Thanksgiving Weekend Rides

Who else had glorious weather this thanksgiving weekend? In north Texas we had high 60’s, maybe even peaking into low 70’s at the height of the day. Foliage is finally looking like fall. I live for weather like this! I worked at the hospital on Thanksgiving day, and although that sounds crappy it was actually super relaxing. All my patients were crazy nice (everyone feels bad for those that work on holidays), all my cases were straightforward, and I kept smiling to myself every time I remembered I was making time & a half (aka horse show money). My hubby and I celebrated on Friday at my parent’s house. My adorable mom had bought a gingerbread barn and house for my younger sister and I to decorate- of course I did the barn!

#nailedit

On Saturday I had a jump lesson and reveled in the amazing weather with great friends. Rio was a but frisky at first, much preferring to canter to trot jumps, but he settled as the ride went on. He leaves for the Waco Christmas Show next week, so we only have on more weekend (and lesson) until then. He’s been so consistent lately that I feel really prepared for once, and I’m really looking forward to the show.

happiest expression on earth

In our lesson did some gymnastics, which I love and haven’t done in a hot minute. We realized that I wasn’t getting him straight and off my left leg on the approach, which was turning into a left drift through the line. With some minor adjustments this got noticeably better. Gotta love that feeling of instant gratification when you can identify and improve an issue in one lesson.

Then I want on to make some questionable distance decisions HAH. Rio couldn’t care less though, and we eventually got on the same page. He is so much more adjustable now that I actually get to decide what I want during the approach when I can tell it isn’t just right. I typically revert to the deep spot (since he used to prefer the long spot, so we only trained deeper spots for months), but trainer Stacie kept reminding me that now that Rio is much more balanced I don’t ALWAYS have to pick the deep spot. I was having trouble with this TINY fence, the in of a 6 bending line, and I finally got him really rocked but when a longer spot presented itself. The jump was so small that I still could have added, but I decided to go for it. He POWERED off the ground as I chuckled to myself. Apparently he had been waiting for me to give him the green light. (See video for this- the last line in the video).

Rio always loves the longer distance

After my lesson Rio got a bubble bath with nice warm water. I planned to clip him the next day, and I have figured out how important a clean horse is to a successful clip job. Although it’s only been 4-5 weeks since I clipped him initially, Rio had already grown a full coat again so unfortunately the clipping was a necessity.

post bath photo of the hunk

Sunday was SUPER windy but we still suffered through a quick hack before getting to the task at hand. I say we suffered, but really I suffered with sand in my eyes while Rio had the wind zoomies. I came prepared to clip with a plastic gown (to at least sort of keep the hair off) and light set-up (which helped SO MUCH) and spent the next 4 hours getting him show ready.

Pre-clip fuzzies
About 1/4 done at this point. You can tell I’m not that far yet, because I’m still smiling
FINALLY FINISHED
The cutest and crankiest pon in all the land

I accidentally promised everyone on IG that I would make a how-to video… ya that didn’t happen. Clipping is already such a big job, and I was so dirty. I realized I would need another person to run the camera, and that it would slow me down. SOMEDAY I’ll take some video, but it definitely didn’t happen this time. Rio was getting so cranky that 2/3’s of the way through I had to put him in his stall for 15 minutes to chill and relax. I eventually did get him done though, so now he has a week to even out before the show.

Who else is sharing in my clipping misery? I know that Amanda and Karen have both clipped recently, any other commiserators  out there? Who else enjoyed some wonderful holiday weekend weather?

 

 

Rio & Kelly, Jump lesson 11/24/2018 from Kelly W on Vimeo.

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9 comments

  1. I’ve done 5 clips in the past 8 weeks (3 on Henry, two on other horses) and I’m so freaking over it. When I was more desperate for cash I used to clip up to 8 horses in a weekend, but shit I HATE it.

    1. You are a beast. I have no idea how anyone can clip that many in a weekend. My back KILLS after just doing Rio, no joke. Definitely impressed you could do so many!

    1. Dang I was this was an option for me because I really am growing to detest it. After I’d gotten him an showered I was heating up some leftovers and felt something in my teeth… it was a HAIR. UGH!

  2. UGH on all the hair. I am sure Remus is staying hairy this year except for his goat hair he really doesnt have much hair this year. He also has two blankets today cause shit its cold (24 this am). Also our Tgiving was drunk (The holiday not us HA) it was 65 then in the 30s then back up again. Crazy.

    I love that you essentially used scrubs to clip Rio HA 🙂 Good luck at show how exciting you guys look so good!!

  3. I am actually dying to clip Duke. He got half his neck and his chest clipped once and then the clipper blades decided they were dull. So his coat is so long it’s actually slightly wavy. I swear I can trot twice around the arena and he’ll be drenched in sweat, and then it takes over an hour to cool him out properly. UGH. Seems ya just can’t win when it comes to clipping!

  4. He looks so shiny still even naked! I’m usually super neurotic about being on top of clipping because I hate fuzzies and hate sweat, but I just can’t bring myself to do another one already. Fortunately we live in the arctic so even the polar bear I’m currently riding hasn’t been getting too sweaty yet.

    Also. Damn. I am impressed by your gingerbread skills. Mine usually look like a natural disaster came through by the time I’m done!

    1. Haha thanks! I actually really like artsy type shit. Ya the problem wit Texas is Rio’s coat grew back because we had a week and a half of cold weather, and now the high today is 76…so if you don’t clip them they get drenched in minutes. It’s insane and super dumb. I don’t have any more shows after this next one so if Rio needs to get clipped again I’m only doing his body (aka the easy part) and skipping the face and legs!

  5. Clipping is the worst. It takes me forever. I usually do legs one day and the body the next so the horses hate me a little less. Fortunately, the fuzzy bay boys aren’t working anymore, so I’m letting them keep the fuzz. Eros will need to be done though. I’m hoping the parentals will pay someone else to do it though… My allergies really hate clipping.

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