Valentine Day Ride

So had a 'horsey' day this Valentines and fishy! Well, my husband and I were hoping, but they weren't biting and all we did was lose 3 lures and get stuck in the trees THREE TIMES, lol. We really aren't that bad, its just the pond in the horses pasture is a little woody for fishing. (no, thats not ALL we did on V-Day, haha ;) )

Anyway the older BIL called to see if it was all right if he rode Daisy, which he has been doing periodically. I said sure, and went out there to watch slash supervise, lol. He's a pretty good rider, I THINK able enough to handle anything Daisy wants to throw at him at least.

So I drove the little BILs four wheeler out there (stopping to get my bridle and another bit since he was using his icky tom thumb thats on his bridle)

She did pretty good. For the first hour she was not happy about being asked to do anything, was a little 'fresh', and was constantly trying her best to get back to the truck and where I was sitting on the four wheeler. That was where she made a BEELINE every time you stopped asking her to turn or do something. SO ANNOYING! Anyway, he rode her all over the pasture (he put Rusty in the other side that the colts were in this summer) and she did pretty good.

A few times, maybe three, she did that little going down the hill swish my tail hump up like Im gonna do something thing. Or just hustle myself around in a circle to the direction I want to go. Thats her version of a hissy fit I am learning. She didn't do it the time I hopped on to ride...actually I don't think shes ever done it with me, just with the 2 boys, but he had been riding her for a while before I got on.
But he dealt with her well, just kept on asking her to do what he was telling her in the first place and went on with it. He doesn't get angry or impatient with her. He's pretty even tempered like my hubby :).
Anyway, check out the pic above and to the side, see how curled over onto the bit she is?? She did that a LOT in that tom thumb, it was weird. She wasn't acting ticked off, as far as I can tell, and the BIL said she hasn't done that before. Who knows! He is making a lot of contact with the bit, I dunno if she was going too fast up/down the hills and he was trying to slow her or what. I checked the curb chain, it wasn't too tight, bit was okay height...Anyway, curious! I haven't been able to get her to do that when I'm TRYING! Lol.

So anywho, he swapped to my bridle after a bit, which I was happy about. Rode in that one awhile, and then when he came back toward me again, I told him to put the other bit in that I brought with me. Its a d-ring with copper rollers. I call it my 'english' bit, haha. I couldnt remember if I had tried it on her before.

Here's a cute vid of them and then Rusty running by, lol, he didn't like when they went over towards the gate near the woods (the pond is in there as well)


So he rode around in the d-ring awhile. HE thought she did better in that one then the other one, but I got on soon after that and she felt the same as she is in her mullen mouth. Chew Chew Chew. :Sigh: I think I just need to get her teeth done. God only knows when they've been floated last, if EVER. And she is going to be NINETEEN this year, old horses have even worse trouble with teeth. So more moola moola. :double sigh:

So anyway, she rode pretty decent, wiggled around when I first tried to get on though, guess she was tired of people getting on and off her, lol. But I was still not pleased! Got her still though, and then she wanted to walk right off. Excuse me, missy! Fixed that, then off we went. The BIL doesn't do much besides waltz around the pasture, so her woah was pretty crappy, and her neck reining as well. And she didn't want to stand after you told her to woah, UNLESS you were parked near the truck, lol. So spoiled!

I had to boot her around a bit, then tried to make myself remember how to be a good rider, and not get impatient. By telling her waht I want, not saying YOU BETTER DO IT OR ELSE. Thats how I am with everything. Its just my nature. NOT GOOD. So after I did that things went good. I just held my reins in one hand like I would if I were actually on a horse that neck reined well, and when she didn't listen, reached over with my other hand to guide her. She was pretty rubberneckey, not stepping in the direction I wanted and just turning her head. But that got better as I rode.

But of COURSE if we were turning toward the truck, MAGICAL NECK REINING HORSE!! ;) I even got some nice turn on the haunches from her doing that. I told the BIL watch this! Turned her away from the truck and then layed the reins on her neck and put a leg on her and whamo, we are facing the other way, haha. I did it the OPPOSITE way and then of course I was on a greenbroke horse that doesn't have a clue. -_- Ey yi yi.

Anway, all these issues are just because she doesn't get rode much, and overall she was a good girl. I actually trotted her around in a circle and she transitioned nicely and stayed very steady, until we started going towards the truck that is, then she sped up, haha. So, no pics of me riding. Men of course don't think about picking up the camera laying next to them, lol. And I forgot to request.

The BIL got on and rode for awhile again after I got off, and she toted him all over the pasture with her head down and very quiet. We gave her some grain afterwards as a reward and then let her go! The weather was beautiful, and it was quite fun. Not to mention nice to get out there and have the horse tacked up already, warmed up, and you just get to hop on, haha. ;)
<-- Now does that look like a nineteen year old?? Well thats all for now, here's a funny picture of Tuff and Skip to end on! (I think Skip is trying to pursuade me to come give him grain ;) )

Next on the agenda for Tuff Tuff? Long lining!