Hoof Blogs

Flossie's 214th Lesson

FLOSSIE'S 214th LESSON

There were half a dozen men on foot and half that many vehicles of all shapes and sizes
working on the road next to the track at Dessyland this morning. There was a big yellow
road roller, and a little white road roller, a big water truck, one blue mini tractor,
and one yellow mini tractor that looked like robotic crabs. All those machines meant
lots of beeps, clangs, buzzes, whistles, and roaring engines along with all the other
movement and commotion ubiquitous to road work.

Now that the road has been built up, the machines tower down on us as we pass. Sometimes
they take us by surprise as they suddenly appear from above seemingly from out of nowhere
but my Lil Floss just keeps on going.

I worked on leads today. She loves that left one, so as I brought her around to the
right, I worked at her picking up the right lead. She took it once for three strides
before dropping it again. I knew she had it because my inside leg swung for exactly
three beats. I also worked on my seat so I was balanced enough to be able to stand in my
stirrups at a trot. If the legs and seat are correct, standing is easy because even
while sitting the legs are already in the standing position. I was able to do that for a
few strides as well. Next week, I’m aiming for more strides on the right lead and in the
correct seat.

I tried getting another video while circling in the corner, but the machines were right
on top of us and Flossie would not settle down. I should have worked her in a big circle
first, just to get her warmed up and used to the machines, but I opted to go right into a
small circle, focusing on keeping her in constant view of the camera lens. Although I
work her on that small circle a lot, starting there was something new, and so was the
water truck and the mini-tractors that swarmed around that area like bees. I should have
taken all that into consideration, but I didn’t, and consequently, I only succeeded in
frustrating her which frustrated me and kept me from accomplishing anything. It was a
hot day, too, starting out muggy even as early as 7:30, which is when I began my ride.

As I had her at a walk in the circle to cool out, the road work boss drove by and stopped
to chat. He said he noticed the camera and asked me if my horse was going to be a movie
star. I told him not while all that noise and commotion continues. He’s the guy who
wouldn’t let his men stop for me that day he had them working a jack-hammer with the
generator going full blast. I don’t think I mentioned it to you before, but he resembles
Jimmy Dodd, the host of the old Mouseketeers TV show.

I was also going to get a video after my ride so you can see the corner where I do my
circling and where it’s located in relation to the track, the machines, the new road, the
area I call my ‘arena’, and the dam, but the battery died in my camera before I even
finished taking videos of me circling Flossie. It’s a square battery, the type that
needs to be recharged when it gets low, so I brought it home and hooked it up so I can
download the video I took today to the computer. Oh, I was going to talk into the
camera, too, and say g’day mate!

Even though Flossie is getting used to having to go by those men and their machines every
week, she still doesn’t work the way she would if they weren’t there. They hardly make
for a good learning environment, much less a fun one.

I had to smack her to get her up on the wash rack today. Just one smack with the rope
against her saddle is all it took. She gets nervous and drops a dump there every time as
though on cue. She stands well enough for me to hose her down, though. I can get her
everywhere; top, bottom, behind, before, you name it; she’s good. She just isn’t used to
the bricks I guess.

I had lots of carrots for everybody today because the guy at the market on Sunday gave me
two free packages.

Princess, one of Pat’s mares, got a leg caught in the rubber fence that separates her
from the horse who lives in the paddock beside her. The fence is comprised of three
garden hose-looking lengths of rubber about two feet apart. She got one front leg over
one of them and didn’t know hot to get it back over again so I had to come to her rescue.
It was easy enough; I just had to lift up her leg and put it back through again.

I gave Des two big cans of rice cream because I know he likes it. He’s always so humble
about accepting my gifts and shows pleasure as though he were a kid on Christmas morning
with a tree full of presents for him to open.

I probably won’t share the video I took today because I couldn’t get Flossie to work for
me. I did set the camera up differently this time, though, and made sure to make smaller
circles in the hopes that I stayed within the camera’s view finder, so I’ll at least be
able to judge if this idea worked or not.

I have nothing else to share that I can think of, so I may as well bow out here and say
Aussie ya af-tah.