Hoof Blogs

Flossie's 220th Lesson

FLOSSIE'S 220th LESSON

There was only one small puddle on the track at Des’ near the railroad tracks to show for
the bit of rain we had yesterday afternoon. It was so insignificant it’s hardly worth
mentioning. However, when I arrived at Des’, a tractor was sitting right on the track on
Des’ property, which I thought was very much worth mentioning! It took up the entire
area between the new road and the dam so there was no getting past it. Men were
constructing a drainage ditch for when it rains and a canal for the extra run-off, which
runs beside Des’ track on the other side of his fence.

Very considerately, the men drove the tractor off the track before I mounted and didn’t
drive in again until I was totally done with the track. I believe the man in charge of
the crew, the one who had told me his men have a schedule to keep and couldn’t be held up
because I wanted to ride my horse, is the one responsible for silencing the machines when
I ride past. How do you like them apples? Unbelievable! He turned out to be a really
nice guy. Or maybe he just felt guilty for being so unfeeling when he realized I wasn’t
being demanding and was only looking out for the welfare of my horse?

A huge power machine was swivelling back and forth on the new road above us while raising
and lowering its huge shovel and at first Flossie wasn’t going to go past it. I could
feel her getting ready to hesitate so I encouraged her with all my aids, including my
voice, to keep going. She never stopped in either direction. Of course it helped when
the men turned the machine off every time they saw me coming!

After six hot laps around the track, three in each direction, at every gait, I gave
Flossie a long break in the shade. She was sweaty and breathing hard so we stood beneath the gums until she was ready to work again. I gave her about ten or fifteen minutes. The tractor was back on the track again by then so we watched it in action until it
finally trundled off. Once gone, we never saw it again.

I worked Flossie in the corner doing circles once the tractor had left the area. I told
Des I sure hope they remembered to put the fence back up again before they left for the
day, for they had to take some of it down to get the machine into the paddock.

It started sprinkling when I was cooling Flossie out in hand on the track after she had
been hosed off in the wash rack. I started circling her with my new lunge whip but the
clouds suddenly let loose and the rain started to fall hard. I took Flossie’s halter off
her and started running up to the yard. Wouldn’t you know, she started trotting, too,
right beside me all the way! It was so cool. I looked over and there she was, at my
shoulder, keeping time with me.

I didn’t groom her as I usually do before I go home since she was so wet, but I’ve
noticed in the past using the hose on her cleans her pretty well, anyway. I know Gary
and Billy and Pat don’t groom their horses after they’ve been in the wash rack, and I
think that must be why. It takes off all the dried up, caked on mud she may have
accumulated through the week, as well as the sweat, so I didn’t worry about it today.

Just before I went home, the sun came out between a skyful of water-color grey
rain-threatening clouds that were still hanging around. However, now, five hours later,
the grey has given up and have left the clouds a menacing-less bright shade of innocent
white!

Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for more of the same.

So there you have it; my morning in a horseshoe.