Hoof Blogs

Flossie's 69th Lesson

FLOSSIE'S 69th LESSON

Riding Flossie today was an adventure. She led out of the yard okay, and when I mounted on
the track, she walked out for me when I asked her to. Everything was fine until we came to
the area where the dam and the road come close to the track. There were two plovers that
planted themselves directly in the middle of our path. They stood facing us, like a
show-down, yelling their little feathered heads off at us They obviously didn�t want us to
pass.

Unfortunately, Flossie fell for their two-footed facade and stopped dead in her tracks and
would not budge for heel, crop, or verbal command. I had to dismount and lead her past the
birds on foot. Once mounted again, she did fine. I had no other problems with her in that
area for the remainder of the ride, however, her mind was on the birds from that moment
onward. I had to kiss �elegant� good-bye. We only achieved that look at the end of the
lesson the last time we went around the track.

There were some highlights to this lesson, however, that I think are worth mentioning;
besides the fact that Flossie wanted to spend the entire lesson cantering, she gave me ths
slowest, smoothest, steadiest, and longest canter in both directions ever! Another highlight
was the fact that she gave me the trot often enough that I could spend some time practicing
my posting, which I was able to do once without holding onto the front of the saddle.

The best highlight of the ride, however, was my ability to put Flossie�s feet where I wanted
them; sometimes she wanders over to the side of the track and won�t budge until she feels
like it, but today I was able to move her around wherever I wanted her. In fact, I was able
to get her to move diagonally across the track and forward at the same time. I felt like a
dressage rider. She did it so smoothly and effortlessly, as if she�s been doing it for
years.

I worked on keeping my shoulders back, my thighs turned in, my elbows at my side, and, most
importantly, my hips and lumbar back relaxed and flexible. Now that�s a real challenge!

When I first arrived at Des�, Glenco Gal, who was occupying the paddock next to the yard,
started going crazy and got her front legs stuck between the wooden fence and the wire that
runs the length of each side. Des had to come out and cut the wire so he could set her free.
While this commotion was being attended to, Flossie wandered up to the yard to be ridden:
She didn�t wait for me to come and get her as she usually does!

Des had to move Glenco Gal to the paddock across the way. I was sorry about the fence
especially since it was our car that spooked the animal and caused it to panic. Why she did
that is unusual; she�s never done it before.

Flossie�s become much friendlier with me when I�m in the paddock with her and Bambi. She
used to pin her ears and show me her rear, but that hasn�t happened for a while now. I�m not
even sure when that behavior stopped, but I�ve been noticing this change for a while.

Bambi looks as if she�s just waiting for a rainstorm to have her foal; I noticed she was
waxing today. We�re supposed to have a thunderstorm on Thursday, and even though, according
to Des, she�s not due until later this month, I told Norm I wouldn�t be surprised if she
foals this Thursday.