We have been having a beautiful fall around here so far (I think that Mother Nature is trying to make up for our crappy summer!), and it has been the perfect riding weather-too bad I can't just go out and ride whenever I want!! Amber and I were able to get out for about three hours on Saturday, and we had a nice, relaxing time....well some of us did! As you can see from the pictures, poor Waska was having an "Arab" day, and he was sure that every little sound, or noise, was out to get him...lol!! He started spooking from the minute we left Amber's driveway, until the minute we returned, and it was really unusual behavior for poor Woo, because he is usually so level headed. Amber wondered if something was bothering him, or if he didn't feel good, and believe me, she had plenty of time to wonder!
Part of Waska's concern was that it was a warm Saturday, and there were lots of motorbikes and quads sharing some of the main trails with us (if you look closely at the picture below, you will notice fresh tire treads). Waska does ok with ATV's in general, but ever since he came to within about one foot of being crushed by one (That was a horrible ride!!! What do you do on a narrow trail with a steep incline up one side, and a steep decline down the other, and two motorbikes barreling around the corner at you, totally unaware that you are there until it is almost to late?), he gets a little nervous when he can hear one, but he cannot see it...totally understandable.
Old Bo Bo didn't have any worries that day. I think that he was happy to see me, and to go out for a ride. In fact, I can almost guarantee it, because when Bo is stressed or unhappy about something, he chews on his tongue...sometimes he will do it for most of a ride, because he hates bits, and that is why we are considering using a bitless bridle. No tongue chewing on Saturday!Aren't Bo's big, old, moose ears just too cute??? I call them "moose" ears, because typey and Arab-like they are not...lol!!!
On our way home, we ran into two little fawns (not sure where momma was?), who were blocking our way...not that we minded of course!
They were really friendly, and didn't seem to mind us at all. They did, however, move off of the trail and down towards the road, so we hurried along on our way (maybe that is what happened to their momma?). How terrible would it have been if they jumped the guardrail and into oncoming traffic right in front of us???
Waska survived the ride (better yet, so did Amber...lol!!!), and Brad (Amber's hubby), may have found the source of Waska's nervousness, while cleaning up some brush at the back of their property, directly behind and beside, the pastures: fresh bear poop!! Having to listen to a bear rustling around at the back of my pasture might make me a little on edge anytime I heard something in the bushes as well...teeheehee!!
Part of Waska's concern was that it was a warm Saturday, and there were lots of motorbikes and quads sharing some of the main trails with us (if you look closely at the picture below, you will notice fresh tire treads). Waska does ok with ATV's in general, but ever since he came to within about one foot of being crushed by one (That was a horrible ride!!! What do you do on a narrow trail with a steep incline up one side, and a steep decline down the other, and two motorbikes barreling around the corner at you, totally unaware that you are there until it is almost to late?), he gets a little nervous when he can hear one, but he cannot see it...totally understandable.
Old Bo Bo didn't have any worries that day. I think that he was happy to see me, and to go out for a ride. In fact, I can almost guarantee it, because when Bo is stressed or unhappy about something, he chews on his tongue...sometimes he will do it for most of a ride, because he hates bits, and that is why we are considering using a bitless bridle. No tongue chewing on Saturday!Aren't Bo's big, old, moose ears just too cute??? I call them "moose" ears, because typey and Arab-like they are not...lol!!!On our way home, we ran into two little fawns (not sure where momma was?), who were blocking our way...not that we minded of course!
They were really friendly, and didn't seem to mind us at all. They did, however, move off of the trail and down towards the road, so we hurried along on our way (maybe that is what happened to their momma?). How terrible would it have been if they jumped the guardrail and into oncoming traffic right in front of us???Waska survived the ride (better yet, so did Amber...lol!!!), and Brad (Amber's hubby), may have found the source of Waska's nervousness, while cleaning up some brush at the back of their property, directly behind and beside, the pastures: fresh bear poop!! Having to listen to a bear rustling around at the back of my pasture might make me a little on edge anytime I heard something in the bushes as well...teeheehee!!Hope that you are all having a great Monday. I am off to write a paper ....ick!!!
(As you can see from the picture above, we rode from the church to the reception in a firetruck. One of the perks of dating and marrying a volunteer firefighter...
So...the reason I posted a picture of Eric and Amber together, is obviously because Eric's birthday was/is next. Nine years ago, on Amber's birthday, I took 
Now look at him! He is a football, basketball, and baseball playing, horseback riding, hunting, quad/ATV loving, nine year old, but mostly, he is my little boy.
If a person started reading my blog right now, and looked back three weeks into my archives, they would probably think that something has happened to me. Well...I guess it has in the form of school...lol!!! As I mentioned before, the past few weeks have been a huge change for us all, but thank goodness for adaptability!
Did you know that Bo Bo is gaited? Neither did I until I saw this picture!!! This is what happens when your horse has solid colored legs; you cannot always differentiate between them, and they appear to be moving like a gaited horse...or a girraffe...lol!!!
Next up, we have Eric and Sienna. See Cdn? Eric is choking up on the lead rope...teeheehee!!!
There we go! Who knew that a cantering pony could entertain an eight year old???
Oh...and don't think that Sienna wasn't well rewarded for her run. I asked Katie to run in and get carrots for the horses, and she came out with a bag of chips too, and we all know how Sienna loves chips!!! "You better give me some of those chips, Katie, or I won't let you brush me next time!"
Are any of you bloggers out there runners? Well I used to be, and I am trying to get back into it. I have been slowly building my endurance up over the past few weeks, and I can now run a 11 minute mile for 17 minutes straight. I know, I know...I'm not the fastest girl on the block, but now that I am older, I am just happy that I can still run at all (you know, because of things like bad hips, or bad knees, or bad ankles, or bad...you get the idea!). Back in "the day," I used to be able to run six minute miles, but I have to remind myself that I was 50 pounds lighter and 16 years younger...lol!!! Maybe I will get there again-and maybe I won't!-but I do hope to increase my speed as my endurance goes up.
The strange thing about me and running, or me and exercise period, is that I have faithfully done it for the past two years, with only a 10 pound weight loss, and absolutely no cardio improvement. I have been checked for every kind of metabolic, hormonal, and adrenal disorder, and I did learn that some minor things were out of whack, but nothing that should contribute solely to my inability to lose weight. And as far as my cardio not improving, I was beginning to think that maybe I had something wrong with my heart, although I have no other symptoms whatsoever. The naturopathic doctor that I see every now and then, suggested that my allergies could be contributing to my weight problem, and to my lack of cardio, and as you can imagine, I totally pooh-poohed that whole notion. I have always had allergies-just the seasonal kind-but they had gotten so bad, that I had been taking Zyrtec, every single day of the year, for three years.
This summer, I finally decided that I should have them checked out, because when I would try to stop taking the Zyrtec, I would break out in hives-scary! So, I went to the naturopath, she tested me, told me what I was allergic to, and then began to treat me for them, using some weird kind of naturopathic voodoo...not really!! Several times during my treatment, she would have me stop the Zyrtec, and then continue it if my hives came back. Well, I am amazed to say that I have been Zyrtec-and hive!-free for one month now, and all of the sudden, my cardio is improving, and I am losing weight. Talk about strange!!!! I have no idea how her treatments work , but I can definitely vouch for them, because I feel like a whole new person now. She told me that she thought that the reason that my cardio never improved was because of the fact that my allergies were so bad. The Zyrtec was able to keep the hives (your bodies reaction to allergens leaving your skin) under control, but it was unable to keep my airways from becoming inflamed, causing a similar reaction to that of a person with allergy induced asthma...scary!!! Of course none of this was tested by science, or an "MD," but she was obviously right with her assumptions, and I am so happy that I did this! :)
Actually, I would rather stay home and ride, but wouldn't we all???
On Saturday morning, I woke up at 4:30, and headed over to Amber's house. We proceeded to go to her and Martha's riding buddy (and now mine!), Kristina's, house, and then over to Martha's house, to load up tack and horses (our horse trailer is a three horse, slant, stock-type trailer, with a tack room, but in order to fit three, big horses in it comfortably, we have to remove the tack room, and haul a horse up front). This meant that 
When we left our area, the sky was clear and full of stars, but as we neared the trail challenge, a thick, misty, rain appeared, and stayed until about noon.We unloaded the horses, registered for classes, and then went on a walk-
The course was huge and well thought out. The designers strategically placed a llama out in the middle of a big, open stretch of field, that just so happened to be near the beginning of the challenge. Horses either totally ignored him and walked right by, like Curly, or as was the case with 
Curly following Martha around like a puppy, while waiting to load up in the trailer!
Here are the lovely duo, who make up Kristina and China, after completing the course. The last obstacle/event, called for you to dismount, lead your horse into a trailer, tie them up, close the door/divider, and then back them out. Poor Kristina. China decided to go into heat (I think it was being surrounded by all of the gorgeous 
I don't know about you, but it looks like 
For whatever reason, Bo has always been better either by himself, or with horses that he is familiar with, and he doesn't really act that naughty, he just charges ahead, wants to be in the front, and prances/jigs/piaffes most of the ride. It honestly doesn't bother me, because I like to have a horse with spunk, but sometimes, like when we are on a steep trail with a sharp drop-off to one side, it would be nice if he could just keep his mind out of wherever it flits off to, and relax. The funny thing about Bo too, is that he is not the lead gelding in the pasture, but he definitely wants to be on the trail. Most of the horses I have ridden, tend to act similar when riding, in regards to their position in the herd, as they do back at home. Not Bo Bo!! 
You see the little strap of leather that connects the two sides of Bo's breast collar? Well it was my anchor for a lot of the ride, because we were in deep, dark, woods, on little trails, that went uphill, and did I mention that Bo likes to trot or collectedly canter up hills...especially when he is angry at the world, and having a panic attack???? I would like to interject here and say that even though I make Bo sound like a psychotic, scrambling, fool, he really isn't, and I have never felt like I have lost control of him, nor did Amber when she used to ride him. If I did, trust me, I would not ride him!
