Tuesday, October 03, 2006
ALL BRIGHT & SHINY
I took Snix out for a leisurely tour yesterday. I set out bareback, jeans rolled up, flip-flops floppin', with Dally and Chloe running alongside. Chloe, of course, couldn't resist leaping, pouncing and performing airs-above-ground, trying her hardest to entice Snix, the "big dog", to play. Her antics would increase during our many "pit stops" in which Snix would stop to graze and Chloe would relentlessly annoy her.
I lost a flip-flop in the brush while crossing through a draw, so I had to dismount to get it. I have never been good about mounting up bareback without a bucket or some assistance of some sort. We were close to a gate, thankfully, and though I wasn't able to get her very close to it, I was able to make a flying leap onto her back. Bless her soul, she is such a docile horse!!
Later, she proved her worth once again as we were travelling down a trail and came upon an obstacle - they looked like a bunch of sheets of plywood, painted white and stacked/overlapping each other 3/4 of the way across the path. Without hesitation, she dipped her head for a closer look and simultaneously planted her hoof firmly in the middle of the boards and kept on going right along. A few hundred feet later a large limb-covered tree was laying across our path. By this time she was marching along with a long, ground-covering stride and I was a bit concerned she might either trip over the tree or try to jump it. However, she slowed at just the right moment and stepped high over a limb, then the tree trunk, and marched on. I was very proud of her for being so perfect in those instances.
Well, we got to the end of the trail and came out on the road about a 1/4 mile from our driveway. We had to cross an oilfield location road to get home, and just as we started to cross a truck started to come down the gravel road. No big deal. Usually.
But, for some unknown reason, as soon as Chloe saw that truck she spun around and ran off in the direction we'd come from. I called and called for her, but she had disappeared. Dally, Snickers and I got home, I tied Snix up and jumped in the truck. I couldn't find Chloe and was getting more worried, so I called Jeff. He reassured me that she knew her way home and would come home soon, so I parked the truck and started bathing Snickers.
By the time I had Snickerdoodles gleaming, all bright and shiny, Chloe showed up, panting heavily.......... I think she ran the whole 3-4 miles of trails back home! After tending to the horses, the dogs and I went inside. Chloe got sick all over the living room floor - several times, till nothing was left in her stomach. It was all water. (And thankfully our floor is laminate wood - very easy to clean!) I think she was over-heated. She's okay now, but I feel sorry for her, the poor little girl.
Aside from all that, though, I was glad to get some quality time in with Snickerdoodles. As I've said before, she loves having a fuss made over her and she really enjoyed her bath - particularly the scrubbing on her neck, chest and tail. Pepsi was jealous of all the attention - she was pawing the fence and reaching her head over the fence. I hosed her off through the fence, which she enjoyed - it was a rather warm day! Afterwards, she took a good roll and covered herself with mud, of course. So now, I have 2 paints - one very dirty mud/gray paint and one gleaming, bright, shiny black/white paint! :)
To get to know a country, you must have direct contact with the earth. It's futile to gaze at the world through a car window --Albert Einstein
I lost a flip-flop in the brush while crossing through a draw, so I had to dismount to get it. I have never been good about mounting up bareback without a bucket or some assistance of some sort. We were close to a gate, thankfully, and though I wasn't able to get her very close to it, I was able to make a flying leap onto her back. Bless her soul, she is such a docile horse!!
Later, she proved her worth once again as we were travelling down a trail and came upon an obstacle - they looked like a bunch of sheets of plywood, painted white and stacked/overlapping each other 3/4 of the way across the path. Without hesitation, she dipped her head for a closer look and simultaneously planted her hoof firmly in the middle of the boards and kept on going right along. A few hundred feet later a large limb-covered tree was laying across our path. By this time she was marching along with a long, ground-covering stride and I was a bit concerned she might either trip over the tree or try to jump it. However, she slowed at just the right moment and stepped high over a limb, then the tree trunk, and marched on. I was very proud of her for being so perfect in those instances.
Well, we got to the end of the trail and came out on the road about a 1/4 mile from our driveway. We had to cross an oilfield location road to get home, and just as we started to cross a truck started to come down the gravel road. No big deal. Usually.
But, for some unknown reason, as soon as Chloe saw that truck she spun around and ran off in the direction we'd come from. I called and called for her, but she had disappeared. Dally, Snickers and I got home, I tied Snix up and jumped in the truck. I couldn't find Chloe and was getting more worried, so I called Jeff. He reassured me that she knew her way home and would come home soon, so I parked the truck and started bathing Snickers.
By the time I had Snickerdoodles gleaming, all bright and shiny, Chloe showed up, panting heavily.......... I think she ran the whole 3-4 miles of trails back home! After tending to the horses, the dogs and I went inside. Chloe got sick all over the living room floor - several times, till nothing was left in her stomach. It was all water. (And thankfully our floor is laminate wood - very easy to clean!) I think she was over-heated. She's okay now, but I feel sorry for her, the poor little girl.
Aside from all that, though, I was glad to get some quality time in with Snickerdoodles. As I've said before, she loves having a fuss made over her and she really enjoyed her bath - particularly the scrubbing on her neck, chest and tail. Pepsi was jealous of all the attention - she was pawing the fence and reaching her head over the fence. I hosed her off through the fence, which she enjoyed - it was a rather warm day! Afterwards, she took a good roll and covered herself with mud, of course. So now, I have 2 paints - one very dirty mud/gray paint and one gleaming, bright, shiny black/white paint! :)
To get to know a country, you must have direct contact with the earth. It's futile to gaze at the world through a car window --Albert Einstein
