trail ride

So proud of my girl! The weather was supposed to be glorious on Saturday, so barn owner and I made a trail ride date. Miss Mare loaded like a champ into the unfamiliar trailer and stood for quite a bit while her less-experienced companion let us know he wasn't too sure about loading up. She stood quietly tied to the trailer while we tacked up, no dancing around or hollering.

She was great about letting me get on from the little stepstool, and then we were off.

She was content to walk in front or behind, kept to a walk on a loose rein when asked, calmly trotted to catch up when necessary.

In order to get to the trail we wanted to go on, we had to cross a big long suspension bridge. Both horses were adamant that they were NOT going to be the first to set foot on it. Barn owner hopped off and led her gelding across, but Pearl was still not about to step on it. I got off and she followed me just like she would if I were leading her at home, and stood for me to mount her from a fallen tree on the wrong side. The bugs were pretty bad when we were walking through the woods or by the tall grasses but she didn't offer any funny business. 

We took the path less traveled and found ourselves in a humongous field, all the better for cantering in.

We cantered down to the end, heard a dog barking and realized someone's property was on the other side of the treeline, so we cantered the length of the field back to the path. Pony kept her cool during the canter but was not so keen on stopping, so we made a little circle up a hill and she regained her listening cap.

We finished up the loop and made our way back to the trailer. Of course we had to cross the oh-so-scary bridge again. Neither horse would set foot on it first under saddle, so barn owner dismounted again and this time P was happy to follow him across without me having to get off. 

 Note: having two good-sized horses on a long skinny suspension bridge definitely increases the swaying factor, and we were feeling a little drunk by the time we reached solid ground.

We took another loop that went around the quarry lake

and found a nice grassy path to canter along

She did take advantage of my one-handed distracted steering and spooked at a patch with a little different footing, but no harm done. We finished up the loop, including a little bridge that garnered no drama

and then we took a slightly different path back to the trailer so as to avoid crossing the parking lot. We had a little bit of fussing from both parties about crossing through a boggy portion of trail, but made it through eventually. The bugs were getting bad and pony's headtossing earned her a minor wardrobe malfunction

 which her mean mommy thought was super hilarious

She didn't seem bother by it at all, so we just left it til we got back to the trailer. We untacked, loaded right up (on the second try)

and headed home.


I have no idea when the last time she went on a trail ride was, but she kept her cool and took everything in stride. I am so proud of this mare and lucky to be a part of her life.

rainy day

Owing to some brief but intense rain, Wednesday was definitely in indoor day. Today was also a tack change day. I've toyed with the idea of using a figure 8 noseband on the princess and finally got it cleaned/oiled up enough to use. I am hoping that it'll provide a little more stability to the bit, as that might be a factor in her fussiness with contact. Her owners have also discussed trying out a running martingale on her, as she does get into a bit of a headtossing habit, particularly when jumping. I'm hoping that the martingale will give her a little reminder not to stick her head in my lap. In case it presented any problems, though, I wanted to test it out on a non-jumping day.

The rain was pretty loud on the arena roof but she barely noticed. It's the little things that make me realize she's really been mislabeled as a crazypants; she just needed a little faith I guess. We did plenty of circles/ turns, gathering/loosening of the contact, etc. at the walk to get her accustomed to the new garb

Then we started out trotting on a longer rein and picked up the contact as we went along.

Canter was a bit exciting but nothing goofy. I experimented again with giving her a looser rein, then gathering it up and vice versa and she seemed to take it in stride.

Walk break, reverse, more walk and trot to break up the pattern,

 then canter the other direction

Then some more walk/trot transitions, a trot on a loose rein, walked out and gave her a good grooming.

pretty in pink

Had a friend visiting from Colorado for the week, so Tuesday she braved the humidity and went out to the barn. It was a bit hot but not too bad. The footing in the arena looked a little soggy from the rain the night before so we started out in the indoor, but after we did some trotting around the barn owner came along and told us the outdoor would be OK, so we went outside. Pony was good about walking through the various gates while mounted, not that I anticipated a problem but ya never know when horses will have some weird neurosis. Friend and I later realized that the camera was on manual focus when I'd told her it was on auto so most of the pics are a bit blurry.

We'd already warmed up pretty well inside so we did just a bit more trot work and then had a walk break before cantering. The deeper footing seemed to have pony a bit more focused on where her feet were/her way of going and not just go-go-go at the trot but she was a bit fresh at the canter, probably from not being turned out much over the weekend due to rains and not being worked Monday. So, we focused more on work within the canter itself rather than doing lots of transitions, which tend to get her fired up. I do want to do more transition work at another time because a) prompt yet calm upward transitions and smooth downward transitions are something I'd like to get a little better instilled before she goes back into the school program, and b) she needs to grow a butt, but I didn't want to turn it into a battle that day.

We had a brief walk break before doing canter work the other direction and while she was good at the walk,

once I picked up the reins to get ready to canter again she wanted to anticipate.

Kind of a duh moment--of course we all know horses anticipate things once they get into a routine--but not something you really think about until you're the sole rider of a horse for a time and you realize you tend to do things in the same order. So, we did some more trot work 'til she calmed down, and then more canter. Must remember to mix things up in the coming weeks.

Then we did some trotting on a long rein to start our cooldown,

then walked out in the arena, untacked, and gave her a shower. Then we took her down the road for a snack and some asshattery

Then she decided she wanted to play the I'm-going-to-spook-at-nothing-and-gallop-circles-around-you game, so she had to stand respectfully for a bit and then we put her home.

Brought along a long-time best friend today.

I couldn't get out yesterday due to traffic, and the pastures were closed from the rain as well, but Ms. P at least did go out in the indoor for a couple hours yesterday. She hadn't gone out yet today though, and was a bit fresh, especially considering the lovely cool weather.

A little quick at the trot but not awful by any means.
I swear I'm not yanking on her mouth here, she just gets fussy and pulls faces, especially when she is fresh.

Canter was a bit more apparent that she was feelin' good, she certainly wasn't about to take off or anything like that but if I didn't remind her every step (particularly on the long sides) to take it easy she would build up pretty fast.

Walk break in between, little trot to make sure we still have our wits about us. If we go canter-walk break-canter she gets a little yahoo

Then a nice trot on the buckle. If we'd tried to do this this spring, we'd have ended up galloping.

All done

Untacked, etc, then put her in the indoor to hang out a bit. She needs her whiskers done! I will have to see if anyone there has a clippers I can borrow.

I am also working to clear up her thrush, I've been using thrushbuster every few days or so since she got here and it is about gone. I'm going to start spritzing her feet with apple cider vinegar every day and then the thrushbuster every few days until it clears up, but then keep going with the ACV after that. Thrushbuster's too darn expensive to use every day!

no dice

Highway flooding means too much traffic for pony

too hot for tack!

Since I'd worked her the day before and she had been out that morning I decided we'd forego work for the day and just chill bareback. We did a nice long walk warmup, then some trotting. Note to self: oil-based fly spray is a little slippery underneath breeches We did some trotting, I tried to post as much as I could. Wish her mane was a little longer, heh heh. Then we cantered some, I kept it short due to the heat but we did a bit more than a lap both ways just to prove I could do it. She was a little more hesitant about picking up the canter than usual, probably wondered what the hell I was doing up there, but she was fine maintaining it. Then we had a nice walk to cool out

Then hosed her down, and took her to the snack bar

pretty in blue

Another awfully warm day. I'd better start writing things down sooner; I am far too forgetful for my own good. Clearly she was not memorably bad. Although I do remember a bit of airplaning round the corners at the canter.
Ear shot, because how can you not

Body shot

And then today our people left, so I dragged my dad to the barn after we dropped them off at the airport. Mare was a doll as always. It was also nice and cool, about 75, which was a welcome change. We w/t/c very nicely, no rushing although weird thing I seem to be making her do--she does like to sort of tilt her head out and body in in either direction--not really a counter bend but just sort of bulging in. She did it both ways so I don't think it was her/me preferring one side so much as general pilot error. I tried to really concentrate on keeping my body straight and sort of softening the side of me closest to the rail and guiding her into it...bad explanation, not sure what I'm really trying to say but it seemed to work.

We also jumped a little bit--first time at this place. We just trotted/cantered a little angle X, then did a little X to a teensy weensy vertical. She did jump much quieter than she had been at school, but she still has kind of a hard jump to ride. Takeoff is fine but then she'll sort of pop her back and that makes the landing difficult. Poor thing probably is bored by my weenie jumps She did get a little, erm, excited cantering the line and we had a bit of a moment. She doesn't really buck so much as plunge her head and neck down hard, and my weakling self has to try to stay upright. We trotted the line again after that and I was able to head off any misdemeanors. Then we called it a day and went for a little walk down the road, then shower time.

A video compilation of the day


Then we shared an apple 'cause we're cool like that


And she tried to get apple goo all over me


But she's still my good girl

I had relatives in so I didn't get much of a chance to ride this week. I got out on Sunday and it was pretty hot, so we did a light w/t/c--she was pretty fresh from not being ridden for 3 days. Not really bad or anything though, just very go-go-go, and I wanted to take it easy considering the heat. After she settled down a bit I decided we would go for a baby hack up the road. The road leading to the barn is very quiet, and once you make the turn onto it it doesn't intersect anything else for about a quarter mile (property is at the end of the road). She was a superstar--pretty much on the buckle the whole time, didn't try to snatch any grass, didn't scream for her buddies or try to turn home. Such a good horse.

After our light ride


"trail ride"


There was a hay truck with a scary scary tarp on it in the barn parking lot, so we checked it out after the ride


Then I gave her a shower, so of course she had to roll to get all the clean off her