The adventures of Gilly the rescue horse and his side kick and partner in crime, Pokey the donkey.

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Being with a horse is a journey that never ends. What they have to teach us is amazing; but we must quiet our mind to hear them. ~ jca

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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Long time.......

Gee, it has been a long, long time since I rode! Well, maybe not that long! Last time I rode was the day before Thanksgiving, over three months. The weather was really nice today, up in the 60's, sun shining brightly.......felt like spring.

I did laundry, cleaned house this morning while the weather warmed up, by 1:30 I was finished with the domestic chores and out the door. Gonzo was not a happy camper because he had to stay in the house with Petey, Buster and Laverne. Usually Gonzo gets to go but there are some mangy looking dogs at a house at the bottom of the hill that I sometimes go past. Didn't think that was a good idea for him to go, he was brokenhearted and cried and cried to go.

Sorry Gonz, only Lucy gets to go. I called Gilly and he came running, nickering all the way to the gate, he was happy to get to go somewhere. First thing I did was get Gilly out, brush the dirt off, put my new shims in the air pad, saddled up in the western saddle. Put on the new breast band and the dressage bridle with the bitless noseband. The one thing I did forget, were Gilly's necklace with his bells!!! Guess I need to take it to the tack closet then I will remember! Duh!!

Sorry no pictures, I just wanted to ride!!!

Ok, so I decided since I had no place to do any ground work that wasn't knee deep in mud! We walked down the road to see if Kim was home; she wasn't but we walked on down to see Lacy. When I say walked, I walked too, figured that Gilly would work off some energy, he walked sideways, backward and back and forth across the road.....ground work without the round pen.
Lacy was in a marish mood and was squealing and striking the fence. Gilly was feeling very friendly, licking and chewing on her neck but she didn't seem like she cared. (this is funny) Gilly stood and looked at her for a few minutes and turned and started back up the road toward home! Thought I heard him mumble under his breath, "That's the last time I'll play kissy face with you!"

When we got back to the barn I got the step stool out and climbed up in the saddle! Wow, I just wanted to sit there for a few minutes, soaking it all in......am I really sitting in the saddle again???? YES I AM! We started out up the road and Gilly seemed like he was happy to be out on the road, he was looking from side to side as if to say, "hey, it's been a long time since I saw these sights!" As we walked along I pushed him from one side of the road to the other with my legs, we worked on some flexing, turning in a complete circle with only my legs, boy, that's hard for me I want to help him with the reins but I didn't. He remembers how to do it. I just did some little things, we were mainly just out to have a nice ride and we did.

Gilly just had his feet trimmed yesterday so I was wanting to see how he did on the large stone that had been put on the road over the winter. Used to be he would take one look at the sharp quarter sized stones and want no part of it; today he walked over it like it wasn't even there. His feet are very hard and strong now, after the ride there wasn't a chip or crack anywhere! He has GREAT feet!

We rode to the bottom of the hill and the mangy dogs came out barking and heading for Lucy so turned and headed back toward home. We did some trotting too, fun! Back at the farm we went back the hollow to see what had happened to things over the winter, looked the same but with more mud! Made a few more loops around some of the out buildings before unsaddling. Gilly was a very good boy so he got a few horse peppermint treats after I got his halter back on.

Pokey was at the gate waiting and having one of his little ass-fits for being left behind. I gave him a few peppermints and he calmed down. Next time it's his turn to get out and go for a walk!

Great to be out and riding again....anyone else get to ride today???


14 comments:

Jeni said...

Oh good for you Jane! Today is to be the last sunny day of our week and I got stuck late at work then had to rush home.. so no barn time today =(

Anonymous said...

Not me - but it's great that you got out for a ride!

Melissa-ParadigmFarms said...

Good for you! I complained about our winter a lot (it was miserable) but I know I had it so much easier than many people. I still managed to ride off and on all winter. Although in a normal winter it wouldn't be off and on, just business as usual!

I love a good, healthy bare hoof. They are so lovely!

Jacque. said...

ohman, it sure sounds like your day was heavenly! Riding and Gilly...together...what could be better?

Unknown said...

Glad you go to ride.

cowgirljlynn said...

Isn't it amazing what even a short ride can do for you! Glad that you enjoyed yours!

diana said...

I am with Kate, at least for the horse ride. Waiting on the rains to wash all the salt and road debris away and then dryup so i can take the convertible out for a spin,

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Well, you know what I did. hehe!

I'm so so very happy for you, my friend. Even just 15 minutes sitting on a horse's back is sublime!

I hope you get more opportunities to ride now...and me, too. It's been snowing since we brought Apache home, and right now thr ground is frozen....but boy howdy! It will be slick, deep mud once it thaws. bleh!

Ride 'em cowgirl! Way to go Gilly. And what a gentleman for trying to be sweet on that mare, but leavingher alone when she was feeling crabby. hehe!


~Lisa

Thistlebrooms said...

Isn't it amazing getting out there after such a L-O-N-G Winter???
The scents of Spring just seem to be everywhere (Even Gilly with his Kissy Face with Lacy!!!)

I've already been noticing All the small green life starting to grow in the brook in back of me...
Hope you have Many more wonderful Walk/Rides with Gilly and DON'T forget Pokey!!!

Wishing You Many More Happy Days...
Always~Marilyn

Desert Rose said...

So glad that you had a nice ride with your boy today!!!

allhorsestuff said...

You can get me to cracking' up so fast with the "little ass fits" and Gilly muddling something under his breath!
YEA!!! You were atop a handsome steed today!!! I do Want PICTURES next time... learn how to set the timer..find a nice tall poll and set it up and ride out to where it will take your pic!! And SMILE! You sounded fantastic and all the walking and ground work ...perfect!
Oh Jane..it has been a long winter huh!
Love ya!
Kac

dexmangoldens said...

Oh Jane, that's sounds so nice! And the leg yielding sounded like a good thing to keep him busy for a bit, even tho' it was just a ride. Too much snow here to ride, but was in the 50's today. Enjoy even the short rides!

photogchic said...

Great!! Squeezed in a few rides this week. Hopefully nice this weekend and I talk the barn mates into heading out with me.

jane augenstein said...

JeniQ, Oh, sorry to hear that you get no barn time!

Kate, the ride was good!

Melissa, sometimes we have had mild winters too, but not this year. Gilly does have wonderful feet, will have to take pix of them again for another post.

Jacque, we had a good time, even if it was short.

Sydney, thanks!

cowgirljlynn, riding is good for the soul!

Diana, Hi, glad you stopped in!

Lisa, thanks, yes sir, any ride is good. Hope you get to ride and ride with your new girl. What fun it will be!!!

Marilyn, warm weather felt so good to be out and on the horse. I have seen a few thing poking out of the ground, daffodils I think.

Desert Rose, we had a short ride but a good one!

Kacy, yes, little Pokey does have to speak his mind on such things! LOL Gilly too. Felt so good to be back up on his back, will try to get more pictures (maybe I can teach Lucy to have the camera on her neck to snap some for us! LOL)

Julie,I always try to do a little work while we are out and about. Even if I can't ride in an arena, work on the road works well too.

Photogchic, hurray for riding, no matter how short the ride it's always good!

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