Deerly appreciated

I was hand walking my injured horse when I heard a friend ask, "Do you want to go on a trail ride?"

The question seemed like it was addressed to me, but I knew it wasn't. It's been a long time since I had a horse who could go down the trail. No one asks me anymore. 

I listened wistfully as my friends made their ride plans. 

I thought, "I miss that."

Also, "I miss those trails."

The next day, I brought Piper to the barn with me.

She watched as I took care of Sage.

Then we hit the trail.

We walked alongside the golf course, past the no-longer-red tree, down to the stream, along the path and finally, back to the barn.

It was a nice walk, but nothing special.

We were just about to turn down the alleyway when I heard a twig snap. I looked up, and right there in front of us was a deer.

He was so close!

I took a couple big steps backward and pulled out my camera.

Piper was completely nonplussed. When I say this dog has zero prey drive, this is what I'm talking about.

We hung out with the deer for a little bit.

Then we carefully made our way around the corner and walked back to the barn.

What had started out as a pleasant semi-suburban stroll ended as an almost-trail-ride experience.

Thank you, little friend! I needed that.

Walking my dog

All summer long, people asked me what I was going to do after Dover. I told them, "I'm going to ride my horse."

And I did ride her, quite consistently, for a while, but not recently.

Note: This is not the leg that was in the bucket earlier this month.

Sigh. Giiiiiiirl. Why?!!

So how am I filling my time now that I'm not riding?

I'm walking my dog, of course!

This is not exactly a new activity. Like all my dogs, Piper's always had a lot of walks.

However, for most of that time, those walks were old lady walks, short and slow.

After Emma died, I started making a concerted effort to get Piper out and about more often.

Without Emma, there was no need to limit ourselves. 

Almost immediately, our walks got faster.

Our walks got longer.

Our walks got funner.

Sometimes we're joined by Seth...

or Tang.

More often than not, however, it's just Pipes and I.

Somewhere along the way, I started posting walk photos on Facebook with the caption "morning/afternoon/evening walkies."

Surprisingly, this added to the fun factor.

Now, as we walk, we're always on the lookout for new and interesting photo opportunities.

Somedays, it's beautiful nature pictures.

Other times, it's construction...

and urban decay.

Piper really doesn't have a preference.

She'll pose with anyone...

and anything.

Except Sage, of course.

"Still not my sister, Mommy."

We don't go every day - the time change has made things harder - but more days than not.

I can't speak for Piper, but these walks are everything for me right now.

Good girl, Piper. Where are we going to go tomorrow?

Masks R Us

It's the second week of November, but Sage is still wearing a fly mask. It's her eighth of the season.

It's pretty beat up, but that's okay. We're threw the worst of it now. Our nights are colder, the bugs are fewer and slower. By the time this one really truly gives up, she shouldn't need another.

Fly masks aren't typically one of the more interesting aspects of horse care, but eight is so many.

one mask did not last long enough for a single photo

It's possible, I've written a number of posts - both here and on Facebook - lamenting the carnage.

After one of these missives, Carra McClelland offered to send me an extra mask. Of course, I told her that would be great.

A week or so later, I received a mystery package from Amazon.

It was a fly mask. Even though it was new and could not have belonged to Cooper, I assumed it was from Carra. I sent her a thank you and promptly forgot about it.

Then a couple days later, I got another package. 

This one was definitely from Carra, and it contained another fly mask.

So who sent the first one? At first, I was very confused. Then I thought about it for a minute and realized it had to be Carol. I sent her a message, and she confirmed that she was, in fact, the anonymous gifter.

Thank you, my friends!

Keeping a horse like Sage in fly masks is a community project! This year's fly season is nearly done, but I'm sure these masks will be used and abused in 2027.