Well, I didn't throw my homework on the fire yet, but I certainly want to. Finals are coming up. I have three tests on Monday, one on Tuesday and two on Wednesday. Then I'm done! Hooray!
. . . . . . . for three weeks, anyway, until the summer session starts.
This past week I took four tests. Jeez! But last weekend I needed a break after studying from 9AM to 530PM straight on Saturday. I met a classmate at the Hastings coffee shop and boy did we cram! Hastings employees were actually getting ready to throw us out for staying there too long.
So, on Sunday, Lisa and I drove across town to visit some fellow bloggers, Dan and Betty. They have two gaited horses, an Icelandic horse named Morgunn and a Rocky Mountain horse named Sugar. See here for information on Icelandic horses and here for information on Rocky Mountain horses.
I have always wanted to ride an Icelandic horse. I've even entertained thoughts of taking one of those riding vacations in Iceland to do it.
Well, now I don't have to. lol. I got to ride Morgunn. What fun!! And I got to tolt!!!
Betty rode Sugar 
while I rode Morgunn. 
We rode around the corral for a while and then we rode out on the mesa for a little trail ride. 
Then Betty gave me the go-ahead to work him a bit. I asked him into a tolt and it was VERY nice although we didn't go very fast. Maybe I'll get to ride him again in an arena and then we can really open up with the flying pace. A long time ago I rode a Tennessee Walker stallion and we did the running walk. I think the tolt is similar because they are both four beat lateral gaits. Morgunn was a such gentleman for me. He's a sweetie too.
So is Sugar. Here's Lisa with Sugar.
So is Sugar. Here's Lisa with Sugar.Dan and Betty have a lovely southwestern style house in the exclusive little village of Corrales on the other side of Albuquerque. I loved the horse accents all around their house (see the light)
and the way their horses can come right up to the house. They keep an immaculate horse yard too; I didn't see any horse apples anywhere! Those horses are very lucky to have Dan and Betty as owners.
and the way their horses can come right up to the house. They keep an immaculate horse yard too; I didn't see any horse apples anywhere! Those horses are very lucky to have Dan and Betty as owners. We had a lovely meal of salads (loved that chicken salad) with creamy orange jello "stuff" for dessert (also a favorite of mine). :) Too soon, it was time to go because I had some more studying to do. But first, we stopped by the river so Lisa could plant a letter box and reminisce a bit. She told me about the great times she and her children had had by the river. I couldn't resist a few quick snapshots before we headed home to the other side of the mountains.
And if the homework brings you down, we'll throw it on the fire and take the car downtown - song: Kooks, artist: David Bowie, album: Hunky Dory
5 comments:
Good times, my friend! I was so happy seeing you having fun on Morgunn.
I hope you get to try out that Flying Pace next time, too.
Get those finals over so you can relax and breathe for a while :)
~Lisa
Riding a gaited horse is one of my lifetime goals. I just worry that I'll be so comfy in the saddle that I may never go back to Arabs. Those landscape photos have a lot of nice colors in them.
Oh yeah, and good luck with finals!
Lisa- great fun. We shall have to meet up for a group trail ride when you and Dan are riding again.
NM- I didn't do anything to the photos except 'auto correct' to brighten them a bit. It was late afternoon and the water always shows up with those gold hues. Most of my water photos tend to be around the same time of the day, lol.
I really like the way the branches show up in the last photo.
I'm with you, Val--Dan and Betty's house is wonderful. So is Betty's cooking, for that matter. I think we're all lucky to know them. And their horses--lucky critters indeed! Did you find any evidence of them peeling carrots for the horses? Inquiring minds want to know.
Really pretty pictures.
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