We have been having such a long spell of hot humid weather. So unusual for Maine. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were spend putting hay in my barn. It doesn't matter how hot it is, when the hay guy calls, you go get the hay. Fred put in a load of hay for me on Monday. I soooo appreciated him doing that for me. I picked up a load on Tueaday and thought I could get it put up by myself after working at Upper Pond. HA! Well, I could have done it eventually but I had to have the hay wagon back before it got too late. So, I called Pam to see if Cierra could come help me. And wonderful young lady that she is, she did come. And Pam brought some cold water and cold water never tasted so good! I had have the wagon done when Cierra arrived but I swear the bales were getting heavier and heavier. The problem with putting up the hay alone is that you can only send 3 bales up the elevator then you have to climb up the ladder into the hay loft, stack the 3 bales, climb back down, climb up into the hay wagon, send 3 more bales up the elevator.......that gets old pretty quick. once Cierra arrived, the last of the bales went up quick and I got the wagon back to Charlie.
I had the night off so I took Cierra over to Upper Pond. She got her horse, Tinkerbell, and brought her into the arena. She rode her a little bareback and then I hopped on her bareback and took a spin around the arena. Tink like Cierra better than she likes me. Later that evening I picked up another wagon of hay and Fred helped me put it up when he got home from work.
Wednesday, Brooke came over after she finished work at Upper Pond and helped me put up the 4th and final wagon of hay! It was yet another hot humid day but the hay was up and I was doing a happy dance. I was hoping to hear the humidity was going to break soon but that was not to be. It was only going to get hotter and more humid as the week went on. Cierran and were going to ride on Friday but that was now going to be the hottest and most humid day of the week. So, Brooke, Cierra and I rode today when Brooke and I were done working at Upper Pond. Cierra went with me back to my house. I hooked up the trailer, loaded up Luke and Marie and went back to Upper Pond. We were riding from there. Today I was riding Marie and Brooke was riding Luke. I forgot Marie's boots at home but thought she would be ok barefoot on the trails around Upper Pond. And for 99% of it she was. Brooke tried her western saddle on Luke but it was too wide. So, I put my mule saddle on him for her. We headed out and right away the flies started to carry us off. Deer fly and big horse flies. We did a circuit around the trails behind Upper Pond. Someone was out mowing the paths. Tinkerbell did one small spook over the mower but it was pretty minor. We then rode out to the road and went to the trail that is 3 houses down from the stable. This is a very grassy trail and would be easy on Marie's feet. The flies were even worse out here so we kind of took turns leading as the lead horse (or mule) always get the most flies. The flies were making Tinkerbell grumpy. Being new to trail riding and a young horse, she is not used to have to dealing with them. Marie hates them too but just deals with it. Luke handles them the best. Not that he likes them either but he seems more tolerant overall. I broke a leafy branch off a tree for Brooke to use as a fly swatter. Luke was making great efforts to eat it! It was so funny watching him as he was bending his head this way and that way and sticking his lips way out trying to catch it. We did some exploring of some trails and I found the trail that loops back to Upper Pond stable! We were happy to have found the trail and it was a pretty nice trail. A little water on it but nothing muddy. We did do a little bit of trotting and one canter so Brooke could get the feel of Luke at all 3 gaits. Luke was a good boy for her. We didn't dare do too much over a walk because it was just so hot and humid. Once back to the stable we did one last loop around the pond offering Luke and the horses a chance to drink. Brooke had to feed her horses and bring some in the barn so I took Luke and ponied him from Marie around the jump course while Cierra took Tinkerbell over a few jumps. I rode Marie over a few small ones and Luke followed behind and walked over them too. I then had to head for home to get ready for work.
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