Solo Joy Ride & Back Adjustment, Arabian Style

Desire doesn't roll very often and I've been riding her so much lately that she's getting lots of baths and fly spray with coat conditioner in it applied liberally. On her down time, she's been pretty "white" and snazzy looking lately! Apparently she feels the need to compensate and muss herself up the only way she can--mane, tail, and forelock constantly full of stickers. Like, she pretty much must itch her head and butt in sticker bushes to get as many as she does, as often as she does:

a mild case of Sticker Forelock..sometimes it's a solid horn

I had a pointless 80 mile journey yesterday and schedule kerfluffle, and this morning was suddenly open and agenda-less. I knew just what to do. Into the trailer went Desire and away we went for some solo miles at the lake.

 I hadn't bothered to check the forecast but was hoping/assuming it would be in the mid to high 80s like the last few days. Once out on the trail I quickly discovered it was feeling much more like 90, or even higher. I was really glad I had frozen my water bottles and brought my Cool Medics vest, though I hadn't thought I would really need it. I submerged and "charged" the vest at the first water trough a mile out on the trail and we headed off up to the ridge and over down the other side of the dam.

Berries are getting ripe...Desire had carrot bites and I sampled some berries

 

 We ended up riding the same mileage as on Monday, 16.5 miles, but from the opposite end of the trails. We didn't do Sycamore Hill but we did descend and ascend the dam, which is a significant grade, and we worked the trails almost a full hour faster than we did on Monday. Desire grazed and drank and pooped a bunch and I knew she needed to pee again but she held it until back at the trailer for the second ride in a row. She used to pee indiscriminately but I guess my rides are consistent and/or short enough that she thinks she can just hold it til we get back to the trailer. These last two longer rides she has stopped a lot but wouldn't stretch out and pee, even when I dismounted. And then peed a ton back at the trailer both times. Silly mare. I guess I need to ride longer at a time so she has no choice but to get back in the trail-peeing habit?

Tanking up at the Visitor's Center after climbing the dam

 My boots stayed on wonderfully today, I didn't touch a one. We crossed water and some mucky spots and climbed hills and moved out,even cantering a couple straightaways. I am still getting used to how much louder the Renegades are than Easyboots, they really slap along especially with Desire's decisive gait. They are funny to listen to both on and off the horse. I've been walking all the downhills with Desire lately and I did some extra footwork today just to burn some calories so I probably got about 3 miles on foot in there.

Boots Post ride

 It was about 95 degrees by the time we were heading back to the trailer, pretty warm after enjoying a few days in the 80s. My back adjustment, Arabian style, came within about a mile of the trailer, headed back. We trotted up the last hill nice and loose and then right at the top Desire saw a rock in the bushes on her left, slammed on the brakes and jumped about 5 feet to the right, all in one go. Back, consider yourself adjusted! Or un-adjusted, as the case may be.

Back at the trailer Desire had a long pee and was lazily eating hay and the rest of the carrots I had packed, but was pretty much sleepy and tuckered out.

She was even quiet in the cross ties at home but of course gave the hose it's usual heavy eyeballing. About a 1/3 of her breakfast hay was left and she dove right in while I fended off the mini and filly with carrot bites.

I think I'll give Desire the weekend off, we cranked out about 50 miles in the last 9 days and there was some serious hill work in there, too. Time to get Blaze and Joey out!