New Year, New Lease - meet Chewy!

My time with Bindi was pure freedom - throw on a saddle and hit the trail! I was in charge; no one cared if my heels were down and my toes pointed in. I went from closely tutored Dressage student doing choreographed patterns in an arena to unsupervised cowgirl on a Mustang. It was glorious.

Likewise, no one cared if I forgot to tighten my girth before hitting the trail, or forgot to secure the martingale. I learned a lot from my mistakes, as it should be. A good day riding was coming back on the horse.

I had a good year exploring the trails of backcountry Poway with Bindi. But by the end of summer 2017 I was ready for a new challenge, and it wasn't long before I found my new best equine friend, a purebred Haflinger named Chewy. Haflingers are known as "the Tractor of the Alps" and "the Chewster" is no exception in the power department. His favorite gait is "the low gear prance" - a whisper-smooth, prancing jog that he can amp up or down at will depending on the trail. His goofy personality totally cracks me up. Chewy is playful, smart, and level-headed, and knows more dressage moves than I do. Best of all (unlike pokey Bindi) he wants to GO!!!

Horse Madness

This is Bindi, an eight year-old Mustang mare. Since October 2016 she's been my trusted trail horse / therapist / friend. And, on occasion, a royal pain in the ass.

Bindi was born wild in southern Nevada. When she was 2 years old, Bindi was rounded up with the rest of her herd by the BLM and put up for public auction. She was purchased by her current owner for $200. They spent many enjoyable years exploring the trails in and around Poway and the surrounding hills in east San Diego County. But the demands of a new full-time job meant her owner had little time for riding, so she put an ad in Craigslist seeking a lessor. At around the same time, I had just ended a year of English / dressage lessons on a lovely horse named Chief, and was looking for a chance to escape the arena and do some good old-fashioned "yee-haw" trail riding!

Bareback on Chief

Thanks!

Many of my friends and family think I'm nuts for getting into equestrian pursuits so late in the game; at 53 my healing abilities and flexibility are greatly reduced, so even a simple fall can have long-lasting repercussions. Honestly, the danger just adds to the endorphin rush. We're in danger all the time. I'd rather meet my end doing something I love. When I have a close call -- horse startling & rearing at a rattlesnake on the trail; a loose saddle spilling me onto the roadway with cars coming; a scary plastic bag rustling in the breeze setting my half-ton friend on an uncontrolled gallop for the barn -- Ye Haw, I survived!!








Horses are herd animals, intensely social. In the wild, they are prey (on the menu), and rely on the herd and the herd leader to keep them safe. Domesticated horses are no different. To know a horse is to engage in relationship, build trust through ritual and repetition, and enjoy what unfolds.

Pub Walk: the White Lion in Thakeham

Met some friendly locals in Thakeham

Hands down best pub in the Ashington area is the White Lion in Thakeham. It's hard to get to, but the food is amazing so it's popular with locals and visiting foodies alike. One of our neighbors tipped us off to it - getting there involves a short drive up a very narrow lane with numerous blind curves, barely wide enough for our Mini, then parking outside tiny medieval Warminghurst church and walking the rest of the way (about a half mile) on a private dirt road with public footpath access. Along this path are two lovely fields used as pasture for cows. On the north are the Holsteins (dairy) and to the south are future prime rib roasts. They are all very friendly and will insist on giving any exposed skin a thorough licking. Did you know cow tongues are really, really raspy? Velcro hooks or high grit sandpaper come to mind. We couldn't help stopping every time we made the trip. No matter where the cows were in the huge pasture, when they saw us stop at the fence they would come walking slowly over, usually with No. 12, the BossLady cow, in the lead. One time we had just finished some excellent burgers at the pub, and forgot -- let's just say the cows were not pleased. We were terribly embarrassed for our ghastly behavior. At least they forgave us the next time.

Changing Places: Sussex Edition

House, Mini Cooper, and Cat Exchange

We're halfway into a 3-week home exchange with a lovely couple, Peter and Cheryll, from West Sussex, UK. Their home is a 17th century timbered Cottage with achingly beautiful gardens in a tiny village called Ashington. So far everything has gone according to plan, no one has crashed going the wrong way on the road or snuffed a family pet. I had to watch a couple of YouTube videos on multi-lane roundabouts, which were a bit unnerving at first! But it all makes sense and I haven't had anyone honk at me since. I don't want to leave a scratch on their cute convertible Mini!

Low tide at Birling Gap

We spent the first week madly touring on a daily basis to see as much as possible... Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters, Cambridge and Grantchester, Amberly, Steyning, Chichester, Arundel, Portsmouth... and today Brighton. 

The Grand Pavilion, Brighton

The sun was out (finally!) and it was a glorious day, the pier and lanes filled with people of all sorts, absolutely fabulous people-watching. Had our Sunday roast (and some incredible G&T's) at The Hop Poles, a tiny pub in the Laines and then on to the Brighton Pier.

The iconic Brighton Pier

It was exactly as I've seen pictured, but better - the ocean breeze was warm, not biting, and the buzz in mid-May was fresh and happy, everyone enjoying the reprieve from the past two weeks of cloud and drizzle.  We'll be back to do more exploring, and check out the many vintage shops!

Drying Out in Encinitas

Manchester Reserve after the January rains

We're finally starting to dry out after the "Pineapple Express," an atmospheric river carrying moisure-dense air from Hawaii, swamped us with several inches of rain in a short time. After so many years of drought, our soil was hard-baked, but the rains came dispersed over many days, so the hard ground had a chance to absorb. The local flora is LOVING it... and it smells fantastic outside. Our normally brown surroundings look as lush and green as the hills of Ireland!