Seattle, Massachusetts

Saturday, June 27, 2009


All it does here is rain! I am starting to understand how Noah must have felt. He must have been a very depressed man. Today there were a few hours of sunshine and I was lucky enough to get a ride in with Lilly. Here is a mushroom we saw on the trail. It is quite big, growing right in the middle of the trail. This one is a Russula. My brumby ignored it.


Out on the trail we passed a dirtbiker. He lives nearby and as soon as he saw Lilly and me, he shut the engine off. Which was good because Lilly had been so busy freaking out by its noise in the distance , I hadn't even gotten on her. As we passed each other, the dirtbiker asked if he could restart the bike right away, or wait until he was farther away. I thought of Bill's old adage: Never pass up a training opportunity. I told the biker to start it up right there next to brumby. The thing is so loud, it startled my brumby so much she turned 180 degrees in a fraction of a fraction of a second! And then she stopped and held it nervously together as the dirtbike zoomed off.


Here is my brumby's bum. This is not an easy picture to get in the saddle.


Here I am laughing at myself as I live the dream.
Today I made a few realizations. I've always known them I guess, but today they felt particularly apropos:
1. Everything is easier on the uphill
2. Everything is sloppier on the downhill
Today I had Lilly in a full cheek snaffle bit. No curb strap. Now, my horse is a good horse. She never really tries anything funny. But today in that full cheek snaffle, free of her leverage bit, I do believe my brumby was trying to take advantage of me! When I said this to Bill, he showed me a bit that is something like two in one. That means if I need more control on the trail, I can just switch the reins to a different placement, and VOILA, I am in a leverage bit. I'm trying it tomorrow. I should have snapped a photo of it.

OK, in person this clump of trees is much more compelling. Here in this picture it just looks like a clump of trees.


I took this picture yesterday while in the barn with Lilly. It was too rainy to go out, so I just groomed her. I took this picture to show you her delicate forelock.

Some of Lilly's favorite treats!

Here's a familiar sight!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Like the picture of you, and of the brumby butt! Sounds like a kimberwicke bit? Brave brumby to brave the bike!

Paint Girl said...

Good for you! I like to turn things into training too. It's good for them. Everything Brandy spooks at, we are training!
That picture of you is so cute! Hope the new bit works for you.

juliette said...

I think Lilly sounds like she did really well by holding it together after she did the 180. You look so happy in that photo!!!

Pony Girl said...

Glad the dirt biker was respectful! That is rare, usually on the trail you deal with non-horse people that don't get some horses are still in training. I'm glad you had a fun ride. My Boy wants some of those treats! :)

mayr said...

ya crack me up, Scull. Great photos. I like the bum shot, particularly.

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