A large number of people (ie - the Faubel's plus one) stayed in the bunk house where it was discovered there was a wandering Wifi signal (witness no less than FOUR computers popping out of bags). It was decided that driver's training would start tomorrow "whenever we get up". As I was leaving to go a trail ride in the morning, I tried to pin them down to a more specific time as I did not want to miss the festivities. Ten people of various horsey abilities, trying to catch 8 specific brown horses, in a 36 brown horse herd, on a 40 acre ranch is NOT to be missed.
After vague assurances I went to bed. I would like to take this time to point out that assurances such as, "I usually get up at 4:15am for work"...is generally NOT helpful when discussing what time you will be getting up the next day which is a SATURDAY.
After returning from my trail ride Saturday morning, I arrived to find (in typical CHAS fashion) that horses had been caught and it was now time for lunch. Mmmm.....In that time I had trailered my horse to the trailhead, tacked, ridden for 2.5 hours, untacked, fed, trailered back, unloaded........horses had been caught. I would like to point out on day 2, Jim Horton and I tacked five horses in fifteen minutes. By ourselves. Yes Mike, I know I messed up that one wheel horse tug thingy...what do you expect - it's wheel tack. The amazing thing isn't that I got it wrong, it's that I actually managed to LIFT it on the horse in the first place! A little motivation goes a long way - No fun with my teamster horses until the artillery team was tacked, was Dennis's word to me that morning.
During lunch the Fort Point Garrison Brass Band decided to do a little practicing. This greatly reduced every one's desire in the immediate vicinity to prolong their lunch hour, and shortly the horses were tacked up and ready to go.
As anyone can attest, the first time out for the year can be a little rough, which is why some slackers hid themselves away in various sheds and got "work" done.
This one is horizontal and it's only 3pm!
Don't worry.....the person below got his "just desserts" the next day....
BAAAHAHHHHAHAHAHAHA!!! (ahem...cough...cough...).
I am happy to report that the teamsters are ready to go for the season. Due to a lack of brake chains (even though I am of the opinion that brakes are a luxury - even a nuiscence - rather than a necessity.....) the ambulance was not up and running, however the breaking cart (ie "deathmobile") was in full service. Gunsmoke and Buttercup broke-in the teamsters right the first day. The new wagon team - Griddlecakes and Gringo - were hitched up the second day. Ummm....can I have those brakes now? Really really really good brakes? As many of you remember, Griddle tried to pull the ENTIRE artillery team when she was a lead horse. Can you imagine that power in a little cart?
Have you ever noticed that the only time you see the teamsters is as they gallop past the team, thumbing their noses and shouting insults? They appear "magically" tacked. There never seems to be any "issues" to work out, like on the artillery team. I'll let you in on a little secret. The teamsters (being the superior "brainy" sort of people) choose to do their tacking up behind sheds. Unseen. There's a reason for this. Unlike the artillery team, in which the trails and tribulations of tacking errors are in FULL VIEW of EVERYONE.....the teamsters are more reserved. So you did NOT witness the breaking cart...errr...falling apart when we got the brake chains the wrong length.....nor the almost wrecks when we had the pole too low (not ideal for making nice, clean turns.). If anyone saw what ACTUALLY went on, would have any passengers for my deathmobile....errr wagon?
After apple pie, we stood around the fire and had a great time swapping stories before collapsing into bed. It's going to be a great season folks!
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