Day 6

I only had 3 hours today cuz of J's schedule at school but I knew it was enough to clean my paddock, stall, and work with Mag on the principles I'd learned this week, etc.

I still don't know how to manage time very well at a barn, especially when stuck at a barn without a car. How long do you take to visit your boarded horse?

Suddenly stall cleaning became easier today as I learned a manure fork "tossing" technique that brings all the pea-sized poop bits to the surface.

I greeted Mag and tossed three apples from home onto the ground for him as I cleaned the paddock.

I heated up a water cooker so that I could let him drink warm water and also warm his bit. I brushed out/disinfected his hooves which look better than ever cuz of the no mud situation here. Wow. Gotta take photos soon.

Jasmin and her mother Birget arrived 2:10 and I said, "You are both late." : )

She started opening up cans of cat food and I asked, "You feed these cats yourself, without reimbursement?" No, she just loves cats.

I went to the arena and set up our poles and a little 1-foot jump and started working on the "banana exercise" where Mag bends his body around me, walk and jog, both directions, and as Jasmin joined me, we moved to the poles and did some pole trotting. Mag and I have learned that lunging has different types/phases. Bending, stretching down, over poles, and then the rare attempt to canter. The 1-foot jump proved too high for Mag, of course. Lazy. He's accepting of Jasmin's Haflinger Moritz sharing the space with him.

I wanted to go try cantering in the outdoor sand arena, cuz I knew Mag could get a good grip with his hooves on that surface, but Gabi wanted her 12 school horses to use it at that moment, to warm them up (let them kick off steam) before the kiddies arrived at 3:30. OK...

She told me to go use their "round pen" and so I did. But it's terrible, really bad, I don't know how to use it. It's a 20 meter track, one meter wide. With all sorts of junk in the middle, and long grass, so the horse keeps coming in to eat, trip over the junk. I got Mag to stay on the track, but only if I was diligent, and changing directions was impossible, cuz it was a 1-meter wide track, so he'd barge into the middle and all the junk, poles, barrels, sticks, buckets, and I had to dodge this stuff as I lunged him too. My question is WTH and maybe I'll get an answer one day.

Mag was happy and compliant despite the crazy situation.

The ring had sand footing, but it was frozen solid. It doesn't get above freezing, 0C,  lately.

When we returned there were crazy hoofbeats and around the corner we discovered Gabi freelunging 12 horses simultaneously in the outdoor, with an audience, cuz wow, was that something to see! Mag went, HOLY SMOKES and I said, "Behave" and he dropped his head and watched politely.

The newest school horses didn't stick with the program and had to be scolded. It was really impressive to see so many horses at once cantering on ice-frozen ground (and now I realize it wasn't so optimal for our canter training!).

Then hordes of kids arrived and talked a jumble of happy cheek-pressing greetings and tea drinking and off-stirrup holding. Gabi took off with a group of 6 kiddies into the woods, all with licenses properly hanging off the horses' necks. These kids are all in their own worlds, the school horse world, and do not interact with the boarders at this barn. That's fine, it's just another world for me. I didn't grow up around horses.

Looking around I saw lots of them had those fancy equestrian fashion outfits, where they match their knee-high sock color with their puffy shiny vests and their tack, even. Wow. I've only done the matching tack thing, *my* outfit was never a consideration. I asked my husband how I looked the other day and he said, "Horsie." I've learned to wear stockings under my breeches or jeans and a long sleeved shirt under my tshirt under my flannel, and I never think about matching, and I may be the biggest slob in town. Gloves, scarf, hat, I'm learning how important even extra socks are in my barn bag.

And I must mention the fancy tack people use too.  I saw 4 people using Back on Track back warming blankets. And at least 4 boarders with the same Barefoot Physio Bareback pad that I have. And many high end saddles with new plush sheepskin covers, lots and lots of Easyboots, bitless bridles....I couldn't believe it. I think peer pressure must make people put out the $.  

When J arrived to pick me up, he was disappointed that Mag didn't greet him enthusiastically, but that's probably due to the in and out of the horses all around him at that point.

I took J to the arena to introduce him to Bettina and she greeted him happily and they chatted together like two Wuppertalers do.

On the drive home I was in a dazed state again, this barn brain drive home thing is weird.

Bellis got lots of love and apples and scraps from our veggies tonight. She only brayed once today, so sad, but she's lived through this twice before with us, she'll be OK.

I'm still catching up on blogging, sorry, and even though everything seemed great, Mag resisted thoroughly today, as if he was just doing me a favor by complying until he didn't feel like it anymore. Little brat!!!!