop and headed back home. We skipped the steep short cut from the top as Toby's ears were not pinned, but definitely showing his overall unhappiness. Later, Lynn thought about his behavior and said that the crupper had changed his performance. I agree, she had been getting on more easily prior to adding it.

Anyway, Shirley is never going to ride that horse. Never. He is too much for her. As smooth as he is to ride, and as sweet as his disposition is, we have decided he is pretty green and no matter what the lady said, he has not been worked with very much. We have had him since April (?) and he isn't any better about getting on. Lynn said someone who is lighter, faster, younger, etc. could probably get on quick enough that he would be fine. She thinks he would be a great endurance horse.

Bottom line: as much as we like him, he needs a new home. :(

Finding the right trick and a secret

This is evidence of a gentle conversation between two sweet dispositions that are in a little conflict. 

After riding Toby/Cobie for the last month, Lynn figured out that if she holds the rein tight over his neck, he will stand still for her to get on. Sometimes it takes a minute for him to realize she wants him to stand next to her, but it is becoming much easier and quicker for her to get on (most times). 

We are still battling smoke, but we have gotten to ride at least once a weekend. Toby/Cobie nuzzles her and really loves on her. He is such a nice boy. She is loving riding him--he walks out and never slows down. Jupes is huffing and puffing to keep up. She says he sees everything and shies a little and really looks at things, but doesn't slow down. She says he is comfortable and smooth. Last weekend there was a small puddle that gave them a little trouble, so Jupes and I stood in it until Toby finally came and put his toe in. 

It is hunting season and we ran into someone we knew who was out setting up a place to target shoot with his son, so he waited for us to get quite a ways away to begin shooting and we headed for home. On the way, Lynn suddenly took a detour. We followed and found the secret pond she has spoken about often. We did some booney crashing and suddenly there it was. It is definitely a watering hole for a lot of wildlife. We need to make very sure that we do not leave tracks or the motorcyclists will tear it up and ruin it for the animals. We also need to protect it from the hunters. It hurts my heart to think of how destructive people are. It is such a special place as well a necessary, life-giving spot for the animals that live on the mountain.

On a funny note, Toby was definitely antsy. He was NOT going to get in it. :) Jupes just sniffed and smelled it everywhere. The roots and logs were worn down and the trails to it were smooth and well used. He was checking out exactly who had been there. Ziva surprised me by getting in it and having a drink. 

We have been blessed to do a little riding each weekend when so much of California and Oregon are on fire. The virus and the smoke from all the fires makes all our lives stressful and getting out to be on horseback, with my favorite boy, with my bestie and my dog and her bestie, makes my life so much more bearable! It reminds me to be thankful for all I have.

Alisa's birthday rides

 

I am so happy we got to spend our Labor Day weekend with Alisa as per usual. I wasn't sure it was going to happen--smoke and fire and heat abound this year. Alisa decided she needed fresh(er) air and came over with Keota. We had waited to go to Blue Lake again until she could join us. What a day it was. 

Lynn took Toby and we knew going in that it would be a learning experience day for him. He is still difficult to mount as he continues to turn away and face Lynn whenever she steps into the stiruup. Someone did a number on him and he thinks he doing what he is supposed to do. I sure hope no one hurt him into thinking this was the only way to keep someone happy. She was able to get on when Alisa distracted him with an apple. 

Poor thing is scared to death of the water, but he followed Jupiter into the river. We crossed the first part and then went into to the actual moving part of the river and it got a little deeper--I actually thought I might get my boots wet, but it wasn't quite that deep. Toby began what felt like possible lunging and leaping to Lynn and she quickly settled him down and he walked to the other side.

It was a day of spooks and jumps. First of all some ducks flew across the river and startled Toby, which freaked Jupes out. We both had quite a bit shy. There were dead cars everywhere and dumped trash; again, very spooky stuff. Lots of gray rocks and gray sticks--you get the picture. Horse eating monsters were everywhere. Lynn rode with her reins crossed over in front of her at the ready. She worked hard with him in and out of the water. He is very stiff-necked and doesn't want to give. She was a little sore the following day.

I ended our ride with a freaked out horse myself. Two guys were jogging on the path toward us. OMG. Like Jupes never saw anyone run before. He was barely controllable. He wanted to bolt back down the path, but the problem was, it was across a paved road. Bolting aside, no way was I going to let either of those things happen. He twisted around and I thought I was going off and there was no way I was doing that either! I got him stopped and got off and walked him back to see the two guys. Alisa had finally gotten to understand they needed to take out their headphones and speak to him like human beings instead of horse eating monsters. Good grief. We arrived back at the trailer safely and ready to ride another day.

Next day: Orick! We were supposed to meet up with a couple of younger women to ride with, but they were very late and we left without them. There was a large string of dude riders going out at 10, so we beat feet to get ahead of them. What a glorious day we had.

Lynn took Ziggy just for safety sake and to be able to just enjoy the ride without working hard. It was sunny and blue skies. We rode the 6-hour ride--backwards. What fun. It all looked different. The horses all did great and powered up the hills and skated down the hairpin turns (although Ziggy saw no reason for them and thought they should just go straight!). We did not see any slugs or bears, but we saw one squirrel and one bird, who flew out of his/her nest to our left. Jupes acted like an idiot again once we on the levee and another string of dude riders were approaching. They are HORSES and PEOPLE, I told him. Sheesh. Other than that, it was a perfect day all around. Karissa and her friend did show up and they rode the 3-hour loop, but we did not see them. Maybe another time.

Blue Lake

 

What a glorious day! Lynn had a week's vacation planned, but we had Shirley's injury and smoke. She was considering going to work and saving her days. On Thursday, she called and said, "Hey! What about Blue Lake?" What about it, I wondered. She recalled Darcy Lima telling us there were tons of trails that led off from the Gymkhana grounds in Blue Lake. So I put it out there on Facebook to the Blue Lake Saddle Club that we wanted to ride. They replied with ways to access the trails and away we went.

It was a combination of things--kind of like riding at Cuneo. There was dead grass and brush; there was snake weed and alders. We crossed the river twice and enjoyed sunshine and a nice breeze all day. Ziggy and Jupiter were happy to be out of the smoke and on new trails. They both did fantastic. We even walked down a sidewalk by a busy road for a bit and neither of them cared. Then we found an apple tree. :) That made it all worth it (at least in Jupiter's mind). 

We made a loop out of it and in a couple of hours we went just shy of seven miles. There's lots left to explore.

Pits up! lol

Cool and shady.

                         

 I forgot about the monster at the start of the trail.

What plan are we on?

 

Does the picture say a 1000 words? I am still not entirely sure how this happened, but here goes: Toby would not stand still for Shirley to get on. She had to move the step stool three times. Finally he was up against the trailer facing west. Lynn was in front of him with a granola bar; I was under Shirley helping lift her right foot/leg over the cantle. I don't do very much, she does most of it herself. Yesterday, he stepped backward and around toward me as she was swinging on. I backed away so he wouldn't step on me. I thought she was on.

He kept swinging back toward Jupiter; I stepped around to the right of him and then I realized that Shirley's leg wasn't all the way over and was dangling over his rear flank. My first thought, and Lynn's first thought, was to grab her leg and pull it on into the saddle. We were both on that side. But he wasn't having it. Lynn had him by the head/reins and he was swinging back around toward me.

My second thought, and it turns out Lynn's too, was to get on the left side of him and get her there. I thought maybe I could wrap my arms around her and pull her back out of the stirrup toward me. Lynn was thinking she'd break her fall and ease her down as she came off. That didn't happen either. He was not going to be still enough for us to get close enough. 

I am not sure why Shirley didn't think to push up and get her weight on over since her left leg was in already or get her weight forward and pull that right one on around. She was almost there. Possibly she's not strong enough; possibly she was panicking. I don't remember any of us saying much--I heard Shirley say, "Whoa." And I think there were soothing things coming from Lynn to the horse. But when I think about it, it is quiet in my head. I know I heard Lynn cry out, "Mom!" And when I finally got around him to his left side, Shirley was laying on the pavement on her side groaning. Lynn soothed her mom and then headed to the trailer house nearby to use the phone. I caught Toby and took him around by Ziggy. I alternately knelt by Shirley and held her hand and talked to her as I put Jupiter in the trailer, Ziva in the truck, and unsaddled Toby so Shirley could lay on the his saddle blanket, and then put him in the trailer. Ziggy was doing his stress twirls, so I tried to calm him, but left him tied up.

Shirley never lost consciousness and we are all thankful Lee makes us wear helmets. I took her helmet off and we used my bag as a pillow. Lynn returned with Javier from the white trailer. Ambulance was on the way. Javier offered us coffee and a blanket. We accepted the blanket and teased Shirley about how nice it was and that she never let us use her "good" blankets. She lay on her back and did not complain about too much pain. She thought her shoulder was broken, that's what she told me, and we thought it was possible it might be dislocated. Turns out her upper arm is broken. She landed on it and that was what she wanted to roll of off and on to her back, but we wouldn't let her move it on to her chest like she wanted. Probably a good thing.

She has road rash on that arm as well. Big time--it's an oval and bloody area. Somehow, she put her right hand down and took a chunk out below her middle finger on her palm side. That's how both of us got so bloody when I held her hand. It's small, but it's gonna hurt a lot.

The volunteer fire department showed up first. She flirted and made conversation with all of them. When the ambulance people showed up and put her in the "burrito" they discussed crisscrossing the straps and she reminded them that she had "big boobs." I am not sure if she was just bragging or telling it might not fit or to be careful. Obviously she was conscious and talking. :) Lynn just reminded me of a funny part: Shirley asked her to take her ring off so she could put it in her purse before she was loaded into the ambulance, but she couldn't get it off. So Lynn spit on Shirley's finger! LOL. I laughed.

After about 11 hours, Lynn made it home from the emergency room. Shirley was finally given some pudding and crackers to eat because she was dizzy. Well, yeah, no food, no water, just laying in the emergency room waiting for someone to make decisions. Thankfully, she is home now and resting. Lynn said she had not taken any pain pills as of this morning. Hopefully, she will heal quickly and easily.

Because of COVID-19, we had to wait in our cars in the parking lot. We missed out on the all excitement of the emergency room. Right after five police cars zoomed up to the doors, the hospital security asked us to go sit in our cars. We called Shirley, but she was doped up and her story might not be the whole story, but she said a woman hit a policeman. We wanted to watch someone else's drama to take our minds off our long wait.

Another thing that was interesting, although Javier was very nice, the couple did not want Lynn to use their address for the ambulance. Hmm. Guess that means their grow is illegal. Or he is. They were very helpful and nice.

One more bad thing that turned out okay. I didn't get the back trailer door secured before we left. A guy flagged Lynn down as we were almost to The Place and told her the door was open. I cannot tell you how fast I was out of the pickup and at the back door. Yep. It swung about a foot open and there was Ziggy wild eyed looking at me and pressed up again the middle divider. Thank goodness he is smart and knew to stay back away from the door. I cannot breathe when I think about it. I am so happy that nothing happened to that boy. I would not be able to live with myself.

So, I am not sure what plan we are on now. We did not ride today as yesterday was long and stressful. Lynn plans to ride Toby and get him ready for when Shirley rides again. She is on vacation next week, but there are fires and smoke and the virus has been ramping up closer to home. There are logging trucks coming out of our route to Little Happy Camp and it is probably smoky up there as well. It's supposed to be hot--although it isn't as hot today as they predicted. So Plan E? F? G?

Wet blanket catch up time

Goodness, where to start--I got behind again! Shall I start with the story that never gets old? The one with Ziggy's wanger bumping around Lynn's head like a clapper on a bell? Yep. Won't forget that story any time soon. Great idea Lynn, check Ziggy's hoof from underneath his belly. He didn't care, but she had on her helmet and there might be pokey things that could scratch him. ??

That was the same day we logged the Little Happy Camp road AGAIN. This time, Lynn got nailed by a thorn from one of the branches. We did surgery in the middle of the road. We got it out, but it stayed black for--well, I think it is still is. She was ready to amputate, it hurt so bad. 

Then there was Plan B. Thought we going camping. Drove all the way to Caribou to have to back out of the trailhead! Decided to back up some more and park the trucks and trailers in brushy little road perpendicular to the main road. BITING BUGS! Poor Keota got bit up as did Lynn. Two weeks later and she's still got swollen places. On the way out, we met Back Country Horsemen coming in to stock the lakes with fish. Although we only met two guys in a stock trailer with four mules and two horses, they said 30 more strings were coming in the following day (Friday). Meeting him and the next five rigs: cars, trucks, a Razor, sealed the deal. We weren't camping there. So we invited ourselves to Alisa's house. We slept well and rode out from there. We went to a nearby place we have ridden before and a new place full of potential adventures in the future. It was a great weekend. And no bugs.

Let's see--health wise, poor Haley got a seed in her eye. She had an emergency vet appointment and it was removed and eye drops prescribed. Poor baby just didn't feel good and it didn't seem to be getting better. Back to the vet. They missed a seed. Dang it. The good news? She is so much better and more like her old self. It is healing quickly and completely. Lynn, too, has an eye issue. She has kind of a "fish eye view" with a lump of loose sclera or something floating around. It doesn't slow her down.

Toby/Cobie been getting better about water. He walked over a little creek today without jumping. He is giving Shirley fits and after knowing her for 51 years, she has cussed more over this boy than I have ever her cuss. She told Lynn that she really likes him and they are getting along great and does not want another horse. She said, "We'll work it out." But he's a lot to handle and he's young, so she gets nervous every now and then. She says he doesn't have manners and she hates that he won't back out of the trailer. He is a sweet boy, though.

Critters: today we saw chickens (roosters) roosting in a tree by Dr. Strangelove's. It was neat. We saw turkeys on the road and in the field where the deer often are. We saw a huge bull standing in the driveway where the Morgan lives. Last week we saw tiny twin fawns. AND, we saw turtle tracks! It was so cool. The turtle pond is low and muddy and there they were! Tracks! It was cool. Lynn also spied a rare black dragonfly sitting on the "git on rock."

Turtle tracks

Cool dragonfly, fluttering and getting ready for flight!

Voices in the bushes! 

Listen for Porky Pig: "Thaaat's alll folks!" lol

PS I just flipped my calendar to August. Sorry, Alisa. I didn't see the face you were making in the picture. It's a good overall picture--just don't look closely; I don't know what you were saying! :) 

Easy Peasy

Two quick and easy rides this weekend. Nothing really to share except Toby jumped over a dry creek bed because he remembered that it used to be wet and Jupiter had a rock wedged in his shoe that was bigger than a golf ball! Thankfully, Lynn's hands are strong than mine, because I could not move it. At one point she thought she was going to have to run to the trailer and get the trimmer to take his shoe off. It was crazy. On the bright side, Toby came in the big puddle (that is shrinking) and stood by Jupes without a lot of urging. Puddles are getting better, but tiny little creek beds are still scary. 

Saturday was HOT; we rode Underwood backward. I never realize how much we climb until we do it that way. It's a long uphill pull. It was a short ride for us because the horses were sweating at 9:00 and we could tell it was going to be worse later.

Sunday was breezy--breezy enough that we made a tentative plan to only go as far as we were comfortable, but it was less windy on the west side of Hennessey. It was a cool ride and a nice surprise after yesterday. 

I started off my Sunday morning with a treat--Lynn went to get Shirley and I went to get Jupiter in the field. Toby was making Willy squeal and Jupes was down there with him. The other guys were in the upper field. Suddenly, they broke into a full out run. I think Star bit Ziggy and off they went: snorting, farting, and running as fast they could go. Buster went too, rearing up and running. Jupiter and Toby took off. They raced from fence line below the bottom of the pond all the way to the gate separating them from Barry's horses. They whipped around and looked at me. Snorting. I laughed, "Me? You knew I was here!" Then Dusty started running and whipping around and it got them going again. Snorting and schooling in and out of each other. It was a good show.

I walked up to the top gate and closed it with me on the other side. Jupiter ran all out right to me--looking like the wild man the ladies in Oregon dubbed him. By then, Lynn was there and as I held Ziva, who thankfully had gone with her instead of me, she grabbed him and I took him over to tack up. 

That's it! Loving that we get to ride.

Laidback Lenny becomes a Bucking Bronco

This weekend has been so fun and I am very tired! Shirley's black and blue leg drained down into her foot and it is sore to walk on and thinking about putting her foot in the stirrup made her shiver, so she did not ride this weekend. 

Saturday's ride started off with the darn dogs barking at the trail head house. We got ready and walked up to the trail and put the boys in the ditch and got on there. Ziggy immediately set off at a trot up the trail. Not to be left behind, Jupes poured it on, too. We arrived at the top of Hennessey pretty quick!

We went right and a little way down the road, Lynn's lightbulb went on. Yep. I saw it. It was followed with, "I have an idea. . . and. . . I've been thinking about this. . . " Yep. Uh-oh. Jupes quivered at the words. He always tells me, "You know how she is!" So we became the girls from Snowy River and we headed straight down the hill looking for a road Lynn is sure would take us to the trail that leads to the meadow with the puddles. We did traverse our way down without turning around and going back, but never really found a good way to do it. From the meadow, we did our Westside Hoop-de-do trail and on to around our regular trails, but we mostly did them at at trot. Zigs loped at least four times. Jupiter never hit his lope gear, but he is a big time trotter and you know how he loves to run up hill. 

Coming home, we came down our steep trail for the first time this year. It's do-able. Steep and torn up by the motorcycles, but fine. I did see Zigs corkscrewing his head around and thumping down one part, followed by, "I hate when you do that!"

We started somewhere around 7ish and finished the whole loop by 10:30! It was fast and fun.

Sunday, Lynn suggested we do the Eastside Hoop-de-do. I suggested we create a trail to get to the meadow rather than go down that slick, rocky, car-ruined road with roots and runoff crannies. We bushwacked our way--much to Jupiter's irritation. There were lots of skinny branches whipping us and debris everywhere around his legs.

We tried to go across the creek, but it is boggy and overgrown. We need to get off and work on it when it's drier. I thought we did the Hoop-de-do last year, but my oh my, it was really overgrown. We trotted where someone has made a four-wheeler track, but Lynn did a lot a trimming. At some point, Ziggy got wound up and would not stand still. He even backed off the trail into a bit of potential disaster of downed logs and detritus. We powered on, trying to trim as we rode. If we both don't end up with poison oak, I'll be surprised. (Although I scrubbed up with TecNu and my poison oak soap.) At one point, Ziva started growling and barking. I never could really tell what set her off, but I did hear a dog bark in the distance and something that sounded like maybe some construction. This added to the tension level.

Finally, as we looked beyond the mess of branches and stuff on the trail, we decided to give it up and head back. We did not even get to the steep part where Ziggy slid on his butt way back 10 years ago when Lynn first got him. Anyway, I said okay, let me get Jupiter turned around and I swear before the words were completely out of my mouth, he was turned and trotting hard away from her. Everyone was a little spooked!

What I didn't know until Lynn caught up with me was that Ziggy bucked at least twice before she could get his big head up! Big bucks. Air under her seat, bucks. And then he shot out and then ran to catch up with us. I said it was like revving an engine before it pops the clutch and shoots out into the raceway. Thank goodness she rode the bucks like the true cowgirl she is! I was thinking--maybe his legs were caught up in the branches that she had cut down and Jupes took off and he was stuck trying to get his legs free. ? Jupes is not a very good friend when it comes to horse monsters. He knows he is a juicy morsel and no monster in his right mind would be satisfied with just Ziggy's bag of bones!

We rode pretty fast for quite a ways and I was trying to hold Jupes to just a trot. We got to a part of the trail that opened up a little and Lynn said she felt Ziggy relax, so we slowed down to a fast walk. Maybe something was out there. Or something had been there and they could smell it. Anyway, that was it--all the excitement. We did trot some more going on the park side of the meadow and when Lynn was trimming blackberries and wild roses, Jupes licked the mud, but other than that and our traverse back up through brush to the meadow, we called it a ride!

This weekend there was no humming. No singing. Nope. This weekend it was all about hanging on and moving out. Fun!

A bad day ahorseback is still better than any other day

Puddles are not as scary as they once were--he's getting it. 

Every time is a little bit better. I even caught Shirley smiling once.

Look at Toby. He learned about granola bars quickly!

You would think we would all have flat bellies and strong backs, because some trails are a workout!

Some days are tougher than others. I think I learn something new about riding and myself every day. I got surprised today and had my feelings hurt; but I'm not a quitter and I learn fast. I think if I would have had a few more minutes, I would have chosen a direction and we would have been just fine. I love Jupiter and riding too much to not be there. He and I are pretty good partners (I'm not perfect, but we work together). So go ahead and ditch us on the mountain, I'll be ready, but please don't forget to take us with you when you load up to go.

Success!

What a blessed day today has been. We have heard all week that it was going to rain today. Again--another Saturday. We missed last Saturday because of rain! Although the wind blew like crazy yesterday and the temperature dropped substantially, we decided to ride this morning if at all possible. 

This morning it was pretty still and the sky was a mottled cloud cover of white, gray, and pink tinged clouds. There was some blue sky peeking through. But no rain. We loaded up and went up Hennessy. The big puppies were inside the pot fence and we all loaded up and headed out without incident. 

Shirley led most of the way and when we got to the top, Lynn said she had a plan. So we took the middle road and headed down the hill. I was nervous about her plan, but it turned out great. We went down the trail where the bees were in the tree. Toby confidently navigated the "technical" parts of that trail: the tight path under the tree and next to the dry creek bed; the sharp turns around the horizontal tree where the bees were; the huge hole next to the trail; ducking under the low branches--everything. He loped up the hill toward the little creek, jumped it, but everything looked smooth. And then. . . yep! PUDDLES.

Toby managed to jump or skirt the mud and small creeks and puddles until we got to the big meadow. When we dropped down we could see there were BIG puddles. So we splashed around for probably an hour. We got Toby to come into the puddle because he wanted a bite of a granola bar!! LOL. I just held it out a little bit farther than he could reach and he took a step toward it until we were in the middle and then I gave him the treat. He seemed to trust Jupiter, so he followed us around--in and out of puddles. Jupes even started doing a Keota and splashed water everywhere, but he went in and out of puddles with us. 

Lynn got off because we dropped a granola wrapper in the huge puddle and she tightened our cinches, which were hanging. So she was on the ground and Zigs was just standing and watching. When Shirley and I went around the bend to make a circle through several puddles and Lynn walked over to watch us come toward her, Zigs was not happy about being all alone. He was going to follow us, but stepped on his rein. Otherwise, he would have dragged Lynn's reins through all the muddy water. 

It was all good. We also went up to the big puddle we worked on in weekends past. We put him in between us and we all walked in and back through. His flanks still tremble, but both horse and rider and starting to trust each other. Yaay!

Back to the weather: we wore our chinks, thank goodness; Lynn was in and out of vest, jacket, jacket, vest; both Shirley and I wore gloves and my cheeks were cold. It was pretty crisp on the back side and the clouds started piling up and becoming a solid sky. The wind started coming down the trees as we headed back to the trailer. We could hear the storm rolling in. 

We couldn't have timed it more perfectly; as we pulled over to let cars go by at Lynn's there were sprinkles on the windshield. We put the horses up and as I pulled out of the driveway, I had to turn on my windshield wipers. It has been breezy all day with sun coming in and out of showers. We were truly blessed today.

Baby Steps

Saturday was a good day for puddles. We have had almost three inches of rain this month, so the puddles and little creeks have filled back up. Out we went yesterday and first of all, the dogs at the house nearest the parking spot are getting bigger and louder and more aggressive. Jupes was crazy and I had to walk him out and on to the trail because I could not get on him. He had lost his mind and was not thinking about me and our team. Once I got on, he settled down.

When we got to the first little creek below the road, Toby was not going to go through it. So he and Lynn went through it a bunch of times. When we got to the big puddle up on top, he and Lynn got in it after doing a little more work. But the BIG news is that he went in the puddle with Shirley when we came back down. Jupes and I blocked his way to the bank and the puddle was wall to wall. Lynn came and rode on the left side of him and he walked in and all the way through!! Yaay! Of course he still jumps the little tiny trickle farther up the mountain, but it was a big success.

Sunday we rode Gray's Falls trail again. It was fun. It was a good day!

Shirley's a jump rider

Mud puddles with Toby (aka Cobie)

Cold puddles

Yesterday, rain threatened all day. We rode out on the ranch and everything was great. The clouds were crazy, but we stayed dry.

Shirley has renamed Cobie (who she thought was Colby) to Toby. They did well together until Lynn said her famous, "Wait a minute. I want to look at something." Then Toby got antsy and Shirley panicked and screeched, "Lynn. LYNNN!" So they followed up the steep embankment. I was a little worried she would pull him back over on her, but I heard Lynn say to "Let him have his head, mom," and they made it up the steep bank.

We have been working on a new way to come up from the meadow since the road is slick and steep. The roots are really starting to stick up and the rocks are at the surface. I think the vehicles have really ruined it. So we are trying to create a new trail to the road, bypassing the top meadow.

We didn't ride very long because we thought it was going to rain. It started raining at my house about two and rained steady until about eight, but Lynn didn't get it for a long while--so we could've ridden longer and farther, but it was still fun.

Today we rode up Deadwood Ridge (aka Widow Maker Mountain) because we knew it would be slick in other spots. Shirley even led a little (till she missed the trail). I told her, "Do what you're gonna do--go where you want--I don't care, lead on." To get there, we have to ride the road to the BIG mud puddle. Toby does not want to get his pretty feet wet. Or muddy! So he went around. But on the way back it was a different story.

The bottom of the trail below the turtle pond, it is deep, mucky mud. Jupes does not like it either. He whips through there and I end up with cedar in my mouth, across my face, wherever--it just slaps the crap out of me as he bolts through there (since I have no control over him!!). Anyway, I told Lynn we needed a better spot to come out of there. It is getting really bad now that the motorcycles have also been through it. We did meander our way around last weekend, but today we just rode back up to the road the way we came down. Uh-oh. That also means the horse-eating puddle awaited us.

Last week's video showed Toby going up the little bank. Today, he slipped on that bank and caught his right leg underneath him. Shirley never moved--she was fine, she might've screeched for Lynn, but I don't remember. But Lynn said that was IT! She told Shirley to get off and she got on.

She worked really hard on him, but he is not having it. Unfortunately, Ziva is becoming an uncontrollable handful and is a now barking manic trying to help. It's driving me crazy and I am worried she will get hurt. She thinks she's helping, but I don't want her to get kicked. So I eventually had to ride away to get her to come with me. Toby did not react to her, thankfully and Lynn eventually got him into the little puddles. He put his feet in three of them and walked through a little one. Progress. They ended on a positive.

At the bottom of the trail where we get off, he did better going through the muddy area than he did last week and when we went up the trail earlier. He's learning. It is just kind of weird since his field was so wet and muddy where he came from. Although, I think I understood Lisa to say the water had just started coming on again, so maybe since he had only been there eight months it hadn't been real wet earlier. I don't know. What I do know is: Lynn will help him to overcome his fear.

Today was a tougher day and I heard Shirley say, "Pretty is as pretty does" to her horse and she didn't brush him very much and he didn't get a granola bar when everyone else had one. I know what it's like to be frustrated with your pretty horse.

Blue skies smiling at me!

Whoo hoo! Another day in the saddle. For several days the sky has been hazy. No blue sky or sun. Not today!  "Blue skies, smiling at me. Nothing but blue skies do I see."

We went up Underwood this morning. We parked down on the road and rode up to our old spot. Lots of down trees and branches everywhere impeded our trek up to the road where we used to weedeat and park, but we made it. We had to go through some smallish trees that were close together and rubbed on us and the horses, but Cobie didn't flinch. We went through deep duff and he never missed a beat. He did great again.

Shirley told Lynn that she hasn't been this happy ahorseback in a long, long time. She really likes not having to urge him. He is a stepper! He goes. He follows pretty close, so he won't be able to be behind Keota, but Zigs doesn't seem to care. I heard her tell him before we left, "Pretty is as pretty does and I think you're going to pretty all the way around."She told him had good strong chest. She was sweet talking to him. She told Lynn that she did a good job picking him and bringing home.

His head is definitely Morgan and his big belly and strong chest. Lynn says his feet are all Quarter horse. I have been behind him and I'll tell you, his tail is where that 1/4 Arab shows up. He curls it and holds it up when he's working. :)

I've had three great days in row!

Love at First Sight

Shirley was holding and walking Cobie around the pull off spot. She kept saying, "Look how calm he is. I'm gonna be fine." She was talking to me. Lynn was on the other side of the trailer. "He's good. No problem."

Lynn came back around the trailer and brought Big Zig, the camel, for Shirley. She was getting the stool out. Shirley kept hanging on to her new, pretty boy and muttering that all was going to be fine. Finally Lynn tuned in to her and said, "Do you want to ride him? We don't know how he'll do in the brush. We don't know anything about what he knows and doesn't know. But if you want to, you can."

"No, no, I better not," Shirley said. Lynn went back to whatever she was doing. Shirley said to me, again, "I don't bounce so well." I looked at her. "Well, I guess Lynn doesn't bounce that well either," she concluded. 

I said, "Nope. And she's been hurt a lot more than you or I."

"Well, just for a bit," she said. Then Lynn brought over Zigs. 

As Shirley and I were riding by ourselves--Cobie is a big stepper and left us--Shirley said, "The elevation is really something up here." Bonk, bonk, bonk. "There's stuff up here I never noticed before." 

I laughed. "Yep! You're in the nose bleed section."

Ziggy was having a big pout. He was slower than Buster. Jupes was irritated and on his butt. Zigs would just stop. "Is he peeing? Is he pooping?" Shirley kept asking me.

"No. He is not doing anything." Then her little feet would bump him on the rib cage and he'd drag himself up a little farther. 

Shirley couldn't take it any longer. We didn't even make to the road from the first trail. She was ready to trade. Lynn had pulled up and waited for us below the big pile of rocks before the grassy spot we always let the boys eat at. She was smiling. Shirley said, "Have you been to Medford and back?" She was smiling, too.

Lynn said, "Tell you what Mom, I'll give you $3000 right now for this horse. You'll make $500. I'll call that lady with the smooth-gaited Haflinger and we'll go get him for you." LOL

Nope. Shirley was in love with Cobie before she even rode him. Boy, I know that feeling. :)

They did really well. Other than he doesn't like getting those dinner plates muddy, he did everything: bushes, swinging branches, uphill, downhill, through the dead branches, boonie crashing cross country.

Shirley likes him and thinks he's a keeper. It was love at first sight and after riding him--it's real love. She said it is so much more fun to ride without constantly having to kick and urge the horse under you. :) 

Ziggy did really well after Lynn got him. He was stepping out. Jupes is not sure about this pretty competition, but I told him was the most beautiful, handsome guy to me. 

When we got back to the field. Star bit him in the back right off. He chased him away from the water. Buster went up to sniff him in butt. Cobie squealed and kicked up, but Buster just sniffed him, so Cobie settled down. Then we put Zigs in. He just went and rolled. Jupes just went and rolled. Then Star said, it's on again and all of them ran Cobie to the other end and around the oak trees behind the trailer a few times. Star and Jupes and Zigs came over to us and let him be. Buster just stayed with him the whole time, "Let's be besties. I'll show where there's more grass." So Cobie has a friend. 

Cobie and Shirley NOT in the water

Cobie & Shirley in the water

Lynn & Cobie #2

Cobie & Lynn #1

Welcome Cobie!

Yesterday, Lynn and I drove to Escalon, CA outside of Stockton to meet Cobie. He's a 10-year-old, beautiful, liver chestnut with flax mane and tail. He is half Morgan (you can see it in his face and fat belly), a quarter Arab (again the beautiful face), and a quarter Quarter horse. He has soft eyes and seems very affectionate. He has huge, dinner plate feet that have been trimmed a couple weeks ago and he is barefoot. He is a total talker and dinger. He untied himself from the trailer. He mouthed everything--the window, the fender, the cleat. But he stood pretty good while tied.

He is used to ground mounting according the Lisa. But she held him while Lynn mounted from a hay bale and he was fine. He actually thought it was a good idea so he could some hay. Unfortunately, as you will see in the videos, there wasn't a great space to ride him and with the virus, there wasn't a space available to take him. Lisa says there are trail videos attached to his Dream Horse account, but we didn't see them.

He has been doing dressage, so his cues are a little different. However, he is very leg and seat oriented, so Shirley should have no problem.

Lisa said he is the bottom of the herd and has good field manners. He can play if someone wants to play or stand off by himself. He is not herd bound. He is respectful to the mares in the field. He comes to his name and didn't care if everyone else was off doing other things. I think he and Buster will be best friends.

We bought Shirley a plain, black headstall and a bright blue  halter and the rope is blue, tan, and black. He is going to look stunning in both.

Shirley was super excited and Lynn thinks she will be ready to ride him sooner rather than later. We are off to ride this morning. She said, "We'll break him of all his good habits in no time." :)

We put him in the corral and as soon as the boys saw him they started whinnying like crazy. He whinnied right back and ran and buck and twisted his head around. They just stared at him. He went back to eating. Jupes and Buster stayed looking at him for a long, long time. I told Jupes not to worry, he is still the most beautiful. Shirley said we could be in a parade. She said we could have a contest on who's the prettiest. I said we will have a contest on who's the fattest. :)

I hope he fits in and works out. He will have a good life here.

Kevin Bacon (free pig with every horse sale)

Amazing Grace

Easter is a special day for Christians of all denominations. How about this for a space to hold services? Lynn brought the words for three songs. We "parked" our horses and raised our voices in song. We tried to be loud--I could hear Lynn pretty well, but underneath my own loud singing, I also heard Shirley's voice. She was singing FAST and was three lines ahead of me and Lynn. So I stopped to hear where she was so I could join in. We sort of fell apart from there. She said, "Who's singing?" I told her I was trying to catch up to her and join her. She said, "Well I can't hear you guys!" That explained a lot. 

The cool thing was that all three horses just stood quietly. Not one fidget. Not one attempt to eat something. I think they liked it.

Later as we went along the trail, Lynn and I sang a simple song and I made up the words for more verses. Although I couldn't hear Lynn over my own loud singing, I enjoyed singing and it made me happy. I felt bad that Shirley could not hear us to sing along. I hope that it didn't distress her. Not being able to do something as simple as hear your partners sing, must be a very difficult thing as one ages--a constant reminder of what is lost.

The day was another beautiful reminder of our many blessings and why we live here. 

Today is Jupiter's 15th birthday! It's hard to believe that he and I have been partners for 10 years. 💞

Social Distancing Ahorseback

Yay! We got to ride again today. Lots of green grass to munch and the dogs are tape free--the horses and girls think it just doesn't get any better than that! We had the mountain to ourselves--that is if you don't count the woodpeckers and birds. We heard turkeys, but didn't see them. No turtles; the sun wasn't shining on their log, so it was probably too early and cool for them.

It is still a little slick and wet in places, so we stayed to the south and rode to the turtle pond and then Deadwood Ridge backward. I think there may have been a few more downed trees along the way and more branches on the ground, but nothing that caused us to miss a beat.

When we got home, we stood on the hill behind the hitching post and let the horses eat grass. (Beats weed eating, Lynn said!) Lynn went after Star, so he joined us. Earlier this morning, the silly thing herded Buster all the way up to the water tank so Lynn couldn't catch him. Guess he wanted some company. Either that or he was jealous that he couldn't go and Buster was getting to! 

April is turning out to be pretty good weather-wise; although, we are still wearing our chinks! Tomorrow is Easter and as I remember it, last year it was doggone cold and deary at sunrise services.
Easter blessings on us all. May our world recover and heal as we welcome in a new religious year.

We're riding!

Good grief! I think about writing on the blog all the time, but have not sat down to do it! Mostly because I wanted to post pictures, too. Well, forget it for now. I will just ramble on without them.

First of all, one day Lynn and I drove up to our new spot, Happy Camp. We wanted to check the roads. I have some good footage of Lynn logging with her new battery chainsaw, which was awesome! We kicked rocks. We dragged branches and some trees off the road. There was some good wood lying about, but we didn't have room for that kind of stuff. We were busy. It was fun. There might some snow on the back side, but today was pretty warm. . .probably 70, so it won't last.

We have ridden three times since Social Distancing and the Corona Virus hit our world. First we went up Hennessey. When we started out, we were pretty sure we heard two bobcats? mountain lions? caterwauling at each other not far up the road toward the meadow. Lynn put the bear bells on Haley and we headed quickly up the trail away from the sound. I admit I was nervous and kept looking back over my shoulder.

The highlight, besides being ahorseback, were the turtles at the pond. We were happy because we didn't see any last year and were worried that they had been eaten. Nope. Lynn thinks there were probably 20. Of course I didn't get to see them on the log, but pretty sure I saw a big one on the bottom. There were lots of branches down and some new trees, but Deadwood Ridge is still clear.

Jupiter was kind of a pill. Usually it's the second time out, but he was worrying about his belly. He wanted grass or he wanted to go home and eat the hay that might be gone before he got there. He is a horse that needs to be ridden and ridden often. On the way down the hill, both Jupiter and Ziggy were continually look back and listening. Jupes was a bit nervous, so I was on high alert, too.

Day two we went up Underwood and went boonie-crashing! What a blast. We parked down on the road where we used to park before it got so busy. Then we picked our way up our old trail. We had so much fun. There was a tiny bit of snow here and there, but the boys got to eat grass and we came down and around and ended up on the road that forks to the south (if that makes sense!). We didn't go by the pond and where we have been parking, so we still don't know if we can get up there, but it was a glorious day. I loved it.

Last Thursday, Lynn took a V-day afternoon. Call it a vacation afternoon or a Vicki day (because I'm home)--doesn't matter, it was fun. Shirley and Buster came, too. We rode down on the Hennessey Ranch. We went backwards on our trail and let the horses eat some more grass. On the way, we made a trail to the south side of the road and came out up on the main road. Again, it was fun. Jupes does best when he needs to think about his feet. :) Buster and Shirley did well, too.

So that's it. Three times is better than no times. It has been raining and cold here for months. I am not complaining, but I sure missed riding.