last ride of 2012

It started out with a little weeee!

I'm a racehorse!

maybe I'll slow to a trot

Getting some air time, I'm full of it!

Major was having a grand time in the arena. I stood in the middle while he galloped around, with no encouragement from me, for at least 15 minutes. He took a break to drink from the trough, and took off again. Feeling fine!

what're you talking about? Not me! I'm not silly...

Wasn't quite sure if I wanted to ride the beast, but I had a new saddle to try out. I tried it yesterday too, but this would be an arena and trail experiment.

I love my Arabian Saddle Company Solstice, but keep having bridging and stirrup bar issues. I found a great deal on a used Freeform cutback. I know lots of people don't like treeless, but I also know many who do. When it comes to horses, there are more opinions than riders! But after much research and demo saddles, I thought I'd give it a try.

new saddle posing

I was worried because the knee rolls are much smaller than I'm used to, and its just…different. You get used to "your" saddle! Turned out very secure and comfy. Major moved out nicely. A bit of silliness on the ride (brakes? what brakes?!) didn't budge the saddle, or me! He didn't work up enough of a sweat to seriously check fit though. That will have to wait for a day when I ride earlier with a bit more daylight and a temperature higher than 45! Too damn cold right now! But it was just the ride I like: me and Major, going down the trail.

A fun final adventure for 2012, which was filled with many miles of trail, great times with Major and friends, and our first endurance rides. I can only hope 2013 brings as many good adventures!

giddy-up Snowflake! (the barn owner made this, I love it!)

merry, happy, etc

Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and any and all other heartfelt tidings of the season.




Major says: this iz my prezent? i do not know about it. didnt you read the link i sent of what horzes really want for Christmas? Everyone should read it. Willem the horse was genius. Many more carrots please, for everyone.

flight

Major was feeling full of it. Pent up winter energy. It was windy at the lake, a storm was rolling in. Cardinal rule of riding is to always be paying attention, but my mind was elsewhere.

And we flew. Cantering the lake trail I first thought of Thump, a fellow bloggers beloved bird who is flying free himself.

Then the mind flies, and thinks of too many lives lost in senseless tragedy. And those left behind.

And my 15 year old cat, diagnosed with kidney trouble, who I can't bear the thought of losing.

And the holidays, how my grandfather would offer up his always handy pocketknife on the pesky ribbons.

Like I said, my mind wandered. And I had one of the best rides ever. Collected canter, flying lead changes through rocks, barely a tug on the reins just to balance us both.

Again, the outside of a horse was good for me.

Reflect.

conversations with major: santa who

Let's go for a walk Major, we're burning daylight!
Yeah, I like this new plan!
What plan is that?
Walking every day, eating grass, getting my mash, sleep, repeat.
Well, eventally you'll do a little more than that.
Why?
Well, the Solstice is almost here.
WHERE?! I can't see it!
No, it's tomorrow. A day to celebrate the changing season, daylight is returning, and, well, the world may end.
OK.
What, just OK?
Sure. Do I still get my mash?
Yes.
Then OK.

Another grazing day, another grazing day.
Stop dancing. You have to get a hoof trim. Stand still.
Boring. Oh, some horsey crack, yum!
Yes, here is some alfalfa, now stand nicely.
OK, no problem!

Trim is done, now we can go for a quick walk.
Let's keep walking and eating, it's a beautiful day!
I know, and I totally want to ride, but I haven't bought a single gift, and I took the day off work to go shopping.
Riding?
No, shopping.
Boring. Let's go explore.
I can't, maybe Santa will get you something.
Who is this Santa?

Only extra special good horses get presents from Santa.
I'm extra special.
Oh you're special all right. I said good, too.
I'm good.
Oh really.
Yeah, good at eating.
Well, that's true, but you weren't very good on our last ride.
Yes I was, I ate a good mash.
Remember before that?
Nope.
When we rode to Avery Pond with Ziggy?
Oh yeah, I hate that guy.
You do not.
I DO. He is really annoying.
And you aren't? I seem to remember you being so silly coming home in the lead that Ziggy had to be in front with good behavior.
Well I remember that my mash had grass hay pellets, yum!
Sigh...

Mom? You said something about a present.
Yeah, from Santa. You get stuff from me all the time.
Who is this Santa guy?
He brings presents to good creatures.
How do I know it's him and not Chris, the feed guy? He brings me yummy stuff too. I like him. He calls me Major D. I'm a rap star.
Well, Santa wears a red suit and hat, and a big belt, and black boots and is fat with a beard, and laughs "ho, ho, ho!"
Sounds scary. Like a clown.
He's not a clown. Clowns are scary, Santa is not scary. Oh wait, he kind-of is...

WEEEEE! weeeee!
You're pretty full of it Major, be good.
I'm tired of being in my pasture, I want to run around on the trails!
You can run around in your pasture.
It's not the same.
Hopefully soon, but it's getting dark, I need to go home, see my other spoiled creature.
Oh yeah, the cat. You let HER get away with everything.
She is cute, and tiny. You are obnoxious, and big.
But cute.
You're just too much, Major.
Too much? I can never get too much, I love grass.
Sigh...

Thomas kitty helping lick the beaters, the best part. Don't worry, they get washed well!

One last bite.
It's very dark, your dinner will be served. The mash is waiting.
It can wait, this is delicious.
I know, but let's go back and wait for Santa.
When is he coming?
In a few days, be a good boy.
I am.
I know.

a major award

Look, my major (Major?) award! I love it.

I'm glad I kept playing the Big Bad Bloggers Distance Race. I already track my miles, it just took updating my profile one a month.

And I came in second! Of two people, whoo hoo! (Congrats Rafikah Rose first place, and Redheaded Endurance, first place Pioneer division). And thanks to Endurance Granny for organizing it all.

Hey, it's a cool award. And a trophy! I haven't won one those since I was showing rabbits in 4-H. Have to be careful, it could be fra-gee-lay...

But not as cool as a leg lamp.

whine…and some fun

I'm whining about the weather. It is gorgeous but cold right now, while I am trapped at work, but of course this weekend is supposed to be rainy. And it is dark at 4:45. Whine...

So now for something completely different...and funny. Earlier this year (when the weather was nice) I came back from a ride, and put my tack away in the stable. And noticed there was a table, filled with shiny fabric. On closer inspection, it was a table full of bras!

What, you don't have bra tables at your stable? Bras, lawn mower, tack, just what you'd expect to find!

A fellow boarder is a wonderful sales person for a "delicates" company. And she has sales samples she shows to buyers, then after the season, brings for us! Score! I might love buying my horse a new blanket, and I don't even mind scoping poop, but shopping for a new bra, torture.

All the women had fun looking through the samples, nothing for boys, our stable guy was left out.

Even horse Mystic got into the fun, probably about a 38 DD, though she would have preferred a lace-cup. Major was left out, but he might have been glad not to be the model for this particular photo!

Stables can be the most unstable of places. But this was pretty fun.

all I want for christmas

The catalogs are filling my mailbox. Horsey stuff everywhere. I don't like cutesy things, or really need anything, but still feel compelled to flip through them, to see if something catches my eye.

And I saw the Best. Gift. Ever.

Hop-a-long plush horse hopper! I was so sad at the 100 pound limit. I had a basic one when I was a kid, not a fancy one, it just had a head with handles. It wasn't even a horse, though I pretended it was. The local tack store has a coin-operated pony, that I also desperately want to ride, with a 75 pound limit.

from www.jumpingballs.com

I goofed off and searched online, just being silly. And they have bouncy horses for grown-ups! OK, an adult looks pretty silly (and you HAVE to check out some of the other photos, so very bad).

Yeah, it might be silly, but it WOULD still be pretty great exercise...

foggy

The fog was so dense I had to run my windshield wipers as I drove to the barn. I optimistically thought it might burn off before noon, when the vet was scheduled to arrive.

Quickly saddled up with C and C for a short forest ride. We knew it would be muddy. And there would be downed trees. And the horses might be full of it.

Major's buddy Friday traversing the puddle, and the fog

We were right. I can't blame the horses: a week of rain after weeks of 30+ miles, Major is raring to go. But no "raring" would be allowed today, not on the slick trails. We did fit in some trotting, and behavior was mostly OK.

Until we split, since I needed to get back earlier. Major wondered where his friends went, and then started remembering we were going home! The silliness, which included much prancing and even some bucking attempts, was thwarted. What I really would like to do: take him some nice dry place to just GO. But no trails like that right now, so he has to behave.

stolen bites are the most delicious

Back home he hadn't sweated a drop, but I knew he'd roll after the quick ride, and didn't feel like presenting a wet, muddy horse to the vet. So I hand-walked him to eat grass, and he also got to steal a few bites of hay from Fridya's travel hay bag. Naughty.

And then the vet arrived. Major is unconcerned about the vet, and a good patient. After the basic checkup (36 resting heartrate, weight 970), the vet set up the dental equipment. While Major is a good boy, he is also a cheap drunk. It didn't take much to put him under, and an inspection of his teeth revealed a few points and waves, quickly fixed. I really like that the vet points things out to me, explains and shows what he does.

To add insult to the whole procedure, while still under sedation Major also got his sheath cleaned. I try to do it during the year, but can never quite get it. Like a frightened turtle! Now everything is squeeky clean.

so sleepy, droopy lip...

It took Major about an hour to recover from the sedation. I walked him around the arena, the only place with nice, smooth footing. We also just stood around a bit. And there was still so much mist it was almost raining. Soon he was completely recovered, and was so happy to get an extra mash (I got a nicker for that one).

wet winter leaves and mud

Here is hoping the clouds lift and we see the sun. This morning dawned clear, but in the valley, 1000 feet lower in elevation, it is foggy and cold. I'm having hot chocolate and thinking of long rides in the warm sun.

after the rain

It was a lot of rain. And wind. Then more rain. But our low reservoirs and rivers had no problems containing it. Watching the local and national news was actually pretty funny, we must all be under water! But it was fine, now just very wet. I don't imagine the trails will be passable for awhile, though it will be interesting to go into the forest and see the damage. This is a good time of year for hiking with Major, but yesterday I wanted to see how full the rivers were.

Confluence very full!

same view in October

The confluence is the best place for this, it is amazing to see the Middle and North forks of the American River coming together is a great surge. The middle fork was much muddier, it travels father since the dam was my thinking. (The North fork dam is not far, just at lake Clementine, a few miles up from the confluence)

final leaves hanging on

happy moss

ferns peeking between granite

The wind and rain had finally caused the trees to mostly drop their leaves, and the moss was so lush and happy. All the little ferns have popped out seemingly from nowhere, they only last till the warm spring comes, but for now are almost magical.

the trail has turned into a creek

this waterfall and creek were beautiful...across the trail!

The trail had a few issues, mainly an entire creek going across it! I know along this section there would be a few more to cross, and didn't feel like getting too wet, so turned back. SO pondered that Major might not cross the creek, but I knew it would be no problem (Though the trails are too slippery and yucky right now, also riding would do too much damage to them.)

Just south of the confluence, No Hands Bridge has stood for 100 years, through many floods, which have washed away upstream bridges many times. The original builders sure knew how to build, and located the bridge in the right place.

plenty of fresh, yummy grass

Back at the stable there was little damage, just lots of mud. Major was happy to get out and have a snack. After this storm there is also a plethora of mushrooms! I don't eat them (yuck, slimy fungi), and good thing! There was a recent local tragedy where 4 people died from eating wild-picked mushrooms.

slightly rude mushrooms

The winter is frustrating in the lack of riding, but fun in other ways. This week Major and I will do some hiking, exploring the soggy forest, mud boots on!