Mag hits the 5 hour mark for the first time

I should rename this blog: "The ultra-slow journey to 50 miles.": )

It really makes me feel like my true self again, when I'm out there for 5 hours. Mag, however, doesn't feel like his true self at all. He is a lazy horse, sad to say. If you interviewed him right now he'd surely say, "Animal abuse, that's what it is." He's in his stall right now eating his mash with a cooler on that he actually needs because he's soaking wet from rain except for a saddle-shaped dry spot. So far Mag has never really needed a cooler (and I have three lovely coolers waiting for him to need).

After our typical 1-hour ride with Ani I just had to go further, see more, and try to find that new trail that might extend the Bayer Busch loop. I had my map in my saddle bag, so I set out to do it. Wow, what a mistake that was.

First I ran into some dead ends while bushwhacking (on foot) with Mag up these incredibly steep hillsides where I had to hold onto tree branches to not fall down. OK, every dead end I find is a learning experience, and it's great training for Mag to be in the bushes. I finally found a deer trail up that hill and we made it.

I made it to the Bayer loop and got on his back and rode him up the next hill to a turn that he's been wanting to take ever so long. No idea why, but my map said it would extend our loop so we took it.

It wasn't so nice going down the slippery path to the watershed valley and back on pavement in another village. With peacocks. Mag's first, apparently. I told him they are just wonky chickens.

Then we started our next climb and I found a place to mount and when I offered Mag his cookie he freaking bit my thumb! That's the second time he's lost his balance during mounting and twisting around to get his treat that he's rudely got my thumb by mistake. I whacked him in the ear but Mag loves ear rubs so that wasn't the deterrent it would have been if he were Baasha.

I was pissed but we rode all the way up this new-to-me trail and it ended at this enormous field full of horses and they went nuts when they saw us. It was really hard for me to keep Mag under control - I was on foot cuz I didn't want to die - but he arched his  neck and pawed the ground and tried to show off as the herd went galloping about. Eventually we made our way by that minimum 20 acres and they stopped the craziness.

My map said to turn down a dead-end road, which would turn into a trail. Wrong.

There was a new house with a field with three horses and a lovely dressage arena. Those three horses had obviously NEVER had a horse come down their dead-end, cuz they went completely crazy. They ran up and down their pasture full speed (a pasture like ours, made of two hills with a valley in the middle which really encourages full-fledged gallops). I was annoyed but Mag was listening to me even though he wanted to play with them. At the end of the street was the house.....and no trail. AGH. And suddenly this woman came through the gate screaming at me.

She screamed at me that her horses were destroying her pasture because of me, and that one of them had fallen down and couldn't get up (what? They were all still running from my perspective). That I needed to get out of there.

I had my map in my hand this entire time and I stretched it out to her plaintively, "Can you please show me where I am?" She would not. She told me, "Go back from where you came, just GET OUT OF HERE!"

I told her, "I'll never come back here, but my gosh, can't you just help me find my way?"

No, she would not, she was overwhelmed with rage and I was to blame for the destruction of her pasture and the injuries to her horses.

This was not a private road. This was a city road that ended, and I was the victim of a mapping error that my husband will correct with me immediately (we use openstreetmaps.org which has detailed trails of our area). There is a space for comments for each trail. I will be sure to enter, "Caution, crazy lady."

Then I burst into indignant tears as Mag politely walked behind me.

At the next street there were two cars with two ladies who'd just finished hiking with their dogs and I held out my map to them and they pointed to the trail right there and told me if I follow it, it will take me to the watershed. Whew. I told them I'd just been screamed at by a neighbor for arousing her horses, and that I'd never be back here. They asked if I was doing a Wanderritt (cuz of my map, a German "distance ride".) No, I said I'm just exploring, trying to find trails. They were so nice, they said, "It's actually a nice place, we hope you come back." No, I won't, but as I walked away, I was crying and having a hard time seeing the ground in front of me.

But I was exactly where I knew I'd be, and I thanked God it wasn't pouring rain on us, like it had this morning.

I found a new trail down, in fact, and it's a single track, my favorite! I cannot wait to show other riders this new trail! Although S1 hates single track...

Back on the Bayer loop, I got on Mag for the 5th time today. I guess 4 was his limit because he had a meltdown. He whirled and refused to go up the hill towards home. I pony-clubbed him in the mouth to no avail, he braced against my hands like a pony and refused to turn, and refused to stop!

I emergency dismounted and ran him backwards almost over a cliff and shouted at him and told him he does not get to refuse like that. I knew I'd have to get back on and dreaded it, but this time took him to the hill and, facing up, got on, so he was pointed the right direction. It seemed to work, thank God, and he willingly took me up. I realized at that moment Mag might not do so well with an endurance ride with all vet checks in camp - oh no. At least, not alone.

Halfway up that slippery steep hill, he was sweating and itchy and did a full-body shake with me - first time, I think. The only time he'd ever done that was our big accident with Anja, when he shook and her rain coat was loud enough to panic him.

However, I was stem to stern in polar fleece today - the silent wonder. Polarfleece neck wrap, polarfleece Columbia jacket from America,  polarfleece Irideon breeches ending in Ariat's Winter insulated half chaps. I made no noise, but I did see part of my life flash before my eyes as he shook. Shaking is allowed, but shaking yourself into a panic is not. Whew.

At the top I dismounted and didn't speak to him for a while, even though he was being good.

Descending again it started raining and was getting dark! I've never ridden Mag into darkness and haven't done it since 2012. Hm! This was an old familiar feeling though, and I had my reflective vest on.

My phone rang and it was J, telling me he was on his way home. I said, "Please feed the donkey if you beat me, she's been locked in a stall for almost 5 hours!"

As we spoke Mag tried to nibble branches and I refused to allow that. He then started yawning in a clear signal to me, "Give me a break lady, I've been out here since breakfast!" I did not give him a break, but told J, "Mag thinks over 4 hours is way too long to be out here."

J agreed with Mag! He said, "Mag's not fit!" I said, "Any horse can walk 5 hours, especially when I'm on the ground half of that time!"

Almost home, I fell down when my foot hit a wet root, startling Mag that I was on the ground in front of him. He had dehydration marks on his sides, first time for that, even though he sips from puddles and really didn't work hard at all today. I got out my water bottle and tried to make him drink from it, but it was sparkling water so he basically got a big mouth rinse.

My 6th mount of the day was fine, and Mag powered up my favorite switchback toward home but as we entered some very dark woods, he spooked at a bush. I guess he's not used to night riding, since he's probably never done it in his life.

When we got home, it had been over 5 hours and we were both exhausted. Mag has never been out "all day long" (Winter at latitude 51 makes that really seem like all day long) and he wants to file a complaint that it's not only unfair, it's abusive.

I'm proud of him but hope he can deal with this cuz it's not gonna be the last time. And someday I will be on his back the entire time. I explained to him that some horses go 9, 10, even 24 hours *not just walking* and he did not believe me.

We will both sleep well tonight.

50 miles, someday!




This photo is from January 2016, the month he arrived here, but this is pretty much how he looks tonight! (But his hooves are much improved, thanks to conscientious trimming.)