Warmest Day of the Year!

Farah & Target

Gray & drizzle was the word for the morning - we delayed our start time by 30-min.  Pulling out of the yard, the sun was shining & it was still drizzling!  We were the only two in the parking lot, many local riders were at the April Daze ride this past weekend. 

Still snow on the peaks~

Joyce was short on time, but wanted to get in a good loop - so we rode what's now become the usual route for conditioning.  I say conditioning - Joyce may go to Klickitat, I'm still thinking about Mt. Adams.  For someone who was burnt out with endurance, here I am - still planning a ride or two.   (With Jas - it was always about her feet.  With Khari - it was about trying to get her to do what I knew she was capable of.)  The draw to the sport for me now - is with Farah - rides are actually fun :-)

The pond is So Very Green!

  At a ride, having the marked route & being able to travel at whatever speed you & your mount want - I see as something of a reward for all the miles we travel.  The sport is changing though - as the population grows & we share the trails with more & more users...  Loose dogs attacking horses, bike riders, hikers etc., make it hard - even during a sanctioned ride - to let our horses go!

Mt. Rainier dominates the skyline!

We had a great ride, Joyce brought Jackson, we had to wait for him a few times - he took advantage of every puddle!  :-)  I put my supracore inserts into the woolback pad & that seems to really help our borrowed saddle fit.  The sheepskin on the bottom is long worn away - so I've tried several different ideas to keep it cushioned.  This seemed to be the best option so far.  More calls to the saddle maker...

After her bath~

Once home, Farah enjoyed her warm bath - I enjoyed getting wet!  Another great ride ~

Farah Funnies :-)

Gold Creek Ride

Yesterday, drove down to Woodinville to try out a friends saddle.  Ann was kind enough to take me on a really super ride that included steep ups, steep downs & with a destination at a very nice facility with a nice sized arena!  The saddle seemed to fit Farah's back, but there were several things that I would have to change for my personal taste & to get wither clearance.  We were both surprised though - when I removed it - that Farah had the same two dry spots at the wither that she'd had when I used my saddle on her!  

This saddle has a "flex-core" & is supposed to fit any horse, which Ann said that it always had until yesterday.  Farah's back is not unusual in any way - a pretty standard horse back - but she certainly needed more wither clearance from the pommel. I didn't like the balanced placement, or seat, which seemed to let me move too far back.  My legs were nowhere near the Rider's Groove, at the narrowest point of the horses barrel, but further back - where the barrel widens.

 This saddle had installed bucking-rolls, installed to help on the steep downhills.  I could see where that had been a big improvement.  Ann's horse is an incredible big moving guy.  Otherwise, you'd feel as though you'd tip right off the front.

Now, for the Funnies :-)  I'd parked along a grassy strip in front of the barn.  Farah was loaded & I was saying good-by when Ann looked down & realized that I had a flat tire on the trailer!  Much better there, parked - than on the highway!  Her husband graciously left his Sunday project & changed out the tire - what a guy!  We'd unloaded Farah, she was tied to a post.  The next time we looked, she was loose & having a wonderful roll!   So - Ann tied her again, this time with a double knot!  A few more minutes went by - something caught our attention & Farah was loose again & happily grazing next to my friends mare - still standing tied!  Farah had lifted the entire loop of the lead rope off the top of the post!  OK ...  time to admit that this is a SMART girl!  :-)   Yes she does tie, but I'll now have to add, until she unties herself :-)