Today was Marina’s day for riding. It was supposed to be yesterday, but it was an ugly day. Tomorrow and Sunday are going to be bad as well. I was hoping for maybe a morning ride tomorrow, but the wind has already started. By Sunday we are supposed to have 30 – 40 mph winds with 70 mph gusts. Definitely indoor days, my body needs a rest anyway. It was not happy with me at all today. As soon as I got on Marina’s back I knew I was in trouble. Oh well such is life.
The day began beautifully. The only problem was I hurt, and after feeding everyone, I took one of my muscle relaxer’s. The only problem with that is this particular one puts me to sleep. I heard on the news that it happens to be one of the hot ones on the underground prescription drug list. Seems it’s very popular with people who have no reason to take such a strong muscle relaxer. Why anyone would want a drug that puts you to sleep is beyond me, but then again why anyone would want to take any drug is beyond me. I do what I have to, to remain ambulatory, no more. That put me a little behind schedule, so I didn’t get started till about noon.
Not being a fool I let Marina run herself out in the arena, brushed her down, and saddled her as normal. Marina is so good I don’t even have to tie her up while she’s getting saddled even though I do. I had to look for our breast collar it’s been so long since I’ve used it. I don’t need it, but that’s where I put the pedometer. Yes, I finally got one. Now I’ll know for sure how far we are riding.
In a lot of ways even though Marina is an uncomfortable ride for me, she is also a gas to ride. We did some schooling before we went out. It’s amazing to me that no matter how long it’s been since she’s been ridden she never forgets anything, well almost. She did mess up on flying lead changes, but was perfect on everything else. She even did a slow spin for me. The inside of my legs were tightening up so I didn’t do a lot of what she knows. She even remembered how to canter while doing a side pass. I don’t know what the proper term for that is in dressage language, but she does it flawlessly. If she weren’t so hyper she’d do great in dressage. Once I get her to do her flying lead changes again, maybe I’ll try lead changes in a straight line. I don’t know what they call that either.
It was a bit gusty when we took off, but strangely once we get past a certain point the wind cuts out. Marina wasn’t quite as high as she was the other day, still I had to hold her in at first. She settled down after a bit, and then I had to keep reminding her to watch where she was putting her feet. She is such a looky lou. Arabs are very aware of their surroundings, constantly looking for whatever might come out, and eat them. Marina just likes to look. She wants to take it all in. There’s not a sight, sound, or smell she is not aware of. On the other hand, she is so busy looking everywhere, she misses the fact that the ground is uneven, and stumbles. I had to keep reminding her to pay attention to where her feet were landing. When we would come to an especially rocky area, I’d have to tell her to be careful, because there were loose rocks.
We went past Baker’s land, and then went east. There are gas lines everywhere out there so there are plenty of roads to follow. This one seemed a well-traveled road so we took it. I had never been in this area (I haven’t been in most of these areas), so all the sights were new, and what beautiful sights they were. I love this country. Yes it’s all the same with large meadows, and areas thick with Juniper, and Pinion. There are steep gorges, and rocky hilltops, yet they are all different. The skies today were NM blue with a few high thin clouds sprinkled, here and there. The air is fresh, and clean as you can only find in the country. People think I’m crazy wanting to live out in the middle of nowhere where there is nothing to do. What they don’t understand is with all the beauty, and serenity that surrounds one here in the middle of nowhere, you don’t need to do anything. It is enough to simply sit, and allow the land, and sky to fill you. The city sucks the life out of you, while the country fills you with life.
We rode on only taking one break, and finally headed back home. It’s always faster going back so when we came close to home, and still had another half hour to go, I took another road that went west. This road crossed the hills, and valleys, so there were steep ups, and downs that Marina took at a canter. When I’m riding on the trail I let whomever I’m riding go at their own pace. They know better than I when it’s easier to trot or canter. Granted Marina gets a little carried away so I have to pull her back to a walk once the hard part is over, otherwise I let her have her head.
We got up to the top of one of those hills, and I figured we had used up enough time so we headed back towards home. Once at the barn I took off the pedometer to see how far we had gone, and it was about 6 ½ miles. Not quite 10 miles, but I was played out. My body couldn’t take anymore. We still have plenty of time to work up to 10 miles. Marina had gotten all sweated up, so in spite if the fact that’s it’s a bit chilly still, and we don’t have hot water at the barn I rinsed her off. I was careful not to get her too wet, squigged her well, and rubbed her down with a dry towel. Then I went back to the house got the truck, and went to get hay. I called before I went riding to make sure that Penny would save me 20 bales in case she ran low.
My body was still complaining, but too bad so sad, I had to get hay, and I had to unload it, and stack it. Once that was done I still had about 45 minutes before feeding time so I went back to the house, and died. Well first I took some Tylenol, and my afternoon meds, then I died. Now comes the weird part. When I went down to feed I fed all the barn horses then went back to Marina to brush out her fur. She was quite dry, but her fur needed brushing for the cold night that was coming. I did one side, then the other, and when I went under her belly I noticed that the inside of her back legs needed a good brush also. Imagine my surprise when I found her lactating. No she’s not pregnant unless someone got to her while she was at Sherry’s which I highly doubt since she was in pasture with her baby, and mini mares, and one mini gelding. I’ve never had a broodmare lactate so long after weaning, and it was good white milk too. I emailed Sherry to make sure that this was not that unusual in broodmares after a good workout. It’s a new one on me for sure, but then again this is Marina, and if anyone is going to do something off the wall for sure it will be Marina. We’ll see what Sherry says tomorrow.
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