Somebody has a taste for speed...

Nom-ing and looking noble.

I've been working UK pretty consistently this past week. Riding either early or late to escape the heat. I was at the barn a lot in order to cover for Sally who owns the barn. Her sister lost her battle to breast cancer and Sally had her wake and funeral to deal with. 

Wednesday I had a bunch of my fellow boarders helping out, and we all decided to ride before it got too hot. I decided to be lazy and tacked UK up western as it was too hot to wear half chaps. Jean was borrowing my saddle so she could jump Maggie over some small crossrails. We were having a great ride when all of a sudden, a loud noise made us all jump. UK spooked, but stood his ground when I asked him to. Maggie however spun and dumped Jean. The noise was a tree falling in the woods beyond the ring. 

Right before the tree fell.

 Jean was all right and got Maggie settled eventually. As UK seemed to be none the worse for wear I put him back to work. Just for laughs I decided to see how UK would be a turning around a barrel. He did pretty well at the trot, but really couldn't grasp the concept. Then I let him gallop. This is the first time since he had the Lyme disease that he's had enough energy to try.

Boy did he light up like a little kid at Christmas! At first he was reluctant, then I felt him tense up and then release. He's pretty fast! And he is quick to respond too! Right about the time UK and I were having the most fun, he tripped and I realized that I forgot to put on his bell boots... Oops!

Thursday I rode him english and put him back to regular work. He was pretty good, but was having a heart attack about a small pile of dirt just outside of the ring that wasn't there the day before. I got him to work past it, but his spookiness combined with a bit of an attitude was wearing me out. We'd been jumping a bit, including over a jump with planks that UK was hating. The last time over, UK spooked in mid-air, dropped his left shoulder and went sideways. I landed on my hip, and then got back on UK and made him do everything again.

Friday I decided that it was time for UK to go back to boot camp. We did some lunging work, and when he still decided not to respect me we moved to the round pen. Eventually he gave in and admitted that maybe he should listen to me. We wrapped up by going for a nice long hand walk to cool him off.

He got to chill in his pen for a bit and then I let the barn girls practice their braiding skills on him. He was nice and patient, even dozing off for a bit.

Barn girls practicing their braiding skills on UK.

I later hopped on him bareback to do some show and tell. The barn girls wanted some pointers, and I was planning on teaching them how to do an emergency dismount. After wowing the girls with my amazing thighs and my bareback posting ability I taught them how to do an emergency dismount.

UK's had the last two days off, as I was in Millbrook yesterday and had stuff to do around the house today. I'll cover Millbrook in a second post!

Adventure!

Saturday I went out on a trail ride without UK, instead riding his pasture mate, Rebel. Rebel's a nice little chestnut AQHA gelding who has a wonderful unflappable attitude. The goal was to accompany my friend Jean while she tries to get her mare, Maggie, to cross water.

We put UK's rope halter on under Maggie's bridle and clipped a long cotton lead rope to it to have ready to pony her with in case of trouble. Maggie is smart and had been pretty brave so far, so we weren't expecting too much trouble.

It was a bit hot out so I left my gloves at the barn as I was riding Rebel western. Didn't think much of it, silly me. Horses didn't care about the tractor tedding a field full of hay, and everything seemed to be going well. We got to the river crossing and Rebel decided to be reluctant which didn't help Maggie. She ended up being scared and tried to turn around in a spot too tight to do that. Jean ended up falling off, getting a horn in the side in the process. Everyone was ok though, Maggie just having scraped some hair off a stifle.

We decided to try a different plan of attack and headed for a water crossing that was shallower and with less of a bank leading to it. We could come back and try the river another time.

Maggie didn't want to do that either, but we had better footing and this time I had the lead rope to pull her along. That's where me not wearing my gloves comes in.... I got some killer rope burn when Maggie panicked about getting her feet wet. I didn't let go however, and she soon followed us pretty calmly. We rode farther up the trail till she had forgotten about the water and then turned around and headed home.

This time she tried to jump the water and ran up poor Rebel's butt. That wouldn't do, so we made her cross the water a couple more times till she walked through it calmly without leaping or charging.

Pleased, we headed home. Jean and I chatting and the horses walking happily. I always tell my students that no matter how relaxed they are or how much they trust their horse they should always be prepared by having their weight in their stirrups and being balanced in their seat. I practice what I preach, and a good thing too! I clapped my hand against my thigh and Rebel jumped out of his skin, making Maggie do the same. Jean and I laughed at the silly horses.

Chuck came out that evening and put shoes on UK.

So this afternoon Jean texts me that she wants to trail ride again, and I agree to come up to the barn and go with her. This time I tack up UK, borrowing Rebel's western saddle to make my life easier (too hot for half chaps!). We both make sure to have halters on under our bridles and I clip the long lead rope to the saddle.

UK's great about going down the driveway, and has no problem with the assholes who fly past us in their cars, never bothering to slow down. His first fearful bit was about a root that resembled a snake that we needed to step over. He'd get real close and then chicken out. So Maggie then lead and he followed her over it. She spooked at a bird and he stayed calm which made her feel better.

Eventually he got nervous and tried to turn around. Jean ended up having to pony us behind her, as UK would go forward when ever she'd pull him along. When he was feeling brave he'd want to be in front but have to settle for being alongside Maggie. When Maggie got scared, UK would be brave and visa versa. When he'd get scared he'd drop back and hide his head behind Maggie, it was pretty funny.

Then we got to the little water crossing. Maggie and UK both had a heart attack. Jean and I decided one of us would have to get off, and she was nice enough to volunteer (her horse is shorter). She lead UK and I pulled Maggie behind us by leading her with her reins. Jean got back on and we rode farther up, UK occasionally needing to be ponied when he got scared.

We turned around once they both were behaving well and headed back for the water. UK didn't like it but he responded when I told him to lead across as Maggie was scared again. Without needing to be led, UK stepped slowly and carefully through the water, and Maggie followed!

We're both pretty proud of our ponies! We may be a bit crazy to take two green horses trail riding but it worked in the end! UK and Maggie seem to balance each other pretty well, as they're both scared of different things. UK actually led the rest of the way home once we got towards the end of the trail.

I'll probably give him tomorrow off it's too hot and then work him in the ring on Tuesday. If it's not too hot I'll ride him in the ring tomorrow. He got a whole week off, so he'll be fine. We only walked today, as we wanted them to just relax.

Oh, I didn't forget my gloves today! ^_~