Sunday Sleigh Ride

This afternoon we went riding sleigh with our horses, Jasmine and Golden. They are beautiful Belgians. Actually, Jasmine is a Belgian and Golden is a Belgian mix. Just the same, they are such a sight to see. We loaded them in the trailer and brought them up to the trails we like to use. We did hit one drawback, the sleigh we were going to use was frozen in the ground because of the rain we had since we used it last. It worked out well anyhow because Hubby used his axe to chop the ice away. Once Hubby got the horses harnessed up and hitched to the sleigh, the boys had their sleds already hooked to the back and were ready and waiting. Then we were off!

The boys love sledding behind the sleigh, throwing chunks of snow at each other, throwing themselves off, and dodging the “prizes” that the horses tend to leave behind. It’s so peaceful just sitting behind the horses, listening to their soft “clip clop” in the snow and the crunch of the sleigh rails sliding on the path. Jasmine, who is about 10 years old now, is more experienced with pulling a sleigh, Golden, however, is about 3 years old and is still learning the ropes. I watched as Jasmine’s ears were constantly turned towards us to listen to Hubby’s instructions and praise while Golden’s were more attentive to what was going up ahead of him. He was also skittish today, too. He wanted to change to a gallop and run through the trails and up the hills. Fortunately, Hubby has a commanding voice and knows what to do in these times, so Golden was controlled and we continued to enjoy our ride.

I love to look around at the trees and footprints in the snow. As we began our ride, I saw a large black bird, which I assuming was a crow, flying above us with lichen in his beak. I watched as he landed at the top of a tree. Perhaps he’s sensing that spring is coming and is preparing a nest for his new family. I usually hate crows; their squawking (CAW! CAW!) in the early mornings while I’m trying to sleep, their picking at our garbage left at the side of the road for the weekly pickup, and their boldness when they won’t get out of the road until you’re about to bump them. Yet, I have to admit, they’re pretty intelligent, considering. Watching it fly above with the lichen in his mouth, I felt an appreciation for that crow, no matter how much I dislike its kind.

At the end of our riding, everyone was ready to be done, except for the boys, of course. They could have gone on forever, so it seemed. Even the horses were willing to walk into the trailer without any coaxing. They are so adorable with their green blankets on. The color is a nice contrast to their honey-colored coat and flaxen mane. Jasmine and Golden were ready for a rest, plenty of green hay, and refreshing water. By the time we turned the truck and trailer around to head home, they were already at the barn and eating. They turned to watch us as we drove by. Golden already had a mouthful going. Such a great way to end the weekend.