Follow Coyote

Monday December 24 2012

Follow coyote, on a bright winter day

into the canyon

below the cliff walls

across the tripping creek

past the trout pool

around the long-eared owl thickets

below the sharp shinned hawk that hunts its prey.

Follow coyote over the ice that hides his passage

down into the draw

up onto the flats

to the Owyhee mountains

to the crossroads and the parting of ways.

Follow Coyote, ghost in the snow

Krusty and Sarah: Sarah's Story

Saturday August 18 2012

[*Editor's note: I gave Sarah an assignment to write about her Owyhee adventures for a story on my blog. Here it is!]

OK this is how it started out.

Last year my aunt Connie got me a riding lesson for my birthday. It was great. So I went to watch one of the lessons. I liked it, and Jill [Jill Hallin] started to teach me how to ride. I came to Idaho to ride with Connie after my 5th lesson.

Jill and Charlie her horse have taught me a lot about riding. I've even done some shows. I've gotten 3 6ths, 2 5ths. 1 4th, and even a blue ribbon. 

I came to Idaho again this year. I was a little more confident about riding. But I still was a little bit of a passenger. Krusty might not know I was there, but I gave lots of treats anyways. I also learned to drink water while I'm riding.

We practiced getting used to each other, walking and trotting. It is beautiful in the Owyhees. After we rode I helped hose off Krusty.

The second day me and Krusty were ready for the Rim Trail. It is 8 miles. I started to get a little more confident. I trotted a lot and cantered a bit, well, I thought I trotted a lot. The view was great. 

I could see Harts Creek, the Wedding Cake, and the Crocodile Back. And I could almost see the One Tree Hill. After the ride I hosed off Krusty and fed him.

The next day I slept in and didn't ride. It's hot to ride in the middle of the day.

The next day though we went to the Badlands. Finn my aunt Connie's horse was getting used to me and Krusty riding with him. [*Editor's note: Sarah says "Finn is bossy."] Badlands was 10 miles and I had my first gallop up a long road. I almost passed Finn and Connie got worried we would run home so she got in front of us to slow us down. Connie gave me a rule No Passing so I had to learn to slow Krusty down and not get so close.

Back at the barn I'm learning how to get the boots off but couldn't get them all cause Krusty wouldn't pick up some of his feet. They're really big and hard to hold. He has the biggest feet of them all.

The next day I was ready for the Hart Creek loop. I had confidence and had all my trust in Krusty. I was getting to be a rider. Hart Creek was 14 miles. The Hart Creek loop has steep in the canyon. There's this place called One Tree Hill, now it's called Sarah's Hill. It's very narrow and steep. I rode Krusty to a small pioneer village, he sure posed for the camera. There was a lot of old tools. And the creek was dry. Krusty worked so that we go the whole way. We stopped near home to let Jovy dog out. He's way too excited. He followed us back to the barn.

Again every ride I help with the equipment and hose them off. [*Editor's note: See, I even let her get Jose ready for saddling!] Give them some oats and put Krusty in the paddock.

Merri has been playing UNO at night with us. On the last day she rode Jose. She puts Hearts on him in videos. I think she loves him a lot.

We took the long Rim trail. I loved it. We were on a rocky ridge and I got off to pee, then Finn peed, Krusty and I peed at the same time. I was still holding him and then Jose peed. Then there was a lot more up and downs. I did some long trot gallops and I got to be in a video. I am getting good at slowing down from a gallop and not getting too close to other horses.

Back at the barn we take care of the horses and give them a bath.

I cried when I let Krusty go in the paddock for the last time. I almost can't breathe.

I have been doing different things all week. I taught Krusty to gallop on command. I learned to get Krusty ready and put him away. I have been riding the Owyhees hot and full of wildlife. Krusty is a gentle giant.

So a bit about Krusty, is he is loving and sweet and a giant. More, OK he is the best horse the smartest horse he is a champ. He gets along with everyone dogs, horses, or cats. He is very gentle and is a great horse for anyone to ride. Krusty has taught me so much this last week. I started out as a passenger now I'm a rider but I still have a long way to go.

Trusty Krusty thank you!

Owyhee Photo Booth

Thursday February 2 2012

Remember those photo booths where you and your best friend crowded inside and made funny and funnier faces for a strip of pictures? (do those still exist?)

Best friends Stormy and Tex (aka Ted) went into the Owyhee Photo Booth and mugged for the camera and made a funny strip of photos.

Owyhee Sensei

Thursday January 12 2011

Equine Martial Arts Master Jose (the very same Owyhee Social Director Jose) teaches his apt and eager apprentices well.

He begins with the basic play of head wrestling and the baring of teeth. Jose works with his students, showing them the techniques, then has them practice on each other.

Jose working with Krusty [slide show]

and Mac.

Krusty and Batman practicing [slide show]

Batman and Tex perfect their innovative head wrestling with a stick.

BFFs

Sunday May 23 2010

What started out as a babysitting gig for Stormy has turned into a Best Friends Forever alliance.

When Tex first arrived, we put him in a pen with Stormy so he could have a companion while he got to know the other horses over the fence. Stormy - always low man on the totem pole - enjoyed being able to boss the new little guy around. He pinned his ears and drove Tex away from the food, from me, from his friends over the fence. Stormy let Tex eat... but only if he was on the correct side of the hay feeder. Stormy let him stand close... until he decided to drive him out of his space.

It wasn't long, however, before Tex had Stormy's number. Stormy would pin his ears and throw his head at Tex; Tex would take a step back, then he'd step right back forward. Pretty soon Stormy would pin his ears and bare his teeth at Tex, and Tex would pin his ears and bare his teeth right back at Stormy. And pretty soon after that, it was Tex pinning his ears and driving Stormy somewhere... but he never drove him further than a step away, and he never bit or kicked, because Stormy had become his best buddy.

When we turned all the horses out together (the Owyhee bunch, the 2 Hoodlums, Krusty, the Arizona herd, and Stormy and Tex), Tex stuck to Stormy's side, no matter what the other horses did.

And once Tex got brave enough to cross the creek, he pretty much since stayed by Stormy's side. He follows his pal everywhere.

When Stormy goes off on a ride or goes out to mow the lawn, Tex will stand and wait at the gate, or he'll pace the fence until Stormy gets back. Stormy doesn't get upset if he's separated from Tex, but he enjoys having his sidekick follow him around. He thinks it's pretty cool being the Big Brother (who gets pushed around by his Little Bro).

They drink together.


They eat together.


They argue together (but only briefly).


They roam together.


They travel together.






They exercise together.






They romp together.




They are Best Friends Forever.

Harmony

Wednesday December 9 2009

A special breeze floated through Owyhee this week.

A man, his wife, his fiddle, his mandolin.

The kind of people you pick out instantly at the airport. The kind of folks with which you feel an instant affinity, the kind that feel like immediate family from the first hug.

The kind of people the dogs and horses and cat crowd around.


Quiet and amiable. Warm hearts. Tranquil minds.

The kind of people that appreciate a place like this. The kind that just belong here.


He played for their supper. (Really, he just played because he could.) We listened.


My own live folkalley.com in the house. All day. The music poured from his soul. How does he store all this in his head?

They came and stayed a few days, then left an impression behind.

The music and the friendship remain in their wake.

Shadowed

Wednesday November 25 2009

I rode my big beautiful horse today, on a beautiful cold Owyhee fall day. Our shadow followed us far below as we rode along the ridge of the canyon.

Get Bent

Friday September 25 2009

Yes, I can see now why some older endurance riders walk around slowly, painfully, bent over, with a creak in their back and a hitch in their gitalong.

Heck I'm not 47 yet and I see that coming. Maybe soon. I'm not as flexible as I used to be, I don't bounce as well anymore, and I don't heal as fast. Bad wrist from years of trail work moving heavy rocks. Sometimes an aching shoulder from that too. A bad knee from trail work and riding that's been creeping up on me and that's getting to where I can't ignore it all the time anymore in the saddle or going up and down stairs or hills. Remember that sandaled toe I stuck underneath a horse's hoof in June? What's this, September? It's still not shrunk to its normal size yet and it still sends out a protest now and then. And now the broken rib. I have crappy posture anyway but now I really find myself hunching over to protect it when I breathe, and walking carefully so as to not jar it.

It was getting a smidge better every day (or maybe that's wishful thinking)... but that damn horse Dudley almost got out last night, AGAIN, had four heavy fence panels bent down at a 45* angle and he was workin' it. I got mad at him for making me hurriedly get out of bed (painful) get dressed (painful) and hobble over there at midnight. Angrily threw a water bottle at him (dumb, and painful) and angrily yanked the four heavy gate panels back into place (dumb! and very painful!), and today I'm not better than yesterday. I caught Dudley and put him away in a tiny pen for the night, and shambled back to bed, my rib smarting again.

(I have not yet given up on riding in our 5-day Owyhee Canyonlands ride next week... but we'll see.)

Soon I'm going to be hobbling about like some of my older endurance riding heroes.

But I can always say, it's been a great ride and it's still a great ride!

A bent endurance body is a great badge of honor to wear.

Workin' For A Living

Workin For A Living

Monday June 1 2009

You gotta love a guy who loves to work, and works hard at what he does. Always eager to go to work, always works hard at work, always reluctant to leave work. He's at it seven days a week.

Steph takes her garden very seriously. Stormy is the resident lawn mower. He takes his job very seriously. Keep the lawn trimmed so it looks neat and doesn't distract from Steph's beautiful flower garden. (Once Stormy was so zealous at his job, he started trimming Steph's flower beds too. John had to throw his hat at him to remind him to mow the grass only.)

Like one endurance rider (who likes to ride hundreds, and rides a horse who's does 24 of them!) says, "Work never hurt a horse."

Stormy would agree with that.