Conditioning Ride 5-13-11

HR: 36

HRR: 48

HR 10 Min: 40

Distance: 9.8 miles

Time: 2 hours, 48 minutes

Average Speed: 3.5mph

I decided it was time to touch up Hoss's feet before riding. His left front was beginning to flare and point to the inside, a sure sign he was high to the inside. When I picked it up and checked it for level, sure enough, it was high from the inside toe to just in front of the inside heel. I addressed it with the rasp and cleaned up the walls. I checked level on all four feet, needing to slightly lower the inside walls on both hind feet, and dressed the outside walls on each before applying the boots. I'm learning it's best to put a "show finish" on the walls to reduce interference with putting the boots on.

"One of these things is not like the others"

Once the boots were on (still dealing with three Gloves and an Easyboot) it was time to load up and go. I was followed by three eager dogs on my way to the truck. I loaded them up and we went to the steel bridge for the day's ride.

Our new saddle!

When I saddled up, I took a little time to adjust the rigging on the new saddle. This saddle has a double D ring for the girth attachment. Rather than go through just one, I decided to use them both. I passed the latigo through the girth ring, back up through the back ring, back through the girth ring, and back up through the front ring. I did this on both sides of the saddle, making for a nice, even attachment. I also put the breast collar on.

I'd forgotten my carefully prepared drink bottles at the house. Fortunately it was a reasonably cool day, and after my husband stopped by to bring me some sweet tea in a new travel cup from 7-Eleven, I felt adequately hydrated.

Hoss really seems to like his boots, in spite of them being mismatched. The tread on the Easyboot is markedly different from the tread on the Gloves. However, having replaced a shoe on a horse with something completely different in traction, I'm not real worried about it. For the duration of a ride, the difference in tread is unlikely to create any problems.

Once we got past the small water crossing, Hoss wanted to step out a bit, so I set him into a trot. When we reached a trail junction, he wanted to go straight. That's the way we usually go to take a more challenging set of trails which I didn't intend to use. It doesn't require going that way, though, so I allowed Hoss to pick that particular trail. It's nice to do things a little differently sometimes, anyway.

It wasn't long before Hoss wanted to drop back to a walk. I decided to let him. This area is rocky and the trails aren't the greatest, so I wasn't looking for a really zippy ride, anyway. Additionally, with hind boots that don't stay on as well as I'd like, going faster was contraindicated.

At the top of the switchbacks, I heard the distinct sound of a tossed boot. I looked down and back, and sure enough, the hind Glove was off. I got us to a flat area, got off, and resituated boot. While I was off, I checked the other Gloves, and adjusted the gaiters. The Easyboot appeared to be on nicely, so I left it alone.

Hoss was being particularly obstinate on this ride. He kept snatching for food. He tried to turn around after I got back on from adjusting his boots. He tried to tell me which trail we were going to use. He's obviously feeling a bunch better with his boots on.

At one point along the trail, we came across a king snake sunning in the trail. I stopped Hoss and waited, but it didn't seem to realize we were there. Not wanting to accidentally hurt it, I got off and gently moved it off the trail. Once it had disappeared into the grass, it occurred to me I should have taken pictures. Despite having gone to keeping my camera in my saddle bag, I still forget to use it.

Once we reached the flat road, I kicked Hoss up into a trot. He was sandbagging me badly. I had to kick him forward with every stride. All of this in spite of his silly behavior when we were walking. It was clear he had plenty of energy, just not plenty of desire to go. After we crossed the cowboy gate, I let him drop back to a walk.

In spite of not seeming to want to trot, Hoss kept giving me silly behavior. He would pretend to startle and toss his head. He would look back at the dogs as if they had suddenly become horse-eating monsters. He seemed to particularly enjoy pretending he was afraid of the mountain bikers and hikers on the trail. Yeah, he had a case of the sillies.

On the climb up the hill to the gazebo, I felt the tell-tale stumble that meant he had lost a hind boot. Sure enough, the Easyboot was off. I turned Hoss around and we rode back down until we found it then rode back up. Once at the gazebo, I got off and put the boot back on. Fortunately I had had the presence of mind to put the nylon strap used to put the boot on in my saddle back. It's not easy to get it on, and without the gaiter, if it comes off it just lays on the trail, so I'm not real sure why people choose this particular boot.

I had originally planned to head out a little further after the gazebo, but I was tired. So we headed up the trail back toward the trailer. Hoss suddenly started stepping out much more lively. Yup, he'd been sandbagging me.

We made our way back around the hill and back to the cowboy gate. We crossed the gate, and I put Hoss into a trot. Now he wanted to actually go. It was pretty easy to keep him going. He started to want water, and at the next puddle stopped and took a drink. I decided I really didn't want him to drink at that puddle, it being stagnant, and knowing there was another puddle with running water. So I stopped him from drinking and pushed him onward. He didn't really understand the reasoning, of course, and objected, but when we got to the next water and I let him drink, he forgave me.

After a good drink, we continued on our way. I kept him at a good trot to try to raise our moving average some after all that slow walking. He's still a little concerned about going fast over big rocks. Not only do they hurt his feet when he's not booted, they roll under his feet. They're an unstable, untrustworthy surface. I have no problem allowing him to walk under those conditions.

I considered going back to the trailer on the same side of the river as we'd come. I don't really like doing that. The trails are hairball enough going the direction we use them in normally. But, the last time Hoss lost the Easyboot was in a river crossing. I thought, though, that this river crossing was less muddy and more stable than the last one, so I decided to risk the crossing.

Bad plan. The river is still quite deep, not quite reaching my feet at its deepest point. Once we got across, I stopped Hoss to check his boots. The Easyboot was gone! I rode him halfway back through the river in hopes of seeing it, but it was a faint hope. I did not find it. Well, I guess now I have to stop dithering and buy him a new pair of hind boots!

Once we were back on the road, Hoss really wanted to go. I gave him his head and we had a good gallop. Astonishingly, the remaining hind Glove stayed on.

At the bridge, for the first time Hoss did not give me trouble about crossing. He did, however, stop partway across as if he felt the need to view the scenery. I gave him a very short moment then pushed him on. Seriously he was being quite obstinate and silly on this ride!

After crossing the bridge, we headed through the meadow, now on the lower trail we hadn't used the first time through. There was a dog, a very nice-looking Weimerainer, running loose in the meadow. My dogs all headed off to run after it. Concerned it was lost, I pushed Hoss up into a canter. When we turned a corner, though, I saw a man standing on the trail, clearly waiting for the dog. I slowed Hoss back down. He had lost the hind Glove yet again. This time, I simply removed the gaiter and attached it to my stirrup. We were close enough to the trailer not to bother putting it back on.

Once back at the trailer, I untacked and checked Hoss's back. This time, after having readjusted the rigging, his sweat pattern was even better than it had been previously. For me, the leg hang will take a little getting used to. Despite being an improvement, and pretty much exactly like the hang I get off the dressage saddle, it does make my hip hurt. I can tell it will be fine once my muscles adapt. Yup, that saddle was an excellent purchase.