Metamora Wassailing Celebration

I think I've previously mentioned this, but I live just on the outskirts of a very horse-central town in Michigan. Their activities revolve around horses and it's like... magic for a horse crazy person like myself.

They have a Horse Celebration at the end of summer and have breed displays and draft pulls. There's a yearly barn tour of the fancy schmancy barns in the area. Pretty much the Metamora Hunt members are likely also the Metamora Chamber of Commerce members and so what they say goes and I'm totally okay with that. It's their thing.

Summer Hunt Pace with the Metamora Hunt 7.78 miles

What a weekend this turned out to be. The Pace was originally scheduled for Saturday. However, all day thunderstorms in the forecast had organizers postponing the ride to Sunday, instead of the previously mentioned postponment of the following weekend. This meant that a LOT of people were upset, especially the eventing crowd, because the Pace and the July Eventing Derby were now on the same day.

WOMP WOMP

It also meant that Alicia couldn't come with me since she works on Sundays. So I was left without a team. My plan was to get there early and hopefully snag a spot on an open team (You ride in groups of 2-4).

Well, I got there early (and drove past the eventing derby on my way) and registered and let them know I was a single rider. Then I went and got tacked up.

Gwyn was good to tack up, but then I started to leave and forgot my helmet. After retrieving it, I decided to use my tiny step stool and she didn't want to stand still and took off running across the hay field we were parked in. I hiked after her, found a better mounting block and got on there and rode to the start.  And just missed a group I could have ridden with.

Do you see that flagged tail? Someone thought she was an Arabian

Luckily, there was another person waiting for the rest of her group (she'd been dropped off since they only had a 2h trailer for 3 horses) to arrive. Her group rides regularly with the Hunt Club so it seemed like a good fit for me to jump in with and she was really nice!

So I hung out with Ashley and her gelding, who was super cute. The rain was misting and the promises of no rain on Sunday seemed to be fading, lol.

The Start and Finish

 So I totally forgot my helmet cam, which I was cursing because I remembered as I pulled in to park. But I had to get done fairly quickly since I had to also run into work in the afternoon and get there before 2:10p  (thanks boss who quit for NOT putting the samples in late like I requested...) So no pictures from the trail since Endomondo quits working if I take my phone out to take a picture.

It was really nice trail though, take my word for it? All greenery and most of it was under trees so we could hear the rain hitting the leaves but we weren't getting too wet. There were some sections on dirt road and on field edges and that's where we tried to go faster to get back under the cover of the branches.

Gwyn led the whole time at a 12min/mile pace (5 mph). There were two Sherry stops and the landowners had snacks for us as well. Gwyn shared my rice krispy treat and twizzler. I thought I was setting a reasonable pace, slower than I would go on an endurance ride. According to my riding buddies it was a "blistering fast pace" and they were amazed at how much ground Gwyn's trot covered. Haha, oops? She's a powerhouse and really moves out on the trail.

I practiced quiet cues for canter on the trail and made sure to ask for both leads. Gwyn was pretty good! I need to do this more.

Satellite with lap paces

Mile 6 was when we had our gallop and then mile 7 started off at the second sherry stop and included us slowing down on the Angel trail to count angel statues (31) for a chance to get another ribbon. 

A very wet horse (but not sweaty) 

"Is this it, Mom?"

We'll see if we got optimum time. Honestly, given what Ashley told me about how we went faster than how the Hunt usually goes, I might just start trying for fastest time if 5mph avg is SO FAST.   ( I am rolling my eyes here)  Alicia should be going with me for the Fall Pace so I'll see if she wants to try for that.

Probably the best part was since it was cool weather (mid 60s, overcast and rain) there were NO BUGS!! All in all it was a great day. I also gave Ashley and her horse a ride home so they wouldn't have to play leapfrog trailer. It wasn't too much out of the way since she boards at Matador Farm in Oxford. I drive past that farm every day after I drop Kaylee off at school.

6.31 miles on Jan 30

Organizing the media for this post has taken a bit of time. I had almost an hour of video footage that I cut down to 11.5 minutes. I probably could have cut it down more but, meh...

Last Tuesday I had the day off from work in my new part time/4 day schedule. I am a member of a plus sized rider facebook group and one of the members lives extremely nearby!  We decided to schedule a time to ride together since she works from home and has some flexibility mid week.

Her parents are landowners in the Metamora Hunt Club and she grew up here so she knows all the MHC trails like the back of her hand AND has permission to ride on them whenever.

Score. For. Me.

Gwyn loaded reasonably well. I did make my temporary fence around the trailer again, anticipating that the cold weather and wearing a cooler and generally being not normal conditions that I load her in would cause issues. She did try and spin and tear away but the fence was a good enough barrier and she self loaded after that.

Goober.

Honestly I think once she decides to get on she likes self loading because she doesn't have to worry about where I am in relation to the relative small space of the trailer. Once she's on if I feel her weight shift backwards I just have to put some pressure on her butt and she rocks forward and just stands. It's the "I'm gonna give you shit to see if you REALLY want me to load" crap that's the problem. And only at home. Otherwise? Self loader.

The roads were snowy and not the best so I took it slow with the truck. Right after I finished recording that first bit in the video I slowed down to turn into the friend's driveway and a fucking asshole went ZOOMING by me on the left as I was turning. So I'm braking, the trailer is still going because snow and I'm starting to jackknife thanks to the bastard who couldn't wait a minute for me to get off the road.

It's been almost a week and I'm still pissed off about that.  I've got a video compilation of clips and then some screen grabs. It all looks the same because it's fucking winter and there's snow. But New Friend has the most floooooofy icelandic gelding and he was just fucking adorable. He's for sale, btw, if you're looking for a great, stout little horse. I can get you in touch. He was a solid equine citizen the whole time.

Some road riding, which Gwyn was great for. Yay more good experiences!

FLOOFY

We were right by Kaylee's school at this point

Gwyn liked the Floof.

We rode through the Shenanigans Farms property to get to a pipeline that's partial trail and runs through New Friend's property too. Super icy on their private roads. 

The corner of Hosner and Oakwood is where Kaylee's school is. 

I really had a great time with her and I'm hoping we can get a few more rides in together before she leaves (She's moving to Germany at the end of April!)  I may have convinced her to try the endurance ride in April before she goes :D 

While it's super nice to be 'in the know' with someone about the MHC trails, it's even better to have a peer (she's just about my age) who's so close that I mesh well with. I was positively glowing all day Tuesday. I was fucking freezing cold but it was so nice to be out and about. I've already done more riding than this time last year and that's wonderful. I can keep this up and I won't feel so ill prepared for the first ride of the season.

I wanted to ride today (Sunday 2/4) but my body had other plans when I came down with a sudden stomach virus on Saturday into today. The temperature got up to 30F and it was just snowing and would have been amazing to ride in! Curse you, stomach virus!

9.1 Miles of Michigan Horse Country

On October 8 the Metamora Hunt Club held their annual fall Hunt Pace. It was my birthday weekend (yesterday!) and I'd be damned if I was going to miss this. I loved the ride last year and since my summer has become one canceled horse event after another I was NOT letting this one slip through my fingers.

The weater the night before was dramatic with the town tornado siren sounding an alarm, but the day of the pace itself was beautiful. A cold front had moved in and while it wasn't exactly cold (WTH, October?!) it wasn't ridiculously hot and was, imo, perfect trail riding weather.

Gwyn was a sassy brat and took 30 minutes to load. This is my fault. We haven't done anything all summer except the one xcountry schooling and unless trailer loading stays fresh, or I pen in the trailer, she makes it hard. I'm kicking myself for that. I finally had to recruit Eric and with just his physical presence as rear pressure she walked right on and stood quietly eating hay while we locked everything up.

I swear to glob, this mare...

So that's something to work on. 

I live 15 minutes from the pace. Sooo close!

It was held in a new location this year, and the trailers were parked in a huge field that also apparently is part air strip. We did not park on the actual air strip part.  There were already a ton of trailers when I arrived (fastest time went out at 9 am, I got there at 9:30) and there were many more that arrived after I did!

I managed to hook up with an endurance acquiantance who was coming with her sister and eventing friend. They didn't arrive until after 10 am so I left miss naughty pants on the trailer while I watched the goings on and filled out paperwork and gladly accepted some sherry.

My coordination was pretty perfect today!  I have a new to me saddle pad in turquoise with brown and cream trim, two horse tack bridle and breastcollar, purple bootcut Pipers, purple boots on Gwyn and a teal Kerrits coolfil type shirt. It's long sleeve but mesh? So you're protected from UV but breezes keep you cool!

I'm torn on the Pipers though. They're the bootcut and were on super duper sale. The kneepatches are extra long so you don't have to use half chaps. I tried to use half chaps but my zipper wouldn't move on the pair I had on hand so I rode without. I didn't chafe at all, so the breeches did their job. The fabric is nice, but they were SO long on me! Traipsing after an escaping Gwyn during loading had the bottom halves just soaked from the morning dew. My socks were also totally wet since my ariats are old and  no longer waterproof. Thank goodness the socks themselves were wool, otherwise I'd have been in trouble. Anyway, the pipers feel heavy when you heft them. I think it's from the silicone on the knee patches. They're comfty and soft enough to lounge in, but I think for endurance the pants themselves are like unnecessary weight. And I don't need more, just look at me, LOL.

But, the gear worked for the ride. So that's what's important and Gwyn doesn't seem sore, so that's even better!

There were multiple sherry stops and one or two water stops along the ride. There was even an accordian player!

Not much by way of fall color. It's been too dry.

That's Shannon on the gray Arab. She's part of the endurance community and I've seen her frequently at rides. I had just seen her at Metropark Express where I decided to volunteer and we had friended one another on facebook, which is how I learned she was coming to this!

Shannon's friend Danielle is on the pony HalfieX. She's an eventer who trains with the lady that I had my cross country lesson with! Small world :D We first met at Metropark Express where she did her first LD on her eventer.

Pretty farms.

Danielle taking a second shot at this jump. The first attempt involved a collision with a tree and an unexpected exit from the saddle.

The bay with the red ribbon is Shannon's sister. She was a load of fun!

Then we had a covered bridge obstacle! All of the obstacles were optional and it didn't matter if you did or didn't do them. We did the bridge and Gwyn was very good. Unsure at first because it was big, clompy and hollow, but once she was all the way on she went across confidently. Good mare, making up for earlier. Honestly, our only spook was when we went by a dead deer and she jumped sideways. Who could blame her? The scent was awful to ME.

Plastic booze glasses

Water crossing, again optional, but the horses all enjoyed the wade through the water.

Shannon and Danielle

Random statuary

Nearly done! This group was decent. But we were caught behind some walkers for a while who just would not let us pass. It was very frustrating for our group.

Some fall color on my way home.

And then, as icing on the cake, I still had to run into work (it was a very busy day). I took the kids with me so Eric could have some time to himself.

Sunset at our little farm. A great end to the day.

There should be 'pro' photos posted eventually. That will get its own post. Many people were smitten with Gwyn though she always gets called a 'he'...