Malibu Asia

Asia and I returned to Hard Labor Creek State Park this morning to meet up with JoAnna, Bucky, Hilary, Carol, Shirley and Katie riding respectively Starman, Saber, Woody, Joey, Candy and Betsy. We rode for about four hours and the temperature never reached the magic number of the predicted high of 56 and it was cloudy, so it was quite chilly. We did a lot of trotting and a little bit of cantering to warm up when it wasn't too rocky or the footing otherwise trappy, and Asia was a dream. Really. She was so darn good on today's ride, calmly going first, last, or middle. (We broke into two groups because the "crack-the-whip" effect is bad enough with four horses,and with seven? Pretty awful.) So, Asia did swell and she got a bit sweaty under the saddle pad and between her legs. When I untacked, I didn't want her to catch chill, so I pulled out her cooler with her name on it in Barbie Pink. I do so love dressing up my horse.

And another picture of Malibu Barbie Asia enjoying hay after the ride

After she dried off, I replaced the cooler with a turn out sheet. It's got a fleece liner under a nylon shell along with x-surcingles and leg straps, so it stays on better in the stock trailer and the nylon provides protection from the wind. It was 29 degrees when I pulled out of the driveway this morning at 7:15, warming up to 33 by the time I got to HLCSP at 9:15 and on the drive home the temp hovered around 49. Asia wore the sheet up and back, along with a fly mask to keep dust and hay from getting in her eyes. I put more protection on her because she's riding in a stock trailer than I did when I had a fully enclosed, two horse.

Pictures of the others to come later. I'm about to round John up and go out to dinner. I am incapable of cooking when I've been out in the woods on a horse all day. I'm too impatient to take the time to fix dinner. I want good food and I want it now.