Well, this will be my last blog post for a while, unfortunately. The semester is coming to a close and I have to focus on getting the second half of my Thesis written. It is sad to think that I won't be posting here every two weeks. Maybe after I graduate I will come back to it.
Over the course of the semester I learned to appreciate my barn more. I feel like before this semester started I was always yearning for a bigger indoor arena and more jumps and a bigger outdoor arena. And, yes, some days that would be nice to have because I feel like I can move forward in my riding. But, I see now that my barn family and the trails that Angie and I share mean more to me than a fancier stable. I wouldn't trade it for the world.
I've learned to look more closely at my surroundings and to realize how lucky I've been to have this experience. And I hope I can continue to keep Angie and ride horses, but if I ever can't I know I will look back on this period of my life and smile.
It was also interesting to blog about this over the course of the Fall/Winter, because when people think of horse back riding I feel like they think of riding only during the Summer. Most people don't know horses have more energy and a higher tendency to spook in the cold, so it was neat thinking about how to portray Angie on my blog.
I think looking closer at my barn and the trails definitely made me think about setting more and how to use it for my own writing. It also let me look at this place through fresh eyes so I was able to describe it. Sometimes when you get so close to something you just assume everyone else knows what you're talking about too, so you don't describe it as well. I loved looking at everything like I had never seen it before and writing about it like it was my first reaction.
Nature writing has moved closer to my heart through this semester. I feel like I normally wouldn't choose to write about nature when I write non-fiction, but now I think I would. Or maybe I was doing it all along with stories of Angie and the other horses, I just didn't know how to frame it in the arc of a nature story where it connects with the bigger picture. I think I have a better understanding of how to do that now and how to emotionally connect my readers to my stories of Angie better, it is not enough to merely be interesting.
So, blog and readers, this has been such an awesome experience and I'm glad I got to share it with you over the course of this class. I want to thank you for reading and for your comments. And maybe I'll meet you back here one day.
Happy Writing!
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
Nature Blog Post 7- Freezing Temps are Finally Here
There is nothing quite like putting on a thermal shirt, a long sleeve t-shirt, a sweatshirt, and a thick winter jacket to go play in the cold with a 1,000 pound animal. It was so cold yesterday around 11:00, that it never got warmer than 23 degrees.
I felt bad taking Angie's thick winter blanket off. Her coat instantly prickled. Right now she is the only horse in the barn that doesn't look like an over fluffed stuffed animal, because she's the only one who gets blanketed.
I lunged her for half an hour so she could run around the arena and play and buck to get out some excess energy before she was ridden. Today was a bareback day. No way was I going to swing up into a cold leather saddled when her body heat could keep me ten times warmer. When I was done lunging I went and grabbed her bridle from the heated lounge. I store her halter and bridle in there in the winter because then the bit is already heated and I don't have to worry about warming it up.
In the winter is is important that you warm the bit up before bridling. Whether this is by running it under hot water, rubbing it in your hands, using a bit warmer, or storing it in warm temperatures, it needs to be done. Putting a cold piece of metal and copper in a horse's mouth can be damaging to their teeth. I also imagine it's like being asked to keep an ice cube in your mouth when you really don't want to.
Our indoor arena is little, not big enough to do anything, so I mostly worked on leg commands and I trotted her to make sure she was tired by the time Jamie got there. Jamie is the eight year old I give lessons to. She is a mature eight year old, so I didn't quite know how to handle her when she cried. She cried twice today. Once because she felt that Angie's hoof was too heavy to hold up to pick out and once because she was letting the reins slip between her fingers. Both of these are things she's done before with no problem, but today it was like the world was ending. I hugged her and got her to laugh. Most days it's rewarding to share my horse with her and allow her to get to learn how to ride, but some days it's frustrating.
She did amazing all summer. We even went to a show and she won a first place and a third place. But, now that fall and winter have settled in, her head is in the clouds. I find it more and more difficult to get her to listen and respond to my teaching, and I've tried everything. I don't know if it's the added stress of school, but lately it's not enjoyable to teach my lesson.
After we got Angie brushed and blanketed again I worked with Sealia. Sealia is a three year old Appendix mare that was bred and born on this farm. Her bloodlines go back to the great Secretariat. Appendix means that she is half Thoroughbred and half Quarter Horse. She's my project for the winter. She looks tiny in photographs, but when you stand next to her she's a big girl. I think she only looks small because she is narrow. Most of the horses at the barn are wider, but she is very slim in front, but she's a healthy weight. If I stay on track with her training, I should be riding her by February. That's the goal.
Since she is so young all I do with her is groom her and let her get used to me and then I put on her splint boots so her young bones don't get too much wear and tear on them and I free lunge her. Free lunging is when you turn the horse loose in the arena and make them do walk, trot, canter, halts, and turns from your body language. It's actually cool to communicate with them from the ground and have them respond to you. A well trained horse starts with ground work. If you can work with them on the ground, you can work with them on their back.
And lastly, once Sealia was worked, Kim and I loaded Pepper onto the trailer. He is the baby that was born on June 12th and he is getting ready to go to his new home next week. He is going to our friends house to start building muscle to be a racehorse. I am both very excited for him and very sad. I connected with this baby since before he was born. I would spend hours grooming his mother Annie and feeling him kick. When he was born the bag broke before his nose was out, so we thought he was still born. But, he's a fighter. I used to lay with him in his stall before he was bigger and stronger than me. He is extremely gentle, but he thinks we should be able to play and buck and kick like he does, so you have to be careful. Pepper stepped onto the trailer in ten minutes, which is a good record for introducing a baby to something so scary. He looked at it inquisitively for a moment and we placed his foot up on the trailer. He wasn't sure, but he kept it there. I gave him a bite of grain, so he knew that food was waiting for him up there. At first he pinned his ears and wouldn't take it because he was angry, just like a child, but then he gave in. No horse can resist the sweet molasses in grain.
I stood on the trailer and gently pulled with the lead rope and Kim had one behind him to add pressure to his butt so we could encourage him to step up. He did, which was relieving, because he could have thrown him body weight into a rear and flipped himself over, which he did when he was learning to lead.
Overall, even though winter is here and I had two pairs of socks on, it was a productive day. There is always something to do at the barn.
I felt bad taking Angie's thick winter blanket off. Her coat instantly prickled. Right now she is the only horse in the barn that doesn't look like an over fluffed stuffed animal, because she's the only one who gets blanketed.
 | ||
| This is her ugly blanket. But it's thick and it was half price. She also wouldn't stand still long enough for me to get a picture of her. |
I lunged her for half an hour so she could run around the arena and play and buck to get out some excess energy before she was ridden. Today was a bareback day. No way was I going to swing up into a cold leather saddled when her body heat could keep me ten times warmer. When I was done lunging I went and grabbed her bridle from the heated lounge. I store her halter and bridle in there in the winter because then the bit is already heated and I don't have to worry about warming it up.
In the winter is is important that you warm the bit up before bridling. Whether this is by running it under hot water, rubbing it in your hands, using a bit warmer, or storing it in warm temperatures, it needs to be done. Putting a cold piece of metal and copper in a horse's mouth can be damaging to their teeth. I also imagine it's like being asked to keep an ice cube in your mouth when you really don't want to.
Our indoor arena is little, not big enough to do anything, so I mostly worked on leg commands and I trotted her to make sure she was tired by the time Jamie got there. Jamie is the eight year old I give lessons to. She is a mature eight year old, so I didn't quite know how to handle her when she cried. She cried twice today. Once because she felt that Angie's hoof was too heavy to hold up to pick out and once because she was letting the reins slip between her fingers. Both of these are things she's done before with no problem, but today it was like the world was ending. I hugged her and got her to laugh. Most days it's rewarding to share my horse with her and allow her to get to learn how to ride, but some days it's frustrating.
She did amazing all summer. We even went to a show and she won a first place and a third place. But, now that fall and winter have settled in, her head is in the clouds. I find it more and more difficult to get her to listen and respond to my teaching, and I've tried everything. I don't know if it's the added stress of school, but lately it's not enjoyable to teach my lesson.
 |
| Jamie and Angie |
Since she is so young all I do with her is groom her and let her get used to me and then I put on her splint boots so her young bones don't get too much wear and tear on them and I free lunge her. Free lunging is when you turn the horse loose in the arena and make them do walk, trot, canter, halts, and turns from your body language. It's actually cool to communicate with them from the ground and have them respond to you. A well trained horse starts with ground work. If you can work with them on the ground, you can work with them on their back.
 |
| The fabulous little Sealia. I am so excited to be working with her. |
I stood on the trailer and gently pulled with the lead rope and Kim had one behind him to add pressure to his butt so we could encourage him to step up. He did, which was relieving, because he could have thrown him body weight into a rear and flipped himself over, which he did when he was learning to lead.
 |
| Enjoy a shot of Pepper's butt while he eats his treat for getting on the big boy trailer. |
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Nature Blog Post Six- Winter is Coming
I absolutely love riding in the colder weather while the sun warms my face. It is nice to see the fall leaves on the ground and to be riding while the weather is still slightly warm.
What I don't love is when Angie and I our walking at a normal pace and all of a sudden I have nine hundred and eighty pounds of a spooked horse under me. Angie will jump straight up into the air and spin on her back haunches like she's practicing a pirouette. Then she will take off in the opposite direction bucking like she is trying out for the rodeo. All the while I am trying to keep my balance up in the saddle. I usually grab her mane so I don't rip on her mouth. Most of the time though it is such a surprise the reins get yanked back when I am thrown off balance.
Usually Angie stops and stands there shaking for a moment and turns to look at whatever has excited her. Normally it is the green tarp that she has walked, trotted, and cantered by one thousand times, but today the one thousand and first time it looks like a horse eating tarp. I've gotten used to this happening, she is still a young horse, so I can typically hang on. Sometimes though, you gotta take a spill. Falling onto the ground doesn't hurt as bad as you think it does. With the adrenaline pumping through your veins you're lucky if you can remember to stay down for a minute to asses your injuries. Never get up directly after a fall.
Yesterday, Saturday November 16th around 3:30 I almost fell. Angie decided it would be fun to practice her ballet and at the exact same corner tarp she leapt. This happens every cold ride, so I was partially prepared, so I stayed on, however, it didn't stop the flashbacks. One time I was unprepared for Angie to take off in a bucking fit and I did end up falling into a mud puddle. The mud soaked through my shirt and breeches.
Of course, once I got Angie settled I started to think about all the times that I did fall off of her. Two of them had been in the field. One of them didn't end well for another horse that was with us. I can't talk too much about it because it relates to my final project, but thinking about that always makes me sad.
Kim, the barn owner, blames the dump across the valley because she said that the machinery scared her. I don't know the real reason why they spooked, we can only speculate, but I know that the dump scares me, even if it doesn't scare the horses. I mean, it is the highest point in Allegheny County. The dump is higher than something that Mother Nature built herself. It's an accumulation of trash, of things people don't want. And we bury it. We forget about it as if it's never meant anything to us (Side note, I understand junk mail and fast food wrappers won't mean that much to us, but I mean the stuff that we once valued). When the dump gets too high all the workers do it cover it and start again. What is that saying about us?
What I don't love is when Angie and I our walking at a normal pace and all of a sudden I have nine hundred and eighty pounds of a spooked horse under me. Angie will jump straight up into the air and spin on her back haunches like she's practicing a pirouette. Then she will take off in the opposite direction bucking like she is trying out for the rodeo. All the while I am trying to keep my balance up in the saddle. I usually grab her mane so I don't rip on her mouth. Most of the time though it is such a surprise the reins get yanked back when I am thrown off balance.
Usually Angie stops and stands there shaking for a moment and turns to look at whatever has excited her. Normally it is the green tarp that she has walked, trotted, and cantered by one thousand times, but today the one thousand and first time it looks like a horse eating tarp. I've gotten used to this happening, she is still a young horse, so I can typically hang on. Sometimes though, you gotta take a spill. Falling onto the ground doesn't hurt as bad as you think it does. With the adrenaline pumping through your veins you're lucky if you can remember to stay down for a minute to asses your injuries. Never get up directly after a fall.
Yesterday, Saturday November 16th around 3:30 I almost fell. Angie decided it would be fun to practice her ballet and at the exact same corner tarp she leapt. This happens every cold ride, so I was partially prepared, so I stayed on, however, it didn't stop the flashbacks. One time I was unprepared for Angie to take off in a bucking fit and I did end up falling into a mud puddle. The mud soaked through my shirt and breeches.
Of course, once I got Angie settled I started to think about all the times that I did fall off of her. Two of them had been in the field. One of them didn't end well for another horse that was with us. I can't talk too much about it because it relates to my final project, but thinking about that always makes me sad.
Kim, the barn owner, blames the dump across the valley because she said that the machinery scared her. I don't know the real reason why they spooked, we can only speculate, but I know that the dump scares me, even if it doesn't scare the horses. I mean, it is the highest point in Allegheny County. The dump is higher than something that Mother Nature built herself. It's an accumulation of trash, of things people don't want. And we bury it. We forget about it as if it's never meant anything to us (Side note, I understand junk mail and fast food wrappers won't mean that much to us, but I mean the stuff that we once valued). When the dump gets too high all the workers do it cover it and start again. What is that saying about us?
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Nature Blog Post 5- Dreary Weather Blues
I haven't spend much time at the barn riding lately, because of the weather. It's been cold and damp. This is about the time that I fall out of love with Fall. It's great that the weather changes and the leaves turn golden and the sun seems to make everything grow, however, it's just a matter of time before the rain comes (in Pittsburgh it's inevitable) and the ground stays wet instead of drying.
The trails have been muddy and slippery to the point where I'm afraid Angie would slip going downhill, and that could be disastrous for both of us. The outdoor arena also has not had ideal footing. Last week she slipped going around a corner, and I won't attempt jumping if she slips doing ground work. So, it's been slow going for me.
I've still enjoyed being at the barn- there are always things to do there. The barn owner went out of town to a horse show, so I was cleaning stalls for her. Usually the country music is streaming out of the radio on Y108, but I turn it down when I'm there alone. It was peaceful to clean stalls in the evening after Grandma Donna has fed. The only sound would be the horses nosing through their hay to find the best pieces and the swish of their tails.
I took my time, shaking out all of the sawdust from the pick before throwing the waste in the muck bucket. The repetitive motion of this for twelve stalls relaxed my mind, letting me think over things, letting me get ideas for my Thesis and Nature Writing essay together. I loved it, even if by the end of the night my shoulders and arm muscles ached like I had been bench pressing all evening. My back was grateful to be in bed by the end of the night. Hard work is something to appreciate though.
I am grateful of my experience to own Angie and to have been around horses my entire life. I feel that I don't shy away from hard work. I do what I have to. With horses you can't choose to clean their stall, they're not children- they can't do it themselves, so you have to. I cleaned twelve stalls daily for five days, adding sawdust to at least six stalls each day (we had just completely stripped all of the stalls so they all needed to be built up again) and didn't complain. I have to say that being around these magnificent animals has contributed to my character and I cannot be more thankful for it. I think everyone deserves to be around horses at least once in their lives.
The trails have been muddy and slippery to the point where I'm afraid Angie would slip going downhill, and that could be disastrous for both of us. The outdoor arena also has not had ideal footing. Last week she slipped going around a corner, and I won't attempt jumping if she slips doing ground work. So, it's been slow going for me.
I've still enjoyed being at the barn- there are always things to do there. The barn owner went out of town to a horse show, so I was cleaning stalls for her. Usually the country music is streaming out of the radio on Y108, but I turn it down when I'm there alone. It was peaceful to clean stalls in the evening after Grandma Donna has fed. The only sound would be the horses nosing through their hay to find the best pieces and the swish of their tails.
I took my time, shaking out all of the sawdust from the pick before throwing the waste in the muck bucket. The repetitive motion of this for twelve stalls relaxed my mind, letting me think over things, letting me get ideas for my Thesis and Nature Writing essay together. I loved it, even if by the end of the night my shoulders and arm muscles ached like I had been bench pressing all evening. My back was grateful to be in bed by the end of the night. Hard work is something to appreciate though.
I am grateful of my experience to own Angie and to have been around horses my entire life. I feel that I don't shy away from hard work. I do what I have to. With horses you can't choose to clean their stall, they're not children- they can't do it themselves, so you have to. I cleaned twelve stalls daily for five days, adding sawdust to at least six stalls each day (we had just completely stripped all of the stalls so they all needed to be built up again) and didn't complain. I have to say that being around these magnificent animals has contributed to my character and I cannot be more thankful for it. I think everyone deserves to be around horses at least once in their lives.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Nature Blog Post 4- Cold Weather Riding
So, this week I tried to get a good blog entry moment on Thursday, but it was raining all day. The sky was dark and cloudy and the rain drops pounded on the roof of the barn. The horses were all inside and were miserable- they hate being stuck in a stall- they'd rather be stretching their legs. While it rained I put Angie in the cross-ties and groomed her. I made her so spotless I think her white coat shined. Then, I put on her new "bra." I call it a bra because all of her blankets rub the hair off of her chest because she is so muscular and it causes the blankets to not sit right. So, while I was away last weekend at a huge horse show called Congress (I did not compete, just went for the shopping and to watch Professional Bull Riding) I bought her this spandex hood to stop all of her hair on her little horsey pecs from disappearing this winter. She was not so happy about it, but in the end she tolerated it, only pinning her ears back occasionally. I put her light weight blanket over that and then left her there while I picked her stall.
It was comforting to be the only one at the barn cleaning her stall, country music softly streaming out of the radio. But, my true passion is riding so I was still bummed when I couldn't do that.
Today though, Sunday October 20, I went on a trail ride after I exercised Angie. I went on the ride with Kim (the barn owner) and Barb (another boarder) around two o'clock in the afternoon. It was late, but we needed it to warm up some because of the colder weather. Angie had been terrible all morning, nearly jumping out of her skin at everything, so I put her in the pasture to play with Gracie.
On the trail ride I rode Kim's big red horse Blue. He's intimidating because he's huge, not just tall, but wide, but he is a giant teddy bear. Blue and I get along, and I feel comfortable riding him. Sadly, I did not get any pictures because I thought I shouldn't risk it with the cold weather. Horses get jumpier when it's colder, they feel better and want to run. I personally don't like falling off, so I wasn't going to try to mess with my camera while riding Blue.
It had been a few weeks since I was out on the trails, since last blog post actually, so I had forgotten how beautiful it was. It was apparent that the trees had turned more golden since my last ride and more leaves had fallen on the ground. The leaves did give the trail the impression that it was not muddy, but Blue slid a few times from the recent rainfall. The woods were quiet today, aside from our conversation. We didn't go out into the big field today since we didn't know how the horses would react with the changing weather. I was bundled up, since I don't like the cold.
But, I think I am beginning to fall in love with Fall. It is a beautiful season, where summer sheds into the colder months (I absolutely detest winter though). The sun casts a more golden glow through the trees in the fall, to match the color of the leaves. Bees stop buzzing and flies stop being so pesky. I enjoyed the brisk wind on my face while we rode back down the hill to the barn. It was nice to share a ride with two of my adopted family members, instead of being alone in my own thoughts. Sometimes, it is nice to share nature and the spot that you have carved out as your own.
It was comforting to be the only one at the barn cleaning her stall, country music softly streaming out of the radio. But, my true passion is riding so I was still bummed when I couldn't do that.
Today though, Sunday October 20, I went on a trail ride after I exercised Angie. I went on the ride with Kim (the barn owner) and Barb (another boarder) around two o'clock in the afternoon. It was late, but we needed it to warm up some because of the colder weather. Angie had been terrible all morning, nearly jumping out of her skin at everything, so I put her in the pasture to play with Gracie.
On the trail ride I rode Kim's big red horse Blue. He's intimidating because he's huge, not just tall, but wide, but he is a giant teddy bear. Blue and I get along, and I feel comfortable riding him. Sadly, I did not get any pictures because I thought I shouldn't risk it with the cold weather. Horses get jumpier when it's colder, they feel better and want to run. I personally don't like falling off, so I wasn't going to try to mess with my camera while riding Blue.
It had been a few weeks since I was out on the trails, since last blog post actually, so I had forgotten how beautiful it was. It was apparent that the trees had turned more golden since my last ride and more leaves had fallen on the ground. The leaves did give the trail the impression that it was not muddy, but Blue slid a few times from the recent rainfall. The woods were quiet today, aside from our conversation. We didn't go out into the big field today since we didn't know how the horses would react with the changing weather. I was bundled up, since I don't like the cold.
But, I think I am beginning to fall in love with Fall. It is a beautiful season, where summer sheds into the colder months (I absolutely detest winter though). The sun casts a more golden glow through the trees in the fall, to match the color of the leaves. Bees stop buzzing and flies stop being so pesky. I enjoyed the brisk wind on my face while we rode back down the hill to the barn. It was nice to share a ride with two of my adopted family members, instead of being alone in my own thoughts. Sometimes, it is nice to share nature and the spot that you have carved out as your own.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Show Video
It was actually quite nerve wracking because the first three riders before me fell, their horses fell, or they went off course!
We went on to the jump off and lost the blue ribbon by 2 seconds! That was not caught on video though due to an incident with a bee by my lovely videographers hand. But anyway, I was super proud of her, if you couldn't tell, so I thought I'd post this.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Nature Blog Post 3- Sunset Ride
I went to the barn around 5:30pm on Wednesday,
October 2. I wasn't in the best mood, and it was getting late already,
so I knew all I wanted to do was trail. I him-hawed around a little bit,
dragging my feet, talking to the barn owner, cleaning Angie's stall, but
I knew a ride would be good for me. So I tacked up using one of the spare
Western saddles and off we went. I chose a Western saddle, because sometimes
she is a bit strong on the trail and it is safer if you are planning to
go out farther on the trails by yourself, you should have the security
of a Western saddle, even if they are uncomfortable to me.
I took her down the road and up the hill that we usually go. Angie sped up into a slow canter to help give her power up the hill and I let her, keeping a loose rein. The leaves were beautiful! When we got to the part where the high grass turns into trees on either side, I had to stop to take a picture. The leaves on the Maple trees had turned every shade of orange, yellow, and red. Some of them were still green and clinging to their branches, and some of the ones that had welcomed Autumn were also hanging on. Leaves had also flittered to the ground over the course of the last few weeks, making a blanket of leaves on the forest floor; our own personal red carpet.
We walked through the woods, a little bit faster paced than normal, because I had taken Angie out right as the horses were about to get fed, so she was hungry. She kept trying to turn around when she thought I wasn't paying attention. But, let me tell you, tonight it happened. The moment I have been waiting to blog about for weeks happened. We saw deer. We wouldn't have known they were there until they started bounding through the underbrush, twigs snapping and leaves crunching. They ran ahead of us, blending in with the brown trees, only the white flaps of their tails visible as they ran with them straight up in the air. Angie's ears pricked forward, but she didn't spook, she just stopped to stare at them. I asked her to walk again and we followed at a safe distance, continuing on our trail ride.
We made it to the big clearing adn instead of turning right out of the treeline, we went left, which was somewhere we normally don't go. We continued up the hill and through an overgrown patch, I had to duck pretty far to the left, careful that the horn on the Western saddle didn't poke me. I trusted Angie to not bolt as soon as we had made it through the thicket, giving her plenty of rein.
Once we were up the hill we came upon the big junk pile. I don't know how else to describe it. On summer nights the dirt bike riders come up to this spot and burn old couches and pallets of wood, having themselves a bonfire. Normally, it's okay to walk around the outskirts, but I noticed more broken bottles than normal, so I had to literally tell Angie where to put every foot, it was nerve wracking! I was so scared that the glass would cut the tender part on the bottom of her hoof. We continued on our trail ride, and even though Angie was walking faster, she was not tense, so I gave her a fairly loose rein. I stopped to take a sunset picture before turning back.
We descended the hill on the other side, so I could make a right at the bottom of it to make a circle for home. I made sure to lean back to help keep Angie balanced while going down the hill. She was anxious to get home so she tried to trot, but I made her walk so she didn't slide going down the hill too fast. When we made it to the bottom of the hill I did let her canter to get a little bit of her energy out. I only let her canter because I knew this part of the trail well and I knew that there weren't any ruts that she could trip into. It was nice to feel the cooler breeze on my cheeks in the warm fading dusk. The landscape blurred as Angie picked up speed. I pulled her up after a little while so she didn't get too sweaty and made her walk back to the barn. She tried to trot so she could get home to her dinner faster, but I didn't want to encourage barn sour behaviors, so she could walk back and walk back on my terms. The grass on either side of the trail was tall and I heard little animals scurrying through it.
We made it back to Kim's property and we were walking back to the barn down a long breezeway and the deer appeared again. Once again, I didn't have time to get my camera out, but they really scared Angie this time. They bounded through the pastures and all around us, I had counted about five, but there could have been more they were so fast. I pulled her up to a halt and she was shaking and throwing her head. She's seen deer before so I don't know if it was because we were in lower lighting and it was hard for her to see or if there had been a coyote stalking the deer, but I thought it better to get out of there. I tried to keep her calm by talking to her all the way down the hill to the barn. She was fine by the time we got back, her ears pricked forward. She was breathing a little heavy though so I dismounted and walked her around the barn a few times to get her to stop laboring. Once she was breathing normally I took her into the barn and untacked, then I put her back in her stall and gave her some grain. While she ate I brushed the sticky hitchhikers out of her tail (those little green things that stick to anything and everything).
I enjoyed our sunset ride, which is something I don't do very often. It was relaxing to just be out on our own away from the world for a little while.
I took her down the road and up the hill that we usually go. Angie sped up into a slow canter to help give her power up the hill and I let her, keeping a loose rein. The leaves were beautiful! When we got to the part where the high grass turns into trees on either side, I had to stop to take a picture. The leaves on the Maple trees had turned every shade of orange, yellow, and red. Some of them were still green and clinging to their branches, and some of the ones that had welcomed Autumn were also hanging on. Leaves had also flittered to the ground over the course of the last few weeks, making a blanket of leaves on the forest floor; our own personal red carpet.
 |
| I don't think you can see the colors as well because I didn't have my flash on, but Angie wouldn't stay still long enough to let me play with my camera. |
We walked through the woods, a little bit faster paced than normal, because I had taken Angie out right as the horses were about to get fed, so she was hungry. She kept trying to turn around when she thought I wasn't paying attention. But, let me tell you, tonight it happened. The moment I have been waiting to blog about for weeks happened. We saw deer. We wouldn't have known they were there until they started bounding through the underbrush, twigs snapping and leaves crunching. They ran ahead of us, blending in with the brown trees, only the white flaps of their tails visible as they ran with them straight up in the air. Angie's ears pricked forward, but she didn't spook, she just stopped to stare at them. I asked her to walk again and we followed at a safe distance, continuing on our trail ride.
We made it to the big clearing adn instead of turning right out of the treeline, we went left, which was somewhere we normally don't go. We continued up the hill and through an overgrown patch, I had to duck pretty far to the left, careful that the horn on the Western saddle didn't poke me. I trusted Angie to not bolt as soon as we had made it through the thicket, giving her plenty of rein.
Once we were up the hill we came upon the big junk pile. I don't know how else to describe it. On summer nights the dirt bike riders come up to this spot and burn old couches and pallets of wood, having themselves a bonfire. Normally, it's okay to walk around the outskirts, but I noticed more broken bottles than normal, so I had to literally tell Angie where to put every foot, it was nerve wracking! I was so scared that the glass would cut the tender part on the bottom of her hoof. We continued on our trail ride, and even though Angie was walking faster, she was not tense, so I gave her a fairly loose rein. I stopped to take a sunset picture before turning back.
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| The sunset. Angie put her head down to grab a few bites of grass while I was snapping this picture, but I promise she's there! |
We descended the hill on the other side, so I could make a right at the bottom of it to make a circle for home. I made sure to lean back to help keep Angie balanced while going down the hill. She was anxious to get home so she tried to trot, but I made her walk so she didn't slide going down the hill too fast. When we made it to the bottom of the hill I did let her canter to get a little bit of her energy out. I only let her canter because I knew this part of the trail well and I knew that there weren't any ruts that she could trip into. It was nice to feel the cooler breeze on my cheeks in the warm fading dusk. The landscape blurred as Angie picked up speed. I pulled her up after a little while so she didn't get too sweaty and made her walk back to the barn. She tried to trot so she could get home to her dinner faster, but I didn't want to encourage barn sour behaviors, so she could walk back and walk back on my terms. The grass on either side of the trail was tall and I heard little animals scurrying through it.
We made it back to Kim's property and we were walking back to the barn down a long breezeway and the deer appeared again. Once again, I didn't have time to get my camera out, but they really scared Angie this time. They bounded through the pastures and all around us, I had counted about five, but there could have been more they were so fast. I pulled her up to a halt and she was shaking and throwing her head. She's seen deer before so I don't know if it was because we were in lower lighting and it was hard for her to see or if there had been a coyote stalking the deer, but I thought it better to get out of there. I tried to keep her calm by talking to her all the way down the hill to the barn. She was fine by the time we got back, her ears pricked forward. She was breathing a little heavy though so I dismounted and walked her around the barn a few times to get her to stop laboring. Once she was breathing normally I took her into the barn and untacked, then I put her back in her stall and gave her some grain. While she ate I brushed the sticky hitchhikers out of her tail (those little green things that stick to anything and everything).
I enjoyed our sunset ride, which is something I don't do very often. It was relaxing to just be out on our own away from the world for a little while.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Nature Blog Post 2- Enjoying the Fall Landscape
So, today, September 17th I went to the barn around 1:00 in the afternoon. I did homework in the morning and waited for the weather to heat to a beautiful almost fall day. Angie and I only did a little flat work in the arena before I decided to go on a trail ride. I am letting her have an easy week because we just had a show on Sunday, and she did amazing, so she gets a little vacation.
The sun felt warm on my face as we started up the hill and I felt comfortable in my hoodie with the cool air around us. I went in through our usual way, down the road a bit and then up into the woods. I love going this way because I love hearing the sound of Angie's shoes on the concrete. The rhythmic "clip clop" soothes me. Today though, the neighbors were doing some sort of construction and tree trimming, so it made her uneasy. I am not sure exactly what they were doing, but it's a big truck yard thing so every time they dropped something heavy our of one of the dump trucks Angie spooked forward a little bit. She was very tense today.
I would just like to make a note here and say that my horse is not a trail horse, she is truly a show pony and quite the diva extraordinaire. When she got off the trailer the other day she tried so hard to avoid stepping down into mud that she jumped and landed in an even bigger mud puddle, splashing the whole front of her legs and my good show breeches. *Sigh,* if she had just stepped down we could have avoided all of that. So, you can see, she does not find trail rides as amusing as I do. Sometimes I can get her to relax and others I just have to deal with her fast paced walk and snorts and sudden bursts of trot.
Okay, back to the main topic of the men doing construction or whatever they were working on. I think it is funny that they were trimming trees and altering the landscape around us. It really made me think about how it is such a big deal to be immersed in nature these days and how we as humans value this, but then again we only like it when it is shaped into what we want and almost domesticated. Those trees and bushes on the side of the road were not hurting anybody, and yet, the barn neighbor was out there with his chainsaw looking thing cutting branches down and making a ruckus.
Angie's ears were pricked forward the entire ride today though, which meant she was listening to me, she was just uneasy. Every time I even touched her sides with my legs she tensed and thought there was danger because she would jolt forward. Even though she was not completely relaxed I did let her eat a couple bites of grass so she calmed down enough for me to enjoy our ride. We went up through the woods and the way the sun shone through the trees in little golden slivers was beautiful (of course Angie was having no picture breaks today). The leaves had already started falling to the ground and they crunched under Angie's sure steps. We made it out into the big field and I decided to take her on a path we don't venture our on very often. Mostly because I don't feel that she is relaxed enough to take her out into the wide open spaces of the field. I know she wasn't completely relaxed today, but I wasn't ready to go back to the barn yet and there are only so many trails in the woods.
We started out and rounded the bend, nothing but wide open spaces surrounding us. I could see the dump and hear their usual business of covering up our unwanted thing, but they didn't seem as loud today. We stayed out in the field for about thirty minutes, following the worn in paths. As Angie was in no mood to stand still for a picture, I got off and snapped some of the new landscape. The grass was dry and getting ready to die off for another winter. Angie kept stomping her feet because hundreds of grasshoppers were jumping on our legs and over one another.
I jumped back on, which is difficult to do in an English saddle, but I wanted you guys to witness the beauty that I get to see whenever I spend time with my mare. We made our way back down the hill to that barn and I dismounted, sad that our ride was over, but happy that I got to spend time with her. I would stay on her back all day if I could, I don't care if that makes me weird or obsessed or crazy, but we understand each other without having to say a word to one another.
Since it was such a beautiful day out I got to turn her out into one of the fields with her sister and another one of our younger horses. They had a blast running together and bucking and letting out all of their energy.
I wasn't ready to leave just yet because no one else was there and I was enjoying some time to myself, so I swept the aisle and made sure that everyone had enough water. The baby even let me kiss his nose without trying to use me as a teething ring (I'll make sure to get a picture of him for next time). I enjoyed my time at the barn and look forward to going back this weekend.
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| Angie and I with our second place ribbon for 2'3" Novice Jumpers |
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| Jamie, the 8 year old I give lessons to also won a first (blue) and a third (yellow) for her classes! Plus, I swear my horse poses for pictures- look at that sweet face! |
I would just like to make a note here and say that my horse is not a trail horse, she is truly a show pony and quite the diva extraordinaire. When she got off the trailer the other day she tried so hard to avoid stepping down into mud that she jumped and landed in an even bigger mud puddle, splashing the whole front of her legs and my good show breeches. *Sigh,* if she had just stepped down we could have avoided all of that. So, you can see, she does not find trail rides as amusing as I do. Sometimes I can get her to relax and others I just have to deal with her fast paced walk and snorts and sudden bursts of trot.
Okay, back to the main topic of the men doing construction or whatever they were working on. I think it is funny that they were trimming trees and altering the landscape around us. It really made me think about how it is such a big deal to be immersed in nature these days and how we as humans value this, but then again we only like it when it is shaped into what we want and almost domesticated. Those trees and bushes on the side of the road were not hurting anybody, and yet, the barn neighbor was out there with his chainsaw looking thing cutting branches down and making a ruckus.
Angie's ears were pricked forward the entire ride today though, which meant she was listening to me, she was just uneasy. Every time I even touched her sides with my legs she tensed and thought there was danger because she would jolt forward. Even though she was not completely relaxed I did let her eat a couple bites of grass so she calmed down enough for me to enjoy our ride. We went up through the woods and the way the sun shone through the trees in little golden slivers was beautiful (of course Angie was having no picture breaks today). The leaves had already started falling to the ground and they crunched under Angie's sure steps. We made it out into the big field and I decided to take her on a path we don't venture our on very often. Mostly because I don't feel that she is relaxed enough to take her out into the wide open spaces of the field. I know she wasn't completely relaxed today, but I wasn't ready to go back to the barn yet and there are only so many trails in the woods.
We started out and rounded the bend, nothing but wide open spaces surrounding us. I could see the dump and hear their usual business of covering up our unwanted thing, but they didn't seem as loud today. We stayed out in the field for about thirty minutes, following the worn in paths. As Angie was in no mood to stand still for a picture, I got off and snapped some of the new landscape. The grass was dry and getting ready to die off for another winter. Angie kept stomping her feet because hundreds of grasshoppers were jumping on our legs and over one another.
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| Her ears are in the picture because she didn't want me to step away from her, but you can see how the grass is drying into a brown and the surrounding shrubs are starting to yellow for Fall. |
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| The clear blue sky always amazes me, it makes me feel like we are in a different world, almost like coming out of the treeline takes us into our own Narnia. |
Since it was such a beautiful day out I got to turn her out into one of the fields with her sister and another one of our younger horses. They had a blast running together and bucking and letting out all of their energy.
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| Angie, her sister Sophia on the right, and Sealia, the black Appendix in the middle. |
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| One more picture before you go, Chancey, one of the barn cats, lazily stretching on a bale of hay. |
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Nature Blog Post 1- Riding into the End of Summer
I visited my place on Thursday September 5th around one in the afternoon. The sun was shining and a cool breeze blew steadily. I cherished the way that Angie's hooves crunched on the already fallen leaves. Summer was ending and I don't know how many more trail rides we will be allowed to take in such beautiful weather. The leaves that were still thriving surrounded us, the trees covered us on the trail and in the woods, making me feel like we were the only two left on this planet. We were secluded.
Angie's ears were perked and her breath came out in short small puffs. I rode with a loose rein, letting her stretch her neck and take a bite of tall grass or leaves from a bush every once in a while. Squirrels scurried in the underbrush, occasionally running across our path. If I listened closely enough I could hear the purrs that squirrels make when talking to one another. The woods were shady and cool, I was glad I had my sweatshirt on. Angie's soft coat was just drying after our workout before we went into the woods.
She was relaxing now, her neck lowered slightly to the ground. The fluctuating changes in weather was affecting the horses, making them less tired, loosening their muscles. On a day like this that started out cold in the morning, you never knew what personality was going to show. She had been a little bit more wired today, more willing to move forward and faster under my leg. I was glad to be giving her a moment to relax instead of just drilling her over jump courses- our show was only a little over a week away and we had recently been getting conditioned for that.
Sometimes, we need a walk to ourselves, to clear our minds, to be alone. We mostly stayed in the woods, but we did walk out into the big field on the other side of the woods for a brief moment. With the weather change I wasn't comfortable taking her too far out in case she spooked, but when we emerged from the wooded area the sun greeted us with bright warm rays. We walked on a well worn trail, the tall grasses whooshing against our bodies, grabbing at my stirrups. Before long, we entered the woods again to start our path home. The cicadas hummed constantly, keeping us company. I spoke softly to her, gave her pats. She swung her head back and forth, taking in the sights and smells of the woods like I was. Sometimes, I feel like she understands me, that she wants the same things I do. I enjoy spending time alone with her, away from the rest of the world.
Leaves brushed against my helmet as we retreated back through the woods to the barn and I could hear the echoes of the machinery across the valley. My barn is in Imperial, Pennsylvania and our trails lead to the highest places in Allegheny County. Unfortunately, across the valley from our beautiful fields and trails there is a dump. Machinery runs constantly during the week, beeping and crashing, covering and moving other people's garbage. As much as I enjoy the beautiful landscape, looking across the valley always fills me with a heavy sadness, like a weight on my chest. To see how we are destroying and wasting the land makes me wish humans didn't waste so much. Everything comes with a price- to evolve and thrive we destroy the Earth that we live on. I dwell on this for a moment as I listen to the sounds of backhoes rumbling across the ground, but I also hear the thriving sounds of the woods around me. As long as this is the barn's land, it won't be touched. Angie and I make our way back to the barn at a steady pace, her back legs carefully picking out footing as we go down a hill. The way she moves down the hill it reminds me of a woman sashaying her hips and I smile. Back at the barn I give her some pats on her slightly sweaty shoulder before dismounting and kissing her nose. Spending time with her is what I consider being in nature.
Angie's ears were perked and her breath came out in short small puffs. I rode with a loose rein, letting her stretch her neck and take a bite of tall grass or leaves from a bush every once in a while. Squirrels scurried in the underbrush, occasionally running across our path. If I listened closely enough I could hear the purrs that squirrels make when talking to one another. The woods were shady and cool, I was glad I had my sweatshirt on. Angie's soft coat was just drying after our workout before we went into the woods.
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| My favorite place to be. |
She was relaxing now, her neck lowered slightly to the ground. The fluctuating changes in weather was affecting the horses, making them less tired, loosening their muscles. On a day like this that started out cold in the morning, you never knew what personality was going to show. She had been a little bit more wired today, more willing to move forward and faster under my leg. I was glad to be giving her a moment to relax instead of just drilling her over jump courses- our show was only a little over a week away and we had recently been getting conditioned for that.
Sometimes, we need a walk to ourselves, to clear our minds, to be alone. We mostly stayed in the woods, but we did walk out into the big field on the other side of the woods for a brief moment. With the weather change I wasn't comfortable taking her too far out in case she spooked, but when we emerged from the wooded area the sun greeted us with bright warm rays. We walked on a well worn trail, the tall grasses whooshing against our bodies, grabbing at my stirrups. Before long, we entered the woods again to start our path home. The cicadas hummed constantly, keeping us company. I spoke softly to her, gave her pats. She swung her head back and forth, taking in the sights and smells of the woods like I was. Sometimes, I feel like she understands me, that she wants the same things I do. I enjoy spending time alone with her, away from the rest of the world.
Leaves brushed against my helmet as we retreated back through the woods to the barn and I could hear the echoes of the machinery across the valley. My barn is in Imperial, Pennsylvania and our trails lead to the highest places in Allegheny County. Unfortunately, across the valley from our beautiful fields and trails there is a dump. Machinery runs constantly during the week, beeping and crashing, covering and moving other people's garbage. As much as I enjoy the beautiful landscape, looking across the valley always fills me with a heavy sadness, like a weight on my chest. To see how we are destroying and wasting the land makes me wish humans didn't waste so much. Everything comes with a price- to evolve and thrive we destroy the Earth that we live on. I dwell on this for a moment as I listen to the sounds of backhoes rumbling across the ground, but I also hear the thriving sounds of the woods around me. As long as this is the barn's land, it won't be touched. Angie and I make our way back to the barn at a steady pace, her back legs carefully picking out footing as we go down a hill. The way she moves down the hill it reminds me of a woman sashaying her hips and I smile. Back at the barn I give her some pats on her slightly sweaty shoulder before dismounting and kissing her nose. Spending time with her is what I consider being in nature.
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| Emerging from the woods with the wasteland across the Valley. |
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