Pony Love

First off, I need this:

can i get an amen?

Secondly, I went to the barn today because I remembered that I had to drop off Mr Magee's Smartpak. I reworked his supplements after much debating and playing on Smartpak's website. He was previously on SmartHoof and U-Gard. He was on the SmartHoof for a year and a half and I didn't see enough change (or really any change) to justify keeping it on my order. I pay New Farrier a lot of money and I trust what he's doing with Bobby's feet, so unless he tells me he needs to go back on something, no more hoof supp. The U-Gard was a cheap transition supp when Bobby finished his omeprazole. I've had two different horses on it before--one showed a difference, the other didn't. I don't think it really did much for Bobby. His new Smartpak is Recovery EQ (thank you, Tori!) and Cool Calories 100. I'm hoping this helps with the stifle issues and covering the last bit of ribs that won't go away.

I took Bobby out to the crossties where he could gaze at the love of his life, Tasha. Tasha is an OTTB whose mom L does hunters and dressage. She lives across from Bobby, but she goes out during the day so he only sees her when she's in to be ridden. As if that matters. When you look like this, all you need is a glimpse:

L and Tasha headed down to the arena as I groped Bobby's LH. His heel looks a touch bruised, but he seemed less reactive to me jabbing it with a hoof pick than he did on Tuesday. I threw on my dressage tack and decided on a ride in the deep, soft footing of the indoor.

Bobby was a pill. Warmed up at the walk on a loose rein. No problem as long as we were just going around the rail. I brought him down the centerline to stay out of L's way and do a turn on the forehand. Oh my gosh, turn? On the forehand? Begin the dramatics. I sat there with a loose leg and my reins in a big loop as Bobby backed, spun, jetted forward, spun again, and just made a general ass out of himself. I ended up just wanting him to walk forward down the centerline, but that would involve getting back over there as we were now pressed against the rail. He would have none of it until Tasha walked calmly by us--and then he walked straight down with his neck arched. For real, Bobby? She's not even in heat!

L and I joked that he was showing off for his lady friend. Bobby will stare into Tasha's empty stall when he's on the crossties and he routinely licks the blankets hanging off her stall. But as L pointed out, she's not even nice to him. She pins her ears if she's in there and just makes mean faces at him.

"i love you, tasha. i love everything about you."

We did very little trot work, keeping mostly to the walk. He would have an occasional "OMG, I MUST GO SIDEWAYS. OMG, I MUST GO BACKWARDS. OMG, LOOK AT THIS LEVADE, TASHA!!" but he mostly behaved himself as long as I asked him to do nothing. I did get some amazing canter out of him. Super uphill, super packaged, super powerful. Of course, it was only because he was dying to be naughty, but I stepped up and rode well and used it to my advantage.

Tasha left us and I made Bobby go through Novice A. He started off very tense, but settled into it and put in a nice test. I let him end there since we'd done more cantering than I'd planned on, but we worked ninety percent at the walk with very little trotting.

starving barn kitties. you can tell they're never, ever fed.

"hey, i'm starving, too."

I painted Bobby's soles with venice turpentine which won't do anything for his heels, but I had it on hand and felt like I should do something. Then I gave his bell boots another puff of chili powder. Those bad boys have hung in there so far! Holla!

a little more rib coverage and he'll be a boss.

Tomorrow off, and I hope like hell I won't be able to get out this weekend because I'll be busy moving. If we're not busy moving, I might just be having a full blown anxiety attack. No bigs.