It will surprise no one that when I arrived home from a trip to TBC and the girls got off the bus, our two free- range ponies were out in the back corn field, eating the weeds newly sprayed on the only un-rainy hour of Saturday. So, in addition to being loose, now they are toxic. No matter, they are more determined to get themselves killed than ever. Yesterday's escape plan was thus ; if your owner has made the gate latch horse-lip proof (no opposable thumbs on horse lips), just explode the gate.
They did switch it up for us though, as this time when I stood atop the barn hill and shook the grain bucket, they obliged and came thither for a snack. Must be not so tasty, toxic poisoned weeds.
Oslo had availed himself of the wide open space to do some liberal mud rolling. He had himself so caked up that I needed to get a cloth to clean his eyelashes off. And Mikey, dear Mike, had not even run himself ragged wishing for them to return. I believe he has come to accept their regular disappearance as a norm.
Ugh.
But, we got Mike and Oslo loaded up (with an empty trailer bay in between to keep Oslo from intimidating Mikey) and off to the Stables only 8 minutes behind.
Middlest tacked up Mike, and I went to de-crust and tack up Oslo, only to realize I'd washed the dressage girth and left it at home. Well, I guess he gets a break and a lunge only.
Middlest was being instructed by Kara in the sludgey outdoor arena, but it was too slick to do much of anything. Middlest took him over some trot poles and did a nice job, working on getting her heels down and practicing two-point position. Oslo had a lumbering lunge session, and then wanted a nap. So, I perched myself on the mounting block to watch Middlest's lesson, and he plopped his heavy head in my lap.
Eventually, the sludge and the rain was too annoying, so we elected to try and share the enormous indoor with the lesson going on inside.
Mikey might not be used to indoor arenas. He was nervous, jumpy, distracted. Middlest handled it like a pro. She stayed with him, didn't get uptight, calmed him down and worked him through it, getting him to relax and go back to work. Very mature and confident. I was impressed. It was a positive session and she is really coming along. Now, if only we could ride in between trips to the indoor arena!
After she was finished, Kara suggested I get up and work him at the canter a little. I also wanted to see if he jumped. The canter work was not very good. I didn't carry a crop and I was thumping him with my outside leg to no avail. Eventually, persistence paid off and he had a nice canter, but man, oh man, I need to work on that! Not just him- ME! I have had so many horses with issues in the past few years, I'm beginning to think I telegraph a problem straight to the horse.
Kara put out a small jump called a cavaletti in the arena, and Mikey and I traveled up to it and perfecto- not rushed, not over-jumped, not zooming off afterwards, just nice, calm pops right over. I'm so pleased to know: Mikey Jumps! One that already has been instructed. Amazing.
Speaking of jumping, Samantha, the wonderful little yellow mare that I taught to jump (with excellent instruction from Bev Newton) is getting ready to do her first Event this weekend. The Greater Dayton Horse Trials at Twin Towers. She also competed in a jumper show last weekend bringing home the blue! (That is first place). The girl riding her is doing so well with her, they are a nice team. Go Team Mary and Sam! I plan to travel over for team support, and will certainly get photos!
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