DAY TWELVE - An Easy, Hot Hack

Another blissfully, hot day, and I wanted to get Possum out one more time before the weekend. So, a little after noon, and a snack of an egg and half piece of toast, I changed into my breeches, paddock boots and half-chaps, and groomed and tacked up Possum.

We headed out to the paddock and I mounted from the stump. He walked off, but I was too lazy to correct it, and we walked around the paddock a bit, then headed out the gate and around to the backside of the house. We took the loop in the back yard, and then banged a left over the stone wall to Dad's house. I had heard some noises coming from over there and was hoping to run into him, but, no dice.

I steered Possum towards the path behind the house, and we walked through the woods and trotted back up the hill out of the dip. At the road, we turned left, and ambled down towards Dr. Doyle's old place. We trotted a little bit on the good stretch, then took a look at the house (which is getting a new tin roof put on, though nobody was present), then picked up another trot towards the corner. Possum was pretty mellow, and I had to kick him a few times to keep him moving. Meanwhile, I worked on my position, feeling a little bit stronger than before.

We slowly walked back up the hill, then took a right back onto the path behind Dad's house. When we got to the dip, I let him canter up and we continued cantering all the way to the field. I rode him up to Dad's basement door, but I could hear that he was listening to something on his computer, so I didn't bother him. Instead, we took the path behind the wild raspberry patch and got back up to the driveway and onto the road.

Then, we went left up to the path across the street. Half way up, I asked him to trot, and again, he was dragging his ass! Then we walked for awhile, then I asked for a trot again, and we trotted to the right of the fork almost the whole way. He was a little more peppy for that trot.

Riding back down the path across the street today.

We walked up to the abandoned camp, turned around, and went back the way we came. We trotted again to the corner, then walked all the way back down to the road. Then we walked up to the Dodge barn and visited with Big Mack, who was hanging out in his turnout shed and really, had no interest in coming out to say hi. Then Possum and I walked the whole edge of the Dodge field, and trotted at the last part over to the shady area of the paddock gate.

It was hot, and we had been out for almost an hour, so we turned for home.  I sponged him down with some water, and then took him out back for some grazing. Once again, I had no need to put the chain over his nose.. he's been so chill!

I finished up my chores with him, and now I'm getting ready to take a shower and get dressed for tonight's gig down in Westbrook. At least it's an easy one, plus, the food! Yeah!

Tomorrow, we head out early for a 12-4 gig up at Mount Abrams, and then we zip over to the Tailgate in Gray for the going away/welcoming party. Not excited about that, but, it's good for biz. Donna and her son Jonathan will come down and give Possum his dinner pellets.

So, tomorrow is his official day off, and maybe I'll get in a quick ride on Sunday. If not, no big deal.