Megan v. My Toe

Megan:



My Toe (pardon the (lack of) pedicure):

I was clipping her legs when she struck at a fly and got my toe instead. Owie!!! Even my Ariat clogs weren't protection enough. I really thought I was going to see blood when I pulled my shoe off, but the bruises took a couple of hours to show. I think this is karma for my half marathon "performance," so I'm just going to suck it up and hobble and hope that it's better before the horse show this weekend.

Pics of the horse show on Monday, Monday, Monday!

I Love Spring

Tonight was a perfect night. Between the time change making riding after work possible and the weather making it pleasurable, it just doesn't get any better than a spring night. Megan's forward button comes and goes but tonight it was on and every step was a pleasure instead of an effort. These are the days that make all the effort, dollars and time worthwhile. I may be gushing...

I'm going to change bits before my next ride to see if I can stop her from curling behind it. We definitely had periods of really good connection, but we'd lose it to the right at times when she wanted to fall in and attempts to correct it made her curl.

In Which Lily-Spot Grows Up

I haven't posted much about Lily this winter. Her life has been pretty uneventful - focused on eating and growing. Grow she has. Most of the last few months, she's been in her blanket when I've been out to see her - so kind of hidden. Now spring is here and the blanket is off and by golly if she hasn't grown into herself quite a bit.

She no longer looks like a Yak although she doesn't quite look like a sport horse extraordinaire yet either. Gangly girl still has to grow into her long legs, but her withers have come up and she towers over me on both ends instead of just in the rear. Last night finished off the fifth day in a 5-day course of wormer to make sure her system is bug-free.

Getting a double dose of worming paste every day might turn a lesser soul off the sight of her tube-toting mom, but not Lily. Every day she has greeted me with ears pricked and kindly submitted to the tube. She got her revenge by making me wear half of it when she spit it back out.

In June or July, she'll learn the further joys of being a grown up girl when we start her under saddle. I have a feeling she'll greet that whole process with her ears pricked and her happy face on. Miss Lily-Spot is just a born charmer.

And a Picture to Prove It!

Look at that girl go! I can't wait for my turn, but I will wait awhile so I don't screw up her!

NOW We're on Track

Megan is doing very well in reform school -- no more attempts at rearing, going forward well and just generally much better all around. Today was her 2nd time over fences and I got to see it thanks to a couple of free hours from the travel schedule from Hell. (I also have a picture and some video, but no time to upload it.)

She is SUPER jumping. I've always heard that Irish Draughts are born knowing how to jump and she is no exception to her heritage. She is brave, nonchalant and very scopey. Apparently day one was a little clumsy and she wasn't sure what to do with all of her parts, but today was much better. She jumped everything she was pointed at with no hesitation - including funky flower boxes and a little staircase coop thingy as well as a gate. Girlfriend is flat brave.

I'm so excited to see positive progress! Woohoo! I'm not quite ready to be the one in the irons yet, but she is shaping up to be all I hoped for when it comes to jumping -- quiet, brave and easy. I'm ready for some easy...