A beautiful weekend

This past weekend was beautiful, who could have asked for a better fall weekend. Luckily with the season over it was an easy weekend. No show to attend or prepare for. So I spent my Saturday with boy my boys. When I got out to the barn it looked like the horses were playing a game of hide and seek.

I brought Forrest in and cleaned him up. It seemed that he was due for some “mud therapy” since they were blanket free. He was caked in the stuff and seemed awfully proud of himself. I can’t wait to be able to clip him, the hair needs to go! But he had high spirits. His leg looked good, it was slightly more inflamed than it usually is, but when it gets to be 70 it’s what happens. I do believe it was the first time in my life cursing warm weather during a fall/winter month. 

                              

But Forrest was going to stick to his 20 minutes of walking through the weekend so we pushed on through. I tacked him up and off we went. One would think that this hand walking stuff is easy, negative. I believe I get more of a work out than Forrest does. I have to keep him walking at a working walk which for me is like a near run. Here I am sweating terrible and trying to “drag” the horse along and he just moseys around his “track.” Go figure. By the end of the 20 minutes working walk, I was beat and Forrest was ready for more.

With the weather so warm, his routine changed up a bit. Instead of his Back on track quick wraps and DMSO we ice and use furicin. So while Forrest was icing for his 30 minutes, I decided to give the old man a ride. I have no idea what was wrong with me, here I am already tired from my “walk,” sad…yes I know, but I decided what would be better than NO STIRRUP WORK. Shoot me now…..

But old man Injun was great. After being retired for two years and only back in work for about a month now, I could finally start feeling him get into shape. His canter isn't 4 beated anymore and he is trying to “buck” me off less and less. Now when I say buck, I mean it feels like a bump in the road. Just a small bounce, but for Indy it’s his mean buck. Really nothing to ever worry about…thank goodness. I also tried to work on framing him up, but the old man was hearing nothing of it and ended up just making him made. Indy also received his new blanket since he wasn't a fan of borrowing his brothers...

Having both boys back together I have definitely noticed my preference in qualities of my horses and apparently the #1 trait is stubbornness. Oh yes, both my boys are terrible stubborn, but like they say dog owners always resemble their dogs…I guess the same is true about horses.

I've got one who is the boss; head of the herd and another one who is the bottom of the herd and last to come in. One that is 17 hands tall to 15 hands tall. Red bay to chestnut. Yep they are as opposite as they come, but personality wise they mimic each other. Just my luck.

Sunday there was not much excitement either. Forrest’s leg looked better than ever! It had gone down WITH the heat which is a really good sign. So I continued our 20 minute routine which ended once again with me breathing heavily and Forrest ready for more… The weekend as good and Forrest is right on track and looking better than the day before. Monday we start adding 2 minutes back onto his time which will cause us to hit the 30 minute mark by Friday. The plan is for him to stay at that mark through the weekend and start adding weight, 80lbs of weights to be exactly, and start back at 5 minutes and work our way up. After thanksgiving, I will be able to get on Forrest and finish his final week of walking before moving and graduating on to trot work! J