Well it seems that the sugar content in the new bale of haylage is somewhat higher than we have been used to - Fally is not just full of energy he's feeling very silly and spooky and just about leaping off the leg. Tomorrow WAS going to be his day off but following today's performance I think I might just change my mind on that one if time allows ( Farriers are coming ) - obviously he really needs the work.
I smelt trouble before we got out of the yard to tell the truth - he was fidgetty and fussy and just wanting to be doing something.. He's also managed to injure himself in the stable yet again - another scrape on the hock and a new bald patch on his nose. How he keeps doing damage is beyond me - I think he could hurt himself in a padded cell !
Well I got on and he was away so I hauled round and made him stand still - he wasn't into that -snort snort and stamping foot followed by - get this ! -- his patented "I'm gonna buck" head twirl. WTF ?? In the road ????
Okay so what was going to be a nice quiet hack around the roads turned into a serious energy burning workout. As if riding a hyperactive draft cross wasn't enough to deal with I also got weird traffic. Fun Fun Fun.
I decided to head for the bridleway and get a good trot going along there but unfortunately our main ( and safest) route to the bridleway is closed while a new road-bridge is being built. I had the choice of a downhill tree shadowed road with no pavements, a steep bank on either side and a sharp bend at the bottom or the road past the pub. What the heck - whichever way I went meant crossing the main road at lunchtime anyway - I opted for going past the pub - it seems like the easiest option. Unfortunately there is some major work going on down there with someone having a drive built and apparently this involves several large vans being parked outside the house.. This road is also a bus route, there was just enough room to tuck in between the vans to let the bus past, then I met the tractor and had to go hide up a side road. Actually on the bridleway there was prams, walkers, squirrels (omg), birds and grass - grass that moved when the breeze hit it, leaves that moved and of course a blue bag ! As you can probably guess we didn't exactly travel in a straight line, it was a bit like the Timewarp - with a jump to the left and a spook to the right ! Coming back was even worse - I got up that road at the 4th attempt having met a truck, a bus and a construction wagon with a hiab on it. Then encountered my friend and yard owner as I was having a slight battle at the junction next to the pub. Yes I really needed a coffee by the time we got back !
Time to make a small adjustment to his feed methinks.
My mare is the SAME way. I'm always finding new scrapes and scratches on her that are a mystery. And you are SO freaking brave!! I am so scardy cat that I'm afraid (hesitant) to ride around the hayfields where there is open (unfenced) space!! And you are riding through streets and traffic!?? Crazy girl! How awesome though. I admire you greatly.
ReplyDeleteLol - that's funny, I don't like riding in the open spaces too much - that's when they tend to take off.
ReplyDeleteRoadwork isn't really an option here - it's a must or we'd never be able to go anywhere.