Never Make Plans and Unknown Black Dog...

I had another crazy exhausting weekend and one of my plans was to attend the Amwell Valley Trail Association's hunter pace last Sunday (10/5).  I prepared Liam all week for the pace and even gave him a mane pull to make sure he looks his best. 

It all started to go south and exhausting Friday night.  I wanted to get Liam's winter blankets to the laundry mat to wash and water proof them.  My husband tagged along with me to help.

Pile of dirty blankets

The dental office that my husband's aunt works at is right next to the laundry mat.  I can't believe a dental office is open till 9:30pm on a Friday night.  Just crazy in my opinion, but this is a little off topic... After I was done cleaning blankets, my husband and I grabbed pizza in the same strip mall and I we sent a text to my husband's aunt to see if she was working to stop in and say hello.  She was and we ended up talking in the parking lot until after midnight.

I had to work a full day the next day (Saturday) and be at work at 6am.  To say I got up tired is an understatement.  I got out to the barn late Saturday afternoon to ride Liam lightly and pack my tack in the trailer.  Saturday night I had a party with my husband's family that I was looking forward too.  Hense what we were talking about in the parking lot with my husband's aunt way too late the night before.  We ended up again staying out way too late at the party and not getting home till 11:30pm. 

I was already running on no sleep from the night before.  I need atleast 6 hours of sleep to function, I just need it.  When we got home I still had to get myself organized for the hunter pace.  Get my clothes together, pack a lunch, etc...  By the time I got into bed it was after 1am.  The alarm went off way too early at 6am the Sunday morning.  I rolled out of bed not happy at all, but got myself together.  The temperatures really dropped saturday night and Sunday morning was COLD!!!  ugh...

I arrived at the barn to wide eyed cold Liam.  He was actually shaking.  I brought him into the barn and he was wild!!! Spooking at things we walk past everyday.  We came around the corner and the pony was standing there and he spooked at her by rearing straight up in the air.  Okay Liam, you are going on the lunge line...  He was wild!!! Throwing the biggest bucks I have ever seen him do.

The bucks looked similar to this! 

By the time I got Liam down to planet earth and paying attention to me, also warmed him up, it was just too late for me to go to the hunter pace.  The pace was almost 1 hour drive away, and by the time we rode the pace, and drove back it would be too late for me to get anything else done that day that I had to do, like laundry and grocery shop,  boring mundane tasks, I know, but someone has to do them.  Also, I wanted to be done with everything at a decent hour, because I was just exhausted...  I asked my friend if she was ok with skipping the hunter pace and just going over the park.  Of course she said yes.

We had a lovey ride through the park until this unknown strange black dog just showed up along side of us.

Not the actual dog, but he looked very similar to this one. 

We had no idea where he came from.  We looked around for owners or someone trying to catch up to him and no one was around.  We went a little ways and he just went along with us.  My friend got off her pony to try to catch him but didn't have much luck.  He did have a collar on with tags.  She got back on and we continued on our way and the unknown black dog just stuck right with us.  Our best guess was that where he caught up to us was at the back of the park that has several boarding barns boardering the park.  We are guessing he came from one of those farms because he seemed to know the park and the trails and how to trail ride with the horses.  We came to the open field that had benches that I could use to get back on Liam.  No, I can't mount my beast from the ground.  Both my friend and I got off and tried to catch the black dog.  He would not come to us.  I really wish I had dog treats or something, but I didn't.  And then, all of a sudden, it was like he realized we weren't his people and took off in the direction we just came from.  Maybe heading home?  I don't know...  But we never did catch up to him or see him again.  I hope he made it back to his owner...

We finished up our ride and brought the horses home.  It was a really cold morning...  I was able to do the errands and things I needed to get done and still get to bed at a decent hour...

Lesson learned, I NEED TO STOP OVER BOOKING MYSELF.. 1 activity per weekend... That is it...