Rideless Weekend

I don't have anything exciting to report from last weekend - boooooo!

I didn't ride a single horse, but it was my own fault and nobody elses. It was simply out of sheer laziness and one slight hangover. I spent the weekend away from home, so I also missed my wonderful Dressage lesson. I did visit with Lady, who is just the sweetest horse. She almost always comes galloping up when we come to visit, and she and her pasture mate Cash (the TWH), just stand up along the fence line and let us hug and smooch all over them. I'm sure they are using us for fly swatters, but I don't mind. I love wrapping my arms around their sweet smelling necks!

Lady and Cash lookin' for treats (winter 2009-2010)

On Sunday, I went out to J's per usual. She asked if I wanted to ride, but I didn't. Now that J has Sarah coming out to ride on the weekdays, I feel comfortable NOT riding for a change. I know the horses are getting worked by very capable hands, so I don't feel guilty declining a ride. I might be crazy to do it, but I have my reasons. J and a few others are attending a show next weekend in a small town called Mason. It's a two day show and isn't recognized as a Morgan A show. It's actually an open show, but it mainly seems to focus on Pleasure horses as opposed to stock, so it's fun and usually a success for our ragtag group of junior and amateur riders.

Since J has about FOUR of her own horses going, I offered to clip some of them for her. She is taking Snip Sans/Sans Snip (a thirty something) Quarter horse gelding, and Ceaser a 27 year old Morgan gelding for her 2 academy riders, and she has another young lady who is interested in showing Bobby and Contro in pleasure classes, so that's awesome beyond awesome ~ good for J, good for the horses, good for the girl, good for me - a win, win, win, win!!!!

I clipped the two ancient geldings, just because the junior exhibitor can clip the 2 she's riding ;). I have to say that even though Ceaser is 27, he is a stinkin' Stan about getting his bridle path and ears clipped. He had to be twitched, and even with the twitch, he fought. There is life in that old man yet, I say. He perked right up and looked about 15 years younger. J said that when she first got Ceaser, years ago, he was so awful that when anyone tried to clip his bridle path/ears without a twitch, he'd slam his handler into the wall and escape! That coot!!!

Now Snippy was a peach. I don't know if it's just his laid back QH personality or his very old age, but he let me clip everything with nary a flinch. His ears were so relaxed while I clipped them that if I didn't hold onto them, they'd flop around all loosey goosey. I've never seen anything like it! He had his back leg cocked and looked half asleep. The funny thing about Snippy though, is he still bucks the little kiddos off from time to time. I just wonder what he was like in his youth, I bet he was a stinker!

Another thing about Snippy that is different for me, is his training. That horse was shown alot in his day by Junior Exhibitors. I think with stock horses (so it seems to me) a big emphasis is put on their halter training, and in Snippy's case, fitting and showing. I started noticing that when I'd lead him anywhere, like up to the cross ties, he'd jog very slowly next to me if I picked up my pace. When I stopped, he'd stop and square up; his eyes watching my every move. At first I wasn't sure what the heck he was doing, but then I started to realize....he was setting up. So, now I just kind of have fun with it. He pivots wonderfully too - it's fun! He's just a sweet old show horse :).

A horse show several years ago: From left to right - Ceaser, Beau (rip), Jay, Snippy, Bobby and Contro (whose NOT the Morgan)?

So, that's about it. I know it's not exciting, but you don't have to RIDE horses to love them. I enjoy my time spent out of the saddle just as much, if not more than my time in it.