The weather is SO nice and I want to ride SO badly. Unfortunately, the ground isn't co operating yet. If I had a nice arena with sand (which is my "project" for this summer!), it might not be so bad. On Sunday, I was tempted by some bare patches at the top of the driveway in the paddock... reasonably flat (little bit of a grade to it) and quite a few bare spots. Once I actually got up there, I discovered that it was so slippery that there wasn't much that could be done - Bronwyn slipped a few times and was completely blowing me off (flipped her tongue over the bit) and I had a brief thought of "it would serve you right to fall!" but then remembered that I would likely be crushed by the expansive bulk that she developed over the winter!
The big truth is that we both need to get in shape! I was awfully sore after that short ride on Sunday, which isn't good. She's sooo round, like a butterball turkey with fur. And filthy! Holy dust on her. That's what happens when they sit all winter doing mostly nothing. Once she sheds out, all those gorgeous dapples will show and I will again agonize over a few white hairs here and there and think to myself "OMG, is she going grey?!".. granted that she is 6 this year, the likelihood of her going grey now is quite slim, I do believe, but I do hold out hope.
This time last week, the ground looked like this:
With any luck, soon, there will be absolutely NO traces of this snow, including the wet muckiness!
We don't live in an area that actually gets intense weather, but we had a wet season this year and also experienced troubles finding spaces to ride. The arena is terrible, and many of the trails are literally flooded with water due to the dam being let out. But now I think the rain is mostly over for us, and we're starting to get the occasional 100 degree day instead... Which is kind of hard to get back into the swing of, especially when my horse is still shedding out on his belly somehow and I'm still choosing to wear warm clothes out of habit. Our first trail trials competition on one of these days was rough... In the first two hours of the five hour ride I was feeling woozy from the heat. Getting back into the groove of things for us not only means conditioning for general riding, but conditioning for riding IN HELL. Well I guess it's not that hot, but still.
ReplyDeleteI'm super paranoid about seemingly new white hairs. My horse is 28 though and really is growing in new white hairs! I just get worried when I see what looks like new patches of them (I mainly worry about if tack is causing it). When I clipped him a few years ago I was so worried that somehow his hair would grow back white, but in the terrible patten in which he was clipped.
I remember those days of brushing and currying gobs of hair off my horse friends. Plain horse facts are I couldn't wait for the snow to melt here in central PA. I rode the equines through the mud, which the horses' loved stomping through. Of course, when we got home, we both looked like wallowing piggies.
ReplyDeleteMarsha Horse Facts Lover and Author
www.marshahubler.com
Just started reading your blog, and its such a breath of fresh air! I was looking for plus-sized riding breeches when saw the link to this blog on a google suggestion. LOVE IT. haha. But I do have something i've been wanting to talk to "horse people" about!
ReplyDeleteRight before the beginning of our oddly HARSH winter (I live in NY), I fell off my 6y/o QH and seriously hurt my back. Was on bed rest for 3 weeks, and went through rehab and the experience was crappy over-all! My horse is GREEN and he "spooked" at the fence, or a rock, or a bag...who knows. haha. But, getting to the point... I've gotten on him maybe half a dozen times (im over-estimating!) after the fall and every time I do really tight (safe) circles at a walk away from anything that he might spooke to. I always have tense hands and can just feel my legs pinching him. Then after five minutes of riding I decided its enough, or I find an excuse, and I dismount.
Have any advice for getting back on after a fall? I know im doing him (Joey, my horse) an injustice, but I really can't seem to untense before riding him! HELP haha. Anyone have advice or ideas? :) I know what should I do about my obvious distrust with him. the old saying "Just get back in the saddle"... but THANKS for the HELP! =D