The Case of the Missing Mustangs

Rufus bounced happily along in front of me, despite my threats to send him back to the pound.

"Homeland Security, just doing my job, ma'am," was his answer. The naughty ball of fluff could care less that my boys were not in sight. Turning back towards the house and ready to go climb into my truck to see if they'd fled down the road, I noticed something back up in the shadows alongside the neighbor's house. Sure enough, there were my two runaways, grazing contentedly on the overgrown lawn. The muddy fluff ball at my side bounced towards them as if to indicate he'd been the one to locate their whereabouts. I growled at the dog, rattled the grain and coaxed my wayward mustangs towards home.

Darling was at school when I loaded our boys into the trailer and headed to Curt's for a lesson. Steve Holt! rode in the outdoor arena for the first time, and we were back on the bull! I just can't tell you how pleased I am with this horse; he doesn't seem to have missed a beat when it comes to memory retention. His biggest hang up is he's slow at his turns. Spurs will become part of our attire from this point forward.

I was just warming up when City Boy pulled in and deposited Darling. Her ride was fantastic! Curt left me to cool out my gelding while getting Darling started. By the time I walked around the front of the arena he was calling to me, "Hey, Mom, get in here!" So I did, and I watched Darling and Sandy doing some fast rollbacks along the wall. "This is the most aggressive I've ever seen her," said Curt. "She's getting better each time, she's real coachable. More than her mom," he said with a wink. Whatever, Storbakken... But he's right. Darling's riding has improved ten fold in the few lessons she's had. Once they'd spent a few minutes indoors, Curt had her move outside to see how Sandy would respond to her in the open. With all going well, Curt nodded his head, saying, "We'll do something a little different next time." Something tells me there's a bull session in Darling's future...

We loaded up and headed further south, completely confusing those mustangs, I'm sure, and met up with Paint Girl and OH for an evening trail ride. We had a great time and can't wait to do it again...hopefully with Pony Girl next time around!

Twittering...not sure I get it.

Why is it they feel the need to nap right next to the fence where I've left stuff sitting? Why can't they nap where there's no hose filling water tubs?

Do you twitter? Or tweet? I'm not so sure I get it. But today I signed up, and it automatically scanned through my email address book and created a list of people for me to 'follow'. Now there are 48 folks out there who think I'm stalking them!

Darling and I are headed to a lesson this afternoon with Curt. Afterward, we'll be heading down and hitting the trails with none other than Paintgirl! This will be Steve Holt!'s trail riding debut. So far he's just done our wee little trail here across the road. He crosses through mud and goes up and down hills. If Darling can keep Sandy under control, we'll have it made! (Sandy's been feeling like a wild mustang here of late; not sure what's gotten into that rascal!)

Speaking of Sandy the Rascal...

I've been bringing the boys down to the neighbor's where they spend the night grazing. In the morning, before the heat sets in, I lead them back home where they can lounge about inside a cool(ish) barn. The other day, before bringing them home, I decided to take a few minutes and set some fence posts out in the longer, lusher grass and create a new space for them. I opened the gate so they could come with me as I strung the hot wire.

At first they weren't so sure. I had all the posts where they belonged and was walking along, not so hot (for the time being) wire running through my hands as I connected it onto each post, when Sandy suddenly gets the idea that it's time to go home...and that meant NOW! And despite the fact that the gate through which we travel in and out is on the opposite side of the pasture, he jumps the little muddy stream of water, Steve Holt! hot on his heels, and dashes past me.

Of course, he manages to snag the hot wire across his chest (it's that skinny white stuff, not really wire) and drags a good 30' of it behind him until it comes to it's end, trailing through the long grass and no longer attached to a single post.

What's more, Sandy darts over the spot of blackberries separating this pasture with the one next door. Steve Holt! is so close I swear his chin is resting on Sandy's butt as they disappear across the field.

Oh, well...I'll finish fencing another day. The field the boys are making a mad dash across backs up to our property, and they're headed towards the little trail we take each day. I hear Rufus barking from our side of the creek and know the boys are on their way. I go climb into my truck so I can go home and open the gate for them.

But when I pull into my driveway, there are no horses. Maybe they're still down getting a drink from the creek? No...they're not there. But Rufus is, all wet and muddy and proud of himself, telling me he chased those big boys off his property. Stupid Rufus. Head full of fluff. It's back to the pound with you if I can't find those horses!

I cross the creek with a scoop of grain, rattling and calling, expecting to see them in the big pasture between home and the field they should have stayed in. But they were nowhere to be seen...

Darling & Sandy video

This past week I've been struggling with computer issues. But as cranky as I was over that little detail, I was equally delighted with how things have gone with the horses. Steve Holt! and I have strung together several good rides, including hauling down to Curt's for a lesson on Friday.

City Boy brought Darling down after school, and I managed to get a little bit of video footage of her ride. She's in seventh heaven over a new movie program she's got, so has gone a little crazy with the fun stuff.

In the evenings, when it's a bit cooler (we've been hitting high 70s here of late) Darling and I have been taking the boys to the tree farm for a short ride. Steve Holt! has been fantastic, not frantic at all when Darling and Sandy trot or even lope on up ahead, just picking up his walk a bit while still moving on a loose rein. And do you recall how worried we were over Sandy's profuse sweating last fall and winter? He now completes his rides with barely a damp hair, and then it's just under the girth, even with all the long trotting Darling has him doing. She's got that boy fit as a fiddle. Now I've got to do double time with Steve Holt! to catch up!