Slogging Through Summer (With a Pandemic)

Harley & Rolex re-hydrating

My summer grinds on with hot, humid days, steamy nights, and no rain in sight. The horses' coats have bleached out, stiff with salt by late afternoon, as they suffer through sweltering days. I don't ride; it's too hot. Our horses enjoy evening baths to wash away the day's sweat and dust, with a final spritz of bug spray to keep the insects at bay. The ritual begins again, tomorrow morning: feed, hay, water, pick pasture, fly spray. Head off to work, hot and sweaty by 8:30.

The deer flies bar us from the woods, their endless swarms making the trails an undesirable location. At least the barn flies have not been too bad, whether this is due to the ongoing drought, or the fact that fewer horses reside here this summer, I don't know. Quite possibly, it's a combination of both. 

I'm looking forward to some vacation (one that was cancelled due to COVID-19) time, a week in August and a week in September. Maybe the weather will improve, as will our well-being as a nation. Some peaceful time spent in the saddle, on the tractor, and in the relative calm of home is just what I need.

Working through this pandemic has left me anxious and angry. Anxious about staying healthy, angry at the federal government's handling of the pandemic. John and I are sole providers for our horses. We need to be well enough to care for them--not such a worry in the summer when the workload is lighter--but come winter, if we get hit hard again, one of us needs to be able to muck stalls, feed, blanket, etc. etc. This is what keeps me up at night. And we are some of the lucky ones--we have our jobs, we have health insurance, and we have a roof over our heads. The disparity in our population between the haves, and haves not, glares out at us from our screens and on our streets every day. 

Foggy morning breakdown

Such a lovely sight in the morning, seeing my horses, waiting in the fog for breakfast. Ruffy, the bottomless pit, always welcomes me with a whicker, "I'm so glad to see you. I'm hungry!" I think she may have been shorted some meals during her last days at Suffolk Downs when she was laid up and lame. Her favorite things in life are food, food, and food. Oh, and lots of carrots because who can resist that face?

So off to work I drive, once my pockets are eaten empty of carrots, past the foggy fields with turkeys sitting on the fence line. The air, thick with the smells of summer--moist damp grass and mud.

By midday, when the sun is high and the fog burned away, the horses will make their way back up to the top of the hill, where they''ll nosh on hay and stamp at flies, tails whisking one another. And when I arrive, I'll be greeted by a chorus of whickering horses, "Oh we're so glad to see you. The bugs are driving us nuts and we're so hungry!"

It's here....the saddle AND summer!

Harley in his bonnet

Rather than twiddle my thumbs, waiting for the saddle to arrive, I padded up the Tekna and off John and I went on an exploratory ride. John wanted to see how long it would take to ride to a nearby stable with an arena. The route took us out through the woods behind the quarry. There's a lovely sandy hill the ATV's have churned into soft footing. We always get in a fun gallop up the hill. This time, Harley tried to pass Rolex by veering off a short cut, but he came up short.

We needed to cross busy Route 9 and Harley hadn't been ridden in a week--you get my drift. So I chickened out on John. Harley is much spookier on the road than in the woods and I just didn't feel comfortable with the idea. So instead, we followed some logging trails in hopes of finding our way to the road that would take us back to the Jepson Farm. Harley did well leading, even at picking his way through the slash. Then he had to spook at something, possibly a turkey, and toss me in the dirt (man, can he wheel fast, just as I bent over to look at footing).  The he walked past an empty storefront window and saw another horse, no TWO, staring back! Seeing his and Rolex's reflection gave him a good start. Once they recognized their surroundings, the race for home began with Harley jogging now and then until Rolex passed him and forged on with her bouncy walk. Poor Harley hasn't quite got her stride and ends up jogging to catch up.

When we got to Jepson's, Harley decided it was time for lunch and started to graze. This is the best reason for a bitless bridle. The horses can easily munch grass or carrots without the hindrance of a bit. Even though Harley hadn't been worked in a week, I decided to be brave and take him out bitless that day.

I'd like to get in a ride over in Wells to explore a region in the Tatnic Hills that we haven't visited since last Easter. And to think we were in down jackets then too!

My vacation is spinning by too fast. I haven't done near all the chores on my list; call it horse fever! I've got a chunk of old plaster looming overhead, waiting to fall, and I've yet to get it fixed. It's easier to avoid tackling it by running away to the barn. And then there's all the painting, plumbing, and electrical work I need to address...I'd really like the guys from This Old House to come fix everything for me!

This past Sunday was Rolex Girl's birthday--now she's truly six, and truly, our baby girl! Here she is, sporting Harley's headnet on our ride. Happy Birthday to our little Miss Marquetry Girl.

My Bates Hunter Jumper saddle finally arrived Wednesday, but by the time I picked it up and got home, it was too late to get on Harley--plus he needed another coat of mud removed first! So today, after doing more chores, and leaving John at home working on a canoe repair, I dashed to the barn to try it out. I certainly like the feel of it--a cushy version of my old Crosby. I could do without the metal "bling" for the stirrup leather holder and under the cantle, but what the heck--as long as it fits! And the gullet change was even easier than before. This must be their newest version--easy peasy. I only had a brief ride, but I think it fits fine. Tomorrow, we'll do a breakfast ride in the morning, before it gets too hot and buggy!