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We got home last week from our increasing-long annual vacation to Montana. This year it was three weeks, and still went by too fast. We do a lot of hiking, driving around looking at stuff, taking photos, visiting with family, reading ... relaxin' in general. We often talk about going up there for the whole summer, but only if we could take some horses. The ranch is wonderful riding country -- in the Smith River Valley (actually the ranch we stay on is in the Castle Mountains overlooking the valley) is known for being Charlie Russell country. When you see the scenery in a Russell painting, that's what it looks like.
I don't miss riding for the first week or two (except for those long uphill portions of the hiking ...) but as the third week passed I was wistful for a few hours horseback. And with the hay meadow below the cabin being about hip deep in grass, I could only imagine what Blue would think if we turned him loose out there. Of course that would be turning him loose on about 2000 acres, but somehow I think he would be right there in the morning anyway. Blue likes his company.
Even though I am not horseback during our vacation, I think about it. I tend to return home with plans and renewed interest. Absence makes the heart grow ....
Of course we would not be able to leave without the wonderful help of our support team! We have had, over the last few years, great reliable young people who do the daily chores of feeding and cleaning and opening/closing gates and our horses look as good when we get home as they did the day we left. And, it's especially nice to have someone to turnout, groom and lunge Blue -- thank you Anne!
Here's a few pictures, to show where we were ...
The view from the deck of the cabin - that tan dot in the middle of the meadow is an antelope.
Here's John on the deck, with the view to the east. We could ride all over everything you see here!
Looking from the meadow to the cabin - that's our truck heading in (yes I am running behind taking photos)
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Last night just as it was getting dark some idiot drove off the street
through our front pasture fence and then spun around in the pasture and
just drove back out through the fence in another place!! Tore out three
wood fence posts, dragged the wire out into the street and then just
took off heading south! I heard the noise and saw the horses all
spooking around by the barn, and when the next car came by I could see
something in the street in the headlights. I was afraid it was a deer
or a dog so ran down there ... only to find our fence all torn down!
Our neighbor across the street (the ones with the loose horse the other
day) heard it to and came out and helped us wire some of the fencing
back up but its pretty destroyed. The electric fence was not broken, so
I propped that up and turned it back on to try to keep the mares away
from it. I would have just locked them in the top field but the water
trough up there isn't working.
We were working by flashlight so didn't see the place where the car
came into the pasture at first ... and it looked sort of okay, but when
I looked out this morning there was Poppy the youngest mare crawling
under the hot wire and through the downed field fence to reach the
green grass along the rode! So I was down there at 5 AM chasing her
back into the pasture and then locking all of them in the top field
until we can put up new wire this morning. And of course when I tried
to pull the
down fence back up, I got a big shock from the electric wire! How does
that mare crawl under it?
Ay Yi Yi. I hope they did a lot of damage to their car! |
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I really don't like selling horses. Its stressful for everyone
including the horse. But once in a while I get to be part of a really
fun "new horse" experience. Earlier this week I got to help deliver a
gift... my friend bought a wonderful horse for her daughter (a horse that I have had the privilege to train and know well) and we
planned a surprise. Lynette told Ashlynn that they were going to help
me move a horse because my truck was broke down. When they arrived with
their trailer at my barn, I had Radar "the gift horse" all bathed and
clipped and decked out in ribbons and a big tag -- to Ashlynn love Mom.
I think it took Ashlynn a few minutes to really understand that she was
the new owner of a horse she already loved. What fun! And what a great
home for Radar, with his very own girl to love him and care for
him. Radar is such a wonderful guy that it felt good to know he is
going to a home where he will be appreciated!
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My arena is alongside the road. This not only ensures that
my horses get very sacked out to vehicles roaring by, but also gives me the
opportunity to wave (or nod, if I’m on a colt) to all my neighbors as they
drive past. I also get to monitor which farmers are moving equipment to which
fields, who’s going to the dumps on a Saturday morning and who might have a new
car. Occasionally someone pulls over to ask directions. And sometimes I see
something unusual.
I was riding Blue the other afternoon, and was just coming
along the side of the ring closest to the street, when we heard a motorcycle
zinging around the corner from town. Because it sounded like it was traveling
pretty fast, I slowed Blue and turned to look. A fast yellow road bike flew down
the road, with the driver bending low. At first it all appeared pretty normal –
I could see the guy’s helmet, gloves and boots – but as he came next to us I
realized that it wasn’t very normal at all. The guy was bare-assed naked. Well,
I guess not naked if one counts helmets and gloves, and for some reason a
flapping leather vest, but for sure the guy’s ass was bare, along with the rest of him! Luckily for those
who had a view as he zoomed by, the guy had a cute butt (I once followed an
extremely overweight fellow on a Harley with a bad case of plumbers-crack …had to
follow him all the way to the freeway and was quite glad to finally pass him).
I watched Naked Motorcycle Guy all the way out of sight
around the bend. He was going fast, but not unsafely fast. He must have been
cold, because though the sun was shining there was a brisk breeze. I wonder
where he was going … and where he came from. Had to be some kind of dare, don’t
you think? Unless it is some kind of ritual, in which case I am going to take a
close look at all motorcycle riders coming past the arena from now on.
You don't believe me? Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me, but I do have a witness. Just ask Blue.
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| We rode today and Blue did one of his rare (but quite capable) buck
routines. I did not go off, but remember the ground getting reeeaaally
far
away as he went up. He did it right beside Anne and Radar and Anne's
comment was "you were this high! (holding her hand over her head) and
I'm on a horse!" Luckily for me I managed to bring his head around and
stop him before a third buck. Yikes too much good feed and not enough
exercise! But, Blue warned me several times that he was going to have
to buck -- I longed him with the saddle on, but then tightened the
girth before mounting and his eyes bugged out when I did. But I thought
(in a moment of foolishness) that I would just trot him around until he
got out of that .... well he was holding his breath and he kept trying to lope and I knew what was
going to happen if he loped .... and it did <G> got off and
readjusted the saddle and then longed a lot more then just walked him
cool and will see what happens tomorrow! |
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We are having our first real storm of the year -- in fact in two years. Last year never did produce a storm that caused any trouble at the barn (and its been a drought too). Lots of rain, but also lots of digging out the drainage ditches, and the horses are all standing high and dry at least so far. The roof is still on the old barn too. I count my blessings -- including that I bought new Muck Boots on Thursday. How did I live without Muck Boots? Warm, dry, well-fitting -- now a stable staple!
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Busy busy. doing everything except blogging, but just checking in to let anyone reading know I am still here, still riding horses, doctoring horses, feeding horses, cleaning stalls.
My December article in the Rainbow On The Right Lead newsletter is all about stall cleaning... and cleaning... and cleaning
www.rainbowag.com/eraldi_76.html |
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Just a short report from the beginning of day two of this fall's Jec Ballou clinic in Upper Lake --
Once again, I am gaining a lot of insight into my riding from Jec's concise observations. At the last clinic I came home with a new understanding of Blue's "straightness" problems and have seen a huge improvement over the past six months, yet this clinic is revealing the continuing weak spots in my riding that still affect how my horses travel. so wonderful and amazing to work on this and see the results!
Blue and Radar spent the night at Oak Creek Ranch -- Blue's first overnight event -- but they seemed happy in their deluxe stalls and runs. This is also the first time I have felt Blue is strong enough to work both days of the clinic -- so am interested in seeing how he feels this morning. As always, Blue was focused and consistent -- a pleasure to ride.
More later ... I'm off!
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This little quote came from, of all places, the bottom of an email advertisement, but it got me to thinking (is that rare?):
Horses like to be helped...especially when they learn
new ways to face the obstacles they face in our world. They also
appreciate assistance and encouragement from their riders or handlers.
My basic training philosophy is that the most important thing that a horse can learn -- and therefore the most important thing that the trainer can teach -- is that problems can be solved and that the trainer/rider/person can help the horse solve them. If a horse is looking for the solution to her problem, and has the reward of solving that problem, especially with the aid of the trainer, then the horse will grow in confidence, and in confidence of her trainer.
This lesson must be taught at the earliest levels of training -- halter breaking a foal is the best place to start, but I most often deal with young horses coming in at age 2 to 5 for saddle training. still, my first and foremost goal must be to present every new situation in such a way that panic never happens, that every puzzle that faces the young horse does indeed have a happy solution and that I guide the horse toward that solution. And when she tries it (horses do trial and error ... they offer one solution and then another ....) I must be quick to give the reward, so that the solution is imprinted on the horse's mind.
Now here I devolve into another subject -- what is the reward to a horse? It isn't the same as the reward to a dog. In fact rewarding a horse's intellegence the same as a dog's will often set the trainer back. so, rewards for horses is another subject and for now another blog post <G>
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