Can't complain

I got spurs that jingle jangle jingle. I got spurs that . . .  well you get the picture. (: I can't sing anyway. Saturday was cold, but sunny. Lynn wanted to get in a quick ride before she joined Lee at the car show (from which he brought home another pretty plaque!). So we headed down to the meadow and the hoop-de-do trail.

First things first though, we had to have a little drama. Just so you know--I can do tricks. Jupiter took off before I was completely on and decided to trot (on the pavement) with me only having one foot in the stirrup and one rein. I wasn't sure how quickly I was going to get him to stop, but going in circles with the one rein was passing through my mind. Luckily, he stepped on the rein and stopped and I was able to lean over his neck and get it while sliding my foot into the right stirrup. An ominous beginning.

Lynn took the trail pretty slowly and even though we were last and following Buster (which Jupes hates to do), we did fine. He was on high alert, but I didn't have to fight with him. We led coming out and he did fine. Then we made the loop around the east side of the meadow and up the steep hill to the road above the dump. He never balked at one steep down incline. We finished high stepping and sweaty, but fine. Lynn torqued herself somewhere when Ziggy zigged and she zagged (or vice versa), but she doesn't know when or how. Shirley and Buster were totally in sync--big surprise.

Sunday was fun. It was a glorious day. Warmer, bluer sky, happier horses. Well that is after one got tuned up a little. Mr. You're Not the Boss of Me got his hiney spanked a few times and turned in circles before I ever even got on! But then he stood pretty still and led and followed without question all day. We even saw a bunny beatin' it down the road with the two dogs hot on his trail!

We came down the new brushy trail and had a blast. Jupiter is starting to really move smoothly. Going down the steep inclines today he dropped his butt and kind of slid. Then when we got to the turns he was like ice skating around cones or turning barrels--I think he was having fun. Although I had to duck a few times, he seemed to swing me around and miss all the stobs that stick out sideways and I always felt connected to him. It was fun. I think he had fun, too.

Lynn said she felt better after we rode for awhile and Shirley and Star were the high steppers today. I am totally feeling my inner thighs--I am going to have HUGE inner thigh muscles from hanging on. But Shirley said, "If you're not black and blue, or sore somewhere, you must not be having any fun." So there you have it--we must all be having one hell of a good time. (:

Simplicity

After a lot of debate and general "why are we doing this?" kinds of questions, we made the decision to stay home and ride instead of going to Cueno Creek for the holiday weekend. Everyone was relieved and a good time was had by all (mostly!).

Saturday started out with Jupes and Keota banging around in the trailer--probably trading kicks or attempts at biting. When he came out of the trailer, Jupiter had a little bit of blood on him and a wild look in his eyes; I knew it was probably going to be one of those days.

We set off on our new, brushy trail. Keota wasn't so sure about all the brush and did a little balking. Then his saddle slipped all the way back onto his rump and he didn't like it at all!! After removing one saddle blanket and recinching the tack, we set off again--but Keota wasn't the same. He was unhappy and dancing around a little. After putting up with a lot of misbehavior, Alisa finally switched horses with Lynn. Lynn is the "go-to girl" when it comes to putting a horse into his place. He behaved pretty well for her after he was made to do some circles and get out in front and listen to his rider, but she said he was definitely ready to buck and act up when she first got on.

So, while Alisa enjoyed her calm ride on Ziggy, I used my spurs on Jupiter who acted up on a couple of downhills. He does not like the spurs. He behaved in general, but felt like a live wire under me--ready to go off if he got the chance. Shirley simply sat on her dancing and prancing Star without moving--poetry in motion as usual.

Sunday was the really good day. It started out for me with Jupiter lying down in the field. I called his name and his foot kind of moved like, "Go away, I'm sleeping." Then his head came up and his eyes were half open--he was thinking it was a good day to sleep in and enjoy the sunshine on his belly. When I walked out there, he ate his carrot, let me put his halter on, and still lay there. In the meantime, Lynn brought Ziggy over and I held his rope while they chased Star around. Ha.

We drove up Underwood and rode all around the mountain. Everybody behaved and everybody had fun. I know Alisa and Keota enjoyed each other and Jupes didn't get spurred. We did a little bit of trotting on the dirt road and everyone was happy--especially Alisa who says Keota is super smooth.

So once again, good friends, good partners (dogs & horses), and good times leave us with good memories to cherish. It's all good. (:

The shape of things to come

Last week was an eventful week. Jupiter and Buster made a jailbreak and got out of the fence. Thankfully both of them are very food oriented and headed straight for the renter's lawns for a little grass. According to Shirley, the small children living there said, "Horses," and pointed at the lawn so the grownups would notice. They called and Shirley and she and Don easily rounded them up and put them back. Don fixed the fence nicely so no one will be able to get out there again. Disaster averted!

During the week the boys got their shoes and we headed out to ride on Saturday. Shirley was excited to take Star. It's been awhile since he's been off the place and he is looking good. Lynn and I were a little bit on the--nervous or cautious aren't the right words--but definitely on high alert for shenanigans since we both saw how high those two boys can buck when they're happy and excited.

Of course Ziggy was good and so was Star, much to Shirley's disappointment, but Jupiter? Well, we are having a battle of wills. The good news is I won. I know, I know--I have to. But I still get to boast a little. Jupes has decided that the crupper is too tight. He doesn't like the saddle too far forward; he doesn't like to go down steep hills that pull on the crupper or without it have the saddle slide forward. Okay fine! Get some withers!

Anyway, long story short: I made him go even when he humped and jumped and balked. He threw his head around and acted like Indy, for Pete's sake! But we did it. Then Lynn said, "Stay there!" She jumped off her horse and took off her spurs. She came over and put them on my boots. "Try this," she said, "Just touch him when he acts up."

The next steep downhill we came to, he refused again--only this time, he got spurred. Now I admit I was worrying that he would freak out and throw me to Kingdom Come, but he didn't. He definitely jumped in surprise and I calmly said, "Let's go," and steered him down the bank and away we went. When he hesitated the next time, I gently touched him again and we went down without a hitch. He did not act up again.

Sunday, he was good all day. I never used them even once.

Oh, I did fall off, but it was my fault. I think I got clotheslined. I'm not really sure. All I know is I was looking at a kind of questionable water crossing, kind of planning which way to go, and then Jupiter decided. He leaped across and unexpectedly, I saw my feet in the air and then I landed flat on my back, looking up into Jupiter's face. Except for the limb my head landed on (thanks, Lee for insisting on helmets), it was a mossy, soft landing.  

So, hum "I got a brand-new pair of spurs, you've got a brand-new attitude" to the old high-pitched tune of "I got a brand-new pair of rollerskates, you've got a brand-new key," and think of me. (:

Do you suppose. . . ?

I saw this in Sunday's paper and thought it was cute:



A different kind of wet blanket

Well, my rain gauge shows that we have had 6 1/2 inches of rain since last weekend. I do not know what our current percentage of "normal" is now, but I am voting for spring sunshine after the storm that is supposed to start on Tuesday blows through. Last week the boys were cold and trembling and slow to come up the hill to eat, but today they were muddy and fiesty. They like getting some grain with dinner. Shirley reminded us to give them the high octane alfalfa too, because although she didn't say it, "we want horses under us." (:

I'm ready for wet blankets--the kind that we get from riding. I'm ready for Cueno Creek. I'm ready for summer and the next adventure Lynn plans for us.

 

Well, no one believed we fit, but we do! Three women and a dog. This is how we roll. . .

I was wishing for my video camera on Friday because it was a wild time! The wind was blowing to beat the band and the horses were bucking and running. Even Brady got into the action and although he just stood in one place and bucked up and down, he was bucking! Then he ran everyone around and stretched out to bite their rear ends if they didn't move fast enough. I have never seen Jupiter so straight up and down--his nose was practically on the ground--I thought that was a Ziggy move! It was fun to watch them and I was sorry to miss capturing it on video.

We have not been giving them any grain--I shudder to think what their high jinks would like if they were "feeling their oats!"

Haylee is always up for run with the 4-wheeler, but bails on to it as soon the horses start running!



In like a lion--out like a lamb. Maybe.

Since Tuesday is the first day of spring, I guess today was showcase of everything "Old Man Winter" wants us to remember as he slips away for another year. The morning began with sheets of rain, filling the the rain gauge to 1/4 inch before noon. Then like a curtain was drawn back, the sun was out in all its brilliance and the sky was that deep, crystalline blue that only fortunate mountain dwellers ever get to see. Lined up in front of it were snow dusted mountains gleaming and sparkling. But then as one's gaze travelled down the river gorge, the sky darkened and where mountains should have been was nothing but a wall of pewter-colored clouds, dark and ominous. Out of nowhere, it would begin to snow and then hail and then the wind would blow so hard that the snow and hail were horizontal like a TV picture from the old antenna days. Branches from old oak trees and loose Spanish moss sailed on that pelting, white wave, while tall fir trees, creaking and moaning, bent sideways giving in to its power. It was awesome!

Up on the hill the horses were running and bucking, rearing and throwing their heads in the air. Jupiter pawed the ground and threw himself down and rolled on the four-wheeler trail--all four legs straight up in the air, kicking and running like his feet could take him on the wind. Indy ran around trying stir everyone up because he was nervous. Even Star moved from one hay pile to another. No one was able to just eat dinner calmly.

To be safe, we headed down the hill with the dogs in hot pursuit. As we neared the gate we could see and hear it coming. We dropped Shirley off at her house and proceeded to make a run for the barn. Two 50 something-year-old women, whooping and hollering through the pelting blizzard! If Dorothy and Toto and the house from Kansas had flown by, I would not have been surprised at all. Haylee was almost completely white on one side when we got to the barn and with both of us laughing in amazement and nervous excitement at the crazy change in weather, she got the puppy crazies and went wild, too--racing around the hay and in and out of the wind and snow. It was the best fun!

I love winter because of its unpredictability. This year, March hasn't been much of  the lion it can be, so I'm okay with one more wild storm! Afterward, I guess spring can come in like a lamb.