DAY FIVE - More Hay

Busy busy day today.

Got up and had the boy fed by 8:00 a.m. Got my laundry in and did some stuff on the iPad. Finished laundry, cleaned up paddock poops and did my half-hour yoga routine. Then, I zipped down to a field on Rt. 160, where Skip and his crew were bailing up freshly "first cut" hay. Except, they hadn't started yet, so I turned back around and head for home.

I caught Possum out of the paddock, who was very mellow and agreeable today, and brought him into the stall for a grooming. Tacked him up, put on my boots, chaps and helmet, and we went back out to the paddock to mount up. He stood still and then we walked around the paddock for a few minutes. I could tell he was going to be good today.

He went out through the stall and around to the back of the house, walking the little path loop. Then we cut back onto Dad's land and down to the wide path behind his house. When we got to the dip, I let him go into a little canter to get back up the hill - and once again, he didn't try his little bucking trick!

When we got out to the road again, we turned left and ambled down the end of the road. On the way back, we went into a nice, comfortable trot, and then headed back up the hill. We stopped to rest a couple of times, but his wind his much better than it was back in the spring. When we got to the level ground in front of my house, we went back into a trot again, and then walked by the Dodge home, where her children were playing with some friends. Today was going to be Jonathan's birthday party, so more kids were expected later.

We ambled by their barn, but saw no sign of Big Mack, and Possum was fairly agreeable about going past the barn and field. Then we got down to Lenny's house and saw Donna hand grazing Big Mack on Lenny's front lawn - the grass there is rich and lush and green. We stopped and chatted, and then she had to get back for the party, and Possum and I rode around behind Lenny's house again, enjoying the sunny day.

Back on the road, we did a short canter and trot, and stopped in front of the Dodge home again so some of the kids could pet Possum. Then we head back for home. Total horseback riding time - 1 hour.

I took off his tack and brushed him down, gave him some more flakes of hay, and hit the road again for the field. Got there at about quarter to three, and one of the crew, a nice lady named Kristine, who is married to Skip's son, helped load up Mom's little truck. I managed to haul away another 23 bales, making the total amount of bales in the barn at 196! I've promised to go over tomorrow at noon and pick up another truck load, leaving me with only about 3 truckloads left to get after that to - hopefully, if I did my calculations correct - the total amount of hay I'll need! I'll have to wait a few weeks, though, because space is getting pretty short in the barn!

Got the hay stacked and it's very nice. Now, for a short rest, then a shower and off to Bray's for a 9:30 to close gig with Black Cat Road! Long day!

Behind Lenny's house today. We want to live here!

DAY FOUR - Visiting Big Mack

Thursday mornings are my weekly walk with Donna, and today I decided to bring Possum along. After his breakfast, I gave him a good grooming and dosed him with fly spray, and when Donna came down to meet me, Possum came along. It was nice and sunny but not too hot, and he was very well behaved on the two mile trek down the hill and to the end of the road and back.

Later in the afternoon, I tacked him up and mounted him from the stump in the paddock at about 2:45. The plan was to re-introduce Possum and Big Mack, and Donna was waiting for us. By the time I got on him, the wind had finally picked up, and so I started with a few loops around the paddock first. Then, we walked through the barn and took a spin around the back yard. Then, we trotted up the road a bit and came upon Big Mack grazing in his secondary grass paddock. There was a happy reunion between the two, and they were both very well behaved. And because I was on Possum and Mack was grazing, they both didn't seem to need to buddy up. Donna and I were quite pleased.

I walked him around the field on their property closest to the road first, then I took him to the larger back field. The wind was whipping, but we did a couple of trots, and then I asked him for a canter. The first direction he went well (though, a little fast, I must admit), but when I asked him to canter in the opposite direction, he did eventually buck, a little. I did my best to kick him forward and circle, and then I made him do it again, and he was little better. After that, we walked around the whole field, and did another short trot, then I left their property and went down to Lenny's house. Since old Lenny has passed and the house is on the market, I was excited to take a spin around his back yard. It sure is a beautiful place. Possum enjoyed seeing the sights, and then we turned for home. We did a short trot back up the hill on the dirt road, and two of Jeff's trucks came by (we were walking by this time), and Possum was very good. He also didn't give me a hard time about leaving the Dodge farm. We got back to the barn and I looked at the time. We had been out for one hour.

I brushed him down and he seemed happy to hang out in the paddock with a fresh flake of hay. I fed him his supper at 4:45, and threw in a snapped up carrot for good measure. He's munching on more hay in his stall now.. that damn wind is still whipping.

All in all, he's being really, really good.

Day TWO & THREE - Riding

Yesterday, I got up early and had him fed by 8 a.m. He greeted me warmly and seemed very relaxed. After a few hours (starting this blog, checking emails, and having coffee and juice), I tied him to the tie in the stall and brushed him thoroughly. I took my time tacking him up and getting ready to ride. I was trying out my new "half-chaps" paired with my very old paddock boots and equally as old, polyester riding breeches. I led him out to the paddock over to the stump, and mounted from there.

We walked off and around the paddock for about ten minutes. He was a little bratty.. annoyed by the bugs and heat, and I'm quite sure he did NOT want to be marching around the paddock.. he wanted to go out and explore! But, I wanted to take it slow and sat through his little tests of head-wiggles and hops, as well as his little duck and dives.

Eventually, I rode him back into the stall (for relief from the deer flies), then from his back, I reached over the stall door and unlatched the latch. We walked through the cramped inner barn and out to the driveway. From there, I rode him around back and we walked around the back yard and my newly opened up paths. Again, he tested me a few more times, wanting to see where I was at, but I nipped those in the bud and asked him to work with me. After about five minutes of that, we walked up the secondary driveway to the dirt road. We walked halfway to Dad's house, then we turned back for the barn. I intentionally wanted to keep it short, and I guess we rode only about 20 minutes all told. I didn't take any photos or videos yesterday, so nothing to show.

After a soapy, cool bath at the new outdoors cross ties, I rinsed him off and took him back out to the back yard for a few minutes of grazing. Then back into the barn, and later I brushed him back down again and coated him with more fly spray.

He got his pellets around 4:30 p.m., and he stuck around in the stall until dusk (when the bugs are less brutal.) I felt bad for him around 5:30 p.m., when it seemed as if his new reality was sinking in and he was really missing his herd buddies. He whinnied a bunch of times and trotted in and out of the stall a few times. So, I put on his halter and the long lunge line and took him back out for a little more hand grazing. Don was on the back porch getting the coals ready for dinner, and just this little routine seemed to calm him back down again. He went back into his stall a much more content pony.

This morning, I once again gave him his pellets by 8 a.m., and once again, he greeted me warmly and seemed very relaxed and comfortable. He is still laying down outside at night, which is fine with me, because I've intentionally left his bedding low (but banked high on the walls in case he ever gets cast again.) I knew today was going to be another very hot day, and later, a front is coming in, so it is supposed to get windy... so I wanted to get in a ride before the winds come.

At 9:30 a.m., I put on my jeans and newer paddock boots, as I decided I was going to revert back to my full chaps, as they have better grip. My old polyester breeches are just too darn slippery! Some day, I'll invest in some modern breeches with full seat gripping... but until then.. or until my riding legs get back stronger, I'll just use my full chaps.

He was very relaxed as I groomed and tacked him up. I think he was ready for some more exploring. Once again, I took him into the paddock over to the stump to mount, and he was much more agreeable today in our warm up walking around the paddock. After a few minutes, we walked into the stall and I dismounted again. I wanted to trade out my riding bat for a fly bat I've had for years (* funny story about how I got that fly bat, actually.. I had a gig with The Stalagmites at O'Brien's Pub in Alston, Ma, and after the show, when I was grabbing my gig bag from the back storage room off the stage, I found it there on the floor. It was probably used as a prop for one of those crazy "performance rock" bands.. I didn't think anyone would miss it.. so that's how I got that!)

I led Possum out of the stall and mounted him from the lip of the barn entrance. That worked not so great, as I jabbed him a little in the side with the toe of my boot, as well as skimmed the top of his bum with my right boot... DOH! He took it in stride, though. We walked around behind the house and around the back yard for a minute or two, then we headed out to the dirt road. A couple of times he stopped, knowing what was coming (the big hill!), but I gently convinced him to keep going. We walked all the way to the end of our road, where it comes to a dead end, and then we turned back around and went into a nice brisk trot back to the cross road. Then we settled into a walk and went almost all the way to Laughing Tree Farm. When I asked him to turn around, he sort of didn't want to! Just like last year, I remember.. he likes to explore. On the way back, we took a short detour up to the new house that isn't being lived in full time yet, and then we trotted a little more on some of the softer and sandier part of the road.

When we got to the hill, we dug in, and he is in much better shape now then last spring, let me tell you! Then, we took the path off of the road that goes through Dad's land and ends up at the back of his house. There is a big dip in the path, and I was prepared for him to try and buck, which he has been known to do, but he didn't.. and then he went into a canter, and though I didn't ask him, I let him go. We cantered all the way to Dad's back yard, and then walked back up to our back yard. I got to the barn and dismounted, untacked, washed the sweat off of him with a sponge and water, and then hand grazed for about 10 minutes. Back in the stall, more fly spray, then I let him go with a new flake of hay.

I cleaned the paddock and fluffed his stall, scrubbed out his water buckets and gave him fresh cold water, and now he seems very content. As am I.

Having a drink after today's ride.

Day ONE - Arrival

After only 6 or less hours of sleep, I pulled myself out of bed on Monday, August 25, and made coffee and got myself ready for the big day. I was going to go pick up Possum from summer camp.

The inside of the barn at the camp.

We have one week of hot, sticky weather, and that works in my favor. I put on my new hiking sneakers, a tank top and my PFU baseball cap and Don drove me down to the camp. The three camp councilor girls left to care for the camp horses were still at breakfast, so Don and I went down to the paddock and said hi to the nine ponies left. They were waiting for their breakfast, too. Possum was happy to see us, I think!

Don at the camp barn. A beautiful structure!

The girls came back to the barn, and we loaded the jeep up with Possum's tack, a big bag of grain pellets, and a milk crate filled with the left over horse shampoo's and coat sprays, as well as another bottle of fly spray. Possum was led up to the barn entrance way and fed his grain ration. Don drove off, and the girls walked me to the trail that would lead us to the back of the farm across the street from Aunt Nancy's farm house.

Possum only stopped for a minute, just as we were leaving the barn area. He knew. But, he is so brave and such a trooper.. and away he and I walked, into the cool woods. A few minutes later, we were walking up into the bright fields behind the farm, which is owned by the same people who own the summer camp. Nobody was around.

We got onto Hio Ridge and walked by Aunt Nancy's house and down towards the intersection. A few trucks and cars went by, but not as many as if we had walked down Rt. 117. When we got to the busy intersection, we lucked out.. there was not a car or truck around. We crossed over to Hancock Pond and ran into Don in the Jeep. He turned around and followed us for a little while, but he saw we were okay and went on back home. When Possum and I got to the bottom of the big hill, he stopped and looked at me. Really? He said. I told him I wasn't looking forward to walking up that big hill either.. We did it with only one or two breaks.

As we approached Donna's barn, we ran into little Jonothan and Mark playing in the road, awaiting our arrival. We stopped so each boy could pet Possum on the nose. Donna and Luanne were out in the field working with Big Mack and keeping him distracted. Possum was a hesitant to continue past the barn, but I convinced him to keep walking with me. He knew were he was, and he knew his hang spot was just down the road.

The first few minutes in the paddock.

A few hours later.. Like he had never left!

Don had already turned on the electric fence in our newly expanded paddock, and Possum and I walked the new fence line together, and then I took off his lead line. He pranced around a bit, whinnying here and there, but he seemed very familiar and comfortable right off the bat. I hung around with him for a few hours while he settled in. It was clear he was much more comfortable this time around. I ran down town for an hour and when I came back he was still cool. Around 3:30, I tied him to a tie in the stall and groomed him. He was excellent, and seemed to enjoy it. A little while later, after another dose of fly spray, I took him out for a short hand walk in the back yard. He walked around going, oh yes, I remember this and oh, this is new.. I didn't keep him out too long, though.

I gave him his pellets around 4:45, and at 8 I closed him into the stall until a little before midnight. I was worried about him gorging himself on too much of the green grass. He did great! I had just settled into bed a little after midnight, when I realized I had forgotten to plug the electric fence back on! I ran down into the barn with my bathrobe and slippers, plugged in, and shone the flashlight out into the paddock. There was Possum, munching off of a pile of hay I had left in the middle of the paddock. I'm quite sure he was perfectly content.

After dinner in the field.