Nay doesn’t need a lot. But the ONE thing he needs? Consistency. The one thing I’ve been? Inconsistent.
My last post I wrote that he had energy. Between being sick, I’ve only been able to commit to 3 days a week which just isn’t enough.
Then Memorial Day weekend came and it was gross. Like WINTER gross. Friday night I brought the horses in and Nay and Subi were shivering like crazy. I toweled them off and tossed fleece on Nay and wool of Subi and left them for the night. In the morning? It was 42 freaking degrees and still pouring. The boys got winter blankets on (thankfully someone hasn’t shipped them off for cleaning) and tossed outside. Same thing Sunday. 2 days when it didn’t even hit 50. WTF? Needless to say, I didn’t ride. I intended to ride on Monday, but I felt like crap and didn’t.
Tuesday ride? (No lesson this week due to a scheduling conflict). I lunged the snot out of Nay and hopped on. It was 76. Nay decided to join the ponies and hop and spin. I took my trainers advice and let him gallop around the indoor. It’s not my favorite thing, but sometimes you just have to. He bucked and galloped and galloped and bucked. Then I hopped back on and we walked, trotted, and cantered. The resident western trainer reminded me, consistency is everything. Do that every day and he’ll be back to what I want.
And then I got my migraine botox and was down for the count for 3 days. Seriously. My health is killing me! I almost managed to go Friday, but I couldn’t manage pressure on my forehead yet.
But Saturday we wandered out in 90 degree weather and rode through it. He had a run around the indoor (he needed it and free lunged himself). Then a good and solid walk/trot/canter.
Sunday? Even hotter. We skipped the free lunge. He was a champ and pretty much didn’t put a foot wrong except for spooking at the ponies spooking at motorcycles. I don’t even know. We even jumped a damn line because why not? That’s how quiet he was. I did a freaking related distance. I don’t do related distances anymore.
So today, I put my big girl pants on and I went out to ride. It was humid as hell though only 80 something at 9:45. I asked and Nay said yes. We struggled a bit with the right lead, but it was WORKABALE. My horse was good. He wasn’t crazy, he was solid.
We walked, we trotted, we cantered. we cantered some more. And we jumped. Not much. We trotted in a single a few times then trotted in the outside line. It’s a horse show 6. We did a 10. Then we continued and cantered a long ride to our single that we’d been trotting a circle over. Easy. Peasy. I said collect, Nay said ok. From there? We did it the other direction. Trotted the short ride over the single then cantered INTO the outside line. It was just as collected though cantering in he did an 8.
We ended there. Nay was pronounced ready to give lessons. Obviously not really, but he was that good and that quiet.
Moral of the story? Ride my damn horse, or at least ride him every day it’s freaking hot. He does really well in the heat. Racing in Florida paid off.
FYI it’s pouring right now. It was 88 a few minutes ago and now it’s 76? But the rain can stop since I need to pick up my grain order… And it’s going to 88 tomorrow, 66 on Friday, and 77 all weekend.
Three Chestnuts 
I feel you with the inconsistency!! The weather after work has been terrible either storming or 1000 degrees. And unlike Nay my two are horrible in the heat and I don’t blame them I am too! Here’s to more consistent weather and riding schedules
I don’t know that Nay loves the weather, but he can handle it better than some. Yesterday’s storm on the other hand was just what we needed… I wonder if we’ll have another post work storm today?
Consistency helps for sure. Especially when they have a lot of energy. But taking care of yourself is important and you can only do what you can do.
Definitely. The energy is new, but I think Nay is finally feeling healthy so I’m figuring out how to work with more horse. Hopefully as I figure out my health…
The weather can be so difficult and combined with taking care of one’s self, consistency can be difficult. But you can be as consistent as you can with what you have. Doing things other than riding with them during bad riding weather helps tremendously. Like grooming, hand walking, ground work. It may not be your preference to let him free and get his runs and bucks out…if it works, he is telling you it works and that is what he may need! Just go with it and be forgiving. Ride the horse you have that day. Keep it up!
Health stuff is so frustrating when all you want to do is ride the damn horse! I hope they get you sorted out soon so you can get back at it. I also appreciate a few hot days to minimize the spooks!