We’ve had another excruciatingly hot summer in Phoenix, It’s
been over 110 for the last week, so needless to say neither Fiona nor myself
have been in the mood to due much. I have been getting to the barn between 6am
and 8am most days. I am usually done by no later than 10am. It is just too hot
for me after that.
Fiona has been hanging out with her horse buddy Cinny this
week. Cinny’s mom is out of town. I am very proud that she can go out with
another horse and hang out without being a complete pain or acting up. Most the
time she moves Cinny around by following him and bobbing her head or pinning
her ears. He is a very willing pawn in her little game of 2 piece chess. Today
I was lunging them and she got too close, too fast and he threatened to kick her.
He didn’t do too badly for an old man; he is ~27 years old. She started to
“make better decisions” after that. J
She is pretty much healed up from her episode in January
where she ran through the streets of Mesa like a meth head. Her soles are still
not 100% recovered and still a bit thin. I got her some Easyboot Back Country hoofboots
and they definitely help. Exercise is critical to getting her hooves to grow
and the boot help her be comfortable enough to work.
Our riding lessons are going great. She is actually getting
tired toward the end of them, which is totally new. I think she had too many
months off and it is taking her a bit to get back in shape. Same for me, I am
learning to canter all over again, which sucks because it wasn’t easy for me to
learn that this first time. Hopefully it will come back quickly. I have to keep
reminding myself that this is a leisure time activity. We don’t have a schedule
to keep.
I REALLY want to do the games at Red Mountain Stables Open
House this fall. Even if it is touch and go on the spooking, I think we need to
do it. It will help my confidence and hers. I was all set to do it in the
Spring, but then we wrecked in January and well..that was the end of that.
Everyone cross your fingers that we make it to October unscathed.
Fiona and Cinny hanging out (Fiona is on the left in all the photos):
