Even though we are up early on Easter Sunday we are all sleepy; canines and humans. We had a very long, busy couple of days and could use a day at home catching up.
Day 18 was not a riding day, so Rhea got to hang in the sun with her pasture mates and rest after all the work we did on Day 17. We, on the other hand, were in and out of the truck all day driving to the big city three hours away for medical appointments and all the errand running that goes with a day in the city. We were on the road by 7 am and got back home at 9 pm with still all the unloading and putting away to do. There was no yoga and no riding on Friday.
Yesterday was also long but it was all about horses, dogs, and friends. We got up and out of the house early to meet the farrier for the mustang's trim, then we loaded up five bales of hay to deliver to our friends who have become caretakers on a remote fishing resort. Sometimes it's hard to find the time it takes to drive out to one of the hay ranches in the valley when your life is already full of work and responsibilities. We have such a great circle of horse friends and we all help each other out.
Our plan was to ride with some of these friends today, and to ride somewhere in the middle of our far flung abodes... That place ended up being around Mammoth. April isn't a month you normally think of riding at 8000', but with the winter we've had it feels a month later than it is.
Nothing's ever easy & straightforward, so getting the trailer & all the horses meant driving to Round Valley to pick up the trailer and my mare, circling back into the edge of town to pick up the mustang and drop the puppy off at a friend's for the day, and then driving out to another ranch to pick up our friend T.A. and her horse. Then we were on our way up the grade.
It was a gorgeous day with puffy white clouds, just a hint of cool in the air and brilliant sunshine. We met our pals B. and T. with their horses and dogs near a big meadow and creek, and saddled up. It was a perfect ride through heavenly scented Jeffrey Pine forest, along willow-choked rushing water, and with a jaw-dropping view in every direction. The dogs were in heaven, the horses were relaxed and happy to be out, and we were having a great time being together.
I can't say enough good things about my mare - she is "the horse" for me. T. mentioned that we might want to breed her as she gets older and raise up a colt or filly out of her since she does have such a great mind and she is so darn pretty. I think that is something to consider in a couple of years.
We rode up and around in a big, leisurely circle, celebrated with some picture-taking, the transfer of the the hay, and finally dinner and margaritas at a local favorite restaurant, Roberto's. Then it was the long reverse of dropping off and picking up, getting the trailer resituated (and someone had slid their trailer into our spot in our absence), and getting all animals fed before dark. We made it, just barely.
Fun times.... Days like this are made to remember.
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