I've been a little MIA the last couple of days but Merry Christmas to everyone. I hope that you are all enjoying your holidays with your loved ones like I am!
For Christmas, Walker got himself a cute little quarter sheet and I got a nice pair of Winter breeches. I really like the breeches because they're not as bulky as I thought they would be so I might actually pick myself up another pair.
On Boxing Day I drove back to my apartment to see Walker. It was pretty busy at the barn. I was hoping that I'd get to ride in the afternoon and then go to my lesson that night. Unfortunately, we're getting 30 cm of snow (again!) and so I ended up driving home in the same evening so that I didn't get stuck down there. I originally planned to drive to my friends barn today from my barn to bring the jumps but the storm really threw a wrench in all my plans. :s At least I got a ride in though, even if I didn't get my lesson or I didn't get to meet her new horse yet.
When I got to the barn, I asked if the horses have been turned out and it turns out that they still haven't. I took a walk up to his paddock though and I'm not as mad as I originally was because the path is still super icy despite the storm we got last week. I have no idea what it is about that property or that hill but its pretty much solid ice. But I don't think my barn owner realizes how determined I am to get Walker turned out. I'm pretty much planning to buy half a dozen bags of salt and break up a path through the ice to the paddock if this storm doesn't do it! Luckily, M was lunging him for me over the past couple days, and one of the mothers turned Walker out in the indoor arena for me as well. I especially appreciated that because she knew I wasn't around, and she did it even though no horse is technically allowed to be turned out in there because they make a mess of the hay we store there. It's nice to know people are looking for him while I'm away!
Anyway I tacked up my baby and hopped on in the indoor with the three other girls. Needless to say he was wired. He was hopping around and chomping on the bit like a madman so after 10 minutes of him spooking at nothing and almost running into other horses - even though we were only walking! - I decided I better lunge him. I'm glad I did because he played the part of the wild mustang on the end of the line, bucking and flying four feet off the ground. It was kind of hilarious to watch him get the wiggles out and apparently he gave M quite the show the other day on the lunge line as well. After only about 10 minutes of that, I was able to hop on him and he was back to his sweet self. I didn't actually end up doing more than maybe 20 minutes of mindless riding because I got talking to one of the kids and then they started to feed. Oh well. After his performance on the lunge line, I have no doubt he got his exercise in!
I meant to take cute pictures of him in his quarter sheet but I'm easily distracted when the barn is busy. Oh! And I almost forgot. I also got a cute little video camera for Christmas so that I can actually videotape my rides! Now as long as my computer doesn't die and can actually handle me editing the videos, I should be able to put up videos! I hope that I can tape the clinic!
Yay for video cameras! I got one too! :)
ReplyDeletePersonally I think that the BO should be the one to buy the salt and deice the paths to the paddocks, especially if it's the path there that's the issue and not the paddock itself (meaning it's safe for him to be turned out). However, I would be doing the exact same thing if it meant my horse would get out! Have you talked to the BO about winter turnout yet?
I haven't talked to the BO about turnout because people at the barn told me he wasn't turned out and I saw the ice for myself. I never checked the paddock but I assume it is not as icy. I'm pretty sure the BO salts the area in front of the barn, but I can kind of understand why she doesn't do the path. First of all, it's not so much a path as a very long walk to the paddock and its just one paddock up there. Also, some of the lower paddocks are not safe so the salt would probably be better spent on those horses who are turned out in some tricky places (which I would never turn them out in but, not my barn, not my horse...). Secondly, I think it would probably be a futile mission. The property has a little river through it and the path is a hill and it just seems to sit in a pocket of ice. I don't even know if I will be able to salt it and make it work. But knowing my BO, if she sees me doing it, she'd probably pay me for the salt and then continue to do it. I don't like to ask. I'd much rather put her in an impossible situation :)
DeleteLong story short. I think she should do all she needs to do to get the horses out as well, but I haven't had a chance to talk to her about it. I'm afraid my alternative choice will be to get him turned out in the paddocks where it's dangerously icy (those horses don't always get turned out either - obviously), and I don't want that. I think once I'm back after the holidays, I will scout around and talk to her to figure something out. I want Walker to get to roll in the snow!
DeleteAlways nice to know fellow boarders are checking in on your horse!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely!
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