Bummer

5/22/2014

You know how the weather can be just too bad to ride in, but not so bad as to keep you home? That's what we had yesterday.

The barn is off to the right ...

I left for the barn at about 3:55, my regular time. By 4:15, the sky was getting black and the wind had started to gust ferociously. Just when I was grabbing Speedy's halter, rumbles of thunder could be heard approaching. Well, drat!

I will ride in bad weather, but it looked as though a pretty fierce-looking storm was about to move through. And it did. There was spitting rain, jagged bolts of lightening, howling wind, and booming thunder. The whole thing lasted just over an hour. My riding window after work is pretty tight. By the time I could see that the storm was passing, there wasn't enough time to ride.

Instead of riding, Speedy got turned out for the first time since February. He was rip-roaring around his stall because of some flapping tarps, so I took the chance that he was less likely to get injured on the lunge line than while crashing around his pen.

I used my cotton rope line that is at least 30 feet long and let Speedy warm up a bit. I asked for some trot and canter in both directions. Once I figured he was listening, I gave the okay for the gallop. He was pleasantly surprised to say the least!

When he was finished, I let him just wonder around the arena to his heart's content. It was his first turnout since his mystery lameness this past February. While he was turned out, I cleaned Sydney's Micklem with the Higher Standards Soap (Don't forget to leave a comment about that; I'll be drawing on Sunday evening.)

First turn out since February!

I brought Speedy back in and turned Sydney out as well. I had really wanted to ride. I had a lesson on Monday, but then work obligations kept me from the barn for both Tuesday and Wednesday. It's now Friday and I am itching to get in the saddle. Today is predicted to be clear. Hopefully I get a good ride in as Speedy and I are going to a show this Sunday, our first together since last July!

TGIF, everyone!

Not much of a wild hair in this one. He just wanted to get back inside!

Katharine link

5/23/2014 12:18:53 am

Handsome boys!! Curious though, how do they cope with being stalled so much? My girls are out 24/7 and I feel it helps them be calmer and more focused when they get worked. Makes me wonder how others deal with more stall time... :)

Bakersfield Dressage link

5/24/2014 06:41:51 am

Of course, pasture would be the best option, and for many years I was able to do that, but here in Bakersfield, quality (safe) pasture is hard to find. I have posted a video of my barn's layout here: http://www.bakersfielddressage.com/around-the-barn.html
You can see that when I say stall, I use that term loosely. My boys enjoy a pretty big paddock.

I am at the barn almost 7 days a week. I shared some statistics in a post in January (http://www.bakersfielddressage.com/home---karens-blog/a-year-in-review-2013). I rode Speedy 171 days and Sydney 187 days in 2013. On the days they don't get ridden, they usually get at least some turn out.

I agree with you that horses are healthier when they get to move around. Since I don't have a pasture situation, I make it my duty to see that my boys don't stay cooped up. :0)

5/24/2014 06:49:42 am

I also just realized that from i what I wrote, it sounds as though Speedy has been locked in his stall since February. Oops, not the case. Since we thought his injury was a collateral ligament, he couldn't be turned out so I hand walked him for 30 consecutive days (15 - 30 minutes). After that, I rode him nearly every day bareback for another 30 days at the walk. For another couple of weeks, I rode under saddle, but we still walked. It's only been the last three weeks that we've returned to trot and canter work.

I hadn't wanted to turn him out for a gallop until he'd had some time to do a controlled trot and canter. SInce he behaved under saddle, I figured it was time for him to be back out on his own. I worked him on the lunge line first so that I could control his exuberance. Once he's worked out the real wildness, I let him go. I am sure he was delighted to finally have his freedom back. :0)

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