Lessons Learned?

Struck out this morning all by myself. It was kind of nice, just listening to my country music, singing away, nobody there to tell me I couldn't sing. The weather had calmed down a bit this morning, not the 33 C weather it had been earlier this week, thank God, but it was still really nice outside.

I wasn't really sure what Pepper would be like this week, she was super crabby last week. Her head was way up in the air and she wasn't the least bit interested in me at all, I must say my feelings were a teeny bit hurt. Last week I got to see Harvey riding a 3 year old mare, and man was she nice. So I was slightly impressed when I walked up to her stall this morning and her ears pricked forward and she moved toward me. I thought to myself, "this is my horse, my friendly loving little mare that I have been missing." I guess she plays with her water bowl a bit and makes it run over, little trouble maker. I don't mind a bit, so long as she is happy.

Last week I was surprised to see that she was still rather fat, I thought that she would be slim and trim after not seeing her for 2 1/2 weeks but apparently when you are that fat it takes a while to get in shape. Pleasantly surprised was I too actually see a change in her condition this week from last. She actually looked like she had gotten taller. Harvey advised me it was an optical illusion as her tummy no longer sticks out past her hips, ahem, she appears taller. [Maybe it would work for me too, no, wait, I don't need to be taller. Right.]

So we calmly walked out to the ring, she is only being ridden outside so that she won't freak out when she comes home and has to be ridden outside. He lunged her around the ring only a few times and then he hopped, literally, on to her. She has been quite resistant to holding her head in position, we also had that problem with her at home. Apparently she is quite clumsy as a result of trying to lope with her head up. She needs reminders to bring her head into collection. She is actually trotting with energy, backing up reasonably well and SURPRISE she can lope! I don't know if she was hiding it from me or if she actually didn't know she could do it but she can. She mostly picks up the right lead and is starting to respond to neck reining. She does still resist but so long as you perservere and wait for her to figure it out, she does.

I was happy with this trip even though it was a quick one, I got too see some major improvements in my mare. I also got to give her a lovely warm bath and lots of kisses and hugs when no one was looking. She now walks on a lead better than she did, apparently that was a lesson in itself, a hard lesson. Note to self- Do not let your horse walk too close, other people don't like it. There are so many things that need to be fixed when you spoil your horse. Life lessons I guess.

One week down, one to go

So it has been a week. I have been very good about missing my girl. I worked an extra day and I spent some time with her Mom. I watched Brooke ride Stellar and have been trimming Lacey's hooves.

Did you know that quarter horses are renowned for having tiny "teacup" feet? I didn't for the longest time and do you know why? Because I have quarterhorses with feet that would put a Clydesdale to shame. When I say that I have been trimming Lacey's hooves I mean that for days I have been trimming Lacey's hooves. I sometimes get the farrier to trim her feet, to give myself a break. I am now able to, after a couple of years of practicing, trim 2 of her hooves at a time. It isn't pretty though. I huff and puff, my face turns red and sweat drips into places unknown. I only hope that somebody doesn't slip into the barn someday and take my picture while I am down on my hands and knees with my butt half hanging out of my pants cause I sure as shit won't be able to get up off the floor and break the camera in time to save myself.

Anyhoo, I called Harvey to see how he is making out and so far it doesn't sound too bad. He has her in a curb bit already cause " she is way to old to still be in a snaffle". Apparently she has some issues to deal with due to the fact that I have been too easy on her, "let her get away with stuff". She is going left and right. He says she is mature enough to handle the training now so that is at least positive and he thinks by next week [when I am allowed to go and see her] that she will be thinking that she needs to just do what I say so she can get finished. We may even be far enough along for me to take her to a clinic in June. Maybe. But I do not want to mess up anything so we will see.

I never really thought it would bother me so much to take her to school, but I do miss her. Well I guess I will have to make do with her brother for now, look out Jack here I come.