Ranae went riding with her friend on Saturday because I had the final in my photojournalism class. I got home around two and was on Jess a little before three. It was cool, but clear as we headed out. As soon as we hit the canal we started to trot. She was a little distracted, but she gave me no problems. We had none of the struggles we had when we first started going out alone.
I was listening to my ipod most of the way. It's not the safest thing to do because it makes it harder to hear what's going on around us, but Jessie usually lets me know if something is up. Well, about 1/2 mile down the canal we start loping. She's at a comfortable pace and so I ask for a little collection. My head is down because I'm looking for the give. Then I move her left two-track stlye, and then right and again my head is still down. She pops her head up and I can tell she is speeding up so I look up and there across the canal is a pit bull. He leaves us alone, but it was a bit of a sight. I turned the ipod back up as soon as we were a safe distance.
We walk and trot a bit farther. I stop to pick up some stones because I know there are some other dogs up ahead. Then, we start loping again. I'm trying to change her speed with my seat and I guess I realxed a bit too much because she hit the brakes and it threw me to the front of the saddle. We practiced this for awhile and then I looked down and noticed my pepper spray had come off the saddle. We loped back around to where I thought it had come off and when we didn't find it, we loped back to where we were in our ride.
We loped and trotted through the fields working on different things and then headed back. We found the pepper spray a little farther away then I had initially thought. When I stopped to pick it up I noticed how sweaty Jessie had gotten. I guess we had done more loping than I thought. I walked her most of the rest of the way home which was about a mile.
On Sunday Ranae and I rode in the other way and did some "drill team" circles in one of the fields. It's a good exercise because Jessie wants to go faster than Dusty. We took turns on the inside of the cricle and both horses did a fine job. We had the camera and I took a little video of a plastic bag on the fence that we used to practice desensitizing .
Then we rode past the Mexican's stable and there was a man lungeing his stallion. It was a nice looking horse.
Ranae's always telling me how Dusty jumps tumbleweeds when she's loping, so I got her to try and do it in a nice little soft patch. Dusty knew the camera was on and refused to fully cooperate.
Headed down the canal.
The field next to the Airpark.
Not the best video quality.
3 comments:
Jessie and Dusty did great with the platic bag! looks like you two have been having fun riding! we haven't rode for 3 weeks :(...just a lot of round penning and other exercises, Cadet started to colic and now they think he might have a gastric ulcer? he is such a sweet guy and playful and he has been cranky, it's not him at all, we feel so helpless when he is not feeling good.
We get to go to the Clinton Anderson show this weekend! our first one!
You'll have a great time at the tour. Bring something soft to sit on....and a credit card. You'll be buying something.
Sorry to hear about Cadet. One of the other posters here is my friend Courtney and her company sells a product called Karbo Combo. I've researched this product and think it would be very helpful for not only the colic symptoms but the ulcer as well. It may seem a little pricey, but compared to just one vet visit, it's well worth it. (I know this sounds like a commercial. I don't have any financial interest here, I just like the product). Check it out for yourself at http://thextrascoop.com/. Feel free to ask Courtney questions. She is very knowledgeable and can help.
Have fun this weekend. If you're hanging around the halter sales section and you see a Downunder Crew who is a tall guy named John(The have nametags), tell him "hi" for me. He was very nice to me when I volunteered in Rancho Murrieta and Las Vegas.
oh darn! I didn't see this message before we went or I would have looked for your friend! we did have a great time at the tour and yes spent some $$ :) worth every penny though!
thanks for the info on the Karbo Combo, we will look into that...we are starting to think Cadet might have something else going on, in addition to? he is eating and pooping great...but if you touch his side near flank area he swings his head down and bites his own leg instead of us (he is such a sweetie). We were loping a few days (before we noticed something going on with him) Jim was on Cadet and I was on Speedy, they have had issues getting along but then don't want to be seperated from each other, anyways, the day we were loping...Speedy (the horse I ride) turned a bit sideways and kicked at Jim and Cadet, I thought I was going to fly forward and Jim and Cadet leaned very far and trying to avoid the kick and get their balance, Speedys hoof made contact with the stirrup, gashing it to the fiberglass, very scary for two middle aged people who don't really know what we are doing! ha!but we are wondering if that had to do with anything OR if Speedy kicked Cadet thru their pens and hurt Cadets ribs? we are still wondering, the vet says we are doing everything he would do so I guess it's wait and see, we are gonna be a month of no riding though, which stinks but we just want to make sure Cadet it okay. He is acting a little better, still cranky and more skitterish than normal but he is acting a bit better, so I pray he is on the mend.
Thanks again for the product info..we will for surely look into that
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