As I opened up my Blogger, I saw I had started a post on July 24. I think that is when everything blew up and we started dealing with fire. So although we rode quite bit before that, we did not ride again until last weekend. Lynn took Cobie out on Saturday and thoroughly enjoyed herself. He let her get on, he went through mud puddles, and he seemed comfortable alone--no whinnying. He got a little nervous on the last two trails toward home and thought maybe something was out there; all of which could have been true since it's hunting season and we have seen fairly fresh bear scat.
Sunday, I got to join her. Jupes was a total pill. It was work to get him to go. He threw little fits all along the way and finally, coming down the last steep trail, I walked. He really wanted to let me know he was unhappy. We had chosen to ride early. Lynn said, "Let's go at 6:30." Well, it was dark! So we waited until 7:00, but it was still too early for Jupiter; I think it was because he left his breakfast in the feeder and knew it would be gone when he got home. He took most of the joy out of riding, but like I told Lynn: a bad day riding is still a good day.
This weekend, on Saturday, we waited to go until 9:00. The boys were standing in the sun having finished their breakfast, so I was hoping Jupes would be better. We rode our new exploration area. I don't think I wrote about it before. I really like the boonie crashing trails that we "found" in July. Lynn remembers them from a long time ago and there are some obvious trails in addition to the tree-scraping, bush-slapping ways we worked our way over. It opens out and leads down to someone's farm, but the road is pretty nice and makes a fun loop that the motorcycle riders have not yet explored. It dumps us out above the turtle pond.
We looked for a way to get down to the pond from the road. There is a definite seepage and there was good grass and lots of ferns. It was a pretty spot. We got fairly far, but had to turn around and come back up to the road because it is simply too steep to navigate. Jupiter had been being pretty good, but once we got up on the road it was all about trotting for him. We trotted everywhere for the rest of the ride. Trotting is better than having to fight him to go, but it is wearying because I can't relax the reins or he will speed up. Who's in charge? Hmm.
The turtle pond is low, but still has water in it. Both dogs got in it and had mud caked up to their elbows. When I washed Ziva's feet, there were little balls of mud caked up under her toes. As you can imagine, my tub was a mess!
Coming out was a quick ride. Unfortunately, when we went down the steep part that I mostly walked the weekend before, both Cobie and Jupes acted up. Twisty necks and bowed up. We are wondering if there were bees maybe? Anyway, we got through it. When we got to the "get off spot," I told Lynn, Jupiter and I are going to the meadow. So we trotted up the road, trotted around the bush, and trotted back through the path to the road. He stopped a few times for me to get off, but I told him, I'd get off when I was ready. :)
Yesterday, Lynn said, "Let's go after church and leave the dogs home." So it was about 1:30 when we unloaded. We rode the Hennessey Ranch. It was so peaceful and nice. The colors were gorgeous and we found that a fire break had been cut through part of our trail, so it was wide and clear. Lynn rode Ziggy. She wants to make sure he is in good riding shape and attitude for Cathy when she comes over. The difference in Jupiter was amazing. He was relaxed and didn't balk, didn't trot unless he was asked, and my ride was simply joyous. Now was it because his partner was with him? He didn't have to be the big, brave boy? He likes to be with his calm friend Zigs and that young whippersnapper, Cobie, is wound a little tight, too. I don't know, but it was nice.
Funny story of the day: we went looking for apples. We found one pear and two apples on one side of the creek. Then we went down to a tree where we had found them later in the season before and wa-la! There were apples. Lynn rode Zigs under the low branches and into the bear cover of black berry bushes to pick about eight apples. She tossed them out onto the meadow. Then we let them eat. Zigs picked up an apple and bit it in two. The other half dropped to the ground next to a big piece of poop. Not cow poop. Not horse poop. Something like dog poop--maybe coyote? Anyway, he sniffed the poop all along the its length. Nope. Not eating that apple. I said, "I bet Jupes will." We went over. Sniff, sniff, sniff all along the poop's length. Nope. Not eating that apple. :)
It had been breezy up in the tree tops all the ride, but it was really starting to kick up as we headed down the road to the trailer. We were almost to the end of the blacktop when Lynn was commenting that she was glad we weren't up on Widowmaker Ridge right then. Suddenly a branch from one of the trees fell right down the side of Jupiter to the ground. It didn't touch him and he didn't even flinch! If he had jumped, he would have knocked me under Zigs' feet or possibly worse--tangled me up in his. I think living on the hill helps all of them to be more immune to stuff like that. Thankfully it did not hit either of us and our Sunday ride was perfect from start to finish.
I'm glad to be back in the saddle again and out about on our trails.
