Sitting on a tire feeder, baking in the sun, listening to my horses munching dinner. Carli comes over & closes her eyes, waiting for me to rub her face. She's such a love. As long as I rub she'll stay with me. Quietly she blows hot air against my neck. Maybe a little too hot considering it's over 100* out. Ha! I blow softly in her nostrils & she sighs. Finally, after about 20 minutes, she returns to her dinner.
I continue to just hang out & watch my horses. It's so peaceful. Ryn comes over with hay hanging out her mouth. Her big eyes sparkling at me as I rub her forehead. She sniffs me & tries to chew on my shoes. Silly little Ryn. Growing bored, she decides dinner is more interesting & returns to eating.
I can see that Faye has been watching all this out of the corner of her eye. She takes a bite of hay, lifts her head & stares at me. Another bite & another eye connection. Slowly she makes her way over & gently, almost imperceptively, she reaches out & touches my hand with her muzzle. Then she just looks into my eyes. She has such pretty, big eyes that shine with life. I can see my reflection in them & wonder how she perceives me.
Launi snubs me. He rolls an eye in my direction & flicks an ear back. Launi, who's used to having my undivided attention, must be unhappy because he was left home for the weekend. He'd been giving me the evil eye everytime I looked at him throughout the day. I walk over to him & still he refuses to look at me. I give him a pat, tell him I love him, & turn to walk away. He roughly shoves his head into my shoulder & gives me an almost silent nicker. He shoves his head into me again & seems to just glare at me with ears 1/2 pinned. Oh yes, he's sulking at the lack of my attention. Then he reaches out & grabs for my chapstick necklace. His eyes light up with their mischievous sparkle. I let him briefly hold the chapstick, then rub his forehead. His eyes close & I'm forgiven.
All so different & I love them all, each & every one.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Hidden Treasure
I've always been on a search to find the horse who can light the riding passion in me. That horse who's fun to ride with a challenging side that keeps me from being bored. I've always needed a horse who's been able to "keep me on my toes". Don't get me wrong, I've had quite a few REALLY nice horses, including some who did "fit" me. But in recent years there just hadn't been a horse who made me WANT to ride.
Until a few years ago, that is, when I got my homegrown gelding, Launi, under saddle. What a fun ride! A bit of a white knuckle ride, but so much fun with an adrenaline rush on most rides. I never know what he's going to do or what antics he's going to pull. Most days I'm just so glad to get back to the trailer in one piece. But how I love that big red horse. There's never a dull moment when riding him. I had big ride plans for 2014, including several endurance rides. I was looking forward to a great year of trotting down the trails on Launi. Then he got sick. Very, very, very sick. Fortunately, after 6 months of medications & treatment he is on the mend. But in the meantime, I've been on the search for a horse to ride.
Looking out in my own pasture is a gorgeous little, 11 year, grey, arab mare. DC Faye Bint Alyssa, aka Baby Faye, is the sweetest horse & one that I love dearly. I carried her down the pasture the morning she was born. We've always had a connection, but not one that I've ever thought of as a riding connection. What was I to do since I hadn't found a riding horse? The only thing I could do if I wanted to ride was to start riding Faye. Faye who'd had two gorgeous foals. Faye who'd had about 25 rides two years earlier. Baby Faye who didn't really want a job. Being a pasture puff was her preferred career. By the first of April I decided Faye had to become my trail horse because I was going crazy not riding. So our journey began.
As I did little trail rides on the local trails, I had no illusions that Faye would be an endurance horse. She's 14.2 with a short, western pleasure, stride. She didn't seem to really like going out & was always tense. She's a shy mare who holds everything in, but I could always see the pinched lips when we'd set out to work. Then I started riding with a friend. Having another horse seemed to give Faye the confidence she needed to come out of her shell. She really prefers to lead the way & has become a great little trail blazer. Nothing stops her. Even on our solo rides she now seems to enjoy the scenery. Finally I decided we'd start adding a little trotting to our rides. Faye wasn't thrilled with that idea & would only go a few feet before walking. Remembering that she wasn't even truly broke to ride, we just kept plugging away by increasing our distance & adding a little trotting.
Over Memorial Day weekend, a friend & I took our mares to an organized, fund raising ride. It was a little nerve wracking when we first started our ride. Faye was nervous & afraid of the other horses coming up from behind us. My friend's mare was also unsure of herself. We did 12 miles of playing leap frog so our mares learned to lead or follow. We did a little trotting, a lot of single track trail, & a couple of good climbs. By the end of the weekend our girls were getting comfortable with other horses & they camped really well. It was a great weekend.
Looking ahead, I had my sights set on riding the Tevis Fun Ride over the July 4th weekend. It's a fund raising ride for the Western States Trails Foundation. The trails are tough, technical, gorgeous, narrow in places, & sometimes a bit scary. Really? I was going to take Baby Faye? I told myself that I was going even if all I did was camp & not ride. Then I told myself I'd ride a little & if the cliff drop-offs or technical footing scared Faye, I'd get off & lead her for a short way & call it a good day. I really just wanted to go as I've gone with other horses & have always LOVED the trail. So I signed up & packed the truck. Then a friend said she'd go with me. I just knew we'd have a good time, & I love showing my favorite trails to friends.
We arrived at camp on Sat morning, set up camp, & then headed out for a ride. I was worried what Faye's reaction would be to the tough trails. We'd only ridden downhill once before (I usually lead downhill on our local trails) & we'd never done narrow, drop-off trails. I had forgotten about all the rock & tricky footing of the WST. We road down along the road until we came to the actual trail. Faye was in the lead because I didn't want her to get frantic trying to keep up with the stallion, Aur Aquavit, who was her fast walking partner for the weekend. She slowly picked her way through the rock, across the muddy spots, downhill with tough footing, to a very technical creek crossing. The water was sadly low, which thankfully gave our horses a good view of the footing. Faye was such a trooper because I was prepared to lead her across but that wasn't necessary. She very carefully picked her way across. I began to feel a little impressed with my little grey mare. Aquavit lost an easyboot crossing the creek so Whitney had to get off & put it back on. As the day progressed, he eventually lost both hind boots. A new plan would be needed for Sunday's ride. Note to self, do NOT use a boot with a Gorilla Glue repaired gaiter on trails as technical as the WST. Faye would eventually lose the rear boot that I'd fixed with glue. When I got off to get it, I slipped under Faye & she never flinched. I had gotten off on the upside & slid, but thankfully not over the edge. I continued on without the broken boot. On the way back to camp, we lead our horses down into the canyon. What a treat to be leading Faye. She stayed a safe distance behind me, never bumped me, never stepped on me, never balked, & never tried to rush pass me. At the bottom I mounted her from a log on the edge of the trail. Our ride back up the other side & to camp was a good one.
Whitney & I got an earlier start on Sunday. We decided to ride the same trail as Sat because we didn't want to walk down the road in the middle of town. I was surprised when we started out because Faye was actually walking faster than she had the day before. She was keeping up a bit more with Aquavit, although in all fairness he was walking slower than he had on Sat. Baby Faye lead down the canyon, doing a little power walking of her own. There was no hesitation at the muddy trail in front of the spring. She really wanted to trot. Right on across the creek crossing with a brief wait while her riding buddy negotiated the rocky footing. Up & up the canyon we went. Every now & then Faye'd sneak in a few trot steps. The heart rate monitor was impressive. The highest her pulse ever got was in the mid 150s. Pretty good for a marginally conditioned, green mare powering up the canyon. We stopped a few times so the horses could catch their breaths, put Faye didn't want to stand for long. Onward & upward. We got to the top of the canyon in less time than on Sat. Faye's pulse dropped instantly into the 50s. WOW! I was impressed. We lead our horses back down the canyon. What fun taking pictures of each other & laughing along the way. Then just before we got back to the creek crossing, BAM down I went. My feet slipped right out from under me. Faye froze. I wasn't hurt at all as it was a soft, silty landing. Just more to laugh at. Dusting myself off, I didn't realize I was covered in red dirt as I wiped my face with my hand. Just a little WST war paint. As I was using the log to mount, 2 horses came towards us. They passed us with no problem, which was pretty amazing since Faye's so green & Aquavit's a stallion. Across the creek & up we went, Faye in the lead. Coming down was 2 more riders. This time the passing wasn't quite so smooth. The trail was too narrow so they turned around & headed back up to find a wider spot. Their horses were fractious & I wondered how we were safely going to get around them. Never fear, Faye & Aquavit were there. Not long before the spring fed water trough was a nice place to trot. Faye needed no urging as she'd been wanting to trot all day. Oh what fun trotting Faye along the Tevis trail. I'm sure I was beaming.
On the drive home I was reflecting on what a great weekend. I was so impressed with my Baby Faye. She camped & handled the trail like a pro. I thought of all my friends who've told me that I should be riding Faye. So many have told me that maybe Faye's the riding horse for me. I suppose I should admit to what that really means. The horse for me is going to be a special horse to fulfill a special dream. For a lot of years I've dreamed of riding Tevis one more time. Every horse I look at, & every horse I ride, that's always the thought in the back of my mind. I've always seen Faye as a perfect western pleasure horse, never even considering her as the horse I've been seeking. Until yesterday. Maybe, just maybe, Faye IS the riding horse for me. It's quite possible that sitting in my very own pasture has been the hidden treasure I've been seeking.
Until a few years ago, that is, when I got my homegrown gelding, Launi, under saddle. What a fun ride! A bit of a white knuckle ride, but so much fun with an adrenaline rush on most rides. I never know what he's going to do or what antics he's going to pull. Most days I'm just so glad to get back to the trailer in one piece. But how I love that big red horse. There's never a dull moment when riding him. I had big ride plans for 2014, including several endurance rides. I was looking forward to a great year of trotting down the trails on Launi. Then he got sick. Very, very, very sick. Fortunately, after 6 months of medications & treatment he is on the mend. But in the meantime, I've been on the search for a horse to ride.
Looking out in my own pasture is a gorgeous little, 11 year, grey, arab mare. DC Faye Bint Alyssa, aka Baby Faye, is the sweetest horse & one that I love dearly. I carried her down the pasture the morning she was born. We've always had a connection, but not one that I've ever thought of as a riding connection. What was I to do since I hadn't found a riding horse? The only thing I could do if I wanted to ride was to start riding Faye. Faye who'd had two gorgeous foals. Faye who'd had about 25 rides two years earlier. Baby Faye who didn't really want a job. Being a pasture puff was her preferred career. By the first of April I decided Faye had to become my trail horse because I was going crazy not riding. So our journey began.
As I did little trail rides on the local trails, I had no illusions that Faye would be an endurance horse. She's 14.2 with a short, western pleasure, stride. She didn't seem to really like going out & was always tense. She's a shy mare who holds everything in, but I could always see the pinched lips when we'd set out to work. Then I started riding with a friend. Having another horse seemed to give Faye the confidence she needed to come out of her shell. She really prefers to lead the way & has become a great little trail blazer. Nothing stops her. Even on our solo rides she now seems to enjoy the scenery. Finally I decided we'd start adding a little trotting to our rides. Faye wasn't thrilled with that idea & would only go a few feet before walking. Remembering that she wasn't even truly broke to ride, we just kept plugging away by increasing our distance & adding a little trotting.
Over Memorial Day weekend, a friend & I took our mares to an organized, fund raising ride. It was a little nerve wracking when we first started our ride. Faye was nervous & afraid of the other horses coming up from behind us. My friend's mare was also unsure of herself. We did 12 miles of playing leap frog so our mares learned to lead or follow. We did a little trotting, a lot of single track trail, & a couple of good climbs. By the end of the weekend our girls were getting comfortable with other horses & they camped really well. It was a great weekend.
Looking ahead, I had my sights set on riding the Tevis Fun Ride over the July 4th weekend. It's a fund raising ride for the Western States Trails Foundation. The trails are tough, technical, gorgeous, narrow in places, & sometimes a bit scary. Really? I was going to take Baby Faye? I told myself that I was going even if all I did was camp & not ride. Then I told myself I'd ride a little & if the cliff drop-offs or technical footing scared Faye, I'd get off & lead her for a short way & call it a good day. I really just wanted to go as I've gone with other horses & have always LOVED the trail. So I signed up & packed the truck. Then a friend said she'd go with me. I just knew we'd have a good time, & I love showing my favorite trails to friends.
We arrived at camp on Sat morning, set up camp, & then headed out for a ride. I was worried what Faye's reaction would be to the tough trails. We'd only ridden downhill once before (I usually lead downhill on our local trails) & we'd never done narrow, drop-off trails. I had forgotten about all the rock & tricky footing of the WST. We road down along the road until we came to the actual trail. Faye was in the lead because I didn't want her to get frantic trying to keep up with the stallion, Aur Aquavit, who was her fast walking partner for the weekend. She slowly picked her way through the rock, across the muddy spots, downhill with tough footing, to a very technical creek crossing. The water was sadly low, which thankfully gave our horses a good view of the footing. Faye was such a trooper because I was prepared to lead her across but that wasn't necessary. She very carefully picked her way across. I began to feel a little impressed with my little grey mare. Aquavit lost an easyboot crossing the creek so Whitney had to get off & put it back on. As the day progressed, he eventually lost both hind boots. A new plan would be needed for Sunday's ride. Note to self, do NOT use a boot with a Gorilla Glue repaired gaiter on trails as technical as the WST. Faye would eventually lose the rear boot that I'd fixed with glue. When I got off to get it, I slipped under Faye & she never flinched. I had gotten off on the upside & slid, but thankfully not over the edge. I continued on without the broken boot. On the way back to camp, we lead our horses down into the canyon. What a treat to be leading Faye. She stayed a safe distance behind me, never bumped me, never stepped on me, never balked, & never tried to rush pass me. At the bottom I mounted her from a log on the edge of the trail. Our ride back up the other side & to camp was a good one.Whitney & I got an earlier start on Sunday. We decided to ride the same trail as Sat because we didn't want to walk down the road in the middle of town. I was surprised when we started out because Faye was actually walking faster than she had the day before. She was keeping up a bit more with Aquavit, although in all fairness he was walking slower than he had on Sat. Baby Faye lead down the canyon, doing a little power walking of her own. There was no hesitation at the muddy trail in front of the spring. She really wanted to trot. Right on across the creek crossing with a brief wait while her riding buddy negotiated the rocky footing. Up & up the canyon we went. Every now & then Faye'd sneak in a few trot steps. The heart rate monitor was impressive. The highest her pulse ever got was in the mid 150s. Pretty good for a marginally conditioned, green mare powering up the canyon. We stopped a few times so the horses could catch their breaths, put Faye didn't want to stand for long. Onward & upward. We got to the top of the canyon in less time than on Sat. Faye's pulse dropped instantly into the 50s. WOW! I was impressed. We lead our horses back down the canyon. What fun taking pictures of each other & laughing along the way. Then just before we got back to the creek crossing, BAM down I went. My feet slipped right out from under me. Faye froze. I wasn't hurt at all as it was a soft, silty landing. Just more to laugh at. Dusting myself off, I didn't realize I was covered in red dirt as I wiped my face with my hand. Just a little WST war paint. As I was using the log to mount, 2 horses came towards us. They passed us with no problem, which was pretty amazing since Faye's so green & Aquavit's a stallion. Across the creek & up we went, Faye in the lead. Coming down was 2 more riders. This time the passing wasn't quite so smooth. The trail was too narrow so they turned around & headed back up to find a wider spot. Their horses were fractious & I wondered how we were safely going to get around them. Never fear, Faye & Aquavit were there. Not long before the spring fed water trough was a nice place to trot. Faye needed no urging as she'd been wanting to trot all day. Oh what fun trotting Faye along the Tevis trail. I'm sure I was beaming. On the drive home I was reflecting on what a great weekend. I was so impressed with my Baby Faye. She camped & handled the trail like a pro. I thought of all my friends who've told me that I should be riding Faye. So many have told me that maybe Faye's the riding horse for me. I suppose I should admit to what that really means. The horse for me is going to be a special horse to fulfill a special dream. For a lot of years I've dreamed of riding Tevis one more time. Every horse I look at, & every horse I ride, that's always the thought in the back of my mind. I've always seen Faye as a perfect western pleasure horse, never even considering her as the horse I've been seeking. Until yesterday. Maybe, just maybe, Faye IS the riding horse for me. It's quite possible that sitting in my very own pasture has been the hidden treasure I've been seeking.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Faye's Big Adventure--or The Little Red Team
Well really, neither Faye nor I are little. But we ARE short. Ha! And we ARE The Red Team!
When my main horse became seriously ill in Feb, I was left with no horse to ride. Sooooooo Baby Faye had to grow up quick. I started riding her & realized that while she'd been ridden a little, she'd only walked. It was interesting to ride an 11 year old greenie learning to balance a rider as we trotted down the trail. A friend of mine describes it best, spider legs. LOL
I had planned to do the Dru Barner Memorial Ride over Memorial Day Weekend. Of course that plan was made before Faye became my riding horse. Oh well, what was the worst that could happen if I took a greenie to a huge group ride for a weekend of camping? I could just sit around camp if she was too nervous or freaked out to ride. I could lead her on the trail (uh not the best option for me). I could start riding & go back if she started to get too nervous & unsafe (yeah, I know me better than to think I'd go back). Or I could just RIDE! Which is exactly what I did, riding with a friend on her mare.
My friend & I caravaned to the ride early Saturday morning. Once there, we set up camp & then headed out on the 5 mile ride through the Enchanted Forest Trail. Faye & Lulu did VERY well. We walked the 5 miles in 1 1/2 hours. Along the way we played leap frog so both mares had the opportunity to lead & follow. Back at camp Faye got to experience the Hi-Tie for the first time. Of course I wasn't worried because she does very well on the hot-walker at home. She's such a sweet mare who never tries to stretch her boundaries, which made it hard for her on the Hi-Tie. Everytime she felt the pull of the line, she'd stop. That meant she wouldn't reach down far enough to eat from her bucket or drink. She finally figured out she could reach the water bucket & I bucket her feed bucket on the top of her nibble net to raise it up for her. We settled in for the night & all was quiet.
My friend & I hit the trail at 8am Sunday morning. We were doing the 12 mile ride & wanted out before the heat set in. Within
minutes of hitting the trail we had 2 crazy girls on crazy horses crash pass us. Fortunately we were able to move off the trail & keep Faye & Lulu a little calm. Grrrrrrrrr...some people have NO clue about trail etiquette.
It was a gorgeous day for a ride. Faye & Lulu, a Missouri Fox trotter, did great together. We crossed bridges, logs, rocky trail, rutted trail, & even a section of trail that had cinder blocks as erosion control. The Dru Barner Campground is in El Dorado, outside the town of Georgetown. It can be quiet hilly & we did some pretty tough climbs on single track trail. Faye was AWESOME! She really impressed me with her willing attitude & "get it done" forwardness going up the hills. She just powered right on up. We did a little trotting in places where the trail was flat & easy. Faye really figured out that she could trot & we got some nice even pacing for short sections. Lulu was learning to maintain a nice fox trot so both mares did really well learning their respective gaits. Every now & then we had a few riders pass us. We moved over & faced our girls into the on coming riders & had no problems. Have I mentioned how proud I was of Faye?
Half way though our 12 mile loop was a nice refreshment stop. There was hay & carrots for the horse, food & drinks for the riders. We hung out while Faye & Lulu ate & we enjoyed a soft
drink (beer was available for those who wanted it). Then climbing on a log, we mounted up & started off on the 2nd half of our loop. Heading back to the campground had the harder trails, but by then our girls were in a groove & feeling like real trail horses. It was fun riding the windy, single track trail (my favorite). With Lulu in the lead, Faye all of a sudden jumped forward. Yikes! It was a runner coming up behind her. Once she saw him she relaxed, but that jump was a little startling. Further down the trail I all of a sudden found myself airborne & slapping back down on the saddle. I don't know what happened, but Faye went straight up in the air like you see in cartoons where the horse spooks all 4 feet off the ground. Did she get stung, see something under her out of the corner of her eye, or....? Luckily I just got a bruise on the inside of a knee, & I didn't even lose a stirrup. Woohoo... When we had about 1 1/2 miles left, a group of 3 riders came toward us. As we moved off the trail for them, we ended up on opposite sides of the trail with the riders going between us. ACK! Faye had a melt down, bouncing around, spinning, & screaming for Lulu. Another disaster averted & on down the trail we went. Not long after that the 2 crazy girls on crazy horses came galloping up behind us. We got off the trail but they really frazzled Lulu. Fortunately Faye was in front when we got back on the trail because Lulu tried to run through her bit & needed Faye for brakes. Those 2 crazy girls on their crazy horses sure gave off a bad vibe.
The last 3/4 mile was uneventful & we were both so happy & proud of our girls. Back at camp we sponged them off & fed them mashes. Faye finally learned that she could put pressure on the Hi-Tie & it was ok. After her sponge bath she figured out how to roll while on the line. Way to go Faye! It was fun watching other riders come in from their rides. Everyone had smiles on their faces & fun stories to tell. We stayed for a delicious dinner before heading home. The group that puts on this ride does an awesome job. It was fun with well marked trails & the people are great. I got home before dark & Faye was really glad to see her pasturemates. I'm sure she had fun last night, telling them all about her big adventure. Which is only the first of many for The Little,errrrrr, Short Red Team.
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:)
When my main horse became seriously ill in Feb, I was left with no horse to ride. Sooooooo Baby Faye had to grow up quick. I started riding her & realized that while she'd been ridden a little, she'd only walked. It was interesting to ride an 11 year old greenie learning to balance a rider as we trotted down the trail. A friend of mine describes it best, spider legs. LOL
I had planned to do the Dru Barner Memorial Ride over Memorial Day Weekend. Of course that plan was made before Faye became my riding horse. Oh well, what was the worst that could happen if I took a greenie to a huge group ride for a weekend of camping? I could just sit around camp if she was too nervous or freaked out to ride. I could lead her on the trail (uh not the best option for me). I could start riding & go back if she started to get too nervous & unsafe (yeah, I know me better than to think I'd go back). Or I could just RIDE! Which is exactly what I did, riding with a friend on her mare.
My friend & I caravaned to the ride early Saturday morning. Once there, we set up camp & then headed out on the 5 mile ride through the Enchanted Forest Trail. Faye & Lulu did VERY well. We walked the 5 miles in 1 1/2 hours. Along the way we played leap frog so both mares had the opportunity to lead & follow. Back at camp Faye got to experience the Hi-Tie for the first time. Of course I wasn't worried because she does very well on the hot-walker at home. She's such a sweet mare who never tries to stretch her boundaries, which made it hard for her on the Hi-Tie. Everytime she felt the pull of the line, she'd stop. That meant she wouldn't reach down far enough to eat from her bucket or drink. She finally figured out she could reach the water bucket & I bucket her feed bucket on the top of her nibble net to raise it up for her. We settled in for the night & all was quiet.My friend & I hit the trail at 8am Sunday morning. We were doing the 12 mile ride & wanted out before the heat set in. Within minutes of hitting the trail we had 2 crazy girls on crazy horses crash pass us. Fortunately we were able to move off the trail & keep Faye & Lulu a little calm. Grrrrrrrrr...some people have NO clue about trail etiquette.
It was a gorgeous day for a ride. Faye & Lulu, a Missouri Fox trotter, did great together. We crossed bridges, logs, rocky trail, rutted trail, & even a section of trail that had cinder blocks as erosion control. The Dru Barner Campground is in El Dorado, outside the town of Georgetown. It can be quiet hilly & we did some pretty tough climbs on single track trail. Faye was AWESOME! She really impressed me with her willing attitude & "get it done" forwardness going up the hills. She just powered right on up. We did a little trotting in places where the trail was flat & easy. Faye really figured out that she could trot & we got some nice even pacing for short sections. Lulu was learning to maintain a nice fox trot so both mares did really well learning their respective gaits. Every now & then we had a few riders pass us. We moved over & faced our girls into the on coming riders & had no problems. Have I mentioned how proud I was of Faye? Half way though our 12 mile loop was a nice refreshment stop. There was hay & carrots for the horse, food & drinks for the riders. We hung out while Faye & Lulu ate & we enjoyed a soft drink (beer was available for those who wanted it). Then climbing on a log, we mounted up & started off on the 2nd half of our loop. Heading back to the campground had the harder trails, but by then our girls were in a groove & feeling like real trail horses. It was fun riding the windy, single track trail (my favorite). With Lulu in the lead, Faye all of a sudden jumped forward. Yikes! It was a runner coming up behind her. Once she saw him she relaxed, but that jump was a little startling. Further down the trail I all of a sudden found myself airborne & slapping back down on the saddle. I don't know what happened, but Faye went straight up in the air like you see in cartoons where the horse spooks all 4 feet off the ground. Did she get stung, see something under her out of the corner of her eye, or....? Luckily I just got a bruise on the inside of a knee, & I didn't even lose a stirrup. Woohoo... When we had about 1 1/2 miles left, a group of 3 riders came toward us. As we moved off the trail for them, we ended up on opposite sides of the trail with the riders going between us. ACK! Faye had a melt down, bouncing around, spinning, & screaming for Lulu. Another disaster averted & on down the trail we went. Not long after that the 2 crazy girls on crazy horses came galloping up behind us. We got off the trail but they really frazzled Lulu. Fortunately Faye was in front when we got back on the trail because Lulu tried to run through her bit & needed Faye for brakes. Those 2 crazy girls on their crazy horses sure gave off a bad vibe. The last 3/4 mile was uneventful & we were both so happy & proud of our girls. Back at camp we sponged them off & fed them mashes. Faye finally learned that she could put pressure on the Hi-Tie & it was ok. After her sponge bath she figured out how to roll while on the line. Way to go Faye! It was fun watching other riders come in from their rides. Everyone had smiles on their faces & fun stories to tell. We stayed for a delicious dinner before heading home. The group that puts on this ride does an awesome job. It was fun with well marked trails & the people are great. I got home before dark & Faye was really glad to see her pasturemates. I'm sure she had fun last night, telling them all about her big adventure. Which is only the first of many for The Little,errrrrr, Short Red Team.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
If Wishes Were Saddles
Then I would ride.
March 1986, & I was reading a magazine while hanging out at the Malibu Endurance Ride ridecamp. An article caught my attention. It was the first of a three part series about Len Brown's long distance, multi-state journey on horseback. Len went into detail on all the saddle fit & sore back issues that he encountered with his horses, as well as the fixes he did to make his horses comfortable. At the end of his journey he decided to create & build saddles that would FIT!
The next morning I set off on my 50 mile journey through the beautiful hills of Malibu, CA. At the lunch stop I had to ice my horse's back to keep it from swelling. I'd been having ill fitting saddle issues for all of the 1985 season, & now into 1986. I'd even had two saddles custom made to no avail. They sored Wraff's back, creating pressure points that would swell. By the Malibu ride Wraff had white spots behind his withers, & even a balding spot. The best remedy I'd found was to cut holes in a foam pad so the saddle couldn't sit down on those now sensitive spots. It was only a band-aid & I knew I had to find a saddle that fit, or get a new horse. I was pretty discouraged with Wraff's sore back at the end of Malibu. It was then I made the decision to call & talk to Len Brown.
When I called Len that following Monday, & told him what I'd gone through with ill fitting saddles & sore backs, he promised me he could fit my horse. That very day I sent the deposit so Len would begin making me a Brown's saddle, better known today as the Ortho-Flex Traditional. My saddle arrived on Friday as I was leaving for the Tar Springs ride in June. When I opened the box I was shocked. After riding in a Steubben or a Stonewall, my new Brown's saddle looked huge. How was I ever going to ride in it?
The next day I rode in that saddle for the very first time, finishing 50 miles WITHOUT Wraff having a sore or swollen back. The successful result that day was amazing. On July 19, 1986 I rode Tevis &, after 100 miles, Wraff's back looked & felt great. I was in LOVE with my Brown's saddle.
Over the years I'd bought a few used Ortho-Flex saddles. The ones that had originally had horns all seemed to be on the narrow side & didn't fit as well as my original saddle. Those were quickly sold. There were other models & I tried a couple of those with no luck. I bought a 1987 Traditional from a friend, who later decided she wanted her saddle back. It was a good deal for me because I traded her for a hotwalker. In 2012 I bought a refurbished Ortho-Flex Traditional. Its panels had been shortened & when a friend borrowed it because her saddle didn't fit her horse, I lost my #2 saddle. In 2013 I was lucky enough to find another original Ortho-Flex Traditional & didn't hesitate buying it. Len Brown had lost the original company & the new Ortho-Flex Co was nowhere near as good as Len's saddles. They were imitations. Not only that, the Traditional became a discontinued model. While I had two of these wonderful saddles, I really wanted a 3rd. It would be convenient for me to have a saddle for all 3 of my riding horses, each set up with booties (attached saddle pads) for an individual horse.
Two days ago someone posted on an Endurance Facebook page that there was an older Ortho-Flex for sale in Old Town Auburn. Yesterday my friend, CCR, sent me a message asking if I'd seen the post. Yes, I'd seen it but it was 65 miles away & I had a full schedule. I did call to see if it was in fact an original Traditional. It's number told me it was. I thought about that saddle all night (it must have been calling my name) & today when I went to drop my hoof nippers off for sharpening, I decided to just drive on up to Auburn.
For 28 years my saddle has fit every horse I've ridden. It's been a wonder saddle. And now I have THREE!
March 1986, & I was reading a magazine while hanging out at the Malibu Endurance Ride ridecamp. An article caught my attention. It was the first of a three part series about Len Brown's long distance, multi-state journey on horseback. Len went into detail on all the saddle fit & sore back issues that he encountered with his horses, as well as the fixes he did to make his horses comfortable. At the end of his journey he decided to create & build saddles that would FIT!
The next morning I set off on my 50 mile journey through the beautiful hills of Malibu, CA. At the lunch stop I had to ice my horse's back to keep it from swelling. I'd been having ill fitting saddle issues for all of the 1985 season, & now into 1986. I'd even had two saddles custom made to no avail. They sored Wraff's back, creating pressure points that would swell. By the Malibu ride Wraff had white spots behind his withers, & even a balding spot. The best remedy I'd found was to cut holes in a foam pad so the saddle couldn't sit down on those now sensitive spots. It was only a band-aid & I knew I had to find a saddle that fit, or get a new horse. I was pretty discouraged with Wraff's sore back at the end of Malibu. It was then I made the decision to call & talk to Len Brown.
When I called Len that following Monday, & told him what I'd gone through with ill fitting saddles & sore backs, he promised me he could fit my horse. That very day I sent the deposit so Len would begin making me a Brown's saddle, better known today as the Ortho-Flex Traditional. My saddle arrived on Friday as I was leaving for the Tar Springs ride in June. When I opened the box I was shocked. After riding in a Steubben or a Stonewall, my new Brown's saddle looked huge. How was I ever going to ride in it?
The next day I rode in that saddle for the very first time, finishing 50 miles WITHOUT Wraff having a sore or swollen back. The successful result that day was amazing. On July 19, 1986 I rode Tevis &, after 100 miles, Wraff's back looked & felt great. I was in LOVE with my Brown's saddle.
Over the years I'd bought a few used Ortho-Flex saddles. The ones that had originally had horns all seemed to be on the narrow side & didn't fit as well as my original saddle. Those were quickly sold. There were other models & I tried a couple of those with no luck. I bought a 1987 Traditional from a friend, who later decided she wanted her saddle back. It was a good deal for me because I traded her for a hotwalker. In 2012 I bought a refurbished Ortho-Flex Traditional. Its panels had been shortened & when a friend borrowed it because her saddle didn't fit her horse, I lost my #2 saddle. In 2013 I was lucky enough to find another original Ortho-Flex Traditional & didn't hesitate buying it. Len Brown had lost the original company & the new Ortho-Flex Co was nowhere near as good as Len's saddles. They were imitations. Not only that, the Traditional became a discontinued model. While I had two of these wonderful saddles, I really wanted a 3rd. It would be convenient for me to have a saddle for all 3 of my riding horses, each set up with booties (attached saddle pads) for an individual horse.
Two days ago someone posted on an Endurance Facebook page that there was an older Ortho-Flex for sale in Old Town Auburn. Yesterday my friend, CCR, sent me a message asking if I'd seen the post. Yes, I'd seen it but it was 65 miles away & I had a full schedule. I did call to see if it was in fact an original Traditional. It's number told me it was. I thought about that saddle all night (it must have been calling my name) & today when I went to drop my hoof nippers off for sharpening, I decided to just drive on up to Auburn.
For 28 years my saddle has fit every horse I've ridden. It's been a wonder saddle. And now I have THREE!
Friday, April 11, 2014
The Saved Foals
A wandering mind isn't always a good thing. Random thoughts can lead down into the dark at times. Guess I haven't been busy enough today because my mind has been wandering.
Twelve years ago I had jury duty in a murder trial. The defendant changed his plea to guilty so we got out of the courtroom room early. Not long after I got home that afternoon, a pregnant mare belonging to a friend went into labor. She presented with a red-bag delivery, meaning the placenta was coming out ahead of the foal. A RED ALERT situation. I managed to get the placenta torn open with my hands (it's amazing how tough a horse's placenta is), & the colt delivered. The colt wasn't breathing so I thumped his ribcage trying to jolt him into breathing. When that didn't work I held his mouth shut, closed off a nostril, & breathed air into his other nostril. I don't even know how many times I breathed into that little nostril, but finally he coughed & breathed. Lack of oxygen caused a few days of a "dummy" foal & he had to be bottle fed for a while, but Little John thrived & was a cute colt. My friend was quite pleased with his new colt & had plans for his future as a nice trail horse.
Eleven years ago in March, we had a severe thunder & lightening storm. I went out into the night to make sure the horses were safe & not panicking. The nine yearlings were huddled together & none seemed too alarmed by the storm. The adults were all fine as well, so back I went back to bed. I left for work before daylight the next morning but did take a quick headcount, as I do every day. When I got home from work, my friend was already at the ranch. He was in a panic & I just knew something was really wrong. All he could say was "Little John". I could see Little John standing 3/4 of the way up the pasture so was a bit puzzled. As I walked up the hill I could see that he was standing odd & not moving. I sent my friend to call the vet because I knew Little John had a broken leg.
Sometime during the night, after I'd checked on the horses, the yearlings had panicked & run through a fence. I could see that two of the yearlings had scratches on their chests so surmised they'd been the first through the fence, knocking it down as the others followed. Somewhere in the herd of frightened yearlings was Little John. When he went over the fence a hind leg had to have gone through the wire. The force of his forward movement stripped that top wire loose from the rest of the wire by 20-30'. The "yank" of the wire had to have caused the break at the top of Little John's femur. There was no saving the well loved gelding.
In the aftermath of that tragic day, my friend & I wondered if Little John should have been lost on the day of his birth. It felt like maybe I wasn't supposed to have been home to save him, if that makes any since. I was supposed to have been on jury duty for a couple of weeks. I shouldn't have been home early the day he was born. Maybe I wasn't supposed to have saved him & that's why he, of all the yearlings, was the only one injured so tragically. Was his loss as a yearling the balancing of his being saved at birth? When we go to such lengths to save a foal that would have been lost had no one been home, are we upsetting a natural balance? Have we changed the course of a fate that needs to be rectified by their untimely, young loss?
As I reflect on Little John today, I'm wondering if going to extreme lengths to save a foal who wouldn't have survived without intervention, is only delaying the inevitable. Are the saved foals destined to break our hearts when we lose them all too young? More of our hearts go into the saved foals so more of our hearts are broken when we lose them. Maybe there's a tragedy in the euphoria felt when a foal survives against the odds. While I don't regret my saved foals (I would do it again without hesitation), & I love them more than I can say, my heart breaks at the thought of losing them all too young because maybe, just maybe, the balance needs to be righted.
My heart is breaking.
Twelve years ago I had jury duty in a murder trial. The defendant changed his plea to guilty so we got out of the courtroom room early. Not long after I got home that afternoon, a pregnant mare belonging to a friend went into labor. She presented with a red-bag delivery, meaning the placenta was coming out ahead of the foal. A RED ALERT situation. I managed to get the placenta torn open with my hands (it's amazing how tough a horse's placenta is), & the colt delivered. The colt wasn't breathing so I thumped his ribcage trying to jolt him into breathing. When that didn't work I held his mouth shut, closed off a nostril, & breathed air into his other nostril. I don't even know how many times I breathed into that little nostril, but finally he coughed & breathed. Lack of oxygen caused a few days of a "dummy" foal & he had to be bottle fed for a while, but Little John thrived & was a cute colt. My friend was quite pleased with his new colt & had plans for his future as a nice trail horse.
Eleven years ago in March, we had a severe thunder & lightening storm. I went out into the night to make sure the horses were safe & not panicking. The nine yearlings were huddled together & none seemed too alarmed by the storm. The adults were all fine as well, so back I went back to bed. I left for work before daylight the next morning but did take a quick headcount, as I do every day. When I got home from work, my friend was already at the ranch. He was in a panic & I just knew something was really wrong. All he could say was "Little John". I could see Little John standing 3/4 of the way up the pasture so was a bit puzzled. As I walked up the hill I could see that he was standing odd & not moving. I sent my friend to call the vet because I knew Little John had a broken leg.
Sometime during the night, after I'd checked on the horses, the yearlings had panicked & run through a fence. I could see that two of the yearlings had scratches on their chests so surmised they'd been the first through the fence, knocking it down as the others followed. Somewhere in the herd of frightened yearlings was Little John. When he went over the fence a hind leg had to have gone through the wire. The force of his forward movement stripped that top wire loose from the rest of the wire by 20-30'. The "yank" of the wire had to have caused the break at the top of Little John's femur. There was no saving the well loved gelding.
In the aftermath of that tragic day, my friend & I wondered if Little John should have been lost on the day of his birth. It felt like maybe I wasn't supposed to have been home to save him, if that makes any since. I was supposed to have been on jury duty for a couple of weeks. I shouldn't have been home early the day he was born. Maybe I wasn't supposed to have saved him & that's why he, of all the yearlings, was the only one injured so tragically. Was his loss as a yearling the balancing of his being saved at birth? When we go to such lengths to save a foal that would have been lost had no one been home, are we upsetting a natural balance? Have we changed the course of a fate that needs to be rectified by their untimely, young loss?
As I reflect on Little John today, I'm wondering if going to extreme lengths to save a foal who wouldn't have survived without intervention, is only delaying the inevitable. Are the saved foals destined to break our hearts when we lose them all too young? More of our hearts go into the saved foals so more of our hearts are broken when we lose them. Maybe there's a tragedy in the euphoria felt when a foal survives against the odds. While I don't regret my saved foals (I would do it again without hesitation), & I love them more than I can say, my heart breaks at the thought of losing them all too young because maybe, just maybe, the balance needs to be righted.
My heart is breaking.
Friday, February 14, 2014
FV Farrubi & Her Legacies
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I was offered a package deal on Rubi. I could have her, her 2 year old gelding (if I'd only known his future), & the foal she was expecting. The only problem was that I wanted a riding horse & didn't want to wait through foaling & weaning. So I passed & continued my horse shopping.
A number of months later I got an email from someone who had ended up with Rubi. This person had been told of my interest months earlier & was contacting me to see if I would be interested since her foal was going to be weaned soon. She was now 1/2 the original price. Yes, I was interested. Then that hesitant pause came back to me.
I contacted a couple of Rubi's former owners & what stories they had to tell. The gal who had gotten her as a 2 year old, & paid good money, had given her away a couple years later. She told me Rubi was crazy. The final incident before giving her away was Rubi flipping out in the palpation stocks & eventually flipping over the rail. Years later I would meet the vet involved at the time & her story corroborated the total flip out. The next previous owner told me how Rubi would just "flip a switch" & go crazy. She said there was no warning & there was no "getting the mare's brain back". After multiple small incidences, the final episode for this owner was a total bucking frenzy that lead to a hospital stay with a severely broken leg. In her opinion, the mare needed to be euthanized because she was dangerous. The 3rd person I contacted told me that he was the only person to successfully ride Rubi. By successful he clarified that meant he was the only one not to get hurt. He did complete an endurance ride on her, but the unpredictability was just too risky. He warned me to NEVER get on Rubi. He said that all the things you do to normally calm & reassure a horse didn't work for her. Pet her neck & she'd explode, talk to her & she'd explode, basically nothing you did would bring her brain back. That hesitant pause served me well. I told the current seller what I'd discovered & that I wasn't interested. Until two months later...
When I opened that email I knew I was in trouble. The seller wanted to know if I knew of anyone interested in Rubi as a broodmare only, at 1/3 of what she was originally asking. That came to 1/6 of the price I had originally considered paying for her. I emailed the gal back & asked if she would deliver Rubi to me. To this day I still shake me head. LOL
I'll admit that Rubi was freaky scary when she arrived. Yikes! You couldn't give her a pat or she'd go ballistic. It was a bit unnerving to go in the stall with her because she'd whirl, her eyes would roll, & over the top of you she'd go, never even knowing what she was doing. WHAT had I gotten myself into? She was thin & sick when she arrived, mane snarled & tail chewed off. WHAT had I gotten myself into?
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| Samskrit |
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| DC Kid Rooster |
And remember I mentioned I could have originally purchased Rubi as a packaged deal? Well that two year old gelding has grown to be a truly exceptional endurance horse. Farraba (Rabba Baron x FV Farrubi) was the 2012 Haggin Cup Winner at Tevis, & in 2013 he won the AERC Championship Ride. Another son, Samskrit by Aur Samari, has also completed Tevis.
Rubi was laid to rest on Valentine's Day 2014. While she's gone & no longer runs across my friend's pasture, she has left her exceptional legacies for those of us lucky enough to have them in our lives. I consider myself honored to have had this quirky, hard to know, exceptional broodmare in my herd.
Thank you so much Rubi, for giving me my Rubi Red Family of Launi, Carli, & Ryn. They are near & dear to my heart. Without you I wouldn't have them. Run free Rubi. Run free with a peaceful mind.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
The Young Man & His Dog
Many months ago, back when my dad was still driving, I saw a clean young man walking along Lincoln with his cute, red, possibly pit cross, 1/2 grown puppy. A couple hours later we saw this same man & his dog outside WalMart with a "need help, hungry" sign. I remember thinking "What a shame. He must have just recently lost his job". Over the months I've seen this man & his dog on various street corners, begging for help. My heart has always been drawn to his ever faithful companion. As time has gone by the man has gotten scraggly & scruffy. His dog has grown & while not skinny, she is lean, & always laying at his feet, no matter where I've seen them across town. Why this duo has drawn my attention time after time, I have no idea.
Today the man & his dog were at WalMart when I went shopping. Without realizing which aisle I was in, I found myself picking up a few groceries, a small bag of dog food, & a little blanket for the little red dog. I had no idea how I was getting the 2 little bags to the man from my truck in a VERY busy parking lot. But as I pulled out of my parking space, the lot seemed to temporarily be free of moving vehicles. I waved the man over & handed him a bag, telling him it was for him. The 2nd bag I told him was for his dog. I told him I'd seen them around town for a long time. Through a choked voice he told me his dog's name (starts w/SH but I couldn't make the rest out), thanked me, & wished me a great day. I pulled out of the parking lot, choking back my own tears. After running to another store I headed home, back pass WalMart. There was the man, scooping peanut butter out of the jar with either crackers or a bagel (I couldn't see which). His dog was looking up, waiting for her bite. Blinking back tears, I came home to hug my ever faithful companions.
How is this related to being touched by horses you ask? Well if it weren't for my lifelong love of horses, I wouldn't have had a career path to fall back on after losing my long time office job. If it weren't for horses, it very well could be me & my dogs standing on street corners, hoping some stranger would have compassion for us that day. Horses touch our lives in ways we'll probably never even realize. They truly are magical creatures.
Today the man & his dog were at WalMart when I went shopping. Without realizing which aisle I was in, I found myself picking up a few groceries, a small bag of dog food, & a little blanket for the little red dog. I had no idea how I was getting the 2 little bags to the man from my truck in a VERY busy parking lot. But as I pulled out of my parking space, the lot seemed to temporarily be free of moving vehicles. I waved the man over & handed him a bag, telling him it was for him. The 2nd bag I told him was for his dog. I told him I'd seen them around town for a long time. Through a choked voice he told me his dog's name (starts w/SH but I couldn't make the rest out), thanked me, & wished me a great day. I pulled out of the parking lot, choking back my own tears. After running to another store I headed home, back pass WalMart. There was the man, scooping peanut butter out of the jar with either crackers or a bagel (I couldn't see which). His dog was looking up, waiting for her bite. Blinking back tears, I came home to hug my ever faithful companions.
How is this related to being touched by horses you ask? Well if it weren't for my lifelong love of horses, I wouldn't have had a career path to fall back on after losing my long time office job. If it weren't for horses, it very well could be me & my dogs standing on street corners, hoping some stranger would have compassion for us that day. Horses touch our lives in ways we'll probably never even realize. They truly are magical creatures.
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