Hot Enough to Hose

Working Up a Sweat

I decided to lunge today, mostly because I can watch Tucker go that way.  I put his boots on first, to help him along and took him out to the arena. 

He was bouncy and forward with his feet protected.  I gave him a reasonalbly long session, at least compared to what we'd done this winter.  The idea was to get him to break a sweat and just get a little tired by the end.  I'm not sure about the tired but the sweat was not a problem.  It was over 80F today. 

I set up a small jump for some variety and he took it a good number of times in each direction with his usual athletic style and relaxation.  But, as we were finishing up, the other two Boys decided to come galloping in from the pasture and Tucker took off, tail in the air, squealing and bucking.  Fortunately, he stayed well on the lunging circle to I had no issue controlling him, but if he was at all tired out, he surely didn't show it with that display. 

When we were done, I unreeled the hose and gave him a good rinse off.  No question it was more than warm enough.  He looked great after I scraped him off but it only lasted a minute or so before he took a good roll in the dirt to dry off.

I took Chance out next and did a similar lunging session, just a little shorter, though, as he does not have that unending Thoroughbred endurance.  His jumping style is a little less energetic over the fence than Tucker's and unless I push him on just a little, he doesn't always jump cleanly.  It's not a lack of talent by any means, but he just "overrelaxes" and takes a lazier approach.  When he makes the effort, he too is a nice, athletic jumper as well.  Still, I do like the rather laid back approach to the fences both Boys show as it gives me the feeling of both confidence and quietness I prefer for training a jumper. 

After Chance was done, I put on my helmet "just in case" and took him out to hose him off.  Last year, I did not hose any of the horses much but rather sponged them off instead in order to keep their feet dry.  Chance had acted up badly when I had tried the hose with him and I certainly didn't spend any time trying to settle him down about it. 

Today?  A piece of cake.  He was a little fussy about the cold water, certainly forgiveable, but once he was wet he was just fine.  My goodness he has grown up into a well mannered fellow.

I managed to capture Toby without trouble, mostly by promising him I wasn't going to work him, but just hose him.  He was, as always good--bothered a bit by the cold water as well--but the cute thing was that while I was hosing him, Chance came out to "snoopervise" and seemed to try to get in the way of the spray a bit just so he could benefit again. 

Needless to say, both Toby and Chance took good rolls afterwards as well, so all I have to show for hosing the lot of them are some dirty horses. 

At least they are happy dirty horses. *G*