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[RC] Planes,Pigeions,Helicopters,Canons & baths! - Laurie DurginIf this is JUST New Years weekend, boy am I in trouble!!I have learned not to ride on "holidays" the last 2 years on my disappearing local trails. Too many dirt bikes, 4 wheelers and new gun owners are all trying to squeeze in this area--where country has met suburbia. Neither brings the normal manners or expectations of either. If I want to work with someone I try to work in my ring ,which fronts our private road, --where another holiday weekend I took that spill from a 4 wheeler powering here next to us and spinning a circle; then I did too-- on my green mare. With New Years, like 4th of July I worry and the fireworks keep getting worse with all the new houses.. I finally dropped a couple of the rockets on my neighbors mailbox and left a note , saying no more fireworks over my pasture--was tired of torn down electric fences and fears of vet bills. 2 were found near my haybales... He complied, as he runs a business and doesn't want the cops being called. So the weekend approached, Had gotten in the 60's after tons of almost daily rain in Nov. and Dec. Then a cold snap , I needed to ride. So Got Rascal out , tried the milder bit and worked on some transitions and cues I wanted to refine (like stopping;0) From the ring which is on high ground I look over to our powerline easement pasture, I see a yellow older stunt type plane, flying the power lines-,-low- really low-- like maybe less than 50 feet above them. He was maybe 100-125 feet up. (I used to be in CAP, know my rules!) Idiot! Luckily we get helicopters and low transports fly over from Dobbins sometimes so horses have seen them before. Then I see him about 15 minutes later coming towards me at the same height towards my ring. Thank goodness I was on Rascal (who has been buzzed before-- and was not working with my 2 greenies). I look up and give him a finger (ah, pointer) pointing up as he is low enough I see his arm hanging over the seat looking at us. Rascal was ok, though I got ready to circle him if I have too. So Sat. son had friends overnight >sigh<, one boy has mild autism, we include him with his brother and he is usually ok, just noisy. So I decide to clip Rascal as I 'd seen several 4 wheelers going down the road, ripping by. Needed to get rid of his 2" of hair again. He gets too hot in winter and early spring and collects too much mud, think he has bear in him. We start to clip, neighbors son must have got a new bass on his car speakers, lovely day. Sons friend picks that moment to chuck clay pigeions out over the deck rail about 10 feet from us, shattering them. I yelled at him-dang! Think about working with greenies--Nope, other neighbor is shooting his 'canon' now-- not today, I sigh. New Years, huge amount of fireworks, new subdivisons!!! I cringe, but nearest neighbors refrain-Next morning everyone ok. I am coming home today, get out to open gate, see the helicopter, I had just seen down the road, which was spinning really low, wondering what it was doing. I look out over by my horses , the helicopter gets lower and turns sharp, "No! I yell, not in my pasture!!" Horses start to spook and spin-He looks like he is trying to land --at first I thought it was a power company helicopter, they do check the lines with them, but it is a Sunday and they don't work on Sunday.. My son thinks it is a lifeflight--- They turn away,either they see the horses and decide not to land or something, they go maybe a couple hundred feet and we think they landed up the clearing further up--maybe some hunter or 4 wheeler got themselves hurt out there again .I run thru the gate in my dress and shoes-- but by the time I get closer the chopper moved on--"this is WHY I need to move, this weekend..." So I change, check everyone and decide-- it is bath day, been 3 months or so, with the mud and rain. I decide to wash down in the barn area on the gravel instead of taking them out. Wash my mare first, while Rascal and Scout supervise, Scout plays with the hose, checking it out with his mouth and shaking it, Rascal overturns the bucket and swings it with his mouth by the handle. I rinse , refill, and say, "Ok , Scout, time for your 3rd lifetime bath!' I just decide to sponge him with suds first, then rinse so I dont' overdo the bath with him. As I get him sudsed up, the Other neighbor,who shoots parrellel to my pasture, too close- deides to shoot his black powder rifle about 200 feet away. I now have a soapy dancing 3 yr old. My mare and other gelding come running off the easement snorting to the safety of the barn area. I try to get the soap off as fast as I can safely--luckily Scout is pretty mellow. He does ok. "This confirms it-I declare, I really need to move, this is NOT horse friendly---either that or I need to open a "Despooking School".My neighbors are going to get me killed...." I decide after washing Champ with Rascal , standing in the spray and shaking his head up and down, that he needs one , too, after he rubbed on me the entire time or got in the spray, I guess he wants a bath. He gets one, then he does his stallion imitation, snorting and trotting thru the mud and rocks, and roots--nice action--- then he finds a nice spot and --rolls- twice, he comes back ,and we play chase around the barn twice, then he thinks I am a serious bear and quits. He bugles to the others as I leave, but walks over to the pasture gate--I usually put him on the grass when I wash, to keep him clean while he drys, He looks at me with a big question, bugles,(which he only does like once a year) the other horses come up-- I notice from inside --and stand at the grass gate--ha, he called them, expecting to get to graze after bath.....They stand a while, as the sun sets... Start of a new year...lets hope it is full of riding and training and not any more "New Years Weekends"!!!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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