So Far

Monday night I met the only other local endurance rider in my area to ride along the north rim of the Blackwater Canyon.

It was the hottest day of the week and I knew it would be much cooler at that higher elevation. Bonus? Jen had never been there and was interested to see it.

I met Jen in the town at the base of the mountain at 5:45p. She followed me to the top where we turned onto the Forest Service (FS) road to access yet another FS road where we would be riding. We parked our rigs, unloaded and tacked up the horses, and were headed off by 6:20 or so.

The "trail" is essentially a FS road. It is maintained for the first not-quite mile - graded and graveled every year or so as necessary. After that though? The road is merely graded occasionally so that it is passable for 4WD vehicles that have clearance (or for ATVs, dirtbikes, etc.). The area sees minimal traffic, has minimal elevation gain (~860' for the 14 mile round trip), and has great footing that is passable on a barefoot horse. Additionally, it is beautiful up there - especially right now with the mountain laurel in full bloom.

Jen and I had a very uneventful and pleasant ride. It was an absolutely beautiful evening - especially at the higher elevation. I very much enjoyed catching up with her and hearing about her recent adventure in the OD 100 where she won this year's OD Trophy and high vet score. She's a wealth of great stories and valuable information for any endurance rider.

But this post isn't to chronicle the beautiful evening or the great company. This post is to note how far my little mare has come with her confidence and comfort in all things lately.

When I got to the barn to pick Q up for the evening, I hooked up the trailer and loaded tack and other accoutrements before grabbing her from the field. When I did grab her from the field, I led her straight to the open trailer where she self loaded on the very first try with nearly zero hesitation in her step. (!!!) I was able to load her, close the trailer door, and head out of the driveway in about 30 seconds. This is absolutely outstanding if you recall how Q used to be when it came to trailering.

This wasn't her first evening self loading for me with zero help from another human (it was the second), but it was the first time she'd done it on the first try with zero issues (she'd done it on Saturday morning twice but both attempts came after she got halfway on/off 4 times). She insists on turning around once she gets on so she can watch the door close, but I don't mind this. She no longer seeks to come blasting off the trailer when she performs this turn; she just wants to see the door close. Yes, she rides backwards, but she is calm and happy - this is what counts.

The FS road we rode on Monday night is wide open in comparison to most wooded trail areas (as you could imagine). This type of trail has always been Q's kryptonite. She frets much more about potential monsters on more open trails which results in much more spooking. No fun to ride. No fun at all. Whenever I can, I try to have someone else lead if the trail is like this. It's a much smoother ride for me and less mental anxiety for Q.

Jen made no move to lead on Monday evening though, so I just decided to see how things went. I had my dressage whip to tap-tap-tap Q's shoulder to help refocus her and I'd worn full seat sticky breeches to better hold onto her in the event of the evil spooking she used to do and is more apt to perform on such a trail environment.

Q was slower than usual, very hesitant with her forward momentum as she struck out down the trail analyzing every tiny thing around her in her way. She minced her steps around every puddle (not her norm) and gave slight wide berths to possible dangers (ferns, rocks, etc.), but she didn't spook. (!!!)

She led for about 12 of our 14 miles that evening. She did have one biggish spook, but with the sticky breeches it really wasn't horrible. When we were about 2 miles from the trailer she did put her "stupid-thinking hat" on instead of her "smart-thinking hat" and got quite elevated in her trot and gave over-excessive wide berths and stink-eye looks to basically every fern and rock we passed, but still no big spooking. (!!!)

I talked her through everything all night, stayed calm the entire time, tap-tap-tapped her often, and squeezed her forward frequently. I think the nagging deer flies (which I whisked away as best I could) and the footing (just on the edge of her barefoot abilities; tricky enough to merit more of her attention than usual) helped keep her a bit more focused on the trail.

Regardless, I was very proud of the little horse. Even Jen remarked how different Q seemed. She said she could tell that she really seemed to be enjoying her job a lot more. I'd told Q at Fort Valley last October that if she really hated endurance that I wouldn't make her do it any more. I told her I'd give her a long vacation first and then bring her back around to it differently after winter; if she hated it still after all of that, we'd quit. I don't think we have to any more!

Post-ride, I untacked Q, gave her a bit of grain, and then loaded her up to go. She self-loaded again on the very first try. (!!!) There was absolutely no hesitation this time around. Additionally, I didn't even have the dressage whip in hand. (I don't typically have to use the dressage whip, but she definitely has a mental association with it that makes her put forth a bit more "try" than she otherwise would.)

The difference in this mare is night and day from the present and a year ago. We're working to improve every day, but wow, we've come so far. I couldn't be more thrilled.

Dom & Mike Visit WV

Since my May visit to NJ, Dom and I have been plotting when she and Mike could make an escape visit to WV. Three people with some of the busiest schedules imaginable made it pretty tricky. In fact, we'd gotten to the point where we were wondering if it was even going to happen this year at all pre-snowfall. But then things changed quickly on their end and my schedule was open, so within a week's time we had plans for them to visit Labor Day weekend.

I could hem and haw and give a complete and thorough play-by-play of their visit, but what it really boils down to is this: I showed them the best parts of WV (the first installment at any rate, they'll need one more visit to complete it) and stirred in some horse time with my animals and a Friesian stallion.

And so, each day's summary (followed by photos in chronological order) goes as such...

Friday: They arrive. Julio and Herbie wreak havoc in the form of play in my yard after their drive while the three humans sat inside and discussed evening plans. We decide to go to the dirt track for the Friday night race - something I haven't done since I was 8 years old. On the way we pick up Venezuelan food and beer [nomz].


Saturday: We trit trot across the street from my apartment because an opportunity has been presented that involves riding a Friesian stallion. I think the conversation went something like:

Liz: ...Friesian stallion...
Dom: YES.

After an unsuccessful ground session and a very successful riding session with the 5 year old stallion, baby Friesian sporthorses, & some draft mules, we headed to my barn to play with Griffin and Q. From there we snagged some lunch and then headed off to see the following: Olson Firetower, Blackwater Falls, Mountain State Brew Co., Canaan Valley, and Dolly Sods, the latter of which we caught right during those golden hours at the end of the day.

Sunday: A hefty breakfast at my BO's house consisting of bacon, sausage, sausage gravy and biscuits, eggs, and French toast casserole. This was followed by a riding party of 5 people, 4 horses. Lessons were given. Western horse became English/dressage. And fun was had by all. That afternoon we headed to my cabin in the Sinks of Gandy to show off some more of WV and have dinner with my family. Dom got to shoot a gun for the first time as the guys were shooting skeet when we arrived. It rained shortly after we arrived for most of the evening, stopping briefly for a jaunt to a nearby cave exit. As we settled around the fire for the evening, sunlight made another appearance and Dom and Mike opted to try to see if there was a view from Spruce Knob (WV's  highest point). I drove like a bat out of hell to the top to beat sunset. West Virginia was really showing off for her visitors on this night. Mist settled in the valleys between the hills, knobs, and mountains. The sky burst with soft colors. Visibility was better than imagined. Almost heaven. And as if that wasn't enough icing on the cake, as we drove home afterward we got a good view of two bobcat cubs.

Monday: Sleeping in. Dog play. Shining. Cheap Mexican. And with that they began their journey home.

Another successful visit by a blogger-friend to West Virginia! I look forward to hearing more about the trip from Dom in coming days on her blog; the impressions and memories made by others of my home are always far more fun and descriptive than my own. I don't take my state for granted, but my recollections of events may not be as detailed since I have the opportunity to walk out my door and experience it every day. I hope to see these two again (and Saiph & Charles) when I make my way east in October to band raptors in Cape May.

Cheers!

Dirt track racing.

Herbie wanting to say "hi" to her kitten and Kenai. Julio deciding that obviously he should, too, since his big sister wants to.

Dom going "squee" over his tiny ears and how soft he is.

Fire breathing Friesian. Also known as: Hi my name is Bart and I haven't been ridden/had a bit in my mouth in 4-5 months.

Griffin says RAWRRRRRR!!!!! This was one of his head gnashing/throwing days.

Blackwater Canyon

Lindy Point overlook

Dolly Sods

Herbie reunited with "her" kitten. =)

Spruce Knob sunset

WW: Blackwater bike ride

(The water in this river is always dark like this. There is a little bit more suspended sediment that usual, but the black color is normal.)

Riding hurts

...or at least riding youngsters hurts.

Saturday mid-morning I headed out with D and T to do a little ride on a flat road in the adjacent
county. D's been telling me about this road for awhile noting how awesome it would be for Griffin since its relatively flat. He'll be 3 years old next month, and while I've started him under saddle, I don't want to do frequent or heavy US work with him yet. So a flat road ride through the woods on USFS road that doesn't get a lot of traffic sounded like a perfect idea.

We loaded the three horses into the stock trailer - Griffin loaded like an old pro - and headed out. Upon arrival at our destination about 30 minutes away from the barn, I pulled Griffin off the trailer to find him VERY sweated up from the ride. Poor fella was a little stressed (and it was hot and humid) from the ride. No heavy breathing though. Within 10 minutes he was drying off. Not bad for first trailer ride away from the farm.

We tacked up the horses and headed down the road; Griffin wasn't even bothered by the Renegades I'd tossed on his front feet, he'd never worn them prior! Good man. The rpad was a very gentle grade that followed along the upper contour lines of the Blackwater Canyon. Intermittently shady and sunny.

Griffin started out so eagerly. He has an incredibly fast walk it seems. He plowed out ahead of the other two horses fearlessly. He led for much for the first third of the ride. He oggled a few boulders along the roadside, but learned quickly that while they are big and contrast in color greatly from the surroundings that they aren't, in fact, horse-eating monsters.

We stopped through a campground to see if the horses would drink from the stream about a third of the way through the ride. The seasoned ex-endurance horse (19 yr. old Arab) plodded down through the little single track leading to the stream and right into the water. Oliver (4 yr. old KYMH) hesitated a bit, but did go down and get a drink - D led him.

I also decided to lead Griffin down when it was his turn. He was having none of it. I think the majority of the issue was that the stream bed was bedrock/boulder which were all a very light cream/white color in comparison with the surroundings. This wigged him out. He's encountered streams, but not with a bedrock-type like this. Ultimately I grabbed a stick and did the same routine I did (and Dom does) to get a horse to load on a trailer. We never made it all the way to the stream (sigh) but we did end on a positive note of him stepping forward. Note to self: bring dressage whip always for future outings! That stick wasn't big, but far more dense and therefore heavy.

We plodded along down the road a ways further. A large stumpy branch was stuffed in a sink hole in the road to ward away cars. Griffin bravely surpassed this "monster" first before the other horses. Very good boy! However, a little ways further there was a stream crossing in the middle of the road. Same cream/white bedrock. We had to herd Griffin across it, but it didn't take much effort. On the way home later it was a non-issue.

We got to what I deemed should be the turn-around point for our ride and headed back. When we were about half way back to the trailer after the turn-around the "fun" began. My steady-eddy youngster decided he was through being awesome and would now exhibit some true greenie behavior.

We were chatting away, walking three abreast down the road with Griffin on the far right. I don't know WHAT he saw or WHY he did it, but suddenly (within a 3 second span) he leaped straight up into the air, swerved/dodged to the left, threw a  buck or two, and suddenly I was hitting the ground. I sat the jump and the swerve/dodge and the first buck but the second had me off. I 'd maneuvered well enough to not crash into the ground at too bad an angle, but still landed HARD on my right hip, catching myself with my right hand. It was as graceful as it could have been, all things considered. Still hurt like a bitch though.

And the freak thing? (Because clearly having freak occurrences with my horses is the norm?!) In his acrobatics Griffin managed to throw off his rope halter with attached Zilco bridle and Cashel quiet-ride fly mask. HUH?! For those of you familiar with those products you know they all clamp down rather securely. I don't know HOW Houdini managed this bit of action, but he did. It will remain a mystery much as Q's mechanism of injury from the No Frills ride. Additionally, a stirrup and accompanying leather came off, too. Wintec saddle stirrup leather bars have no "lock in" so when torqued from the right direction they come off easily; this has never been a problem. I figure my leg must have flown backward in my attempt to right myself in my fall.

So here's the scene now: I'm gathering up the halter/bridle/flymask + stirrup and leather and Griffin is trotting the opposite direction free as a bird with nothing on his head to catch him with. D and T try to wrangle him with no luck. I gather myself and try to wrangle him with no luck. He darts in the opposite direction with speed when anyone nears him. Little shit.

We participated in this song and dance routine for about a half hour. Many expletives were said, most of which were in English but with a horrible French accent because it made the words sound better. "Come here you leetle sheet foo-kair!" Yep. Lots of that. Eventually, with all manner of tactics attempted, we gave up. He was headed toward the trailer and I just decided to follow him.

I set off at a nice little walking pace along the left side of the road, Griffin on the right about 20 yards

I've decided he should wear purple and Q should wear the
orange; both colors pop better on the horses

ahead. I kept my eyes downcast and my pace steady. I paid him absolutely no mind and just focused on keeping my pace steady. Within 3 minutes or so the distance between he and I had dwindled to nothing, then he let me pass him, then he stopped and turned away slightly. It was funny because his body positioning in relation to mine was as if he'd been lunging me and was asking me to come into him. I approached and haltered him as if nothing had happened. He'd realized that I'd quit playing his game and gave up. Note to self: Don't even start playing his game in future occurrences.

We removed his Renegades so he had to think a helluva lot more about what he was doing with his feet for the last bit of the ride and headed on our way. No more antics. No more issue. Back to being a solid little citizen.

He loaded up like an old pro back at the trailer. I downed some ibuprofen. And that was that. I ended up spending most of Sunday lying around as a result of being SO SORE, but not too worse for the wear all things considered.

The one incident left a pretty bad taste in my mouth about the day, but overall, he did SO well for his first away-from-barn outing. He was forward, brave, and responsive 90% of the time. I'm bound to end up a little black and blue during the training of my greenie. Glad its not any worse.