Trying to think of what to post for Monochrome Monday, being that I’m back in the tower without much inspiration, I was stumped until realized that I had the perfect black & White subject.
My horse, Baby Doll.
My dear friend, Val of Fantastyk Voyage, rode and worked all three of her horses on Saturday and then offered to bring Baby Doll down to work and ride her in the arena, too.
I love seeing a horse running with the wind blowing through their mane and their tail flagged high. There’s such a sense of freedom in a running horse. Baby Doll seemed to enjoy herself and received some much needed exercise, too.
Then it was time to get saddled up and get to work.
I sat on my balcony like royalty in an outdoor theatre viewing an Italian Opera, but instead of an eyeglass held daintily to my eye, a camera was my viewing apparatus, while I watched the ‘show’.
Val rode Baby Doll in Figure Eights, Circles, along the fence and in Serpentines.
Working on trying to make her bend and become soft.
My mare is not always cooperative. She can be very obstinate, opinionated, grouchy, and stubborn.
With a Novice Rider, like me, Baby Doll pulls a few ornery tricks out of her saddle bag, thinking she’ll get out of working. But with an Experienced Rider, like Val, she wont get away with it. This doesn’t make my mare too happy.
Baby Doll went in a hackamore before I bought her and I had her mostly in a Dr. Cook’s Bitless Bridle over the last year. She’s not thrilled about using a bit, like the simple jointed snaffle built into this half-breed side-pull bridle.
One of the issues I was having with the Dr. Cook’s Bitless Bridle was the way she’d try to take back control of her head. It seemed we’d be playing Tug-O-War sometimes. She wanted to go one way, and I wanted to go the other way. It was exhausting and afterwards, I’d have sore shoulders, arms and back muscles for several days.
Most of the time she’d go easy in the Bitless Bridle, even on trails. But there were usually her hissy fits to deal with when we first left the barn, when she wanted our ride to be over, and when we were on our way back to the barn. I called my mare’s swaying-toward-the-direction-of-the-barn behavior, her “Drunken Sailor Routine”. She’d get back in line with a growl and a squeeze from me, but not without a spoiled brat crowhop and a cow-kick or two.
Baby Doll finally started to realize that Val was not going to put up with her attitude or give her any credit for her ornery tricks. So, she relaxed and got to work.
Val worked Baby Doll a little on reining.
Baby Doll seemed to be getting it down well, too.
She even looked like she was having some fun towards the end. Val, too.
Afterwards, Val checked her out on mounting and dismounting from both the left and the right. Baby Doll passed all the tests standing still, though she wasn’t as fond of right-side mounting.
Baby Doll, out-of-shape, for only being ridden a few times over the past four months, got in some good exercise and some training. She said, “I did good job, right?”
Baby Doll was ready for a nap. (And just like in Wizard of Oz, after the house lands in Munchkin Land, we now bring in a dash of color.)
You know how they say that yawns are contagious.
Are you feeling the urge to yawn, yet?
Or maybe you just feel the urge to hack up a hairball?
Val also managed to worm my mare, too. (Thanks a bunch, Val!) Baby Doll only gave her a small fit by lifting her head a few times, trying to evade the wormer tube. Baby Doll’s never had any previous problems with being tied or being wormed, so I believe she freaked out last week because she saw the wormer in my hand while she was still tied. In hindsight, I should have left the wormer on the chair, or hid it in my pocket, while I untied my mare. But better yet, I should have just asked for help instead of being so stubborn and independent when I obviously wasn’t ready yet. That’s the hardest lesson of all.
Tomorrow is my Orthopaedic doctor appointment. I sure would appreciate all the prayers, positive thoughts and healing vibes you’ve got…………
From the Tower of,
