Hoof Blogs

Flossie's 219th Lesson

FLOSSIE'S 219th LESSON

95 degrees was the high today and at only 7:00 o’clock this morning it was already 80
degrees. I rode from 8:00 o’clock until 9:00 o’clock.

The new road was crawling with men and their machines from one end to the other and the
noise was all pervasive. I had Flossie work six laps around the track, three in each
direction at every gait, then I had her walk until we found a nice spot in the shade. I
let her stand there for about ten or fifteen minutes to catch her breath before I asked
her to circle in the corner.

I worked her there very lightly in both directions at every gait as the men drove their
various vehicles back and forth on the road next to us. Afterwards, we rested for a
while in the shade again. I ended our time together in the ‘arena’ working around the
cones I had brought from home. I want her to get used to working in the arena again and
I find the cones a great aid.

However, Flossie has a temper at times and when she thinks her lesson should be over,
she’ll crash the cones on purpose. She knocked the blue one down today but she didn’t
get away with that trick again.

Much later, after she was hosed off in the wash rack and she had her last groom for the
week and everyone had been fed their carrots, I strolled down to the big paddock to give
Flossie and Bambi one last carrot for the day. As I walked away, they followed me so I
sat in the shade where I know they like to hang out. Bambi came up to me and grazed by
my side while Flossie found her favorite resting spot with her back to the tree.

After we had been relaxing that way for a while Bambi suddenly looked up towards Des’
house and starting neighing. She was standing directly above me. She neighed for a good
while and I think she was welcoming Des home. He had gone out to get a newspaper earlier so all I could do was assume that he had come back again. Then she put her nose over my head and blew in my ear before grabbing a mouthful of my hair and pulling some of it out of the tie I had it wrapped in. She’s clever that way and I enjoy her antics.

Des’ new horse is healing nicely. The wound is swollen but the horse doesn’t seem to be
in any pain.

A lorikeet was trapped in his water bucket this morning. I tipped it out and it half
walked, half flew off with a squawk and a wet flap of its feathers. It wobbled off as
quickly as it could into the shelter of some nearby bushes where it could find a quiet
place to dry its feathers. I had to tip the rest of the water out of the bucket since it
was brown and muddy looking before I refilled it again. The horse was mighty thirsty so
the bird must have been in there for a long time. Des said birds die that way every
summer. They lean too far in when they come looking for a drink. He said I well and
truly saved this bird’s life. Smile.

I keep forgetting to ask Des who put the string of wire fencing up along the track where
the dam is. It’s been there for about three weeks now. I’m guessing it was probably
Gary.