Yesterday I rode out with Lisa, who owns the barn where I board. We left the back of their property and went on roads to meet up with another friend and ride a new trail system about 2 miles away.
On the way we suddenly came upon some curious cows. We had been in a kind of shrubbery tunnel and when we exited, there were these cows watching us intently.
John thought maybe they were Not Ordinary Cows.
He suspected something like this:
He did his spook-in-place routine, wherein he lowers his head and swings it away from the feared object without actually changing course. But then he didn't want to leave these cows. He apparently thought they should be kept under observation.
They thought the same of him so we had a nice long mutual stare.
It was a perfect day for a longer ride: clear, sunny, about 75 degrees F., and not too bad in the bug department. Lisa's friend belongs to the local mounted rescue unit and we had a nice visit with her. She wasn't able to ride with us but drew us a map of the trail system adjacent to her farm and we rode there with much enjoyment: wide mowed paths, ferny woods alternating with sunny grassy stretches, and nice hills so that John & I could practice not rushing downhill - a continuing issue.
On the way home I took a picture of one of Lisa's trail signs; this is for PonyGirl and PaintGirl, who have apparently been riding in a place like this lately where they are spotting mutant monkeys:
Mutant monkeys, space cows; thank goodness for horses who show us how strange this old world really is!!
And finally, here's a cute photo of the barn's little filly with her teeny filly fly mask on:
This filly was an accidental 'bonus' who came with the mare unbeknownst to the purchaser. Hope she gets some good handling and finds a good home; she will be a TBx?, poor little honey.
7 comments:
Sounds like a great day! The spook in place is a nice thing - one of my horses isn't there yet which is a challenge, the other is great about it.
Does he have other issues going downhill - such as wanting not to go straight down but rather across the slope, or feeling like he's falling on the forehand? Rushing downhill, or any of these other behaviors, can sometimes be a symptom of soreness in the back or hind end - it makes it hard for them going downhill so they rush. A good chiropractor could tell.
Kate, very interesting suggestion. Definitely he falls or crashes on the forehand; it is teeth-jarring. I will pursue this. He is so smooth to ride under all other circumstances; you may well have given me an important clue here! Thanks.
Sounds and looks like you had a great ride! I wish we had some nice trail systems near us. I grew up trail riding, and really miss it. I'm getting a little bored of going in circles!!
The space cow remark is so funny, it seems like a lot of horses are totally freaked out by farm animals. Bobby refuses to go anywhere near goats...hmmmmm...
Gotta love that nice kind of spook!
Now just how long have you had that pic of a cow-stranaut sitting around waiting for the perfect post to be used on? lol
I hear you on the rushing downhills...with all the hills lately..my mare's back is very sore. I am doing "Sore No More" befoire and after rides and I am now getting off more doing the hills to spare her.
I am happy my mare is a "planter"..she plants her hooves and stares down whatever it is that is scaring her.
Jonh! You funny boy~
Jennybean: It's funny, because John's boarding barn is next door to a cattle farm and he looks at them all day.
CdnCowgirl: Haha that cow-stranaut is an actual public sculpture in Stockholm - those crazy Swedes!! Imagine looking out your office window at that every day...
AllHorseStuff: What is Sore No More? I need to look into this. I'm exploring the soreness hypothesis as to why John does this downhill but at all (MOST!) other times is smooth and regular in his gait.
I've always thinking in a movie that include flying cows as the main character that will be perfect and ideal for kids.I hope to see a movie like that.Generic Viagra Buy Viagra
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