Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Nice ride with Ani

It was so incredibly humid this morning my car was all steamed up, with drips running down. At 7 AM. It just got worse, and going to meet Ani was a struggle. Thankfully she texted me that she is late, so I walked really slow with Mag.

For the first time, I think, he didn't do his soft snorting as he walked along. I think he was feeling lethargic too. We stopped countless times on the way, when he wanted to gaze at something, or sniff something.

When we met Ani, she was in an uncommonly good mood and said, in English, "I'm so happy, I met someone on a Christian dating service!" I was happy for her but cautioned her to be careful, sometimes they are different in real life. But I met J online, and a few other friends, and most of the time people are who they seem. Good for her. I pray she'll find a partner because I know what it is to be sad when couples hold hands in church.

We rode "my side" today and I had a great loop planned, not a long one, cuz I complained to her that the humidity is hard on me. I was covered in sweat, my glasses steaming up, all day.

Both our horses are suddenly gimpy on rocks, gimpier, due to non-stop rain and mud. Poor Mag obviously needs to go back to boots again. It was nice while it lasted, going barefoot.

For the first time Ani had to struggle with Mira as she argued about leaving the trail completely, to protect her hooves. (And she wears Renegades up front.)

As we walked up a long uphill, she told me she had ridden it before on her last lease horse, the horse that Elke (Ani's and S1's and S2's barn "owner" - actually renter who rents out to others. Elke is not a person I care to converse with, ever. She's just too wrapped up in herself, and her show dogs.) Elke had Ani's lease mare slaughtered for meat, because she didn't like her, and couldn't sell her fast enough.  In Germany you can choose to have your horse enter the food chain, it's such a trip for me. Mag's passport says, "Not for eating" in it, so that cannot happen to him. It's not like the horses suffer here, when turned into food, it's just hard for Ani and I to understand because we see horses as pets, not tools/livestock. I cannot imagine how hard that must have been on Ani, to have her beloved lease horse slaughtered due to the owner's "practicality." (I should clarify  I'm not talking about auction. You can simply bring your own horse in your own horse trailer to the slaughterhouse, where they kill the animal individually, not like cattle/horses in North America. Supposedly an individual death is less stressful, cuz it's like going to a vet clinic, but ending up dead instead of treated.)

Well, that's not gonna happen to her again, she has her own horse now.

At the top of the "mountain" I pointed to a little single track, mostly hidden by brush, and said, "There, there's the trail. Do you know it?"

She said, "I've never seen it before."

I said, "It's my favorite, here."

Mag led the way onto my favorite. It's a sweet, sweet single track, under mostly pine trees so no brush to duck through, and only occasional blackberries. It's loamy and quiet, mossy and brown. Mag was thrilled.

He started to "race" again, wishing to see what's next on this trail, and I did everything I could to slow his steps with my body and not the reins, but had to stop him every so often to wait. I swear he loves this trail as much as I do, and on his first time there!

It descends the "mountain" slowly and almost imperceptibly,  a very comfortable way of getting down.

At the bottom she knew where she was and we headed back up to Hohestrasse, the fast street.

I impressed myself again by riding through Gruenewald, the tight neighborhood street, and after parting with her and saying our goodbyes, I doubly impressed myself by riding through it again to get home. With the barking dogs and gardeners and motorcycles and city busses! It was a thrill to see our reflection in all the house windows. Normally I'm on foot. I was so tired I just couldn't walk all that way home.

Mag spooked twice today, I forgot to mention, and one was pretty severe and I think I only stayed on cuz I had my hand on my pommel at that moment.

But he was totally chill all the way home on that busy street. In fact he'd offer to stop if I shifted my weight a certain way, like, "Oh, you wanna get off my back now? Let's do that!" But no, keep going.

I rode him all the way back, into our driveway, so pleased, and partly blaming the weather for our success.

BTW I was wrong, horse fly season is not completely gone yet. I've been bitten the last three days in a row, including on our ride home today. Mag had a few blood flecks on him, but the season is ending, so it's not quite as bad as before.




July photos. I like how Ani has no reins in her hands at all, in my driveway, and is calling her vet on her cell phone to schedule an appt to have her pet rabbits looked at by the same vet we use for our cat. Cool, such a small world (sometimes).



Mag visiting the neighbors on her side of town. I honestly cannot decide if I like Mag better in black, or white. What do you say? (I guess you have to look at my last post to compare.)


***

Ani was so sweet, she knows I'll be in a class next month for my new future potential job, and said, in English, awkwardly, "Can we still be friends when you get a job?"

: )

Of course. She wants to meet with me next Wednesday as usual, but I have something much more important to do.

My sister and her family are coming to Germany to visit our farm for the very first time. I'm beyond excited. I can think of nearly nothing else.


Anyway, VISITORS FROM AMERICA IN SEVEN DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FAMILY!


8 comments:

AareneX said...

Even if he was only "good" because of the humidity, he's still practicing good behavior. Praise the heck outta that, and keep going!!!

Visitors from home, I can hardly wait to see the photos. Your niece and nephew are growing up so quickly, what a treat that they visit you.

AareneX said...

also: white tack.
I never thought I'd say that. But the black looks heavier on his dainty face.

TeresaA said...

The trail sounds beautiful. I bet you are excited to see family

hainshome said...

Oh no! Those horse flies freak me out!
Black tack.
We are beyond excited, too!! 😁

lytha said...

Aarene, I never thought you'd say that: ) It's all the pink and orange you ride with, it's changed you: )

Teresa, there's so much to see here, it's hard to decide what to show them! 1 Castle 2. Cathedral(s) 3. AUTOBAHN!: )

Becky, I'm hoping the horse flies are gone next week, there are way less of them now. Also, I learned this summer that they prefer me, like mosquitoes prefer J. Other people I ride with just don't get bitten like I do. So, there's that: )

The Kelly's Adventures in KY said...

Oh hooray for family visit!! Tell them to not forget the Best Foods!!

I would vote for Black tack just for the contrast on him.

So happy you have a riding buddy who likes to explore your area, and has a nice calm horse to do so on. You are really setting Mag up to be a successful, confident trail partner!

ellie k said...

Do you ride past cows or horses? I would like to see some of the livestock that is in the area.

lytha said...

Kellys, my sister sent me a photo of the jar of Best Foods she's bringing. HOPE!

Black huh? OK!

I'm just so happy to have found her. I found her in the grocery store, if you believe it.

Ellie, both. I hate it when the cows are RIGHT next to the barbed wire fence by horse horse, often on both sides, laying there, or grazing there, curiously, licking their noses. SO HUGE. So, do you want to come see them yourself or were you asking that I take photos?: :) As you can see I'm never too nervous to take photos of horses, but the cows really get me, cuz they're so huge, and right there on the fenceline.