In Which I Finally Ride Both Horses/ Blog Hop Failure

I was going to do the blog hop from Now, That's The Spot! and tell you all about my other hobbies, but then I realized I haven't really been hiking/running/mountain biking/cooking/designing much at all lately - it's been a 24/7 horse party all of September! So, instead of something different, you get to read about horses...again. If you want some more entertaining stuff, check out the blog hop :) I've been really enjoying reading everyone's posts.

Ginny was the pony of choice yesterday morning, and was absolutely full of herself. I have to take back my words from the other day where I was thinking she might be finally growing up. Sorry Ginny, but a massive spook at nothing, resulting in explosive poo (while still in the barn driveway) will do that to you! (Also spooking at that same poo on the way back into the barn gets bonus points). Mental age today = -1.5 ;) 

Just call her Crazy Eyes

I opted to walk her up to the ring and lunge. She was back to pretending to be scared of me and trying to convince the world I beat her (for the record I have never so much as even tapped her with a dressage whip...nor have I ever been in any way rough with her. Silly mare.)

Sad pony. Also my saddle looks tiny on her as compared to Bridget!

She was a bit cranky on the lunge, which is VERY out of character for her and I thought I was seeing a bit of a short stride on her right hind. That`s also the side with what appears to be a small kick mark on her bum from pony roughhousing. We`ll keep an eye on it...she seemed to warm up out of whatever it was, but I still kept it short and let her use most of the arena rather than just keeping her on the circle. I`m hoping it`s just a pasture bump and not a big deal.

Finally, I actually got on my big mare for a quick ride. I know, I know, I was going to wait for G to be there, but it was a good day and it just felt like the right time. Ginny surprised me by letting out a huge sigh and dropping her head/stretching over her back almost immediately. Did she think my riding was going to be that horrible? Sadly, maybe. This is the first time in a long time I'm not nervous on her and I think she was probably relieved by that. Mindful of my (relatively newly found) confidence, and her fitness and stiff bum, we just puttered around on a loose rein and did pretty much the same things I'm working on with Bridget - big serpentines and circles, and lots of forward walk and trot, trying to encourage her to stretch and relax. Ginger was totally with that program and we had a really nice ride with some super stretchy circles and lots of yawning and relaxed chewing on her part. It felt so wonderful to be back riding Ginger - she really is so cool under saddle. I managed to lose my phone somewhere in the ring, so I had a little freak out over that and forgot to be overly emotional about the fact I actually rode my big mare for the first time in months. Hoepfully the first of many more great rides! G has promised to come take some pictures in the coming week.

Phone really didn't want to be found, so I gave up after a couple of hours and enlisted G to help after work and of course then miraculously found it in about 2 minutes, but way outside the ring in the bushes. G is convinced there must have been some crazy pony antics to make my phone fly that far, but all I can think of is maybe that big trot of hers helped propel it.

Nice road, deep ditches

Bridget and I met a new friend at that clinic a couple of weekends ago and finally got out for a ride with her and her Icelandic horse this morning. Lots of fun and beautiful trails - I think we've found another riding buddy! My ride home on the road was a little hair raising at one point since a large bus-sized motorhome towing a truck opted to be super ignorant and speed/accelerate towards us on the gravel, crowding us off the road. So rude...I saw he forced an oncoming car off to the shoulder as well! :( Little Bridget was wonderful, though, and rather than panicking and blindly leaping into the ditch, opted to assess the situation logically and remain facing the vehicle and just back sideways, bum first very carefully into the ditch. We had a bit of a jump to get out - we'll call it practice for those big eventing up banks :) I expected her to be a bit worried about other vehicles passing after that, but she was fine. After today, I will officially say she's 100% road safe.

Only worries about where her next meal is coming from

 Have a fun weekend, everyone - I'm taking the day off tomorrow and then will hopefully be having a dressage lesson on Monday.

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