The Loper's Tale, by Colleen Sculleigh Chaucer

Lilly was not aware of it, but as I plucked her from her pasture, I knew we were going to have another cantering lesson in the ring. It was hard to pass up a trail ride because it was one glorious day. But I was determined to canter her. If she tried to play it her way, I vowed to not let her get away with it. I know she has it in her to brat out and pretend like there is something seriously wrong with cantering. Well, not today!



But first, I had to get her looking pretty. Here is one of the rubbery grooming tools I like so much.


But this is the one I really like. All those soft little nubbly things!
Sometimes I consider attending massage school for equines. There is one fairly near here (very expensive), and it runs one weekend a month from March to December. But what would I do with an equine massage certificate? Probably nothing.



I love it when a horse cocks her foot. There is something so pretty and relaxing about it. Have you ever seen prettier feet? Bill and CC report that while I am at work making the money that pays for Lilly's luxurious lifestyle, she is sure to be standing knee deep in the soggiest part of the pasture. I wish there was a way to keep her out of there. I can't imagine all that water is good for her soles.

Down in the ring, we started out at a collected trot. It was so beautiful out there in the ring under the sun! And my brumby looked very nice, I am sure, if anyone were to see us. We trotted around the poles and the barrels, and even made a little jump over the one Christne had set up. And then we cantered. Lilly was so good! Nothing wild--just a nice lope all around the ring. I even had the thought to collect her in the canter to slow it down and make it verrry gentle. Lilly really responds to my voice commands. So if I can remember to use them, the ride is better. (I always forget this part when she is going too fast and my head gets wrapped up in insecurity.) There were a few moments when she tried to go hog wild toward the gate, and there were a few times when I had to prod her with the crop because she decided it was time to stop cantering. She'll get close to the gate and try to edge over to it, while her canter crumbles into a fast and fourth-rate trot. As if I won't see through her ruse! Give a brumby an inch and she'll take a mile. In the end though, her performance was excellent. This is a picture of her resting. Which I made her do very far away from the gate.

Two dimensional brumby!

I couldn't resist snapping this picture of Louise as she dozed in the sun. Fatty!

Oh look, the ancient Marmalade was also making her rounds today. Don't you love a ginger tabby? I always have.

Bill took this picture of Lilly with me and I really like it. It's one of those no-frills snapshots that tell a real story.

Hah! A mild action shot of me tightening the girth. Look how patiently my brumby waits for me to smother her. This is probably a picture of how not to tighten a cinch because my left shoulder is in great pain when I do it. Do I have a faulty rotater cuff? That would not make me happy.
My brumby however, makes me immensely happy.

Sunday night already? Blechh!!!