Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Thwarted Ride

Last week, Mrs Mom posted a video showing hoof movement in shod horses.  I wanted to see what the hoof movement looked like in barefooters like our horses, so I called up to the lodge and made a plan with Mom and Bill to go out on Sunday, which was supposed to be a beautiful day to ride.

Knowing that I'd have to get up and down from Estes to get the shots I wanted, I decided that it wouldn't kill her to go out in a saddle (it doesn't fit well, which is why I haven't used it more than once this summer).  The whole way up to the lodge I watched the clouds build behind Long's Peak, and hoped that they wouldn't break over the mountains.  I really, really wanted to get the video of the horses' feet up on our mountains.

I knew that we'd be riding on borrowed time, but pulled Estes' saddle out anyway, ready to get whatever shots we could.

How pathetic is this...

Yes, that's dust on my saddle.  I guess that's what happens when you don't pull your saddle out to use for over four months.

In the time it took me to pull my saddle and go pull Estes from the pen, this is what moved in...

I still wasn't ready to give up on our ride yet, until I got Estes tied to the rail and she gave me this look...

That is a cranky mare.  Suddenly, between the snow beginning to blast us and the thought of riding a cranky mare, my need to get the video of her barefeets wasn't so great any more.  I got over it, turned her back to the pen, moaned and groaned about missing my chance, and went home.

I kid you not.  I get out of the canyon, back into cell phone range, and call Mom to let her know I'm down (old habits are hard to break - have to call before we enter the canyon and when we exit the canyon) and she tells me the storm has blown over and there's nothing but clear blue sky.

Stupid Colorado weather.

9 comments:

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

Oh man, don't you hate that?

Hahahaha-I thought Estes looked like that all the time?

Her cranky exterior is just a cover.

Allenspark Lodge said...

"Her cranky exterior is just a cover. "

No, she is deeply cranky. She is mare to the bone.

Bone Mare-o?

Bill

Mrs. Mom said...

Aww dayum man.... I guess you can apply a NY (UPSTATE!! UP- STATE!!) saying to CO-- dont like the weather? Wait five minutes- it'll change! ;)

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

Gah! I'm so paranoid about the weather that I find myself checking the radar several times a day.

allhorsestuff said...

Too crappy bad..blaw weather!
Sure sorry the ride was thwarted...should have been a neat study in movement.

On the question of the" jean test " on the Thinline pad...TODAY WE DID THAT! I just got off the mare, like 25 min ago!

What's funny is I thought, "someone is going to want know...this pad is great with jeans!"
It was you!

There you have it...and, the mare is getting over her bad attitude (Estes Like) towards taking up....think my saddle hurt her more than I realized.

Linda said...

Fall is so unpredictable! Bummer! (The dust on the saddle was pretty funny though) ;)

Funder said...

Hey, as long as a dusty saddle doesn't mean you're not riding, it's awesome!

What a good idea. Maybe I will ask my husband to video us at a trot / gait on the street this weekend. Let's compare home videos! ;)

GunDiva said...

allhorsestuff - thanks for the jeans test.

Mom and Bill - the thinline pad is now officially on my Christmas list.

Now it's snowing in earnest, so I've got to adjust my attitude if I want to get my last two rides of the season in before we turn the horses out. Expect that the next couple of sets of pictures will have us all looking like we've got fat suits on.

Rachel said...

Thoroughly disgruntled that the weather faked me out today too. But Kona actually looks grouchy like Estes because we're NOT going out... go figure!