Happy Monday

The dreary weekend weather has opened into a beautiful Monday. With temperatures in the upper 50's and a bit of a breeze I looked up at the blue sky while walking into the field to get Suki. She lifted her head with a soft nicker as I drove down the driveway, but immediately lowered her head back to the new spring grass. I debated whether or not to lunge, but there was someone riding in the arena, and she appeared to be having some difficulty with her horse, so I decided to wait. Other than the right side of Suki's neck, which seems to be dry regardless of the frequency of moisturizing, Suki's skin looked much better today. I did a full spa treatment and grooming today, and by the time that was finished the rider was out of the arena. Suki seemed to be in quite a pleasant mood so i took her out to lunge. She seems to be very much at peace with who she is, and now quietly walks to the arena. That's not to say that there won't be any spooking at any time, but I find her to be quite relaxed. As I put her out onto the circle she called to Banker. I growled at her and she lowered her head to begin work. The walk was relaxed and swinging, with her tail moving in a quiet rythm to match her pace. When I asked for the trot, Suki immediately moved off, without raising her head....a steady, quiet push into the upward transition. Considering her fitness level at this point, i am pleased with how steady Suki maintains a tempo. The transition into the canter was also quiet. After 3 or 4 minutes in each direction, we were finished. I walked Suki around the arena a few times to bring her breathing back to normal and she happily walked beside me with an expression of contentment on her face and in her body. The wind blew around us, but Suki and I were alone, but together in our thoughts, with the swaying tress merely a backdrop instead of a distraction. It was so relaxing for me, and I enjoy those moments of bonding. The Dover catalog is sitting on the table next to me. I am selecting a surcingle and long lines....If I can consistently lunge Suki for the next month, increasing her strength and fitness, we will be ready to begin long lining with a surcingle. I received an email from gthe Oley valley Fire Department a couple of weeks ago in response to my request to speak with someone about the night of the fire. They questioned exactly what I would like to know, so that they could help me. For the book, I want to be able to accurately describe the scene as the firefighters saw it....I wondered, could they hear the horses in the barn calling? Were the horses panicked when they got to them? What did the barns look like when they arrived? My heart does not really want to know some of these things. But I think that it is an important part of the story, and will show just how miraculous that Suki and the other horses survived that night. I have heard that she was "on fire". Did they see that? Do I really want to know the answer? A barn fire in central Florida yesterday killed nine horses. Five were rescued. I swear my heart stops every time I read about a barn fire. My heart breaks for the horses lost, and the owners who are grieving... Next week I will also have the opportunity to meet someone who saw Suki and Whisby run across the road the night of the fire. She was happy to discover Suki's Facebook page and see that she had survived, as she always wondered what had happened to the two horses. A lot of local people who knew of the fire, never learned the fate of the critically injured horse. Many thought Suki had died from her injuries or had been put down. Those who now know that she survived are pleasantly surprised. Nikki was a good girl for Meghan today, although a little "up". Probably the wind. Tomorrow I will ride again. Last week I noticed, while lunging Nikki, that she was tilting her head and appeared to be pushing her mouth into the bit. This usually means that she needs to have her teeth floated. Under saddle she is fine and not fussy, but I am sure that she should have her teeth checked. Lucky Nikki....dentist coming this week!