November: An Uneventful Month

 

November: An Uneventful Month

Well, as uneventful a month can be for the first one at a new barn.  We are still getting used to the routines, meeting new people and acclimating to riding in new areas.  Of course, the trails are the same, and that really helps.

We had some bad weather early in the month, but that was followed by a few weeks of fantastic weather.  Not only was it good weather for November, but it was so good that we would have taken it any month of the year.  We were riding out on the trail nearly every day.

The more trail riding we do, the better the horses behave.  I mean we are talking about near perfection.  There was one time when I was trotting home with Shari, and I could just hear her giggling with happiness.  That got me giggling, too.

Dante did have a big buck and took off cantering, but we know he was just feeling joyful. He settled down after that.

We saw the bald eagles at least twice.  The first time, I was riding with Shari and she started making odd noises--like she was trying to say something and the words wouldn’t form.  I knew that had to mean she saw a bald eagle.  I looked to where she was pointing, and saw him gliding down the river.  He landed on a tree, and we watched him until he flew off, again.

A few days later, we saw him again, flying along the river.

There was another time we saw a large bird that didn’t have a white head, but it also didn’t look like a hawk.  He was sitting in a tree right on the hill that leads down to the river.  We were wondering if it might be an immature eagle. They don’t get the white feathers until later in life.  Oh how wonderful it would be if he liked our hill and made a nest in the area!

We did end up with some high river rides.  Ellen spent a lot of time riding Dante up and down the hill.  Last year, she was afraid to even do that.  This year, she confesses that she is getting bored with it.  

Ellen had to work a few Saturdays, when the weather was good, so I took advantage of the situation and rode Dante on the trail.  He was really good for me, but so slow!  What a contrast with Cole.  Now I know why we are always waiting for them to catch up.  How could she possibly be nervous about riding such a quiet horse?  Anxieties are not logical, that is for sure.  I still think she is the bravest person I know.  It doesn’t matter if a horse is quiet or not.  If you have to overcome anxieties to go on a ride, that is bravery.

We like the new indoor arena.  It is a quieter place to ride with much less distractions.  That really helps Ellen since Dante stops whenever he hears an odd noise.  She is spending more time riding during her riding time.  Cole is also much less spooky in it.  Not once has he bolted--which was a common occurrence in the old arena.  Consequently, I am more relaxed when I ride in it.  Just the same, I only ride in it when I have to.

The outdoor track is very small compared to the large quarter-mile one we had at the old place.  It isn’t as interesting, either.  There are no deer, coyotes or turkeys hiding alongside it to scare the horses, either.  There is always good and bad with everything.  

I have only tried the large, outdoor arena a couple times.  Cole got very excited in it and did a pretty big buck.  I can see that it will take us a little time for him to settle down out there.  Starry did very well, though he got stuck once when he was stepping over the poles.  He stepped his front legs over and stopped.  Then he wasn’t sure what to do with his hindlegs.  He backed up and knocked the pole down.  I don’t know if he ever worked with poles before.

Kevin is trying to teach Starry to lunge.  We are not allowed to turn the horses loose in the indoor or outdoor arenas, so Kevin can’t just free lunge him like he used to.  I taught Starry to lunge a couple times in the past.  It was a challenge, but after a half dozen lessons he would understand.  Unfortunately, Kevin never kept up at it, and Starry quickly lost the skill.

I showed Kevin how to guide Starry around him at a walk.  Since Starry didn’t understand what we were asking of him, Kevin had to be very patient.  He would click him when he started doing something right, and that helped.  He now tells me that he is ready to start some trotting.  I gave him my lunge line to use.  When I was able to get him to trot in the past, things fell into place fairly quickly.  It will depend on Kevin’s coordination and timing the clicking.

Ellen is thinking of trying to teach Dante to lunge, too, just for the training challenge.  She really prefers to ride.  I told her she could practice with Cole.

My goal with Cole this winter is to learn how to ride in the arena without creating rub spots on his body where my legs touch his side.  His arena trot has a lot of motion to it, and I need to keep my legs away from him.  So far, it hasn’t been easy.  Maybe it will be a mild winter and I can spend most of my time on the trail like last year.