Saturday Adventuring

Saturday, it figures, was not gloriously sunny as the week had been. But it was more than good enough to get some riding in. I talked to Christine and Jackie who were on the fence about riding. With Bill out of town for a few days, it looked like I would be solo. Arriving at the farm, I found Louise out munching some grass.
All of the horses were clustered by the gate, seeing what there was to see. Well, all the horses except one. Yep, that one. If you look closely at this photo, between the two donkeys, appearing as a brown dot, is my very own brumby. Waaay off in another universe, trying to pretend that she is a lawn ornament.

I trekked out and got her, tacked her up and we headed out to the trail. It was great. I took a few pictures for Bill and emailed them to him. All quiet on the eastern front! I texted.

Our time on the trail did not last long. I had to turn around and take Getty to the car. She has this new thing where she gets out on the trail and becomes afraid of Lilly. So she goes in the woods and just sits. Will not move. I tried cantering off, thinking that she'd eventually not want to be alone and follow me. Nope. I retraced my steps and there she still sat. I think she must have gotten kicked or bitten recently. She hates running along me and Lilly now. I am crushed for her and for me. Once on the road back to the barn she was much better. But into the car she went. The good news was that in that short time, Jackie had shown up.


We decided to go out and do some riding not in the wooded trails as usual, but in the opposite direction, along the road and to some cornfields. I have gone that way a few times with Bill before. I figured if we skirted along the fields and didn't do any wild yahooing, we'd be fine. So we started off. But it was not to be. First Lilly got her leg caught in the reins as she was rubbing her head on Pokey. COULD HAVE GOTTEN UGLY. But. She stood very still while I detangled her. Then she almost backflipped when a woman in a red shirt pushed her wheelbarrow around in her garden. Meanwhile, Pokey decided he would not stand still for Jackie while mounting. Or be still at all.


But I could see the cornfields. I thought we could keep it gentle and quiet and would be fine. There was much to do and see in this new (and apparently very scary) direction. After some more naughty behavior, Jackie decided she would just walk Pokey. She felt he was too wired and too out of his comfort zone to be completely trusted. Right after I took this picture, Lilly saw something in the creek and tried to do a little bolt. We quickly recovered. But my camera had gone flying. Yes, I was taking pictures when I thought my horse might take off. Maybe I should apply to be a photographer for National Geographic.


We carried on a little longer and then turned around and headed for the barn. Maybe we will try again tomorrow.


Going back to the barn, both horses were little angels.


This is what it looks like around hay time. Dozens of eyeballs looking right at you!