Through thick and thin - blazing our trail on a beautiful Christmas Day

Without family in the US Christmas is a quiet time for us. We enjoy spending it with our four-legged family. First I took Ziggy out for a spin through the woods, then JP and I took the boys for a trail ride. It was a beautiful sunny day, what better than to celebrate in nature?

Ready for take-off

Thankful for all the blessings on this beautiful Christmas Da

Nature put some stumbling blocks into our way, however. A tree had come down across the trail and there was no good way to go over (too high) or around (dense underbrush and vines). It was either turning around or blazing our trail. I got off Remy, leading him through the maze and hoping he wouldn't get tangled up and panic. While I stumbled around Remy followed me calmly and we made it to the other side. Chambord's self-preservation was on a bit of a higher alert, he had to think about it a bit more but then he gamely followed JP. What good boys!

While we were blazing our trail on Christmas Day I was thinking of my dad, and how fitting this is:

Navajo Night Chant:

I am walking on the tops of the Mountains

The Gods are before me

The Gods are behind me

I am walking in the midst of the Gods

My favorite oak tree

Hand me the safetey googles - and Merry Christmas

It's been unseasonably warm, with temps up to the 50sF. Great for trailriding! Not so great for grooming... As soon as the clothes (winter blankets) came off the boys had nothing better to do then grinding themselves into the wet ground. Yuk!

I am keeping Remy's tail braided, it's so thick that otherwise it would be a tangled mess, requiring gallons of conditioner to brush it. But talk about grooming the rest: It required safety goggles, otherwise I would have had to ride 'blind' due to clouded and itchy contact lenses. After we transferred the dirt from the horses to us we were off to a lovely hack through the woods.

Entry into Kensington Park

Now we are preparing for a quiet Christmas Eve.  I have so many fond memories of Christmas' past, hiking the woods with Emil, with a stop for his home-brewed Schnapps ("here, try this, it's with Blood Root*") at the hunting lodge. And JP dreams of Mutti's wild boar roast in red wine sauce with home made Spaetzle (noodles) and mushrooms. I also met JP's family for the first time at Christmas, so many years ago, in Paris. Again, so many fond memories.

We are counting our blessings and toast to the memories with my favorite champagne (thank you, Stephanie!), and trade the wild boar for lobster tails (sorry, JP, I'm no Mutti - wild boar is not on my kitchen radar). And we do have a supply of Emil's Blutwurz-Schnapps!

Merry Christmas!

*Blutwurz is a brandy made from the root of the plant common tormentil (Potentilla erecta), which derives its German name (blood root) from the color of the juice that emerges when the root is cut. The root provided a traditional anti-inflammatory medicine.

Not according to plan - and a 'kick in the pants' speech

I had been very much looking forward to a dressage lesson with Laurie - alas, it wasn't meant to be. Remy had a severe reaction to his vaccinations. We thought it would be better if he got the injection in his gluteals (instead his neck) but I hadn't thought that one through. He got the shot in his left side, which is his tighter side already. Like 90% of the horses, Remy is RF/LH, meaning he is tighter in his right front and left hind. So, he should have gotten the vaccines in the right hind. Although he would probably have been sore there, too, he might have worked out of it better.

So all in all it took two (!) weeks for him to be able to move freely again. And when we took him to Berwyck for our lesson on Saturday, moving freely he did... kicking up his heels, bucking, and having a jolly good time. I contemplated not getting on as I didn't feel like a having a rodeo ride, but after 20 minutes of trotting and cantering on the longe line Remy settled down a bit. He still felt "up", but was rideable, and we managed to have a good ride.

If I wouldn't have needed the vaccinations for his trip to Florida I wouldn't have done it, that's for sure. Even though we already took Rhino-Flu out to be given later, it was not good at all.

And speaking of Florida - JP gave me a major kick in the pants (figuratively, of course!) today. After talking with Mutti I've been teetering on the brink of canceling (again). My parents house is now sold, and she has to be her new apartment by mid February. That gives Michael, Remy (the two-legged one), and me time to clear out the house before handing the keys to the new owners on March 1.  The apartment is available January 15. My plan is/was to fly to Germany at the beginning of February, after Remy (the four-legged one) is settled in. So now Mutti panics about moving, wants me to come earlier, and the horse shipper doesn't even now if they'll have enough horses to ship in January. Ugh!

All this resulted in another dinner conversation about not going to Florida - up and until the point where JP had enough and I gave me a good and swift (OK, maybe not so swift, I 'had' to cut him off) kick in the pants. Yep, he is super supportive and wants me to go, and yep, I can do it all, and yep, Mutti will be fine. Pass the wine, please!

Right out of JP's "Kick in the Pants" speech

No rider required - and 'with a little help from your friend'

Remy and I joined JP and Chambord in their lesson with Lisa. Or should I say "Remy joined...". Before mounting in the indoor I took my jacket off and fumbled with my gloves. Remy is usually very good patiently standing next to me while I'm shedding some layers.

This time apparently it took too long: Remy eyed the course that just had been set up, started to trot, and then happily cantered over some of the gymnastics. Obviously, no rider required!

Yesterday was "Dental Day" for the boys. I had noticed that Saumur seemed to prefer the soft 2nd cutting hay over his pellets, nothing glaringly obvious, but just not totally right. And at his ripe old age of 25 tooth issues are to be expected. So, with our vet/dentist running a 10% off special in December for dental work I made the appointment for all four of them. Chambord and Teddy got off with just an exam, "Chambord has perfect teeth", but Saumur and Remy needed some adjustments.

How much Saumur needed the appointment was obvious when Dr. DeWitt found a lingual slab fracture. Rotting food particles behind the broken area made for quite the smell. Out came the offending large piece, with quite a bit of blood. It was almost 'instant gratification' - once Saumur's mouth was rinsed he seemed much happier, and after the mild sedation wore off he tore into a humungous carrot with gusto.

Remy had to have some sharp points and hooks smoothed out. Chambord, always at his side, provided emotional support:

I wish I had such great emotional support when I'm at the dentist!

"It is not so much our friends' help that helps us, as the confidence of their help when in need" (Epicurus) -
Dec. 10 Adventskalender Stephanie