2 rides and 2 photos

Yesterday S had promised to go out with me riding but at the last minute she said her horse is too wild at the moment. Normally she doesn't ride at all in the Winter but this year for the first time she did.

Despite how Summery the first week of April was, remember I had some great first rides at home that week, April disintegrated into non-stop fickle.

Yesterday, Easter Monday (that's a holiday here) it snowed. Then rained, then hailed, and then the sun came out, just to start hailing again.

Since I was pretty upset about S cancelling on me -- Mag has been home since April 1st and this would be my first chance to go riding with someone -- my husband offered to come along to check some geocaches in our neighborhood.

After my last horrible ride I decided to go back to the very place Mag was so upset. And he wasn't much better this time *sigh.*

He was balking at the same stumps as last time, and when I'd let him stop to take a look, he'd start to slide sideways or back up again, which I corrected vocally, "Mag, quit!"

I wanted J to see this new sign in the woods, placed by the hunters, which had a photo of hikers, dogs walkers, and an actual geocache, like, "We know about you people." Mag was not interested in the sign at all and wanted to leave the area now!

After I finally got him holding still for a moment, I dismounted and insisted he stand there for quite a bit longer. His frantic escape behavior disappeared as soon as I was standing on the ground facing him, saying "Stand there!"

Then I got back on for the ride home and I can't say he was much better that direction. Ugh. I rode him all the way home, including on our street, as uncomfortable as that makes me, because I know my problems are not necessarily Mag's problems. But having J to talk to really helps.

Today,  J offered to go out with me again, wherever I like. I definitely wanted to try a different area this time, after having two bad times down by the ponds.

When I went out to saddle Mag, I ran back in the house, "It's FREEZING OUT THERE!" and right then it started snowing, with wind gusts blowing it horizontally. I was so tempted to not do it - Mag has very little hair coat and is really sensitive to cold. But my husband just said, "Dress warmer." OK.

Poor Mag almost froze to death as I tacked him up, his butt tucked. I couldn't warm his bit cuz my hands were frozen so I put it on my stomach.

The snow turned to hail and the wind whipped us as we headed out. WTH were we doing out there?

J checked his geocache and Mag was very curious about that, and I purposefully led Mag through the thickest parts of the woods so he'd feel the branches. Then I had to pee so J held Mag and I said, "Guys, don't watch!" but Mag found it to be the most interesting thing he's seen in his short life, and couldn't stop staring at me. I had to laugh later cuz he peed and I politely did not watch.

Then I got on and the three of us walked through the prettiest woods, the best trail around, it's way less hilly than all the others, and it's a forestry road with mostly soft footing, and great visibility all around. The woods are really dark there with pines, it's a special place. And somehow those pines sheltered us from the storm. It was peaceful in there.

I joked to J that this trail is what sold Mara. It's where her new owner fell for her, riding the first time.

For some reason Mag was fine today. Totally relaxed, his attention divided between listening to me, and watching what J would do. If  J would stop, he'd stop. Then I rode ahead and even trotted a few paces, but Mag needs easyboots and tripped twice on the rocks.

He was able to stop today and just hang out, so we gave him some cookies and then we were done.

J said the problem yesterday is likely the trail itself, it's down in a hole and runs along a creek that connects several fish ponds with each other, and we pass them one by one. I think he might be right cuz I've never had a good ride down there, not even on Mara.

So I'm gonna let that trail go for a while and work in kinder locations. Eventually I'll be back though cuz it's one of the closest trails to our home. (And it connects my neighborhood with that of the couple with the nice arena and the TB and Arabian - who promised they'd start taking their horses for walks to get them used to being out, but have not done it yet, apparently.)

As we passed our pasture I said I wanted to let Mag graze for a while as a reward, and I stood in the fickle weather with him, alternatingly freezing and not, when the sun would come out. As Mag ate up as many dandelions as he could, I suddenly realized his spine and hips were not as prominent as they had been these last few months, that double bump on his butt is gone completely, and there are finally no sign of his ribs! I can't believe it. All those buckets must have helped. And if they hadn't, I would have no other ideas. Right now he gets one big bucket of beet pulp and alfalfa pellets twice per day, that's a lot of wet food. I'm so thrilled I have to show a comparison photo.




December with full Winter coat, his ribs were always visible, regardless of inhale/exhale.




Today in the freezing cold, with his very light Summer coat. I felt so bad making him stand there while I took photos!