Hoof Blogs

Flossie's 106th Lesson

FLOSSIE'S 106th LESSON

I started Flossie in the paddock this morning, doing circles to warm us
both up. When I took her to the track, I had her passing the part
nearest to the road at a trot instead of having her walk by as usual. I
figured she'd have less time to decide to balk if she saw something
she didn't like. I don't know if this philosophy is correct or
not, but for whatever reason, she didn't balk today at all. In fact
she never refused to do anything I asked for.

She trotted around the entire track today at a post, which is a first.
That's not an accomplishment for her, it's a testimony to my
ability. This is even more incredible: I sat her trot for more than
just a few strides while we were circling in the paddock. I was
concentrating so hard on getting her around the circle, I didn't
even notice at first. I realized how choppy her gait was, but it
didn't dawn on me why until we had been trotting for a while. Prior
to that, she was pacing until we came to a branch that was lying in our
line of fire. Instead of going around it, I kept her on the circle so
she had to go over it and every time she did, she'd quit the pace
and pick up a trot. As I mentioned, it was because I was so intent on
keeping her on the circle that I didn't even notice I was sitting
her dad-blasted nasty trot from hell. I was elated!

Flossie tends to ride the inside of the track as we go around the
section closest to the road, so for her good, but mostly my own personal
benefit, I worked on keeping her in the center of the track. To do
this, I had to work my shoulders, legs, seat, and back independently.
Because I have a 'new body' now, I was impressed with the
outcome.

I rode so well today I couldn't wait to tell Norm. Of course, not
being a horseman, himself, he wasn't suitably impressed, but I still
enjoyed blowing my own horn.

I groomed Bambi today; got all the tangles out of her mane. I also
groomed BamBam as far as he would let me. He came up to me when I was
sitting in the paddock today and sniffed me all over the way Blaze used
to. Afterwards, I got up and started chasing him in circles around the
paddock. He flew his tail like a flag in the air behind him. Flossie
stopped grazing to watch us in action and she nickered softly to us when
we were done running around.