Hoof Blogs

Flossie's 124th Lesson

FLOSSIE'S 124th LESSON

Boy was it ever good to be back in the saddle again! I lunged Flossie before I saddled her
up this morning and she was, much to my joy, as sound as the first day I rode her.

When I got on, she was feeling good and I let her go through her paces at every gait around
the track in both directions at the speed she chose. She trotted completely around in one
direction at a very fast clip. This is the first time I rode her at a trot so long, so
fast.

I cooled her out thoroughly when we were finished and walked her around the track after
splashing her back with water.

I only worked her for a half hour since she hadn't been ridden for fifteen days and the
last time I rode her she was lame. So she had a lot of bottled up energy to release.

I rode well in every regard. I had to remind myself to relax my shoulders now and then, but
my hands, feet, legs, and seat were top-notch! All this without exercising beforehand since
it was on the spur of the moment when I decided to go.

Des was nowhere to be seen and he wasn't home when I phoned him last night to see how
the track was. I'm wondering if he's in the hospital because when I spoke to him
last he mentioned going in for tests.

Flossie didn't have her halter on today and I was going to ask Des about that. I also
wanted him to know Flossie was ridden and that she's fully recuperated from her
lameness. I'll have to phone him sometime during the week with the information. It
will also give me a chance to see how he's doing.

Anyway, since it never rained last night and the morning was a sunny one, the track was in
great condition. Gary Girrard, who owns Paddle Pop King, and Liz, Billy's wife, were
down when I first got there. I was surprised to see Gary, but I arrived at 6:30, which was
two and a half hours earlier than usual, so he's usually come and gone by the time I get
there.

I loved the way Flossie felt today. She felt strong, willing, and perfectly able to do
whatever it was I wanted her to do. Not that I asked for anything unusual since she
hadn't been ridden for a while, but she was obedient at every turn nevertheless.