Plastic bags and goose fights

We have been having some gorgeous weather here. Highs in the upper 60s or lower 70s and lows in the 50s. Really awesome. You can ride in a t-shirt and not sweat all over.

Tuesday was my lesson day, Christie did a flat lesson on P since her boy is still out of commission. It was our first jumping lesson outside, and he surprised me by maintaining his calm demeanor. Stampede did a great hunter course, including getting some extra air over a swedish oxer that caught his attention. When we got to the equitation course, which in my defense I haven’t done one in months, I got too conservative. I kept trying to come into my rollbacks quiet so the turn would be easier, but instead I would mess up my distance and make Stampede angry. Ooops. We took a walk break after my second rollback was a fail then went back and got it done right. I have to remember that pace is necessary!

Both boys had Wednesday off, then Christie and I rode them together in the field on Thursday. We had planned to ride in the ring, but one of the outdoors had a lesson in it and the other needed to be dragged badly. So field it was. Stampede started off well, a little gawky, but listening. First issue though was a white plastic bag blowing across the field. It was certainly not normal and I just rode him through and let him look at it until I blew out of our area. Next some geese came flying in, which would be fine if it was just the mated pair, but there were three and they were fighting. Lots of squawking and chasing, which was blowing Stampede’s mind a bit. I ended up using only half the field to canter my last direction and he was getting so strong it was hard to hold my bend when I turned because he wanted to run home. So we walked over to the outdoor since the lesson had finished and cantered some more in there to finish on a relaxed note. Then the geese flew over by the ring as I was cooling out!

Friday I did a nice bareback ride on Mr. P then grazed the boys. I was the last one at the barn and wanted to get done so I decided to graze the boys together. They have opposite grazing styles which always makes it fun. Stampy is always walking and P just wanted to stand in one spot and eat as much as possible. So I ended up putting the rope over P’s back and letting him do his own thing in my vicinity.

P self grazing Friday night

Saturday I did a flat lesson on Stampede, which went well. I gave P the day off and just took him out to graze.

Today was a P day. A nice hack in the ring and then we walked over the hill and through the ditch while we were cooling out. Only one goose out today and he was quiet. Grazed both boys afterwards.

P watching me while I graze Stampy, very jealous!

Stampy chowing down, getting plumper these days

Oh, and P had some weird throat swelling today, although it didn’t seem to bother him at all. I’ll look at it again when I go to hay and water tonight.

Weird jaw/throat swelling on P

And lastly, I finally got a pair of boots I can change into to hose the horses off and such instead of ruining my riding boots faster.

Cute boots

Planning to jump again on Tuesday next week. Hoping this awesome weather holds up!