Today I woke up to a bright blue sky and birds singing, and I jumped out of bed saying, "I gotta ride."
First I took a few pics of our hang. I love larch trees! Did you know there is a type of pine (?) tree that changes color in fall?
I treated his eye (his left eye is still being treated), fed him, and got him all brushed.
He was feeling great. I led him down the hill very slowly, because going downhill bothers his ankle, but he was so annoyed with how slow I was walking, he started giving me little nudges with his nose. He knows he is not supposed to nudge me, it's rude, but these were very very slight nudges, that were so cute, I let him. Almost like his habit of wiping his nose on my jacket, so I don't notice. My jacket is a mess right now!
We visited our neighbor horses, they are not used to seeing him in tack, so it was like he was a completely different horse. Or was it my helmet? I don't know. They pranced and hesitated and tried to dare each other to approach. Here is Nordic, the mean (and dirty!) Arabian, Lucky the 31 year old chestnut Icelandic, and friend, and a huge spotted thing that wants to be Baasha's best friend lately, so we visit him almost every day. Widest horse I have ever seen.We found a field of Icelandic mares and their babies. The babies had curly hair, and they were playing so rough with each other, again, daring each other to approach us. We met a nursing mare who I felt so bad for, she was limping as they ran around, and her eye was infected and swollen shut.
Here are the first ones as they crested the hill toward us. Sorry for the crappy picture, the sun was right behind them. The babies kept kicking each other, and some of the mares were rough with the babies too, it was kind of chaotic, but I couldn't leave, who doesn't enjoy a field of rambunctious babies playing in warm fall weather? They all wanted to touch noses with Baasha.
It was so warm today! Baasha and I were both sweating, but I was only wearing a tshirt and my lightest jacket.We walked until we got down to the river trail, where it is flat and has great footing. I got on and it was like I had a Tennesee Walking Horse, he was walking so fast. Well, he is nowhere as comfortable as a TWH, but he was striding along in a 4 beat walk that was a blur. I don't know why he has to be in such a hurry.
A very cool bridge+gate thing. (We did NOT ride over it. I don't do questionable bridges anymore. We went thru the creek, but not before Baasha played in the water, pawing and splashing with both front feet.)I practiced backing with Baasha, seeing how evenly he can back 10 strides at a time. He was getting pissed, but it was an attempt to "change the subject."
Then we saw a girl on an Icelandic, she passed us and started tolting away like crazy down the trail. Baasha thought, "Oh boy! Let's go!" and I thought, "Hey, let's play that game where we follow the rider and they don't know we are following, cuz we keep out of sight!" but Baasha won, he started to jig and trot and I don't think he is ready for that, but he was sound. I let him a while, but you know, letting an Arab trot does not help them relax. Finally we turned around and practiced backing. We stared at a map of the woods for a long time, way, way longer than Baasha thought necessary, and I thought it would be fun to explore.
I got a little turned around in a little town called Bremen (!!) but a nice lady helped me find the trails again. I got off and led Baasha home.
I saw the biggest, meanest looking garden gnome ever. I had to bring Baasha into someone's yard to get a picture, I hoped they would understand. 
Look at that evil guy, standing at their doorway!
Baasha is feeling really good, and he doesn't seem to comprehend leisurely trail ride right now. Spending so much time taking him for walks has made him crazy, apparently. I get on and he flashes back to old times. This pic shows his bad eye. We are going to take him to that eye specialist afterall. We hope and pray the eye doctor can help him, and that this is not going to be a chronic problem due to the different environment.
It turned cold again tonight, so I brushed all his sweat marks off and blanketed him. He's in his stall now, eating hay, after spending the afternoon at pasture.
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11 comments:
I've never seen a pine tree that changes color! So what are the normal day/evening temperatures for you right now?
Very nice walk/ride. Hope the eye turns out to be manageable. I loved that ghastly gnome!!! I like your plan of walking and riding; I could use that and my horse would love it if i was working harder than him on hills etc.
That bridge is SO cute!! It is romantic looking...Your boy is SO dang cute! It is amazing how much Germany looks like BC... no wonder so many Germans have made there home here.
Melissa, I just did the conversions and our day temp yesterday was 60, and night was 35. Today is 44. Sounds funny to be talking about those numbers again, it has been a long time and I am finally learning my celsius. (Celsius is easy, 0 is freezing, 100 is boiling.)
Flying Lily, Oh, on hills, I tail Baasha! He loves that cuz he gets to "lead" me, but I don't have to work so hard, using him as a tow rope!
Adventures, Thank you! In one of the big cities in BC, there is a street with our last name, an uncommon German name. Personally, I think Germany cannot hold a candle to BC. "Beautiful British Columbia" is an understatement! We were in White Rock this summer, and visited the beach, where there is no smoking allowed at all. I was like, "HAH!!!! No smoking outdoors in BC! I love it!"
I'm so glad I found your blog! I'm from the Northeast US, married a German, moved to Berlin, and I used to train Arabs back in the states. Horses are way out of the question right now, because my husband is building up his design agency and I'm an opera singer. No time, no money! So I'm thrilled to have found your blog, through which I plan to live vicariously!
Tee hehe! Still chuckling over the evil gnome!Too funny. he definately was guarding that door.
Baasha looks so good in that white set of gear!Love it when you get a fantasticlly warm day outa no where in the oiff season like that...(been trying to post mine of last week..but I have "exceeded" my picture quota at google. So I bought more space...it has locked me out still though..hummm)
What a great ride and stalking the rider was a nice attempt..mine would have wanted to catch up too...yea, sometimes trotting is not relaxing.
That bridge was very neat with the stone archway. Looked pedestrian to me...with the past, good to just stay clear, and make it a fun water crossing , yea.
Well, prayers are for the specialist to render the help needed for his eye.
XO
Kac
Baasha looks fantastic! What a nice weight he is at this year, and just LOOK at that fuzzy coat on him.... makes ya want to just curl right up in it!!
Your ride must have been fantastic. I love how you can go so many places there, and see so much neat stuff AND other horses!!
I hear you about trotting an Arabian. That was just like handing my old horse a candy bar!
What is the purpose of garden gnomes anyway? I've always wondered... I mean I know they are ornamental but were they once the gothic ghouls of the gardening sect?
Lytha, my family has an old friend who lives in Bremen! Did you see the statue in town of the Bremen Town Musicians?
Baasha looks good (white biothane looks good on him), not too skinny anymore. His eye may not like Germany, but he's obviously enjoying the German grass (or is it the bread?)
WV: nestses
where the henses lay their eggses (except for Twelve, who lays her eggses in the strawberry plantses!)
I'm admiring that white bridle, reins and breast collar. Are they new?
Anonymous, welcome! Will you be keeping a blog too? A lot of expatriots have blogs but not many of them include horses. We go to Berlin about once a year. Berlin is a city full of regret, signs of sorrow that I cannot find in other German cities.
Kacy, stalking is fun! It just doesn't work when my horse cannot keep up with a tolting Icelandic!
Mrs Mom, I pat Baasha and lose my hand in his fur. Must be an age related thing.
Breathe, HAHA, like a sugar rush! hehehe. Garden gnomes, I have no idea! But it's true, they are everywhere here, mixed in with all other types of whimsy.
Aarene, Oops, wrong Bremen. The real Bremen is a northern city, and we are in the west. I have friends up there too, luckily, and I simply adore that city, it is full of class and old charm. The Stadt Musikanter are awesome, I visit them each time. They have become mascots of the town, and businesses use their characters as logos and such. Bremen is flat as a pancake, like the rest of north Germany, a perfect biking town.
NM, the white tack was my chestnut lease mare's tack, it looked way better on her with her white foot and star. But it isn't half bad on Baasha, with the caveat that he is perfectly groomed first. It needs cleaning after every use, but thankfully it is the "throw in the dishwasher" type of tack! It would look best on Lostine, but with Bombay's "freckles", it would also look great on him (especially in summer when he has more "freckles").
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