Over the weekend we finally got some sun, and the fields got a bit drier, so the horses were turned out on Sunday. We arrived at the barn mid-afternoon as they were coming in, covered with mud and sort of dozy from their day outside. Well, Bestie was dozy, but Dude seemed to take our arrival as a sign that he'd go back out and handgraze, since that's been the routine all those days they were in.
Katie obliged and took him out while I lunged Bestie. I wanted to ride, but decided that it might be smarter/prudent/more cautious to lunge since I hadn't ridden in four days and given the lack of turnout over the course of the week.
On the lunge line she strolled slowly at the walk like she could barely drag herself around the circle. When I clucked her to trot she looked at me like "Really?" and gave a little sideways head shake - "No, I don't think so." I encouraged her to trot again and she finally started up, doing her Western jog - not the most ideal gait to get out excess energy.
Clucking at her again led to the up-and-down head shake, which is the "I may do what you want, but let's keep negotiating on this" shake. I clucked at her again and gave the lunge line a little wiggle. Up-and-down head shake, snort, circular head shake: "ALL RIGHT ALREADY." And off she trotted in a nice big trot. She was actually pretty good, transitioning well between the trotting and cantering and coming back down to a walk nicely. I thought for sure that she'd have one of her maniacal gallops, but I guess the day out in the sun had tired her out.
Hockey tonight will leave little barn time. Hoping to ride Tuesday after work.
No comments:
Post a Comment