Tuesday 14 April 2009

For Jean


Lovely Eh!?! Bear in mind the one on the right (my left) is the 'Polo' one and is nearly two weeks old so you can imagine how impressive it was at the time.



I rode today..but I shouldnt have. Coccyx is still bit too sore, it is much better than it was but not up for riding quite yet,I couldnt get my backside properly into the saddle so was perched. Couple of more days and i'll have another go.
Went for a hack with Vic who was longlining her mare.Well we've found something that terrifies Ali,a herd of cows! He was in pure panic mode and just wanted to run away I pointed him away from them towards a gate and hedge and he felt like he was going to go over it. This wasnt helped by the fact I couldnt sit in the saddle properly so I got off at the first opportunity to see if being on the ground with him would help. Usually if he has a good look at something he's fine but not with these cows,having said that the more he snorted and leapt around the more it seemed to attract the cows seemed like there were hundreds gathered along the fence and wall. In the end I marched him away as quickly as possible.Throughout this Vics mare stood grazing on the verge oblivious to Ali's panic...something tells me she's going to be a bombproof hack:))
I re mounted along the lane he was still a little stressy but settled okay,when we turned for home I rode him so far then lead him past the cow field.He was still scared but most of the cows had moved futher up th field so he coped going past with just few stops and snorts.Ive never seen him so scared.
Tomorrow I might lunge him then take him for a walk past the field inhand.

3 comments:

Jean said...

Oh my! Hey it is worth the picture. Those two eyes are almost a matching pair. It almost looks as if you painted them to match. Now you have a portrait to treasure in years to come when you tell the story of, "Remember when...."

Eyes are strange that way. I got clonked above mine, on the brow, one time and got a black eye below. I guess the blood flows to the lowest spot. Hope they don't feel as bad as they look!

Cows! My Russell R. was scared of cows. Left him tied to the trailer at a horse show one time--with a special neck rope he'd learned to never pull against. When I got back from the refreshment stand there were people about all worried because he'd been leaping all about yet never for an instant putting any tension on the tope. Across the road was a pasture full of cows who apparently had dropped by to see the horses and just found him fascinating. Poor kid.

After that, every cow pasture was a real challenge. Not sure he ever overcame it. Ali will probably settle down about his cows, though. If they live nearby like that, you will have plenty of time to school him around them.

However, question....when you long line him, do you wear your helmet? If not, it might be a good habit to pick up. Just in case. As you well know at this point, accidents can happen. *sigh*

I am indeed impressed with eye #1. That must have been one awful sight if this is how it looks two weeks later. Wowser.

Jean said...

oops, by the by, I like the sunglasses on top of your head. Good move. Have you had any comments from observers yet? People can certainly ask some strange questions when you have a visible injury.

Claire said...

crikey! a whole new meaning to the term "panda eyes" ... and i reckon the sunglasses are a really good idea (if only to save your OH from unjustified accusations, you know what people are like!).