Bits and Pieces.... of Random Stuff

Since its winter, it gets dark early, and most importantly.. my horse is not wearing shoes I have only bits and pieces of random things to blog about.

I didn't even bother to try a post last weekend.  You can thank me for not blogging about the excitement that was vacuuming and cleaning a car and two trucks.  Strangely, I was particularly pleased to have done it and was a little "giddy" for the rest of the weekend.

I did get a short one hour ride in on C on Saturday and then again on Thursday after work:)  It was heavenly, the rain had finally stopped and the skies were beginning to clear just as the sun was setting, at 5pm!  Yeah!

This weekend I slept until 9:30 (wth????)   I'd decided to do a little low-carb three day "event" this weekend. 
I started Friday, with the day's meal being baked Steelhead. 
I woke up Saturday completely not hungry.  We finally rolled down to Four Corner Store for lunch about noon.  Yummm, chicken.  Supper was bacon.  Double yummmm.

Todd and I took our first real bike ride on Saturday.  We had a very unplanned and spontaneous purchase on New Year's Day.  Two mountain bikes.  Between work, lack of daylight, and rain we hadn't been on them for more than 15 minutes since we picked them up.

So, I suggested a short ride across the highway and over the bridge to Castle Rock and ride the easy, flat, three mile groomed bike path.

Todd wanted to ride to Andy's house.  OK.  I'm pretty amenable as long as I'm going somewhere.  
About the time we hit the rail road tracks across town we were beginning to question this choice.  Its funny how you don't think much about grade changes, until your powering up them with your own thighs.  Ha. 
I finally had to jump off and walk as I was pretty sure my heart was going to explode any minute!  We did finally make it to Andy's house and rested up while we visited with them.

The ride home was a lot better (more downhill).  We got home in time for me to do chores and Todd to put a chicken in the smoker.

Sunday, today, I got all the horses fed and then pulled all the meat off of that chicken.  My new favorite thing to make is soup, so I put the chicken bones in a stew pot and started it simmering.

I loaded Cartman up at one o'clock and picked up Michelle and Tucker.  It was COLD. 34degrees.  Luckily I'd chosen my polarfleece tights and winter tall boots.  We rode for almost two hours, although it was at a walk. 

Rats.  I'm after the horse in the middle.

He spotted me, and is trying to play dead.

Curiosity wins out.  I might be giving the others treats.

Certified Girl

Last chance for body shot.

What?  No treats!

Brother Taj and Girlie

Taj wants attention.

Tucker learned his distance riding lessons well last summer.  Here he breaks ice to drink from the ditch.

Notice grass hanging out in every photo.  He has his priorities!

Our little pond is frozen over.

I've been getting in 1-2 rides a week all winter this year, hoping that it will keep Cartman a little bit fit.  I was a little dismayed to read on ridecamp that (at least one person thinks) that horses don't get fit by walking down the trail, only by trotting.

Hmmm.  I think it can't hurt to do all the walking.  It's probably the only time C is on packed hard ground (his pasture is soggy and soft).  So, I would hope that it is keeping some of that bone modeling that we worked on last summer on the logging roads.

The other place we ride is deep sand.  Walking in that IS a lot of work- as I discovered when I lost my phone on Christmas Eve. 

I'm pretty confident that C will get his "air" back pretty quick when we get to moving out on the trail again.  That is the easiest part of regaining condition for most TBs.

When I got home I did chores.  Surprise!  And then came inside to complete my Chicken Soup.

vegetables added

Silverthorn chicken.

Rambling now..... I think I'll go get some of that soup:)