Obviously, I’m not riding much lately. Once the mercury gets close to 90 and the humidity gets thick enough that a machete is needed to hack a way thru, I am not nearly as motivated to do anything outside, even riding. It has cooled off a little with the recent much-needed rain, but it’s still pretty humid. I can’t even blame it on the nuptials of my best riding buddy. Wait, did I say best? By best, I mean she will show up, usually late, but I expect that and account for it in the equation. That’s all I meant, really. Oh no, I’ve done it now. Preparing for the onslaught.
I spent last evening (I’m practicing culture here, just in case) fetching Sir Darth from “the big field”, to which he had escaped from his normal tape-pen. The electricity on the tape had failed; had tripped the GFCI outlet. First I got him from the “big field”, not NEARLY as difficult as I had anticipated! He was ‘out yonder’ and as I walked toward him he walked toward me, and let me grab him without hesitation. Having on a fly mask was a great help. Of course I couldn’t have held him with the fly mask had he decided to bolt, but HE didn’t know that. I didn’t take the time to explain it to him either. Yes, it probably did help that I had a feed scoop in my hand. Since a tremendous thunderstorm was about to open a can on us, and he was in as good as a 200 acre field, I opted to increase my odds of catching him any way I could. I would have donned a clown suit to get him if I thought it would have made it as easy as it turned out to be. Gee, that’s a confusing statement and I KNOW what I mean. Just have some more coffee and try to keep up.
After securing him in a stall, yes with his supper, we set about checking the fence to find and hopefully remedy any problem(s). No, the others were not standing around drooling with nothing to eat while Sir Darth dined on his gourmet supper. I actually fed them before going for Winston. Sure enough, something had ran thru the fence removing it from a dozen or more posts and leaving it lying in/on the tall grass. I can only assume it was deer since I didn’t catch them in the act. Winston has no qualms crossing the fence when it’s off, but I don’t think he’s quite brassy enough (or energetic enough) to go thru it while it’s live. Yes, he could easily go over it, but shhhh-another thing he doesn’t know, and we’re NOT sharing that tidbit with him. For that much, he could easily go over any fence in the county, be it electric tape, high-tensile, woven wire, four-board, eight-board, twelve-board, etc. In order for him to go thru it while it’s on, he’d need to go really fast so the pain was quick. While he CAN move really fast, if it’s his choice, he usually chooses not.
We put the fence back up, turned him back out, and left him – outstanding in his field, for the storm. I know heartless. Thank you. Just before I got home, a Voice whispered to me that the electric fence will probably not function very well if it’s not PLUGGED IN. So, 180 and back to the barn to actually connect the fence TO the electricity. Thankfully, Sir Darth had not gotten around to testing it yet and was still – outstanding in his field. Fence plugged in, and back all the way home this time!
So, this is the sort of thing that I’m up to lately. If anyone is actually doing anything more interesting than fence repair and forgetting, please share your riding and training adventures in a comment for the rest of us to enjoy. I know Marie is beginning a great adventure now that she has secured the appropriate Red Wings. Thanks very much to Red Wing; I understand they have been very helpful and cooperative.