Hoof Blogs

Flossie's 82nd Lesson

I had so much fun riding Flossie today! I worked on my seat; relaxing, specifically, and
was able to start out that way right from the beginning and that's saying a lot since it
usually takes me time to get my seat together. I spent four hours with Flossie and arrived
at 7:00 am to beat the heat and it worked, so, once again, going early turned out to be
worth the effort.

I realized this morning just how much work my left leg needs. I concentrated on keeping it
under me, and keeping weight in the stirrup. I tend to sit with more weight in my right
stirrup. Consequently, it's easier for me to circle to the left than it is to circle to
the right. So I worked on that; first, doing a circle at a walk, then at a trot. It took a
lot of effort and it really made me see just how off balance I am.

The effort paid off big time, though, because I was able to get some good stuff out of
Flossie. First of all, she's comfortable going into a canter; she picks it up as pretty
as you please. Second of all, she's comfortable at the trot and picks that up as smooth
as pudding! I still have a hard time posting/sitting it, but I can stay with her longer
than before, and I see that as a big plus. I'm hoping that eventually I'll be able
to feel as comfortable at the trot as I am at the canter and the pace.

We did work on the track in both directions, at every gait, then worked in the paddock. We
did circles and figure eights, cantering in a straight line, and some resting; not much,
though, because it wasn't that hot so early in the morning. At one point I allowed
Flossie to take me wherever she wanted to go and we ended up in the yard (what a surprise .
. . NOT). Then I thought, 'oh no, she's not going to budge out of here.' But
she did! She protested at first, so I circled her and rode her out onto the track without a
fight.

She's learning to go where I point her; off or on the track, and that's a big deal.
It used to freak her out when we went off the track, and it wasn't that long ago,
either. She's a quick study; she's a willing partner; and she's a dream to work
with. She really is.

Des had the track dragged and it was in tip-top shape! Everything looked tall and green
just from that one day of rain we had last week. The dam's still terribly low, though.


There was a blanketed bay horse in the paddock with the mares and colts today. I found out
he, along with all the other horses in the various paddocks around Des' place, belong to
Billy. (I never met him, but Des said he lives in Eagleby). Blaze kept bugging the
blanketed bay and for some reason that disturbed Aunt Flossie; when the colt took an unduly
interest in the bay, Flossie did everything she could to break them up. Which wasn't
hard because the bay didn't want the punk bothering him, anyway.

BamBam allowed me to walk right up and touch him on the forehead without so much as blinking
an eye. Blaze, on the other hand, allows me to touch him, but he still bobs his head first.
Oh, and when I called for him to come to me, he came over like a puppy without the
slightest hesitation!

Des has two old women renting a cabin on his property. When I first started working
Flossie, he had had a guy living there. Then it was vacant for the last year or so.

Since I didn't see Des while I was there, I phoned him to let him know I won't be
riding Flossie next week and possibly not the following week, either. He told me all the
horses, besides Bambi, BamBam, Blaze, and his mother, and Flossie, of course, belong to
Billy; not just the blanketed bay in the big paddock. And he told me Billy's the one
who had the track dragged.