Under Cover

About the only wise choice I did make...was to wear tall boots for the drenching ride ahead.

The moist onslaught was in reprieve, with the dark clouds having blown over someone else's domain for the time being. I groomed quickly, making decisions to skip the quarter rain sheet for the mare and also, the rain duster favorite of mine for remaining dry, on days like this day. It was muggy and I dislike greatly, to overheat.

Maybe not very thoughtful.

Making small talk and listening with stablemates was hard without being obvious- I was so out of there, as soon as the velcro, buckles , clips and some odd snaps were in place!

Down the slick trail I hand walked, mounting at the bottom. We then strode quickly up the road, brushing the bright yellow scrub bushes aside. They left  sticky, rain battled petals on my legs and boots. It made me smile when I looked down and spied them.The yellow will soon give way to other colors this spring.

 Our first stop.....

 Under the dry cover of the Evergreen Fir trees. The heavy laden clouds had caught up to us, and were relieving themselves. 

I dismounted for a time...the mare being pensive. We overheard  campers nearby. They had loud engines and hearty laughter, not usually heard in these parts. The Memorial weekend has brought them forth, pleasure seeking from the wood, like us.

Two views of the same mare. My phone's camera, while leaving much to be desired...makes beautiful mistakes sometimes. Loved the purple hue of the overexposed mane.

Looking down now, there was the prettiest little wild  Iris. She was all alone in the grassy undergrowth. Somehow she existed on this trail, between the hooves and tires that oft times stroll the pathway.

 We soon embarked upon the glistening grasses again, briskly trotting for a favorite destination. 
Grass, grass, oh the blades were delighting in this day, beckoning my mare to partake.

 "Soon my mare", I said aloud.
 I'm sure we'll have time for you to munch at the next resting place; making it undercover, for I see another tantrum coming from the clouds!

We both were having fun, though wet we were by now, it was NOT cold. I was ready to mount up again and head on home but I spied another wild thing that ADORES this kind of day................................

If you put both of your hands together, go ahead, knuckles up..................................................

so that your hands touch and your fingernails slightly curve down and out sight...............................

THAT my friends, is how BIG this feller was!!!

I cautiously took his photo, with mare in hand. When these big un's jump into the water, they sound like "Cat Frogs", making a "meowing noise" then- SPLASH!

Just another Oregon day, in the rain soaked hills and valleys!

I do so love the Evergreen trees for the brief reprieves they provide...from rain and soon I pray, Shine.

Ride between the raindrops

Down the trail on a grey, but somewhat dry day in Oregon

We have returned to the normally scheduled forecast for this time of year in the PNW...cold with grey skies, VERY wet and windy. The blankets are back on the horses again, since the winds have made the 50 degree days seem like 20 degrees cooler! And, with no hair to comfort them since they are all shed out nicely, this seems like a dirty trick! 

Really wanting to get us fit for spring. . .  and while I have done tons of walking with the mare, I wish to ride longer, and TROT!  Slick conditions make that near impossible.Truly, I NOT taking many risks these days..though my therapist told me today, " you have healed up in the quickest scenario.6 weeks. Usually with something like this, it can be up to 6 months!" Woo hoo....!!!

My mare's normal  sole "Tenderness" has come on. after the 2 glorious weeks of 80 degrees. She was getting pretty good at rock walking. Now, with conditions ripe for soft soles ....Grass, and mud softened hooves from moist grounds. Wa does have very good hooves for a TB, but the sharper, broken gravel used on properties and roads for loggers to use, make her wince and groan about having to travel on them. 

So getting "FIT" means getting a "FITTING" done too. My barefoot specialist told me that she could fit my mare for hoof boots from "Easy care". I told her, "nothing from Easy Care will fit her, all the Easy Boots in the line have specific measurements for a narrower hoof. My mare's hooves are round".  She then apprised me of the new "WIDE, Easy Boot Glove".

I am all in for trying this "GLOVE" by Easy Care, since my sister has used them on Pantz mare for years, they are super easy to apply!

Easy Boot "Glove" isn't this nice!

 I free lunged her for a spell, to see how they would hold onto her hoof. They will have gators on them when I use them, but this would be an interesting test. I knew that free lunging would come with outbursts of breaking the circle, but that is why I did that. She held it together for a few rounds and gait changes. I asked her to canter...yup-whoosh, off she galloped...and that boot stayed on her!

I am sold! 

Though...I should have done the "TRADE UP" plan through "Easy Care"; turning in my old "Cavallo" hoof boots for a 50% discount!!!   Next time. And if these work out the way I think they will, there WILL BE a next time!

Nearing almost 2 weeks of terribly cold and damp times here...the weatherman actually forecasted "a" single 75 degree day, and all sunny ! RIGHT ON! AMAZING~He was right!

A wonderfully warm and bright day!

I found the mare -out flat- laying in the field! She knew how to really take in the weather change. I saw her tail a flipping though, and as soon as I had finished my customary feed packet/supps bags for the week and came back out, she was up. When she spotted me, walked to the gate!

Flat out resting!

Riding ensued...into the Yellow blooms of May.

When we returned,  my mare was in head HIGH mode at a clanging bell noise. Now, we hear this bell noise all the time, since it is on a cow next door. But this time, probably because of the scenery changes of clear cutting going on by the stables, she took a special spooky mare stance. Me, not taking ANY chances...got off and we went in further towards the noise, to conquer it for ourselves, since she has never spooked with cattle before.

 HAHA!!

I started to moo a bit ( yea, it is laugh worthy)and that darned -HUGE- cow came a-running over to the fence to greet us!

All I can say is- I AM SO GLAD I GOT OFF!!

She tried to bolt left, then right...all at the end of the rope reins I was holding...but never did she pull on me! I told her, "They have to come through me first, to get to you..."

She finally settled....

Ear Left..............Ear right..........

And this is what we eventually could see...a big doe eyed cow!

She was so friendly..and very noisy dingle-lingling!

So now we wait...on some nice to us spring to happen again.Not that no-so-nice will stop us from getting into the forest riding, but with hoof boots, I am not chancing loosing them in mud!

 My poor garden...I didn't know to cover the plants and some of them look" over " trying to grow. Back to the farmer's market for some more starts!

Ah, fickle springtime!

Just keep going

                                                                                          ~ Mare walking in the rain~    
             
 It was raining, icky, cold out. I trimmed my mare's hooves and then, gave her a massage.
 I was avoiding going out in the cold rain. 
 I knew I wouldn't melt. That is what I told the barn owner, when I saw her briefly, " I need to just keep going, and not let this stuff stop me"!
So I DID go on out into the foreboding day.

                                            
 I recently installed the "My Fitness Pal" App back onto my new phone, and have been doing very well with my diet tracking.   It even gives me "pep talks" in the form of  "exercise  note's, as I document  Cardio /Strength and workout activities.  It is quite hilarious!   But, for me right now, super motivating. The  all to recent non- riding-winter- blaws- weight , has to leave me!

The mare and me, happily set off, breathing in the moist air. She took in liquid refreshments, as needed, and they were plentiful. 

All in all it was a great 3 1/2 mile walk...burning off several hundred calories. Today, I am a bit sore from how fast my pace was, in between the mare's grazing times.  I walked and she trotted!   The last long hill up was the killer though.  I got myself into position behind the mare. Rope in left hand, Tail in right.   "Okay", I said chipperly, there she went.   It was too slick to actually walk, so she kinda moved her feet a bit faster. I was joggin' behind!    Before we actually reached the top, I said several times, " And....." .  
It is the precursor "half halt" word I use before a change. She kindly stopped for me, after I said the "AND".   Huffing a little, I again asked her to move forward with the ,"Okay".

My goal, before long, is to be able to walk up the entire long hill, with no stopping. If the mare stops, that's fine.

                                                                                          ~ Panorama of Wa mare near Boulder pond~

That was really fun! The mare took just as much delight, I am sure of it, in munching the greens we found everywhere.

Today, now the SUNSHINE is out!    
I will be burning some of my  calories upon my bay- Grass Powered Beauty!

Wet Wonderful

Pond like puddle we take pleasure in. Sometimes with the mare pawing, often sipping. Or sometimes, just standing and gazing at the sky, while looking down!

We were able to get out a few times this week, for short and sweet rides. Either my energy, or the sky's energy, were foreboding.
It mattered not to the mare, she was into come what may.

Let's go!!!

One day we got in right as it began to spit. I had none of my rain gear on, so my leather saddle got a few dashes of moisture. 
I finally made the switch to my "E- Z RIDE STIRRUPS".  They are super duper comfortable...like cushioned platforms!

 One is unable to "Run them up" as regular irons though, for safety sake when unmounted . I just toss them over the saddle and that does the job. 
You can see the thin spot in Wa's mane above...soon, it'll all be that shortest length...makeover time is coming!

Wa was telling me that her top line was not supporting our longer rides with this harder, tree'd saddle. It is in need of some more wool flocking, so until then, the cushioning of the closed cell foam"bumper pad" will do the trick.

We came upon a herd of local llamas...and they suddenly presented us with a trail obstacle.

I knew what was about to happen so I focused myself straight ahead(after photo) .....

I had my leg on, and kept light contact with the mare. When it did happen...a Tandem Llama scratch...woo hoo...that noise sent Wa scooting forward! I allowed her to walk back to them and check it out, as they continued the itching. It was really funny!

There is always time for a bite here and there, makes the mare all relaxed as she chews the newly sprouted greens.

Fabulous water !! Really amazing color!! Even Wa seemed to take it in.

And another pond view offered us this little "Promise" reminder.

When the weather turns the corner, and I know it will for you too soon, my snowy/cold friends , it really lends lightness to one's spirit.

It has been wet, and more wet will surely come our way...but all and all ,"The Ridin' Days" are so welcome!

All-Weather riding

Trees in a silvery frost

Though Oregon's cold isn't as cold as the rest of the country's cold; in the single digits, ours was a record setting for this past January. I think we'd all just vaporize, if that single digit temperature stuff ever happened (or wish to)!

20's during the nights and 30's in the daytime,  for a few weeks. While it makes for a "cleaner winter" with mud frozen and such...it makes getting water to the horses harder, and sometimes driving out to the country, dicey!  

We people here in the PNW were in a state of shock, at least most of us. It rarely stays that cold for very long. I am less active on those colder days, only getting to the stable and work.  It sure does make for a beauty and spender in the trees and surrounding vegetation though.

The mare was happy to see me those colder days. She longingly looked out her stall towards the back of the stable. I told her we were going out there, this cold day. It would be our 3rd ride since October.

It was truly nice to get out on the open trail. The shadows of the bright white foliage and ice spots had the mare on her toes...last time we were out, it surely DID NOT look like this!!

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Coming home at sunset in the wintertime, never looked so good! The dense fog was perfectly glorious for seeing the sun rays of this frozen world.

At home in the city, we have had Hummingbirds to look after here in Oregon. One would not think this would be true, that they may migrate onto warmer climates. But that said, there 2 species that will remain in our parts for the entire winter, one of which is Anna's. With the freezing temps though...the  liquid food will not thaw, if left out  all night. That would be terrible for our little visitors breakfast! So, I bring it in every night and have a "Hummer food alarm" set on my phone, to wake me 10 minutes before sunrise. Our  current resident hummer apparently is not an early riser. I am all bundled up over my P.J.'s, waiting for her to show, and she did only once at daybreak, for 2 1/2 weeks!!

In the past they have greeted us-hovering an arm's length away, as we set the feeder up for them . This one comes soon after we set the feeder up, she is quite shy, sitting atop the branches watching warily.

The first week back to riding with my mare was pretty cool, with the grounds hard and not slick, and the lands decked out in their finest!

Washashe was doing her best to keep cool, but she was bursting with pent up energies. I knew better than to allow her to go too long in a trot and to walk up the slick hills on foot, with her.  She has no muscle for being off so long, and trotting is easier(not better than) walking up hills. And much harder!

On our third outing, it was a dappled sunshine day. We strode along blissfully , soaking up the sunshine. I was aware of the mare's muscle atrophy and soreness in some sections of our ride. I plan on walking ,walking, walking with her for many miles and hours, to build her back up.

She is with this plan whole heartedly, I can tell. She has had no turn out since October and to get out of her small environment is healthy  and welcome!

We went by the lower ponds to find them frozen somewhat. It made them look glass like, and pretty.

Another day , it was a foggy wonderland...making the roads look unending and mysterious~ the mare a little bit pensive for what lay ahead.

All in all the rehab has been good, though the hock has never returned to normal. It remains puffy, and also hard in some sections. There is no apparent heat or pain now. I try to do all that I can with massage, cold applications and micro current, stretching exercises and give her supplements that help ligaments and joints. 

Her gait has been super strong, and she does tell me though, when she has had enough of any one thing.

Local farmers field new view , recently clear cut trees just beyond

Returning home from one of the last rides we had before this February weekend, I made a definite notation between saddle riding and bareback soft saddle riding. I was worried that my mare could be feeling a difference between the harder tree'd saddle and the closed cell foam "Cashel soft saddle". Nope, this day with the new, older Stubben  saddle I bought on ebay, she acted no differently than when we rode with the "Cashel soft saddle". The saddle is so very compy for me too. I am so happy to have stirrups again!

We both heaved out a large, contented sigh, the mare and me....we made it up the long, slick hill coming home . I walk this coming and going for now, while the conditions are quite slick. The mare walks nicely, while I hold to the  stirrup leather, near the bar.

 Home again near sunset. The sun rays sliding gently down  through the trees, as they do, before hiding behind the earth altogether. This frozen earth went easy on us, for the first ride times out.

Now, as the world thaws out, and the sunlight begins to brighten the lengthening days and certainly~ spirits~ our mission is to

 BE OUT IN IT!