Swelterin ~

 Today was one of the hottest & muggiest we've experienced!  Temperature 90 degrees & humidity at 72% gave us a heat index of 107!  I only remember one time in WA that the index went close to 100.  We were at an endurance ride & if it had gone over 100, the ride would have been cancelled.

Farah grazing~

A horses ability to cool, becomes difficult even when standing around, let alone when they're trotting down the trail for fifty-miles.  Farah, always a Prima-Dona - is not happy!  The bugs alone are trying to drive her nuts.  We've used almost a gallon of Pyranha Spray - once in the morning & once in the evening & still they're on her when we arrive.  I'm told it's the spray that works best here, if anyone has any other suggestions, let me know!

At the edge of the shade~

 I put her at the edge of the soy beans, in a little shade, but the creek is near, so the bugs were worse.  Her tail is getting a workout & I'm sure she misses the six inches that she lost last year stepping on it when she had to exit her stall.  It's gaining length again - but I know it will be at least another year before I'm trimming it off the ground.

Dinner~

 After throwing a fit over her rear Shootfly Leggings, she's finally gotten used to them again.  How she manages to beat the rear ones up so badly - I don't know.  Soon we'll be buying another set.  I sure wish I'd thought of them!  We don't have power at the barn - so no fan. Butch is thinking solar, but I'm wondering if in the long run we'd be better off just running the power...

Hot~

Every day, I wish for another cool day, to ride...  I'd love to go to either Waubonsie or Pierce Creek - but I'm far from sure about the responsibility of pulling the trailer with only one working eye...  One of these weekends I'll have Butch go along on a trial run.  I won't feel as worried if he's with me to take over if need be.

It looks like I'm staring down my nose at more tests over the next two-weeks or so.   More Fun...  Not!

On The Road Again~

Finally!  A day to ride, trails were again closed due to yesterday morning's thunderstorm.  Roxi invited me over & I was more than ready to get in a ride.  Farah was fine when I picked her up - but when we'd been by on Sunday - the face flies were out in force.  I bought a second fly mask, she's wearing it full time.  The Shoofly leggings are working GREAT!

A new pond~

 Roxi was riding Copper & he was all business - as all Roxi's horses are.  Farah was just full of herself - I guess a week off when she's this fit was too long...  We weren't out more than maybe a mile when she suddenly shied left - upon which I lost my seat & then started bucking!  All of this - as she went into a gallop.  I heard Roxi say; "Hang ON!" & boy howdy was I!  Roxi said she was surprised, since up until now, she hadn't seen this side of Farah's personality :-)

The corn is growing!

 Grabbing mane & cussing her at the same time!  The absolute last thing I wanted to do was to come off & land on that gravel!  There is no way you could hit it & not be torn to shreds...

The ears say it all~

 So fine, just fine - I let her go & she did Go...  Yes - I kept telling myself - forward motion!  She did get a serious chastising as we blasted along.  We hit 19.5 on my Garmin & she was still pulling for more rein, one step away from run-a-way...

Roxi on Coppers Eclipse

 I felt Great Relief when Roxi turned off into the field above & the dirt footing felt so soft after the hard packed road.  It must have been a relief to the horses too, I'm sure.  Typically a trail is mowed along the Nishnabotna River river, but it hadn't been done yet & the grass was chest high on the horses.  A ditch between us & the river & it was wet down there.  It would be fun to see if we could find a place to get to the water - but it's difficult here - the rivers are so full of silt.

A field of Soy Beans on our other side~

Farah finally settled down on our return trip.  During her bucking episode, the zipper on my camera must have come loose, because when I pulled her up to take a photo - the camera was gone.  (My smartphone had to fill in.)  It's traveled a whole lot of miles with us & this was a first.  We found it laying in the middle of the road on our way back.  A few nasty scratches, but not broken & still working!

Part of our route~

I know that Roxi's training route is 20-miles, but I was feeling the workout & my right side was sore.  We were already over 8-miles out.  By the time we'd returned to the farm - we'd done fifteen-miles in under two-hours.  We washed both horses down, then went in to enjoy the Watermelon Roxi had cut up before we left.  A little salt & I think we must have inhaled it!  We're ready for a 50 - now - if Butch can get the time & we can find the right ride.