Mon. Misc.

#148 preparing for ground work.

More later when time becomes available.

9-24 Training

Relative size. 15'3.5 and 17.1.

Back to ground work with #148 after yesterday's bucking.  The first session--pretty much total rebellion although we'd decided to restrict punishment to voice and a few rump slaps with the long lines.  5 min. break and second go around and the horse was an angel.  As horses are prone to do--after time to consider, the intelligent, good natured animal was fine.  Will see how this works out when we tack up tomorrow.

The ground work was also interesting as it showed a little of the problem.  The horse simply gets "mad" --literally--when asked to turn.  And, we learned that we correctly decided to stay on the ground for Mr. Nob would surely have hit the ground had he tried these corrections on board. Will stay with ground work for a few days. Surely he'll come around.

#17--light trot under tack. Nob reports he's back to his old self before latest injury--i.e. 1.5 human legs.  Will see.

Update

Horses have been tacked and walked daily as Mr. Nob continues to recover from injury.  They show so much energy with their two to three daily feedings that we've done the riderless speed work every other day.  9/23 Mr. Nob pronounces himself fully healed, and we'd expect more serious tacking beginning this eve.  The huge #148 continues to be a problem and almost dislodging Nob yesterday, which might have been other than pretty.  We're figuring how to get horse back under control.

More Update

Horses have been walked under tack 3 out of 4 days + riderless workouts  continue.  #17 spooks. #148 continues to be difficult.  Nob getting back  his  sea legs.  Left hip very weak.

Up Date

Since our good rider's latest injury almost 3 weeks ago, Mr. Nob has gotten on several times, each one a no go, and then barely able to get off.  Until today.  Nob got on, it was a go. And Nob was able to twist his left leg into the dismount position.  Hopefully our tack work recommences.

The horses have been putting in bang up riderless works.  We've lengthened the gallops int he big field by chasing them with my car.  They've been game and consider it a game of tag.  And, we are mindful that we need to get late 3 yr. olds to the race track.  This is being worked.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASj1gAVU6fQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qex5h_Czyo

Catching Up

Last post concerning Mr. Nob commencing tack work proved over optimistic.  That evening in addition to the leg being weak, Nob reported that while the hip seemed ok he was feeling some severe strains in the muscle fascia.

Thereafter a few days of severe rain coming down in sheets.  KC got about 5 inches over three days. We declined tacking in the mud though the horses continued riderless work.

Wed Sept 3 was the test day for Mr. Nob. #17 was tacked. Nob mounted and immediately pronounced "no go".  The hip was ok, it seemed, in every position except sitting on the horse.

As that was a day of high humidity and air pressure the thought was that the hip pain sitting on the horse might be weather related.  On Thurs. 9/4 Nob got back up for sole purpose to test this. And, indeed, the hip felt considerably better than the day before.

Additionally, I'd forgotten about this:

This hip wrap really stabilized things for Mr. Nob after last year's hip fracture, and so, hopefully, using this wrap, we'll be able to recommence tack work on Saturday.

Horses off today after four straight day of riderless work--terrific riderless work last eve as both horses raced each other at full speed in a mostly straight line for considerable distances over a couple of the heats.