Yesterday's Warhorse "practice"

Friend Raph and Crystal have moved to their new place over in Preston (near Snoqualmie Falls). They invited a bunch of historic horse nuts over to work on gear and technique and view the new digs, so that's what we (Gordo, Bev, moi) did yesterday. Oh, and Bev got to try her new armor!

Here they are, suiting up. Note the cool lance arrette (sp) that she didn't even ask for, but the cool armorer in Brno (or somewhere else in Czech Republic) thought she should have.

Yes, Gordo needs gauntles and legs.... but he still looks cool.

No, Bev doesn't normally wear wellies with her armor.

Here comes cavalry season!

Spring is lurking in the shadows, and we know what that portends: tourney season! Little Honor had his first trail ride today (that's him on the left, the giant grey baby). Nobody died: yay! At 17.2(?) hands, he's the biggest baby I know. Now if his mommy can just find him a happy home...

It was so nice and balmy this morning I didn't even have to wear gloves in the woods! Meanwhile, I talked to some folks in Second Life (who live much farther East) who had to shovel snow this morning. I love the Pac. Northwest, thank you very much.

As you can see from the photo left, Woody's mane is growing in nicely from his "high & tight" cut last year. The sweet itch was bugging him so bad during the Summer that he'd rubbed his mane all raw in a couple of spots. Right before Faire Bev shaved it all off because it looked so ratty. This year we'll get him on an antihistamine so he doesn't suffer all season, poor baby. No itchy!!!

Gordon on Jaran, Woody's head in lower right corner.

trail ride 03-07
Bev describes Honor's canter...

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Awfully BRIGHT outside...

This is why we don't take off our snow tires until March or so...

The chickens hate the snow, and are all in the barn thank you very much.

The cats are mostly in the house. Beany hasn't gone out but maybe three times since October (she thinks she's delicate). There are Gimli tracks making a beeline for the barn as per usual. Eric made a foray, but even though he's a pretty large cat, the snow is just about up to his tummy. Very disquieting! He went directly to the dry spot under the awning where I feed the chickens in bad weather. He was waiting, I think, for the little brown birds to come clean up the spilled corn. They saw him sitting there and stayed in the lilacs. I went and picked him up and brought him back inside. Catz.

The horses were baffled: no place to roll! Woody rolled anyway and came up looking like a snow sculpture until he shook it off. It's really beautiful outside, and I wish I had a better camera with which to share it! Here's a snapshot of my little wattle fence project, anyway.