More Mare!

My poor Mare.  I'm pretty sure she's very angry with her boyfriend.. he is getting over a health issue, so now she has to earn her keep.  This is not right!  Beautiful red mares should not have to work like common dumb geldings!

I rode her last night in the outdoor (first time I've ridden her out there), then we went for a walk down the laneway between pastures and all the way around the newest pastures, and finished up by going up the driveway and walking down the road a little way.  (At which point BO stuck her head out the window and asked if I was sick, lol.)

I groomed her, making sure to get all the itchy spots.

(Sadly I could not get a picture that fully captured the silly, rapturous expression on her face.)

I even put training braids in her mane!
 

I also discovered a chunk of tail she'd somehow managed to suck up her butt, but there's no picture of that.  (You're welcome.)


 And I rode her today!  I wasn't sure how she'd be outside because Princess' turnout and the outdoor ring share a fence, so I was prepared for her to be pathetic, lovesick twit.  She was very good, even when Princess was making fun of her for having to work when he doesn't.  Seriously, he was.  He cantered up and down the fence and then took a loooooong, luxurious roll on one side, slowly got up, and had a nice roll on the other side.  His usual order of business is to roll first thing when he goes out, so he'd already rolled once.  He just had to do it in front of her.

The Mare was a good girl and wasn't any bitchier than normal, so that was good.

We rode in the ring for a bit....




Then we went out back again.  This time we walked around the new pastures several times... I like it because we have to go down a hill and back up a hill, and hills are fun.


 The horse I ride the least has the nicest bridle..

(Actually, she has the TWO best bridles I own.  This one, and a Five Star Tack bridle plus a custom browband, which has been used once..  The Wellfleet is about a $250 bridle, but I got it on clearance, yay!  But to be fair, River has the reins from this bridle and River's reins are on The Mare's...  I like rubber reins on Riv and regular laced reins on The Mare.)

I stopped her by her pasture, untacked her, and turned her out, then came back after putting my tack away to groom her.  She does love a good hard curry on her topline and having her face brushed.  She used to hate being groomed, especially on her belly, but I guess her ulcer medicine plus lots of hay and a low-stress environment have done her good!  When I let myself out of the pasture, she was nickering at me!  It's almost like she doesn't hate me!  (I know she really wanted to go inside and get grain, but I'm going to pretend she wanted me.)

Riv will probably get back to work in a couple days, so then The Mare can go back to doing nothing.