Bits and pieces of my formal horsey schooling come back to mind now and then. I’d like to think that I remember two things that I was told, repeatedly. The first was that good fences make good neighbors. And the second was that taking care of four horses is a full time job. Both insights (based on past experience, I am sure) have proven to be truisms.

Good fences make good neighbors. You do not find our horses running around the neighborhood and shitting on other people’s lawns. Once or twice they got out, but we were on it. Once John brought Tyra and Hrimmi back. But now this place is like Fort Knox, minus the gold. We have also never, ever gotten a phone call late at night saying that our horses are in someone else’s yard.

Riding with Kathy

As for four horses being a full time job – this too is a truism. I didn’t have plans to own horses when I was in college because I rightly thought they would tie me down. I thought I might work for someone else. But otherwise, as far as my horse owner aspirations went, I didn’t have any. And I sure as hell didn’t see myself ever owning four horses.

I now own four horses. And I provide them with the best of care. All they are lacking is room to roam. I clean up after them, I feed them, I brush them, I ride them, and I make sure that we have the best farrier and health care professionals on board that are in our area. This is extremely time consuming.

There are also the extraneous things. For example, today, early, I continued to read about Hoof rehabilitation and care. And then, after, I did my body awareness work. The former was horse related in that I will be able to be more proactive in terms of their trimming. And the latter was horse related in that doing this always makes for a better ride. My thigh/quadriceps area is still a little sore, but I have more mobility and more bounce than I had a few days ago. I am now on the flip side of this injury.

I did not ride yesterday because I sensed that this would not be good for me or for the horses. But I decided to give it a go, and told myself that if I was sore, that I’d bag trail riding.

So, yes, you have horses, you have to exercise them. I did get Raudi out, rode her on our trails, the Grizzly Camp Trail, and to the bench. She worked and I worked. My legs felt heavy when I got home. And this evening, I noticed that Raudi was lying down, which means that she got exercise.

Before dinner, I rode Tinni, who was full of energy, even more so than Raudi. Then, after dinner, I worked with Tyra in the Playground of Higher Learning. I finished up my riding and chore day at 11:30 p.m.

Yep, four max. I know one woman who has 70 rescue horses and another woman who has 22 trail horses. I know how they do it. They cut corners. This is something that I refuse to do.

Next: 164. 6/13/18: Government Peak Ride