Going Back

Days of yore, jump saddle

I have decided to revisit a "Feel like home"

place. It has been some time since I have felt comfortable, as I was truly more interested in my mare's comfort.

So, while she has been nice and comfy...I HAVE NOT!

Stubben Tristan

Yea, I am talking about saddles again....Above the Stubben fits nicely on the mare. Sometimes I used a bumper pad to level the seat. But, that made my comfort worse. I have been getting hit in the woowoo. I can't take it anymore! I have gone back to my "Hans Biglajzer "Jump saddle. It is all of 9 pounds and so compy! It fits fine for now on the mare...since we have not buffed out with the hills as before, when we stopped using it.

And...we are going back to the mountain lakes soon too!

Pantz Mare and me in Frog lake, Oregon

Summertime colors at sunset

Yes, summer is here in Oregon. While just a week ago it was raining still (typical), it is acting pretty summery now with high temps and plans to be realized. Normally it will rain right up to the 4th of July. Not typical this year, thank goodness!
Tomorrow, we are Taking the horses to the LAKE!

Timothy Lake, Oregon with Mt. Hood 

The two mares have not seen each other for some time...it should be interesting to see the reunion. After some squeals and posturing, they will be besties again for the trailer ride up to the mountain.

Pantz mare and Washashe share the trails

I have been super busy these past weeks...working and gardening, preparing for this camp trip. I went out to the trail and retrieved some old hoof boots I "ditched" last year, when the mare was traveling funny...I took them off and stashed them in the brush. Since the Easy boot "WIDES" have worked so well, I decided to sell the "Reneagdes" back to the feller I bought them from, and send in the old  "Cavallo"boots-pictured below attached to my saddle.

Ditched hoof boots- those days are OVER!

I sent them in and did the "TRADE UP"  through the  Easy Care Company.

You are able to send in an old pair of competitors hoof boots , once a year, for 50% off Gloves or Back Country Gloves. THIS is a GREAT DEAL, since I have finally found some of their well thought out and designed boots to fit my TB mare.
 The invention of "WIDES", has made us two fillies really happy!!
The Rear EB Gloves came in the mail in record time. We've had some very nice outings with plenty of trots and canters. 

All around Glove boots and revisiting the "Jump Saddle"

Time for some of that summery goodness of cooking over the open flame, telling stories till your eyes are drooping, eating "smores" (trying a new recipe) and riding, riding, riding!!!

My mare, the Daisey!

See you all when we return to town again, next week.

All's Well

It has been like this, easy peesy ,beautiful!

A day riding , pondering

I had a smile on my face, from the get-go!

Though part of the ear to ear was remembering something I had read 

(and snort laughed over)

 from

"YOU THE WOMAN", which is my name for her on my blog roll. You may know her as "Grey Horse matters".

Who knew something as common as what I call the "Sunshine Blues" could be so blasted hilarious !  Having "S.A.D.D." makes you manic when the bright light of the sun comes out finally. I try and do everything at once, not being able to follow through with any 1 thing! It is Exhausting! 

But when someone like her writes it up; the talented comical soul that she is, it takes on a new light and makes us all in this disintegrating world, ( minds and bodies)  together, and it is not at all as bad as being alone!

On with a days outing we went.

Down through  to the temporary water hole, Wa mare pausing to drink from the fresh rain basin.

It is nice when riding, I never have to worry about lists, agendas being met, or forgotten!  It's all about the moment I am in with my mare.

 The "REAL TIME" of riding out is a mind-clear. Nothing else matters in the lapsing minutes into hours. Blue hereon, Hawk, Eagle and many other birds fly above us in the airspace. On the grounds;  deer, Beaver, frogs, squirrels, bunnies and the occasional cow and Llama are our trail mates.

Usually, I think only about other horse folk when I ride.( "IF" I think 'bout anything other than my mare, those animals and the terrains I travel) It's only fitting to take them along in thought and prayer, knowing of their horse lives through blogging. I leave my other life stuff behind, just  take them and their journeys various.

Lately, I am CAPTIVATED in HEART by one that has made massive amounts of progress with her new wonderful Arabian mare.

"From here to there, with a horse"

AKA

Lytha in Germany. 

When I ride my bareback saddle now, I have a partner! She is brave to do it and yea LYTHA, you'll get more buff as you ride on!

The brighter light of the sunshine appearing has given me a BOOST...obviously...I have made more posts in this week, than ever! 

So when I drop off to normal  Posting...make sure to visit my new LINK-"INSTAGRAM"- on the top sidebar!

It is a photo trail of life.

Rough riding

Well now, it turned out to be nice weather for the 3rd day of my personal Hoof Boot trials. It lead me to ride a bit ROUGHER on them, not the mare.

Wa was happy to see me, neighing for me to hurry and get her out there! She has been super lately, really willing, stepping out of the barn door onto rocks. The norm before boots- stop at the last second and question KK girl, "REALLY NOW, you say you love me but these stones hurt me!" 
I can't help but think it's the lack of pain making her so willing to move towards the trails again. Mud and rain make for soft soles...poor thing. The boots couldn't have come at a better time for her.

As you see from the sketch/photo above, I have had some fun with my phone's applications lately.
I love stuff like this! 

Juliette from HONEYSUCKELFARE blog, indirectly turned me onto this App, from another App she invited everyone to try- HERE-It is really fun and quick to connect with folks...right from your phone! It is called "INSTAGRAM".
 I only have her as a "follower"...so if anyone wishes to have some quick fun, please take a hasty minute and sign up...I am loving the easy connection to friends, through photos!

Back to the BOOT TRIALS.
We did some extended trotting. We went through big bogs and some nice deep water. We continued the trotting on a softer surface that is more uneven and once, I did hear her overreach and skiff a boot a few times.  I DID NOT stop...I kept going till I planned on stopping and then- did the "BOOT CHECK" lean over the shoulder. Still on!   The right boot was slightly off center...but a walk down the road corrected it.

I am giving a THUMBS UP to the EB  Gloves-W!
I am considering sending my "Renegades" to the Easy Boot Company, for a 1/2 off $ in a "TRADE UP" offer they have. I need rear boots for some of those rockier rides I have put off doing in awhile.

RIDE ON FRIENDS!

Testing, Testing..........

Down the roads through water, mud and over rocks. Yup, the New hoof boots arrived, and in a rare moment of rain reprieve, we set off to try them out.

Easy boot "GLOVE" in new WIDE

Sleepy horsey!

Though sleepyily standing for the photo here, Wa mare perked up pretty quickly, once we got going. After she tried to avoid the normally traveled areas of rocks and hard grounds; Wa mare was walking, trotting and even cantering upon the roads that ere now, made her wince!

This road is a nice one, with round river rocks

The roads with crushed gravel rocks make her dive for the much softer/safer shoulders. But this day, though she actually tried once or twice to go for the sides from pain memory,   she began to snort and relax.  
All in all the first ride went rather smoothly!!! 
Let us see IF*** we can get another in this week..............

Second ride try- a window of dry, though a very stormy day in May

So, yesterday, we got to go out once again later in the day. I was standing around waiting for the torrents of windy rain to subside as they have seemed to, later in the days. It just kept coming, and the moisture from the skies seeped into the barn doorways. When I stepped into the turnout, the rains  had flooded Wa's turnout field too. The 2 weeks of 80's we had in the beginning of May were apparently to keep our spirits up from the memory. NOW, we have gotten 4-5 inches of rain in a hurry apparently, marking an 1800's date for the record rainfall!

 I prepared to go still, hoping....getting the rain gear out...for her: quarter sheet, synthetic bridle and breast collar, saddle cover. For me: Rain duster that covers my legs and rear!
YEA!! a small window of blue between the grey and  blackened skies!


I was riding and thinking of KATE'S LESSON.... with Mark Rashid. I knew she could be riding right then too!
 I have enjoyed identifying with her over "core to core" work. Since I have started riding again after my accident, my safety has been to secure my hands with a light contact to the mare , while holding a rope from around the mare's neck. The results have been to use my "Thoughts only"- that are the core body movements between my mare and me. It is subtle and gently asks your horse to respond to the least amount of movement. With the way the mare has been marking time with her snorting, I know she has felt less pressure and more freedom.


Off we went...into the water logged lands. With the front "Gloves" on. The mare soon realized, nothing hurt her toes! She strode out nicely. We went up and down and all around the roads for an hour that wizzed by! We had been trotting and cantering, me riding without my rope ballast now, having the saddle and stirrups. I tested out my sitting trot, as I watched our shadow selves below on the ground, riding along with us. The mare stretched into my fingers and I was able feel her swingy body, as she highblew, and marked the time.

 I think these Hoof boots are going to make riding out on different surfaces pleasurable again, for the both us!

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.