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My lessons with Flossie, a roan Standardbred mare |
| This is an on-going diary or autobiography |
| NO 255th LESSON Today should have been Flossie’s 255th Lesson, and could have been, but I decided not to ride her today. I awoke to a bright and sparkly environment; a gem of a morning. Perfect riding weather. Even the track was in great shape. Normally I would have been beside myself with joy. However, my heart was so heavy I couldn’t even give Flossier her carrots. Instead, I gave them to Des to hand out to the horses for me. I found out Flossie will be living two hours away from Brisbane; much too far for me to travel regularly. That shoots my plan to ride her in exchange for giving Charlotte riding lessons. Des said he’s getting another saddle horse in and Norm thought he meant just for me. I told Des if he ever gets into a situation again where he has a saddle horse to ride, to think of me. He said he’ll definitely keep in touch with me. That gave me hope. On the other hand, he’s still contemplating a move to the Gold Coast to be near his daughter. It all depends upon the colt he’s starting out now. I'm thinking I should contemplate searching elsewhere for my next mount. Des told me to never get bent all out of shape over a horse because there’ll always be another one. Wise words. Why didn't my heart think of that? Bambi is already gone to her new home. I noticed that first off. Flossie was standing all alone under the trees in her favorite spot. It used to be Bambi’s favorite spot, too, so her absence was obvious. I didn’t even go up to Flossie, so I never touched her or spoke with her. I had said it and done it all last week. I really didn’t want to open up that kettle of fish again, it took too long to get over my last ride. I just watched her from a distance as we pulled in and when we left, I whispered very softly to myself through my tears, “Goodbye, Li’l’ Floss.” |
| WHAT DO I HAVE? September 27, 2010 I had her gallop in my hand when it was wet, or on dry land. We fought the bogeymen that showed behind the fence along the road. I had her circle in the yard. We found that working wasn’t hard. I gave her carrots; she gave me glee and set my cantering spirit free. But now she’s gone; the track is clear, and everything that I held dear was never mine; was Des’ call. I never really had the mare at all. She taught me how to ride so well, she taught me even when I fell. She was the best I’ve ever known. She was, I thought, my own. But no one taught me how to lose, or warned me what I shouldn’t choose, so all my love flowed through my heart; I thought we’d never part. But now she’s gone; the track is bare, and everything within my care was never mine; was Des’ call. I never had li’l Floss at all. |
| FLOSSIE'S 254th LESSON Too much rain kept me off the track last week, and, consequently, out of the saddle. Today I rode Flossie as though it were for the very last time because it just may very well be. I talked to Des before I rode today and I found out a little more information. Flossie’s going to live in Lancaster on some property with some friends of his granddaughter’s, who is a sixteen-year-old beginner rider. Her family is moving to the Gold Coast at the same time I’ll be flying to America next month. So Flossie won’t be living anywhere near her. I gave Des my phone number, and Norm’s, to give to Charlotte and he said as soon as Charlotte is moved into her new home he’ll give me her new address and phone number. Since I’ll be away when he gets that information, I’m going to make it a point to phone him for it as soon as I get back to Oz again at the end of next month. The track was swollen from all the rain it’s had lately, and it was soft and dark. It was only muddy in one spot that we never use. There were no machines working and no rain. The clouds turned from grey and threatening to white and cherry before my very eyes. Then, before I left, it turned grey and threatening once again. Only the magpies, swooping down on my head over and over again and again, were a bother. My ride, itself, was spectacular and satisfying. Flossie did everything I asked for. On the track and on the circle, I couldn’t find anything to fault her for. The grass was dry, astonishingly enough, and made for some good footing while we circled. I rode well, savoring every stride whether it be walk, trot, pace, or canter. I’ll never know another Flossie nor will I ever have the creek this way again. I hosed her off in the wash rack for the first time in months. She followed me up to the rail very hesitantly, but I didn’t have to get after her. Not being experienced, Charlotte has no idea what a good horse she’s getting. She won’t appreciate Flossie’s soft mouth, quick response to aids, her understanding, trust, and ability to perform. Not until years later when she looks back and compares her to other mounts she’ll have know by then will she realize what a gift she had in Flossie. I’m aiming for one more ride next week in spite of all the rain that’s once again in the forecast. I told Des I will be down rain or no rain, ride or no ride, for it will be my last opportunity not only because I’ll be overseas for three weeks, but because Flossie will be leaving me in the next week or so forever. Before I left this morning, I gave Flossie and Bambi their last carrots for the week and tried to tell them through my tear-filled eyes how much I’m going to miss them. I told them they were going to new homes; Bambi to a brood farm, and Flossie to a new owner. Not only will they never see me again, but they will never see each other again, either. They are both in for a new life; a new environment and have no idea. I squeezed Flossie and held her tight and cried my eyes out. The last horse I touched before I left Dessyland was Gary’s little colt. He put his soft muzzle in the palm of my hand and I held it for the precious thing it was. I love horses so much. I sure pray this will not be my last experience around them. How would I survive without them? I better go. I need to dry my eyes and blow my nose and try to think about something nice. I can’t even think about my impending trip, now, without feeling sad. I hope my loss of Floss doesn’t interfere with my enjoyment in the long run. (Yes, the rhyme was intended.) |
| GOODBYE LI'L FLOSS I phoned Des tonight, September 27, 2010, about the weather and the condition of the track and he said he had some bad news for me and it had nothing to do with either. He said he got rid of all his horses and they’ll be gone from his property within the next two weeks. He’s given Flossie to his granddaughter who’s starting to take lessons now and needs a horse to learn on. Flossie will be a good lesson horse. The work I’ve put into her has taken her to that level. If she had been my own horse, I would have looked for just this sort of situation. So I’m happy for her even though I’m sad beyond words for myself. Norm said horses are a dime a dozen and that there are more where Flossie came from. I sure hope he’s right. A few years ago a friend of ours directed me to an Arabian/pinto stud farm because she knows the owner, Marion Corbley. If it’s still in existence, and it looks as though it is since I checked it out on the Internet already, I plan to phone Marion when I get back from my visit to America. It’s a good place to start and the farm is located in Bethania, which is as close to home as Des’ place is. Des said he hasn’t been feeling well in the past few weeks or so and needs to get away from the horses for a while. Only his colt will remain on the property and if he doesn’t do well on the track, then he’s going to be gone too. Gary has sold all his horses except for the young one he recently purchased. Des didn’t say anything about Pat, but I know he has another place where he can take his horses so I’m guessing that’s probably what he’ll be doing, if he hasn’t done it already. I have a refrigerator full of carrots so I’m going to take them to Flossie and her pals tomorrow morning whether the weather wants me to or not. We’re supposed to have showers tonight and isolated thunderstorms tomorrow. The storms usually arrive around 4:00 o’clock so if the showers tonight aren’t too heavy, and they stop by morning, I may just venture a ride. After all, it may very well be my last. Sometimes I don’t see the point in allowing one’s self to get close to any living thing, whether it be human or animal. Strong, positive contacts, bonds, relationships, have a way of forming whether we want them to or not and when circumstances come along to tear them apart, the loss is devastating to the heart. I have been here before. When I left America, I left Tonto, a chestnut Thoroughbred behind. I cried my eyes out over her soft pretzel-scented nose before saying goodbye. She died shortly after I migrated to Oz. Again, I cried uncontrollably at her passing. However, I got over both losses in time and my heart did finally heal even though I carry fond memories of the mare which often bring tears to my eyes and probably always will. When Madeline and Glen sent Silver away my heart broke to see her gone. Riding and teaching at Capricorn Coast Trail Rides was difficult after that, but I survived and coped in spite of my grief. As far as I know she’s still alive and doing well, living out her life in a huge pasture with nothing but freedom as far as the eye can see. At least that’s the way I choose to see it. Of course you know about Flit, the one and only horse I ever owned, and there were many, many other horses that have come and gone in the past thirty or so years of my life that I had grown very fond of and formed attachments to who were also just as difficult to part with when the time came to say my final goodbye. Remember the little buckskin gelding I called Gavin who lived on the corner of Fryar and Eagleby Road when Norm and I first moved to Brisbane? It was difficult without him especially since I never had the chance to say goodbye. I went down to his pasture to give him an apple and learned at that time he had been moved to another home. I carried that loss around with me for a long time and even today when I pass that empty pasture I feel a heavy tug on my heart. I have nothing else to share with you at the moment, so I may as well take my heavy heart to bed and hope it will allow me to do some sleeping. I doubt it, but I didn’t sleep well last night, so maybe it’ll take pity on me. |
| FLOSSIE'S 253rd LESSON The rain that was supposed to jeopardize my ride today turned into the risk of an afternoon thunderstorm, instead. So, under a bright blue sky it sprinkled on the way to Des’ and then once again just after my ride but in both cases it didn’t turn into anything hard and it didn’t last long. Upon my arrival, after taking my tack out of the car, and as I started to gather it all together, Pat informed me that the grader was coming down to spend a couple hours working on the track and that he was late and should be around any minute. I didn’t like the sound of those words since I only had 2 ½ hours before Norm would be coming to pick me up. I saddled Flossie so fast that I was in the saddle in no time. As it turned out, the grader never did show and I had a wonderful time with Flossie. She worked so well she made me proud. She kept refusing to pick up the correct lead going to the right on the track. She’d start out on it, take a couple of strides, then quit on me. However, on the circle, I got her on the lead and was able to keep her on it for several laps. She circled well in both directions. I felt very limber today and loose in the saddle. Not as loose as I want to be, but better than usual. Instead of working in the ‘arena’ the way I do for the last part of my ride, I put Flossie back on the track, instead, at a slow trot and then had her working off and on the track by circling around trees. I took her around one tree, then back to the track, circled the next tree, then back to the track again. We’ve done this exercise before but it was long before the machines came to build a new road next to Des’ dam. Speaking of machines, the ones that have been working on the other side of the rail road tracks weren’t in commission today so I had a very quiet ride. It was savory to the ears and absolutely satisfying to my heart. There were horses in the paddock behind the abandoned barn that’s located next to Des’ property and I had never seen them there before. One day when I have time I’m going to make it a point to walk over there and see if the people who own the horses can tell me where the trails are and if they know where Lynn lives. If you remember, Lynn is the gal who wanted to trail ride with me once her horse’s broken jaw healed. I haven’t heard from her since that one and only day when we first met. Now the sky is a water color blur in all shades of grey and it looks more and more like rain every minute. My clothes, which I’ve hung out on the line, may not dry, and thunder and lightning may put an end to my use of the computer for a while, but at least I got my ride in for the week. Relief and joy, sweet joy! |
| FLOSSIE'S 252nd LESSON On his way to the gym, Norm dropped me off to ride at Des’ at 6:30 this morning. Gary had two horses to work and was half finished with the first when I arrived. I waited for him to finish with the second horse, which was Des’ stallion, before tacking Flossie up, that way we both had the track all to ourselves. I mounted at 7:30, so even though I waited around for Gary to finish, it was still an hour earlier than usual. It was a gorgeous morning, one filled with dewy grass and sparkling sunlight. It was chilly, yet I managed to work up a sweat after the first twenty minutes or so. Of course I had on a winter coat over a long sleeve shirt over a T-shirt, so I may have been a little over-dressed. After the rain that fell Sunday night, the track was still pretty wet even though it had two sunny days to dry out. It was muddy in the area between the new road and the dam but it didn’t take up the whole track and we were able to navigate around it without a problem. The wet track made for a soft track and the grass, itself, wasn’t slippery, so the traction was good no matter where I rode. Flossie picked up a nice trot and kept it slow and steady at every lap in both directions, much to my surprise. Her slow trot is nothing like her fast trot and I had to get used to rising at a slower tempo than usual. The slower gait made it feel almost as though she were about to stop at every stride, which she didn’t do, of course. Because of the slower speed, it took longer to work her. The canter was a different story, unfortunately, and was just as zippy as ever. However, she went around the entire track without stopping or changing her gait and she kept it steady in every spot even on the inclines. Up in the corner, she circled many laps to the left at the canter, but it took a fight to get her on the correct lead going to the right. Backing was like pulling teeth, too, but I eventually got a few steps out of her. Des said he’s having a new fence put in all around the property so he can start agisting horses. It would be neat if he got a couple of riding horses. Maybe then I’d have someone to ride with, and, perhaps another mount at my disposal as well. I was discussing this with Pat and he said not to count on it for another ten years. I don’t know. Des’ wife is sending someone over in a couple of weeks for an estimate. Whatever happens, I hope something good comes of it. Des plans to have the stalls torn down that Billy had put up for his horses when he was boarding on the property which would be nice because that area is nothing but an eyesore as it is. I’m going to halt my horses here since I’ve run out of trail. So, now, after my ooroo, you can finally say “That’s all she wrote!” Ooroo! |
| FLOSSIE'S 251st LESSON Flossie was as steady as a metronome for me on the track this morning. Her trot is always steady, but today it was so rhythmical I was able to stand in the stirrups. I’ve been working on doing this for months, but today I actually did it. I held onto her mane so I couldn’t jerk her mouth and I stood for a good long time. I rode her that way off and on in both directions. The first time I asked for a canter, she got bronchy and did some crow hopping. Other than that she was good on the track and on the circle. I had her canter one last time on the track in the direction she had been going when she did her crow hops before I rode her down the driveway to cool her out, just to give her a chance to redeem herself, and she picked up the canter as smooth as glass without any more antics. I loved standing in the stirrups at the trot. It felt as though we were flying. It was a real thrill! I think I'll make it a part of my rides every week from now on. Pat came down to work some horses on the jogger just as I had dismounted. I didn’t know he was around until he slammed the door on his truck just as I approached with Flossie in tow. He didn’t know we were there any more than we knew he was there and we all got a surprise. Flossie handled it well and barely responded. I showed the crack in Flossie’s right front hoof to Pat while he was handy and he instantly pulled out his equipment and trimmed her hooves for me on the spot. It didn’t take long before her hooves were as good as new again! Gary’s little filly, the new horse he bought recently, was turned out in the big paddock with Flossie and Bambi. Although Flossie gets along well with the youngster, Bambi will not tolerate her. She throws a temper whenever the young horse comes near. She kicks out at her, snorts loudly with a huge blast of air that you can almost see coming out of her nostrils, and she chases after her while making herself look as mean and as scary as possible. All that energy goes to waste, though, because the savvy filly just saunters past her as though she were nothing more than a sessile tree stump. It’s really comical. I had tried feeding that filly carrots many times in the past when she was penned up in an outdoor stall, but she wouldn’t even take a sniff at them. However, while I was feeding Flossie and cantankerous Bambi, she managed to get a hold of one. I watched her toy around with it on the ground for a while but eventually she sniffed it and finally took a tentative nibble. She ended up eating the whole thing. It was a heavenly morning, with a bright and sunny sky and just the perfect amount of chill in the air. The kind of day that doesn’t need anything more for comfort than a jacket. As the hours passed, the temperature rose a bit, but by then I was done with the saddle and enjoying the warmth. I love this time of the year for many reasons, and one of them is the absence of bugs. Not only do I hate being bothered by them, but I hate to see them bothering the animals, too. After today, now I have five more chances to ride before I fly to America. That is to say as long as the weather and my schedule cooperate. |
| FLOSSIE'S 250th LESSON Under a threatening sky I put Flossie through her 90-mile-an-hour paces as I worked her on the track and then on the circle and finally in the ‘arena’. The machines were up and running along the rail road tracks where they’ve been working now for the past few weeks. Flossie and I ignored, them, though, as well as the big trucks and noisy buses that always seemed to pass by as we came around the track closest to them. One truck sounded like thunder from a distance and only got louder as it came nearer. The traffic doesn’t bother Flossie, though, and she just kept on working. Slowing her down on the track was not an easy feat today although she worked slow enough on the circle, only speeding up occasionally. I had her doing figure eights in the ‘arena’ but I couldn’t work there long because her hooves were chewing up the still-damp ground, leaving divots in their wake. It didn’t rain yesterday, but the downpour we got the night before saturated the grass and filled the track with mud in two places. They were easily navigated around, and the moist ground made for some soft footing and, consequently, a comfortable ride. Pat had dragged the track earlier today which put it in tip-top condition by the time I came to ride. Every cloud had that blurry water-color affect about it and I kept expecting it to start raining at every stride. It didn’t rain, though. Not then, and not now. The forecast is promising sunshine for the rest of the week so somehow those clouds are expected to shape up sometime between now and tomorrow. Maybe it’ll happen overnight because it doesn’t show any signs of clearing up any time before that. I gave Des a big jar of roll mops, which are pickled herring. He said it’s been years since he’s had them. He was really grateful and I told him I really appreciate what he’s doing for me. He keeps telling me it’s alright, but he really is doing me a big favor by allowing me to ride Flossie, no strings attached. A gift now and then is the least I can do for him to show him how much it means to me. I discovered Pat’s gelding’s name is Frank-O Whizz, so now when I talk about Frank, you’ll know who I mean. He had cut his heel on the tin wall when Pat had him stabled there because he kept kicking it all the time. Pat’s moved him since then, but he was out of commission for a while because of it. Pat was working him today, getting him ready for this weekend. He thinks he’ll win a few races. He sure did look good. |
| FLOSSIE'S 249th LESSON Beautiful day for a ride, weatherwise, but not so beautiful in regard to the machines that were roaring away by the railroad tracks near Des’ property this morning. They had both Flossie and Bambi on edge but not enough to make Flossie give out on me. She just acted like it a few times, but she didn’t balk. All-in-all, Flossie didn’t work as well for me this week as she did last week. Too fast on the canter, for one thing, although her trot was slow, and not cooperative about taking the correct lead, for another. She didn’t back as well, either. I was lucky to get two steps out of her. At least she halted and didn’t dance around and chew on her shank. I told Pat when you ride only once a week, you have to take what you get. Considering that, Flossie’s doing pretty good, really. When it came to carrots, neither Flossie nor Bambi wanted to come up to the gate because of the noisy machines that were working near it, but I managed to coax them over, anyway, and they even got used to having to look up suddenly, and/or turning around to face the machines when they moved closer, or their engines grew louder. When Pat left, he started his truck from behind us again and roared past us while I had Flossie tied to the fence. All I could do was stand beside her in case there was trouble. Good ol’ Flossie, though, just took it in stride as she danced in place and swerved to take a look at the vehicle as it flew by. If Pat continues to expose her to this behavior, it won’t take any time at all before Flossie become totally desensitized to vehicles flying past at such close proximity. The days have become ambivalent as far as temperatures go and one can tell it’s nearing the clove of seasons once again. Mornings are cold and afternoons are warm. Actually, when there isn’t a breeze, that winter sun can throw a real punch when you least expect it! Flossie’s coat is the best indicator of spring’s impending appearance. Her hair is all over everything, including the washing machine. And, of course, the behavior of the magpies is another way to tell spring is near. They dive-bomb your head whenever you walk beneath a tree that holds a nest. Sometimes they infuriate the horses that are stalled. I’ve found many a dead magpie in Princess’ stall, and Pat found one in his gelding’s stall just this morning. The horses kick out and kill the birds with their hooves. What a horrible way to go! |
| FLOSSIE'S 248th LESSON Another quiet ride on Flossie this week made my time with her that much more enjoyable. No machines and no people. Just me, my mare, and the incredible track on a beautiful blue and gold day. During our seventh lap around the track, a city truck stopped on the new road and started to back up. As it went, it lifted its top and began dumping something onto the road as it went, its backing alarm sounding in fits of beeps. The driver waited for us to pass before backing and dumping his contents, however, and he was done before we came around again. I worked Flossie slowly on the track and on the circle but on the track I couldn’t get her canter as slow as last week. I can’t get over how slow she canters in a circle, though, especially because I can remember how fast she used to go. When did she finally learn not to do that? She’s a joy to canter now. When I have her slow and cooperative enough, I’ll take her to the ‘arena’ and circle her there so I can work on lead changes on a figure eight. I worked on backing her today and she just wasn’t getting it for the longest time, then, bingo! It suddenly clicked, and she gave me about ten of the most beautiful steps back I’ve ever seen! I owe some of this brilliance to myself, however, since I added the verbal command, “Back,” to the exercise. She knows what the word means yet sometimes I forget to say it. Dah. It was neither hot nor cold today and neither of us got very sweaty. I worked her straight through for a whole hour before taking a break. I love winters for that! In the summer it’s too hot to go without breaks every so often. Jack was down with Pat to take Pat’s mare, Princess, to the races. Jack told me Amanda and Hannah have their ponies at another barn now. Gary still has his three-year-old gelding on Des’ property, though, along with another horse he just bought. It’s a young-looking filly who won’t eat carrots. She is friendly, though, and has a nice appearance. I learned from Jack that when a driver is working a horse on the gig it’s called dragging or trailering. I always wondered about the correct terminology, for I never knew what to call it before. Today’s a public holiday and that’s why Jack wasn’t in school this morning. I can’t say that I miss Billy very much, but I do miss having his horses around. It’s sad with so many of them gone now and so empty without them. There are only 8 horses on the property now and there used to be 11, 16 counting Billy’s four geldings and one mare. That’s half the amount and I miss the difference. Later, as I was lying in the paddock, waiting on my ride home, Bambi came up to me and stretched her neck so I could pat her head. I know she was looking for carrots because as soon as she saw I didn’t have any, she went back to her grazing. Flossie would have come, too, but she’s not the alpha mare and sometimes lets Bambi dictate her actions. Then, at other times, she ignores the older mare. If I had had carrots, I’m sure she would have come up to me regardless of Bambi’s behavior. Go figure. I have nothing else to share with you today, so I’ll close here with this silly thought: It's lonely at the top, but you eat better. |
| FLOSSIE'S 247th LESSON There were no machines running near Des’ property this morning! I could see where they were, but they were far enough away that they could not be seen in action, and they could not be heard! The silence was golden, as the saying goes, and it was precious indeed! Along with the absence of machines, there was an absence of people as well, so there was absolutely nothing moving around us today except for the traffic on the new road which was uneventful. Because it was cold this morning, and the wind was up a little bit, Flossie was feeling exceptionally good and I found that out immediately on our first lap around the track. When we came to the new road, she took me off the track, shaking her head. She did not balk, though, and I had an easy time getting her back onto the track and when I did, she quit tossing her head around. She only acted that way on the first lap, after that she was as good as the golden silence around us. In fact, she was so good, I was able to get her into a nice slow canter. In both directions, on the track as well as on the circle. Did you hear me right? I said even on the circle I had her going in a nice slow canter. Her trot was slow, too, even on the track, where it would vary from time to time depending upon the location. She still wants to charge past the new road, but it’s nothing like it was when it was being built. I’ve been working on slowing her canter for a long, long time, and it felt so good to finally get what I’ve been aiming for for so long! I was over the moon with joy! I couldn’t keep her going for long because it takes special muscles to canter slowly, and since I wasn’t expecting her to be able to go a full lap, I took what she had to offer and then I brought her back down to either a walk or trot. This was the slowest I’ve ever been able to get her to go, especially on the circle. She’ll go nice and slow at other gaits on the circle, but not the canter. After two or three false starts on the wrong lead, I got her going correctly. My seat was so good! I loved the rhythm and was able to stay with it and would have kept it up if we had gone around a hundred times. This is what I aim for every time I mount a horse. With my makeshift lip strap Flossie can’t grab the shank anymore, although she still tries from time-to-time. Not being able to grab the shank has helped to keep her calm when she would have otherwise chewed herself silly. Because it was a cold wind that blew on us today, I was able to work Flossie for a full hour without either of us getting over-heated. I wondered where all the horses were this morning, so I asked Des and he said Gary sold all his horses except for one two-year-old gelding. Even his two ponies are gone now. I wondered why only Jack’s little pony was still hanging around. It turns out he won a race with him again on Saturday. I don’t know how many races he’s won altogether, but I know it’s quite a few now. Des only has one horse left, now, too, and that’s the colt with the funny strip on his face. The other horse is a bleeder, so he’s going to send him back to the man who owns him, who lives in Rockhampton. Since Pat only has two mares on the property, this will leave only four Standardbreds and one pony at Dessyland now. Des told me Gary’s looking for another horse, though, so maybe there will be five before long. When I went to the paddock to give Flossie and Bambi their carrots, Bambi saw me coming and when I called to her, she refused my invitation. I showed her the carrots, but she would have none of it. I wonder if she thought I was going to tack her up and get on her again. Can she be that set against it? Anyway, she let Flossie go around her, which is something she never, ever does! When she saw the coast was clear, she finally came to me, nose outstretched, ready for her treats. |
| FLOSSIE'S 246th LESSON When I arrived at Des’ this morning, I had the entire place to myself. Even the power machines by the railroad tracks next to Des’ property were motionless. There wasn’t a soul in sight. In fact, there was nothing moving, and there were no sounds other than the occasional call of a bird, or the susurrus sound of a magpie’s wing over my head. (One was dipping pretty low for some reason and swept down about five times). Flossie was obedient for me both on the track and on the circle and I have no real news to talk about in that regard. She was a little spooky here and there, but it was simple spooking and all in fun. Just as I took her off the track, all-of-a-sudden, the whole place sprung into action. From total silence, it went to total chaos, and there were people and horses and ponies everywhere! Gary stood by the sidelines as his daughter, Hannah, worked one of their geldings on the gig. This was her first go with a full-grown horse, for she’s only raced ponies up until now. Amanda, Hannah’s friend, and her mother were leading horses and ponies, Pat had Princess in tow, Jack had his pony in hand, and there were several people I didn’t know milling around all over the place. Since it’s Saturday, they were preparing to take their horses, and three ponies, to the races. I’m so glad Flossie is such a good girl, for I had to lead her, mount her, ride her, and groom her in and amongst all the action as I cooled her off with a ritualistic stroll down the driveway. She acted as though she does it all the time. I didn’t do anything with Bambi today because Des went to the races with everybody else and I didn’t think I should work Bambi if no one was going to be there in case I needed help. I wasn’t sure I was going to work with her today, anyway, even before I left the house this morning. The plan was to play it by ear. If it had been more favorable I might have done something with her. Just as the trucks and trailers were rumbling down the driveway to the race track, rain clouds moved in. Just like that. The sky had been bright and beautiful one minute, the whole time I was riding, and then, in the blink of an eye, suddenly, it was grey with clouds and no sky in sight. Just grey and dismal. The wind picked up at that time as well, dropping the temperature by enough to feel the difference, and it was under those conditions that I fed carrots to the remaining horses that were left behind. Which weren’t many. I had purchased enough carrots for ten horses, but there were only four horses to feed once everybody left. That means the remaining horses had a feast. When I was lying in the paddock on my back waiting for my ride home, Bambi came up and sniffed my hand before wandering off to graze again and Flossie just looked at me. Bambi had probably been looking for more carrots and as soon as she was convinced that my hands were empty, she wasn’t interested anymore. They’re getting used to having me lying around their paddock again. Two horses were whinnying back and forth for a while. I think one was calling for his friends who had gone to the race track and the other was just responding to his cries. I spent some time with the lonely beast and he settled down quickly enough. |
| FLOSSIE'S 245th LESSON At Des’ today, there was a power machine working by the railroad track and a little tractor mowing the lawn across the new road, right where I circle Flossie, and although she was aware of them, they did not create a problem. However, she was checking out every bend in the track and suspiciously eyeing every tree and bush we passed. Something startled her a couple of times and she jumped to the side of the track, but she never faltered or offered to quit on me. She calmed down after a few laps and I had a good rider. She circled well, too. Bambi, on the other hand, was a bad girl today. As soon as she saw me coming with the saddle she started to dance around in protest and if she had been a two-year-old child, she would have been shouting, “No, no, no!” at the top of her voice. I had to yell at her and jerk the reins to make her take the saddle, which she accepted peacefully enough once I got her attention. When I mounted, she looked back at my foot and I patted her head and talked to her. I had to use the crop to get her to move forward but I’ll tell you she only went as far as she went last week and then she stopped and would not put another foot forward after that. She backed up, oh, she’s handy and can back quick, and I’ll tell you something else about this mare. She has a temper. When I insisted she go forward, she squealed at me. She also kicked out with her hind leg and struck out with her front leg. When I asked her to walk up to the gate where I had planned to dismount, she planted herself next to the track and put those kicking/striking legs into action. I got off and made her jump when I smacked the saddle with the crop and yelled for her to move out. She walked up to the gate then. I’m not sure what my next plan of attack should be. Des told me not to worry about riding her. I know she's spoiled and is used to having things her own way. She doesn't want to listen to anybody. I’ve been feeding Flossie carrots by hand for the past two or three months, ever since she had coliced the last time and I got tired of using the tarp. Now Bambi thinks she should also be hand fed and leaves a portion of her carrots on the ground and comes over to me, nose outstretched, telling me with her body language that she, too, wants her carrots from my hand, just like Flossie, instead of off the ground as usual. It’s funny how it never bothered her before. I wonder if she’s starting to think we’re family. Norm forgot he had dropped me off at Des’ today and was thinking I was at the Internet center, since on Wednesdays, that’s where I usually am. He said he kept expecting me to come walking in the door any minute. An hour after the time he had said he’d pick me up, I left a text message on his phone stating that I hoped everything was okay. He phoned me and told me what happened, all apologetic. Since he had another class to go to, he had to leave me there for another hour and a half. I spent the time on my back on the grass in the paddock. Both Bambi and Flossie meandered over to me, sniffing my knees and my pant legs, walking around my head. As I gazed up at them, I was amused by the way they looked from that angle. Their mouths/noses/muzzles almost resembled a camel’s, and I can’t even begin to tell you what their bodies looked like! They sort of looked like reflections in a pool. Their heads appeared even funnier as they grazed between their front legs. They seemed to bob up and down like a turtle’s! I wished I had taken my camera out to the paddock with me! While I was lying there, I started to think of the things I would be doing if I were at home and how I’ll be getting a late start on them now, but you know what? After a while I started to give myself a good mental shake with the reminder that there was a time when I would have given anything to be spending the afternoon in a horse paddock. I remember operating factory machines, micro fiche cameras, and machines that assembled surgical syringes during the afternoon hours when I was employed, wishing that I could be around horses, instead. It wasn’t long before I forgot about what I’d be doing if I were at home, and started to enjoy the thick carpet of grass beneath me, the smeary blue sky above, and the branches that stretched down out of the clouds to take a good look at me. Des had left his hose running all night, and, consequently, drained all the water out of his tank. He had just had it filled up two days ago. It costs $110.00 to have it filled, so it turned out to be a $220.00 expense for having been so forgetful. I’ll bet he’s more careful next time! Des’ wife owns an antique shop and she sent Des some new living room furniture which he had delivered today. It’s a really pretty shade of red and it’s very plush and elegant-looking. He said she sends him new stuff periodically then takes it back again when it’s time for another change. She also sends someone out to clean his house for him every so many weeks. In case you didn’t know, they don’t live together and have been separated now for 13 years. Pat told me Des’ wife is a millionaire and owns several houses. Jack’s little pony has been winning races left and right for the past few months, according to Pat. The little bugger is always asking for handouts whenever I walk past him. His stall is the first one in line and so I have to walk past him a lot. I give him a carrot every week right along with everyone else, but for some reason he thinks he should get more than all the others. I have nothing more to share with you today, so I may as well turn my horse around and light a shuck out for now. It’s been a long email and the sun is already making tracks down to the horizon. You’ll see it when you wake up tomorrow morning. Me, on the other hand? Why, Aussie ya af-tah, of course! |
| FLOSSIE'S 244th LESSON I had a super fantastic ride on Flossie this morning. The comfort of my seat bones are no longer an issue anymore which makes it easier for me to relax and enjoy myself in the saddle again. Machines, big yellow dinosaurs, were working away near the railroad tracks but Flossie is so used to them even as noisy and as busy as they were, she acted like they weren’t even there. They are close to the paddock, but not right on top of the track the way they were when they were working on the road. She circled to the left so well at a canter I didn’t want to stop her. We went around at least 10 laps. When she’s good in one direction, she’s usually not as good in the other and it’s been a while since she’s been good going to the left. Last week, when I left Des’ place, I told myself I would mount Bambi this week. It was on my mind for the past seven days and I couldn’t wait to get on her today. When I was on Flossie, she stopped dead in her tracks when she came to the dam and saw a headstall and some rope dangling from the rail where Gary had left them, probably when he was swimming his horses. I knew that if the gear bothered her, it would bother Bambi, so I took it off the rail and hid it behind a mound of dirt. I needn’t have bothered, however, for as it turned out, I didn’t get Bambi quite that far around the track. Bambi let me mount her as though she had been mounted before somewhere in her past. In fact, when I discussed it with Des, he said she may have been a saddle horse before he bought her, which was when she was four years old. She was reluctant to go forward for me, but I managed to get a walk out of her for about a quarter of the way around the track. She went willy-nilly and made quite a few stops. I was kicking myself for deciding not to wear the spurs on my first time aboard Bambi. I could have really used them. I will not take them off next time. Also, I had forgotten to pick up my crop when I got off Flossie, so I grabbed a very brittle stick off the ground and used it for propulsion when I needed it until it finally broke. I won’t forget my crop next time, either. I was kicking myself for that as well. When Bambi stopped for the last time and my stick was no longer effectual, I decided to see how good she was at doubling. She went okay for a while, but she kept wanting to back up and she took me down a small incline. There was no stress, no panic, and it happened so gradually it was like in slow motion. So I leaned forward and gave her all the reins she needed until we were back on level ground again. There was nothing scary about it, in fact I could see her thinking about where she was placing her feet. She gave me a nice walk through the paddock back to the yard after that and I really liked the feel of her walk. She would make a great Western horse. Now I can’t wait to experience her trot and canter. I made a lip strap out of some material we had lying around the house and used it today for the first time. Flossie couldn’t get a hold of the shank when she reached for it and Bambi was a bit less mouthy. One day soon I’ll buy a leather strap that’s designed for that purpose. Des had his daughter, Cara, down for a visit. She had her son, Heath, and her daughter, Mia, with her. They went around handing out carrots to everybody. Heath, who is about four years old, didn’t want to walk up to Flossie while I was on her in the driveway, although both Cara and Des were encouraging him to do so. I guess a horse looks much bigger without a fence around it than it does when it’s confined. All too soon it was time for me to go home. I was disappointed to see Norm come for me. I sure could have spent the entire day with Flossie and Bambi and their pals! |
| FLOSSIE'S 243rd LESSON Flossie was such a delight to ride today! She went in a nice canter on the track and on the circle. I rode with lots of weight in my stirrups, almost as though I were standing up, or in the foreword seat position. My heels stayed down and my feet stayed in the stirrups. While I had her on the circle, Hannah, Gary’s young teenage daughter, and her friend Amanda, were in the driveway making all kinds of racket and Flossie kept wanting to watch them. I had to keep her focused on me. She didn’t mind that, but the noisy kids kept trying to take her attention away from me. A little while later, when I cooled her out, they were dragging things on the ground and pushing trolleys, which were making a lot of noise, and Flossie stood erect, ears foreword, as if standing at attention as they went noisily about their business. It turns out they were bagging manure that Des and Gary sell at the apron of the driveway. Flossie didn’t want to walk up to the bright plastic sacks when it was time to walk her down the driveway. I took her as close as I wanted her to go, though, before turning around again. I would have taken her all the way up to them, but I decided not to. Bambi is now used to walking in hand with me around the track. She strolled right up to me when she saw me coming for her, and let me put the bridle on her as though she had been wearing one for years. She didn’t take one false step today. It was the best she’s done so far. Norm asked me if I’ve sat on her yet. Yeah, right! As if she’s ready for that. Later, when I went out to the paddock to give the two mares their last two carrots, Bambi galloped straight up to me as soon as she saw me coming. Flossie, who was rolling at the time, flew to her feet and joined her at a dead run, too. Bambi arrived first and she stopped on a dime right in front of me. From a full-out gallop to a complete stand still, just like that! I didn’t even have to back up or swerve to get out of her way, she knew just when to stop. If I toss her a carrot that lands somewhere beneath her, I can point to it and tell her where it is and she’ll understand. She’ll put her nose down to the ground and back up until she finds it. Flossie’s like that, too, but most horses don’t get it and just look at me blankly as if they’re saying, “Dah.” Hannah took a couple of photos of me on Flossie. If I remember, I’ll attach them to the end of this email. She said she plans to throw a saddle up on Flossie and ride her one day. She said she would have done it by now but Gary, her father, won’t let her since she doesn’t know how to ride. I hate the idea of Hannah riding Flossie, but I advised her, anyway, to take some lessons before she ever considers mounting Flossie. I’d hate to subject my sweet-mouthed mare to a beginner’s blunders such as pulling back while asking the horse to trot, and using the reins for balance. Not to mention bridling and unbridling, smacking a horse needlessly, reprimanding the horse by hitting it on the head or around the face. Flossie isn’t used to that sort of behavior. Perhaps the next time Hannah’s there when I’m around, I’ll show her how to bridle and unbridle Flossie and give her a few tips on how to sit down quietly when she mounts, and how to hold the reins, etc. I will also stress some safety points, for I wouldn’t put it past Hannah to run Flossie up and down the driveway, or to behave unsafely around her. Then there's an issue with tack. Who knows what kind of saddle Hannah will use on Flossie, not to mention the bit! I asked her what kind of bit she has and she said she didn't know. I can imagine it's some kind of "O" ring without shanks. That's the usual choice of Australian English riders. I’m thinking it might be best if Flossie does something to scare her the first time she mounts, so she’ll be frightened enough not to want to ride her ever again. I certainly wouldn’t want her, or Flossie to get hurt, but there are plenty of ways a horse can scare a beginner without either one of them getting injured. Either that, or by the time her father thinks she’s ready to ride, maybe she’ll have lost the desire. I hate to think of what it would be like once she is old enough to drive herself to Des’ whenever she pleases. She’d probably end up riding more often than me. Hey, wait a minute; I could take advantage of that and ask her to swing around and pick me up every time she goes. Bambi will be rideable by then and the two of us could ride together. Now maybe having Hanna riding is not such a bad idea after all! Still and all, even though I like the idea of Flossie having another rider, I just hate the thought of her being subjected to a beginner. I wouldn’t mind at all if Hannah had been riding for years already and has developed a nice quiet seat and competent hands. If worse comes to worse, if she starts riding when Bambi’s rideable, I may just give her lessons, myself. |
| FLOSSIE'S 242nd LESSON Flossie greeted her workout this morning with frabjous joy! She was feeling the cool weather and let me know about it as she flew around like a Thoroughbred looking for roses. She did a lot of spooking today when I warmed her up at a walk first thing on the track. It made me wonder what was going on around the paddock yesterday. I noticed the lawn that surrounds the empty barn next to Des’ property had been mowed recently. Maybe she had memories of the roaring mower and was expecting it to suddenly come jumping out at her from out of nowhere, jaws snapping, claws extended. Bambi, too, was spooky when I led her around the track in hand after my ride on Flossie. I found out what sets her off when she’s coming around the bend in the track that’s closest to the road when I walk her in hand to the left. It’s the big white pipe that’s lying in the grass between the fence that runs along the new road and the track. I walked her up to it today so she could see what it was. She still tried trotting circles around me when we went by it, but at least I know what the problem is now. I put the bridle on Bambi again today, but this time I had her wearing it for the very first time while I walked her in hand around the track. She keeps mouthing the bit but it doesn’t keep her mind off spooking. When she gets startled, she bends her knees so much that her belly nearly touches the ground. She doesn’t try running off, though, just bends those flexible knees of hers as if she’s trying to duck. Won’t she be fun to ride!!! I asked Pat that if he’s around when that day comes, if he wouldn’t mind lunging Bambi with me on her before I try taking her around the track. I won’t have a small area to work her in the way I did when I was first riding Flossie, since that area is now where Gary has his horses stabled. Pat said he’d do that for me. When I first arrived at Dessyland today, Jack, the ten-year-old boy I’ve mentioned before in other emails, was working his pony on a gig. It was so cute watching such a little driver and his equally little pony go zipping by! I couldn’t tell which one was having the most fun. I have nothing more to say, so I’m going to have to close here. I can still hear the clip-clopping of Flossie’s hooves on the hard winter ground, and feel each one pounding beneath me as if I were still in the saddle. I’ll take these memories to bed with me tonight. O frabjous joy! |
| FLOSSIE'S 241st LESSON I found a way how to keep Flossie walking in a straight line on the track. When she swerves to the right, I put my right heel behind the girth, and when she swerves left, I use my left heel. I used to just use my reins, but she would overcompensate and end up going too far in the other direction. Eventually she just went straight on her own today without my having to do anything. While circling, Flossie kept a nice slow, even tempo, even at the canter, which was fantastic in both directions. I had her doing spirals at a walk in the arena to cool her out before taking her for a walk down the driveway. A couple of weeks ago I had her spiraling at a trot. She circles so well that spirals come easy for her. In the summer, I’ll have her doing them at a canter. I can’t do that now, though, because Des hasn’t mowed his paddock yet. The grass is so high in the center of the circle, there’s just no place to ride. Flossie took three steps back for me while I was in the saddle. Nice big steps and there was no fuss. In fact, she backed as though she does it all the time. Last week she backed only one step, so we’re making progress. My seat bones never got sore today. I hope that means they’re toughening up. Bambi actually focused on me while I had her walking in hand instead of responding to everything else that was going on around her. It was only for a couple of steps, but it was more than I’ve ever gotten from her before. She even walked more relaxed than usual and I hope that means she’s getting used to being handled again because I would like to walk her with the bridle on her next week. All-in-all I had a tremendous ride and visit with my horsy pals. Flossie was cooperative and obedient. Bambi’s making progress. There were no machines running anywhere near us, and the rainy sky didn’t do anything more than give a subtle threat every now and then. At one point there was a rainbow so I know someone got wet somewhere. I’m glad it wasn’t me! Gary came down to work one of his pacers on the gig just as I was dismounting. I watched the gelding work and boy wasn’t he booking! The animal seemed to be enjoying his workout, too. I do believe horses find enjoyment out of their work, whether they’re being ridden, or worked in some other way. Without the machines to contend with anymore, my rides have become much more manageable and less eventful, which is how I like them! They make for more boring emails, but I’d rather have it that way than the way it used to be! Now, God willing, weather allowing, and if Norm’s schedule doesn’t change, I get to do it all over again next week! Yahoo! |
| FLOSSIE'S 240th LESSON Except for the noisy power machines that were working on the other side of the railroad tracks where Woodlands is, it was perfect for riding this morning! I hated to trade the song of bird and the susurrus sound of wind in branches for the terrible cacophony of engine and shovel, but seeing I had no choice, I proceeded to ignore the machines, and so did Flossie. In fact, Flossie must have thought it was perfect for riding today, too, for she ate up the track as if her hooves were spoons and she were starving! I worked on slowing her down, mainly, and because she had so much energy, I was surprised to find her so responsive. When it was time to back, I gently cued her with alternate tugs on the reins and gentle pressure with my legs. I got one step out of her and decided to quit there since she would have started getting hyper and I wanted to end on a calm, positive note. I will pick up again where I left off next time. At the end of my ride, while I had her standing at the rail, after untacking her and rubbing her all over, I pulled Flossie’s mane and cut a path on her poll for the bridle to lie. I’ve been wanting to do these things for months and months and was glad I finally did it. Now she doesn’t look so raggedy. I gave my camera to Pat so he could get a picture of me on her back, but the battery was cold and the camera would not work. Yeah boom. Bambi was good while I cleaned her hooves and she backed in hand for me and yielded from side to side without incident. She wanted to run, though, when I asked her to walk while I led her in hand around the track, and I had to stay on my toes in order to keep her off them. I had to crop her and raise my voice so she’d show some manners. Around the second bend she would not walk so I had her circle me, then take a step forward, and we continued that way , alternating, circle, step, circle, step, like that until she finally walked forward and quit trying to run off the track. It’s only on that second bend that runs along the new road that she gives me trouble, which I will keep in mind when I ride her. Just by the way she behaves when I have her in hand, I have a feeling Bambi will be the type of mount that will bolt and run off when she fears something. She’s sensible enough, so I don’t think she’d do anything stupid, but she’s too quick to respond to her environment without checking it out first. And, although she hasn’t done it now for two weeks in a row, I’ve seen her rear when she didn’t want to go past something. This is another thing I’m keeping in mind for that red-letter day in the future when I decide it’s time to ride her. I adjusted Flossie’s bridle and put it up one notch on both sides before putting the bit in Bambi’s mouth. She kept mouthing it, munching and smacking the metal with a noisy cadence. I left it on her for a while so she could get used to it. What memories it must have held for her to have a bit in her mouth again! Soon I’ll put the bridle on her while I walk her around the track, but, just to give me more control, I won’t take the halter off so I can continue leading her with the rope and the chain around her nose. Norm came an hour early for me today. I wasn’t expecting him because I didn’t have my phone on me when he called to let me know he was on his way. I was glad I was mostly ready for him. I just had to give the mares their last two carrots for the week. I didn’t have time to change my clothes, or sit down to lunch, but I did both those things when I got home, so it wasn’t a problem. I have nothing more to say about my time with Flossie today except that it went by way too fast. I could have spent the entire day with her and her pals if I had been able to. It was just that type of day. I’ll take a deep breath, remembering the scent of horse flesh and a semi-munched carrot in a horse’s mouth, and let it out slowly. This will have to suffice until I get to ride again next week. |
| FLOSSIE'S 239th LESSON I put Flossie through her paces at every gait in both directions on the track this morning and she went sweet as candy. She couldn’t do a thing wrong. She was willing and full of energy yet I was able to keep her slow at every gait, even the canter. She was great on the circle going to the right but for some reason I couldn’t get it together when we reversed to the left. I had her do everything I wanted her to do, and nice and slow to boot, in spite of myself. Other than circling left I rode well today with a better than average seat. Just before I took Flossie for a walk down the driveway to cool out, I worked on stopping and backing. She kept throwing her head and walking in circles and would not halt. I don’t know why she’s suddenly behaving this way. She was fine down the driveway and back. I cleaned Bambi’s hooves and then had her yielding to me from side to side. She’s getting better at that. I had her back up a few steps and then led her around the track to the right this time. I let her check out the area where Gary swims his horses and she went by without rearing this week. Something spooked her once and all she did was jump. She didn’t even offer to run off. Flossie and Zippy don’t follow us anymore but Bambi keeps looking over her shoulder for them nevertheless. I put Flossie’s bridle on Bambi over her halter and just as I had suspected it’s too big on her. I held the bit up so it wouldn’t dangle in her mouth, but she kept flapping her lips on it and never once stood still with it. One day I’ll adjust it properly and see what she does. I know it’s been a long time since she’s had a bit in her mouth, but she acted like it was all new to her. I really like the way Bambi moves. She has a grace and smoothness about her when she lifts her legs and bends her head. Even when backing. Her movements just flow and they give the impression that she’s light on her feet and flexible. When I went out to the paddock for the last time today, I held up the carrots I had with me and shouted for Bambi and Flossie to come to me. They lifted their heads, turned towards me, and then all three, even Zippy, started cantering up to me. It was really neat. I love horses so much. I really, really do. Everything about them, whether I’m in the saddle, or on the ground with them. I can’t get enough of them. |
| FLOSSIE'S 238th LESSON Cool, dry weather! Sunny, cheery, breeze-free! Flossie wanted to work today there were no two ways about it. She accepted the bit, put her nose to the grind-stone, and hauled, pardon my French, ass! I rode well in spite of the pain in my seat bones and kept weight in my heels without a second thought. I let Flossie work at a fast clip, then brought her down and concentrated on going nice and slow. The chilly weather seems to hone a horse’s energy level and lifts it up a notch or five. I love a strong, quick mount, so I thoroughly enjoyed my ride today. Circling was more fun than work even with the small power machine that was digging up the ground directly across the road from us. I had Flossie at a slow pace and kept it going even at the canter. In the arena, I asked Flossie for a short canter, something I don’t usually do because it pumps her up too much, but I wanted to put some spice into our experience and I knew a short canter wasn’t asking for trouble. I worked on backing but she refused to cooperate so I did a lot of backing with her on the ground. When it came to Bambi’s turn, I picked out her hooves before doing anything else, just to get her used to having her hooves picked up and cleaned out because it’s been a long time since she’s had anyone working with her in that capacity. Then I led her down the track, stopping, moving from side to side, and backing periodically. The horses we left behind would whinny now and then but I wouldn’t let Bambi respond. She kept wanting to run with me, so I put her on a circle. When we came to the little power machine that was across the street she stopped and lifted her front feet off the ground. I swatted her and hollered, then made her walk alongside me. When she tried to run ahead, I smacked her chest with the crop and jerked the chain on her nose. She actually got the idea and walked nicely, albeit with every antennae quivering, beside me all the rest of the way around the track. Both Pat and Gary were on their gigs working their horses side-by-side on the track when I first arrived at Des’ today. When they finished, Gary took Des’ little stallion for a jaunt. He was still working him when I entered the track riding Flossie. We had to yield to him when he came around, but by the time I was ready to start Flossie on the trot, Gary was done and I had the entire track to myself. When Norm came to pick me up, we had the leftovers from his cooking class for lunch as he drove me home. Yum, a two-course meal consisting of exquisite chicken and rice mixed with spinach and onions. As soon as I began to hang my clothes out on the line when I got home, it started to rain. The sky had been clouding over right after I had finished working with Bambi, so I wasn’t surprised to see it rain. It sure surprised the forecast, though, because the possibility of rain wasn’t mentioned at all for today, neither on the Internet, nor on the TV. Cloudy, yes, but no rain. Go figure. |
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