Sounds in Silence

Today did not work out the way I planned.

I was late getting to the barn, so I thought I'd missed my opportunity to ride. However, the appointment I was supposed to have got pushed to later in the afternoon and I was required to stick around for several hours which were going to be devoted to hunting for a stacking washer and dryer. Maybe tomorrow.

I let Ace out to romp with his friend Otero while I cleaned stalls. Then I sat under the tree for a while to cool off and watched the boys. The barn is in a residential area, set back from the main street by several hundred feet and two houses. It's relatively peaceful, except for an annoying pit-bull who lives in a neighboring house and has perfect timing as far as coming out and barking when I'm on Ace's back. As I sat in the quiet, I could hear the sound of the horse's teeth as they snipped off little bits of plants trying to grow along the fence-line. It was not a sound I had ever noticed before. Then I heard the sound of a bagpipe being played somewhere in the neighborhood. While never loud, I could hear it better in some parts of the yard other than where I was sitting.

I really like the sound of bagpipes. I rather wish it had been louder or closer.

Despite the heat, I put in an effort to ride and work on my position and his walk. Of course, the pit came tearing over to his fence and barked madly. Ace tried to take off, but I shut him down and then put him to work. He wasn't thrilled about the spray-down I gave him afterwards, but he put up with it and I soaked myself as well.

Eventually, Patricia from River Bottom Belles Equine Therapy arrived with her magic lights. I have no idea how or why this works--I think of it as "California woo-woo" medicine, but Ace gets really relaxed while wearing the hood and wraps as Patricia goes over him with additional sensors. He didn't even mind the flies. His eyes get really heavy and his lower lip hangs loose--unfortunately permitting the flies to crawl in, but he didn't care. He was incredibly well behaved and I even let him ground-tie for a bit. I expect there will be a difference in his handling tomorrow. There was the last time I had this done.

Tomorrow I will try to get to the barn by 7:30.