Friday, April 2, 2010

Settled in!

J kindly helped me move Dixie to her new digs yesterday. She seems to like it ok, and I think we'll be happy there. I took a lot of pictures.

She was so sure that the phone was actually edible.
IMG_0463 IMG_0466

I never managed to convince her otherwise.
IMG_0464 IMG_0468

I had to retreat to the aisle to get my whole horse in the shot.
IMG_0471

It's an individual run, but it's a very good sized one. She is paying the other horses just enough attention to let everyone know that she does see them and she's choosing to ignore their antics.

Today I got out there pretty early and took her on a shakedown cruise. She was very fresh and full of go, and it was almost all smooth - probably 20% trotting, 20% smooth fast pace, and the rest a lovely rack. Gaited horses are the way to travel, yall.

Dixie racked down a gravel road today. Usually I steer her off the road onto the softer shoulders, but she didn't want to leave the road so I didn't make her. I know I need to start riding her in the boots, so she can get used to them, but she is SO sound!

More on my thoughts about crossing the Rubicon: (If you don't know - it's a phrase from when Julius Caesar led his army across an Italian river. It was the deliberate point of no return in his rebellion.)

  • There is no more walking. Well, we still walk, obviously, but I think the days where we walked to calm down and walked to get places are over. I'm glad we spent so much time walking, but it's a lot of fun to go faster.

  • She wants to go. She doesn't drag-ass as badly as she used to. It's like she realized that she can keep moving out forever.

  • There is no more "well she'll get tired and then I can make her behave."

  • I am not so worried about saddle fit. I still don't think this is the perfect saddle for us, but it's good enough for LDs.

6 comments:

  1. Sound like you're in a good place (both in terms of digs and attitude) - enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Go Dixie! (And you too Funder!)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sounds good so far!

    She surely is a pretty girl.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh Dixie, you are fabulous and I love your nosey closeups.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Whoot! New digs!

    If she's fine as is, does she need boots? I know some endurance folk have been getting rid of their boots to go barefoot, much to the boot-makers chagrin.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm beginning to hear the ramblings of an endurance rider.... :) We have converted you! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

    Especially that comment about being done with walking. If I'mgoing out with recreational trail ridersand all we are going to do is walk, I go bareback - other wise I'm likely to commit suicide by going over a cliff from the boredom of it all.

    Congrats on the new digs. I keep thinking that some day we are going to end up at some of the same endurance rides!!! How exciting would it be for me to meet dixie (and of course you...) in person.

    ReplyDelete

Feel free to comment!