In which we celebrate Saturday Stories with a Derby story

I have the same problem with the Kentucky Derby that I have with professional football:

"Why would I spend time watching somebody else having fun?"

Having said that, I love reading about horse racing. I always have.
I'm not the only one.  

On the radio today, I heard an AWESOME radio story about a lady who loved reading about horses, and grew up to be the trainer of a Derby winner.  If you loved books like The Black Stallion, give yourself 20 minutes to sit back and listen to the terrific story at the link HERE.


Have fun watching the Derby tomorrow, if you like.  Me, I'll probably ride my own horse in the rain.  And after that, maybe I'll read a book with a horse on the cover. 

What horse books did you read as a kid?  Have you read any good horse books lately?

In which Fiddle didn't tell me about this, and Becky makes me laugh

Y'all remember Becky, right? 

Becky, who is constantly whining about her sad pathetic horseless life in a climate that Swamplanders pay big-bucks admission to dream about?

Well, apparently Becky and Fiddle had an adventure, and Fee didn't bring  back a single picture to share with me--I had to read it on Becky's blog.

Go there now.  (Here's the link)

Maybe don't go there right now if you are at work, or in an otherwise quiet environment

(like the --ahem-- library). 

If you are at work or at the library, go there later. 

But, go there.

And be prepared to Laugh. Your. Butt. Right. Off.

(You should see me right now:  at the library, hands clamped over my mouth, butt entirely gone.  

It's a sad, sad sight)

In which I go to a ride, meet bloggers and ride the futon (not far)

The Milwaukee Road Rail Trail ride was held this weekend...although I'd swear it was a blogger's convention instead!

 (Left) Monica from Horsebytes, (center) me from Haiku Farm, and (right) Laurie from EvenSong Paints

 plus, (above) Karen and Dazzby from Wren Loop!

 Fiddle's standardbred cousin Whiskey (above) did just fine on the 25-mile ride.  At the mid-point, Ryan told me that she was "going too fast, and not drinking water"...less than a minute later, I saw the mare standing by the water tank, making the water level drop visibly!   So, that's good.

Our training buddies did less well at this ride.  Dory's mega-horse Spot (DJB Nottalotta Spots) blew an abcess literally as they were walking into the first vetcheck.  Blood, then pus, and the horse was 3-legged lame for the vet.  An hour later, the abcess had drained and the horse was totally comfortable again...but too late to save that particular competition day.  Ah, well.

 Sirie rode Ariana (above) in the LD, and got pulled lame at the finish line--major bummer.  Looks like the mare stumbled and scraped herself with her own shoeing nails.  Sheesh.  No way to train to avoid that!

Our friend Susan Favro was in camp with her Healthy As a Horse mobile tack shop.  Of course, I had to do a little shopping, and so did Laurie...I managed to escape with only the items I had budgeted (a water-bottle holder and a boot bag).

Then we went over to meet Laurie's pretty girls.

 We originally planned for me to ride Maddie, who has a bit of "hustle".  Maddie, however, had other plans for the day.

 Maddie decided that there was no way on this planet that she would let me mount up.  I am a stranger.  And that was not allowed! She did allow her own mum to mount up, but Laurie told me that Maddie will be doing a lot more mounting/dismounting practice this week!

 So, I got to ride Kate, whom I mentally nicknamed "the futon."  Kate is short.  Kate is cushy.  Kate is calm.  Riding Kate is about as thrilling as riding the futon in my living room.

And you know what?  I get enough "thrilling" rides from Fiddle.  Riding the cushy calm futon is just fine!

 Kate and I let Maddie lead (except when the trail got "scary", like there was a huge cement jersey barrier that might have been carniverous according to Maddie, so Steady Futon Kate got to lead past that).

 Laurie snagged my camera to get a picture of me on the Great Cushy One.  Isn't she pretty?

 Back in camp, Monica shows off the skill that she and Laurie practiced honing during the ride:  pulsing horses.  They were both very modest about their skill level at the start of the day, but by late afternoon, they were both stepping forward with confidence to take pulses.  Hooray!

 My little friend Nikki rode her adorable gelding 50 miles for the first time...

 ...and got pulled (lame) at the finish line.  Bummer!  Boogie will be getting more chiro treatments and more conditioning before he heads out for competition again.  He's such a nice little horse, I hope she can get him patched together again.

After the finish line:  Sirie consols herself with homemade rhubarb pie, and Patty celebrates a successful 50-miler with homemade rhubarb pie, and I enjoyed a teeny slice of rhubarb pie because I got to spend a nice day with nice people and nice horses. 

Isn't it nice when a single dessert can multi-task like that?

It's good, you know.