What's Up Wednesday

 

Not a whole lot to report on this week. Things are going well for everyone. Al seems to have recovered from whatever his latest ailment was. (I still think he was being sensitive to that dermatitis he has.) And Eros, too, seems to be feeling better finally. 

I was reluctant to let Eros have a free lunge because he wasn't feeling his best, but he was getting pretty wild, so I finally caved and let him go play on his own. (He turns out in the ring every morning, but he apparently wanted my permission to go play I guess? I don't chase, him, just give a cluck and if he wants to play he does. If he doesn't, I don't force it.) Anyway, he bucked a whole bunch. Like big, back cracking bronco bucks. Which he doesn't do very often. I think he needed to give himself an adjustment because he's felt a lot better ever since. I still want him to see the vet, but I'm feeling less worried than I was before. I'm still not sure when Doc will get out here, but we're on his scheduler's list at least. Al is hanging out at the boarding barn a few more days because I think I can get him seen Friday that way. Fingers crossed. 

We've been watching the Devon livestream together.
E was zero percent impressed by the junior hunters, but I thought they were lovely.

I haven't jumped E yet this week, so no fun new media of him, but we did pop over some of the teeny jumps you saw last week on Saturday and he was great. I'm planning to jump him and Shiny tomorrow though, and I will make sure to have Pivo all charged up!

Shiny hasn't jumped this week yet either. She may tomorrow, but we're being a little cautious as I somehow managed to pinch her skin in our short girth when we were riding with the bareback pad on Sunday. She has a pretty good little rub. The regular girth doesn't sit on it, but I do think the rub hits the girth when she's in motion. I didn't notice further irritation after our light ride today, so hopefully we'll be okay to do more tomorrow. But I don't want her uncomfortable. If anyone knows where I can find a sheepskin short girth in 16" that isn't $200, please shoot me a link!

Okay, I know this photo is confusing. I was trying to show what she does to me every Sunday... You see, I get on in the barn for bareback day. And she has only a side pull on for her bridle remember... And EVERY TIME without fail, she steps down out of the barn with her front feet, and throws her head down to eat the weeds growing between the barn and the ring. It's a decent size step down too, I'd say about six inches, so this is ridiculously awkward. Ponies... 

She also likes to visit with Eros on our way back in from bareback day.

Of course, if he does that to her, she kicks the wall and squeals. I'm telling you. Ponies! She's too much.

Al's been great! I didn't end up doing a weekend lesson as there wasn't anything to fit into and I didn't really want a private. But we did the flat lesson yesterday ( SO MUCH no stirrups!) and our jumping lesson today. I finally braved up and jumped sans draw reins and he felt so good! He only spooked once, so that was a positive too. 

Not one of the big fences,

A couple of the fences were pretty big at the end too, which was really fun. This horse is pretty scopey and I rarely feel him actually try over anything. But today, one of the verticals was pretty tall. I think it was 1.2m, but may have only been 1.15m. I'm a terrible judge. Regardless, I actually felt him give a little effort, and it was very exciting. One of the other adults videoed the last bending line of my last course, so I have a short bit of media. The first two fences were small, but the last one was pretty tall. 

It's amazing to me how different this horse is summer versus winter. I really thought I had ruined him last winter. I could barely ride him, and was mildly terrified for most of our rides. But now, here we are jumping tricky courses over decently sized jumps and it's like the winter never happened. I'm a little nervous he might regress a little when he moves back home, but fingers crossed that doesn't happen. Our other trainer should be home right around the same time he gets back, so we should have help if we need it. He will probably get back early next week. Or maybe this weekend. I have no idea since I still have no truck! Still waiting on that stupid glass. 

In other news, my pool isn't quite open yet, but I have lined up a new crew to get it going and keep it maintained this summer, so fingers crossed that goes more smoothly. While I wait for the new guys to come out (I'm about two weeks out on their list) I have gotten it refilled and poured a bunch of shock in to start clearing it up. Since the pump and filter aren't running yet, it's still gross, but it's significantly less gross than it started!

Current Status...

And I took a half hour on Monday to sit next to and attempt to tan my ghostly legs.

I also got to enjoy my first lobster roll of the season, which is like the biggest holiday I celebrate honestly.

And that's about it from here! How's your week going?