Hoof Blogs

Flossie's 230th Lesson

FLOSSIE'S 230th LESSON

What a quiet ride I had today without all those monstrous machines clanging away near the
track, or those workmen in their bright green vests wandering around the new road! As I
tacked Flossie up, a bird serenaded me, singing, “La cucaracha, la cucaracha”. I had
never heard the bird before, but the song sure made some nice music to saddle by. I took
time to savor each and every one of those sounds of nature that I had missed out on for
the past year or so! I took in the aqueous splash the ducks made as they took off from
the dam, or landed in the water with their tiny ducklings paddling away behind them as
fast as their little webbed feet could take them! It was so good to hear the magpies
oo-rooling in the wind-soughed trees and the sound of chirping insects in the
rain-enriched shrubbery.

Flossie worked so well at everything today and it made me feel so good. She took the
correct lead in both directions time and time again. When I’m positioned in a balanced
seat I can feel where her hind legs are which makes it easier to cue her at the right
time. I am starting to get good at this for the first time in my life, (or at least
since I’ve been a student), and, consequently, Flossie is getting good at it, too. She
is such a quick learner!

In spite of the heat, I was able to do everything today from the usual warming up laps
around the track at all gaits in both directions, to circling in the corner, and
practicing the stride-counting exercise I’ve been working on lately. I just made sure
Flossie got some rest in the shade between exercises. Ten minutes usually does the
trick.

Flossie wasn’t anticipating the halts today on the counting exercise as she had been in
the past, and actually waited for her cue from me before making a move on her own, and
she didn’t get herself all worked up, either, which means she didn’t worry the shank, as
is her habit when she gets wound up. The very worst she did today was to try to run too
fast in the canter on the circle to the right. If not an entire circle, I was at least
able to get a few nicely collected strides out of her where the motion was up and down,
like a rocking horse. Eventually, I want to see that stride all the way around the
circle for as many laps as I wish.

It was 90 degrees again, so as soon as I got what I wanted, I stopped and let her rest.
I gave her a good hosing down afterwards and then stood in the paddock with her for the
longest time. I didn’t want to leave her, nor even just take my hands off her. I told
her I won’t be back again until April and she just swished her tail and kept on grazing.

I told Des he won’t be seeing me again now until I get back from India and we were
talking about the need to get away sometimes and he brought up his plans for the future.
He said he’s going to have surgery on his legs again and if they don’t come good this
time, he’s going to move to be near his daughter. I’m not sure when he’s scheduled for
surgery, but I’m sure he’ll tell me when the time comes.

Since we’re leaving for India this Friday, and won’t be back until the first week of
April, Norm and I have been running around here in all directions, trying to catch up on
all those last-minute errands that need attending to before embarking on such a lengthy
trip overseas. All the bills that are due next month have to be paid before we go, and
the mail has to be stopped at the Post Office, the book I borrowed last week has to be
taken back to the library, Norm has all his paper work to get out in order to get his
pay-check before we leave, the police have to be notified so they can watch our house for
us while we’re gone, and the neighbors have to be approached so they can pull our garbage
cans off the curb for us so they won’t be left there for an entire month. I’m sure
there’s lots more but those are the chores that come immediately to mind.

It’ll be good to get away for a while, but I know I will miss Flossie and all her horsey
pals.