Getting Back Into It -- Lunging Misty and Missy

Today was a short, quick, happy day at SunnyBrook. It's very, very rare these days that I get to the barn and get anything done on Mondays. But, I was lucky enough to have today to do some work and plenty of time to do everything I planned!

First, I got Missy. As usual, I groomed the princess and of course picked her feet. She was looking like she was standing a little stiff so I stretched all four of her legs; she was a lot more relaxed after that. Then, since I need to see what size galloping boots she needs for her back legs (she needs new ones to match the new blue ones I got her for Christmas), I tried her front galloping boots on her back legs. They fit just fine. So, I need to fork over $63 and buy another pair; in other words, I need to suck it up and say bye bye $$$. Horse riding is such an expensive sport!

Next, I looked for the freaking lunge line. Out of all the tack we have, I know I have at least two lunge lines, but I couldn't find either one! So I got the big spool of nylon-lead-material and cut a lunge-line-length piece, then tied a loop and put a snap on the end. It looked perfect. So, I grabbed the whip and took Missy out into the wind to the future outdoor arena. It was really, really windy and, of course, it was the one day that I actually didn't braid my hair and wore it down and straightened it. My makeup was perfect and everything, and the wind made my eyes water and my hair whip around. Stupid wind; but enough of my teenage woes, I'm sure you'd like to hear what all Missy did.

She was an angel (like always). Perfect warm up, her trot was perfect once she started really bending and stepping under herself. She had a nice stretchy trot going at one point that I was really liking. When I asked her to canter, she gave one single good buck and then just... cantered. Like a good girl. We worked on Clinton Anderson's signature "Lunging For Respect" direction-switch; ya know, the one where the horse pivots on the hindquarters, tucking nicely, with a front leg cross over. I dream for that kind of direction-switch on any (no, all) of my horses. It's so dreamy to watch in the videos. She got pretty close to it; we had a good direction switch that we ended on where she really tucked her butt under her and pivoted, but she kinda hopped with her front legs instead of crossing over. Oh, well, it's a start.

I swapped Missy for Misty. She was a prancing, snorting, full-of-herself mess. Well, that's what happens when a horse is allowed to grow wild and crazy for five months. Yes, it's been around 5 months; I believe they got Misty in October or November.

As soon as I put her out on the circle to lunge, she bucked, pranced, and reared up above my head. I pulled her down to the side and she snorted and pranced some more. Time to do some work, I thought. So she trotted. And trotted. And trotted. Eventually she had her head down, ears turned to me, and she was licking her lips all over. I asked her to walk, and immediately she started changing directions. I turned her back and had her walk the direction we were going before. She walked a bit and then tried again; I stopped her. We repeated this process about five times. So as soon as she was going the way I wanted her to, I had her trot some and then asked her to canter. BOOM spook. That's okay, I'm good with spooking. It was pretty much a spook in place anyways. So I just had her continue on cantering. BOOM spook. What the heck? Eventually we went around the 'circle' two times without a spook and then I dropped everything but the very end of the lunge line, turned my back, closed my eyes, and used my body to ask her to join-up. A few seconds later, I felt warm horse breath on my neck. It gave me chills. I opened my eyes, turned around and gave her a big hug.

Guys, that's twice that this very horse - that's not even mine! - has joined-up with me. Is that supposed to mean something?!?

{Side note: Misty has not been ridden, lunged, or other wise worked with by the twins, who are her owners. They haven't even been out to the barn in over three months. Their father is supposed to be providing feed for her but hasn't. He's given a few round bales and three bags of grain. Lisa and Uncle D are going to talk to him about actually taking care of his horse. Just FYI.}