Horsing Around, Part 2

Yesterday, I did indeed ride Cupcake—for about 15 minutes in the pasture. Even though she's only 15.1, I still had a problem getting on. Given age, weight, and health issues, I couldn't raise my foot high enough to mount, even with the step-stool. Cupcake stood like a rock, though, so I can't fault her. With some help from John and my friend Kathy, I sort of climbed up the saddle. Then Cupcake and I tooled around the pasture for about 15 minutes.

At 27, Cupcake still has her power steering, still works off the leg—and is still slow. The slowness I do not mind, although I did back in our show days of the 1980s. Slow is fine now. I've slowed down a lot myself in the last couple decades.

Cupcake's main problem yesterday was excessive whinnying. Cousin Mary had already mounted 16-hand Melody (Mary is younger and more agile than I am) and had taken off down Bar Ridge Road to the farm. At almost 19, Melody still has a lot of go—so she went. Cupcake, who'd been grazing in the front pasture, didn't see her pasture mate leave.

It wasn't until I'd called Cupcake in, tacked her up, and returned to the front field to ride that Cupcake realized she'd been left behind. So she whinnyed. And whinnyed, etc. We're talking loud whinnying here. Every time she whinnyed, she sort of vibrated. Remember those mechanical horses that cost a quarter per ride. That's how she felt. Interesting ride.

Later, after I'd untacked Cupcake, Mary and Melody returned. Both mares were reunited, and no doubt compared notes about their experiences. Then Mary drove down the road to see if her own horse was rideable. If so, she'd ride by later.

Turns out that Doc, her old Quarterhorse gelding was indeed rideable, so Mary returned about the time John was leaving on his tractor to move round bales at the farm. For a moment, it looked like a parade on Listening Hill Road:


Then Mary and Doc went one way and John and tractor the other. The parade was over.


And this as good a stopping place as any.