Ride with Bush Babe
And then life somehow (against my intent) took over and took me away from my horses.
I went away to boarding school, riding only on my holidays.
I went away to university, and the holidays at Granite Glen grew less frequent.
I worked for a living in far-flung places and my rides became mere annual events.
And then, when I was pregnant with Dash, I sustained a serious knee injury which would put me out of a saddle indefinitely. Three knee reconstructions, and about 15 kg, later I am merely a spectator. I look after children, I take photos and I watch while others ride.
…
Then yesterday something happened.
I was meeting SSB and Pagi (my Dad) at the Hilton for morning tea with the kids in tow.
Dash and TLW decided they wanted to go in the truck with Pagi, delivering cattle to another paddock. And my Dad, in an offhand manner, suggested I could try riding his quiet mare (my beloved) Yvette. Help SSB.
And by chance I had my jeans (my old blue jeans) on…
And I said (a little nervously): ‘Sure… OK’. Why not?.
…
So I awkwardly clambered aboard (it was NOT elegant and my old pony club instructor would have been horrified!).
And SSB and I reined up and prepared to muster a paddock together.
I’ll let my snaps (from SSB’s little digital pocket camera) tell the story.
You up for it?? Then come ride with me!
See to the left of the dam? 
How you feeling knee? Up for some action?
Let’s go, girlfriend!
Walk along girls! … SSB will be back soon with the rest of the mob.
Quick aside for non-cattle-experienced readers as we ride along the road: This is a molasses licker – a tricky device to allow cattle to take in small (licked) amounts of urea (mixed with water and molasses which they love) in times of drought. It helps them digest the dry unpalatable grass they would otherwise leave. We are having a reasonable season so far this year, so it is not filled at the moment. If we are lucky (and we keep getting enough rain) it’ll stay unneeded for some time.
Here endeth the ‘molasses licker lecture’.
…
Back to the ride and my injured leg is feeling things a bit, but the rhythm of the ride, the subtle aroma of horse and leather, grass and sweet fresh air more than makes up for the niggle in my knee.
Aaaah… the heady combination of the views, the small adrenaline kick of just being here and getting my job done successfully, the feel of my horse beneath me, and the unexpected freedom of the ride… I remember now! I feel ALIVE!
You might think poking cattle along a road would be boring… but working with animals is rarely monotonous.
See that creamy heifer veering off from the back of the mob and looking for a piece of trouble (there on the left, above)...
Aha! Just as I suspected… looking for a bit of a scrap. Girls can be so bitchy at this age… Enough of the schoolyard shenanigans and back to the mob, please!
(Like how I say ‘please’? Manners make all the difference…)
And who have we here, just as the mob nears the yards?
All hot and handsome on a dripping-with-sweat steed? And three very out-of-breath dogs?
My SSB. Sweaty. Sexy. Bearded.
We push the heifers into a wire yard and close the wooden gates.
(Well SSB does and I admire the view. Yes, yes, the one beyond the gates as well!)
Cruel and Yvette have a well earned drink/swim.
(Dogs ALWAYS do this after a run – regardless of how cold it is! Crazy!)
And SSB counts the heifers through the next gate towards the dipyards. (Note the Hilton in the background). Job done, I slide off my patient steed after my much-awaited re-introduction to mustering, and do a personal stocktake:
Knee: a bit quivery but still in one piece.
Inner thigh muscles: aching very slightly.
Generally: Silly great grin on my face!
Horse: apparently no worse for the experience.
Thanks Yvette!
…
Hope you enjoyed the ride too!
11 Comments
Leslie
Crikey mate – does it hurt now? And not the knee either. I haven’t been on a horse since my oldest was 6 and I got him riding lessons for his birthday. Oh, and he’s 20 now.
I lived on a station for a little while when I was 13 and rode most days. I had a horse for a while when I was 12. I was besotted with them when I was a child.
Did you read all the horse series books when you were young? I still have mine and reread them. I have the whole collection of Monica Edwards books. Did you ever read those?
Bush Babe (of Granite Glen)
Leslie – knee is good. Butt recovering (nah, pretty good really, considering). And yep, I was into every single pony book imaginable. Not many have survived but I was right into “Misty” and “Stormy, Misty’s Foal” et al.
These days, its more Polo by Jilly Cooper (I know, I know!)
BB
Jenni
I’m glad you had a good ride and your knee held up. I’ve got a trick knee–no surgery or anything, but it can hurt badly at times after less strenuous activity. I was wincing while reading the story just thinking something was going to happen to your knee! Maybe this is a signal that you can start riding again now, even if it is not as often as you once did. I hope so!
Jayne
Good on ya!
Hope you give it another go again soon 🙂
debby
Thanks for taking the non-horse person along for the ride. I always wanted to be a horsewoman. It was fun to pretend that I was.
dykewife
i’m glad your knee was able to hold out through the entire ride. i wonder if a knee brace of some sort might help so you can do a little more active riding.
to quote a friend of mine whose horse i rode a few times…i ride like a sack of manure.
Karen
I love horseback riding. I haven’t been in about 5 years now, but I used to take lessons and everything. If I can ever get a moment away from my cherubs, I’m going to ask my neighbor if she’ll let me go for a ride on one of her horses.
Anonymous
Back in the saddle. Maybe your knee could get stronger with the exercise?
I love trailing cattle, very relaxing. Since you were riding your dad’s horse maybe I should slap some stamps on our Bunni’s butt and send her to you. She isn’t very tall, be easy to get up on!
Remudamom
steviewren
Hope you have recovered and feel like doing it again!
Bush Babe (of Granite Glen)
I see I have some riders amongst my visitors… you will have to forgive my style!
DW, my Dad always refers to the “slumping” style as “riding like a sack of potatoes” (perhaps he cleaned it up for me?).
SW, Jane and Jenni – thanks – recovered fine and hoping to clamber aboard again in the nearish future.
Karen – hope to see your efforts up on your blog soon!
Remudamom – you could… of course our quarantine is like fort knox after equine influenza. But nice thought!!
Debby – glad to bring you along. Of course, I failed to share the tender inner thigh muscles (who knew they still existed?) and the complete and utter unhorsewoman-like panic when Yvette stumbled.
🙂
BB
jeanie
Glad to see you back in the saddle, big sis!!
Isn’t she a redhead – the view from up there shows just how bright she is. Of course, now that ‘Salina is also in love with Yvette I may have to see how willing Pagi is to offer Holly…