Pony, Can You Hear Me?

 I got to the barn today excited about having a lesson.  It was a gorgeous spring morning with clear skies and temps in the fifties.  Riding in a t-shirt weather!  Finally!

My pony greeted me enthusiastically.  She lifted her head and whinnied, shook her head, nickered and ran up to the door tossing her head up and down.  I looked behind me to see what the fuss was about.  I actually walked away and went to the other side of the barn where the morning person was finishing up watering.

"Can I have Tessa's breakfast, please?"

She gave me a blank look and said "They've had breakfast."

"Oh.  She didn't get turned out this morning did she?"

"I put her in the arena for an hour and a half before breakfast."

So....where does that leave us?  Yes, that leaves us with my pony calling to me because she's glad to see me!  I don't ever give treats at the beginning of a ride and only rarely at the end, I don't feed her.  Maybe it's all the scritches I've been giving her as she sheds out her winter coat.  Whatever it is, I'll take it.

They moved the Princess to a different stall and she spent the last day flirting and making friends with the giant horse next door, appropriately named Truck.  Somehow, Truck managed to get a hold of one of my pony's dainty ears and left teeth mark and a giant scrape where there is no hair.  Poor pony.

Ouchie ear.

Who me?  It was a love nibble!

We are not doing anything to this ear since medicating it or attempting to do 'stuff' to it would probably just result in an ear shy horse.  I got the bridle on by unbuckling the side so it was huge and then buckling it back up.  Tessa was an angel about it.

My lesson was great with some really nice forward trot (after an attitude adjustment).  I did have a hard time getting on because I've only ridden once since I got back from vacation.  So it took me about 15 minutes to get up the nerve to get on and I was pretty anxious for the beginning of the ride.  There was lots of deep breathing going on.

The main thing we worked on with me was setting my hand with the outside rein and riding Tessa into it.  When her head would come up, she would get a bump with the legs or a tap with the whip.  Because I had set  my hand on the 'oh crap' strap on the saddle, my outside rein stayed nice and solid and she was able to find it every time.  We had lots and lots of good moments.  I am going to try and get some of those moments on video this weekend.

And last but not least, the pony will be losing her princess mane soon.  Laura told me today that she'd like to get it pulled.  And since I'm not showing any Arab shows or open shows or really have any show plans right now it seems like a good idea.  I can always grow it back if I want to.  And it's WAY easier to not have the mane in your face all the time.  This way, if we start jumping (stop laughing!!) her mane won't get in the way.  Pictures of the new short mane will follow as soon as it's done.