Going Treeless Through The Trees

Sat Aug 28, 2004

That boy keeps on surprising!!

He's recovered from the horse show last weekend, and my knee is almost all better (don't need the cane any more anyway). I've been working with him this week, applying those Chris Cox "softening" exercises combined with some Richard Shrake "softening" exercises...just quiet flat work, which is about all my knee can take right now. He put up some stink when I started, but before the evening was over, he was flexing and "softening" in the bridle SO nice...and now, by today, he tucks his head almost as soon as I pick up the reins! Eventually maybe I'll be able to get him to back (oh, dream on!)

I switched to my treeless Bob Marshall saddle this week, mostly so my knee wouldn't be further injured by the Western saddle...using just a thin pad, I was reminded why I loved that Bob Marshall saddle so much (and why its previous owner wants to buy it back, LOL!). I swear, it's like sitting in warm pudding, SO comfy!! I suspect that also helped with Quzqo's "softening"...I kind of wondered if the Western one wasn't pinching him or something (it sure pinched Tezlu, that's for sure, so much that he'd collapse!!). And I've become a LOT more confident with him, so I feel "secure" in that treeless saddle.

Thursday night we had severe thunderstorms roll through, with heavy heavy rains. As a result, the whole Eastern end of the outdoor arena is under water!! While riding Himself outside, after our incident-free trail ride (where he JUMPED over a mud puddle, goofy lad), we came into the arena, and as another woman was splashing her horse through the water, I figured, why not? She did help me a bit by riding in front of us, and walked into the water...after a second of sniffing, Quz just hiked right into that water like it was nothing!! Granted it was maybe coronet-band deep, but still...

We played in the water a bit...he tried to drink it AFTER pooping in it, I don't think so! I was quite pleased he was so blase' about the whole thing...I can think of another Arabian who would have put up a performance worthy of Olivier rather than set hoof in Scary Water, LOL!

Today we worked indoors a bit, did some trotting, happily posting doesn't hurt my knee. And then a trail ride around the fence, and an adventure across the hayfield to The Road...I haven't been to The Road since last October with Tezlu, that was kinda nice...Quzqo did great going across the field, but once he got to The Road, he was all Red Alert...The Road goes through a deep, dark scary forest...not good horse territory. Once we got on The Road, the dog down the street there started barking, so Mr. Quzqo goes all tense coiled spring ready-to-bolt freak city...we go the other way, I see a car approaching about 1/4 mile away. Not wanting to see how Mr. Coiled Spring might react to an SUV going within feet of him, we went up a short, steep embankment. I just grabbed some mane and let him go...and he scampered right up that embankment without hesitation, AND managed to grab some grass at the same time! LOL!

I'm really getting to trust him, and he I...kinda neat..

14 days 'til the next Horse Show! IF I can find a girth the right size...maybe Green Horse Pleasure class???