Spring Is Coming, So We Do Some Stuff

OMG MY PONY IS WEARING A SADDLE 

Wow, I feel like I have a lot to catch up on!

The biggest news is that the snow and ice are FINALLY melting, and I was able to get in FOUR rides last week.

You read correctly.

I rode my pony FOUR TIMES.

The arena was still sopping wet, slushy, and essentially a lake on one side, but it was thawed enough to do at least a little light walk and trot work, so that's what we've been doing! Since Dino is super unfit at this point anyway, it's probably a good thing that the footing doesn't allow for much rigorous riding.

Dino's been great coming back into work, even if he has thrown a tantrum or two after I let him have a loose-rein walk break. Despite his lack of fitness, he's been willing to work as correctly as he can, and hasn't been trying too hard to get out of using himself.

Unfortunately the thawing ground plus the rain we've gotten over the past few days has totally flooded Dino's run-in shed, leaving it a muddy, poopy mess with a lake in the middle. His now-sensitive post-scratches legs responded to the conditions by BLOWING UP LIKE TREE TRUNKS on Friday. Ugh.

Thankfully he was still sound, but I pulled him out of the muck and am going to keep him in a stall until things dry out. I can't leave my pony standing in that nastiness all day long with nowhere dry to go. After a night of poultice, standing wraps, bute, and a clean dry stall Dino's legs were back to normal (Praise the Lord!), AND he was able to be turned out in the big field for the first time in weeks!

Yesterday everyone had the Spring Sillies - you know the ponies are all going to be wild when even Dino is participating in turnout field shenanigans. I was short on time so decided to lunge Dino in the chambon instead of riding.

Homeboy was WILD. Galloping, bucking, twisting, wild! It was pretty fun to see him feeling good and wanting to expel so much energy, but there were a couple of athletic bucks that made me glad I decided not to sit on him that day. Then he decided to throw some kind of crazy move in a deep, wet corner and slipped and fell on his side.

Dino sat there for half a second, said, "I meant to do that," got up, and proceeded to run and buck around like it had never happened. I think he actually went better post-fall than he was going before he slipped! Eventually the pony settled in to a nice flowy trot, with rhythmic snorts to top it all off.

The vet comes for spring vaccines today, so he'll get the day off, then back to work tomorrow! Muscles don't build themselves.