Homecoming

This weekend was Iowa's homecoming. So Robin and I decided to leave town and visit my parents in the Chicago burbs. We think it was a great decision. Our house was not burned down, or even singed, in our absence. And we had a fantastic trip full of immediate and extended family hang out time, amazing dinners, and copious amounts of beer, wine, and hot tub time.

Just before we got back into Iowa City on Sunday we veered north and went to the barn. Last Sunday's ride was so fun we decided to go for a repeat. In general the riding was not quite as good. Our horses did not always agree with us on pace or direction, and we had two big spook sessions (don't worry, we both stayed on), but the grooming and other bonding moments were quite nice. Cal and I are getting a little more used to one another, so with each ride we should see continued improvement.

And though the riding was not quite as good as last Sunday, the light was much better. So Robin snapped a few more pics of Cal and I.

In this next one it actually looks like I'm in charge of deciding where we go.

My New Girl

I have a horse! Well, I have a horse I can use. She isn't mine, but at the moment, I appear to be the only person riding her. She has been at the barn for many a month now, and her owner has not done much with her. Despite her recent inactivity, though, she is a somewhat highly trained and reliable horse. Her name is Cal, and she is a red dun somewhere between the age of 10 and 15.

A few days ago Robin and I entered into a rather loose agreement that allows me to use Cal as long as we take care of her during the farrier visits. This pretty much entails getting her from the pasture, holding her while her feet are trimmed, and covering the expenses. It is a true a bargain.

So on Saturday, we went out to the barn to see how Cal and I would get along. I would say she tolerated me. After a slow tack up and some very questionable ground work (all on my part), Cal and I went for a nice stroll with Robin and Steen (you can see another picture of Cal and I here) on a misty, gray, October day. And it was great. We did lots of slow walking and a little bit of trotting. Then we called it good.

Today we went out again and though we had a slow start, it was an even more successful day by the time we were done. Cal and I walked, trotted, and even did a fair bit of loping. And we stayed out for over an hour. As time passed she became more responsive to my fumbling cues and I started to pick up on her little habits, like dropping the trot if I would talk to her in an even, relaxed voice (everyone talks to their horse).

Hopefully this is the beginning of a nice riding relationship. But don't worry, I rode my bike and drank some beer today, too. So this won't turn into a horsey blog.