Man, Is It Hot

Whisper and I have had a couple of interesting rides. Both were in the arena. It's nice to have more room but this particular arena is not enclosed - it's essentially just a flat spot with a wall on one side and the ditch on the other. It's not a great place to ride green horses but it's all we've got. He's continuing to work on standing still alongside the bucket -  getting better but still needs work. He’s somewhat friendlier with the plastic bag but they’ll never be best buddies. We’ve stepped up the speed a little – walk/trot/fast walk now instead of just walk. He’s getting the general idea although he still doesn’t really get the bit & reins. He moves off my leg pretty well – he’ll move over to the wall and back and turn in a circle with leg pressure. To accomplish the same using just the reins requires a fair amount of muscle. He also likes to lean on the bit although he only seems to do it when he walks. And, he rubs his face on his leg. I don’t know if he’s itchy or he’s trying to remove the bridle, or?? Time to call in the professionals again – as soon as they’re finished with endurance and show season.

Ah yes. The interesting part of the last ride. A very large horse fly annoying my very large horse mightily. We did a lot of small circles while he twitched, swished, kicked, and stamped trying to get rid of the fly. At one point I told him if he’d stop I’d get off. He didn’t stop, I didn’t get off, and the fly eventually flew away. He settled down and we continued our ride. Even when he’s a handful he’s a controlled handful. He’s much, much better at using his head. Although things still spook him (some of them have to be imaginary), his reactions are more measured - a flinch instead of a jump. We were heading from the arena to the stable last week, ambling along when all of the sudden we were facing the other direction. What the ….?? I have no idea when he saw, heard, or imagined. He has walked that road numerous times – it’s the main drag from his pasture to the stable. But he didn't run, he just whirled and stopped. We turned back around and continued on our way. Horses….