Not Even a Flinch

Tuesday I didn't feed before I rode because I figured I would see how my horse would act since I hadn't done it in a while. The BO was dragging the track since the dust level was down due to the rain so I didn't want to ride out to the large field where we usually ride for lack of wanting a spooky ride. It was bright and sunny, and there was a schooling dressage show at Barn 1 (the "kids barn"). I didn't go because I have yet to even do a dressage test, and it looked like it was going to rain. I did want to see others do their test, but I didn't want to chance my tack getting wet. I'm a baby about it, I know!

I went into the cross country field where Spyder used to spook, and I am very surprised that the frog sounds coming from the water didn't spook him. When they would jump in as we got close, he would spook at the sound of splashing water. The cross country jumps didn't even make him flinch even though the wind had blown one of the railroad tie jumps. Last time Spyder saw this jump, he freaked! He was even great during feeding time. He kept looking towards the commotion, but he listened to everything I asked.

We worked again on w/t with pressure on the bit until he wanted to give and moving over his hind off of my leg. We even got to canter while feeding, and this was for the first time [intentionally] in this field. It was somewhat controlled, and we kept going through the rain. It was a light sprinkle before it became a quick downpour, and I felt like I was in a movie or a dream because it felt awesome. I was sitting in my saddle, looking up, and we were steering! The sun came back out and we saw a coyote in the field headed towards the water/lake/frog area. Again, not even a flinch! :) The coyote wasn't even scared as it just paused and started at us before it crossed the water into the woods. It was a small one. It was just bigger than a fox but the color of a deer. I am used to seeing them much darker so I was confused as to what it was at first. Excuse the blurry picture, Spyder didn't want to stand still because it was feeding time!

Blurry, but it was about 200 ft. from us

It started raining again, but since my tack was already wet, we rode around group of trees near the track. We usually walk around it/by it, but we've never trotted the circle. Spyder was looking, but again, not even a flinch! We cooled out with the rain and the sun mix, and there was such a beautiful rainbow! ...talk about all kinds of sights at the farm today. Once I hopped off, I put Spyder in his stall to eat when I heard a yipe from the coyote. I was thinking it found food, but it must have found another coyote because it sounded like a brawl. After Spyder was fed, he got a mint since he was so great. Spyder loves any kind of candy (food for that matter), but I always make sure I grab him a peppermint if I see them when I go out to eat. I need to find a place to buy a huge container of them. I'll have to check out Sam's Club!

It was a sad day at the farm for two of the horses in Spyder's paddock. Both are in the elderly category, but the one in his 30's had to get put down. He seemed to be suffering for quite some time because he could never hold weight from losing teeth with age, and I had never known the horse without rain rot. I always felt so bad for him moping around the field, and I would want to pet him, but his sores were disgusting. I touched him once because I didn't know any better, and it was the worst feeling in the world. Yuck! His owner would come see him a few days a week, and his best paddock mate's owner (a horse he'd been with for years... even at different farms) would bring him in with her horse since they were inseparable.

This other horse was so upset that the horse put down wasn't being put back out with him at night. He would never leave his side. If the 30 y.o. horse was laying sick in the field, his buddy would stand there and wait for someone to get them. If you put one out, the other would wait by the gate for the other to come. They were never too far from each other in the field. If one was in the run in, the other was, too. Some people feeding would bring them in together just because they were so attached it was easiest that way. It was the first night that his friend was gone, and he just stood in the field screaming for him. My heart goes out to this horse because they are such social animals, and he wasn't aware of what happened. The owners must be devastated, one because she lost her horse, and the other because her horse was now going to be hurting from his loss. I just hope that they all find peace in knowing that life goes on and things will only get better. Leave it to Spyder to be the heartless animal that puts his ears back at him while he's calling for his friend because he was standing too close to where the hay was. I felt so bad!

Right before leaving the farm, I saw the coyote again while I was talking to the BO about them! Again, he just lurked and stared at us like we were invading his space.

He's just on the other side of this paddock