I finally got out to the barn today after getting out of class a little bit early. It's so cold, so I wanted to check on the big belly girl.
I took my gelding out first and he was very fresh after not getting much turnout. He actually got his workout on the lunge and I rode him for his cool-down. Not my plan, but I was taking it easy since I still don't feel 100%.
Drifter is funny. She recognizes me when I come out to pasture board. I have trained her to recognize a certain whistle, which she gets a treat if she comes to me when she hears that whistle. She does some days and not others, but most days it at least makes her stop while I walk up to her. But I do notice that she watches me take Fritz out and seems to notice when I am around the barn in general. We was relatively pleasant about coming in today. I checked her warmth under her blanket and would have liked her to be warmer, so I think I might look for a liner for her at work on Monday in case the cold weather continues. I just park her in the aisle and groom and tack her. I rarely cross-tie her because the cross ties are usually occupied and she just stands there. Mind you, she stands on the cross ties well, so I think it's a good skill to stand without being tied- just the leadrope over her neck. Her legs were pretty dirty and I can tell she is laying down a lot in the shed with the dirt on her belly. She seemed a bit surprised to see the saddle coming out today.
When I took her into the indoor I was still alone and thought that lunging her might be a good idea after Fritz' silliness. So I hooked her up and sent her out at a walk and she puffed right up and began trotting without me asking. She gave a little hop and buck and threatened to take off. I "twirred" to her and she came to a slammed down walk, but still had a mischievous look in her eye. She was moving nicely forward and doing a great extended trot at times. I kissed to her and she broke into a lovely canter and cantered around me several times. This was the nicest canter she has ever done on the lunge. I think that because she had so much self carriage she was able to pull it off. Her canter is still more difficult to the right then the left. After switching directions she was less fresh, but still moving out at a brisk trot. I didn't want her to overdo it, so I asked for several transitions and then got her ready for a light ride.
She was good for mounting and very good under saddle. I wish she was normally that forward on most of our rides because it was so easy to get her organized and through. We did a few figure eights at the trot and then walked to help cool her out. Yep, she's still got it.
In four days she will be 8 months along. I think she was so fresh today because the horses aren't getting to move out and stretch with the cold weather and frozen ground. I think that the soft footing in the indoor and the lack of her blanket had her feeling good. She certainly seemed happy and just a little fresh!
