Monday, November 30, 2009

We're back....




Today I went out with Vicki and Dakota . At the trailhead, we met a friend of hers in the parking lot, and she joined us as well on her big Warmblood "Tommy." Suzie is Tommy's mommy. Vicki and I had planned to do a longer ride today, 10+ miles, on a trail that takes you back into the deep , really pretty part of the park. Santana has never ridden with TWO other horses before , so this was great for us. And Suzie and Tommy are great. Suzie has great trail etiquette, and Tommy is just a very, very fine boy. So handsome too.

So off we went. It started out a little chilly (mid-fifties) and overcast, but that all burned off in about an hour. Then it was a typical Arizona winter day; gorgeous.

Santana led at first, but we leap-frogged the entire ride, which is good for my young boy. The terrain was typical, sandy and rocky, lots of "cowboy roller coasters" up and down. Early on in the ride we ran into a couple of bikers. Tommy, being a very tall horse, was out look-out horse, because he can see way out there. WE past several hikers as well, including a large group of older hikers who were on both sides of the trail. Santana was a good boy with all of that, although I personally did NOT care for one old hiker dude referring to my pride-and-joy as a MULE. A MULE??? Really??? Just because he has big ears (not THAT big) and he has stripes, does not make him a mule. I'm still a little offended. Mule. Sheesh.

So, about Suzie and Tommy. Tommy was going to be euthanized when he was a 2 year old, because he was wild and dangerous, according to the owner. Suzie fell in love with him, took him home, and , one small fortune in training bills later, she got a super horse. He is 9 now, and a very steady, reliable mount who is the love of her life. Suzie's husband is a chopper pilot in Iraq, and, she needs to stay busy. Tommy is her salvation during this time that has got to be a hell for her. Her hubbie is in very dangerous territory. Horses can do amazing things for us to heal us in so many ways. Tommy is who she has to hug right now, and to hang out with and talk to. I can relate to that.

Anyway, our ride was pretty uneventful. All three horses were extremely well behaved, although Suzie says that Tommy says nasty things to the other horses, and I believe her, cuz Santana would lay his ears back from time to time when Tommy got too close, or even not very close. Santana really didn't like him much. Suzie says that Tommy is a VERY dominate boy, always has been, and that most horses don't like him.

I am convinced that the trainer who had Santana for 30 days did a lot of work with him in washes. When we got into washes today, he really acted funny, very forward as if reacting to, or anticipating bad things. I think the guy worked him in gait in the washes, and when he fell out of gait, he beat him. I KNOW he was hard handed with him because I talked to him before I got Santana. Hmmmm. We are going out tomorrow with Crissy. I'll see what he does then in the wash. At first I thought it was being out with two other horses, but that definitely was not it,as he could care less about he them anywhere else on the trail, just not the wash......there is SOMETHING about the wash......hmmmmmm.

And of course I have to point out that Suzie was constantly commenting on how she couldn't believe Santana was only four, and how cute and adorable he is. And then she just comes out with "I LOVE that horse. He is too cute." And that he has a good mind, ect. Ok, complimenting my little guy will get you everywhere. I really like this Suzie!

It was windy in the back side of the mountain, and one of the trail markers was broken at the bottom, and was blowing back and forth. Santana was leading at this point, and he stopped to look at this potentially dangerous thing. After all, as group leader it is his responsibility to ensure the safety of the group. He approached it, and in typical Santana form, proceeded to play with it. The picture above is of one similar to the one he played with. We have passed these things hundreds of times, but the one dancing in the wind was of a little concern. Just a little.

We got back onto the main trail heading back to the trailer. Punkalicious did his usual "I don't wanna go back yet" but he was better about it. He wanted to go down a different trail away from the other two, that would take us away from the trailer, but still back to it. I made him stay with the group, and we got back all safe and sound.

He was a very good boy, carrying me for 10 hard miles. We got back to the trailer and I swear he wanted to go another 10. And he will, but tomorrow.

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