Trax and Trail

Nevel was very lame last week.  I planned on coming to visit him in the middle of the week
But I was sick as a dog....sick as a dog?  where does that idiom come from?  Apparently from the 1700's...
So yes, I was very ill and didn't visit Nevel.

A texted me and asked if I wanted him to trim and shoe Nevel and I said "no"
"not until he isn't so lame and I can check on him."
Fair Enough

Today was lovely-64 when I headed to the barn.
I took Murphy and old Griffin with me.
No plans for riding a lame horse
and Murphy, young of age, has never even seen a horse.  Nevel was in his paddock eating hay, so I left him be and did not check for sound or lameness.









Murphy proceeded to bark at the horses withhis hair raised up on his back, Along with vicious growling.  Silly dog

I decided to take the dogs for a jaunt through the woods while it was still cool.  We saw more horses and trailers and also a mule in the Parking area.  Murph made himself a nuisance with barking and would not stop and I had to yank him along to the trail.

The trail was dusty, everything has gone brown and crispy...except for a few bright yellow flowers.

The Meadow is full of dried Star Thistle-those hateful weeds with big thorns-yet somehow the bees can make a most delightful honey from its tiny yellow flowers in spring.

Hellooooo???? whooooos there?

 Bear?  or is it a large coon?  haveta check my tracks book.

coon?

Traffic Jam...

The dogs were more interested in heading home at this point-their tongues lolling towards the ground...I poured some of my water into my hand to share with them.

Fall is in the air

Back at the barn...Nevel was in the far corner of his pasture.  I called to him...

guess who came GALLOPING and bucking across the pasture?

Not a bit of lameness noted at all....Nevel nosed for edibles while Drummer nibbled on my water bottle.

 Drummer is Neve's pasture mate for three more days then Nevel gets to go hang out again with his friends in the BIG pasture.

Lame again'. Sheesh! Another abscess ?

Sent from my iPad

At the lake- 101 degrees only a wisp of a breeze

Perseeus aug2015

Perseeus (ASPEN)

His name is Perseeus.
I guess I could call him Persee, but that's just not me
ASPEN-that is what it will be
I love Aspen trees, and the gentle music they make
as they whisper in the wind
He reminds me almost too much of Falcon-But hopefully has a more stable brain!
pictured here at age 2-he is now almost 4.  On his way to visit a cowboy to get more training
under his built before traversing from near Tulsa Oklahoma..guess I better talk to T to see if there is more "room in the Inn."

Poseidon Bay (sire), Perseeus and Proteus (brothers)

Poseidon Bay has 1500 + AERC mile, 2009 AERC JIM JONES AWARD and was 2005 and 2007 PtHA Endurance horse of the year.   Here he is with two of his boys.  Perseeus and Proteus would look great as a dressage or carriage team!

Sunday Rides 2

Last Sunday I decided that Nevel and I would venture out on our own.
There didn't seem to be anyone else to ride with anyway.

Beau and Blue having a visit
R showed up, but I figured she wouldn't want to ride after her previous Sunday ride
experience with Nevel...besides...she said Chili had a sore shoulder from an improper fitting saddle.

Nevz and I headed out onto the Jeep trail through the forest.  If I had had my wits about me
and a more controlled pony I would have taken pictures of the gutted, rocky and steep trail.
The views were awesome and the trail quiet.  shortly before the below pictures were taken, Nevz had a MAJOR spook- We were trotting up hill and had just crested when he came to a dead stop so quick that it jarred my teeth and in that same moment he dipped downward and sideways.  Thankfully I was balanced and stayed on...hitting those rocks with my body wouldn't have been fun!  Also he then planted his feet and stared hard upwardly....hmmmm-nothing but sky unless the vultures shadow had spooked him!

What did you say Mom?  You expect me to JUMP THAT????!!!!!

We had one other small spook where someone had left machinery in the field, but Nevz managed to collect himself and sidled toward the meadow then took off at a 12.7 mph canter.

 After a nice 5 mile Jaunt of trotting and a little cantering Nevel decided to have a good roll in the grass.   His pasture mate shakes his head in disgust at the youngsters antics.

And a neck scratch 

 
MOM?  Do I look like Donald Trump???

TEVIS

I used to dream of riding the Tevis

But no longer
I don't think I have the wits for those Canyon trails
But FINALLY
AFTER MANY MANY YEARS (7 of which I have lived only 30 miles from the finish line)
I decided to venture to the Forest Hill Vet Check and feel the excitement.
It was so worth the dust!


I hung around while the first 11 riders came through

fantastic pit crew in action.

Some riders made their pit crew run after them!
I Ride for Kevin Meyer (remembrances for a dear endurance friend who had recently passed away)

Kevin's horse was ridden by his life partner

Mom & Son team

Husband and wife team (I think) LOL  lost track of who was who
And a 75 year old came in 6th place who had been dreaming of riding the TEVIS for 50 years!
Ok, maybe there is hope for me

July and Nevel is fatter than a barrel of pickles-
Time to move him to a smaller paddock to trim down.
 
Also time for a new bridle-He has outgrown Reds old one.

The trailer has been sitting for months again.
The tires are near flat-Time for some air