Thursday, February 26, 2009

The mating call of the Terror Bird

Yeah, I did it again. Earlier this week I mentioned to someone how Champ is completely bombproof, so today he proved me wrong.

I've been (of course) super busy with all the little stuff to arrange to move. Today was the first day I actually got to spend time with my horses. At least it was a lovely day, about 60 and overcast when I went out.

I saddled my reluctant gelding and we moseyed away down the trail. All was going pretty well until the mating cry of the terror bird, when he spun 180 degrees and tried to bolt. I spun him back around and he JIGGED down the trail. He actually jigged! He never jigs; it's entirely too much work, but damn if he didn't do it today.

In case you were wondering, Terror Birds sound a lot like ducks or something. I don't know much about birdcalls, but no NORMAL bird could've freaked out my dearest Champ like that.

Anyway, we rode everywhere I wanted to go and made it back safe. Then I worked with Dixie a bit - picking up feet and letting me groom her without dancing around like I am stabbing her. She did very well!

Moving:
Found a new barn, very near where we're going to get an apartment, reasonable rates. Found (thanks Paige!) a shipper, waiting to hear back when they can fit me in. Got a crapload of boxes and all of our nonessential stuff is already boxed. (Not that most of it ever got UNBOXED, but whatever.) U-haul is reserved, for what that's worth.

Tomorrow or Monday I'll get health certs and rabies shots for the horses. The vet recommended Benadryl instead of Valium for the cats, and god knows I always have benadryl on hand. I need to meet up with Stephen and dispose of the rest of the stuff in our shared ministorage. He said he'll build me a box for the tv, too - we don't have the original box for the TV, and it's a big ole widescreen LCD HD TV. Hard to pack it without scratching it or breaking the whateveritis that makes the pixels light up. And tomorrow my new spare tire winch thing should come in, so I can install that and get the damn spare tire out of the bed of my truck. FINALLY.

I think I am going to cancel my lesson on Sunday. I haven't done jack with Dixie and I don't know if I even have time to ride her tomorrow or Saturday. My mind isn't really on dressage right now.

4 comments:

  1. The TerrorBird!! Ghastly threat to horses; often sounds like a duck, or a goose, or even a little sparrow. We have them in these parts too.

    Best wishes on the move. Moving is hell. Even staying in Hell is preferable to moving out of it. JMO.

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  2. The Terror Bird is common in these parts. I have never spotted one, but I hear they have HUGE talons.

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  3. Hahah, Flying Lily, I think I agree!

    DP, I'm sure Raven would agree that Terror Birds are the natural enemy of horses. The only safe thing to do is run, and I clearly risked both of our lives yesterday.

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  4. So to what city exactly are you moving specifically? I may or may not have the inside dirt on whatever barn you're heading to.

    And damn the terror birds! They are sending evil powers to inanimate objects here in CT, namely funny looking curbs on the side of the road which warrent huge leaps and big snorts.

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