Yesterday

Beautiful sunrise

Our drier than predicted week meant more turn-out

It was warm enough that Horton got a shower after his schooling session!

Was able to ride every day but Wednesday and today this week, and those days were missed due to other commitments, not weather.  I'm feeling pretty good about our upcoming show on the 28th, but still don't know for sure if we got in. The lack of communication from the show's management is uber frustrating; I've left phone messages and sent emails but get no response. Nothing else to do but continue preparing and wait!

Midweek inspiration

Another "borrow" from Behind the Bit. I don't know that I've ever seen a nicer horse with nicer gaits in a better test at any level. Wow. Just.Wow.

Another successful school

Above is what the arena looked like this afternoon; tonight it is sand soup with maple leaf croutons. The leaves will have to be dealt with quickly; organic matter affects drainage.

Fortunately the rain didn't start until around noon, so I was able to school Horton again this morning. Good news; he spooked at something when we were at the far right end of the arena, shying hard sideways, and then settled right back into his work. This reinforces my suspicion that Friday, when he jumped from my slipped foot, I inadvertently poked him with a spur. No point in adding that risk, so I've been riding without them since.

Minding his Ps and Qs

In the comments to my last post, Marie wondered if Horton would mind his Ps and Qs the next time I rode him after coming off. I am happy to announce that 1) the weatherman was wrong and today hasn't been a soaker, so that 2) I could ride this morning and 3) report that yes, indeed, Horton did mind his Ps and Qs!

Considering that the horses have gone from all-day-every-day turn-out to no turn-out at all since Friday*, I thought about turning Horton loose in the arena for awhile or at least lunging him a bit to shake out any silliness that might have built up. I had my lunge line, side reins and lunge whip ready to grab on my way out to the arena, but ended up leaving them there. Why? Well, Horton got worked pretty hard Friday followed by just one day off; I won't always have the luxury of time to do more than short schools between rain showers; and many shows do not allow lunging on the grounds. Our first show is two weeks from today; there's no time like the present to have high expectations. As advertising guru David Ogilvy said, "Don't bunt. Aim out of the ball park."

Horton may not have hit any home runs today, but he stayed in the game and played well. :-)

*We live on a hillside and with the addition of rain the footing gets slick fast. To avoid injury (as well as fungal problems of hide and hoof) and preserve forage roots, we keep our horses off our limited pasture during the rainy season.

Apparently I still bounce

Yesterday I saw this and put "ride Horton" first on today's to-do list:

Unfortunately, the forecast got one small detail wrong. Make that "AM Light Rain" on Friday. :-/

But by the time I finished morning chores, the light rain had slacked off to a barely noticeably mist, so I tacked up. (After 23 years here, I know I have to take advantage of any break in the weather in order to  ride during the rainy season!) I was well into warming up Horton when my right foot, aided by wet sand on the bottom of my boot, slipped forcefully off the stirrup pad. Horton spooked sideways, I reacted, he jumped again and threw in a buck (I think; it all happened so fast), and I came off. I'm not even sure how I landed as I cannot remember the impact and nothing hurts except the tendons in my right hand and wrist from hanging onto the rein too long. I was on my feet in a flash, growling and chasing Horton around the arena like an angry she-bear. After making a believer out of him (and a good cardio workout on my part), I got him galloping around me in a circle free-lunging. When I finally asked him to walk and then halt, he obeyed promptly and politely. He stood like a rock while I walked up to him, lead him to the arena fence, and remounted.

Wow, what a transformation! We went from Intro to First Level in one fell (heh) swoop! Horton was focused, forward, round and on the bit, executing sharp shoulder-ins, leg yields and canter departs (well, except for one – and a deep growl and volte from me got a quick "Yes, Ma'am!" from him). When we finished, he gave me excellent stretchy trot circles on a long rein followed by lots of good free walk on a long rein – which he needed. In spite of the 50 degree temp and increased precipitation (by now dripping steadily off my helmet), Horton's neck was lathered from his largely self-imposed workout. There might have even been a little lather "between his ears" in that little brain of his. I do believe this morning's incident may have been "one jump backwards, three jumps forward" in his training and behavior modification; hard to feel bad about that. :-)

Now, where was that camera crew? I want to see the instant replays during a post-game analysis!