Miss Georgia Peach

Georgia is the white one, causing trouble. Feel free to mute my voice....I hate listening to myself.

Impulsive? Maybe

I went to see my horse today, but I didn't feel like riding.  I thought it would be fun to just play so I opened her stall door and let her into the arena.  With nothing holding her back she began to run, buck, rear, and play with me watching her and waiting for her to pull a shoe.

Never thinking ahead, I just let her have fun without thinking I should put some gear on her, to protect her from herself.  After she calmed down and started walking towards me, I thought it would be a great idea to jump on her bareback.  I had done this hundreds of times, but I had not tried it yet without her having a bridal, or any type of control up front, before.

Getting her to stand still was half the battle so I could jump onto her back.   As soon as I got up there, I instantly felt vulnerable and totally at her mercy and she KNEW it.  Walking briskly towards the big door, that was closed luckily, she knew I had no control over her head meaning I could not stop her in the traditional way.

We made it around the arena safely a couple of times.  Running into walls and making zig-zags all around the arena was occurring over and over again because I was "steering" her with my leg pressure.  Obviously it wasn't working.  I finally got us to walk counter-clockwise around the arena, which was very exciting.  As we rounded the corner and had the door to our backs, a gust of wind shook the door.

Since Georgia sometimes spooks at the squirrels in the trees, you could imagine that she thought the door was going to eat her.  With a jolt we lunged forward.

At that moment, I thought that maybe it wasn't a good idea to ride bareback, no bridal, no helmet with no one else in the barn and no cell phone to call for help if something happened.

Georgia is still running away from the killer door then she put her head down like she was about to throw a buck into the mix.  I grabbed her mane, squeezed my legs to hang on (which only spurred her on) and got ready to fall.

Impulsive?  yes I am but at least my life is never boring.

Winter is coming...

Winter is such a magical time... I really do like it a lot.  It is hard to work outside though so I am not looking forward to that.  According to the Farmer's Almanac this winter is going to be a warm, snowy one and that is what I like to hear.  Riding in the snow is something I am really looking forward to.  Georgia and I are finally at the point where we can do that without dying either from a "freak out" on her  part or from the ice (like what we had last year).

Another one of my favorite past-times is snowmobiling.  Granted my husband is a lot more into "boon-docking" than I am, I still have a great time going.  My sled can only handle trails for the most part and is about 7 feet long.  His on the other hand is built for the mountains and is 12 feet long.  He is hoping for feet of snow all winter long and I just want it to look nice.  We are planning on going together to Houghton, MI to ride the trails and we are also planning on attending a "Make a Wish" ride for breast cancer.  Hopefully I will get more time snowmobiling this year so I can do all those things.

Its the worst when "smud" takes over the roads and is all over the ground.  It doesn't look good and its a mess to clean up.

I am hoping for a white Thanksgiving, a white Christmas, and a white New Years Eve/Day.  I love snow and how it makes the ground glow at night.

Paradise

These gravel roads have not changed for over one hundred years.  As you walk on the road the aroma of fresh cut grass and alfalfa fills your head with sweet memories of summers that are long past.  The only sounds you hear are your own, the sound of your feet walking towards the field and the cleansing sign that sweeps through the air.  The field looks peaceful while a gentle breeze sways the tall grass back and forth.

 Barbed wire is stretched from post to post, repaired in some places, to keep the livestock in and other animals out.  The horses live in the pasture across the river.  Mona, Twe, and Holly Dolly Loma are the lawn ornaments; they are like big dogs that come when they are called.  The wire reaches over the river, which cuts through the bluffs and fields then disappears into an underground cave.  The cave is a part of this paradise; it is right underneath these fields that have been used to grow crops and livestock for decades.When you enter the cave you have to crawl through a small opening but when you reach the other side, it transforms into cathedral ceilings with its past painted on the walls.    Reach the bottom and you will see a small natural pond that has an aqua tint color created from the rocks and cool water.

            As the years went by there was some change, people pasted on to their new spiritual home while others simply moved away but the face of the bluffs is unchanging.  Their beautiful trees bloom every spring and turn in their green pallet for vibrant reds and oranges in the fall.  Winters are magical; the snow builds in this deep valley and makes you feel like you are in a snow globe that is shaken every few days.Time lets nothing seep through its firm cold grip.  No pity or forgiveness is granted to the one who has been loyal.  What was once a paradise for me is showing the signs of change.  The barn is loosing its vibrant red color, the old house has been re-done, and the wooden bridge was replaced by one built with concrete.    As farming came to a stop the sound of slow lowing of cattle disappeared.  The horses were still beautiful to look at but they too became a burden.  The fence post leans every which way with no repair in sight.  The vines that had overcome them restrict barbed wire and they are no longer of any use.

When I arrive on the unchanging gravel road, I look forward to finding traits of my past paradise.  The pastures, the barn and bluffs are still present but the feeling is gone.  My paradise does not exist anymore.  I desperately search for a familiar smell, a familiar feeling but Time has taken that away.  I want to freeze Time, when my paradise was blossoming and be a part of it once again. 

 

Same Stuff, Different Day

Georgia is still slowing showing signs of her demise and I am still struggling with a way to handle it.

I wanted some adventure today so I decided to ride on the road.  With no need for a saddle, I jumped onto her bare back and headed out. Needing to go up a fairly steep ditch, I gave her a friendly squeeze.  Not long after we began our incline did I feel my butt slowly moving closer and closer to HER butt.  Mid-hill I realized I was slipping off of her and I only would have myself to blame.  Putting Show-Sheen on her will be my Achilles heel for today's ride.

In a slight panic I grabbed a handful of mane, and pulled myself up.  Doing this, I unintentionally had "asked" her to go faster.  So as I squeezed and held on, she started running up this hill because she was responding to my request.

Needless to say we made it up the hill and onto the road safe and sound.  As the sound of hooves hitting cement danced in my ears, I noticed a line of trees.  Not only did I notice the line of trees, so did Georgia.  The trees were not "just trees" to her, they are there to hid the vicious animal who at any moment is going to jump out and kill her.  Now for everyone who does not know horses well a simple explination of them is, they are like deer.  They run from danger and do not stop until they phycially have to.

Riding bare back has it's advantages, including the fact that I can feel her entire body tense up, her back arch and her neck rise so far up it may have touched a cloud.  At this very moment... a squirrel jumped out of nowhere!  Yes, she felt that it had almost killed her... and me in the process.

Over all it was a nice and pleasant ride.  We can never complain and say our lives are boring, Georgia and I.  It is always an adventure and thats how we like it.