We're plugging along over here! Last week we rode several days in a row which was LOVELY. But we have had a lot of rain and a few cold/windy days too. The trouble with all the rain is that the ground is really saturated from all the snow melt. That one long side of the ring that stayed frozen the longest is now too wet to use. But that's okay, we're just sticking to the quarter line on that side.
But there are bigger problems in other areas. Monday I had to have the manure bin emptied (already). It was sooner than normal because when it was last emptied everything was so frozen they could only dump about half of it. (Still got billed full price though.) Anyway, they came Monday to do that. I was in the house and somehow didn't hear them out there. But when I went out to feed dinner this is what greeted me:
The photos do no justice to how deep these ruts actually are. This is "going to need a professional" sort of driveway problems. It's honestly exhausting. I'm never going to have money to show again with all the property stuff around here lately. The furnace, the snow plowing, the tree removal I need to schedule.... The list goes on and on. Oh the joys of home/farm ownership!
Anyway, back to the horses. We're still working on our fitness, so rides are mostly walking with slowly increasing amounts of trot. We're starting to do more walking with proper shape now too. So lifting the belly, giving at the poll. Working on that topline! Al is very amenable to it, Eros has opinions and Shiny does it when she's decided she's ready. So they haven't changed who they are with the time off! Ha!
For the most part, we've had lovely and uneventful rides. I did have to abort with Al one day last week. It was a cold and windy day, which isn't Al's favorite. He struggles keeping his attention on me when the trees are blowing around and the birds are flittering around in the brush. But he was really trying! Of course, the neighbor decided after looking right at me while I got in, that it was the perfect time to pull out his gas powered blower and get to work on the leaves in his yard. On a windy day. Seems like a silly time to try and clean up leaves, but what do I know? Anyway, it was too much. Al didn't do anything wrong, but he let me know his quarter had run out for riding. Since I'm not especially strong at the moment, I chose to listen to him and I got off. But we did finish up with some ground work and he was very good for it. At first I felt hugely frustrated and disappointed. But then I stepped back and decided not have such big feelings about this. He really made a big effort which probably wouldn't have been the case last year. And the next day we had a wonderful ride! He's been much more forward so far this year which is SO nice! I hope it continues. In a forward trajectory.
I have a funny Al story that I forgot to share last week. One Saturday not long ago the horses were all SASSY. Even Shiny. When Al was in the ring for his turnout, Shiny got a case of the zoomies and was running around screaming. (She does this like twice a year.) There was bucking. There was REARING! And you know what Al did? He came back to the gate and whinnied for me to come out. So I did, and he looked out at Shiny's field like, "Mom, something's wrong with Shiny." It was very cute. I love that he comes to get me when he thinks something is wrong. (Also Shiny was fine, just getting out her spring yayas.)
I had put the Back on Track cap on my Chanukah list this year. I used it first on Eros because he's been a little weird this spring. Kind of snorty and nervous. It seemed to make a huge difference for him. I've been riding Al in it too and I feel like he's less flighty with it too. Though it wasn't a magic fix for that day I talked about above. Still, nice to have a tool in the box for the spooky days!
Eros gave me a little scare the other day. He was fine when I fed lunch but then he was just being kind of odd in his stall. Like really irritated. Not pawing or rolling, but he was attacking his ball and dumping his buckets. Both things he normally only does when he's bothered. Usually when he thinks his next meal is late. And then he laid down. Quietly, not rolling. But it wasn't a usual nap time for him. I touched base with the vet just for an opinion. And his was the same as mine: check temp and monitor. Important to note, there was plenty of manure, and I really wasn't suspecting colic so much. But maybe?
Long story shorter, he took a long nap and then was back to normal. No temp ever though I did monitor for a couple days. Phew. Dodged a bullet. I think he was just a little gassy maybe. Some of the new hay is pretty stalky too, which he finds unfavorable. So he might have just been mad that the hay wasn't to his liking. Wouldn't put that past him.
He's been good for riding, though still very suspicious of the far end of the ring. When I turn him out, he won't even down there all the way until Shiny is turned out to protect him. Geldings are so silly. I don't think he's sad that with all the rain that end has been too soft to ride on.
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| Remember that five minutes when it wasn't stupid cold out? |
Shiny's been exactly the same as always. And that's what I love about her. She is the most comfortable being in herself that I've encountered. She should give a ted talk on loving yourself, advocating for yourself, and standing up for what you believe in. A real role model. Though she does choose violence more than is probably appropriate for general society.
Which leads me to what might be a controversial topic. My Facebook algorithm showed me a post from someone saying that stalls that with solid walls where the horses can't see and interact with each other are a red flag. And all I could think was clearly you've never owned a mare... Shiny HATED that set up at the old boarding barn and that's in fact what resulted in not once but TWICE getting giant splinters in her hoof. Someone in the comments had a similar thought and the OP wrote back that it's because these horses failed to learn how to socialize and it's the result of being so solitary all the time. Which I dunno maybe? But I really think not every horse wants to be stared at all the time. Yesterday when I took Eros out to ride he stopped to visit with Shiny first. She was eating lunch and got so pissed that he looked at her she kicked the wall. Twice. Sorry Shiny. I mean, I agree that horses should be socialized. And I would love to turn mine out as a herd, but they're a bunch of dinguses that will wound each other immediately so I don't do it. You have to balance that risks and benefits. My horses are generally happy with their set up, but it's not right for everyone. And that's something that bugs me about social media. All these "experts" that think the best way on paper is the best for every horse. And it's just not.
Anyway, I went off on a tangent there didn't I? I have some braiding stuff happening that's fun this week. My hunter braid tutorial just posted on TurnoutHQ! The full video is in three parts on the main site/app and there's a teaser version on our socials too. I'd love for you to check them out and feel free to ask questions. I'll be answering them all! Also in braiding news, I'm heading up to Uconn tonight for my annual braiding clinic. Should be fun!
I think that's about it from here for now. How are things going with you guys? Enjoying mud season? (Haha.)
