Hot ride this morning

It was hot sunday also, never trust the weather forecast that says the temps will be moderate when you live in Colorado. Sunday I rode about 7 miles. Shade did pretty well but was feeling the heat for sure. Today we did about 5 miles. I did extra hill work, I just love cantering up the hills. Shade was a trooper and felt balanced and strong. Ole enjoyed the section we did alongside the irrigation ditch and back. He took multiple dips.

Sunday was redneck fun. --while we were going along the irrigation ditch a mile to the next road and back some folks from the area drove up to corner where there is a sand bump to discourage driving the last .4 miles to the ditch (4 wheelers from ATVs to SUV's just love going over the bump and down the sandy hill.) But these folks just had a minivan so they walked to the ditch to splash in the water. I was surprised to see people splashing, especially since they had to walk thru the sand to get there and were going to have to walk back up the sandy hill to their minivan. Shade acted like wet kids were horse eating aliens LOL, I made her go past them on the road though so we could do our extra mile. I got down and sponged her off in an extra shallow spot --thought she might get brave and get a sip to drink but she was not interested in getting close enough to even spit in the water. Ole took advantage of the shallow spot to cross the ditch and chase around in the prairie dog town on the other side. I had to double back to that shallow section and call/leave/double back and call again to get him to leave his dogs amusement park and come back across the ditch and home with me.

The pesty stray dog has not been back. Perhaps someone where I took it 'back' WAS home the 2nd time and was just ducking me; as I did not get around to taking any other actions to notify any owner that the dog was headed to the pound next time; but I think I said out loud (but my voice is not very strong, ever) to the dog that I didn't know if he lived there but if he showed up in my yard again I was calling animal control before I drove off. We have been good about keeping Ole on his tire tie-out when he is outside while we feed horses or whatever. Saturday I was quite lazy but my one project I did was braiding some twine where I had just had a single strand. I was worried the twine would break + I made it longer and its easier for me to move the tire for Ole now. Someday we will get a harness for Ole or a find an extra lightweight tire so that he can move more easily but will be enough to deter him from ducking through the back fence. Actually I kind of want to have 'more' fence before I work to make it easier for Ole to get around. He is adapting well to being tied and I am so much more at ease knowing he cant slip off.