ten months!

 

spring lupine

Have I really not written since last December? So much for new year's resolutions to do better! To quote Wesley in The Princess Bride “Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.”

fun spring on local trails

nine years old!

Miles and I had a good spring. He really seemed to remember our training and we had not nearly as many disagreements! Then we had some misadventures. Let's see, what was first. Oh yes, falling off the trail! A trail I've ridden hundreds of times. Towards the end of a lovely 16-mile ride. His foot hit the soft edge, and his back foot too, and then it happened so fast, we rolled, I leapt to the side, and I just saw his feet in the air and disappear. Luckily there were bushes and trees to stop us. I was shaken up but terrified as to how broken Miles would be. Crawled down through the bushes to him, he was only about 10 feet off the trail. Inspected legs, no blood, all seemed ok? His reins were caught under his leg, I unhooked them and asked him to follow me up back onto the trail. Once on the trail I didn't let him move, inspected him all over. In my head was calling the vet, how would they get there, all the worst-case scenarios…and he had one 4-inch scratch on his hind cannon, and the saddle had a mark where a small tree had been smashed by it. I hand-walked him home, slow as molasses, watching every step, totally paranoid. He was looking at me "Mom, why are we walking so slow? What is wrong?" It was the scariest horse event I've ever had, and he didn't care at all. And was totally fine. Lucky. I'm still being extra cautious on anything narrow!

a few miles before the crash

What fun vet visit came next? Oh that would be stepping on a screw! Yes, it was that terrifying. Found him lame in pasture, not sure what was up, lifted his foot, eek! Had all the right foam and padding for wrapping in my emergency kit (highly recommend everyone, shit happens!). Straight to the vet. Didn't hit anything important, just very close. Two weeks of wrapping, three weeks off to be safe, never took another lame step…sigh of relief. 

what no horse owner wants to see

More riding, month of June, all was fine. I show up one day in July after work, the left side of his face is droopy!? Still had eye reflex but lip was all sad, ear drooping, and he was stretching his neck, bothered by it. Again, straight to the vet. Head x-rays and bloodwork showed nothing, vet though maybe he just whacked his head/nerve on something? Anti-inflammitories, vitamin E, hay on the ground (not the usual net) and see if it's better in a week. Yep, just fine.

OK, that is enough scary vet adventures, thanks Miles! Really glad we have a vet plan where we don't pay any emergency fees (just the normal crazy vet costs, gotta see some silver lining). Can we just have some regular adventures now?

upper trail early summer

almost the same view, late summer!

So for the rest of the summer we have! Locally riding along the lovely sandy lake trail and dry forest paths. Also riding with friends in Auburn (where a fire-fighting helicopter was practicing water drops and the horses didn't even care). On the weekends I'll fit in longer rides in Auburn or to Granite Bay. And I try to fit in a couple short rides after work, sometimes they're hikes, sometimes a barefoot 5-miles in the forest, which can be slow or fast, never sure on the day what we'll do!

small lake on the Los Lagos trail

hot afternoon to lookout rock

morning ride through late summer flowers

And we've done some really fun camping trips this year too: Georgetown fun ride, exploring Oroville (had never been before), Skillman (old closed trails re-opened), Point Reyes (it's always amazing) and Tells Creek (wow, just wow). Maybe I'll do a post just on those so you can see more of the amazing scenery.

Georgetown fun ride

Lake Oroville

Point Reyes, above Wildcat beach

Skillman re-opened trail

Tells Creek, Shadow Lake

So even with the scary stuff, it's been a pretty fun year. I am more and more impressed with how well Miles can listen (when he wants to, which is more of the time!) and how athletic he is. I'm not pushing his talents by any means, but endurance is not calling me back. When I competed it was so fun (afterwards), and so stressful. I liked seeing new places, but not all the worry. I won't say never, because things change, but right now we're having a lot of fun and seeing new places without competition, and that works for both of us!

orange boyz

I'm spending less time online, and more reading, hanging out with the orange brothers Wesley and Geordi, and horse time. A better balance, though I do miss the blog world and how active it all was for a few years in its heyday. I hope everyone and their ponies are well, I do try to read the few blogs that are still active, and love all the stories.

last weeks' ride along the river in Auburn

I haven't done Instagram (laughing in Gen X), but I may try to update there more often, just a photo seems something I might be able to accomplish! Link to my Majestik Mirage Instagram

Hope to "see" you around, but no matter what: happy trails. 

Summer days at the lake