Since I began reading other folk’s endurance blogs this spring, and subsequently started this, my own, Endurance Granny has come up with a fun mileage competition, the Big Bad Blogger’s Distance Race. It begins today, December 1st 2011, and runs through November 30th 2012. Sign-ups are of course now closed but folks may want to check out mileage various “novice” endurance/distance riders across the country are logging over the coming year. I’ve “met” a few folks through this event already and we now share our blogs with each other as well. Networking, don’t cha know! There are two divisions, one for single-horse riders and one for us folks with multiple horses to ride, and competition is only against others in your particular division.

Oh hey, and there are small prizes from Nutrena, Trailwise Tack, and Moss Rock Endurance for the winner! I feel my competitive spirit being kicked into gear. Anyway if you are interested in checking it out:

Big Bad Blogger’s Distance Race

Desire and I met our riding buddy, N, at Lake Oroville this morning for another trail expedition. The morning itself didn’t start smoothly, Desire was beyond jazzy from the minute I pulled her and promptly decided she didn’t want to load into the trailer. Nope. Nada. Not happening. Its pretty funny how often horses will hop into a trailer fine the first time but the second or third time they suddenly decide its maybe not such a good idea. The first time I led her up to the trailer things seemed like they might work out, she stuck her head in the trailer and snuffed the floor, but from there it became swing-butt-left-and-right, pull back, etc. It took me about 30 minutes and an assist from my husband to get her in and when I got to the lake, which is a 20 minute drive that I cruise along at 40 mph or under, she came out of the trailer a dripping sweaty mess. I don’t know WHAT hair was across her butt this morning but she was definitely out of sorts. N was just parking when I arrived and we pulled our grey Arab mares out at about the same time so Desire relaxed when she saw a buddy was nearby. For the piss and vinegar she was exhibiting in the morning she was surprisingly quiet under saddle, which was fine with me. N and I both had our share of spooky-horse moments but nothing too dramatic. By the end of the ride we were joking that Desire was definitely a true desert Arabian as she eye balled any and all wood/logs/sticks along the sides of the trails with deep suspicion. She also concentrated fixedly on the left side of the trail and would have left the trail altogether (and…gone bush hogging???) a couple times if I weren’t steering her around to keep on it. I’m not sure why she is so convinced that she knows a better way to get wherever we may be going but it seems to be a pattern with her so far. Riding out from home she also hugged the left side of the road and had to be steered in the direction I wanted. Interesting. Anyhow we did about 13 miles in just over 3 hours, with a couple of water and short grazing breaks. It was a GORGEOUS day on the trails, bright blue skies and sunny, maybe 60 degrees in the sun but certainly chilly in the shade of the wooded trails. I am love love loving how smooth miss Desire is, its so fantastic to be barely posting or even sitting as we jog down the trails. Oh that was the other revelation, she has quite a nice jog that she maintained on the trails today, which is a good speed for N and her mare too.

We got back to the trailer around 3 and went through the trailer loading issue again, with Desire lleaanningggg into the trailer but not lifting one of her front feet to get IN it, I swear she looked like she was going to face plant into it as gradually all four feet got closer together and she leaned forward without actually stepping in. N went to her head and I put pressure on her from behind and she hopped in. Soooo. Some work to be done there.

It was a wonderful day on the trails and I’m tired and HUNGRY!

Well my faithful doggie companion Georgia and I survived the holiday madness. More importantly, my sister gave birth to a healthy 9 lb baby boy on Wednesday night! It was great to be around and be able to meet and hold him while he was “fresh” since I missed out on it with her first son’s birth (away at school and such). We had a great Thanksgiving feast on Saturday afternoon with the whole gang, minus my husband who was here tending the animals and my brother and his family who live in southern California. Today was my mom’s birthday and we had a celebratory breakfast and present session this morning before I hit the road. It was a great little trip but the dog and I are glad to be home and I can’t wait til the husband gets home this evening too!

Hmmm I am exhausted and ready for bed and it isn’t even 7 pm yet..the couch looks quite inviting and no one is here to see or hear me snoring, so adios for now internet world!

Okay my sister is in labor, my wiener dog just set the hook on himself and drove a fishing hook through his nose and Thanksgiving is postponed til the weekend..oh yeah and I’m driving 5 hours to the coast today..so anyway, hope everyone has a good week, I’m about ready to tear my hair out but things will be fine I’m sure. Just FYI for friends and readers who comment, I have now turned on comment moderation because I started getting random spam-seeming crap on the blog.

Okay I have to hit the road.

Happy Turkey Day to all!

We got some very cold weather and a good amount of rain over the last few days, the horses finally got their blankets off and a little warmer weather yesterday but another big storm is rolling in tomorrow. Not a whole lot of horsey activities happening here for me this week, just cleaning here and there and socking the feed to them in the cold!

Hope everyone has a good holiday week and gets to spend some time with their friends, family, and horses! I am heading over to the coast mid-week to have Thanksgiving with my family, though unfortunately not all of them as my husband has to stay behind and mind all the critters here. My sister is pregnant and a week past her due date so we are all taking bets on whether the baby waits to make an appearance on Thanksgiving itself! Or a few days later, on our mom’s birthday. Either way it should be an exciting Thanksgiving as the baby’s arrival is imminent!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and their critters!