Was that the Loch Ness Monster???

Or perhaps just a really big snapping turtle?

It was SO NICE on Thursday that Red & I had to get out for a ride.  I was planning to do his right hock injection (meant to do it a month ago, but, well, stuff happens...) but we went riding instead (and he got his hock done on Friday).

We wandered over to the gravel pit and had to trot in the woodsy areas because the gnats were swarming every living thing in vast hordes (anyone ever ridden with a head net over their helmet?  I think I'm going to try it).  Poor Red's gait is pretty asymmetrical due to my delay in getting his right hock done, so the trot was not that comfortable to ride - he kept lurching me to the left.  But, he was all go-go-go and would have gladly moved out if I'd let him.  Luckily there was enough breeze to keep the gnats at bay in the open area, and we wandered around enjoying the scenery and scaring up a few deer.

Red watching the white deer butts disappearing into the woods

Headed out of the main gravel pit, I decided to take the scenic route around the backside of the neighboring, private gravel pit.  As we got close to the large pond in this pit, I spotted something which appeared to be a head or just eyes sitting on the water surface.  I just had time to form the thought, "Huh? What is THAT?" when it disappeared with the smooth easing of a confident predator, not the harried & surprised, ripple-making splash of prey.  Hmmm....  this is not Florida, so it couldn't have been a gator... but I just had the sense that whatever it was, it was BIG.  What I saw was just a tiny part of what seemed to be massive beast just under the surface.  Logic tells me it had to be a big snapping turtle (right?), but it did give me pause to wonder just how deep that "pond" really is and what Nessie might be doing inhabiting it.

Looking for Nessie

We finished our ride traversing the shoulder of the road, not making our customary turn at the gravel road, and Red decided that meant "new territory" and therefore required hypervigilance for any possible dangers.  I do appreciate his concern for our (his) safety, but, seriously, a walk down the road is generally not fraught with multiple life-endangering encounters.  The lady gardening, the neighbor's horses (& one funny looking pony mule), and the procreating turtles aren't likely to attack (well, actually, in the mule's case...). Red required lots of reminders to walk on the way home, but I think we both enjoyed our little outing.

The curious horses + mule

Avenue of Trees

It's the last day of September, and the weather is fine.  I'd originally planned on a longer ride, but got waylaid by other things.  So, in my limited time, Red, Kelso, & I meandered over to the gravel pit for a look-see at the ever-changing fall foliage.  There have been plenty of geese heading south in their lopsided, cacophonous Vs, but the sand hill cranes were still making their eerie racket in the cow pasture while we tacked up in the barn.  The odd, long-legged birds come back every year to nest in the area, and this year raised 3 young cranes.  They frequented Red's pasture often, but still he must stand at attention in the barn when they are visible, every fiber of him focused on them out the back door.

It was a day of bird sightings, as we had a mature bald eagle soaring over the farm when we left, and flushed up two grouse which my bird dog soundly ignored, as usual.  Yellow-rumped warblers are plentiful right now, flitting through the low branches.  We just enjoyed drinking in the day.

Boot Trial: Rhio #2

So to ascertain if there are differences in Rhio's way of going wearing different boots, I rode him yesterday in the Easyboot Gloves on his front feet (yes, 1 pair of boots fits 6 of my horses' 8 hooves!) and completely barefoot on his hind feet.  I was able to do this because I rode the trails around home only.  I could definitely still hear him forging, but his gait seemed better.  I'm probably not quite as able to assess because I was riding him in the bareback pad - so everything feels a little different anyway.  I did discover that he came home with a fair amount of debris in the boots, which tells me they're not fitting "like a glove" as they should.

Leah came along riding Red, so I had fun showing her my home training loops and we were lucky enough to see the bald eagles as well as the sandhill cranes.

That is one of the cranes in the open area between cow pastures at Dave & Carol's.

You can see how the boot doesn't actually fit the shape of Rhio's front feet all that well.

A Quick One

Surveying the gravel pit from on top of the mound that is our mini-hill

I had only a little time before Easter dinner, but took Red out for a quick ride.  We did the trails across the road, about a mile in length but with mostly good firm footing that I like to canter.  He is barefoot while I wait for my new boots to come, so we are somewhat restricted on where we can ride. There is a sandy section in the middle that we have to walk because some creature (a badger maybe?) digs huge holes and I REALLY don't want a horse to step in one.  There is also an old metal can that requires a long look or two every time we pass it.  Today, the frogs were so loud that Red had to stop & identify the noise before he would continue past the little pond.  

The trail across the road

We popped out of the trail onto the access road to the gravel pit and took a quick swing down into the pit, disturbing a large number of bald eagles.  We saw the pair of sand hill cranes (they've been back about a week now) in the field on the way home, and ended our 3 mile, 30 minute ride happy.

Kelso resting in the car after running with us

Red's friend Rusty was waiting for us at the gate

Red telling Rusty all about our little adventure

The One Day I Forget My Camera...

Rhio & I did a quick 6 miles down Arnold Rd to the county gravel pit, up & down the gravel pit mound, and around the trails to the south of the pit - all of which we did twice - then home via the trails out back.  It's a nice little loop.  Rhio was happy to move out and we spent a lot of time in our favorite gait - the canter.  I don't like to canter on the road too much due to the excessive concussion - for Rhio's feet & legs, and also for me on the rare occasion that I land on it unexpectedly!  The trails were in good shape except for a few soggy spots.

I didn't bring my camera, however, as I was expecting a short ride.  On our first trip up the gravel pit mound, we crested the top to see a big mature bald eagle sitting on top of the neighboring mound, probably about 50 feet away.  She was just sitting there, completely unconcerned about us.  She would look around, then down at her feet (or something she had in her talons?  I couldn't tell.)  Rhio & I sat there for several minutes just enjoying our proximity to such a big, beautiful bird.

Rhio also got his first hosing off of the season after our ride, removing at least a little of the grunge from the winter.  We had a sunny gorgeous 60+ degree day with a warm south wind, so I figured getting him wet wasn't a bad plan.  He doesn't particularly care for hosing, but he's pretty good about it.  Luckily we have warm water in our hose.  Of course, seeing my lovely gray horse shining white is already a distant memory, as he immediately dropped & rolled in the dirt as soon as he got back to his pasture.  Before & after photos would have been appropriate.