Thursday, March 16, 2023

weather, enough

 

grass snacks are never boring

found this friend on my patio!
Atmospheric rivers. Snow. Flooding. Damaging wind storms. I'm supposed to write about riding but that hasn't been happening! What have we been doing?

I dig ditches to try and redirect torrents of water, in the pouring rain, while Miles watches from under his shelter. I try to scrape up some of the mud, between rainstorms, while I put Miles into the empty paddock to eat some grass. I take Miles for a walk to eat some more grass in (what seems like) the five minutes between storms, then we get caught in hail. It's been fun. 

I might be late for dinner
In the last month I got in one short forest ride that was terrible. He was so stupid about wanting to turn home, so we did! Back and forth, out and back, into the arena, back on the trail, repeat. If I could get any consistency I'm sure we'll improve. But not right now.

stu's trail

this, more please

I did do one more ride, and it turned out to be a good one! I sneaked out of work on a randomly gorgeous day during the week. No one else was about, the gravel roads were clear, and we had an enjoyable 10 miles along the river. After the ride I wanted to see if Miles would eat from the bucket on the trailer. He certainly will, and make a huge mess! Back to a mash pan on the floor!

hopefully we'll try the trails on the other side when it dries up

this was the only thing that spooked him all day, writing on the road

seriously?

There have been a couple of nice days with blue skies, where I'm trapped at work and only get out in the afternoon to take him for a walk. But I'm glad for those days (and being light later, yeah!) and I think Miles likes to get out as well. He always whinnies back at my whistle when I arrive at the stable.

a few minutes of gorgeous
so much shedding, I take a brush on every walk

just a flesh wound…

Oh, and to top it off Miles did manage to scrape his leg up against the wood floor frame of his shelter. It is not deep, but he won't keep a wrap on. Luckily it is still healing fine. This weekend was more moving sandbags and yesterday, during the wind storm, while I was checking on Miles, coming upon the gorgeous, huge oak at the ranch fallen over, crushing fences and cross-ties (luckily no horses or humans hurt).

not enjoying the rain, the oak tree that fell pictured behind

one last treat before you leave?

I am making no short-terms plans. I'll read some more books, wander some thrift stores, and plan for summer. But I'm hopeful that spring will surely arrive sometimes soon…after the next series of cold, wet storms coming next week…. Are we done yet?

thrift finds (that I did not buy): interesting clock, paint-by-number (I have a half-finished one at home already), pegasus fantasy book, huge play horse trailer!

Wesley, gone to the dark side (helping me make the bed)