What a week! Sheesh... Last week we enjoyed fake spring, and it was GLORIOUS! Eros and Shiny rode outside nearly every day and Al even went out a few times too! The ring at the boarding barn is ENORMOUS, so I do worry some the first few times out there about potentially dying. Or you know, getting run away with. Fortunately, none of them offered up such nonsense, and it was SO AMAZING to be outside again! Pammon got to walk outside a little, but for now we're still trotting indoors.
Alas, this week it's been cold again. Highs only in the 40's and Tuesday the wind was absolutely insane. So for the most part, we're back inside this week. I did take Eros out today when the sun peaked out for a bit though. Tomorrow is supposed to be a total rainy washout and then more cold weather through the weekend. Hopefully spring comes back again soon!
Eros was a superstar in his lesson last week! The course that was set was mostly single jumps, which honestly is better for Eros. He just gets ridiculously excited about related distances. I'm not sure why really... He won't say. Anyway, the single fences were great for him, and we were able to string a whole bunch of them together without him dragging me around. Baby steps! We'll see what tomorrow brings. I have a feeling with the weather Torpedo Eros might make an appearance. But maybe not! You just never know with him.
The most awkward Al photo to ever have been snapped... Why does he look so little? |
Al was AMAZING this week in our lessons! For both, we did the flat part outside, then went in to jump. (No jumps in the outdoor just yet, but probably soon!) I think warming up outside was really helpful in getting us more forward thinking. Because when we came in to jump, he was right there for me. I didn't feel as much like I needed a nap mid course as I usually do. I'm still pinching myself that this is my horse. He's just exactly what I would pick if I could punch my wants into a computer program and print out a horse. I mean, I might have made him a LITTLE less spooky, but hey. You can't have everything.
Eros' saddle. Not great. |
Pammon's Saddle. Better in some places but too narrow. |
Shiny had a great riding week. She's still protesting picking up the canter the first time. And by protesting I mean first refusing to do it, then kicking out, and then finally sighing heavily and just doing it. Once she gets going, her canter feels amazing. So I'm not entirely sure what the dramatics are about. I did let her have a relaxed bareback meander outside on Sunday, hoping that might reset the grumpy pony for next week. Unfortunately, she decided she wanted a longer reset as you read about yesterday. Her foot is doing as well as can be expected. She's on a broad spectrum antibiotic for now and we're flushing and re-bandaging daily. Once she seems more comfortable we can hand walk and even turn out (with a boot on the affected foot, so waiting for that to arrive). She's been a very good patient though, so hopefully this time it will resolve a little more quickly than the last time.
Pammon was supposed to start rigging this week, but selfishly I decided to wait. I'm down a pony to ride so I don't want to give up another! Even though it will just be once a week for now. I'm also a little nervous about him being on a lunge circle still... I may hold off until his next recheck. We've upped our trotting to 12 minutes this week though! So things are getting pretty serious. When we get to 15, he'll have a recheck and see what the next step will be.Last week when the weather was so incredible, I made sure to get the pups out in the yard for a wander around.
Rita isn't the biggest fan of being on a leash, but she's getting better. Her recall is pretty good MOST of the time, but she's already been hit by a car (before she was mine!) so I'm just really nervous about letting her off leash. My property isn't fully fenced for doggos, so I worry. I'm so glad the rope harness I had gotten for Artie adjusts enough to fit her though! She's so tiny!
It was decent here on Monday but I had a GMO meeting so no riding 😭 and then raining incessantly (and now cold too, boooo).
ReplyDeleteHopefully you can get the saddle situation sorted out for Al soon! Blows my mind that there are places out there who like... Won't let you make perfectly normal decisions for your horse like which saddle brand to use 🤦♀️🤦♀️ ughhhh.
Weather is so crazy lately! Up, down, up, down, up, down... Perhaps it's learning to post? Lol!
DeleteYeah... I don't understand it really. Like I get being sponsored and everything, but there's no magic saddle out there that will work for every horse and rider.
My girls got out of the yard on Sunday, and a 3-hour search ensued. Jazzy, who will be 11 in May, came back on her own after 2 hours (also, thank god for friends who are willing to come sit on the porch for 3 hours and keep lookout while we drove around, and called to let me know she was back). On Monday, she could barely get up on her own. I had to pull her bed out of her crate with her on it so I could help her stand up. :( Cider, who will be 2 in August, also came back on her own an hour after Jazzy. She was no worse for the wear, the brat. But, she is a very bad influence and has lost unsupervised yard privileges for a while.
ReplyDeleteNaughty!!! I'm glad they came back though! Rita can actually fit through my fence because she's so teeny, so I do find her having unsupervised yard time occasionally. Fortunately, she USUALLY comes when I call her. But I still don't like when she does that!
Deletehere's hoping the saddle rep can be flexible, bc sheesh as if saddle shopping isn't stressful enough, dealing with those scheduling limitations sounds... bleh. so glad the ponies are doing well, and it's so nice that you were able to get outside so much! our indoor here is so awful (tiny dusty, tho actually quite nice footing when watered) that we avoid it like the plague haha, only going in if the ground is totally frozen and/or it's dark. now that it's light out later, i doubt we'll be back in there until next winter lol
ReplyDeleteNothing is ever simple! Lol! Hopefully she can fit me in some Monday.
DeleteI'm such a weenie about the cold, and after so many years without an indoor, I'm so happy to stay indoors on cold days. But I totally get your wanting to stay out. It's generally much nicer outside!