The beast aka Turbo, turb, porky, lazy bastard, the hairy monster, you ********* hole, twerp and any other name I come up with on a given day is still in my paddock for multiple reasons of which I'm sure I'll cover at some stage.
Given the length of time the boy was off work and living the pasture puff life, I've decided to track and note the process of bring him back into work and what we are doing from here on in.
I still need to draw up some kind of schedule in excel for what I want to do and when, I do it like that because I do fall off the band wagon and lose interest at time (mostly when its pouring with rain and snowing up the mountain and such) so it keeps me on track easily enough.
The fuzzy beast as is his current name got hoiked out of the paddock yesterday for a ride. What brought this on is insane jelousy of looking at current photos of horses america wide on HGS who all look fit and shiny and they are competing. Also that I pre-emptively put my name down for a 2 day SJ course at the end of September.
Do note this beast has had minimal attention and care over winter... he gets a eye over each day at feed time despite the fact its dark as I drive my car along the fence until I find him then turn in to "spot light" him. Weekends he may have got a curious rub under the rug, or a quick unveiling of the rug for a scratch, or a cursory pat on the nose (depending on the weather). He had shoes pulled, and they got a mid break trim, and his twinkle toes were steel plated a couple of weeks ago (it really is to wet for him to not have shoes).
So what I found yesterday under the rug was no surprise at all really - and some people may think its disgusting and negligent - but meh my horse was just a horse for a few months. So the dreaded tail and mane doesn't worry me, the matted coated where some freaking way mud crawled up under the rug to tub a lubs rump and all the rest of the hairy beasties "problems" from his time out were revealed.
The unfortunate thing about yesterdays first ride - I had no time to deal with any of these results of time out. Man did I feel like a slob, I also felt somewhat "hick-ish" or slightly bush/pig pony.
See here I was with this horrid looking beast under my butt who had mud caked all over his face, down his neck, over his rump and a purple surcingle over the saddle blanket (because i did ride bareback or as close to it as possible that I will go) a bridle that had lost its noseband, and me to lazy to drive the extra miles out to my clothes and be dressed appropriate for riding.
Despite all that I took a wonder over the farm, took a look at the new born calves, there is a set of twins (herefords) that are thankfully both feeding. About 20mins all up just walking along the race, 10 minutes of that I asked him to "work".
I have a bit of a policy when riding that if there is contact you work, if there is no contact - move however you may wish sir. Yesterday work consisted of only fowards and focused while using your back.. luckily for me... we were in work time when the ducks flew off the lake... that would have been my butt kissing ground if I had been waltzing past unawares of what my horse was doing below me.
So overall I was quite happy to toodle along for that ride - a long time since I've sat on a horse and it was a pleasure to do so (especially in the sunshine).
Feeling pro-active today I rode again..... opps jumped the gun much(?) in the expectation department.
Another policy of mine HORSES DO NOT EAT while I'm on their back. Don't care whose/what/where/when it just doesn't happen and because of this Turbo isn't a "eater" ever.... until today. I was a bit lost initially wondering what the heck was my pony doing with his nose all the way down there?? We had just toddled up a hill for a bit of exertion... we got to the top and whama HE ATE.. WTF get your butt moving twerp... could I get that pig moving uh no. Kicking was pointless (I felt so pony clubbish) we would go backwards, sideways anyway but his face was still in the grass. I do believe I started to go red about here. I was contemplating getting off now to reprimand that heck out of him and get him back on the race where there is no grass... it must have conveyed to proky that I was pissed.. he started showing signs of moving on (whew I really didn't want to get back on and walk to somewhere to climb on again). A few more whopping pony club kicks and whippeee we are off.
Promptly work began and at least that was a success.. only at a walk we did 5m circles, leg yeild (LY), shoulder in (SI), turno on haunches and forehand, a few halts, rein backs and extended walk. That was workout enough for the day and we toddled off home with a wee little whippee canter and pig root... score 2 for me - I stayed on.
Notes from today:
- must increase sensitivity to leg for lateral movements
- remeber to stop fiddling to much with inside rein
- halts, what are those again?
- a saddle would be nice tomorrow
- clipping must be done pronto (I hate shaggy ponies, and double hate malting ponies)
Last but not least a picture of the beast from April's HT.
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