Friday, September 11, 2009

Mud and mold (no, not THAt mold)

On Greta

It has been very cool the past two days. Yesterday I was totally unprepared and was absolutely freezing (the school's air conditioner was still set for the hundred-degree weather we had only a few days ago!) and very cool outside. In the seventies! It was great! We also got some rain. I was better prepapred today. I actually got to wear a sweater again! I love my sweaters. They're so cozy and warm....

And we also got 2 1/2 inches of rain today. Very cool, but that means the stables had turned to mush. Especially Greta's pasture! When I got out there she was standing in this disgusting (and I rarely use that word when it comes to barn stuff) poo and rotten hay juice. The hay was what was left from the old round bale. She was still munching on it! Yeck! So her hooves are now purple with Thrush Buster. And so is one of my hands. It looks kind of cool actually....

Riding-wise... a dream! Sunday and Monday Greta was a saint. Nice and mellow, which had me kind of scared at first, but then I remembered how she became like this once she got used to the old barn. It was quicker this time since she is around a bunch of horses and does not have just one horse to obsess over, and her pasture mates aren't taken out often, save her. Also, I would like to think, because she sees me every day so I guess I'm something familiar.

Greta gave me the perfect trot both Sunday and Monday. So nice in fact, that I felt comfortable enough to sit it. It wasn't a "oooh, I'm going to be a pacer horse today!" sort of trot. It was smooth, swingy trot and she got on the bit very nicely. When I sat it I began to understand what is meant with the term "elastic seat". I relaxed enough to keep my seat sort of swinging in motion with her. I made sure not to cheat and tuck my pelvis, which would hollow out my back, and deepen my seat enough to go along with the ride. The slang version I've heard of developing an elastic seat is to, well, "pretend you're making love to the saddle."

I wouldn't know that quite yet, so.... I just had to develop my own.

It felt like my seat was wax and it was just sort of molding to the saddle. I wasn't a plastic figurine that you just tried to squeeze onto the plastic horse. I had been molded with the horse in the same cast. I fit! Greta's mouth was soft in my hand and she just carried herself lovely. It was pretty friggin' cool.

So that's my analogy.

And pasture-wise: Greta's been hanging out with the same two geldings for the past few days. One of them I call "Cupid" because he has a big star resembling a heart on his head. The other just shadows him. Both are handsome dark bays, and Cupid is a very lanky boy. He was just resting his head on Greta while I picked out her hooves.

Greta, you little coquette!




On Quarter Marks
This is soooo cool. I know Jolanda Adelaar likes to do a heart on Guus. So adorable! And they look so flashy and fresh! In the picture gallery, I love the first one with the kangaroo!

Quartermark Gallery




Lastly, on the AECs

GO GO GO GOGO AND ANDREA, VAL AND SAM!!!!!!! KICK SOME BUTT, EVENTING STYLE!!!!!

2 comments:

  1. Ha, ha...you are crackin' me up...glad you got that "elastic seat" thang down. Ugh...I'm so not looking forward to our rainy season. Up here in the NW we spend months and months in mud/gunk. It's every horse owner's goal to keep a mud free pasture up here...it's an ongoing battle for sure!

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  2. lol yeah. I heard that at a clinic and thought, "Um... how about an underage analogy?"

    The turnout pastures are not used when it is muddy like this, but the pasture board horses tough it out. Even if it means draining my supply of thrush buster lol! Thank God for tall rubber boots! They were a blessing today!

    I've heard of some places having a "sacrifice pasture" that's just sand or gravel and horses are turned out in there when it's nasty and muddy, so as to not to ruin the grassy pastures. Sounds good to me! Of course, it'd be impracticable here in TX: you just keep them in a stall for a day or two because it only rains once in a blue moon and the sun bakes everything dry afterwards! The humidity hasn't kicked in yet. Which means I can still wear my sweater!

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