Barry and I went on a ride with Sarge and Red today. I delivered my wedding cake and then went and picked Barry up and we went to the barn. I drove down to the pasture and we called the horses. Red came at a jog...I know he thought alfalfa was involved! Barry put their halters on while I put my boots on.
We walked them up to the washrack and started grooming then tacking them up. Barry finished before I did. Red was shedding like crazy and he was sweating. It was pretty darn hot. Barry took Sarge into the arena and started working with him. I got through tacking up Red and mounted in the small arena.
We headed out - down the "gauntlet" we went. The little gray gelding in the pasture where Red used to be charges the fence and runs down the side. Saada, the resident stallion come flying at the fence, teeth bared, ears flat and acting pretty scary. Thank God he doesn't jump. I felt Red collect himself and turn his butt to kick the young gelding but I checked that behavior. The gauntlet is a little stressful but we got through just fine.
Red moves like a slow boy and I forgot my spurs. Durrrrr......We walked all the way to the back fence and turned right. I have always gone to the left. We went all the way to the fence and then down a ride away where Barry said he has opened Red up!! We walked down to where if we had gone right we would have ended up where the pastures start on the road. Instead we went straight forward, down a little ditch and walked into a wide swath of golden brown grass that cut through a sea of red. It was stirrup high and we walked all the way through that and then cut down by a deep drainage ditch and followed it around to the road. We turned around and Barry showed me the ditch he would take Red through. He went through with Sarge and then again and I followed him on Red.
We went back the way we came - through the sea of golden grass and up onto the cut ride aways. Barry got off of Sarge to tighten his cinch and Sarge didn't want to stand still. Barry popped him on the shoulder with his reins and Sarge pulled away from Barry and was backing up and Barry had ahold of the reins. I hollered for him to turn Sarge loose! Sarge siddled around the back of Red and walked over to the right side of Red and me. He stood there till Barry picked up his reins. Red wanted to go to the left from there. Barry said that was the shortcut he would take back to the barn and I think Red wanted to go that way!!!
Red started slightly bobbling/stumbling just a bit so we rode around the way we came and then back up to the barn instead of going to the left of the ranch. I know his heel is working on uncontracting and they said that would make it sore.
Red and I trotted fast down some of the ride aways and he is such a good boy and he does listen well. We got them back to the barn and Barry worked with Sarge in the arena while I took Red's tack off and began rinsing him off. He was one sweaty boy. I should have tucked my pants up. I jeans were long and they were full of sand and wet too boot. UGH. I used the sweat scraper on him to pull the water out and combed his mane and forlock and cleaned his hooves and put the medication solution in his right hoof. It is getting better and I think his hooves are growning well. Yay!!!
Sarge is a good boy - gentle but much more spit and fire than Red has. Barry had him spinning in the arena and he was tickled about that. He got a little scared in the wash rack and he moves around more than Red will.
When I went to put up the grooming supplies I heard Barry call me. I went out there and Red was grazing near Barry and Sarge!!! He had lifted his head really high looking at me I guess, and the safety break away snap released. LOL He just walked over to eat grass.
Barry got the hay bag and stuffed it full of alfalfa and we walked the horses back down to their pasture. Red is always excited about getting his alfafla and we left with both of the horses with their noses in their feed buckets munching their favorite treats.
I had a blast. This is why I have spent 9 million dollars - or it seems like 9 million dollars - and that was to be able to ride my own horses with Barry. It is a dream come true for me.
Barry said he had golf, his Harley and his Quarter Horse. He could retire and just have a good time!
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