The back side of winter...at last!

Winter's back is finally broken...we hope. Temperatures soared into the 40's on Monday; a promise that spring was truly coming. As snow dripped off the eaves, it even sounded like spring. We tapped the trees, the sweetest joy of spring dripping into the buckets.

But without the proper rise and fall of temperature, the sap won't flow. Thursday morning brought more snow in a short-lived blast; enough to cover the roads. Just another "ha-ha!" from Mother Nature.

With the snowbanks still a few feet high, the woods remain inaccessible by horse. And there's still a good 12 to 18 inches of snow in the pastures which keeps our horses hemmed in to their small patch of tramped out space. I attempted to pick the manure out, but I needed the sled to haul it away while post-holing up to my knees! I'll be happy to see the back side of winter this year.

I think the wildlife will be happy when winter ends as well. A bald eagle soared over my truck and landed in a pine near the Great Works River this past week. Out for an early morning hunt, only to find the river frozen? Maybe the bird was hunting the recently awakened chipmunks that I've seen scurrying over the snow. Last week, driving to the barn, John and I saw a herd of deer moving up the powerline and into the woods. John caught the last two curious stragglers with the camera.

And across the road, the horses watched the deer herd with pricked ears.

The cleared roads and drive have given John an opportunity to work with Ruffy and her driving. She did well, considering the lack of work she's had all winter. She got a little sideways and stiff, ready to go like the ex-racehorse she is, but I was impressed by how well she did.

We traveled up to Buxton for another load of hay last Friday. With winter hanging on, green grass seems a long ways away. As the snow slowly recedes, we New England horse folks will be snatching up whatever hay is available. It will be tricky to get the grass to come in and not get torn up by hooves during mud season. I suspect we'll have to sacrifice one pasture to save another.


Rain finally came this afternoon, but we're supposed to get another 1 to 2 inches of snow tomorrow...ooh boy...

Oh give me a home, where my horses can roam...

Merry Christmas from our gang to yours!

A solid week of rain, snow, and ice left me feeling miserable all week. The poor horses, hovering in their new shelter, venturing out for bites of hay, gladly ran into the barn at dinnertime. I hope we're not in for a winter of nothing but wet snow, rain, and mud. How dreary!

Our snow has disappeared, except for a few remaining chunks--big scary chunks to scare silly Thoroughbreds--by the side of the road. We have only been able to ride a couple of times with the uncooperative weather, making for pogo-stick ponies! When things get a bit out of hand, I take the lead, literally on foot, proving to Harley that everything truly is safe out there.

The Winter Solstice has passed, so I can start adding those extra minutes of daylight onto my punch list of chores I need to get done. My goal over the holiday week is to finish painting the bedroom. Then I can move on to the kitchen doors, all which need a refresher coat! I've been advised that we will need to sell the house before we can successfully put in an offer on anything--the competition is too stiff!. This scares me--no house or barn to call my own. I even considered renting a place, complete with a barn, but someone beat me to it--that's the story of my life these days. So I'm trying to keep positive and pray our "farmette" will become a reality in the new year.

As long as our horses remain healthy (Ruffy--2 abrasions, Harley--1 choking incident, Rolex--0, tough as nails), as do we, I know we can slog though another winter with traveling to and fro for our horse care. Better days are coming.

The horses all seem to be doing well on their hay, balancer, and beet pulp/rice bran mash diet. I see dapples in their winter coats, and if they were clipped, I imagine those dapples would really stand out. The high quality hay is consumed, with very little wasted, a sign of how much it's enjoyed by our gang!

With no snow, and lots of soft muddy ground, we've been paying careful attention to hoof care. At least if the footing is soft, I don't have to bother with booting Harley. The down side is they come in, covered in mud. Snow baths are so much nicer!

Who knows, we might have an early spring and see grass by April?

Signs of Spring: woes and "whoas!"

Hairy Halawa Moon

One of spring's joys is long days that allow time for riding after work. But we're now faced with trail obstacles such as ice, still lurking under the evergreens, deep pools of standing water, and mud mid-cannon bone deep. Spring also puts quite a spring in Harley's step--more precisely, a prance! He can be a handful, especially when on a solo ride, so I'm always prepared to walk when he puts up a stink. 'Ole Mr. Moon can act like he's facing never before seen monsters, but I think it's all a ploy, a way of telling me how good he feels as he snorts and prances.

I see, hear, and smell spring everywhere at the barn. The horses shed hair in great billowing puffs. The woodcocks flutter, whistle, and spiral in the evening dusk. The melting ice and snow percolate--emitting little sizzling sounds. And I can smell spring mud, everywhere, MUD! All my favorite signs of spring countered by thick, oozing mud.

After a visit from St. Butch, our farrier, on Saturday, John and I set our with Rolex and Harley for a jaunt up towards Tatnic. The melted snowbanks re-opened terrain that was nearly impossible to get at for a part of the winter when the horses were not keen to clamber over chest-deep, frozen snow. Out on the Nature Trail, we moved along at a good trot until Harley decided to shift into high gear and try to pass Rolex. That "Little Miss", determined to stay out front, kicked up her heels at Harley, bringing the "race" back down to a more sedate trot.

Out on the Nature Trail

John and I made route decisions as we reached each junction. We ended up heading for Hill Road and the trail leading past the stone cabin. The old road was literally a brook. Water poured down among the rocks and ledge, washing the leaves and dirt down to the eroded bedrock. The horses scrambled a bit, looking for sure footing, and balked at some of the knee-deep pools. We didn't get too far before my opinionated mount decided he'd had enough. Even when Rolex, gamely forged on through icy water, Harley turned around, plowed back down the watery trail, and headed for home. When he gets in a snit, it's time to throw in the towel before it boils down to a game of wills.

We rode home via the road, always good for de-sensitizing. The passing cars and trucks didn't really faze Harley, but sudden movement from a squirrel, a bird flying up, barking dogs along the roadway--all can made him jump. So though I hate riding the road, especially solo, I feel better when there's two of us. Once on familiar territory, Harley settled, heaving a big sigh when we got home.

Springtime nap

Sunday promised good riding weather. After the barn chores done were done, I planned to get in a ride. The horses enjoyed the warm weather, snoozing in the spring sunshine. I almost felt guilty going to get Harley--they all looked so peaceful and happy.

But get him I did, and off I rode, headed for the trails around North Point. Unfortunately, we had to abort that plan until Mr. Skinner's land dries up. I appreciate the access he's allowed us, so in return , we won't tear up his property.

Harley assumed the ride was over since we turned back. Ha! So once we reached the barn, we had a bit of a tussle. I convinced him to head down the hill towards Orris Falls. But when I asked him to go up the power line, he had another hissy fit and tried to head home. Again, I won and we continued up the trail. But wait--what's that in the woods? Two hikers and their dog crossed the power line and went into the woods--enough to bring Harley to a halt, ears up, ready to spin for home again. To my surprise, he kept moving forward, cresting the hill and wading through two large puddles. But the third puddle, deeper than the previous two, proved his undoing. Another attempted spin for home, bashing under tree limbs, but I swerved him back around and let him think about things and settle. With much urging, he marched back through all the water puddles. Now that we'd passed the worst obstacles,  it was smooth sailing the rest of the way. Oh, my poor Harley--it's a tough life you live!

Back home, I spent a bit of time clearing up the detritus of winter storm. Around the house, I notice the tulips were sticking up a bit--a promise of spring's arrival! Beneath layers of leaf mulch, the ferns, wild ginger, and other border plants are emerging, testing the air to see if it's safe at last to poke their greenery up to the spring sunshine. I think we've seen the last of winter. The remaining snowbanks melt back a bit further each day and the snowline creeps back up into the woods in the backyard like a receding glacier. Winter has given up her icy grasp on us and warmer days are right around the corner! Soon the bloodroot and bleeding heart will bloom, but not until that last snowbank on the north side of the house finally disappears! You can just make out some ferns near the brick foundation--early greenery to go with the rhododendron.

It's taken me a week to finally write this entire post. I've had many late nights at the barn now that it isn't truly dark until 7:30 p.m. Once the horses are out at night, our work load will be reduced with no more stalls to muck.We are ALL looking forward to those days!

He's caked with mud on both sides now...

We've received more rain in the past week than we did all spring. Every night I went out to bring in the ponies, they were covered in mud. Nothing like a visit to the spa, right? Gee, thanks guys! I needed to wrap a bandana around my face to avoid breathing in the tremendous clouds of dust I brushed off of each horse. I know it's their natural bug repellent, but what a chore to clean them off!
Saturday night, the skies let loose with a final hurrah. We woke up to thinning clouds and rivers full to overflowing at near-flood stage.

Yet as people complained of the rain, myself included, I had to stop and say to myself--at least we don't have tornadoes. The heart-wrenching news from Oklahoma was horrible. And while the news talks of the 24 people killed, I can't help thinking about those poor 200 or so horses and their owners. I can't imagine facing such devastation and tragedy, and feeling so helpless for my horses.

Harley and Rolex come to investigate my work

With John and I on vacation this week, we spent Sunday and Monday working around the barn, doing some much-needed spring cleaning. I worked on picking up limbs and debris from the loggers in the lower pasture (yes, I'm still picking up sticks). The gals and Harley came over to see what I was up too, but once I chucked a piece of wood over the fence, they took off. After being cooped up from the stormy weather, they kicked their heels up and let the wind whip under their tails.

Today, I finally got some more planting done. The lettuce and mesculin mix is doing well, the peas...hmmm.....to cold, I think! I put in carrots, beets, onion, and beans today. Our weather is going to cooperate from now on and warm things up. But to play it safe, I'm keeping the basil and tomatoes under cover in the tent. We don't need to grow any kale; it reseeded itself everywhere. Note our edible driveway! John wants to try corn this year. We never seem to have too much success, but what the heck--it will be fun to have it growing right here. Tomorrow I will get the potatoes, radishes, spinach, and cucumbers planted.

On our drive out to the barn this morning, we saw a pair of turkey vultures warming up their wings, waiting for the temperature to rise enough for them to catch the thermals. They were right by the road, so I made John stop so I could shoot some pictures.

Memorial Day sped by, but knowing we have the rest of the week off to play, I didn't push too hard to ride. My saddle probably won't arrive until Wednesday, but still, I wanted to work some of the kinks out of Harley. Once we had Rolex and Harley cleaned and tacked up, our energy had returned. And it was a good thing too! None of the horses have been worked in a week due to the weather, so they were in "good spirits". This meant spooking at deer, and prancing down the trail. We made a lot of noise to warn the deer, hoping to not come around the corner and have one right by the trail. I brought my camera along, but today was NOT the day to try and take pictures--I needed to have my wits about me and my hands on the reins. We rode the Lollipop Loop in reverse with Harley out front for part of the way. He was being a prancypants but went a little better when I put him out front. Rolex, keen to pass him, dogged his quarters until she could sneak past. Harley always willingly gives in and falls in behind her. He'd had enough leading for one day.

By 7:30 the horses had finished dinner and ambled down to the pasture for the night. "Good night, my beauties. Everyone behave and stay out of trouble. I'll see you in the morning."

Easter Weekend Mud and April Fools Day Rain

Saturday was my first solo ride with Harley since recuperating from the sternum crash and carpal surgery. The sun promised a warm day with melting snow and lots of mud. I should have started sooner since my steed was caked in dried muck, baked to a firm crust on his hide. With all the snowmelt running down the hillside, the pastures have become one big giant quagmire. Harley was so dirty, I decided to brush him outside and let the wind carry it away. Silly me should have determined which way the wind blew before starting. One side was downwind, leaving me to brush blindly so as not to have dust in my eyes!

This was Mr. Muddycheeks good side. His other cheek and eyebrow looked like he had gone to a spa for a mudpack! After brushing the heck out of him, I finally got tacked up and headed down the road towards Orris Falls. That's when trouble started...

The folks at the bottom of the hill have chickens and turkeys--critters Harley has seen and heard all winter long. But top that off with a smoking barbecue, kids on an ATV, and much chatter, complete with gobbling turkeys and it was enough to stop Harley in his tracks. We stood and looked at things, assessed the situation and moved forward a bit. "Nope, I'm not going there. It's time to head home", thought Harley. As he backed up the road, turned around, and backed some more, I decided this wasn't productive. Off I jumped and proceeded to lead him down the road. Once we reached Orris Falls, I clambered back on board. He amazes me that even when he's spooked, he will stand still while I mount. Of course, he immediately turned for home while I picked up my stirrup. "Oh no, pal, we're not done yet!"

All sorts of hikers in soggy sneakers (there was still a fair bit of snow and water on the trail) came our way, heading back to their cars. One family had a youngster on Dad's shoulders. That stopped Harley--a person on top of a person? Yikes! We made our way up to Spring Hill summit, then turned back for home. I think he hoped to sneak past the turkeys without them noticing, but all their gobbling had him peering over his shoulder all the way back to the barn. What a silly bugger!

Easter Sunday required an early start. Our farrier was arriving at ten, and we needed to work the starch out of Harley and Rolex so they would stand still for Saint Butch. We wanted to make it a brisk workout, so we trotted up the roadside where the shoulder permitted, then trotted down the snowy trails behind North Point. Whenever Rolex trotted, Harley broke into a canter, ready to charge ahead. I reminded John, "Bitless bridle equals no brakes", as we steamrolled through the snow and leaped over brooks!

We had taken the edge off Harley and Rolex, but they still had plenty of energy. We're fortunate to have such a patient and good natured farrier. He doesn't get mad when they dance around, just calmly holds on and says "You're o.k., just relax". Ruffy, who had been on stall rest since Tuesday with a big knee and thrown shoe, was pretty good, not her usual quiet self. But she had a right to be antsy after being cooped up for so long.

And today, on our April Fools Day ride, mother nature had fun with us. Rolex and Harley got quick pre-ride baths since both were crusted with mud (again). A nice road walk would dry them off! We put on quarter sheets and headed out with Rolex bravely leading the way past the scary house with turkeys and past a tree crew trimming limbs. Thankfully, Harley didn't see the guy way up in the cherry picker--he was too busy gazing into the maw of the chipper! Then a car backing up gave them both pause. No one moved forward. When they both get "stuck" it's a challenge to get anyone moving again. We passed leashed dogs, barking dogs, junk by the road (toaster oven and a baby seat), trailers, and crowing roosters. I thought we'd never make it home--at least not without us getting off and walking. Once Harley realized we were homeward bound, he stepped out in front, gamely or not, and pranced his way to the trail head that would get him home. Once in the woods, he relaxed, although he still maintained a brisk walk, even through the ice and snow. Rolex finally passed him and maintained her front position with ear pinning and her winning "snake face"--I want to be the leader now!

The thickening grey clouds finally opened up on us in a downpour. Freezing cold rain soaked my sweatshirt, dripped off my helmet brim, and ran in rivulets down into my boots. Thankfully, my quartersheet has a nylon shell which kept most of Harley's backside dry. Both horses dropped their heads in misery, squinted into the rain,  and walked home as fast as possible. We rode right into the barn, untacked, and wrapped the horses up in fleece coolers. Then I ran outside to get Ruffy and Vance in out of the rain. Everyone looked miserable and ready for dinner, especially a warm beet pulp mash!

Just as I was leaving the barn, the sky turned all pink and lavender--a beautiful sunset ending to the day and Mother Nature's April Fools joke on us.

Christmas Day at the barn

I couldn't wait to get out to the barn and go for a ride in the fresh snow. By noon time, I was champing at the bit, ready to ride!

The horses were having a good romp, the snow adding an element of excitement. It's like they've never seen the white stuff before as they sniff and snort through it. Rolex played her favorite game of "I don't want to go in", so Ruffy and Harley were the captured mounts for our Christmas ride.

For some reason, the domestic turkeys at the house by the bottom field fascinate the horses. They always seem to be peering down the fields, watching for something, and today, the turkeys were gobbling rather loudly.

As usual, I've taken a mounted head-shot of Harley as he watched for turkey action down the way. Ole Mr. Fuzzy looked stunning in his blaze-orange quarter rug (a birthday present I finally got to use now that it was cold enough!). I like how visible we were on this grey day since we were riding on the road part of the way.

Our Ruffy was having a trying day--ice, snow, mud and low branches. She'd rather be in a perfectly mown field, kicking up her heels, that riding through trappy terrain, getting her dainty ankles all muddy. Poor girl---needless to say, she and John had a "parting of the ways" with some low limbs. She decided to jog home, and Harley, always willing to dash home too, began to jig as he tried to tear after her. My intent was not to chase her, but quietly catch our skittish girl. So I slid off Harley and began crunching up carrots while calling to her. She stopped and turned back, walking towards us. The old carrot trick (plus she wanted to stay with Harley, I think) worked and I caught up her reins, just as John appeared. Everyone stood for a bit, just chilling and eating carrots. Once settled, we remounted and called it a day. Harley and Ruffy were happy head for home and have an early dinner complete with warm beet pulp--their equivalent of a cup of cocoa!

Christmas cheers to all!

And then there was light!

Very grainy, but the place is much brighter than this photo 

I drove up to the barn tonight, and lo, the light over the door was on! The electricians arrived this morning as I was getting ready to leave. They said. "Let's see if we can't get some light in here." And by God, they did. Rather than hurrying through barn chores in order to save fuel, I spent quality time brushing everyone, brushing their muddy blankets off, and just enjoying time with the horses without needing a headlamp and lanterns.

Ma, could you get the mud off my cheek?

Mr. Muddypants had dried mud caked on both sides. There was a pile of silty dust under him by the time I finished brushing and combing--yes, the mane contained mud balls too. When I was done brushing the horses, I moved on to their blankets. Pristine Pauline (aka Ruffy) is the clean one with only a few mud splatters on her sheet. Harley and Rolex look like they were in a contest for who could get dirtier. You can see Harley's sheet in the bottom left corner--formerly navy, now brown.

Now we truly are back to normal--lights, barn floor, and logger-free pastures!

Spring hat gesprungen hier!

John escaped early from work on Saturday leaving us enough time to get in a ride. That extra hour of daylight gives us the edge we working folks need to squeeze in some spring riding. We did the Lollipop Loop ride with a little side detour past Orris Falls. The rushing water reverberated against the chasm walls, making Harley and Rolex veer away from the path along the edge. When we reach the headwaters at the beaver pond, the waters rang with peepers calling. I said to John, "Do you hear that?" It's a sound that makes me smile every spring. As I was closing up the barn, I heard another sound of spring, male woodcocks giving their "bzzzzt" call and spiraling whistle. Oh, and the fillies came into heat. Yup, spring has definitely sprung here!

Our Roley Girl

Sunday's ride was to be our first long ride; a good training jaunt with lots of hills and water crossings. Harley and Rolex were full of themselves, raring to go, so once we got onto the Orris Falls Trail, we let them work out the kinks with some nice trotting. Everyone and their grandmother was out and about on Sunday, enjoying the fine weather. Couples with dogs, a troop of boys with a couple of men, then a troop of girls with a couple of women--Cub Scouts and Brownies? Rolex hoped they had carrots; Harley watched their walking sticks with a wary eye.

You can see a little bit of snow behind Rolex--not much left except under the hemlocks and in shady swales. Floating icebergs dotted the many vernal pools we passed. John, equipped with his hand saw (in scabbard on saddle) was prepared to trim back limbs, if necessary. And given our horses' rowdy tendencies, he humored me by deigning to wear his helmet. Brain buckets are a good thing when riding flighty horses--thank you, John!

Once out on Emery's Bridge Rd. we headed towards our link that takes us up to Bennett Lot Rd. The ride down Emery's Bridge can always prove interesting, especially on a fine spring day when the ponies are prancing. There were barking dogs, water gardens with gushing water, and fluttering balloons on a mailbox. Rolex, our curious girl, approached these with caution, but was keen to investigate. Harley, under the guise of following suit, did the same, then jumped sideways which, of course, so did Rolex. Mr. Spookypants is not always a good influence on the girls! 

Harley at Bennett Lot Rd.

By the time we reached Bennett Lot Rd. I was beginning to regret wearing a long-sleeved flannel shirt! And full-seat, black breeches were not the right choice either. Not only was the color absorbing all the heat, but the full-seat material was making them even hotter! Thinking I might have to jump off occasionally, I'd also worn my winter boots. Sure was glad to have those fuzzy warm boots keeping my toes toasty!

Approaching Bennett Lot Rd., Rolex let out a whinny. Both horses had their ears up and kept looking off to the right. We heard voices out on the road, but not until we cleared the woods did we see them on horseback. Rolex and Harley thought this was great--friends out here! Both eagerly headed out to see who was out there. They are such herd creatures, it's fun to watch their behaviour when meeting new equine friends. The riders were from Lyman Hill Farm out for a spring ride like us. The owner, aboard a happy Appy, said they had just left and inquired about the trail conditions. Her friend, with St. Elmo's Fire, aka Elmo, made friends with Harley. I imagine their conversation that goes like this: 

"Hi, how are you? Where did you come from?

"I live up the street. Where do you live?"

"Have you seen anyone else out here?"

"No. There are lots of people and dogs, but no other horses."

"Hey, what do you think of all that mud? Can you believe they want me to walk through that?"

"Have fun, but watch out for the balloons!"

Harley and Elmo having an equine conversation

We did a loop up around the Norman Mill Trail, saving further exploration for a later date. It was going to be a 2 hour plus ride, enough for today. Naturally, once Harley realized we were heading home, his pace picked up making the return trip a bit quicker. We passed a pond full of brrrping frogs--another indicator of Spring's arrival. Rolex, our unflappable filly, was spooked by a mourning dove flying up into the trees. This sent Harley sideways as well. What can you do but laugh--our silly guys. Rolex still doesn't care for large mucky puddles or water, so when she trotted up to a trail-wide mud hole, she put on the brakes and waited for Harley to go first. He redeems himself all the time when he "shows her" it's okay to go through muck. That's my good boy!

The weather forecast is calling for more warm weather, so tomorrow--the beige breeches, the paddock boots, and a lighter shirt!

Snow is finally here at last...

One of Snowflake Bentley's gems

But it's supposed to turn into rain! Bah humbug! This is the time of year when I wish we had an indoor arena, or at least a covered arena--someplace to ride where it isn't frozen, lumpy, icy, ground. After this snowfall/rainfall, the temperature is supposed to plummet down to 1 degree Saturday night. Oooh, boy, really frozen, lumpy, icy ground. At this rate, we are in for one heck of a mud season!

Last Sunday, John and I went to a S.M.A.R.T. riders meeting. It's hard to believe we were worrying about bugs, mud, and heat as we sat in a toasty room heated by a wood stove! Look out Harley; we're making plans for your summer fun.The first ride of the year will be close by, another one we can ride to so Mr. Eeyore doesn't have to get on a trailer. After last fall's episode, we haven't revisited it since we have no trailer to train him with.

Last night, as I tucked Harley and the girls into bed (which includes one more carrot, snug blankets, topped of water), asked Harley why he couldn't keep his nice rich bay in the summer instead of fading out to a near dun? John has contemplated keeping them in during the day (shady, less buggy) and then turning them out at night. Another alternative is, or course, using a flysheet. Have any of you fellow bloggers had any luck with flysheets actually keeping your horse(s) more comfortable? Harley stamps away all day at the bugs, and by late summer, begins dropping weight. I used to work for folks who stabled during the day and turned out at night. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Mr. Muddy Pants gets a partial bath

A windy January ride

Today was "roll in the mud day", twice if your name is Harley. John and I got to the barn in the early afternoon and were greeted by one muddy girl and an exceptionally muddy guy. Harley had obviously just been down in the mud again, because one area was dry, and one was wet. I thought I'd have to nix plans to ride since his back and hindquarters were so yucky. And given the blowing wind and cold temperature, a bath was out of the question, or so I thought.

John heated up some water and give Mr. Muddy Pants a good dousing on his butt. He quickly scraped him, then tossed on a sheet and his quarter blanket. I brushed off the rest of the dried mud and we were off. That stiff wind was blowing right up the hill at the barn, so we headed up the road and into the woods where we could duck out of the weather.  John gave the fillies the day off  and just groomed the gals and puttered around the barn while I rode. I feel like quite the prima donna when he acts as groom for Harley and me.


I planned to ride over towards North Point, but two loose dogs, bent on chasing us, put a dent in my plans. After hollering at them, and pointing an uneasy mount in their direction, they turned back, but then resumed chasing us. Soon they gave up, figuring they'd done their job--chased us away. Harley, keyed up even more, jigged a ways down the trail, but settled once we were out of earshot. We did a nice little loop in the woods, complete with a nice canter, a few trots, and a little jump (fallen birch from the high winds) even though we saw the dogs coming back at as again!  He was wired, but behaved quite well what with the wind blowing and the dogs chasing him.

The weather is calling for falling temperatures with the mercury down in the single digits. That will solidify all the mud and cushy footing we encountered today. Back to frozen asphalt-like trails--yuck. Snow would be nice around now--soft footing, pretty scenery, and maybe some skijoring!

The bog down in the valley-o!

John is stabling Nina with Harley for our week of vacation so we can ride together. This will be good experience for Nina, and we'll have the added benefit of not having to do the switch and ride! I dropped John off at Nina's home and then went out to get Harley. The plan was to meet about halfway and ride back home together. What a trip it turned out to be!

First, I got a late start. Harley was in a lollygagging frame of mind and I had to really push him to step out. I tried to make up for lost time in places where the footing was good and soft. But by September, most of the dirt roads are baked to the hardness of concrete. So we mostly walked, slowly.

As I headed down Dennett Road at a brisk trot, Harley slammed on the brakes--something in the woods to the left! He spun around, only to see a man and two dogs coming from behind! They're coming from both directions, Harley...turkeys, man, and dogs. What's a poor horse to do? The man kindly waited, but I told him to walk past; it would be best for all. Then Harley skirted the turkeys and we resumed our amble down the road. John called and I told him I'd meet him in about 5 minutes. Sure enough, there he was, Nina all ears up, Harley all ears up--who is that horse? 

We made a couple of wrong turns trying to find a short cut to eliminate a long road walk. The logged areas are always so confusing--twisting trails that just stop at a pile of brush, or just peter out. So we opted to try the pipeline route that, theoretically, will take us right to the lower pasture gate. Hah!

Finding the turn offs which resemble game trails more than established riding trails proved to be nearly impossible. We did a lot of bushwacking, resulting in banged knees, elbows, scratched arms, and a load of pine needles down my shirt. Then came difficult stream crossing #1. Now I know Harley has been through this one before, and we're heading home. With some strong leg, he stepped right in and crossed to the other side leaving Nina stranded on the other side. I finally dismounted, holding her line while John urged her from behind. The game little girl nearly jumped the entire stream bed!

John undoing the lead line while Harley watches

Our next attempt at difficult stream crossing #2 proved to be less successful. We seemed to be cut off on the wrong side of a large swamp. John knew there was a crossing somewhere in these dense woods. Harley was bravely bashing head first through the trees, on a quest for home. I think he knew just how close he was. I finally found a spot that had a lot of vegetation and presumed this might be solid enough footing. WRONG! Next thing I know, Harley is belly deep in a quagmire. I launched myself off of him and roll away so he can get himself unglued,  and crawl as quickly as I can for the edge, grabbing at roots.

Poor Harley got out and (thankfully) stood quietly, quivering, on the other side while I spoke in soothing tones and removed his splint boots (all down around his hooves now). I stuffed them in the saddle pad pockets and told John we were striking out for home. I suggested he turn back and make for the road.

We thrashed our way through the woods until we hit the trail leading to the lower pasture gate. When Harley got to the gate, he would have galloped for home if I'd let him. We squelched our way up the hill to the barn where I gave him a nice shower. After being assured everyone was fine, I got laughed at--I was head to toe mud, like I'd just come out of a mud-wrestling pit. About half an hour later, John rode up the road, missing one shoe--another victim to the viscous black mud of the South Berwick bogs. What a grand finale to the ride!