Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Road Closed

I went out walking this morning to see how my neighbors fared during our recent flooding. City Boy had driven around the block with the kids, but this was the first time this week I'd taken the time to venture off my beaten path. The summer pasture where the sheep and horses reside is quite wet. The property is a long, narrow strip...air strip, to be exact, as Donna's late husband had built it up in the center so he could fly his little plane in. On both sides of the old strip, water is running deep and cold, trying to find its way out to the ditches alongside the road.


The road was not so happy to see the water coming, as there was too much for the ditch to hold, and it spilled over, cutting into the shoulder and beneath the blacktop...


...and in fact, right through the blacktop and across the road to the other side!


A couple of driveways were lost; people found themselves forced to park on the road itself (you may notice that on this little country road, there is no shoulder, so they literally were leaving cars on the road.) Thankfully, it's a peaceful little valley without a lot of traffic to deal with. The driveways have been repaired, and the road closed as work gets underway.

Back in my little world the road is definitely not closed. Steve Holt! has discovered treats. I had to shove one up inside his mouth to get him to take it, and he spit it back out at me a couple of times, but I finally convinced him I wasn't going to stop and he chewed it up. Realizing that it was a far sight tastier than the bit, Steve Holt! has wasted no time in become a treat hound. Which is good, really, because now he's got a reason to look to be inside my space, rather than me trying to get inside his. We spent a fair amount of time today just hanging out and eating junk food together.


Today was ride 11, and I must say I'm quite please with how things are going. The whoa is slow, but beginning to take shape. He's beginning to recognize that when I relax, open up at the knees and sit down it means a slow down transition is about to take place. Today at the lope (no kicking up the heels, yeah!) he was more than ready to drop from the lope into a trot when asked, and from the trot he managed a slow transition to stop. I like that he's beginning to relax. I may haul him up to a trail night at a local arena tomorrow...we'll see.

9 comments:

Lea and her Mustangs said...

Doesn't look like fun to me. We still have the remenants of snow and lots of ice. Where we had 8 - 10 feet where it came off buildings its down to 4 or 5. Bare mud in other places. We have to take Raven to see Dr. McKinley on Monday. She has a splinter in her upper lip I think. It is swollen and she hangs her tounge out. She is eating good but it looks really weird. We will get to Cathy's soon.

froglander said...

I love those head shots of SH!

Could I come up and watch you guys sometime?

Tracey said...

Lea...ouch! Poor thing.

We didn't get near as much snow, but there's still piles of it in parking lots :) And when Darling and I hit the trail the other day we came across some there, too.

Frog, I'd love if you came to watch! Just name the day. I tend to head to the riding club around 11:30.

KCNH said...

Fun stuff. Well if you can find some time to break free on sunday come on down and see her. I will be there all day.

Give me a call sometime and we can figure something out. No better way to get a stop than to get him moving a lot. It would be fun. Maybe we can help each other.

Rising Rainbow said...

We have some roads that look like that around here too. This winter is the pits, and that's all there is to it! I am soooooo longing for spring. Don't panic, not the calendar date of spring, I'm not ready yet either, but I could sure use some NICE spring weather. They can keep the ichy stuff.

Isn't it funny getting them to figure out treats. I have a couple of horses here that are still acting like I'm trying to poison them. LOL

It sounds like Steve Holt! is making great progress under saddle. I know you'll be happier when that Whoa is ingrained.....that's one that's always a big milestone for me too. There's just so much security in having a good Whoa!

gtyyup said...

Beautiful shots of SH! He's got such an expressive face.

Don't forget the camera if you get to take him out!

froglander said...

I like your new banner! Are you going to go ride him tomorrow (Friday) at 11:30?

Tracey said...

Camera in hand...we're on our way out!

Frog, yes, I can meet you there at 11:30. Do you know where it is? On the Mt. Baker Highway, just past Baker Bear Grocery and on the right side. There's a big sign that says R&R Kennels before the driveway.

froglander said...

Well then, see you there!