Nine-day ride

Was wonderful as usual, but man oh man was it hot as hell. It always is, so I don't know why I am surprised. While we were riding in the creek, we saw a bald eagle flying and he eventually perched himself on a tree branch and just waited for us, so I got some great photos. Then we happened on a bunch of kids riding in the water, and it was so fun to watch them play and see how good some of these horses are to them, they are absolute saints.

I took Twister with me to have the most maintenance free ride possible and he threw a shoe right off, so he played drama queen all day-- it is kind of funny how he pretends he is dying, but forgets which foot hurts, and then forgets altogether when he realizes he is headed back to camp. People who don't know us probably think I am torturing him, but I know him better than that. He did have a little scare when he got caught in some quicksand and bonked his head on a huge tree stump--in humidity like we had, any extra effort is torturous. I did feel sorry for him then, as he took care of me even when he was scared and exhausted.

The pig got to go camping, and he enjoyed himself quite a lot the first nite, where he got to be loved on by everyone in camp. He eventually fell asleep with Cathy, looking like the most spoiled pig in the world. The next morning, he was not such a happy dude, and raised so much hell, I thought my eardrums would burst. He spent the hot part of the day in the back of Headley's trailer, visiting the rabbit Melvin, enjoying the fan and a frozen water bottle so he did not get too hot. I did learn a lot about pigs though, as at least four of the guys with our group grew up on pig farms and know all about them-- on the flip side, it took a lot of work to keep them from castrating him (which he needs, but the real vet can do it not the hillbilly crew of Woodlawn). That is a little wierd.

All in all, a wonderful day riding with Head and Linda--it always is, and it is amazing how much better I feel after a day out with them. It is probably the only place I do not have to be in charge of anything at all, from what I eat to when I eat it to where we will ride for the day, and that is amazingly relaxing.