Drop and Roll

This summer has been quite the unusual one, considering the weather. We had a day today that was partially cloudy, in the low 80's, with a nice breeze. J and T decided to ride with us and so we met N at the barn just before noon and got our stuff together. I had to groom and saddle Ashke in his stall, because there weren't enough grooming stalls and letting your horse stand in the grooming stall and dry takes precedence over someone who needs to saddle their horse. I mean, really?

The arrogance and inconsideration of some show riders . . . .

Finally, we were ready. I rode Ashke in the running martingale again, because he was so good on Thursday. N and I talked about why I was using it and what it changed for Ashke. N thinks maybe it gives him some support and comfort while we ride and he does better with the pressure of the martingale. All I know is that when I ask him to slow down, his head comes down and not up. There was no brace. We had several wonderful canters, he went up and down hills properly, and his trot was very good. We did have a couple of trips over really rocky ground, but I think that's a function of the boots.

Cali was very uptight today. She and Ashke spent at least part of the ride trading off pinning at each other. N felt like she was a bundle of dynamite waiting to explode for the first half of the ride. She got off a couple of times rather than risk an explosion.

We did an unusual route today, wandering through a fairly swank neighborhood looking at landscaping while J and T found a geocache. We ended up back on the Fairmount Trail and made our way back to Tucker Lake. The horses love Tucker Lake. Ashke has completely gotten over any hesitation about getting his feet wet.

I've experienced horses pawing the water, but Cali takes it to a completely different level. She deliberately tries to make as large a splash as possible. And I have never, never seen a horse splash with her hind feet.

And then this happened . . . .

One moment we were splashing and playing, and then . . . drop and roll. It was a very soggy ride back home. We stopped for about fifteen minutes and I took off my boots, poured water out of them, and wrung out my socks. His saddle pad was completely soaked and really muddy. Ashke seemed pretty happy with himself.

I know we didn't travel as far as it says we did. Based on past rides, we rode about nine miles. But the stopped timer worked on this ride, since I paused the app while we were stopped.

Can't wait for tomorrow.