Hottest ride yet - 96F

Today is my last ride before going back to my medic training and I was determined to not let the weather stop me, though it is the hottest day of the year so far. It's 96F! If it were as humid as normal, I'd not have been able to manage it, but I did.

And it was the longest ride of the year so far - I spent 4 hours in the frying pan, sunscreen evaporating on my skin.

Ani said, "Can I please try to ride Mag again, like you promised?"

Oh dear. OK. Um...

I can't comprehend where this desire comes from, to sit on Mag, who threw her twice, once so violently she landed OUTSIDE the arena, fence included.  She simply likes him - enough to risk a third tossing.

We passed that house that leaves a little Tupperware bowl of water out for the dogs and Ani cracked up as Mag drank it dry. Funnily, it was bigger than last year, but not big enough for Mag. I yelled "DANKE", and "Don't be mad" over my shoulder as I dragged Mag away.

We found a perfect spot, a large turnaround driveway with a wall, the house far enough away they wouldn't notice us, and a lamp post to tie Mira to. I told Ani to do what she wanted, and I lined Mag up to the wall. When Ani got up there, Mag's head shot up and his eyes showed white all around, "No, not HER! Bad things will happen!"

We took it slow and she patted him and talked to him and then eventually sat down on the wall, letting him take his time, before standing again and I remembered I had some carrots in my pocket, which I never have. Perfect. As she put her foot in the stirrup I put a carrot in front of Mag and only let him have it when she settled into the saddle. His eye was calm and he chewed that carrot, a fancy snack for out on the trail.

He stood there like a statue. With Ani up. Unbelievable. She caressed him and praised him for about 30 seconds and then she stepped back onto the wall. She said, "That's enough for the first time - I want him to have a good memory." She's so right: ) Then she just sat there on the wall and he nibbled her shoelaces and her beat up breeches, pulling on the remnants of fabric. She thanked him repeatedly for trusting her again. Wow, she really cares about this! I told her we'll do whatever she wants, it's up to her. She said next time I might lead him a few steps, that's all. OK then: )

He nuzzled her like it was a revelation to him as well, that nothing bad happened. She admitted she was quite worried.

Then we both rode our horses out onto the most technical trail in the city. Ugh, branches in my face constantly, barbed wire on one side, and holly scraping my arm bloody. Cows, sheep, draft horses running the fence line challenging Mag to manhood duels, and....um.....two donkeys having sex very loudly. Mag did not like that at all, as if he didn't live with a donkey.

The old man who owns Star Island the Standie and Ibn the Arab had his jeep by his barn, and the doors were open so I peeked in. It was full of bakery items, cuz he works for the local baker and obviously "retires" old goods every day (I did the same when I worked at Dunkin Donuts when I was 16 - Baasha's herd mates got Eclairs every night.) The old man's jeep is a traveling bakery! I laughed, "What is this!?" and then a few paces later at his barn, we saw that there was a lively sweet breakfast going on, with the old man and his newest teenaged girls  (he always has young girls ride his horses). Mag didn't mind them sitting there (though that table has always been empty in the past) until Star Island and Ibn came to the front of their stalls and flung their heads toward him, on the other side of their table. Mag posed like a superstar, "What is this!" and had an audience: ) I laughed, "Yes, horses live in houses!" (This barn is the same building as the house, very cool.)

We crossed a tiny creek on that technical trail and Mag leapt it like a grasshopper. Ugh. Ani heard me yell "WTH MAG!" and asked, "Did he jump it?" "Yes." "But he can just step over, it's tiny." "Ja, ich bin kein Springreiter!"

As we made our way down the valley, a couple of lady hikers stopped and asked us directions to Rausmuehle. Oh dear. This is not the first time someone has asked me for directions to that old mill restaurant - and both times they've been very far away! Ani gave them good directions and as she proceeded, I stopped Mag and said to them, "It's far, but it's all easygoing once you hit the creek!" One lady flinched as Mag made a move to greet her, and her friend wrapped her arms around her to protect her from my horse. How sad, Mag would never hurt anyone on purpose. He just does a lot of that accidentally *sigh*

Then the problems began for Mag, because the two lady hikers kept pace with us, behind us. Mag desperately hates being followed by strangers, the worse thing in his life is to have a jogger come up behind him - he thinks they must have a very good reason for running and he trusts them.

(Honestly, how many of my readers share the trail with joggers?)

The entire trip down the valley Mag kept his ears flexed on these two little ladies, and would whip his head around from time to time as if to say, "No way, are they REALLY STILL THERE!"

My dear Mag. I don't know how to tell you about this fact of your horsey life, that others share the trail with us, and sometimes, I know, it's awful, but they're BEHIND us.

 Happily we were down to the Eifgen stream finally where we hit a road and many noisy jeeps and quads (!?!) went roaring by, but Mag was fine, thank God. Quads can be devastating to human life on horseback.

We came to the hiking/geocaching parking lot and there was a large group of people and three dogs having a picnic there at the table, where I normally align Mag and jump on him.

Their dogs were all on leashes, oh, the blessings we had today! Mag could not believe his eyes at the sight of that picnic at "our mounting table." I noted the people had ceramic mugs for their coffee, a real German picnic with nothing disposable. The dogs were well behaved and Mag kept staring, "What is this! Is Father Christmas coming to the neverending Winterland? Why are these characters feasting on the side of our trail? What about the White Witch and her wolves?"

Mira flicked her tail and kept on toward the water. Where, when we approached, she tried to double-barrel Mag!!!!! For the first time ever, she was serious. He wasn't even close to her, but he jerked upright, forehooves leaving the ground slightly, in surprise, "What did I do?!" "Nothing Mag, you were 3 meters away, nothing."

We tried to keep distance from her after that, but I admit the main problem of the day was how much tail-gating Mag did with Mira, even as he walked calmly along on a loose rein. I think he relies on her to keep him safe, hence he follows her instead of pressing forward as with Momo, his favorite gelding buddy. Not sure, just pondering.

We finally crossed the Eifgen stream, which I'd been looking forward to all day, that Mag could finally drink deeply in this heat. Last time, if you recall, in this very spot, we were attacked by horseflies so badly we couldn't stay one moment. Ani even told me today, "Remember last time, when all the horseflies went to you!?" I said, "And you?" "No, they ALL went to you!" Ok then.

I put Mag directly in the middle of the lovely stream and he pushed his nose in and then started flopping his face about in the water, this way and that. Oh dear. I don't need to go down today and soak my saddle. Sorry Mag. I tugged him up and said, "Let's go!" I explained to Ani that if he's putting his head in the water, well....Hm. Looking forward to a time without horseflies when I can test the theory and see if he drops - with my bareback pad on, not my saddle.

One mountain biker passed us today on the technical single track and I tried to get Ani to accompany me to a wider part of the trail, where the biker could pass without worry, but Mira pulled away from her directly toward the biker, and she called to me, "I cannot stop her!" I marveled at the fact that Mira will not stop even for purposes of TRAFFIC, which most horses know after a couple weeks on trail. Proud of Mag - he waited on the side until we thanked the biker properly.

Ani is not the most experienced rider I've been with, but I appreciate her desire to get back up on Mag, it's astonishing.

Mira, for the first time today, wore the necklace I gave Ani in April. They are gorgeous on her! They match her color and tack perfectly - red, black, gold, tan. And the bells are not annoying, cuz Mira moves so slowly: )

It's still 97F out and I'm so glad I got one last ride in before school.






A great day on Mara, because the rain seemed to calm her, as opposed to her enemies sunlight and shadow. Look, my old blue Prius! I sure love a good rain.



Found this photo and did not know if it was Mag or Baasha! It's Mag.



Definitely left-maned Mag.



Not intentionally, but I must continue this post because I found this photo tonight. It's me on my mare Mara across the street at Kurt Steinhaus' arena, who a few weeks after this photo was taken, kicked us out permanently because the boarders there don't want outsiders in their ring (despite my paying a fee each time, and waiting my turn til the arena was free, AGH!!!).

I'm loving the memory of a horse who truly loved dressage, who would do anything I asked as long as we stayed in the safety of the arena. How I miss this feeling!

At 4:30 our doorbell rang and my man and I rushed to see what it was about. It was Kurt Steinhaus. He asked if we'd lost a blanket on the street.

I'd seen that blanket today on my way home with Mag, a very fancy synthetic one. I was sure I'd find an infant inside, cuz who throws out such a fine blanket? No infant.

I said, "No, and there was no infant inside."

He looked at me unfathomably.

"No, I saw the blanket and there was no infant inside."

Still.

My man said, "WTH."

"So you didn't lose a blanket?"

No.

He left and my man said, "WHO WAS THAT?"

I  said, "That was Kurt Steinhaus, our neighbor."

He said, "Well why did he say SIE to us?" (The formal language)

I said, "Cuz he's so old now he doesn't know who we are anymore????????"

No really, it's a thing in Germany.

If you mis-use the formal/informal, you confuse people to your identity.

I had someone come to my gate yelling about horse poop and he used the informal language and I was instantly relaxed, thinking I knew this person, no worries. NO, he was just being a jerk and so angry he forgot his manners.

I would never do that - ever.

J's face was so astonished today,  he truly could not believe it was Kurt, cuz he used SIE with us. I said no worries, now he's forgotten our differences about my using his arena. Obviously?

The German language is HARD.

***

Right now my man drove away to swim in the public outdoor pool for the first time. It's only open one month and I told him to check for how many dead insects are floating. If there aren't many, I'll go too. I just don't like them getting inside my swimsuit. It is DEFINITELY swimming weather.




Growing up now, Mag, please?