After spending six days in the saddle at the Ranch, I wanted to try to continue my happy streak as much as I could – even though I was back to work.
So on Sunday, despite warnings of high heat and heavy smoke (due to fires in the area), I got up early to snag the Finnster and go for a light ride.
Me: Hey Finny, wanna go get some blackberries?! This is the time of year!
Finn (practically putting on his halter himself and charging towards the trailer): HECK YEAH!
Me: OK, Buddy! We are going to have a juicy good time! Those trails oughtta be lined with sun-baked berries!
Finn (hopping into the trailer and drooling): I’M READY, HUMAN, DRIVE!
And so we were off!
I was proud of myself for getting such an early start. I knew Finn was excited. I was excited. I really wanted to feel Finn after having ridden Sky.
As an aside: Finn is gaited, Sky wasn’t. I actually prefer trotting horses to gaited horses due to my short little oompah loompah legs. The gaited horses move my hips in a big way and I’m usually more sore after a long ride with a gaited horse than I am with a trotting horse. Having said that, Finn isn’t the best gaited horse out there (ahem – don’t tell him I said that…) so he is pretty comfy all the way around.
I also wanted to feel my own saddle (Yay!) after that gawdawful one at the Ranch… OK, I’m sure it was a fine saddle for the horse but it didn’t fit my bum AT ALL and I never could get the balance quite right.
Anyway, I was excited and ready.
C’mon Human, let’s go, let’s go!
THE TRAIL
We made it to our trailer parking area and we got our favorite spot. Yes!
The smoke wasn’t visible (although I could smell it) and it wasn’t blistering hot yet.
We tacked up fast and headed out for the BERRYORGY!
Finn was excited and did his best Daniel Boone imitation as he pointed out all the berry bushes along the way.
“How about that bush?” Finn was doing his Daniel Boone imitation as he hunted for blackberries.
Finn: HOW ABOUT THAT BUSH? IT LOOKS GOOD…
Me: I don’t see any berries on it… those are all dried up already… let’s find some that aren’t in the sun.
Finn: Ohhhhh. OK. I can hold on a bit longer.
And so we walked. And walked. And walked.
It was becoming apparent that harvesting time had come earlier this year.
“What about that bush? I’m sure it has berries!” Finn was becoming desperate.
I didn’t know how to break it to him.
Me: Ah, Finn…
Finn: Yes.
Me: Well, it seems like the berries are all gone.
Finn (becoming a bit hysterical): WHAT?! NO BERRIES? NO BERRRRRIES?!!! C’MON HUMAN.
Me: I’m sorry. I’m no Johnny Almanac. I didn’t know they would be all gone.
Finn: ALL GONE?! WHO ATE ALL THE BERRRRIES. WAAAAAAAAAAH. HUMAN, GET ME SOME BERRIES! I’M JUST GONNA STAND HERE UNTIL YOU DO.
He wouldn’t move.
So, I got off.
Me: Do you see any berries?
Finn: I can smell them. Same diff.
Me: No, not the same. You are smelling crushed berries and old berries.
Finn (racing over to a big blackberry bush): How about in here?! I know there are some in here. There have to be!
The bush of Finn’s final, desperate attempt. There had to be berries in this huge bush, there had to be!
Me (dismounting and wading into the prickly bush): Do you see any? I don’t see any.
I found some measly, mostly dried up berries and one or two choice pieces left over from the birds who must have eaten them all.
Me: There. I found a few.
Finn (slurping them up in one bite). Thfts sit? Thfts awl you gots.
I gave him the few berries I could scrounge and he slobbered all over my hand – in anticipation.
Me: That’s all she wrote. I’m sorry. Do You See Any More?
Finn: Huh? Wha? Well… no, I don’t see any more, but I smell them.
Me: Yup, the smell you smell is old.
Finn (snorfelling): really?
Me: Hate to disappoint you, buddy, but they are all gone.
Finn (dejected): ok. now what.
Me: Here, have a piece of my apple.
Finn: OK!
And so it went. I took my famous Berry Hunter out on a Berry Seeking Mission and we failed.
Broke my heart and his, too.
But… he was very smooth and the saddle was GREAT! ;)
Dejected Finn, appeased by the apple but sad to have missed this year’s berry harvest.
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Awe! Poor Finny!