Dude, Where's My Trail!??

Here it is, almost APRIL and the woods are still choked with snow that can be measured with a yardstick!! But at long last the roads are clear enough that I was finally able to take Quzqo OUT of the indoor arena and go someplace where we could travel in a straight line for a long, long time!!

He hadn't been ridden outdoors since early last November, so I didn't take any chances, tacking him up in our good trail saddle, breast collar, and a shanked bit. Had my cell phone, and tied my hunter orange sweatshirt to the back of the saddle. He also has shoes on his front feet for the first time in 2 or 3 years. We were READY!

It was a balmy 34 degrees with a nice 10 mph wind, making the wind chill around 21 degrees, and of course just as we stepped out of the barn, the sky clouded over, reminding me that we've got a winter storm forcast for tonight into tomorrow. Oh goody.

The horse did surprisingly well, considering it's his first time outside a fence in 5 months (!!!!!) and he's an Arabian. Oh, we had a couple of little spook-fits leaving the property (OMG a SNOWBANK!), and when we got to the end of the fenceline he pulled his usual Drama Queen "Oh no, we're NOT leaving the property" but I had spurs on and got him moving off the property. You'd think having stared at the same fences all winter, he'd be eager to see some new sights!

There was between 1 foot and 3 feet of snow in the woods, so we stuck to the roads. Since he's got shoes on now, we were able to trot and canter without him being "ouchie" about the gravel...that was a nice change!

LOL, as we were leaving we came to a long hill, and we started trotting; he broke into a canter...the same thing he did years ago when he ran off with me and I ended up in the emergency room! I briefly worried on that, then it occured to me; this horse is so FAT you can't feel his ribs even if you push hard! Yep, halfway up the hill he pooped out and walked the rest of the way, puffing and huffing!

Our ride was pretty much short bits of trotting or cantering with lots of walking, cuz both of us are out of shape. It was interesting to see all the treasures uncovered by the melting snow...articles of clothing, car parts, election signs, and the requisite deer rib cage.

We made it to the edge of the state forest where the Shore-to-Shore trail goes in...the snow was pretty deep, so we didn't even bother trying.



He did darned good though, no major spook-fits, good as gold on the road when cars and trucks whizzed by. I'm optimistic for what this year holds!

Dealing with Non-Believers

My neighbor is a very outgoing social sort of gal, and is forever inviting me hither and yon for this speaker's presentation or this art gallery show or this concert or this "women's event" (sorry, I gave those up back in the '80's when my subscription to "Ms" ran out). This Sunday will be a once-in-a-lifetime open house event at some new eatery downtown with hors d'oeuvres and wine tastings and probably a heaping helping of snobbery and pontificating blathering. Yeah, she invited me along.

This Sunday also will be the first day this YEAR where the roadsides will be clear of snow and slush, and it'll be sunny, and dry, and temperatures in the low 50's, and I've been dreaming all week of taking Quzqo out for a drive on the roads...outdoors! In the fresh air! With firm footing and we will be able to go more than 100 feet before having to turn a corner. He even got shoes put on his front feet yesterday in preparation for our driving and trail riding adventures to come!

Gee...which do you think I'd rather do?

I tried to explain this to my neighbor, and I could see her glazed, uncomprehending look, even over the telephone... how could anyone prefer to do something with a big smelly horse rather than enjoy tea sandwiches and fine wines in a posh downtown eatery on a Sunday afternoon?

It'd be impossible to really explain, how I prefer the smell of horse manure over merlot fumes, I'd rather run my fingers through a fuzzy fur coat still attached to a single-toed beastie that nickers on one end and farts out the other, than a fur coat on a hanger in a fancy store. My non-existent manicure probably has horse dirt under the nails, because $30 will buy a hoof trim for the horse rather than acrylic nails for myself.

It's probably not worth the bother to try to explain. They'll never understand, but I understand, and you probably understand as well.

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Addendum: Well, this idiot overdid it on Saturday and swilled half a bottle of Chardonnay, and thus woke up with the Migraine/Hangover from HELL on Sunday! So I never got out to the barn to drive or ride or much of anything, instead spending my day shivering in bed wishing for death. Well, there's always next weekend...

At Long Last...a Video!

Over the years I've had requests for a video of me actually riding Quzqo, so people could help me with my problems with him, or just to see. This past weekend a good friend came to visit, and she was kind enough to be my videographer. This is hardly the ideal conditions for videotaping, but I had a willing body to hold the camera, so one makes due with what one has!

Some disclaimers!

• I hadn't ridden the horse in a week and a half
• It was night, and the barn owner doesn't want us using the BIG arena lights to save electricity and $$ (though now I wish I'd gone ahead and used them, ha ha)...that's why it's dark!
• It was around 14 degrees IN the arena, so I'm bundled up to the gills.
• Just so nobody turns me in to FHOTD for being an inappropriate-footwear-wearing @sshat, I AM wearing my winter boots, but they have a nice heel to them.
• Normally I ride with spurs, I didn't, so that's why I'm pummeling the horse's sides now and then.
• I'd never ridden in that saddle before...I just bought it that day and was trying it out. Yes, it's too small and I will be selling it shortly
• I'm riding with a bitless bridle.
• The weird as heck glowing face of Satan is actually the reflectors on the tractor parked in the corner.
• I guess that's it! Enjoy!