Dreams

I'm sure you've probably noticed, Loretta, but you've already gone farther than you used to dream of going.

Please tell me you've noticed.

We sure have,
    The Universe


Oh yes indeed!

Listening to my horse

Listening to my horse

I took Scottie on a trail ride today.  We started with our usual routine of grooming, then ground work.  I got on him in my ring/front pasture. We walked around a bit and then headed out for the trail.


I opted to take a well known favorite that would take about an hour with time to stop at the river.


After about 20 minutes he stopped.  Simply didn't move forward any more.  Now, he has done this before.  One time he actually cocked a leg. It was as if he was saying, hey, I just need a breather (and we were with a friend then.)  Being alone today, and he hasn't done much since my foot was broken all summer, I assumed it was a 'I really want my friends' kind of stop.  He did not try to turn, spin, or in any way attempt to head back. Those are all things a herd bound horse would do.  So, it did strike me as odd, but I was pretty sure that was the answer.  Onward I pushed, literally, and he gave nothing.  


Eventually we had a chat.  I explained to him that I would kick him if he wouldn't go and that I really did not want to do that.  So, I kicked.  And pushed.  And kicked.  Nothing.  So, I got down.  I figured I would walk him forward a bit, get back on, and once he realized that he had to move forward anyway, he'd be fine.


I found an appropriate sized log to stand on (he's 17.3h) and up I went.  Ok, here we go.  Nope.  He still wasn't moving.  While being hand walked he seemed fine.  Never stopped or even pulled or tugged on me.  Just willingly following me.  Hmmmm.....  I grabbed a stick and whacked him.  He moved about 3 steps and stopped.  I was stumped.  I was not going to haul with all my might on my sensitive friend.  I have a brain and know that is not a good idea.  So, I told him we'd just hang out there together for a while and think about this.  I told him I wanted to know what was going on and that I wanted to have fun with him.  We stood there for about 10 minutes.  Not once did he try to turn around.  All of a sudden a thought popped into my head. (This is typically how my intuition works.)  My thought sounded like Scottie and he was saying, " You said you wanted more warning  if something is wrong.  If you'd stop trying to make me move forward and pay attention and listen, you would know I am trying to tell you something. "


I took a deep breath, asked him to turn around, and we walked home.  Quietly.  It was not a 'yeah she's letting me go home' walk like Shadow would've done.  It was just Scottie walking.


For those of you reading this that do not know, about 1 1/2 years ago I was on a trail ride with Scottie and a friend when he suddenly, without any warning (or so it seemed) bucked and flung me into the air.  I was catapulted up and over, landing head first. Broke my ankle, which I am so grateful for because landing on my head scared the crap out of me.  After that we had many conversations about how and why this happened.  Turned out his back was very sore from a previous spill he took on a trail.  I asked him to make sure and tell me 'louder' next time he had a problem.  I asked him to make sure I understood so this never happened again.


I felt ashamed as we walked home.  Why did it take so long for me to figure out?  My first thoughts were of a negative nature.  That he was doing something wrong and I could not let him win by turning around.  I had tears in my eyes as I apologized to him.  I think at that moment he was feeling that humans are a bit slow.  I am sure there are many horsey folk who would say I did the wrong thing.  You know, I don't care.  I am safe.  He is too.  I'll get the chiropractor back out, and we'll go from there.  I'd rather be alive and wrong than dead or injured and right.

Children

Thomas walked into the room.“Hey mom, I have my life plan figured out.”Me, smiling, “Ok, let’s hear it.”“I will go to college and earn a lot of degrees.  I’ll be really smart and go to California.  I’ll do some deals and make some money.  Then I’ll go to Texas and buy a ranch.  After the ranch makes some money I’ll sell it, and buy a hotel.  When that makes money I’ll buy an entire chain of hotels.  Good plan, huh?” 

Stryker update

We successfully moved Stryker into the larger stall. He is not quite settled in there yet. Seems to be a bit excited because the door is (for now) a gate. He can see more, which in turn is making him want OUT more.

Stories from Scottie

The weather has been great and I'm really eager to go out more with Loretta.  She's got all these ponies keeping her busy now and we need some time to hit the trails.  So yesterday we headed out. I was a bit surprised that we only did about 10 minutes of playing before she brushed and tacked me up.  Anyway, we were headed out, same ole path.  Then up ahead I noticed something moving.  That's when everything changed.


We kept walking down the path, we were still close to home.  I soon realized that there was something VERY scary at a neighbor's house.  It was long, moving all around and making funny noises.  And it covered their whole driveway.  My first thought was to run.  But I heard Loretta telling me to relax and that it would be ok.  But as we got closer it got scarier.  The noise got louder and I really feared for our safety.  I made the executive decision to leave.  The easiest way out was to run up the hill I was next to.  That would give us some distance and a good opportunity to watch for an attack.  Loretta asked me really hard to stop.  I know I should listen to her, so I did stop, but really didn't want to.  If she's not going to protect us, then I have to!  I was trembling all over and thought I could hear her telling me to calm down and that it would be ok.  


It went something like this:


L:  calm down boy, it's ok. easy.
S:  wwwwhat?  did you say something?  do you see that THING over there?!
L:  yes Scottie, I see it.  But it's ok.  It's tape to keep cars out.  It can't move, it's not alive.
S:  But look!!! It IS  moving!  And it sounds like its crawling closer and closer to us!
L:  ssshhhhh boy, relax.  It really will be ok.  we're fine, see?  it's just blowing in the wind.
S:  But it's never been there before.  we pass here all the time.  and it's never, i say never been there before.
L:  The home owner just put it there.  Let's just walk on quietly by.
S:  I can't take it anymore.  I want to please you, but I have to make a decision and I'm choosing our lives!  Let's GO!


I couldn't hear anything Loretta said after that and she ended up getting down.  She asked me to walk down the hill which I did not want to do.  She then asked me to walk back and forth in front of that thing for like half an hour!  She must be crazy.  How can she not see that thing is terrifying?  And why isn't she scared of it?


Finally she brought me home.  I was sweating up a storm and real nervous.  I was so happy to be back at the barn with hay to munch on.  Home sweet home.

Wet trails

As the snow melts away please avoid riding on wet trails. Riding on wet trails can damage them. The hoof prints left behind collect water accelerate erosion. While we all can't wait for better weather and the chance to ride the trails again, a little consideration now will be appreciated by your fellow trail riders, hikers and the parks who work to maintain the trails. --Brian

Right now - even though the temps have been climbing into a comfortable range - there is snow pack - below the snow is ice (usually) and below the ice is mud....while the horses are totally capable of walking through this type of terrain, and the weather is tempting - please stay off the trails until the conditions improve - your fellow riders will thank you - as will those precious tendons on the bottom of your horses legs!

Stryker Speaks

The horses had their turnout sheets on because we expected rain. It's been chilly and drizzling, so I decided to keep them all in today. As I was walking past the kitchen, I spied flashes of blue and red with bucking legs....oh no.

I've been sick and forgot to close a gate. I guess it took a few minutes after feeding this morning for them to notice it was not latched. It's a BIG treat for the ponies to go out anyway, they don't get a lot of grass. There they were, Stryker and the ponies. Astro and Stryker dropped to roll, a really good roll in the Virginia Clay. UGH. Piero was too busy stuffing his face with as much grass as he possibly could.

I yelled out to them telling them they were in big trouble. Stryker stood up and looked at me. He looked sort of like a paint horse, execpt the brown was clay colored! I yelled to him to come on in, opened the main gate, and stood and watched. Low and behold he promptly came in. The clay was sticking to his face and clinging to his mane. He will never be white again! At least he comes when he is called.

Astro accepted the halter immediately. We walked in together and off I went to get Piero. The other two were watching intently. Piero thought he'd give me a run, but quickly decided he'd rather hang with his buds than run around the field. What good is a field if you can't eat the grass in it?