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April 30, 2021: A Conversation with Raudhetta fra Alaskastadir

The following conversation took place during an evening trail ride, one in which Raudi and I went around the neighborhood loop and then did Siggi’s Trail.

Raudi: Why are you walking me along this portion of the trail?
Alys: Look to your left. There are numerous little sink holes.
R: Yeah, I know. The other day I nearly fell in one.
A: And owww, they are deep.
R: Very deep. Don’t you trust me to avoid them?
A: No.
R: Why not?


Alys and Raudi heading to the playground

A: Well, it isn’t that I don’t trust you. It’s that I don’t want to take any chances.
R: That means you don’t trust me.
A: It’s a moot point. I’m getting back on you.
R: Let’s go.
A: Well now, I know why you’ve been spooking the past few days.
R: What? Me spook?
A: Yeah. By the pond.
R: Sorry. The duck startled me. We seldom see ducks around here.
A: You are lucky I stayed on.
R: No, you are lucky.
A: I am lucky? You are lucky. I would have been very annoyed with you.
R: Annoyed with me? Aren’t I the horse of your dreams?
A: Sometimes, you are a nightmare.
R: How do you know? You usually only interact with me in the daytime.
A: A nightmare is a bad dream.
R: Me? A bad dream?
A: Just forget it.
R: I think it’s time for another treat.
A: You have to earn it.
R: What’s with this having to earn treats? I never understood it.
A: A treat is a verification that you’ve done something correctly.
R: Like walk quietly past the neighbor’s dog.
A: Well, yes. And walked quietly past a duck.
R: You drive a hard bargain.
A: You are right. Some call it tough love.
R: Tyra would call tough love an oxymoron.
A: Yes, she would.
R: Tyra is too smart for her own good.
A: Maybe so.
R: I have something important to discuss with you.
A: Fire away.
R: Lately you’ve been riding Hrimmi far more than you’ve been riding me. You’ve also been spending more time brushing her than me.
A: I can explain what’s going on. Hrimmi is slowly becoming a very trail savvy horse. Of course, she’s not yet as trail savvy as you are.
R: Not yet?
A: With work on my part, she’ll get there.
R: Why bother? You have me.
A: My job, as I see it, is to bring out the best in all of you.
R: Are you saying that there isn’t much more to bring out of me?
A: Well, that’s an odd way of looking at it. You don’t need as much training at this point than Hrimmi does.
R: Are we ever going to do another long trip?
A: Not this summer.
R: Why not?
A: Because we’d have a hard time getting through the Canadian border.
R: Oh that.
A: Yes, oh that.
R: So, does this mean more riding locally?
A: Yes, it does. And I assure you that I’ll ride you as much if not more than Hrimmi this summer.
R: Oh.
A: Yeah, just be careful what you ask for.

Next: 120. 5/1/21: Memorable May 1, 2021

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