Several red oaks in the back yard, covered with flower tassels and releasing LOTS of golden pollen, now have tiny reddish-beige leaves, all furry and pleated tightly. The youngest bur oak (not up to my waist yet) has popped some buds. The cedar elms (Ulmus crassifolia) in the Near Meadow (and elsewhere) are in a Read More…
Tag: 80Acres
Ride 35: A Perfect Evening Ride
Today was a lovely day, clear, cooler than it has been (though quite warm in the sun in the afternoon until about 4pm, not stifling) and with just enough breeze. Yesterday, I’d gotten a new pair of riding tights, summer-weight, ordered last week. They’re a style recommended by one of the staff at the Dover Read More…
Ride 34: Trip to Tack Store + Evening Ride
Today’s tack haul included two saddle pads, 1 pair of riding tights, Coat Defense for Rags’ itchy spots he rubs raw, a new belt to replace the one I knew wasn’t *really* lost but that would not declare itself until I replaced it (even as I took out the new one to show R-, and Read More…
Ride 33: Testing Late Afternoon Temps
Daylight Savings Time creates real difficulties for those who need training/riding schedules to mesh with open hours for other businesses at a distance. It shifts the hours of useful light toward after-5pm, and removes those hours from before 8am, making mornings darker and evenings lighter. Actual day-length changes only in response to the yearly circuit, Read More…
Ride 32: Heat, Wind, Scary Things, Shedding
Due to various things, some socially unmentionable (nobody wants to hear about certain common minor illnesses, right? RIGHT!!), some related to DST, some related to stuff-that-had-to-be-done, today was the first day this week I actually made it onto Rags. Storms, rain, mud (no deterrent to UK riders, who are used to rain and mud; I Read More…
Ride 31: Alternate Birthday Party and Ride
Today was a gorgeous day and perfect for an alternate birthday party. The three of us and a friend from the city whose birthday is about a week ahead of mine (though I’m years ahead of him) had an outdoor lunch on the backyard picnic table, after which I rode out on the land while Read More…
Rides 29 and 30: Very Short and Moderately Long
Ride 29, on Wednesday, was too short to deserve a whole post to itself, but educational nonetheless. I waited too long to start, for various reasons that only make sense at the time, not later. It was a clear, warm, breezy day and got hotter…by the time I was tacking up, it was uncomfortably warm. Read More…
Ride 28: Wind, Sun, New Trail
We hit the jackpot on weather today: cool, clear, brilliant sun…and a boisterous strong wind out of the NW. I tacked up Rags with a few changes to the gear: shortened the bridle one hole, shortened the throatlatch one hole, and added the braided rawhide roping rein to the halter. Most of the time it Read More…
Ride 27: Do NOT Try This At Home (Good Pony, Though!)
I set out a little after 1 pm (R- had to take M- to the dentist early and then take him back to the city, stop by Home Depot on the way home to pick up the chain saw–finally repaired) and Rags set out willingly along the south trail west until I wanted him to Read More…
Ride 26: Schooling in the Open
I no longer have a round pen (haven’t had for years), or a fenced riding ring or arena, and these are all useful tools when working with a horse that needs basic or more training. I do have a collection of jump blocks and PVC poles (the latter originally purchased for various drainage projects, but Read More…