Mud, Karen, and a Birthday!

March 20 was Lilly's birthday! Happy Birthday, Brumby! Lilly is now officially 8 years old. Since I bought her when she was four, this means Lilly has known me half her life. I can't believe it! The Bay State Brumby is no longer a Bay State Baby! In honor of her birthday, Lilly took a mud bath. Because when I went to get her out of the pasture Saturday afternoon, she was a MESS!

I don't think I have ever seen her so dirty. Out in the pasture I could actually see where in the mud she had been sprawled out! Can you believe these pictures? She looks just like a mudpie. I could not help but notice that all the other horses in the pasture looked almost as bad. And Bill said they had all been brushed and cleaned just the day before!

Saturday was also a great day because my friend Karen P drove out so we could ride together! But she missed the exit on the pike to get her to Bear River and had to drive 30 miles to the next one. This delay gave me time to get Lilly cleaned up. It was quite a beautiful day in the early afternoon.

Even Brumby's face was a mess!!???

While we waited for Karen, since the day was so nice, Bill pulled out the leaf blower for a little ground training. Brumby has seen this leaf blower before. But it has been a while. At first she resisted. Here she is trying to give it a chance. But I think this was before it was running.

Look at my brumby's mane blowing wildly in the leaf blower wind! Doesn't she look divine!

It's always good to let a brumby know when she has been being very good.

YEAY!! There's Karen! She made it after having to drive a total of 60 extra miles! That is no fun! I only know because it has happened to me...and on the exact same spot on the pike. I like how Lilly is just hanging out in the back in this picture.



Here's a short Youtube of Lilly and Bill and the Leaf Blower. I know that all horsepeople can appreciate this clip. To anyone else they might watch it and say, "So?" but I know that a horse who can stand for the leaf blower is a good horse indeed.

Bill snapped this photo before Karen and I set off for the trail. Must I always squint my eyes shut in pictures? I do it every time. I must get nervous in front of the camera. It is my own silly way of shoving my head under the rug, like an ostrich.

Here's Karen on Jodie out on the trail. Karen has been wanting to ride Jodie for months now. Jodie was really great. While Jodie was being perfectly obedient and ladylike, Lilly and I had a few power struggles. She'd plant her feet and not want to move. It was as if she were saying, Today is my birthday and I don't want to spend it taking orders. L'il Miss Sticky Feet. I could tell there was nothing wrong with her feet or her tack. She had just decided to test some boundaries. By refusing to move, like an old mule. But I'd much rather deal with that than have a horse who protested by taking off in an unsolicited gallop. That would make me so mad. Not to mention be very scary. I know what Clinton Anderson says: Get your horse to respect you by moving her feet backwards and forwards, left and right. Bill also gave me some great pointers when we got back.

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This morning I woke up and felt like I had the flu. But I wanted to get on Lilly. Since Christine really did have the flu and wouldn't be riding, and Karen had gone back home, I vowed to take Lilly in the ring and see if she gave me any more guff like yesterday on the trail.

Bill came down and took some pictures. Lilly very close to perfect. She was even cantering no problem. It was as if she forgot that she hates cantering in the ring. Cantering is the best gait around. I love it so much.

Bill shot some video of me cantering with Lilly. At first I was horrified to watch it because I knew I'd look terrible and I didn't even want to know how bad I might look. (Ostrich again.) But then I thought watching a video would really be a great tool to help me be better. Because maybe I do things I'm not even aware of doing. Sure enough, Bill tells me my feet flap against Lilly when I am cantering. No wonder she goes faster than I want her to! I'm actually asking her to do it? Oy vey.

Practice will make perfect!

Happy Springtime, Everyone!

And Karen P, I can't wait to ride with you again!