Hot one today:
That's in the shade on my porch at 3 PM as we were bringing the horses in to tack up.
Like every ride we head out with no specific goal in mind other than having a good time and dealing with whatever we encounter in between heading out and coming back. It's not like we have a time schedule to adhere to.
Just starting out and the horses have already dried off from their pre tacking up soaking.
We rode the mile down the hill and did a 5 or so minute sustained trot. I did a rising trot and Juan sat the trot as he feels silly posting and the saddle he's in doesn't really facilitate posting.
When we stopped both horses were hardly winded and recovered easily. They are beginning to get in shape. As am I as I posted easily this time. :)
Mandy is remaining a very willing mare with the exception of water and mud. She has a deep distaste of those things. I don't know if she will ever completely lose that distaste but we continue to confront puddles with impunity.
We worked a little bit with Fred and Juan practicing a halt with as little pressure as possible. Juan is getting frustrated with Fred's lack of response to pressure. He has less patience than me.
(This is Juan working on Fred's halt as I continued on. That's why I'm so far ahead)
Then, we encountered....the
Fred as usual went right along with out a hitch after taking a brief look. (that's why the video is all taken from the OTHER side of the Raging river!)
Mandy...as usual, thought this was yet another torture scheme. She looked, she snorted, she blew, she looked again, she backed up. But Fred was already on the other side. So with a massive effort she LEAPT the grand span after a short levade. LOL See? We've already advanced to high level dressage!
We walked though a large flat field and up onto the dike next to the fish farm. I had Mandy go first to see what she would think about walking through all that high grass and bush.
ZOMG JABIRU STORKS!!! and Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills, Boat Billed Herons, Great Egrets, Blue Herons. Well...it IS a fish farm. Wading bird's paradise!
Poor Fish Farm owners. :)
(yes, that blurry thing is a Jabiru)
We went quite a ways along the dike through the long grass and grabbing vines. Fred enjoyed himself quite a bit, Mandy was all over it untill we hit some muddy spotsm but she tiptoed her way around them to follow Fred(who I had let pass us) I like to have them both lead and follow. I don't want my horses thinking they have to be one or the other.
(ear shot)
Blue Heron
Fred ahead
Once we reached the dip and the stream I dismounted so I could have a little more control over Mandy's approach to the stream. We walked down and she promptly jumped over it again.
I pulled her back and we did it again, but I stood in the water to show her it was alright. This resulted in a slightly smaller hop. Once more and I got her to sniff the water and play with it a little. ONE FOOT IN! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!
and she scooted across but no jump this time. I left it at that. Pretty happy with that actually.
On the ride home we kept things to a nice slow walk and once we got home they were already cooled off. Lovely. We hosed the sweat off from under the saddle and turned them out to walk and dry themselves a bit.
It was a good day.
Random pics from the way home
(no I don't use the cantle but my hand seems to have to go there once I swing over)
What a good girl standing so nice!
I keep the saddle pretty loose but that doesn't really go with mounting from the ground.
(you can see me and the saddle are a little off center below but we got it rebalanced pretty easily)
She's really getting the hang of this walking on a loose rein.
Love this shot.
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