It’s getting hot in here

After I got back Wednesday night from the conference I convinced my husband to come out to the barn with me so I could get both horses ridden before the barn closed. We drove separately so I could get Stampy mostly ridden before he got there. In a strange twist I was the only one riding when I got on Stampede. Usually he is okay as long as there are horses around somewhere, but he was truly alone that night. He wasn’t too bad, just distracted and a bit spooky. We flatted for quite a while, mostly just to make sure he was calm and cool before I called it a day. Definitely a good exercise for him, but not exactly what I wanted to deal with after a long day.

My husband groomed P while I got Stampy hosed off and taken care of, then we switched and he grazed Stampy while I took P. I hopped on Mr. P bareback and had a nice easy ride. Managed to get out of the barn just after 9 so it was a good night.

Stampede’s brand – WVF

I rode P again on Thursday. I put a saddle on and he was quite lazy in the field. Friday I was off work early so I got on Stampy in the afternoon. Somehow we managed to be alone in the ring again, with no horses outside anywhere. I chose the other ring closer to the barns, which he seemed to do better with. To keep his focus we did some shoulders in each direction. Then we did my favorite thing at the canter. Mostly my favorite because Stampy is really good at it when I ask correctly!

It is pretty much cantering a figure 8, but sometimes you go across and maintain the lead so it becomes a counter canter (purposely being on the wrong lead so to speak) and sometimes you do a flying change to the correct lead. For those who don’t know what a lead is, it has to do with which front leg is leading in the canter stride. The “correct” lead is always on the inside. A counter canter is when the leading leg is on the outside then. If I go across and counter canter, I then cross back over so we end up back on the correct lead with no flying changes.

I finally got to jump Stampede again on Saturday. Other than a miscommunication about striding on the diagonal line heading home he was really good. It was a 6 stride line which I managed to get 7 in the first time and 5 the second time. Then we got it together for a nice 6. Evidently he is plenty adjustable!

Stampede keeping an eye on me and P from his stall

I’m trying not to speak about the show next weekend around Stampede just in case he has plans to get out of it again, lol. I am planning to lesson on Tuesday then just flat and not school over fences on Thursday. He always schools like its old hat so there is no point to make him jump that much. He only has to show on Saturday which is kind of nice. Crossing my fingers that we will get there.

After my lesson I went with my friend Christie’s mom to go watch Christie show at a facility about an hour away. I hadn’t been to these show grounds in quite a few years, so it was nice to check it out. I would love to take Stampede there sometime, it is really a nice facility. Anyways, it was a nice break and great to watch the other girls from the barn.

Living the life – grazing in the shade

Today I rode P bareback in the field with my friend Diane and her horse Willow. P and Willow are quite fond of each other and we had a fun ride. The horses kept trying to either slow down or speed up to get back near the other one.

Mr P doing his favorite thing

P’s girlfriend and neighbor Willow

Our air conditioning died after a thunderstorm Thursday night, so it has been a hot weekend in our house while we wait for the new part. The repairmen said the controller probably got fried by a power surge. He is hoping to get the part covered by the warranty which would be nice. Here’s hoping it gets fixed tomorrow!

I hope everyone has a good week!