Hoof Blogs

Flossie's 139th Lesson

FLOSSIE'S 139th LESSON

I’m glad we can’t magically ride because it would take all the challenge out of it! I
used to plan my lessons on Flossie beforehand, but I don’t anymore because I have to see
how she’s behaving before I can plan anything around her. I like it this way. I never
know what I’m going to get from week to week and I never know how I’m going to ride
(although my riding has been great for many weeks on end lately). If I could make a
perfect ride happen magically, it would take all the fun out of it.

Flossie is beginning to respond to things the way an adult horse would, or a horse that’s
been ridden for years. Although her gaits had matured quite some time ago, now her
actions are starting to catch up. I no longer feel as though I’m riding a green broke
horse.

Today she didn’t balk at anything at all. I never had to use my crop nor my spurs (which
makes two weeks in a row now). She did go with her ears ‘on full blast’, twitching them
this way and that, and giving things a second look, but other than that, there was no
disobedience. A rabbit hopped out of the bushes, unexpectedly, which gave her a fright,
but I can’t fault her for that. She’s also fitter and stronger than ever and because of
that she wants nothing more than to go, go, go. She worked six times around the track at
full speed, three times in each direction. The first two times she took it at a trot and
the third time at a canter. I have never let her go so fast before, but because she was
feeling good, and she was being obedient, and my riding was superb, I allowed her to get
away with it today. I did manage to slow her down enough to work her in a circle, and
even got her started on a nice slow canter! To cool her out, I rode her down the
driveway and let her stand at the end for a time before turning her back to the yard.

Des told me BamBam got his first set of shoes yesterday and even with a twitch he gave
the blacksmith grief. Gary told Des yesterday he’s going to have Blaze gelded next week.
He’s afraid he’s just not tall enough to qualify for the races and he’s starting to get
full of himself. I asked Des what Gary will do with him if he doesn’t qualify at the
track and he said he’ll probably do the same thing he did with his filly; turn him into a
saddle horse. Neither Des nor I can figure out why Gary keeps breeding his mare when all
she ever throws is short foals that don’t grow enough to race.