Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Eye Spy



Wednesday February 10 2010

I like to say that Jose has Elf Eyes, because he spots things while out on the trail that I'd completely miss. He always sees deer herds before I see the white butts turn and bound away. Once, on an endurance ride, he spotted a coyote on the side of a hill as we were trotting along. I couldn't see anything. Jose kept wanting to stop and look. I even let him stop and look and I didn't see anything. I told him there was nothing there, and I urged him along the trail, and he agreeably trotted onward while he kept looking at the hillside. The coyote blended so perfectly into the brown brush and dirt, and I only saw it when we were within a hundred yards of it and it moved. Jose's found deer antlers and feathers and obsidian. He even found a GPS once. I've got a box of his Owyhee treasures.

On today's ride, he first spotted twenty sage grouse when they flew up from the sagebrush. Must be a new lek there!

Next: a cow in the sagebrush... a cow? Perhaps it was a bull? We didn't want to get too close, because that's probably what it was. Some bull obviously didn't read the cow-lander to realize he should have come down out of the mountains four months ago.


Next: the mother of all deer antlers - and two points are even broken off.

I strapped it on the back of Jose's saddle pack, but as we trotted, it would poke him in the butt and make him swish his tail. I ended up carrying it the rest of the ride. It was heavy enough to know I'd get one big headache if I had to wear a pair of these on my head all the time. No wonder they shed every year!

Next - a stash of calcite crystals. We've ridden by this spot many times, but only now, after a certain amount of snows and rains, the mud has eroded and crumbled away and the crystals have chosen to reveal themselves. I picked a few up for Jose.


And, of course, always, Jose notices and treasures the views of this spectacular country that we ride in (particularly from high spots). I always wonder what goes on in his head as he gazes at the world spread out around him.

8 comments:

  1. Thanks for commenting on my blog - I love following yours and hearing about all of Jose's new exploits. I think I'm in love! Its really neat that you two just walked up and found a small stash of calcite crystals. If I ever make it up to Owyhee, I'll be sure to come out and visit - you can be my link to all things horsey and I'll be your 'geology eyes'!

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  2. Jose, as he rides along the wide open terrain, "thank you, Lord, for not fencing me in!"

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  3. He is worth his weight in gold,
    you are getting a ride/view that most
    never get/see.

    Kay Kelly

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  4. Love your blog! What beautiful landscapes you have to ride in. It's getting awfully fenced in here in the Sierra Nevada foothills - the wild land is disappearing. A question: as a British transplant I'm still learning about American tack, and I've never seen a bridle/bit assembly like the one Jose is wearing. Can you talk a bit about it, if you ever get a moment to spare?

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  5. I just love it out there, of course I was there during the summer, how is in the winter? take some pics for me will you ?
    Daniela

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  6. I found a huge vein of crystals near Benson AZ one year. Wow! There some beautiful large ones, too. I was there for hours collecting my treasures! :)
    Lucky you that you have such a special horse to help you find treasures. Jose is the best kind of trail horse: observant, but not afraid, curious and interested, and excited about exploring with his rider.
    Give him a smooch for me :)

    ~Lisa
    ps what kind of bit and bridle is he wearing. I've never seen one like that before. Very unusual.

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  7. Clarence only sees monsters...

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  8. I love your stories, Merri! My gelding is a superb snake spotter - very important when travling to rattlesnake country.

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