We found a way to get right to the river, which is behaving itself lately; not high and muddy like I expected with this heat melting the remaining snow pack.
I had a chat with the lady who owned Rosalee in her show years and told her about the issues I'm having, and the gist of it is that Rosalee needs to work, loves to work, and can take a lot of riding. I guess the semi retired life is not for her! So I have to step up my game. Today I built a maze out of slabs, and will put some tires down too, and work on building a narrow bridge and some other obstacles - all this is in the turn out paddock, so I can ride her right at home and give her mind a workout. As well I really do have to start hauling her to the arena at least twice a week, and do my best to ride every day. We'll see how that works out!
Mesa needed her left hind foot balanced, so Shayla helped out and rasped the flare off and balanced the heels, and touched up the right hind. Mesa did really well!
She stood quietly; mama Coulee was right in front of her and that kept her quiet, and the panel helped to contain her. A good first experience. Later in the afternoon I took her away from mama- out of the pen- and just visited with her, led her around a bit, tried to get her to eat foal ration (she was having none of that!). Coulee didn't seem to care, until Mesa got out of sight for a minute and then she came hollering to the gate.
She is leading pretty good now, not to the point where she will walk beside me without mama there but she follows me on a loose lead.
3 comments:
Mesa is so cute! No new foal yet...I wonder how Mesa will like the new addition! :)
Good plan to keep Rosalee happily working. So many ways to change up obstacle courses & keep it fresh. If you don't have an equine ball, they are worth getting (with a cover, our first one popped without one). What a good girl Mesa is!
More work and a variety of work is a good plan for any horse. I think, eventually, they come to see a little old trail ride as a relief. Hopefully, even fun. Sounds like she is just quite happy eating the good food you provide, watching Mesa, and hanging with her girl herd. I have a new one like that, too-- Foxy. She was rock solid before she got to our house and now she's being a bit of a stinker if she can see her girls. My son in law and husband ride her, but she needs much more.
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