Best laid plans...

So Lee was set to go home with his new mom yesterday (or should I say I was set...) and due to frigid below zero temps the plan was dumped for plan B which is a departure next weekend. Mentally this is very tough. It is hard enough letting go but to have to relive it just does not seem right. He is happy though... playing with his pals (thank you for having me order a new halter...), begging treats, and being his old happy self. I am grateful for more time with him. How I will miss his happy face.

Riding is on hold for the day having succumbed to a nasty head cold. But that does not stop me from plotting and planning. Simple changes must be conquered and 2 second level tests needs to be settled on. Second One and maybe Second Four. Hmmm... Blu will be able to do them in his sleep and I will fret over the details...

Planning ... always planning

A comfortable winter's day in the 30s. I got to the barn the same time Leevi's new mother arrived. She had time with Leevi and took a lesson so she could get to know him better. While I did not stay in the ring long, I did see how well she rode my big handsome boy. They really will make a lovely team. His ears were flopping and she was smiling from ear to ear. We planned for next week when he will depart. My heart is already heavy. I will need to put it out of my mind until the day comes.

Blu and I had a good time together. He has so much to teach me like keeping my seat still. If I push too hard with my seat he scoots onto his forehand or if I lean into one seat bone or the other he swaps his leads. Breaking old habits can be very hard but I believe you can teach an old dog new tricks. He is a very patient boy. I will have to continue with the bribes of peppermints and carrots.

We have to do a second level test next season... Shall we go with the test that has the canter serpentine? It may be our best bet at a good score. Time to start planning.

Schoolmasters are the best

What a wonderful ride I had last night. Blu is coming back off some downtime after his SI so he is a bit rusty but it is all in there. I actually outlasted him. His canter feels wonderful - rhythmic, not too heavy in the right rein, listening to my leg and seat. I think he needs more transition work and will have to make sure that gets included. His trot work was exceptional - again rhythmic - able to keep him on my seat. He seemed a bit "heavey" last night. The air does not move in that indoor very much so I will have to keep an eye on that. We ended with some FLC (flying lead changes). He was very good again, a bit rusty. He pooped out pretty quickly. No sense in pushing him. It is all in there. I will just take my time and get him back to where he was.

The best part is the grooming. He soooooo loves a good scratch. The withers and above his tail seem to be his favorite spots. Oh and a good face rub is always in order!

I also spent a little time with Lee. He is always grateful for any attention he gets. I put on his blankets and he curled around me like a kitten gently nudging my pockets for peppermints. I am going to miss him very much. His new mom is coming to see him this weekend. I am very excited for him and for her. She is such a kind gentle soul. I think they will be the perfect match.

My handsome boy Leevi

How can you not love this face? Leevi is a Registered Trakehener gelding out of the stallion Lenzstrum. His dam is out of a Whitney Stakes Thorobred stallion by the name of Fio Rito. Leevi looks exactly like his sire. I understand that his dam was as sweet as could be and he certainly inherited her demeanor. You can not find a sweeter horse.

A day of bonding and letting go...

It was cold, gray and miserable today. Sometimes I wonder how I have lasted in New England all these years. After packing on the layers and traveling 30 something miles to the barn, I was greeted by Blu and Leevi making it all worth the trip.

Leevi is my other horse. He is a tall drink of water at 17H. We have been together for 5 years and he just knows how to get every last treat out of me. I thought he would be my forever horse but who is to predict where your path will lead? Since time at the barn is scarce, I feel Leevi must go to a home that will truly enjoy his happy demeanor and not push him past his physical capabilities. I found a lovely young woman from NY who will take him and give him the home where I know he will flourish. He will be #1 horse, out at pasture all day, have friends of multiple species to engage in play (other horses, goats, dog, chickens), riding in the pastures and down logging roads. His new mother thinks he is just the best thing since sliced bread... Just what I had in mind for him! He seems to know that he is moving on because he has taken to snarling at Blu. This is so not like my Lee. It is almost like he is helping me let go. He will be leaving at the end of the month. I am sure I will have a hard time when he leaves. How do you say good bye to your best bud who you have seen through the toughest of times? I guess I will find out.

Today was a day of grooming, stall picking, hand walking and treat sharing. My ponies seemed very content. It would be nice if we could get out and do some hacking in the hay fields. Riding in the ring day after day is just not good. I wonder if they get as claustrophobic as I do.

Blu is back to full work tomorrow after a slow return to work over this past week. He had his SI joint injected and he seems all brand new. I look forward to working on the flying lead changes and canter half pass again.

Highs and lows

Today was suppose to be a day for me and my boy Blu. A day when I did not have to rush to and from the barn. A good curry scratching all the right spots, a ride to satisfy my soul and then more currying and brushing. Heat some water and clean my tack but I ended up going to the barn with a heavy heart. A fellow boarder lost her horse to colic last evening. So it was a melancholy day. It reminded me though how every moment with my beloved friend is special. So I did not get the tack cleaned but I did have a lovely ride and Blu got curried and scratched in all the right spots. I am grateful that I have such a wonderful horse. I am grateful for my friends I get to share my happiness with and most of all I am grateful for the love that comes back to me from all my friends - human and equine alike. RIP Wally... You will me missed