Maureen's Blog

Chance:

I galloped Chance on the 8th and today (the 11th). On the 8th, we averaged around 14 mph galloping (slow) as I was testing out the detour and the reconfigured clubhouse turn.  They seemed to ride well, which is great.  I only galloped 2 laps, and that is solely due to my lack of fitness.  Today I galloped 2 laps again, but they were faster -  around 17 mph – though I was a little cautious as it had rained earlier.

Chance continues to like (or appears to like) the Pee Wee bit, and readily opens his mouth for it.  I have ordered a Shur-Win, in the hopes that it will help relieve any pressure on the bars.  I’ve never used one, but it’s significantly less expensive than a Kineton noseband, and appears to serve the same purpose.  At worst it will be an $11 experiment.  At best, he’ll really like it.  He also continues to stand still, with his ears up, when I girth him up.  I take this as a sign that whatever issue caused him to threaten to bite, in the past, is no longer an issue.  Perhaps it’s the addition of a dressage pad under the regular pad.  Perhaps it’s something else.  Either way, I believe it’s a good sign.

Zola:

I haven’t done much of anything with Zola. Hopefully I’ll ride her tomorrow.

Lena:

Lena is lame on her left front, due to the cracks she had when I got her.  They have grown out about halfway on that foot, and I think it’s just painful in general, not an abscess or anything serious.  She is improving, especially after I trimmed her yesterday (the 10th).  I trimmed a hind foot this time. Only one needed trimming, as the other had self-trimmed pretty evenly and short.   The cracks on her right front have not grown out as much, and I will try to remember to take photos tomorrow or the next day, depending on the weather.

Sweet Tea:

The other day (Thursday) I went out to get Chance to ride him (no galloping, just some walk and trot to test out the new dirt, the detour, and the reconfigured turn) and all the horses were in the vicinity of the pond.  I heard some noise coming from the pond, which turned out to be Zola and Sweet Tea. Both of them were standing in the water, grazing long grasses.  Zola was dry other than her legs, but Sweet Tea was completely wet from the tip of her nose to the tip of her tail.  There was not a dry spot on her!  I’m not sure how deep the pond is, and don’t know whether it’s deep enough for her to have had a swim, or if she just laid down completely on both sides, but clearly she had enjoyed a good cooling off.

Even though she is new to the herd and the farm, Sweet Tea is allowed to go out, loose, with the herd into the big field.  She has certainly adapted well, and is losing her ‘not interested’ look.  She and Maura seem to have become close friends.

Sweet Tea with co-owner Angie