Monday, March 22, 2010

A Ride In The Desert...

Meg and I finally headed to the desert yesterday...
I can only ride for so many days in an arena and then I start getting clausterphobic.

I'm a ranch girl remember? I need me some open country. Well that and I'm a lazy, lazy horse trainer. I much prefer to let my horses train and condition themselves. Open country and rolling hills are so ideal for that. Things that are 'issues' in the arena have a way of working themselves out...out there.

How's this for a lovely picture?...
Ummm...I.c.k! The only thing that looks decent on Moon is that he was actually reaching up underneath himself with his hind legs. He actually had some energy back there yesterday. But you can see in his neck how out of condition he is. He looks surprisingly thin in photos. I promise you all he is not thin. Moon suffers from what can crudely be called...narrow ass. First place he looses condition and the last place he gains it back...in his hips. It's one of the reasons I don't dare run barrels on this horse unless he is at least 1/2 ways in shape.

There...this is a little better...
See the difference when he drops his head just a bit. He starts using his neck and back a little better.

The whole ride Moon popped in and out of 'frame'. It's way more wearing on a horse to travel across country and up and down hills when they are bracey in the neck and hollowed out in the back. It's when they start getting tired that they will drop that head, relax the neck and start using themselves more effectively. In my world...you let them find that happy place on their own. And I am just mean enough that I just keep going until they do find it.;-)

And then there are horses like Strawberry...
This little horse is a walking fool. No matter how long it has been, he just relaxes into a comfortable frame and will go all day.

These two are so darn cute together...


So really, this is about all I will be doing for the next week or so...covering some country. Moon was tired after only an hour of walking out there. I can't imagine that Frosty will even last that long. Sta-Puff is in for a rude awakening starting today-LOL

10 comments:

Sherry Sikstrom said...

I agree I would far rather just take 'em out for a ride to condition than constant arean work . They get sour and so do I

Maia said...

My horse, Kitt has the same reaction to arena work that I do to arobics class. I can just hear her thinking, "is it over yet? This is so boring. Do I have to do that again? Oh puleese.."

Trail riding is so much more fun for everyone.

Mrs. Mom said...

J.E.A.L.O.U.S.

As in, *sigh* an hour's walk on a good horse in open country... awesome dude... just awesome!! ;)

Paint Girl said...

Looks like so much fun! I wish I had a desert to ride in around here! But the woods work too! We do have lots of hills for conditioning though! Gotta love that! I did so much trail riding last summer, I think Brandy was in the best shape she has ever been in!

Danielle Michelle said...

Fun!!! I got out a little bit in the fields over break - but I need a riding partner!

Love your chicks! I got mine early February to add to my growing flock. I'm not brave enough for bantums yet, but I have a nice mix going on and I love my amerucanas and their colorful eggs! So far my best layers are my White Leghorns, New Hampshire Reds, Black Australorps, and Rhode Island Reds - oh yeah - and my female duck! The Amerucanas do well also and I have some Delewares and Barred Rocks are almost fully feathered out!

Have fun! I love my Chickens!!!

Leah Fry said...

I enjoy both the arena and roads. I hesitate to call them trails. I just feel a lot more comfortable on Poco in an arena. He's a crap shoot on the road. Better when his buddy is with him, but still not one I'd take to the bank.

GoLightly said...

I wants me a Strawberry..

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

MM-I was thinking of ya. Wonder how the big red horse would take to the big outdoors?;)

Oh, we still have lots of arena work to do. Some days I actually really like doing it too.

Fat boy was really good today. Better than I expected really. The last time he was rode out and about like that was last summer...when the cow scared him and he bucked me off-LOL.

He lasted 30 whole minutes. I no sooner commented to Meg that I couldn't believe he was holding up so well and I felt his bottom go out. He went from walking out nice and strong to dragging along, ambling this way and that way and even tried to roll with me. Guess he doesn't like being sweaty-LOL.

City girl turned Country Girl said...

Well he may have a "narrow ass" right now LOL, but I really like his size! I think you fit him really well! Strawberry and Meg absolutely make a great pair and I love that he's so in tune with what he needs to do!

Definitely nothing better than wide open spaces! Such a break from the same ol same ol!

Rising Rainbow said...

You're so right about trails being a breat way to build up a horse. I've been taking Legs out on the trails to build up his back and relax his brain too. I think horses get bored with arena work just like we do.