Pitching a fit

It rained Saturday, but Sunday we headed out to Underwood. Thankfully Lynn and Shirley waited for me and about 1pm we headed up the hill. We rode drag and Jupiter was not happy. I saw Ziggy's butt (I can only see when I am on Jupiter since Zigs' behind is too tall for me) and there were bite marks all over it. Lynn tells me that he and Jupiter are fighting. I guess the J-man is either trying to move up or simply mad he had to stay home too many weekends. Anyway, that was my first clue.

I fought Jupes all day. We rode a little sideways unless we got to the front. On the way down toward the truck, we made a wrong turn. Ziggy got ahead of us. I was holding Jupes back and Buster was filling the middle. Jupes humped and bucked and pitched a fit. But I stayed on! Seriously, he needs to be ridden miles and miles!

I don't know what this weekend will bring: maybe a new pickup for Lee (ha! for us to haul the boys with more like!). I get to babysit Haley, so Ziva will be happy. I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and hanging out with Alisa and family. Bring the guns! It'll be a redneck good time. We should be on TV. :)

Any day riding is a good day

I missed two weeks of riding because of school stuff. Lynn sent us an email about their ride one weekend. It is too funny not to publish and record on our riding blog! So here it is:

Today started out just a little off.  First when catching the boys, Buster and Ziggy,  and while haltering Buster, he and Brady enjoyed  a granola bar, then I haltered Ziggy.    Ziggy did not get one and he knew it.   While heading to the gate he bit Buster twice!  Ziggy does not do that, that would be Star the old grump, the curmudgeon.   We hooked up, which took about five tries which is also a little off.  Then we saddled up and loaded up.  

 We get to our destination, the cul-de-sac at end the paved part of Hennessey Rd.  All is fine… so I think.    We unload.   I notice Ziggy has his head in the clouds looking up the road.   Then he starts wheeling back and forth and seems very uneasy.  We continue to get ready.  He even got a swift kick in the belly, which he did not even notice.  The thought of getting knocked to the ground while trying to tack up went through my mind.  Sometimes he is just big,  most times he is just normal, well maybe a little taller than everyone else.   I am in the horse trailer's tack room and I hear Mom yell, "Lynn, Lynn! Your horse is leaving with out you!"  Yep, there he goes headed up the road.  Head up, going to go see what the heck.  I run and I am trying to grab the lead rope that he is dragging.  I missed a couple of times.  Finally I get my foot on the rope and get him stopped just up the dirt road.  Ah I see, cows and lots of them, all in the bushes and one was coming right down the road has now stopped dead in her tracks.  It’s a stand off, but not for long.   Back to the trailer you big dummy.  We had quite the discussion with me doing all the talking and you know I was calling him an idiot, it’s just cows, you see them all the time.  

So finally able to mount up.   Then trying to proceed down the road to where our trail takes off up the hill.  And immediately I know I forgot my spurs.  Crap.  Oh well I was not going back.   A slap on the butt a few times seems to be working.  The lead brockle face cow is now off the side of the road  and of course Ziggy and I had to go see it up close and personal.   I really think Ziggy was embarrassed.  We had a great ride to the top.  We turned left up the road.  We hear dogs barking.  Two older men were getting fire wood.  They were quickly getting their three Pomeranians into the cab of the truck, as Happy is running hackles up towards them, but tail wagging like mad.  Haley said  ya, what ever …we’re on a mission to somewhere, and I don’t even care about your dogs or you I have stuff to do.  I hollered at them, saying we will hurry, as they were rolling big rounds 18 inches or so in diameter and about 3-4 feet long, down the hill and onto the road and loading them into a trailer.   I am sure that big flying round things would have but us on edge again.    We trotted on by saying hi.  We went up the road, down past the lake and on to a lower road.  We then turned right on our new trail, and down the hill, it’s a great day. At  the bottom road we took a water and granola bar break.   For some reason I could not quit my coughing fits that had started earlier in the day.  So now my nose is running, no paper towels a.k.a. snot rags new or used in any pockets.  Toilet paper works, just does not last for this type of job. 

The rest of the day was uneventful, until Ziggy tripped, going too fast down hill forgot to pick up his feet, I yelled at him and he turned his head around to me, his lips just a poppin' at me.  I told him that he better not back sass me!   I swear he rolled his eyes like “whatever!”.   We un-tacked , blanketed the horses and loaded up.  With us and  dogs loaded up in the pickup, down the hill we go.  Half way down the hill I look over and Mom still has on her helmet, and of course cocked to one side, it was a hoot.  What a beautiful sunny day.   

Arrive and unload at home.  Jupiter let us know he was not happy being left home and whinnied for the boys when we arrived home.  I chuckled--here's this all machismo horse with a very high pitched whinny…. Too cute.  Next time Jupiter!  

I wish it didn't have to end

Wow. I have had a great weekend. My horse and I are becoming true partners and my dog has new friends.

Weaverville is a great ride with beautiful colors and it surprises me that more people are not on the trail (but I'm glad not to have to share it!). Shirley scared the beejeebers out of us, but snapped out if it and recovered quickly. I know my brain was going at warp speed planning our next moves--pushing back the thought that even if she said that was how she wanted to go, none of us were ready for it. Thankfully we didn't have to put into action any emergency plans and we finished the ride as if nothing happened!

Oh there was that little straight up the bank endeavor by Jupiter. . . but otherwise everything was pretty normal.

We had a great ride around the Hennessy; Keota is getting more and more confident in his downhills and the joy of riding him is evident on Alisa's face. Star gave Shirley a good ride--a few bucks and crow hops between friends is acceptable as long as the rider stays on, right? That's what Jupes tells me anyway. Buster was his dependable self and then there's Ziggy. I think he feels lots better now that his teeth and gums are all healed up. Lynn said she about got swept off by the manzanita bushes flying through the twisties going up toward the bottom west meadow. She said she thought she should do some trimming. Her whole foot got caught in the crotch of a bush and it nearly took her off. I told her they were fine--it was her Woody Woodpecker red sports car careening out over the turn that put her in the bushes!

We saw the golfers again on the east meadow and had another nice ride down there. The cows had a few calves and were being protective, but Keota is getting used to them. The boys didn't get any apples, but I think they had a good time, too.

I think I need a day off in order to get anything productive done before I go back to work--but at least I'll smile and remember what a good time I had! Thanks for putting in the all the effort of coming over, Alisa!

Just another Sunday

Great ride today! The boys were huffing and puffing a few times, but I think they had fun, too. Lots of ups and downs and quick turns around trees. We love our boys!

Lee babysat Ziva again and as I type this she is crashed out by my feet. There are new pictures in Picasa (Ziva Grace! file) that show her new haircut and her size next to Haley. I tried to upload some video footage of us walking up the trail behind the trailer court. Can you check out my account (NickersandNeighs)? There should be three--Ziva, Haley, & Happy 1,2,3. They are just silly and may make you dizzy--

http://youtu.be/YVIG5A_qCnM
http://youtu.be/cFU0T6UUd5I
http://youtu.be/PbyAjRIJj50

Shirley and Lynn waited for me to come from church--I sure appreciate it. Once upon a time, I did not saddle my ride. I watched, but it was all done for me. Now it feels weird if I don't saddle my own horse. Although I know it was done by a professional :) I find myself checking everything. I am glad I can take care of my own stuff nowadays.

I am asking for Friday off--if I have to cancel, I will, but I want to be ready. What the heck! :)

I wish every day was a weekend day

Saturday was vet day. Jupes needed his flu shot and worming medicine and Ziggy got that and his teeth floated. Before the vet arrived, we had the boys out and Lynn measured them. Ziggy is 15.3 and Jupiter is 14.3. We need to remember to measure Keota next time he's here! I think he's taller than Zigs--what do you think? 16 hands? Didn't you always want a tall horse?  :)

Poor Zigs had been having much more issue with his teeth than Lynn (and Dr. Branch) originally thought! Poor baby's mouth was cut up and he had sores. Dr. Carlisle worked and worked on him and even had to give him another shot. Lynn said Ziggy looked over at her and a tear slipped down his face. Poor boy! Then he had to be walked and walked and walked around the parking lot. Long slow circles so he could move his feet without fear of falling.

Jupiter had a bit of a rodeo prior to his shots--there are transient people in the fields near the vet's office. Usually the boys are on high alert anyway, but suddenly Jupes went into longe mode. He was at the end of his rope and twirling around me (on the grass, thankfully). I looked for the source of his anxiety and there walking across the field toward us was a woman with a long black coat billowing out around her. She had a hat on and a back pack. Sheesh. She scared me too! :) She looked like a Halloween witch or a large black crow. She hollered, "Am I freaking your horse out?" Uh yeah.

Sunday was a beautiful day. We saddled up and rode up the Hennessy. Star got to go today and I think it was his first time on the new trails. I am sure it was fun for him and maybe he will let himself be caught again. It was a fun ride. We went pretty fast--zipping around the corners and jumping logs. We heard vehicles on the roads above us, but never had to deal with any hunters. Both the dogs had bright duct tape on; Haley had her pink bonnet and pink racing stripes around her body and Happy wore turquoise racing stripes.

Ziggy kept his tongue in his mouth almost the whole day. It finally hung out a little at the end. We were starting to think it had something to do with his teeth bothering him. But then there it was. Good! That tongue meant things were back to normal. The other thing the vet did was clean his sheath. More weird stuff--two things came out that shouldn't have been there. Dr. Carlisle is not a talkative man and he didn't offer any explanation and Lynn didn't ask. Afterward, in the parking lot, Ziggy peed a stream like he never has. We thought maybe he'd had a blockage or was uncomfortable and that was why he peed so often and such a small amount. But no, all that was back to normal as well. :)

Ziva stayed with her favorite babysitter: Uncle Lee. :) She ate all day (salami and cheese and Haley's food); chewed sticks while he greased the truck; she played with Gracie, and finally, she slept in his lap while he watched racing. A good time was had by all!

Later, we had our first bath together. Not her favorite. I blew her dry as well; again not her favorite. Then she ran around like a manic with the puppy crazies. She ate dinner, crawled up on to my blanket that was in the floor waiting for the clean sheets to come out of the dryer, and went to sleep. She didn't even move for three hours.

Life is good.

Is it really only September?

Thank goodness we went for a great, long ride yesterday. It has rained approximately 1 1/2 inches since 1:30 am this morning. We were able to ride to the right from the top and not have any bees bother us because of the cooler weather recently. We rode down and around to our new steep hill (going up this time) and the boys sure did sweat (and Jupes, the fat boy, was breathing hard). Then we came down our new trail on the east side that connects to our other trail. We all jumped logs and ditches and a good time was had by all.

Although the boys have been in high spirits at feeding time--they all behaved on the ride (you know who I have to worry about!). The night before, Jupiter and Ziggy were pouring it on across the trailer park and Jupes slipped in the mud and sawdust and down onto his rump he went. He jumped straight up and trotted around like "nobody saw that--that never happened!" Silly thing.

Ziva has been going with me to feed and after the horses settle into eating she gets to get down and go for a hike with the big dogs. She has so much fun. She is determined to do whatever they do. On Saturday, she got left home with Lee as babysitter. She had her first experience on the tie line while he was on the ladder. Lee said she cried once we left and he was out of sight. After he finished his chores, he played nonstop with her.

I came home and mowed the lawn and she stayed out of the way, watching and running from the front to the back porches. When I started spraying gopher stuff, I put her in the house. This is how I found her:

 

I don't think she moved for two hours! She is definitely teething and wants to chew everything. She keeps me busy watching to make sure we get outside to potty as well as keeping my shoes, table legs, rugs, dog beds,  magazines, homework, . . . all safe. But it's worth it.

Ziva & the mirror (9/20/13)