Getting to Know You...

Saturday was the day for Nevel and Perseeus to meet-
First I had to package and label their food for the Caretakers-

seems there was some drama at the barn over the FOUR containers I left there last week-I had forgotten to take the big barrel back to the Feed Store.

But regardless there were grumblings over the added containers-the Caretaker said each person could have only 2 containers....ok FINE...I have TWO HORSES, so Technically  SHOULD be able to have FOUR containers.
But as I said...1 Huge one was going back to the feed store, one trash can holds loose feed and ziplock bags and the other two small ones are individual for P and Nevel since the owners want everything labeled, zipped, divided to make it easier at feeding time.

Next I lunged and rode Persee in the Arena-Mr Ornery buckaroo

Cool damp weather and all of the horses were feeling their oats.  But P only gave one small buck while I was riding him-
He does not know verbally commands and he SLAMMED on the brakes while trotting when I told him "GOOD BOY!"

Then I had to pick the Cockle burrs out of Nevel's Mane and Tail...WHAT A MESS!  and OUCH -those boogers are SHARP!

Perseeus says..."who's my new pasture mate?"

"NEIGHHHHHBOR over the fence

Nevel seems to have grown a "paint" extension and is only "TOLERATING" the new addition

Persee followed Nevel everywhere

 HANDSOME BOY

NIBBLES

Emerald Greens

I love this time of year in CA.  Fall, Rain, & and Emerald Greens!

The moss is taking over the Tie rope on the tree-Nature ALWAYS wins!

"SHROOMS!"  growing among leaves and manure

BE-JEWELED GRASSES

Just Like Christmas!

Finally took some time to organize the mess in the horse trailer.  The tack room is more like a storage area since I don't own a barn...clutter and trash.  I utilized a 50lb feed bag and filled it up with trash and some dry rotted stuff...how does this stuff accumulate?  Obviously I need to provide myself with a trash bag in the trailer!  IT was JUST LIKE CHRISTMAS-finding stuff I had forgotten about!

Keeper Pile, Trash Pile, Sell Pile, Give Away Pile

I think the Easy Boots are Dry Rotted!  I have had them since 2007!

Falcons Bridle and a map from the lovely trails of Shenandoah Nat. Park-Wow! I miss those trails!

Making progress with the clutter!

Organizing my backpack/water pack at home-A life saver! so much easier than bottles and I have it on me if I get dumped!  room for jacket, keys, phone, camera  etc and 2 L water!  Love it!

Fall is in the Air-Lotza oranges around!

Time for a treat after all of that work!

Yummy Persimmons here-also mandarins-but they were TART!  not quite ripe enough!

Skuye's the Limit

Memories...misty water colored memories...

Perseeus in the Arena

Day 2 First Ride

Nevel was neglected again today...but no worries...tomorrow is HIS day!

Persee greeted me and dropped his head right in his halter.  He is so light on his feet...just lovely.
I took him to the trailer and gave him some feed...then up to the barn lot for grooming.
He was literally shaking in his shoes when I tied him to the tree...but after a few min. he calmed down.
I tied him shorter today and he stood better, especially since several people and another horse were now hanging out as well.
Snacks, brushed, saddle on.  GOOD BOY!  didn't even flinch while I made many adjustments to the latigos and girth.  I need a shorter girth for him than for Nevel...imagine that!  He is so tall though-WOW!

Helmet on, Bridle in hand...S handed me her lunge line and whip and we headed down to the arena.
S and SH said "you aren't going to ride him are you?  you are BRAVE!"

I wasn't sure what I was going to do, but just "see"  after all, is only three.

1.  Walk around the arena both ways and make sure there aren't spooky things in the trees
2.  Walk through the middle of the arena
3.  Park at the mounting block  (previous owner said Trainer didn't make him stand still for mounting)
     took a few tries for him to figure out exactly where I wanted him, but by try 3 or 4 he had it down  
      pretty well.
4.  leaned on him, stroked him all over while I stood on the mounting block.  Slapped the stirrups and
     saddle and rustled the cantle pack.
5.  Lunged him both ways at WTC.  He isn't perfect, but did well, doesn't know voice commands for
      WTC.
6.  Put his bridle on, adjusted the girth and got on and he took off when my leg was just about over his back.  I pulled him around with one rein and made him stand...he STANDS really well.

7.  Started riding and he started balking and shaking his head violently.  I tried him in several directions...same thing, then I saw little bugs around his head and a black looking bee like creature, so I took him back to the mounting block and as soon as he stood still I jumped off.

Ugh...hhhmmmm, was it the bridle?  The saddle?  Me (my balance is not the best at times)?  The bugs?
I shortened the stirrups since I had them as long as they would go to ride Nevel's round barrel, checked his bit/bridle/girth and got back on.
REPEAT-he took off and I plopped hard in the saddle-but hey, at least it wasn't on the GROUND!
He stood still fine once I did the One Rein stop.  Off we went again and REPEAT-head tossing etc.
This time I kept him going straight down the arena.  When we hit the breeze the bugs were gone and Persee settled down and walked figure 8s and circles pretty well for me.
Back to the Mounting block-Whoah-off I go.  GOOD BOY.

He promptly responded with rubbing his head on me.  I walked over to pick up the lunge line and Persee just stood in the arena like he was tied to the ground...then followed me as I walked back past him.
We went out in the lane, saddle still on, walked up past the barn lot and down to the gate that blocks thru traffic.  I led him through the narrow passage for horses-he was a bit nervous so we turned around and did it again.
Back to the barn lot, saddle off, curried, snacked and loved on, to the trailer for grain, then back to the paddock pasture.

He likes to be right in your lap,  I need to teach him to give me some space when we are walking.
But he was a very good boy.  Might try and trot him around tomorrow if Nevel doesn't wear me out...

DAY ONE

DAY ONE
I said hello to Nevel who had his ears perked up and neck arched as he inquisitively peered in to the bullrushes by the pond.  I didn't figure out what was so interesting because he galloped over to me for snacks and a scratch.
He considered himself lucky to stay with his friends in the Pasture...and only because I had to take the trailer in to have the tires checked.

Persee was my focus today-to see how he had faired his first night in the dark.
When he saw me walking to the pen he immediately came trotting over out of his little pasture.
I have no doubt that that he does this for anyone.  He is so lovable.
He had some missing skin on his head and chin...probably from the hay rack, but other than that he looked happy.

The pics I took have already been posted from my phone, and it seems I can't edit them here on the blog with words when I send them that way!  :  (
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WALK AROUND THE BLOCK
After a quick snack at the horse trailer we walked up to the barn.  He was a little nervous but nothing bad.  I tied him to the tree and he could not stand still-nervously swinging his rear end around and looping his lead rope over his back...so I tied him shorter.  When he stood still I gave him some rubs and snacks.
He was great picking up his front feet.  His backs not so much.  Groomed and quieter, I led him back to the horse trailer down the lane for fly spray and more snacks then back to the pasture.
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DANCE OF THE TRAILER HITCH
Then I attempted to hook up my horse trailer.  I was in perfect alignment, but every time I put the brake on and got out to finish the job the car would rock forward just enough so that I couldn't complete the hitch.  One time I did get it and started lowering the hitch only to realize I hadn't opened up the coupler and it was jammed on the ball.  When I raised it enough to open it the car seemed to jump forward and then I couldn't get the coupler back on the ball.

AGHA

So I pulled forward and backed up again, only to be slightly out of alignment and no amount of rocking the trailer would make it jump on to the ball...
Try again.  Perfect alignment, car jumps forward when brake is put on...backed it up further next time...and it was just too far back.
REPEAT X 7!  oh good grief!  I can't believe what looked like less than an inch could cause so many issues!
SWEAT ...oh excuse me...GLISTENING in all my GLORY I hopped in the car and requested Siri to take me to Americas Tire...she repeated some other establishment back to me...nothing that had to do with tires.  is my pronunciation really THAT BAD?  maybe my spelling is too?  So I told her (FIRMLY) again to take me to AMERICAS TIRE in ROCKLIN- she said "OK KIM" in a very firm tone of voice which I did not quite like.  The nerve of a PHONE giving me grief!
I begin driving and she tells me to go 24 miles on I-80.   I think she was getting back at me!
SAY WHAT?  AT in Rocklin is only about 8 miles away....ok, forget it SIRI, I think I remember how to get there from here...FORGET YOU!

FLAT TIRES
As suspected, the right rear tire really was flat (35lbs of pressure)  Oh only 30lbs low since I filled it up less than 2 months ago!  AT fixed it for free and topped off my other tires...how nice...now I can take my glistening self home!

Hi Mom!

Looking like an old cow horse! NOT!

Checking out the Arena

This Horsey is a LOVE BUG!

Whooooos Over There?

"Sooner" or later

Perseus is a "Sooner" but he arrived late- plunged his snout in his hay

Today was the Day...

...almost
Today was the day I was going to clean out the horse trailer.
But I didn't.

First I fiddled at home making sure my new water backpack was ready to go.
It was advertised on Facebook for runners-light weight, lots of pockets and a waist belt and chest clip to keep it all secure.  Everything was great except the mouthpiece on the Water tube.  I couldn't get a drop out of it without blowing my brains out.  So I grabbed my camelback bladder and stuck it in.

Finally-out to the barn/trailer.  Grabbed Nevel's halter and walked down to the pasture.  He came galloping up when I called....hhhmmmm wonder if he would do that if I got dumped out in the woods?

It took me forever to saddle up-This was 1230 and I couldn't get my body to move!  Besides, S and I had to discuss the RAT issue at the barn...its like the RATS are some kind of monster animal...dragging off carrots and apples and small CATS!  ok...not cats...but....I've heard that the head count is now at 20 and still more.

Nevel was his usual ornery self when I tried to mount from the mounting block.  But when I do get on him he manages to stand stock still!

Off we went to the staging area-then hung a left.  I  need some new scenery and less rocks.

The scenery was a tad different.  Definitely less rocks-but Nevel is pretty certain that Mossy one is gonna eat him!

The trail was damp from recent rains and a good breeze kept us cool in the shade.

Next-The little bridge.  I don't think I have ridden this way in at least 2 years.

Nevel trotted right on across and didn't give it a second thought.  GOOD BOY!

Long Bar and then Horseshoe Bar

 From the ground looking up?  No I did not fall off!  But my saddle kept slipping sideways on the downhill, so I got off at Horseshoe bar to snug it up...only it just kept slipping sideways on Nev's sweaty back. Also the stirrups felt a little short and my right hip was starting to hurt, so I lengthened the stirrups to their last hole...GRRRR.  Maybe I should use a thinner pad.

 I tried to Mount, but Nev would have none of it and kept turning his head into me and swinging his butt out.  I get it Nev...I really do...It isn't comfortable with me trying to mount and the saddle just kept slipping.  Plus he was most certain that we should go home via Horse Shoe Bar Road instead of the woodsy trail.  So I backed him, and marched him around in tight circles until he decided he would mostly stand still for me to get on.  As soon as I was on he was ready to go and picked up the pace for home.

Nev says, "Think I will have a drink of the Lake."

 It looks close, but oh so far away!And my water pack somehow leaked and soaked my back and pants.  But it was still worth having it,  So much easier than water bottles!  
 We did some trotting today and finally got a canter for half a mile on the way home.
He has such a lovely canter, I could ride it all day...if only...Awesome 70 degrees and a 5 mile ride.

Hot on the Trail

5.8 miles of rocks hills, heat, sand, & shnakes! :)