Feeling good. Too good.

I liked reading everyone's blogs where they were anxiously waiting for today for the weather to burst gloriously into the thirties so they could ride again. I was so on board that bandwagon. I went out this morning armed with a game plan to reintroduce my horse to a training program.

First, I was going to longe him to see how he looked after his chiro appointment. It certainly wasn't to let him get crazies out, even though he hasn't been ridden in a week and the ground has been too frozen for pasture romping. Bobby doesn't go nuts with time off. He might get a little quick or strong, but he doesn't buck or spook.

actually, he usually doesn't even want to go back to work.

I sent him out on a circle, and he started off trotting a little stiffly. Well, it's been cold, and he hasn't had a chance to really stretch his legs, and he's dealing with Lyme, so I let him keep chugging along and eventually he started moving a little freer. I asked him to pick up the canter and he gave me typical Bobby on the Longe Sass for three whole strides.

And then he got over it and carried on like a normal horse like he always does.

So I got on and let him stride out at a walk on the buckle like I always do. He was really swinging right along after his initial warm up, and I was super happy with how relaxed and loose he felt. I pulled my phone out off my pocket to check the time, realized the battery was almost dead, and went to shut it off. In the meantime, Bobby--with his free rein of the arena--had wandered over to the end barrel of the pattern that someone before me had set up and left in the arena. He turned around it like a good barrel horse, saw the great wide open wonders of the home stretch, and took off bucking down the middle of the arena like a lunatic.

I dropped my phone and snatched up my reins and got him stopped by the time we got to the gate, but I'd lost my right stirrup and was sorely tempted to throw things at him. You spent THREE DAYS last summer playing on barrels. You are NOT a barrel horse!!!

I wanted to, and still want to, do some gymkhanas this summer with him because of how much he seemed to enjoy it last year, but I'm clearly going to have to make sure they're wellllll spaced out from any dressage shows. Someone needs to learn that just like dressage tack and jump tack mean we're doing two different things, western tack also means we're doing something different. So when you're in an english saddle, DO NOT TURN THE BARRELS UNLESS I ASK YOU TO.

He was not all ashamed of himself, but he did deign to hack around without further acrobatics. He was an absolute monster to keep at sub-mach speed, but he did what I asked him to in his own Bobby way, and he looked quite lovely doing it. He was a little tight at the canter still, but I think at this point it's just weakness. His booty is always a work in progress.

also, rock crunching sound on the fresh gravel!

He got his feet trimmed when we were done, and I took his fucking shoulder guard home to try to fix. The elastic in it as all twisted and it's digging into his back. Now he hates me when I put it on, but if I leave it off, his blankets rub. Stop being so fat, and maybe your clothes will fit!!