A very Welly weekend

After last week’s hunter speed rounds, Tucker needed to go to work.  Friday morning was gorgeous and I took him on a trail ride with Trish (barn owner) and one of her horses.  Her horse was lovely and well-behaved (are you sending a theme with the horses here?).  Tucker went approximately 50 feet before attempting to exit stage left and go home.  He did learn the “no rearing” lesson from Paige so we didn’t levitate very high, and it only took one good pony kick to convince him to go.  He was a good brave boy for the rest of the ride, although he did make sure to give every drain pipe the once over.  At this stage, Tucker is a wannabe tough guy at best.  He talks a big game but when it comes down to it, he does not have the energy/desire/willpower to put up an enduring fight (knock on wood).  He remind me of a guy that belongs to a motorcycle gang, but instead of going out and doing whatever professional bad guys do, sits in the bar and tries to look cool.

 

That afternoon, Paige schooled him through a grid with a decent sized oxer on the way out in an attempt to get him to sit up.  He was not impressed and cantered over it in the most blah way possible.  If snails could jump, it would be how I envision a snail jumping.  So, she turned him to it on a short approach and wow!  I have never seen him jump like that. 

Saturday I spent most of the day at the show and explored some of my retail options.  A canned saddle from Hermes, perhaps?  Or maybe an entirely new riding ensemble including Parlantis “because I might ride my daughter’s horse next month”?  I witnessed the latter scene go down at Beval.  She liked her gear so much she decided to spend the day wearing it and commented even if she never rides, at least it will be a good Halloween costume.  Myself, I stuck to a new bit and some thrush treatment.  Unfortunately right as I tacked up to lesson with Paige, the skies opened and instead we sat in the barn aisle and talked horses for a bit.  Thankfully the rain did not ruin a delicious dinner with old friends courtesy of my amazing Monty.

 

 

Sunday I did a brief ride in the ring and decided to hit the trails.  Tucker was awesome until we came to a crossing that had, you guessed it, PALM FRONDS.  I’m sorry, KILLER PALM FRONDS.  We were at a real impasse since I wouldn’t go his direction and he wouldn’t go my direction.  Conveniently some horses came along going my direction, so off we went, snorting at the fronds.  I ditched the other horses as soon as possible to work on our herd bound issues and found myself slightly lost but navigating home safely.  The grand prix in the afternoon was a riding lesson in and of itself, as always, and a perfect way to cap off my weekend.  A less perfect way to cap off the weekend was a sinus infection and getting back to my house in Boston at 2:30am, but such is life.

The beautiful ring "at home." 

As promised, the TOD.