Mixed Bag

Friday night it rained, the boys spent the night inside, without their jackets. It was 'warm' but wet. By morning it had cleared out, but remained cloudy and foggy all day.

Packing our lunch, we decided to check out a new location to ride. In the same county, but way up county in Boyds. There are many farms and forested areas in this area and the land owners got together to create a wonderful trail system. Mostly open meadows, signs say to stay at the fence line or on marked trails. The corn and wheat fields link together into a lovely three or four hour ride.

Parking at the 'Pony Club' parking lot we headed out, leaving our lunch in the truck because it won't be that long a ride, follow the signs. The deer, although plentiful, are rather shy and vanish quickly from our view. We find deer stands all over the place, outfitted with ladders and lawn chairs.

We don't encounter any railroad tracks, but we hear the trains announcing for Boyds at-grade crossing. It takes us longer to get back to the trailer than we thought it should, getting a little lost here and there, we eat our lunch at the truck closer to 3:30.

On Sunday we head over to the League, choosing to go to Sykesville. This was a mistake. Earlier in the week he got an email from the ranger thanking him for the information concerning the blocked trail. The ranger said his crew had worked on removing the tree. We were excited to go back through the restored trail, the 'go-around' was awful, scary, and causing serious erosion. I deemed it dangerous, period.

We came upon the trail section and immediately saw the sign designating that horses go this way, bikes that way. We got off to investigate and interpret the signage and the choices. FAIL! FAIL! FAIL!

I had a melt-down. Not proud of it, but am holding my ground. I am NOT GOING DOWN THAT HILL again. The first time was horrible, the second time I thought it would be better. It was not. Not going to be a third time. No. Way. Ever. Again.

The trails that were installed by bench cutting with a MacLeod tool were not horse-safe. The trails are sited along the edge, and will cause erosion and probably a mishap. The soil is not stable, full of Mica and sand, it shifts and nothing, not even the trees, will stay rooted.

We turn around, a rare occurrence for us!, and on the way back to the trailer we seek out two new trail routes. The first one needs a little bit of work, but has potential. We stop at the top of the 'cliff' to watch the train going into an 'S' curve through a narrow trough of the Patapsco River.

The second route we had been on about a year ago, but didn't stay on it to the end because we believed it was not going to end up where we wanted to go. It was obvious someone (horse) had been on it recently, tagging with orange tape and cutting downed logs. I think this might be the better way to go from now on, less erosion and better footing.

Nearer the trailer we saw probably close to twenty deer, some with good-sized antlers (6 to 10 point bucks) and unlike yesterday's ride, they did not want to move on or even get up.

Going without lunch because of our trail re-route plan, we stopped by a place in the closest strip-mall to our house and got fried chicken and fixings. Yum! We ate in the truck at the Annapolis Rock cow pasture.

Then we pulled the boys out of the trailer, saddled up and rode out again. We had little daylight left, and being foggy with a low ceiling dark was rapidly descending. We did a short loop, getting turned around and ended up riding on the road.

I ride 'ahead' and saw the motorcycle coming before he did. The crunching leaves made it impossible to hear, but I let him know the cycle was headed our way. He pulled out his phone and turned on the strobe light, the biker saw us and slowed down, we waved to him from the side of the road. It is getting dark.

We encounter another car, meeting the SUV using the strobe light. This really does work! We find the cut in the fence and take off up the hill towards the trailer. Getting darker every minute, but it is only 5 o'clock! Mild and humid, but the daylight has left us.

Weekends go by so fast!

Fox Chase

Saturday night the boys stayed out all night. Mostly, lately, they've been in because it has been cold/wet/windy and it is better to have them in. When they want in, they want in.

Around 10:00 p.m. I go out to 'throw hay' and check water. I usually put the hay in four different places, near each other, but far enough away so they have room and Skip can move KC off of a pile of hay, and KC can then circle back to another pile. While I was in the process of doing this, had five flakes of hay in my right arm, had KC by the halter with the other, I noticed the fox pretty close up to the designated drop spots.

The lighting has been much improved lately, and can see the black stockings, and the white and black on the tail. Since the Skunk has been dispatched, the fox have resumed their original haunts.

As I'm walking towards the drop spot the fox starts up the hill towards me! I'm sure I squeaked, wouldn't you? I toss the flakes towards the fox, KC pulls loose from my grasp on his halter and charges towards the fox, head down, ears pinned. Yikes!

The fox does a dainty roll-back and goes to his original locations, proceeds to scratch his ear, then picks his butt. KC comes back to me and puts his head into the pile of hay. I'm freaked out at this point. I go into the run-in shed, peering out of the window to see what the fox is doing. He's ignoring the horses, and they are ignoring him.

Cold Patch

Been cold around these parts lately, breezy and freezing. The boys are making it a habit to stay in the barn overnight. With their winter coats on. Yes, THAT cold.

Frosty mornings, windy nights, they really need to come in. And they ask to come in, so how could I say 'no.' He put their blankets on Tuesday, and they wore them until Friday morning. Friday morning it was 29 degrees, but warming up to high 50s during the day.

On Tuesday he got a good supply of sawdust, in plastic bales, storing in the shed. This could last most of the season, because they don't stay in every night. Sawdust is easier to clean up than shavings.

Also have closed the top of their Dutch doors, while keeping the barn aisle door at one end wide enough for Sprite and Lil Fred to come and go as they want.

Don't You Forget About Me!

Sprite and Lil Fred, relaxing in their domain.

Fear

Fearful, Fearsome, Fearless

Which are you? Which is me? I tell anyone that will listen that I'm not a good rider. I'm not. I learned all the bad habits as a child, as an adult these cannot be corrected, even with excellent teachers, mentors, books, DVDs, and tutors.

I've seen good riders. The riders with a good seat, soft hands, body control, spine of steel sitting on a bucking horse. I'm not a good rider.

I'm not a good rider, but I'm fearless. I'm not dangerous (my opinion) or reckless. I take my horse's ability into consideration, don't get too far past his comfort zone. Or mine. You won't catch me Eventing, or showing, or doing acrobatic feats. I'm not a good rider.

However, I find it hard to wrap my head around fearful riders. I know so many. Sitting on that horse like a little hunchback, toes pointing into the dirt, wearing the stirrup like an anklet, fetal position. Death grip on the reins.

I'm not a good rider, and my horse doesn't know any better. I'm totally aware of his short-comings and accept them. He's unique, like everybody else. It's no stretch to imagine him stumbling over a log, or down an embankment. Because of this I try to sit straight up, heels down, knees in, shoulders back. Sometimes he disappears entirely from my view - no head, no ears, no mane - no horse! I remain in the middle of his back and wait for him to catch himself, staying out of his way.

I try not to ride with fearful riders, the riders that are afraid of their horses, afraid of what their horse might do or not do. Afraid of their surroundings, of other riders, bicycles, rocky trails, or dogs. Some I've wonder why they even have a horse, why they ride at all, why they stick with the same teacher.

Life is too short to be scared. Horses are a choice, not a requirement, don't have to do it if you don't feel comfortable. Pick another teacher, another horse, another pastime.

Daylight Saving Ends

I could barely stay awake, not making it to 10:00 p.m. Then I'm awake at 3:37 a.m. And then again at 4:32 a.m., and on and on until I give up at 6:25 a.m. and leave the bed. Chilly overnight, the trough has a slight skim of ice.

The time shift has made it possible to do barn chores in some daylight. It will be dark for evening chores. I'm going to miss the daylight hours spent at home, not to be seen again until mid-January.

First November Sunday

It just doesn't get any better than this. Am I right?