2. Last week, Brett and I were like two ships passing in the night. While he was in Park City, Utah with his daughters and their kids for a baseball tournament, I held down the fort. Mid-week, Camille flew in and we had an afternoon and evening at home before leaving for Shaver Lake. Camille took picturess of herself with all the animals. My favorite is this one of her with Lucy.
3. Thursday, while Camille and I drove to Shaver Lake to meet up with my family, Brett drove back home from Utah with his daughter, Jen, and the grandkids. You've seen all the posts this week of their time riding Pistol. Brett also took them to a historical park in Placerville where they went into a gold mine and then learned how to pan for gold. They filled little vials with sparkling flecks -- and didn't want to leave.
4. Meanwhile, the kids and I spent four days at Shaver Lake with my sister and her family, and my dad and his girlfriend. The "kids" are all grown; Camille is the youngest at 21 and my oldest nephew is 27 (I think). Kyle brought his girlfriend, Ana, and she fit right in. We have been doing this since Camille was an infant and the cousins look forward to this vacation every year. They are scattered now, but they all showed up for this annual family vacation.
5. The weather the past few days has been hot, dry and breezy. When it is in the triple digits like this, a breeze feels like a furnace blowing. Five fires are burning in Northern California; two of them close enough to give us smokey hazy skies. The garden is wilting, the horses stand in the shade swishing their tails, the chickens pant, Kersey plunges into her wading pool constantly, and we hide in the house. I dislike this time of year - too hot to garden or ride. The days are getting shorter so I no longer have time to ride before work. I love spring and fall; I don't mind winter -- but summer... yech!
6. Brett came off Mufasa this morning. Brett got banged up but nothing broken, thank God. Mufasa spooked at something while at the mounting block, Brett's shirt got caught on the horn and ripped, and the sound sent Mufasa crow-hopping away. Brett lost his balance, slid sideways and then landed with a thud on the ground. Mufasa jumped sideways, away from Brett, and slammed into the donkey pasture fence post. He bucked and kicked the fence, then took off running, bucking as he went. We retrieved him in a corner by the front gate, with the rope reins wrapped around his front leg. While Brett worked on washing gravel out of his abrasions, I got Mufasa - who was wild eyed worried -- untangled and back to the tie rail. Brett's very sore and, at the moment, I don't care if Brett ever rides Mufasa again. Brett's 66. Mufasa is unpredictable - not mean - but he spooks at any little sound or movement. Its Brett's decision, of course, and I will support him either way. I reacted with dread, then fear, then panic, and finally tears. I don't trust Mufasa. I just don't.
oh I am so sorry about Brett's accident. I tend to agree with you that he might not be the right horse for him. It might be okay to sell him to someone who can deal with his issues.
ReplyDeletePoor Brett. Poor Mufasa. I feel for both of them.
ReplyDeleteThat sucks about the fall. I'm with you. It doesn't matter if Mufasa was legitimately scared and not necessarily doing it to "be mean" - it's still dangerous. Could he ride Pistol instead or is she retired aside from kid rides?
ReplyDeleteWe won't be selling Mufasa. Brett will do ground work stuff with him. We'd worry about him going to someone else with his trust issues. Mufasa trusts Brett more than I think he's trusted anyone in a long time; we aren't going to rip that from him. And, yes, he can ride Pistol. Brett's got some pulled/torn muscles so it will be awhile before he rides agian but when he does, it will be on Pistol.
ReplyDeleteI hope i didn't offend you. I totally understand keeping him.
DeleteOf course you didn't offend me. I know you well enough to know where your heart is. It was a reasonable question.
DeleteGive me three days and I'll ride Pistol. In the meantime I'll do rehab and work on a thirty foot block wall.
ReplyDeleteGlad Brett will keep riding - Pistol is a sweetheart and will be a pleasure.
ReplyDeleteYou are very wise - and good people - to keep Mufasa. With his trust issues, he would probably go from bad to worse in terms of owners/treatment unless he lucked into just the right person.
Horses don't come that way, they're messed up by people, but the horses are the ones who end up at the sales. He's lucky to have found you. We have a pony who was severely abused before we got him - Norman - and who as a result was very aggressive and hard to deal with. Instead of selling him when our daughter outgrew him, knowing his issues and worrying about what would happen to him, we kept him. He's one of our retirees now at Paradigm, enjoying the good life, and is now as sweet and kind as you'd want.
I call it earning horse karma. You and Brett are earning some with Mufasa.
I wish I could send you some rain. Beautiful photos, nice that you could meet with family at the lake, and BRETT! What the heck.
ReplyDeletei'm sorry for brett and mufasa both.
ReplyDeletethe cousins look happy.
Oh, Annette, I am so glad Brett is all right... and Camille, by her pictures, looks like she has recovered from her mishap with the shed. I totally understand about Mufasa... you see, Keith has asked me not to ride because of the same thing... he is afraid if I go down... I won't get up again. I totally understand. (I miss it, but I totally understand).
ReplyDeletePraying for rain for you and my Oregonian friends.
I think I would probably do what Brett is doing. Give it some time and not make quick decisions. You both are much braver than I around large animals. I know you can't just get rid of Mufasa either. Tough.
ReplyDelete