Saturday, April 24, 2010

with a circus mind that's running round

April has been luscious for riding this year. Here is Pie's mane in the sunshine of morning. (Sorry about the crazy vignette effect of some of these photos. My cell phone lens is blurry.)

Sovey and Pie are watching the activities at the church.

Sovey is sleeping in his shed and Pie is nibbling (of course!).

This is my view from the ground of Pie's back (complete with sawdust flakes). I am having trouble mounting bareback lately. Pie doesn't like it when I fling myself up - I don't blame him. When I mount using a saddle, I always slowly get on and softly lower my weight. The mounting block is too low to do that bareback. I rode Sovey bareback the other day and I used a small ladder with zero problems. I tried it with Pie, and I had to fling up again because he is taller. When I fling, his ears go back, so I know he hates it. I think it is time to enlist Brian to build me a proper mounting block - um, I mean - stairway.

This shot was taken when we were heading back to the barn after another amazing ride. While we were riding yesterday I told my mom that the worst part of my day is the time that I have to dismount and it is so true. Lately, all I think about is being with the horses in the pastures or riding. This semester has me teaching in the afternoons so I have (happily) been able to ride most mornings.
After our rides, we graze the horses in the tall grasses and talk about our ride and how wonderfully behaved these boys are. Yesterday, we really had a lot to talk about. We rode over to the church across the street. I've ridden Sovey over there before, but Pie is afraid of the paint lines on the road so I never can get him to cross over. I was hoping Pie would follow Sovereign over. Mom crossed over and waited, but Pie was having none of it. I think he thought it wasn't solid ground for some reason. Mom and Sovey crossed back over to us. Then, we tried again. Mom and Sovey went over. Pie made it out to the middle, but then he started backing. Sovey and Mom crossed back to us. Finally, they went across and I just dismounted and walked him over. I did have a saddle so I found a bench and mounted and we had a beautiful ride around a huge open field. I think it was nice for my mom to ride over there because all of that land used to be a horse farm where her friends boarded. She has many memories of riding over to meet them there. On the way home, neither horse wanted to cross back, not because they were afraid, but because they wanted to keep riding. Sovey finally agreed and Pie crossed like a big brave boy. It was great fun to go somewhere new with both horses. We have started working the horses at the trot on our own land. They are doing very well, although, Sovey collects much better when he is following Pie. If he is leading I think he anticipates a possible race!

Here is a Dogwood in full bloom near the pastures.

At my post-ride lunches with Brian, all I do is talk about my ride and the horses and what characters they are. In fact, most of my day is spent thinking about the horses and where I will ride next. I see so much land around me while driving in the car to work and I imagine riding on it. It is green and lush and no one is riding on it. I just feel like tacking up and riding right out of town through the fields. Today, Brian and I took Maizie geocaching all over Michaux State Forest and I imagined riding on all the trails with Pie and/or Sovey. When I was little, my friend, Patty, and I would pretend we were riding horses. We would "canter" everywhere and it seemed like I was "riding" all day. Now, I really do want to ride all day. I don't think I would want to do a trail ride for days on end (I already mentioned my obsession with hot showers) but I do think I could ride everyday in a new field. I wonder: (1.) Where on earth can this happen and (2.) Does everyone dream about riding all day too?!?

7 comments:

  1. Are you kidding?? If I could do that more...I will...planning a 1 week to 2 wk -camp-ride-camp thing. You give them your camping gear...pay them for food...you ride all the day long in gorge, your tent is set up, dinner is ready too! YESSSS!!!
    ALL over OREGON(answer to where this can happen!)

    Loved your ride with mom, and the line phobia...too funny.
    That is like Wa's log fears...um, Wa mare, we ride in the forests!
    Too cute, your lunchtime trail debriefing with Brian...my man and I do that too..I make him go first on his day...so I can prattle on- and- on, after!
    Did you and your childhood girlfriends have -tails? We did that too...we WERE horses...but we had tails...I liked the blooms of the "Pampas" grasses the best...to make them black for being a bay horse, I'd soak them in the mud, then let them dry out.
    Thanks for that truly wonderful memory!!!
    XO
    KK

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  2. Oh KK - I knew you dream about riding all day too! I love the pampas grass tail in mud trick. That is ingenius. We didn't have tails because we were not the horses. But our horses took us everywhere...to the pool...to the snack bar...to the playground...to the climbing trees. They were our transportation. I wish I lived in a village and could ride to the library and tie my horse outside and then hop back on and then ride to a coffeehouse and then ride home.
    Your trail ride sounds magical, Kacy! LOL at Wa and her log fears. She only likes upright trees!

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  3. Oh yes..I think of riding/horses/Laz ALL DAY. My understanding and funny Husband said to me recently..."Oh you love Laz?? I didn't know that? LOL!!!" after an hour chat about how amazing he is, etc. lol!!
    I saw my 1 yr old niece and was holding her outside this weekend and we went for a trot and canter in my arms and switched leads..me. lol! As a child, sitting in the car riding from Chi town to Detroit to visit family, I would day dream dream a horse running alongside our car, jumping over any fence or obstacle that our 5 hour car ride came across. So yes....I hear you. ;) Lovely photos!!

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  4. Kristen - Our husbands are very kind to listen to us talk of our other boys! I still look out the car window wistfully - why are we in the car? Why are we not taking the horses?

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  5. Oh yes, I dream of riding all day long. it is amazing I get anything done at all at my job! I cannot believe how green and leafy it is at your farm already!!! It looks like summertime there!! The green grass and those dogwoods! WOW, you are in the middle of paradise...and one made that much sweeter with a couple of willing and gorgeous partners!! Aren't you lucky! Aren't you pinching yourself!!
    AND THOSE SALADS???????????
    I rest my case, dear horselover, you live the dream! And that makes ME happy!

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  6. baystatebrumby - Yes, I am pinching myself - every single day I say "thank you" and wonder if it is for real! Thanks for your thoughtful comment - it really made me smile!

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  7. You, my dear, are a horse addict! I think we all are really....Your photos are so great and I love the vignette effect! So cool. The pastures look great too, so rich and bright. They might even be nicer than ours!

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