A Weekend full of Horses

Friday Mort and I lunged in the field!  It was mentally and physically really hard for him.  Staying with me and focused on me was tough for him sometimes.  He really tried his best and I loved watching him trot and canter powerfully over the little hills (dat ass).  We had a few minor spooks and one major one (because the deer at the barn are the horse-eating variety).  He never left the premises completely and came back to work for me every time which was wonderful. 

Saturday a group of us barn folks got up early and drove to St. Louis to support/watch/shop for the Show Me Summit.  We had one horse and rider combo going in the Western Pleasure clinic.  Western is definitely the predominate discipline in this area, but I have never attended a western clinic.  The clinics are run a lot differently (like two hour slots with six to ten other riders and a lot of ‘down’ time listening to the clinician instruct others).  I wouldn’t have been a huge fan of waiting around on my horse, but watching it was fine as I was just there to watch and listen anyway.      

I am glad to see that western pleasure is really trying to get away from the ‘trope’ and get true canter strides again.  I don’t think that it’s enough yet—I still saw a bunch of horses see-sawing to keep their bodies moving—but I do think it’s a good start.  I doubt western pleasure will ever be my favorite to watch—I just can’t wrap my head around it being fun.  I guess that’s why it’s not what I ride and show. 

Some ponies will be slow, others will be fast, some will jump and others will prance.  Western isn’t my favorite, but I know plenty of people who don’t appreciate dressage.  I am a firm believer in thinking that every instructor can teach you something.  Maybe one of them had a cool exercise or pattern.  Maybe one had a new way to word the same old stuff that makes more sense to me.  Maybe one had an interesting insight on horse confirmation.  Maybe one is a great example of what I never want to do.  Overall it was fun to go and hang out and shop some. 

When we got back to the barn I just lightly lunged Mort.  Both because he had a hard day Friday and because Steven wanted to go hiking that afternoon (and I almost never say no to hiking).  He was particularly lazy, so it was short and sweet. 

Sunday the barn had 6 horse and rider pairs heading to a local show.  I stayed out of the way in the morning by sleeping in (or that’s my excuse).  I rode Mort and he was a good, steady boy.  Nothing particularly spectacular, but attentive and easy to adjust.  That made for a short-ish ride.  I decided to pull his mane with that ‘extra’ time.  I also broke my bridle (just the throatlatch keeper).  After that I headed to the show to help and play ‘horse show mom’ as needed—lots of holding horses and fixing braids.  Team ACS did really well and I think everyone had good aspects of their day—always good for early in the show season. 

Tonight Mort will get an easy ride or lunge.  We’re heading to a clinic tomorrow, so I’ll be packing the trailer and cleaning him to an acceptable level.  This will be my first overnight with Mort which is exciting.  I’m sure he’ll be a good boy and settle well like his normal self.