On Monday afternoon, all the stars aligned and I didn't need to get home for anything, meaning more time at the barn. When I got there, Kate was saddling up Spot for a ride so I asked if I could go along with her. It ended up being us and Farrah on Jackson.
We rode out through the field toward the outdoor ring. It's so pretty this time of year, with a million shades of green as the trees leaf out. The grass is so high, it's unbelievable. The horses were dying to stop and graze. We rode all the way to the field boundary where there's an open section to access the road. We then turned left on the road to head back toward the barn. Traffic wasn't too bad and there were only a couple speeders. Most people slowed down as they approached us. There were quite a few motorcycles and one cyclist.
All three horses were great, looking around curiously as they walked and unfazed by the intermittent traffic. It was Dude's first time out on the roads this spring; I think Katie may have ridden him out once this winter. He was so relaxed, I had the reins loose and swinging. All three horses kept shifting positions in the line-up, but in a calm way, and none of them seemed to mind when they got another horse's nose in their tail. They all seemed perfectly happy to plod along, and it was really pleasant.
When we got back to the intersection by the barn, we decided to go down Chapin Road. The intersection by the barn is a little bit hairy. The main road, Old Stage, is paved and people tend to fly up the hill that is right before the intersection, and many take a quick right onto the dirt road the barn is on. Off that road is a hairpin right onto Chapin. It's definitely a good spot to by hyper-aware of oncoming traffic and to be completely sure the coast is clear before making a move.
The ride down Chapin was nice also. That road doesn't get much traffic at all. When we turned and headed back to the barn we were on a slight uphill grade, and I could feel Dude really working his hind end. When I took the saddle off back at the barn, he was sweaty under the saddle pad, so it was a good workout for him. I think we were gone close to an hour.
On Friday, Dude has an appointment with a holistic vet that we've seen before. She flies in from Utah 2-3 times a year to meet with clients. We haven't seen her in about 3 years, both as a cost-cutting measure and because we haven't had much need. I'd like to talk with her about Dude's winter weight loss and how best to handle it going forward, and a couple of other minor things. He'll also have a chiropractic treatment -- his saddle is so heavy and I feel like I drag it across his back, which isn't good. I've always enjoyed our appointments with her and I'm looking forward to this one. Looks like it will be a late arrival to work after a couple morning hours at the barn!
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