Groundwork

So.. it's cold. So cold! And we got that snow yesterday, although it really wasn't enough to make it a problem other than possibly on the roads. I mean.. there wasn't snow on the roads, but I did worry a little bit about the roads having random ice patches in the shade and such. I wasn't going to ride because it was just too bitter cold. 

 

But then... I went out to toss hay and... it was kind of warming up.. So... I thought, well... let's just go see what the arena looks like. As much as I wanted to haul and go ride, I figured that it was not a great idea. Between my truck having issues, the risk for ice, and the fact that there probably wasn't enough snow on the ground at Ashland to justify the risk for mediocre photos... not worth it. BUT... I could ride at home. 

 

So I walked out there and the arena was fine. I had decided that I could try to use my cheap plastic flower pots that all my plants came in.. that I couldn't bring myself to throw away but were kind of useless... as pole raisers. And... they kinda worked! They aren't perfect.. and they collapsed a few times.. and they aren't all the same size, but... if I double or triple stacked them and used the poles that were flat on the side.. they worked well enough! So I set up a few exercises from my Jec book. Exercises that were supposed to help horses that were tight in their thoracic sling and heavy on the forehand. At this point I had stripped off my hat, my second fleece lined pant layer, my jacket, my gloves and my scarf. Ha ha! The sunshine was out and the trees blocked the wind and it was getting warm! 

So I grabbed Lyric and we did our rehab session. She was a good girl and figured all the exercises out. Jean's cat kept walking over and Lyric was so sweet and loving on her. They were cute! 

 

We did pillar walking, we did cookie stretches, we did the tail circles, the head wiggle, and tummy lifts. We backed up, we did the 3 pole serpentine walk, we did the three raised pole diagonal walks, and we walked the fan of raised poles. Then I lunged her for just a little bit too. She was a very good girl! 

   

Then I decided to let her be naked for a little bit so she got to go move around and be loose and free. But jeepers, once the sun started setting it got COLD so she got her heavy blanket back on quick!