This and That

As usual, it's been a busy week or so since my last post. Danny has gotten out on his second trail ride and is now trying to load himself in the trailer every time he goes past it. As expected, he was a champ and Monica detailed that ride in her blog at http://blog.seattlepi.com/horsebytes/ Danny wasn't the only one that got to go out, as we took Khan (also in Monica's blog posts) and our new friend Julie. Khan was a champ, which isn't a surprise as he has many, many endurance miles under his girth. We've been slowly conditioning him, as he's been a pasture puff for the last 6 years. It has been fairly recently that I decided he needed a little more work than just standing around and supervising (when I lunged him and his entire body jiggled like jello, I decided he needed someone else to dictate his workouts). So, it's been very slow and careful, as his left hind suspensory is suspect from an injury when he wasn't even weaned. He's done very well over the years in spite of that, but when he was retired from competition in 2005, after a pretty successful year, that leg was iffy. So, a few years of breeding, until his fertility went down to zero - probably from a virus picked up during his competition days, the vets said- then not much until this year. He's so non-enthusiastic about arena work that we thought maybe a little time on the trail would be the ticket. So far, it sure seems to be. Julie reported that he 'was a different horse' out on the trail.

Memorial Day, I took my husband out for a trail ride with him on Khan. They both had a great time and Larry said he now realizes why I make him do those boring seat exercises, as there was a lot of mud and he had to really work to stay in the middle of Khan, as he lunged through it. We cut the ride a little shorter than I had planned, as the footing was much worse than expected and I didn't want to competely poop out either Khan or Larry. I think they both had a great time and they both slept well that night. Galen was wonderful, as usual, stopping and waiting when Khan started to slow down. I always get a kick out of how well Galen watches out for less conditioned and green horses on the trail...until it's time for an endurance race. Then, he's all about beating the socks off them. It makes me smile just to think about it.

Our broodmare, Anastasia, is getting close to her due date. I'm very excited about this foal, as we've had to keep her on regumate most of the pregnancy to keep her pregnant. I don't know how this bodes for any further foals (this baby is #10 for her), as she is 20 this year. So, I'm really hoping for a spectacular FILLY, as it will quite possibly be her last. Maybe if I say it enough, it will come true. We're weaning her off the regumate now, so I think it could come anytime after this weekend. I so love the foaling and those foals. It makes all the work worthwhile.

One of these days, I'll figure out how to download photos from our camera (one of the kids lost the cable and we have never replaced it), and then we'll have a bunch of Danny on the trail, so proud of himself.