Calm, Forward, Straight

Calm, Forward, Straight

Saturday, October 19, 2013

In the Arena #151 - Ready or not - here we come...

The past several weeks have been overrun with travel preparations. When it wasn't raining that is. Thirteen inches in thirty six hours. Okay - I'm really sorry I complained about how dry it was, how I was tired of having to water the plants, and especially how I couldn't use the arena, because then this happened:


I will not walk in the quicksand...
  

Somehow no wires or insulators popped... It's fun to do electric fence repairs in the pouring rain.
Yes - that branch is covered in poison ivy.


Not scared unless it falls on me...

We did get some decent rides in before the deluge. One in particular combined an energetic, attentive horse with a balanced, focused rider. Heavenly. Actual round circles. Really nicely forward + good bend, off of light aids. Best ride all year, and it felt like we might possibly be ready for our clinic. Of course I promptly got dumped the next day following a very lateral duck and spook, the source of which was a total mystery. (wouldn't want to get over confident or anything...) No worse for the wear, I remounted and we continued working.


Loving you despite the sandy helmet...

With no objections to getting wrapped, and after donning his protective headgear, Val self loaded and we hit the road. (love my horse!) I worried that he wasn't eating his hay, because he's such a rubbernecker when we trailer - always looking out the windows - but at our midway stop he'd finished his travel manger and promptly polished off the half bucket of soupy mash I held for him. He only got a little on me. ;D (is it weird that he pees on a moving trailer?)








After an uneventful seven hour trip, we arrived at L's farm. Val settled into his accommodations, although sadly for him he's residing in the round pen. Coming from the land of sand and no grass it didn't seem a good idea to go straight on to 24/7 grazing. Poor Val... Maybe to pay me back - he waited several hours before drinking anything. At bed check he pulled his face out of the water bucket to greet me, so all is well.

Saturday is our first mounted lesson + an unmounted bio-mechanics seminar. (!)

9 comments:

  1. So glad you both arrived safely and are settled in - hope everything is going wonderfully today!!

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  2. The good news is the rain will stop and the arena will dry eventually.

    The great news is that you're at the clinic right now! Can't wait to hear all the details.

    I've never had a horse pee in a moving trailer. Val sure knows how to multitask!

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  3. I can't wait to hear all about the cliinic! Good grief - that's a lot of rain. That's as much rain as we get all year!

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  4. A self loader! How cool! Shy pees in the trailer too. One time I was following behind and it all came out and splashed on my windshield. Gross.
    Have fun at the clinic! Can't wait to read about it :)

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  5. I thought hoping for rain might not be too wise! That poison ivy looks deadly but Val's face watching you work is priceless.

    Good ride and happy that you are ok from your quick fall. Sweet Val sorry kisses.

    Self-loading guru, Val! You are the boy! Good luck with the clinic! What brave travelers you two are. I'm sure you will have a blast and learn a lot!

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  6. What an exciting trip for both you and Val!!

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  7. Looks like val was very involved in the clean-up. or, involved in watching you clean up is maybe more like it! Sorry about the deluge. Too much rain can be scary. And then, so can dryness. Oh, wouldn't it be nice if Mother Nature just got it right all the time?
    Road trip! How fun and exciting. Cannot wait to read more about this adventure!

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  8. Looking forward to hearing more about the clinic!

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