Day 19 – 30 Day Horse Challenge – A discipline you would like to do that you’ve never done before

Ok...was I wrong! Julie from the Little Bay Princess blog suggested that I try a different method of mane pulling (ie. not backbrush-twirl-yank-backbrush-twirl-yank) for Midnight. I skimmed the video (with no audio since I was at work) and promptly dismissed it because the horse in the video was like half asleep. Not at all like my ticklish boy who gets very, very offended if you rub him the wrong way.

So I tried to use his owner's Grooma Mane Master thing. Blech. I couldn't really figure out how to use it in a way that wasn't any less severe than pulling with a comb and Midnight was getting agitated just from anticipation while I backbrushed using that. So I decided to try this other method of backbrushing, twirling, and then pulling reeeeeeeeaaaaaallllllyyyy slowly with a regular metal comb (to the point where you hear each of the individual hairs pop out).

Before:

After:

I know the "after" is kind of dark and hard to see (I stayed at the barn waaay late), but hopefully you can see now his mane is legitimately slightly-more-than-half-done! Keep in mind that the mane from the "before" picture took a full week to achieve. Midnight stood stock still when I pulled super slowly so I think I should be fully done by this weekend, yay! I love pulling mane so I'm glad he is actually cooperating now.

Today was a dressage school since I have been prescribed straightness and leg yields (to help with the straightness, paradoxically). We had some wonderful transitions, but I could feel myself getting pulled forward and my arms getting too stiff at times. I don't think we really had any quality trot work that lasted more than a few strides. He got a little too happy in his first canter to the left but he was easy enough to bring back to a reasonable canter. If I was to grade myself, it was like a B-/C+ ride. Not completely awful but we do need some dressage lessons.

Midnight in his new duds!

 A fellow boarder is lending me her dressage saddle indefinitely since she doesn't use it. Tried it out today and I think it fits. No pressure points, plenty of clearance, etc. And veeerry comfy. But I'm definitely no saddle fit expert so I am going to see if the trainer can give a more knowledgeable eye.

Anyway, Midnight and I will get there...he is so good natured that I think we'll develop a great friendship as long as I keep from pestering him (easier said than done). Life is good.

As for the discipline I'd like to try--foxhunting, hands down. (I feel like I should say some Western discipline just to be equitable but I feel like I'm so far away from the horse in a Western saddle and I hate cows.) But anyway. Rita Mae Brown first introduced me to the idea of foxhunting and I haven't been able to shake it since, though if I'm being honest, I don't think I'd be brave enough to do more than hilltop at first. I just don't have a desire to jump super high crazy things, especially not en masse! But it just looks so badass I want to try one day when I have money to throw around.

Though if I'm at this barn for a while, I might just turn into an eventer by default...mental note to get some pics of the XC jumps on the farm for you guys.