In which we go riding and encounter a bunch of very odd folks

Fiddle and I love to dress up.

The Bad Idea Fairy and her horse "Holdmybeerandwatchthis"
think riding in mud is fun!

The annual Traildusters Hallowe'en Fun Ride is often a highlight on our calendar.

Ready for makeup and costume

Before folks get all dressed up, there's a "poker" ride.

Dory and a few of her Fish, ready to ride!

We aren't supposed to call it a poker ride anymore, because the Washington State Gambling Commission has a bunch of crazy rules about poker.  We used to ride through the woods and pick up cards from various rest points, and when we got back to the parking lot, the best poker hand would win.  Now we choose numbers written on poker chips out of a bag.  Because THAT'S totally different than cards.

Heading off down the trail o' fun.  Except Hana had other plans.

The plan was that Jim and I would ride with the Fish and have fun on the trails.  Hana loves Dory's mare Spot, so we put Hana in between Fiddle and Spot.  It didn't matter.

Duana tried to knock the "fizz" off of Hana in a lesson yesterday;
 it totally didn't work.

Hana was channeling her Inner Idiot today.  She snorted, she jigged, she lathered herself up every time Fiddle was more than a horse-length ahead...which, since Hana was jigging, didn't take more than a stride or two.   Sigh.

Hana: less of an idiot now

The Fish went on ahead of us.  We tried putting Hana in front of Fiddle, but she was still being silly.

So, we put Fiddle back in front, and just made Hana work to keep up (at a walk, fer cryin'outloud!)  I think Jim is planning to take a bunch of lessons on Hana himself this winter, so the two of them can work out their issues. 

Fiddle: awarded a Bronze Certificate by Sensible International

Fiddle made a point of being Sensible all day (although she did "spook" at one of the checkpoints.)

Happily, Hana found her brain in one of the treat buckets at the first checkpoint, and behaved (mostly) better for the rest of the day.

Hana:  when she's good, she's veryvery good.

I was pretty sure that the horses would spook at "Sylvester the cat" (below)

Sylvester looks pretty freaky to ME!

...but they didn't.  She had carrots in her pockets.  That always helps.

The trails were a mess. As I've reported in the past, these trails are not sustainably built.  Many of the trails are, in fact, trenches through the middle of a swamp.  And in the middle of the trench:

Nothin' but mud.

Think of these trails as a lovely nesting place for rainwater and mud to dwell happily during the winter months.  Try not to think of these trails as a place that you might want to, I dunno, ride your horse?

High ground!  Quick, take a picture!

I wore the new Muddy Creek raincoat today, BTW.  Full review coming soon, but the short report is:  I stayed dry! 

(ahem, except for my upper leg muscles, which should be covered by purple rain chaps except the lady who makes them hasn't made them yet!!!  I'm dyin', here!)

Finally back at the trailer:

Wanna see my costume?

Katie loaned us the tutu and wings.  I added sparkly stuff all over.

Other people were dressing for the Costume Contest also:

Katie borrowed my tiger suit

Katie is almost the cutest thing in the whole world

so she could match Fire's costume (below)

Tigers Together:  absolutely adorable.

There were some other mighty fine costumes as well!

Mermaid and Sea-horse

Mermaid and SHARK!

Zorro (sans sword...pointless!)

Horse is a poodle, rider is wearing a poodle skirt!

One of the esteemed judges (on the ostrich)

  

These clowns were fabulous

Reinactors!  This photo is for Mel.

Halloween colored M&M's.  Melts in your mouth?

 Fiddle and I were dressed as the Bad Idea Fairy and her horse "Holdmybeerandwatchthis."

You don't know about the Bad Idea Fairy? 

Where did you suppose bad ideas come from, huh? 

Run with scissors?  Ride without a helmet?  Drive drunk?  Date a drummer?  Loan your truck to your brother-in-law? 

You think those ideas come from a Good Idea Fairy? 

>snort<

blurry photo!  The Bad Idea Fairy says: "let's take photos in the rain!"

Hallowe'en is almost here.  We at Haiku Farm love to dress up the animals (and ourselves) in awesome costumes...won't you join us for a Virtual Costume Party? 

Post photos of yourselves and your pets in costumes on your blog, or send them directly to me  (email  aarenex    AT    haikufarm    DOT    net)   and I'll post 'em here on Hallowe'en Day.  Jane, Funder, and Dom, I'm talking to you.  I know lytha won't dress up Baasha because he's Dignified (ha!).  Becky, be creative.  Everybody else, show these folks how it's done, okay?