Hoof Blogs

Flossie's 248th Lesson

FLOSSIE'S 248th LESSON

Another quiet ride on Flossie this week made my time with her that much more enjoyable.
No machines and no people. Just me, my mare, and the incredible track on a beautiful
blue and gold day.

During our seventh lap around the track, a city truck stopped on the new road and started
to back up. As it went, it lifted its top and began dumping something onto the road as
it went, its backing alarm sounding in fits of beeps. The driver waited for us to pass
before backing and dumping his contents, however, and he was done before we came around
again.

I worked Flossie slowly on the track and on the circle but on the track I couldn’t get
her canter as slow as last week. I can’t get over how slow she canters in a circle,
though, especially because I can remember how fast she used to go. When did she finally
learn not to do that? She’s a joy to canter now. When I have her slow and cooperative
enough, I’ll take her to the ‘arena’ and circle her there so I can work on lead changes
on a figure eight.

I worked on backing her today and she just wasn’t getting it for the longest time, then,
bingo! It suddenly clicked, and she gave me about ten of the most beautiful steps back
I’ve ever seen! I owe some of this brilliance to myself, however, since I added the
verbal command, “Back,” to the exercise. She knows what the word means yet sometimes I
forget to say it. Dah.

It was neither hot nor cold today and neither of us got very sweaty. I worked her
straight through for a whole hour before taking a break. I love winters for that! In
the summer it’s too hot to go without breaks every so often.

Jack was down with Pat to take Pat’s mare, Princess, to the races. Jack told me Amanda
and Hannah have their ponies at another barn now. Gary still has his three-year-old
gelding on Des’ property, though, along with another horse he just bought. It’s a
young-looking filly who won’t eat carrots. She is friendly, though, and has a nice
appearance.

I learned from Jack that when a driver is working a horse on the gig it’s called dragging
or trailering. I always wondered about the correct terminology, for I never knew what to
call it before. Today’s a public holiday and that’s why Jack wasn’t in school this
morning.

I can’t say that I miss Billy very much, but I do miss having his horses around. It’s
sad with so many of them gone now and so empty without them. There are only 8 horses on
the property now and there used to be 11, 16 counting Billy’s four geldings and one mare.
That’s half the amount and I miss the difference.

Later, as I was lying in the paddock, waiting on my ride home, Bambi came up to me and
stretched her neck so I could pat her head. I know she was looking for carrots because
as soon as she saw I didn’t have any, she went back to her grazing. Flossie would have
come, too, but she’s not the alpha mare and sometimes lets Bambi dictate her actions.
Then, at other times, she ignores the older mare. If I had had carrots, I’m sure she
would have come up to me regardless of Bambi’s behavior. Go figure.

I have nothing else to share with you today, so I’ll close here with this silly thought:
It's lonely at the top, but you eat better.