Vet Results and a Blazer Ride

First of all, I've now officially got Crazy Legs! I ordered these custom tights-- the same price as a pair of the plain Irideon I usually buy--for my birthday a few weeks ago and today I tried them out on warm 15 mile ride. They are very snazzy, and were very comfortable and rider approved! I ordered a Short, and am very happy with the length and fit.

Crazy Legs! 

 Before all the ride stuff, I'll go here:  my vet called and said the blood work(panel?) for EPM was negative! So that is good news for Desire. Now I move on to ultrasounds, and am sort of debating between places to take her, but will make an appointment somewhere in the next few days. The hunt for answers continues!

In the meantime, my morning got cluster-shuffled and I suddenly had the chance to go ride! And drag my husband with me, though he hurried off to the fishing hole while I got 15 miles in climbing the dam a couple of times on Blaze.

Sneaky hubby photo, haha

 I forgot to braid Blaze's luscious locks in the hurry to get organized and out the driveway "last minute" (8 amish?). He has quite the mane, like all my steeds. Later he ended up with a really ghetto braid-thing tied with a leather string off my saddle..

 New landscaping and trail work everywhere! Blaze was very suspicious of this Shiny New.

 Cruising Crazy Legs!

 The spillway was really roaring today, and there was definite humidity after all the rain/hail/thunder/lightning yesterday. I was *hot* on the last few miles walk back down the dam to the trailer. True it was almost the middle of the day heat by then but the forecast didn't call for anything too nasty that I knew of. It doesn't help that Blaze has a serious death march walk that puts you into a sleepy trance, especially in the sun..

 It was very nice in the shade, though! We trotted a lot, climbing the dam at a decent clip.

 Everything is very dead and dry already

 Drinking at the Visitor Center after climbing the backside of the dam. We continued on down to the other trailhead parking lot.

 There are still some streams and piped water flowing here and there, and soothing glimpses of green.

 I really had to pee so stopped at the other trail head's bathroom and decided to turn and head back. There were lots of rigs in the parking lot but I hadn't seen anyone which meant all the riders were out on the horse camp loop, so I decided to skip that whole scene. The hot, rocky climb back away from Saddle Dam, Blaze was playing his little horsey violin a bit at this point!

Woe is me, I am small and weary..

 Except when I'm staring at stuff instead of drinking

 We trotted the whole climb back up the dam at a good clip and I was happy with Blaze's pace and movement. He flagged once but was willing enough to continue with just a word. Then as soon as we slowed to a walk at the summit it was Farm Plug Death March again. So ridiculous, you would think he was dying or lame or something. Almost 4 years with him and his walk is still utter crap!  With constant verbal and heel encouragement he will walk out but it's not my favorite thing to do constantly. Anyhoo I couldn't take miles more of the walk and I don't charge downhills (except on foot) so I took a sneaky short cut and cut a few miles off to get back down the trailer..

Wee tiny tractors (actually large) working at the top of the dam, and a hot short cut..

 I walked next to Blaze the last few hot miles down, listening to NPR on my iPod in one ear.

 Blaze, though un-tacked, seemed world weary and unimpressed on our not-at-all shady mile walk out and back to the fishing hole to retrieve the husband, and unenthusiastically ate carrots and and a few mouthfuls of hay back at the trailer. Realistically, he ate, drank, and pooped (peed at home), trotted out nicely, and I knew he was fine, but he wasn't enthusiastic for the distance. That's another reason I don't push him to 50s. There is no question in my mind that Desire loves 50s, and would do them every day if I asked her, whether she noticed she was sound or not! Blaze, on the other hand, while in his third year of solid slow conditioning and with no soundness issues,  does well at LDs but just doesn't have the drive to go Farther, nor does my body want to go that far on him!  They sure are unique creatures and I do dearly love each of my characters. I have wishes and hopes and fears for all of them but I surely do enjoy them each and every day.

So here is my funny little sweaty bay guy Blaze, who kinda sorta likes going the distance, but wouldn't mind just rolling a lot and hanging out with some you and some carrots, either: