Everyone is home

Had a great ride on Kina today. It felt like autumn, and she liked not being hot and having flies all over the place. We worked in the pasture, and then we took a stroll down the street. She wasn't happy about being alone, so we just cam back. She's such a good girl.

I've gotten home too late the past couple of nights to ride. I need to get on Envoy just for some walking and maybe trotting. I don't want him to be totally out of shape when I bring him for his eval and retreads.

Shame horses can't use a treadmill like some of us peoples......but I know that wouldn't be the same.

There are hot walkers where you hook the horse up to an arm, and he walks around in a circle. They do get some exercise from walking around the pasture while they graze. I will be the one paying the price if I don't get on at least a couple times a week.

Cree and I did battle with the mosquitoes today. There were a few big enough to carry us away. Fortunately, the cooler weather has them moving slowly. I mashed quite a few. Cree was grateful. He thinks they are a pain.

I agree with him!
I was gonna ask how he was doing but you just answered my question before I asked it.

He's a funny guy. He'll go around for a while with no issues. Suddenly, he'll stop in his tracks, whinny for his buddies, and then park out (stretch his front feet forward and his back feet behind him). He acts like, "I'm done. Time to get off." I usually ask him to go for another 5 or 10 minutes so he gets the idea that I decide when we stop. I'm not asking him to work hard, so he can work for 30 - 45 minutes. I have to say that he's a really good boy though. He doesn't do anything dangerous or scary. He just has a limit, and he wants me to put another quarter in the slot to ride longer.

Another quarter in the slot.......hehehehehehe what a character he is!

If I didn't think it taught horses to nibble toes, I'd feed him carrot chunks from the saddle. But, every horse I trained like that would turn his head and nibble my toes when I rode and came to a stop. I stopped that years ago. Now, treats are before and after the ride.

Today is trail ride day for Envoy and me. It's cloudy and really muggy. I hope that doesn't mean rain before we can get a nice ride in. We're meeting a couple friends. I guess if the weather gets bad, we'll load up and find a place to get coffee.

The day cleared up, and was absolutely perfect for a ride. Envoy and Stormy took turns leading the way, and Envoy was the leader over every bridge. We had a very good day, and are both very tired.

Sounds like a good time was had by all involved.

Envoy was sleepy today. At supper time, he came in and went into a corner to nap. He's usually poking his nose into the aisle to make sure I feed him first.

I wonder what made him so tired that he'd skip making sure he got supper?

We haven't gone on a real trail ride in months. We were walking and trotting on hilly trails for a couple hours. That's more work, and a different kind of work than he's used to. He's better today though. Even though we had lots of rain and wind today (Nor'easter blew in), he went bucking out to the pasture after the farrier was finished.

Must feel good to be bucking.....

Brave Envoy! He walked down the street alone and wasn't worried at all. A nasty person zoomed by (close) in his tiny pickup. Envoy just stood there and gave him the pony glare. What a good boy!

Today's weather was great, and Kina and I had a great ride. We didn't do anything exciting, but it was just fun to be out with such pretty weather. We're supposed to get more rain tomorrow, so I enjoyed it while I could.

Tis the time of year when you have to take advantage of every nice weather day you get...they're getting fewer and farther between.

It's getting dark so early. I'm not ready!

Kina is an escape artist! When I went to the barn this morning to feed, her stall guard was open, and she was nowhere to be seen. I have "mesh" things that hook on eye hooks in the stall doors. I've never had any of my horses try to get out, so I guess I didn't latch this one well enough last night.

I grabbed the halter, and turned on the outside lights. There she was! Right in the back pasture asleep under the tree. What a good girl. She got out, but she didn't go walkabout. She wins even more perfect pony points.

Maybe she's learned how to unhook that guard from the eye hooks? Some horses are smart enough to learn how to do that and more.....glad she didn't take off. She just wanted to sleep under the stars.

I don't think she cares about unhooking the guard. She hasn't been out since. But, if I left it only partially hooked up, she is definitely not beyond taking advantage of the situation.

Today, Envoy and I rode down the street. He conquered the downed tree and the street puddles. He is becoming quite the steady trail horse. His "spook" was to stop, look at the scary thing, snort, and then walk on by. He was tense, but kept to a walk. He goes for his stifle exam on 11/7 (first day that worked for me and the vet), and we might go trotting once his tires are aired up.

Your description of Envoy's spook made me chuckle. I hope he gets a good report from his exam. I think he'd enjoy trotting a bit in the crisp fall weather.

I gave Kina a shot for arthritis on Monday. Yeeeehaw! She feels good. We went for a ride today, and she was feeling great. She charged around, and didn't want to stop. Unfortunately, she tripped over a mole hill, but she's really balanced. She kept going at the same gait. What a cool girl!