Five Acres with a View

Yesterday got off to a rocky start for me when I realized that it was 6:58 and although I had planned to leave the house at 7:10, I hadn’t yet dressed nor eaten breakfast, nor had I fed the horses or dogs. I somehow managed to get to the barn by 7:32 anyway, two minutes after I was supposed to be there. Since I had agreed to drive my truck and horse trailer, my presence was important. My trainer was taking the same two horses ridden by the same two students that had shown so successfully in July.

The turnout for this show was much smaller, but the overall quality of the competition was higher. In our private barn lingo, there were some “nice horses” there, ie expensive horses from barns with good trainers. Although Danny (in photo) and Indy are cute grade horses, they are not expensive. I happen to think I have a very good trainer, but our barn is small and rarely goes to shows, so we aren’t particularly well known.

Unfortunately, once again we had to give the kids and their parents the “you know, you don’t always place in every class” talk to try to manage expectations for future show. Actually, Indy did not place in one of his classes: he tried to duck out of the in gate during one of his rounds, presumably getting eliminated for bad manners. This was a different judge from last time, and she liked Danny and Indy too. I kept staring at our little grade horses, then at the big fancy Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods, and shaking my head.

Of course, there were also plenty of other non-fancy horses. I particularly lost my heart to one old Appaloosa, who had a swarm of three small riders. One rode him while the other two little girls would attempt to lead him simultaneously in opposite directions. He would occasionally roll his eye as if to say, “See what I have to put up with? Aren’t I a good horse?” I think he placed in most of his classes as well.

Yesterday, I put a saddle on Lily for the first time since she injured herself. It is too soon to be riding her, but after having handwalked her for several weeks, it is time to start longing her at a trot. I rarely use side-reins when I longe a horse, but they do give me a little extra leverage and control if the horse decides to play on the longe line. Since I don’t have a surcingle, I run the side-reins from the bit to the billets of the saddle.

So far, Lily does not seem tempted to play. However, I only asked her to trot five circles in both directions the first day, and eight circles in both directions today. So far, she looks blessedly, beautifully sound as she trots, with no strain apparent afterward in the injured leg.