May Updates

Or It Won’t Stop Raining

Oh May, you started with such hope and potential, Beaux and I went out on a 6+ trail ride that included heading up to “The Ridge” where Beaux had a mini meltdown when his buddy left the group to go check out the aviary. The Parks Dept moved a few Burrowing Owls from the airport to the safety of the city parks, the owls spend some time in the aviary to get to stay in the area before they are released. Beaux just threw in a few crow hops then settled down and went back to his normal steady self. I was pretty proud of myself, lost a stirrup but sat that temper tantrum really well in the dressage saddle that I was on my 2nd ride in it. Plans were made for an all-day ride, then it rained. It has continued to rain nearly every day here which has thrown my goals and plans for May right out the door.

The month of May has brought over 12″ of rain which included 4″ of rain just in one day. We have not had any major flooding thank goodness but near-daily rain has made riding all but impossible. Turnout has been a hit or miss affair but the few times we’ve been able to turn Beaux and his buddy Duke out together, Beaux has been throwing in some beautiful and amazing gaits.

In the few times I’ve asked for an Intermediate Gait, he’s been offering up his trot more often than his saddle rack. Beaux has offered up both a saddle rack/singlefoot and trot, but here lately it has been more trot than gait. Beaux does mimic those he rides with, if Duke (a TWH) does his Running Walk or Rack, Beaux will do his version of a Running Walk or pick up his rack, if we are riding with our QH and TB friends, Beaux will mostly trot.

Beaux’s trot has greatly improved, he is becoming more elastic within the trot, but he still enjoys stretching his trot out to mimic his racing trot. Before the rain came, Beaux and I were enjoying a ride with two friends, one on a QH the other on a QH/TB cross. We get to a part of the trail with great footing so we decided to trot the horses for a bit. Beaux went into his lovely floating trot, which he stretched out when the trail had a 200 yd straightaway. The trot became too fast to post, so I just went into two point with my reins bridged across his withers. It wasn’t until one of my riding partners started yelling “Hey, we can’t keep up!” that I glanced back to realize they were cantering and unable to keep up with his trot. His trot was so smooth and effortless as it just chewed up that short bit of trail, that I started thinking that a) Distance Riding is something I’m sure he will enjoy, the freedom to trot in that ground covering gait that is bred into him and b) when his trot was a forward “rising trot” he would have made many a dressage rider drool.

We do have an active Dressage and Hunter/Jumper community here with shows just a short trailer ride away. I’m thinking of maybe dipping a toe into showing again even if it is just a local fun show or two. Dressage training has always been a foundation of my training programs, so there is no reason why Beaux cannot at least have a solid foundation of basic dressage moves in his repertoire.

So this allows me to put more into riding than just pure conditioning. My equitation can definitely use some more polish, I’ve always been “workmanlike” in my equitation, so it is time for both Beaux and me to get serious about this riding thing.

So while the month of May was a literal washout, this rain will eventually pass, then summer riding can start back up. I have some new goals to work on which will improve both Beaux and myself to deepen our partnership.

So here is to enjoying the downtime with the rain and mud, watching Youtube videos of well-trained horses, while watching Beaux enjoy the mud in his own way.

 

Beaux vs Mud