It's been so hot lately! I haven't been blogging because nothing has really been going on. It's been too hot to ride so we've just been taking walks and Mom's been hosing me off and that's about it. Other than that, I hang out in my stall or paddock, visit with my neighbors and eat. There hasn't even been anything interesting to watch because everyone else is too hot to do anything too.
Mom did take me and Spark out for a turnout a couple of days ago and that was pretty fun. It was blazing hot but I was feeling a little frisky after doing nothing for a couple of days so she brought me to the wash rack and hosed me off like she does but then she left me tied there and went away. I wondered what she was doing but a couple of minutes later she came back with Spark. She hosed him off too and then grabbed my lead and we started walking.
Well, not really. I started dancing and rearing and Spark started pulling backwards. Mom was aggravated by that so she brought us back to my stall where she put my chain lead on and started again. I was still pretty dancy but I know better than to act up too much with that stupid chain on my nose so I just walked fast or kind of jigged. Sparky though was being silly about it all because it was hay time and he likes to be out in the pasture when the hay comes because he needs to make sure everyone behaves and goes to the right pile and stuff. It's not easy being a herd leader.
So I was hurrying and Spark kept stopping and poor Mom was getting pulled between us and it was hotter than blazes and she lost her temper. She hardly ever does that, you know. She hollered at me to quit pulling and slapped Spark on the butt with his lead rope and told him to get going and finally she got us both moving in a way that didn't drag her in two different directions.
We got to the Pony Arena and she was sweaty and panting. Then me and Spark got silly at the gate. It's kind of a narrow gate so we have to go in one at a time and there were some funny noises in the bushes on the far side of the arena so we were both balking about it. She tried to get me in and I got halfway through and then backed up again so she tried leading Spark through and he wasn't too sure about it. Finally, he went in and she turned to lead me forward and something spooked me and I jumped backwards.
Well, the lead flew right out of Mom's hands and all of a sudden, I was loose! She said, "Bella, HO!" but it was too late - I'd already taken off running across the dirt with no idea where I was going, just excited as can be because I was loose. Sparky got all excited too because he was in the arena and I was out of it and he began running around in there while I ran around outside. It was very exciting!
I galloped across the big open area then when I got to where the stalls are for sick horses, I whirled around and ran back to the arena to tease Spark. Mom was calling me but I didn't want to listen. I ran up to the fence and then dashed away again but that's when I noticed there was a patch of grass nearby so I stopped to eat it and that's when Mom caught me. She told me I was silly and put me in the arena and Spark and I had a good time playing. I got really hot that day but it was fun.
Then yesterday Mom and Sparky's mom came out and they saddled us up to ride but it was still beastly hot. We rode a little bit in the Flat Arena and I was still feeling frisky so I was kind of bad. I took off cantering when Mom asked for a trot, and I bucked some. Then we did a poop loop but it was so hot our moms cut it short and put us away.
Today wasn't quite as hot. It was still hotter than I like it but Mom sponged me off before we rode which does help me stay cool. There wasn't anyone else around so there weren't any distractions and she took me in the Flat Arena and warmed me up then asked me to trot. Well, I did my little fussy thing but instead of tensing up, she just sat deep and relaxed and kept asking so I finally did trot and she stayed relaxed and kept the reins a little loose, just giving me a half-halt now and then to remind me not to rush.
We trotted around once and then as we came around the turn, she asked me to canter! Usually, I just try to sneak in a canter and I never wait for her to ask but this time she surprised me with it. I popped right into a nice canter and she pushed me down the long side and headed into the turn. There, I kind of got a little bouncy and wanted to buck but she felt it and pulled my head up like she does so I started to slow down but she kicked me on and let me know that she wanted to keep cantering, she just didn't want me to buck. So we cantered all the way around and partway down the long side again but then I dropped back to a trot. It's hard to keep up a canter for too long. I'm not used to it.
She patted me and called me a Good Girl, then after a little walking, she asked me to trot again. I did and I was ready when she asked for another canter. This time, I cantered kind of fast and as soon as we hit the turn, I yanked my head down and threw a good buck. She lurched up toward my neck but didn't fall off and she caught her balance, got my head back and asked me to canter again because I'd dropped to a trot. I was excited by then though so I just kept trotting so fast that I couldn't get my legs straightened out enough to canter.
She slowed me down and brought me to a walk, then she changed direction with me and when we were on the rail, she asked for a trot. Well, I got ahead of myself then and just jumped into a really fast canter - it was actually more of a bolt than anything, I have to admit. I just get so darn excited about running. I can't help it. She pulled me back to a trot and made me keep trotting which was stupid but I did know why. Then she took me for a poop loop. She says we're going to ride in the Round Pen again and see if we can remember how to go forward without going crazy. I kind of like going crazy.
Oh, well. I wish Kia was still here. She was always giving me good tips on being a Riding Horse. It's really not as easy as it seems.
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