In the past this time of year represented the end of the riding season. Beech trees had long since changed colour, the high peaks were dusted with snow and puddles lower down were icy each morning. One might set off in the morning wearing a couple of layers. But after an hour climbing out would come another couple of fleeces, and I'd already be wearing lumberjack boots, long underwear, trousers and leather chaps.
Over here the climate is temperate, the countryside mellow, and temperatures moderate. Here is the view last Sunday, complete with a couple of pheasants - colourful vermin that will soon be exterminated for the landowner's profit. Well at least then rides won't be punctuated by a stream of the dimwitted birds starting up under a horse's hooves.
Back on holiday I made a vow to write more creative, perceptive posts. Well, exhausted again by work, that does not seem to be happening. There isn't time right now to think deeply about anything but work. The nexy four weeks will be desperately busy.
Meanwhile at least the little driving that I do is more fun than previously. I had a truck just like this four years ago, and had to sell it when I left the riding business. It paid for six months rent and expenses. Now I feel a certain satisfaction that I have "made it" sufficiently to have a decent vehicle again.
When I was learning to ride almost twenty years ago an instructor remarked: "maybe one day you will own a horse". At the time I laughed in disbelief. I marvel at all that has happened since.
Brena has managed to pick up a scab on her right shoulder well in front of where the saddle sits. Treated with purple spray then iodine it looks horrible. In fact it's a couple of square inches of rough scab in her coat the centre of which has separated. It's dry and there is no sign of continuing infection. I have no idea what caused this. There is nothing like this anywhere else on her, and no contagion going around the horses at the barn.
This is a "real" part of horse ownership such as I used to manage with two dozen animals to care for. Lately I've had next to nothing to manage in the cuts and scrapes department. Having a healthy horse one sees little wrong therefore tends to worry unnecessarily at what little does go wrong. It's easy for every little lump and bump to cause alarm.
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