Multiple Jacks

Last night was a flurry of activity. In the span of three and a half hours I managed to go to the post office, get gas, do groceries [being clever and getting ALL and only heavy things ...ugh] ride Dakota, ride Indy AND ride Mo!

My afternoon began innocently enough. I planned to hang out with Dakota, because he is home and has just been a pretty pasture ornament for the past few weeks other than undemanding time really. I went over to the fenceline and he was there already, waiting for me with a happy "Is it dinner time yet?" look on his face. I hated to dash his munchy hopes, but I offered solace in a good brushing. He seemed to enjoy that. He did a really cute thing, that is really rare for him to - he explored the thing on the ground! I had dropped the fly spray bottle on the ground near him so I would be able to spray him after I finished brushing him, and there he was, investigating is, lipping it, shoving it around, testing its flavour and generally just playing with the bottle! It was so cute! And so nice to see his little play drive coming out!

After he was brushed and doused in fly repellant we drove from zone three over to a stump to use as a pedestal so I could check out his feet. I've got a call in to the farrier, because I know what Mo and Indy's look like, but I wanted to check his to. They are long but solid, which is interesting because Mo and Indy both have a few cracks... I wonder if the uber wetness at home attributes to the non-cracks? I dont know, hoof health is one of my gray areas. I let my farrier take care of them. I *should* learn more about feet, but I just cant wrap my mind around it.

We played with getting a foot on the pedestal for a while, but Dakota was playing obtuse and was exhibiting the classic Kota " I cant do it - I just cant get positioned right!" halfheartedly flapping his leg around, more often that not just resting the leg, bent at the knee, on the stump. I have to laugh at him. He is such a goober in everything he does. I didnt precisely give up with the stump thing, I just accepted on decent try and then mounted. Ungracefully.

The irony is, I KNOW Dakota is tall, but when I got on I turned and looked and the first thing that crossed my mind [honestly] was "Wow, he is small!" I know, I know, a 16h horse is NOT small BUT! Now hear me out! BUT Dakota is built in an uber compact way, short back, short neck. Mo and Indy are both of the longer variety - long necks and normal sized backs. Since I have been on both of them lately more than Dakota it was a little unusual being on a short coupled horse - it felt small! I got a chuckle out of that anyways.

Once I got over my giggle fit we walked off. We walked around, trotted around, doing nothing in particular. I was just enjoying being with him and being fully capable of SITTING his trot in a comfy way, not hanging on for dear life hoping I dont bounce off. The first few trot strides I just sort of melted into his back, revelling in the comfiness of it all. I didnt ride for all that long. I just had to get that need to sit on him out of my system. We walked back to the gate where I dismounted and opened the gate for grazing in the backyard. A whole step and a half later Dakota's nose was glued to the grass! Way to wander, Kota!

I had scooped his grain earlier and it was waiting on the picinic table so I went to get it for him when he would be ready for it, but as soon as he heard the can grass was second best and he trailed me to his bucket. What a goof! So I fed him his dinner, unhaltered and thanked him for my mini ride and set out to go feed Indy. Really. I only intended on feeding her and then coming back home. I swear. Famous last words, yes?

Ivy's people were there when I got there, so I chatted a little bit. Chelsea was riding Tripp around doing her own thing in the ring. While I talked with Ivy's people, Indy made it clear that she felt neglected and needed major attention ASAP! She kept coming in for hugs and following me and cuddling so I went to get her a halter - at which point she walked away! HA! I followed her, mirrored her until she came to me again and haltered her. I dont think I have quite picked her lock yet though, because she doesnt lick and chew a lot? I am not sure what thats about though.

For a while I just stood with her haltered, loving on her, and then I made my rope into reins and attempted to mount via the water trough. I say attempted because.... well because the water trough wasnt very full and when I stood on its edge I went trough skiing! Now THAT was funny! I didnt fall in, but the trough tipped and I surfed and eventually jumped off. Indy had jumped back a bit [but not as far as I thought she might given her water fear] and I think she sort of took me with her. I thought this was hysterical personally. Ivy's people looked concerned, but I was just laughing!

When I regained some manner of composure I untied Indys reins and played with a little falling leaf and sideways, ending with put-your-nose-on-a-barrel. Then in another show of spectacular gawkiness, I scrambled up onto the barrel and finally mounted my poor tolerant horse. We walked back to the gate to just sit and talk some more. When they left I walked Indy around the ring some and then asked for a trot.... and got nothing! So we proceded to entertain thought of miraculous speed and finally came up to a respectable trot. For three strides. Thats ok! We got something at least!

We practiced our transitions from walk to trot. I need an effective phase four I think. Next time I ride her I will try the old savvy string on the wrist trick. That helped Mo a LOT when she was young and obstinate... oh wait.. she still is! By the time I finsihed with Indy we had a pretty speedy trot going at phase two. I was happy with that and jumped off. That speedy trot is incredible. I see it when I play on the ground with her and her extension is amazing. She resembles Mo though, in that when someone is on her back she wants to go very slow and take care of that person. It took me forever to convice Mo I could take care of myself! Hopefully I have learned from her and can move passed this slightly more quickly now !

After hugging Indy thanks I trotted off through the little gap in the fence to find Mo. Chelsea and Tripp had gone off into the pasture to chase the tractor doing the bush hogging, and while declining the offer to go with Indy,[because of Ivy] I thought it would be good fun to take Mo! All the horses were ranging out in front of the barn but there was no sign of Mo. I sighed inwardly because usually when she isnt easily spotted its because she is in the farthest corner possible from the barn. I still couldnt see her so I got excited and peeked around the corner into the run in shed annd VOILA! THERES MO! YEY!

Mo looked all happy and perky so when I ran up to hug her she hugged me back. Shes such a doll! I played a mini game of stick to me and yo-yo over the the fence rail I use for mounting and then we were off after Chelsea, Tripp and the tractor, who were all in the middle of the feild. We trotted most of the way over, me just feeling out Mo, doing some bending and things and then when we were closer we cantered up to them.

Together we started trailing the tractor at a very slow trot, then riding beside it until the bush hog ran over some of those not-trees I befriended a few days earlier and spat out some extra angry mulch which hit Mo, who jumped sideways a foot and a half. I love Mo spooks. They dont go anywhere. Bored with the tractor we continued on ahead of it, cantering down the rest of the feild and then coming up with our grand plan to instigate some disturbances in the herd.

Turns out that is easier said than done! No one wanted to run with us! We ended up picking out Trixie, who caused us all kinds of grief last summer and this winter before the Great Re-Fencing Project by slipping through the electric strands. She is young anyways and can handle the play. I would go as far as to say she enjoyed it to! At first she kept doing little circles, coming back to the herd and we werent on the ball enough to stop her. Mo and I got some good cutting practice trying to keep her out of the herd to! Mo got really focused on what I was focused on [Trixie] and got down and went for her, cutting her like a real cutting horse!

Talk about your independant seat builder! WOW! I just focused and let her do her thing and boy did she! She was jumping back and forth after her, all I had to do was stay on! Trixie finally set out on some bigger circles. That was so fun to! Mo took off right after her and was right in her trail. We did circles after her, blocking her return to the herd and then in a last ditch effort to play, Trixie bolted to the barn! Tripp and Mo both took off right after her! Any qualms Mo may or may not have still harboured over being speedy with a rider were surely gone. We galloped flat out over the pasture after Trixie. It was the most fun I have had in a while! I laughed and smiled the whole time.

In the shed we herded Trixie out and she bolted back to the herd, bringing us with her, for more flat out fun. This time Mo jumped a ditch on the way, which was interesting! Around and around and back and forth we went! It was so fun! After a few rounds we let Trixie have a breather and went to pick on King, the littlest pony with the biggest Napoleon Complex. He was more like a cow than Trixie - he was crafty. He kept trotting and cantering away and then he would stop dead and wheel away the other dirction. More independant set practice! Mo was a little less precise with her tracking skills though since she was all energized from the runs after Trixie.

Still lots of fun though! We eventually went back to Trixie though, not wanting to stress the little pony over much. In the shed Trixie looked like she was waiting for us. She saw us coming, ears pricked and started walking out of the shed. I swear she looked back at us and said "Catch me if you can!" before she took off for the herd again! And take off we did! We whooshed out of there after her, around some trees, circling the herd until she finally managed to weasel her way back into the centre again where we called it quits and decided to walk out. We were sweaty! All that galloping was a good work out! More moist pants for me!

We toured the whole feild a few times, got distracted by cutting Teddy [dog] a few times and then eventually made our way back to the barn once everyone was dry and the mosquitoes were coming out in full force.

Mo got lots of treats in the barn, a good dose of fly spray and then let out into the backyard to graze while I filled the water trough for Candy and Indy. When all that was done Mo even came up to me when I called her to come in. I thought that was really sweet. I gave her a bunch more apple snacks after I put her out in the pasture, and left with her looking over the gate at me, begging for more snacks!

What a cool night.... I havent played with everybody in ages on the same day! PLUS I galloped hell bent on Mo which is a total first!

:-)
S