Horse looks good. L always looks good. Rider not so much. That's a mattress on an obstacle course. She had already stepped on it I don't know how many times so I was *completely* unprepared when she decided *now* was the time to jump over it. Let's hear it for the photographer however!Ok. Lesson learned. Be prepared for pretty much anything anytime.
Yesterday was a beautiful day. It was hot, dry and breezy. Again. This has been a gorgeous summer.
I've been trying to use a saddle more often lately but yesterday I just didn't feel much like it. So we went off bareback. L was her usual most awesome self. Even though she's in heat. Big time heat. I mean gazing off into space heaving deep sighs... hello? Yo.. we're working here Sweety.
We'd warmed up and lapped the vegetables a couple times and chatted with neighbors when we went off down the tree line and as I duck under a couple of branches I see turkeys ahead. A hen and a single chick. They see us coming and scurry off into the brush and I'm thinking of course there has to be more. As we get a little closer a chick takes flight out of the grass into the brush.
I'm thinking there's gotta be more and seconds later, about 10 or 12 feet to the left of L's shoulder, 5 turkey chicks take flight out of the grass going every which way. Now, a turkey chick this time of year is about the size of a big chicken. You ever see turkeys fly? They're not hardly the most graceful creatures.
L lifted into a spin and I thought for sure I was gonna end up hanging in some nearby branches. A quiet "ho" brought her right back and she stood and stared like she was thinking "whoa *what* was *that* all about?!". It wasn't a good idea to stand there much longer, what with momma turkey gobbling in the woods, so we vigorously stomped the length of the tree line and back out on to the track.
L was being so good I decided we'd go off into the woods for a short walk. It's been so dry we kind of went off and bushwhacked our way through some dry creek bed and she wasn't particularly thrilled but she was good. And the bugs were nowhere to be seen!
Our path out to the trails in the woods is a little bit of a downhill thing through some tall grass. Which makes it a little uphill thing on the way back out. And I always do the little bit of a lean thing and L trots up out of the brush but today - no, we need to have adventure. I go into the lean, and remember, we're out there bareback, and I feel a funny flex in her shoulders. Out the corner of my eye I see her feet coming up and I realize she's starting her tuck, up come the feet, out goes the nose and I'm thinking "oh crap". It was more of a big hop than a jump but I clamped my legs on her and grabbed a good hold of her mane anyway. What else was I gonna do. It's not like I could have said "stop" at that point.
Maybe she saw something or maybe that's what she thought I was asking her to do but whatever the case - I was better prepared this time! It was the first time *ever* "jumping" bareback. We landed on the edge of the track at a smooth quiet trot and of course I was just tickled.
Well. My sad little garden isn't so sad anymore. Look! A cucumber!
