I'm still trying to find my way to Muensten, which is about the halfway point to our new home. I rode for 4 hours yesterday in nasty sleet and sharp snow (hail?). Somehow I stayed dry with my lumberjack flannel and polarfleece vest. I must have called my man 5 times on that trail, "Where now?" cuz he's done that trail on foot. My saddle was soaking wet, but I had my wonderful fleece breeches on, which stay warm even when wet. Baasha had his silly looking butt rug on, and amazingly it keeps his butt dry too. Is polarfleece pure magic or what!
I had two pockets full of carrots, which I used as an apology for taking him out in such weather for so long. It kept his spirits up, he didn't act annoyed. I think he knows we're searching for something. Exploring new places is always fun for us.
He had on his new Easyboot Bares, and although I was worried they'd rub his heels, his feet were both perfectly fine afterwards. WHEW! I am so thrilled to have these boots finally. Someone on the barefoot forum is very excited about the new Easyboot Edges that came out this month, and gave me a really good deal, shipping them with a Western Washington newspaper as packing, for my reading pleasure. (It's always such a joy for me to get my hands on an actual newspaper from home - reading the news online isn't the same.)So, don't we look like an Easycare ad - I've got the padded stirrups for my feet, and he's got the fancy new boots for his! A hiker stopped to talk to us, and said his boots look cool. Yah, they really do: ) And Baasha doesn't gimp on rocks with those on. I was so happy to see him walk across an evil rocky road with big jagged rock, and he didn't slow down or try to navigate - he just walked straight down it. That was the real test.
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Today we opened the door to our house with our key, and it was all ours. What a wonderful feeling it is, it's ours! We explored all the rooms, because we couldn't really explore before, the owners were always there. It's empty, it's clean, a few rooms need painting, and I look forward to fixing up my man's office for him with a new coat of paint. There was this imitation baby duck floating in the icy pond by the road, and I promptly picked it out and threw it in some terra cotta planters I'll be giving to my mother in law, if she wants them. One thing I can't stand in a garden - fake animals. I don't know why, but any stylized fake thing bothers me, be it a garden gnome, metallic butterfly, or plastic duckling, no matter how lifelike. (I also don't like stuffed animals. I just want to cuddle the real thing please!)
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15 comments:
Congratulations! What a charming house. It already looks homey.
Nice boots!
Yay, your new home!!! It's very quaint. I love it!
Wow, those are long rides in this cold weather.
Hmmm- those new boots look pretty nifty. I'll have to check them out because I want to keep my horses barefoot and still go on trail rides over rocky surfaces.
Lytha, you are one hard core horse woman! 4 hours in the rain and actually trying to get somewhere as opposed to just riding. Great house. I'm sure you'll be very happy there.
Oh, my man just came into the room just in time to see your home!! we both think it dreamy.
He loves country and creeks and stone walls, working the land, all of it. Someday!
Okay..you are one of only 3 folks + me, I visit that I would call an Intrepid rider!! I am making an award for us... it is time!
I love that bun warmer that Baasha has...I made my own from a fleece throw..it is too big but, it does the job till I afford a real one.
My farrier allowed me to use the easy boot "bares" for trial once...I about pulled my shoulder out tryin' to get them off my mare's feet! I LOVE my G-2's Old macs. They don't rub that I have noticed..but I have not gone on a longenough ride with trotting either. I went out today for 3 hours and did mudd and roads and jumps and such... they seemed great.
I will look into the Edges maybe, they probably are "rated" to travel longer distances.
I soo want to get some padded cages like yours too!
Loved you pics and hearing of your intrepid ride lytha~
KK
Whooohoo! Your new home is adorable and charming with such country character. How lucky you are! I'm so happy for you!
The pictures of Baasha are really great. The second with his ears all perky is so sweet!
He looks so happy to be out on a hack with you.
Stay warm, dry and enjoying your new home!
Soon Baasah will be joining you! :)
~Lisa
I think his butt rug is cute! Nice ride. And you are in possession of the new house - how wonderful is that?
I'm glad Baasha liking his boots. I am REALLY tired of fighting with old style EZ Boots; easy enough to get them on, now that I have size 2's for Gigantor's feet, but it's a cussing match to get them off again. Even with the boots, she's tenderfooted, so the shoes are going back on this week! Each horse truly is an individual.
I'm excited for your new house, too! Can you hardly wait to live there and look out your windows to see your horse?
Congratulations on your beautiful new home. It is so very charming. I can picture beautiful blooming flowers and a vegetable garden and your horse just outside. Yeah!!
One comment from an earlier post caught my attention. A free church?? I am so thankful that here in the US we still have separation of church and state. A very dangerous thing when government intermingles with religion.
Hey...we use EasyBoots too!!! Aren't they great?? Bo and Baasha must have similar hooves, because he only has to wear them on the front as well, and when we used to shoe him, he only had to have the fronts done. Hardy little horses!!!
I am so excited for you!!! Your new hose looks so inviting. :)
LOL! You would never survive Iowa! I swear, nearly every house has at least one fake deer in the front yard as decoration!
Looks lovely :)
Leah, I think it looks homey cuz they left all those cute planters in the windows. I'm so glad, I want geraniums this summer, those tiny ones, ya know?
FV, the easyboot tread could be a little grippier, in my opinion. I've noticed that a barehoof has much more traction than anything else, including the easyboot. However, the easyboot still gives more traction than an iron shoe.
NM, once an endurance rider, always (in my heart at least). Even though I go out on these longs rides, I'm leading him a lot of the way and he's really not in good shape yet. We're taking it very slowly after his year layoff, and, well, he's really old now. I notice it takes a lot longer to condition a horse when all you have are rolling gentle hills, and no straight up and down like back home!
Allhorsestuff, I got lucky with those bares - I can get them on and off easily, and somehow they stay on him. It's those magical gaiters, I think. I wanted to mention the secret of keeping that rump rug in place - put the crupper on OVER the rump rug. It took me a while to figure that out, cuz when they canter it flips to the side and that's pretty useless. If you ride with a crupper, try it over your rug if you canter a lot (and you do). Also, you mentioned your man loves stone walls - has he visited New Hampshire? We just did, and there are these old low stone walls everywhere. People have them as fences, and they are just so rustic and lovely. Jealous, I want a stone wall!
Lisa, did you notice he's stepping on himself in that picture you like? He's such a dork. I told him, "You're standing on yourself. Can't you stand up properly so I can get a decent picture?" and of course I took about 20 photos and only about 2 turned out. All the others, ears back, bored, or anxious. I spend a lot of time hitting the delete button in my photos files.
Flying Lily, Aarene, I'm so excited to fix it up - I realize that if it were new or perfect, it wouldn't be a challenge and right now I'm totally excited about this challenge. You know, the before and after pics. I have to paint a couple rooms, and one of them has the dreaded wallpaper on the walls. Oh, how I hate taking down wallpaper! But all this will just make it more special to us, when we're done.
C-ingspots, Germans pay taxes to churches here. It covers kindergarten and funeral costs. But only if you're part of the state churches - catholic or protestant. Anything else is separate from the government. One nice thing is that the state pays for the upkeep of the classical old church buildings. When I registered to live here, I said "No church affiliation" on my paperwork. That means I don't pay the taxes, but I can still go to my husband's church with him. I'd like to find a free church cuz I miss singing the songs, and they often sing traditional hymns or modern songs in english. Also, formality in church bothers me. I like my pastor to wear jeans.
Melanie, I regret all the years I had shoes on him when we were just doing dressage and stuff, when he probably didn't need them.
Lulu, Iowa - fake deer. Hm. Thanks for the warning. We plan on visiting all 50 states, and now we're prepared for fake deer!
So happy you are moved into your new place! Congratualtions! And cool that those boots are working for you. I am eyeballing some of the newer boots from Renegade and EasyCare. Not making an immediate decision yet as my Old Macs G1 boots are doing OK for now since i am not riding enough.
Love the new place. I have the EasyBoot Epics...love them. I may try some Bares or Old Macs this summer. I have Boas...but they are too clunky and have broken numerous times.
I am also totally impressed that you rode so far and so long and so cold/soggily. No wonder you and Baasha ended up in a different country--you're born explorers. Although I guess marrying a German man had something to do with it too. Congrats on your new home--it's beautiful. Looking forward to reading more about bringing Baasha home to a blackberry-free fenced pasture.
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