Hoof Blogs

Flossie's 131st Lesson

FLOSSIE'S 131st LESSON

I didn't know if it was going to rain or not this morning. The sky certainly looked as
though it were full of precipitation. Even now it still looks as though it's going to
pour any minute.

Anyway, I took a chance and was glad I did because I got to spend some quality time with
Flossie this morning. She's in season, and when that happens, she gets kind of silly
and lackadaisical. I could tell she really wasn't in the mood for a ride today, but she
did okay in spite of herself.

I warmed her up in the 'arena' then took her at a trot around the track. I did that
so I'd have her complete attention when we came to the area nearest the road. She still
likes to act as though a trail monster were out to get her when we get to the bare spots
around the edge of the track near the road. When I have her moving along at a nice clip,
she tends to be braver about passing things that normally throw her for a loop.

I've been working on slowing her trot down when I'm posting by posting slower than
her gait and I'm finally getting somewhere. At first she kept wanting to stop, but now
she's getting the idea.

I walked her in hand down Des' driveway again after our hour on the track. Then I
mounted her and rode her back to the yard. She was extremely interested in the three
geldings that live in the small pasture between the driveway and the track. She talks to
them when I ride her past and sometimes they talk to her.

After our time together, I grabbed the mane and tail concoction I made, a mane and tail
comb, and a lead rope and went out to the pasture where Bambi and Flossie were snoozing.
They were standing next to the three geldings that Flossie has her eye on. I hooked the
rope on Bambi's halter and started to work on the knots that have been in her mane all
summer. That stuff really does wonders! Unfortunately, Norm arrived before I was able to
finish the job, but that's okay. This has happened before. Next week the job will be a
piece of cake. Just having the lotion in her mane will make a lot of difference.

I spoke with Des but he says there's nothing new. I noticed Billy moved his mare, the
one that had had a filly recently, and was stabled in the stall Des wants to put BamBam in
when he gets back. Last week she was in a makeshift stall on the grass beside the driveway,
but now he's divided the latest paddock he just roped off and put her in one section so
he has three horses in connecting paddocks now.