Now that it is summer, I can ride Greta in the mornings before it gets hot (7:45 AM wake-up call? No problem!!! It WAS a problem during the school year, but that's just because it's school. Greta is different.) And by hot, I mean here in TEXAS it's 80 by 9:00. It's 90 by 10:00. Ain't that fantastic, y'all?
But this is a good thing too, because now the stalled horses are being left in during the day with their fans and fly-masks and constant supply of hay and all that jazz and then they are turned out night, when it's cool and there's no bugs and once again, there's a constant supply of hay. Ain't that the life?
It's also a good thing because this means we can ride in the pastures! We've been riding in the same pasture lately, so I'm considering shuffling around pastures to spice things up a bit. I found one of the smaller ones has a really nice mildly steep incline that we can back up 10-15 steps to work her haunches. Greta's pasture, the mare pasture, has some really nice grass turf growing, so I would feel bad riding around in it. But I must remember, if it can withstand 8 or so horses walking around on it for several hours, then it can withstand just Greta, too. But I have concluded that probably the best thing to do is... ASK THE BARN MANAGER!
Also, the outdoor arena has been very good to us. Today it there was a slight breeze in the morning, but enough to make the big hay shed that borders the scary corner of the outdoor arena to moan. So Greta tries to totally push past my leg PUSHING her, BEGGING her to get into the corner. She stares at it and tries to walk past it as quickly as possible. But at least she is not spooking, and the rest of the ride went well. We got some nice canter transitions. That was the big thing that made me happy. I got to show off some of our mad skillz to the parental units as well. YAY!
But things are going to be busy the next two weeks. I have my beloved Senior friends going off the college and abandoning me haha. Same with my exchange friends. Boo.
Also, I have an SAT test this weekend. You should hear the excitement in my voice. Yay.
AND I have a bunch of artwork I'm doing as going-away gifts, Father's Day gifts, museum submissions (PLEASE TAKE THEM A.M.O.A.!!!) and greeting card work submissions. I might be painting a mural on one of the walls in the covered arena, and paint the different tack room doors as well.
But it will all be great fun, I hope.
Would love to see some of your art, especially the father's day pieces. Hope your summer is filled with many early morning rides.
ReplyDeleteWhen does the school year begin in Texas? Here in NJ, we started before Labor Day and will go until the 24th due to several snow days.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the art submissions.
Wow, they are actually giving more than one flake of hay at that barn now? That's great!
ReplyDeleteAll snark aside, I loooove those early-morning rides. This morning at our house it was cool(ish), misty and beautiful - too bad I had to hurry into work and did not have time for a pre-work trail ride!
@Erin: Yes, there will be many early morning rides. Because soon the temperatures will start to spike back into the 100s again haha. But thank you, and I will try to get some of my work up here.
ReplyDelete@Val: It depends on the district, but most of the ones in the area are beginning mid-August. Although mine is the 28th. So we're practically starting in September!!
@JenJ: it's the usual for when they're inside: one big flake three times a day. Although I do sneak Princess Piglet a flake every now and then. Don't tell anyone..... And that is THE weather I would love to ride in!! Your property looks like it has a lot of trees, so that is great to ride as well, keep things a lot cooler.