I was able to make it out onto the deep snow trail during the weekend. The weather was decent enough, and I'm beginning to be able to make out the Walkover Logs that mark a section of Jason's Loop. First time I've seen those logs in months! These pictures don't do the beauty in the woods justice. The colors are getting warmer, with spots of brown.
It was hard going for AhD with the uneven snow. We would seem to sink unexpectedly into drifts. We saw tons of deer sign but no actual deer for once. AhD was still uneasy about these culverts, so I dismounted and played Michelle's Touch the Goblins game.
I started off by whacking them with my hand, and then with a stick. We walked all around them. I dipped my hand into my grain pocket and laid the back of my hand on the culvert. AhD was immediately convinced that culverts weren't so bad after all. After I re-mounted, AhD discovered that one kernal of grain had fallen onto the culvert, so he made quick work of that. Waste not, want not! Harold, you are probably cringing in your boots, hearing that I've gone back to keeping a cache of grain in a pocket when I ride...but I will say that my pony will stand stock still while I mount, because he knows that if he does, sometimes he gets a handful. Plus, it comes in handy when tackling scary culverts. Hope you all are getting in some good riding and enjoying the extra sunlight!
I started off by whacking them with my hand, and then with a stick. We walked all around them. I dipped my hand into my grain pocket and laid the back of my hand on the culvert. AhD was immediately convinced that culverts weren't so bad after all. After I re-mounted, AhD discovered that one kernal of grain had fallen onto the culvert, so he made quick work of that. Waste not, want not! Harold, you are probably cringing in your boots, hearing that I've gone back to keeping a cache of grain in a pocket when I ride...but I will say that my pony will stand stock still while I mount, because he knows that if he does, sometimes he gets a handful. Plus, it comes in handy when tackling scary culverts. Hope you all are getting in some good riding and enjoying the extra sunlight!
Susan,
ReplyDeleteit would be great if NE curly riders could all get together! If anything ever gets put together, I would love to be a part of it (My e-mail is dogluvrs4@yahoo.com). I took Yemaya to the barn where I take lessons last night. It was a very new experience for her, but we both made it through, and by the end of our hour, she was much more relaxed and happy (although she kept trying to "charge" the curly horse looking back at her in the big viewing mirror! That was funny, I have never seen a horse do that! We are going to continue lessons together and start learning midieval games. I loved your blog...I had the same issue with Yemaya early on this winter...I had to get off and "play" in a lot of new snowy situations, but we made it through every one :)
Thank you for sharing your experiences!
Laurie Wilkie
Yemaya must think that the horse in the mirror is trying to usurp her position in the herd! That is too funny!! Is she boss mare? AhD is very easy going and naive, and always seems to be at the bottom of the horse totem pole. He probably would have perked up his ears and gone right over to make friends with his mirror image.
ReplyDeleteSusan, I just don't know what to say to you!!!!!! If that is what it takes to calm AhD then that is what it takes.
ReplyDeleteWe had 3 inchs of rain here and with the frozen ground and frozen culvert we are really fooded, we have water and water and more water.I'm thinking I will have to get scuba gear for all the horses.
Glad to hear you are getting in a lot of good riding.
Harold
Harold,
ReplyDeleteBe on the lookout for Noah's Ark. Ice under water is not a good mix. I rode a non-Curly who shall remain nameless at lunchtime today, and I'm secretly hoping to ride AhD after work. It is BEAUTIFUL here in Maine today; I bet it is 50 degrees out. Ulla and I are going to pack a lunch and ride up on Singepole when the trails dry out enough and before the black flies hit.