Monday, September 29, 2008

Sigh of Relief...

We can all breathe a sigh of relief, because birthdays are officially done for a while! All together now, "Ahhhhhhhhh......"
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!!
Hope that you are all having a great Monday. I am off to write a paper ....ick!!!

8 comments:

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Poor Waska! He was probably worried about being bear dinner the entire time during the ride! Gah!

And I think Bo's ears look nothing like big ole ugly floppin' Moose Ears! Maybe a cute Jack rabbit, but not Moose. hehe

Gosh! I wish we lived closer. You'd be such a fun riding buddy to head out with.

~Lisa

Denise- LessIsMore17 said...

Does deer are precious! Lester never made a good trail horse, he was always having a "TB moment". Must be nice to have a horse like Bo that you can take pics off of and not have a care in the world!

Andrea said...

What a fun trail ride. Poor Waska was probably terrified of the large body of water in the middle of the path!! Horses can be so weird sometimes. I am glad you had a good trail ride. Bo sounds so nice. And those poor fawns, with now mother. Maybe they are weaned???? Good thing they didn't go traffic hoping.

Mrs. Mom said...

I'm with Wasaka! Bear poop too close tohome would have my mind fried some too!! He was just trying to tell everyone that he knows better than to mess with a bear ;)

Glad you had a good ride though, and are having such a wonderful fall.

And Bo's ears are tooo cutte!! Well, actually, BO is too cute! He seems like such a fantastic horse for your whole family there!

Melanie said...

Lisa-
Bo's ears actually do look more like bunny ears. In fact, I always call him my bunny...you know, because he is white, and fuzzy, and...just too cute!!
We would have a blast riding together. If I ever come to NM, maybe I can borrow one of Val's trusty steeds, and the three of us can hit the desert! :)

allhorsestuff said...

Hay there now! Missed you and am gettin with it finding my favorite people out there in the world of bloggers!Puttin them on my roll...finally figured out how to..now I must figure out how to accept an award and get those links/picture of the winged thing and stuff on there...I am inept.

I loved Bo's bunny ears too. It cold have been a smell in Woo's nostril's. You know how you get a smell in your nose-good-or-bad and it remains..yet no one else can smell It?!
B-Seein' ya!

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

Bear poop? No Thanks!! I can do without the bears in the back yard.

ATV's irk me. I thought I got Chris killed the very first time he ever rode a horse. I put him on my trusty little mare thinking he would be safe, safe, safe! But some ding-a-ling kid got a new ATV for Christmas and was riding it in a Horses Only Park. We could hear it, but couldn't figure out where he was coming from and whamo, he popped out of the brush right behind my mare. Thank god, Chris remembered where the brakes were. He grabbed the horn and lifted on the reins and even remembered to say Whoa. That poor little mare's back feet were in front of her front feet, she was doubled up and ready to leave, Rapidly!
The kid realized he was in trouble and took off out of there, but the park guys caught him and he had to call his parents to come get him and was issued a heafty fine.
I was just relieved that that poor mare kept her mind. I would have felt awful bad if Chris had gotten hurt on his first ride, after I begged him to ride with me for 4 years.

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

YES! Melanie! Come out out anytime!
Val and I would love to have another riding buddy. Fun Fun!!

~Lisa