Tuesday 5/27: Mare is inaugurating herself as a fly mask houdini. And then comes over and stares at me like “Mom, my face itches, please do something.”
I guess I’m not imagining things, as her legs really are cooler and tighter with the new shoe package. Took a look on the lunge– very definitely still lame, but some improvement (and a dose of extra sass).
Stuck her back outside as they didn’t seem to mind the storms rolling in. I love how well she’s adjusted to her new routine and am so grateful she gets to hang out and be a horse. It’s not something that works for all horses, but she’s really blossomed as an outside pony.
I still had plenty of time before rush hour ended, so I went over to watch Lauren’s lesson on Eliot. I don’t really get to see him under saddle in person, only videos of me, so it was cool to watch. Lauren does a great job with him, he takes care of her, and Christy is doing a fantastic job teaching them– I love watching lessons as a way to develop my eye from the ground.
Friday 5/30: Now this is why they invented hackamores. We went down to the front of the property and helped mow the lawn. Man, it’s a tough life.
Then more baby Eliot boot camp! Christy’s out of town, so time to party! On today’s menu: jumping. First we free lunged him, because he hasn’t done this in who knows how long and might get a wild hair. Hahahaha yeah right.
So, once we determined he did in fact remember his springs, we tacked him up and I got on. Cue the dirt bikes next door, because if you have a giant cornfield obviously the best place to ride dirt bikes is right next to the arena full of tiny people on top of giant weenie prey animals. Eliot reacted by… casually picking up a canter and loping away from that corner once or twice when they got really close.
So yes. That is what a 6-year-old Thoroughbred, who hasn’t jumped in months, jumping in a dressage saddle by a me who hasn’t jumped in almost a year, in a new outdoor for the second time, with dirt bikes in the background looks like. Alrighty then.
He got a well-deserved shower, and I hung out with C’s boys. Surrounded by red TBs: I think I’m doing pretty OK.
Saturday 5/31: “Day off” for all. Pearl got a shower and subsequently galloped around the field like an idiot, because what better way to heal an unknown injury? I mean, I’m glad she’s at least going in semi-straight lines instead of round and round a small paddock and it was pretty adorable to hear her whinnying just for pure joy, but c’mon mare, a little self-preservation would be nice.
At least that’s the good foot she’s coming down on
Of course, Tucker didn’t know what to do besides follow her until she gave him a heaves attack, so he got pulled out to walk it off while she… ran some more and made sassy faces.
Eliot and Liam got showers too (followed by the dreaded sweat scraper) and we attempted to have Liam give Eliot a lead on the scary cows (note: the black ones have been there for years; it’s only the brown ones that have everybody losing their marbles). Eliot didn’t much buy it but got a little closer, and Liam didn’t see why we were doing cow training when the better grass is back over THERE.
thebestmare 