In Search of Puddles

Another cold blustery day on the hill ! We are short on time but we squeeze in a short trot out in search of puddles ! After the incessant downpours we've received since spring (save the short stretch of unbearable heat and humidity during the convention) AND the melting snow - puddles are easy to find.

You can tell what season it is by the decoration at the end of this driveway ~ 

Mister Ghoul is back - he's hardly frightening -- more like an old neighborhood friend who is back in town.

We picked a route through the woods that is more puddle than trail.

Reverie is reigning queen of puddles -

She's wondering if I got her best side here.

My beautiful Sweet Bee...  She was very thirsty this trip and had to have a taste of each and every puddle.  I love her 'headband'. 

We had our fill of water today !

Mission accomplished !

Here's an out of place photo ~  After we exit the trail, we canter out into a large field and up a little hill. There is a barn and house at the end - where we trot down their little road to get home.

I asked Zoe to snap a photo of the barn so I could have a little brag about what a wonderful mare Sweet Bee is !!

one evening, I was out riding this trail by myself with Sweets.. and as we trotted up the crest of the little hill... there was a man on the roof with a hammer, re-chargeable drill and sheets of blowing banging metal sheets ... making repairs. Sweets did not take a second glance -- and normally, I have have found, horses do not like people up on a roof banging. She's an angel :)  I think of her when I pass this barn.... so we stopped for a quick pose.

She's such a good mare ! 

Naturally, when I first swung up into the
saddle ... and my body felt -- WAIT -- this is NOT Keri.  I was squirming in the saddle about the first half mile and Zoe was chuckling. My legs felt short, stirrups too long, saddle pitched forward, where was Keri's long neck out in
front ?   Sweets and I had fun though and I do enjoy riding her very much.



When I returned home, I put the firm pommel insert in-- Keri uses the very soft one.  There was a big difference - that's how I'll ride Sweets for the rest of the month. One great attribute of this treeless saddle -- zip, zip... easy change !!

Back to study the list -- decide what's next ~  Deep water will be my biggest challenge at this time of year. There is deep water to be found -- but it's cold... and due to the Hurricane Irene... our usual rivers where we like to swim -- they were contaminated with some upriver sewer plants being damaged...  so Zoe and I have decided, there will be no river swims until next year :)  We are ready for the ride with me on Sunday .... Angie and Susan -- post times and we'll be along with you !

Betsy and Sweets, Zoe and Reverie in a puddle-riddled Vermont