Hoof Blogs

Flossie's 226th Lesson

FLOSSIE'S 226th LESSON

Gary’s daughter Hannah, her friend, Amanda, and Jack were working their ponies on the
track just before I got down to ride Flossie this morning. It was 6:30 when I arrived,
so that gives you an idea of how early the Gerrard’s were! I had Hannah hold Flossie for
me while I groomed her and tacked her up. It’s nice to see how she behaves with other
people. She stood just fine, never moved a muscle.

There were no power machines at all, not even parked around the premises. It was so
quiet it felt like I was out in the country somewhere all by myself, far from
civilization. What a nice break! I had to wait an entire year for it, but it was worth
it! Nothing but grass, trees, sky, clouds, birds, and the brown necklace, which is the
track. It’ll be a shame to see the traffic start back up once the road is open for
public use again.

Flossie is working much slower on the track and on the circle now that the commotion has
subsided. She still gives the new road a wide berth, but she doesn’t take a step off the
track. Even her canter is nice and slow without my having to work too hard for it. She
concentrates on me, now, 100%, and with her full attention, I can start working her the
way I want to again.

I had her zigzagging at a trot along the track at one point, since she was going slow and
steady and was paying attention. Eventually I want to have her trotting off and then
back onto the track again, even circling off the track occasionally, then coming back to
it again. Now that her canter has slowed down, I’ll even be able to do that exercise at
a canter now as well.

Since it was so hot (90 degrees) I gave Flossie a long break between work on the track
and work on the circle. The kids came over and we relaxed together in the shade,
chatting and sharing gossip about horses. Hannah said she sits on Flossie when she’s
lying in the grass. When the mare is lying down around me, she gets up as soon as I
approach her. It must be because she thinks I’m going to ask her to get up.

Hannah has finally acquired her strapper’s license, which enables her to officially tack
and untack horses on the track now. She had been wanting that for a long time. Now that
she has the license, her mother is allowing her to miss school occasionally so she can go
to the track to work with her father.

When I cooled Flossie out, I put Amanda in the saddle and walked her down the driveway
and back. Then I gave Hannah a turn. Getting a ride was the first thing they had asked
me as soon as they saw me earlier this morning. I told them to ask Des since Flossie’s
his horse, and of course he said he didn’t care.

After everyone had had their carrots and Flossie was hosed off and walked in hand around
the track and was done with her final grooming, I went out to the paddock to spend some
time with the horses. They weren’t anywhere near the trees, however, so I sat in the
shade, alone, and watched them from across the paddock. Jack had told me Flossie and
Bambi were in the dam up to their knees, earlier today, then turned around and came out
at a trot. He sounded excited about it so I’m glad he had the chance to witness the
action.

The horse that needed stitches in his leg had them taken out a week ago and now you can’t
even tell where he had had an injury.

Later, just before Norm arrived, Pat’s mare, Princess, got her leg caught in the wire
fence that runs around her stall. She made struggling noises as I passed which made me
realize something was amiss. She stood as still as a statue for me as I lifted her leg
out of the wire and set her free. Then she came up to me as if to say thank you and hung
around as I stood by the fence so I could rub her neck.

All too soon the morning ended and now here I am back at home telling you all about it.
Too bad telling it can’t be as exciting as the real thing. I just can’t find a way to
send the little details that make such a morning so special.

I’m at the end of the trail here, so I’m going to dismount and turn my horse loose.