A June Evening Drive

I was just plain tired last evening, but since I hadn't visited the horse on Wednesday, I wanted to go to the barn. Wasn't planning to ride, didn't have any real idea of what I wanted to do, I just needed my Quzqo fix!

It was such a beautiful evening though...the sun out, the honeysuckle in full fragrant bloom, a gentle warm breeze, low traffic...sun not setting 'til around 9:30...horse was fed and looking at me out his stall window, like "well???"

What the hell, let's drive!

I haven't driven Quzqo since that incident in the ditch on Mother's Day. Not that I've been afraid, I just didn't get around to it (as an aside, I recently drove the car past that spot in the road, and y'know what? It WAS a deep, steep ditch and I had every right to be scared at the time!). Like they say, you only live once!

Quz was all for it, pawing at the pavement as I harnessed him up, stood good as gold as I got into the cart (okay, yes, I give him a peppermint so he's distracted trying to chew it with a bit in his mouth, so sue me), and stepped right out when asked. We didn't go our usual route, instead turned right onto a residential street.

Such a beautiful evening...since Quz is shod on the front hooves, I didn't have any reservations about trotting him out on pavement, and he had no hesitation either, and we merrily headed down the road! Love the sound of those clip-clopping hooves!

After a mile or so we came to the edge of the State Forest, and as it was getting towards twilight, I had no intention of taking him into a gloomy forest. We rested at a stop sign, he fussed and fidgeted but stood relatively still. About 1/4 mile down the interesecting road we both saw a small pack of pre-teen boys on bicycles, wheeling hither and yon down the middle of the road. I could hear them yelling and hollering and picked up "A horse!!" and then whinneying noises!

Quzqo saw the glittering shapes moving erratically coming towards him, his ears pricked up, his head went up, his feet went up, and he was having none of those things coming towards him. I turned him around, he couldn't do it fast enough, almost prancing in place, head up, neck arched, ready to explode if he could! I got him walking as the boys got closer, he broke into a trot, a ground-devouring roadster trot and I could NOT slow him down! We left the boys far behind and Quz just flew down the road. No traffic, maybe a mile before he came to the busy county road near the barn, so what the hey, I let him have his head! He trotted and trotted, head up, ears pricked, just enjoying the ability to run! The wheels were humming on the pavement, I glanced nervously at the bolts I could see, everything was still tight...I quick glanced at the harness, everything still buckled, nothing frayed and about to snap. Mailboxes flew past us, that "clip clop" sounded more like a Thompson machine gun. His tail was flying high and nearly hitting me in the face. The reins were thrumming in my fingers. Katie bar the door, here comes Quzqo!!!

Luckily I was driving Quzqo, and to paraphrase John Lyons, I can drive as fast as he can run, and after maybe 3/8 of a mile he pooped out and slowed to a more civilized trot. We slowed to a walk as we went by the farm with all the Tennessee Walking Horses (it's good manners after all). By the time we reached the county road, whatever bee was in Quzqo's bonnet had buzzed away and he was content to walk along the road, oblivious to whatever traffic flew by.

I felt good as we returned to the barn, Quzqo was sighing and his ears were sort of flopped off to the sides, his whole demeanor the picture of mellowness. Was it good for you too, Quz?