Quick stop at the barn

My lesson was last night due to a conflict on my usual day, Sunday. We had a good 50 minute lesson, so I didn't plan to ride today. When I got to the barn, it seemed Bestie didn't plan to ride either - this is her "if I don't look at her she will go away" posture.

We're still working on strengthening her, since she carries her right hip lower than her left. It's better than it was back in the fall, and she has put on muscle - so good to see. We did lots of little circles with me working on fine tuning myself .... things like keeping my hands in position like I'm carrying a tray, dropping my heels - pretty basic stuff, but I still need Paula's reminders to keep it all going at the same time. :) My main challenge is bringing my leg back behind the girth when needed; I just can't get it back there, which Paula says means I need to work on my lower abs (learned that at Pilates last week, too!) and stretching my hip flexors.

This coming week's lesson will also be on Friday night, because holistic vet Kim Henneman is back to our barn on Sunday. I'm really interested to see what she says about Bestie. I feel like she looks so much better. Amazing what a little more riding time with the support of a good instructor can do.

So today was salon day - a full grooming, conditioner in her mane and tail, bridle path trim, and hoof polish. She pretty much zoned out on the cross ties. There was one spot where her neck meets her shoulder that she really loved curried today. Typically she doesn't really react to currying, so it was kind of surprising to see her stretching her neck as I did that spot on both sides. Love the single piece of hay hanging from her mouth. 

It was pretty quiet at the barn. A good night to have her parked on the cross ties for a while.

With spring grass coming in, I thought this article about spring turnout from Holistic Horse was very timely and super useful.

Today's lesson: focus, focus, focus

I think that because I'm riding so much more than in past years, I've really noticed Bestie's heat cycle this spring.

Over the last few years, she hung out most of the time, and our rides were not very structured. Whether or not I rode was dictated by how I felt when I got to the barn, and how much time I spent with Dude. Pretty irregular. Pretty short rides.

But now that I've got a routine to my riding days, I've realized that when she's in heat her plan may not really match up with mine. Understatement.

Like yesterday. Typically I don't ride on Saturdays, but yesterday was gorgeous - sunny and 70 degrees. Since it's only early May, we haven't had many days like yesterday in northern Vermont yet. I thought it would be a nice day to ride down the path, circle the outdoor arena, and head back to the barn. Just a relaxed 15-20 minute walk to get us both outside - we spend so much time in the arenas.

The horses had been turned out all day, so Bestie seemed pretty calm and happy to see me. I didn't notice much of anything while I tacked her up, and she went out willingly enough to the arena so that I could hop on from the mounting block and then guide her out the open door.

She even started off down the path happily. But a few steps in, she whinnied - a huge, body-shaking whinny - and then whinnied again when a horse back in the barn answered. We kept walking down the path, but she was super alert and moving along at a good clip. Not exactly the mosey of an outing I was hoping for. And the whinnies kept coming, which put me on edge.

About three quarters of the way down the path, I stopped her and we stood for a moment, then turned back. I just had this feeling that things were going to go awry at some point.

We went into the arena and did about 15 minutes of circles and she was quiet and responsive. It wasn't the ride I had planned, but we ended on a good note.

Today it poured, so there was no turnout. When I got to the barn for my lesson, Bestie was anxious to go outside. I grazed her for a bit hoping to take the edge off before my lesson, but once tacked up and in the indoor, she was still really "up." I think I even said something to Paula about needing a really focused lesson. Probably said with a nervous laugh.

So that's what we had. Paula got the lunge line, and clipped it so that it ran over Bestie's poll. And for 58 minutes, we did circles, me in the saddle, Bestie on the lunge line, Paula at the other end of the line. Small circles at the jog, working on getting her to bend. One way, then the other. Then a bigger circle to stretch her out, then back to small circles.

Bestie was pretty well behaved doing the small circles, but whenever we tried to go down the long side and give her some room, there's be a bit of escalation - she'd increase her speed and throw her head up. When that happened, we went back to small circles. At the end of the lesson, I got off, and walked her around the perimeter a couple times. My legs felt like jello. I think we both heaved well-that's-done-and-I'm-tired sighs at the same time.

From a really helpful article about mares in heat - "Consider focus-type lessons, such as ground poles and changes of speed and direction."

Yup, words of wisdom.