How cute is this little App? While I'm admittedly OTTB-obsessed, I do have a huge soft spot for Appaloosas. The first horse I ever jumped was a very loudly-spotted saint of a leopard App named Susan; she taught me so much and is largely responsible for my love of the speckled ponies. And while Certs has just one tiny little wisp of a white splotch, he has the Appaloosa character through and through!
Unfortunately, I have barely ridden Certs the last few weeks due to holiday chaos, but things have thankfully quieted down and I managed to trek out to the barn this Saturday for a long-overdue ride. We got to try out my new Ecogold eventing boots (thank you, Santa!), which have unfortunately sparked a desire to purchase the matching hind boots. Damn you, Inner Shopping-Obsessed Troll!
We may not be eventers, but we can at least play dress-up
and pretend we are
I love these boots! They have a strike plate strong enough to withstand an axe (seriously, visit their website and watch the video), mold to the horse's leg, and are breathable to keep the legs cool and prevent fried (yes, that's the technical term) tendons. And Ecogold even allows you to try the boots for several weeks and return them if you're not satisfied. Love that!
Also on our test-drive list was the Korsteel Flexi-Bit that I've been dying to try since I purchased it during VTO's sale. Certs wasn't quite sure about it; I don't think he's ever gone in a plastic bit, and when I first put it on he kept opening his mouth and making indignant faces at me (ahhh, that Appy spirit!). During the ride, he was less responsive than he is with his double-jointed full-cheek. Our halts were slow and sloppy and Certs just seemed a bit confused. However, he was more willing to stretch down into the contact and was progressively more responsive. Not a total disaster, but I think we'll stick with the full-cheek for now.
Unfortunately, Certs is so hairy that he resembles a puffy little Easter chick. Despite a low-key ride and a long cool-down, he was soaked with sweat!
Of course, it was too cool to hose him off, and his owner wanted his sheet on him during the night since the low was supposed to be 49. I decided to hand-graze him for half an hour in the hopes that the breeze would help dry his coat. No such luck, but Certs certainly didn't seem to mind:
Two hours of currying, toweling, currying, brushing, currying, and toweling later...and he was almost dry. Certs got so impatient that he started shaking his lips at me, which of course was just cute and hilarious. Fortunately, all of my rubbing and scrubbing eventually got Certs not only dry but also sparkly/shiny and soft as the little baby chick that he resembles. He was just glad to be tucked away in his stall with several flakes of hay and some well-deserved carrots.
11 comments:
You FL people, I always have to laugh when they start putting sheets on at 49 -- he's not even clipped for god's sake!
I laughed too at 49..lol! I yank Laz's blanket when I get to barn, and if I were closer I would leave him out w/o it for longer during the days of snowy and 25-35.
Certs is too cute!
Those boots look very cool!
I want ecogold boots and I am an eventer. It's just that I already have boots, lol.
It does seem silly to put a blanket on at 49. ;-) I realize it's a different part of the country and all, but Izzy is super happy this year doing the blanket free thing. It's been 0 and she's been fine. Ha! To each their own.
Certs is cute. I'm glad you have someone to ride.
Lol. But, you guys, 49 is freeeeeeezing! Heck, now that I am an official Florida Wimp, I start shivering when it's 60. Pathetic, I know!
Considering how hairy Certs is, I think he would have been fine without a sheet. But I do what his owner wants, so blanketed he was.
SB, I love the Ecogolds! I also have a full set of Premier Equine Air-Cooled Eventing Boots, but I bought them in large and they are HUGE! I can't wait to try them, though, as they are so niiiiiiiice. The Ecogolds that I got are medium and they are still a bit large on the petite Certs.
SB, I just have to add that your comment "I'm glad you have someone to ride" made me chuckle! But, then again, I have a dirty mind.
;-)
I just had to pop over and exclaim over the picture you posted on Kristen's blog: That's a beautiful hoof!
smazourek, thanks, that's Salem's hoof after three "barefoot" trims. His hooves were not in such good shape when he came down to me -- you can see all the before/after pics here: http://dressagewannabes.blogspot.com/2010/07/case-against-peripheral-loading.html
That is an awfully cute horse! Is he yours? I have been checking your blog regularly since the end of november and am thrilled to see a post update! YEAY! I also ike that bit a lot. I've never seen one like it. I'll bet the plastic doesn't get so cold when it is freezing outside....or at least when it feels like it is freezing!
Bay, Certs isn't mine; he belongs to a friend who owns two horses and has three jobs. She barely has time to breathe yet alone ride, so I get to ride Certs as often as I can (which, unfortunately, isn't as often as I'd like). All the fun and zero bills, so it works out really well for me. :-)
When I was younger, I worked at an Arab show barn, and inwardly rolled my eyes at having to blow dry manes and tails.
But now it's useful! A hair dryer is a hairy horse rider's savior in this situation. Towel in one hand, hair dryer in the other, as long as the horse is cooled out, you'll be done and home in no time. :) Unless horse has never seen hairdryer, in which case you'll be up all night...
I can relate to the sheet thing, because we're in Texas and 49 is a bit chilly this time of year. That being said, I don't put a sheet on Spoon unless it gets near 30.
Those boots look great! I might need to look into that when we start jumping.
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