Hmmm

Yesterday Buddy and Lisa planned to exercise both horses.  Well, they did, actually -- but not QUITE the way we planned.   Turned out Lizzie had no girth that fit her at the moment!  (Guess she and I BOTH put on some pounds over the holidays!)  Got a nice new "anatomical" girth ordered for her today, though, so next week . . .   (shhhh . . . let's not let her know until the time comes).

And while I was looking at girths, I came across a really  comfy-looking saddle pad that is actually longer than the side panels on her saddle for a change -- a full 27"!  So the end of the cinch should actually fall on top of the pad so her skin will be protected from the end rubbing against her.  Finally!  It's been darned hard to find one long enough for her Aussie-type saddle.

Anyway - since none of my cinches were long enough to saddle her, I thought she wouldn't be getting any exercise, but no, no no . . . turned out she got to do some exercising anyway!  Silly me.  I should have known.  Buddy  just rode her bareback instead!   He is so good!  

I asked him to just walk her this week since she had coliced a little while back.  And he did.  But not because Lizzie didn't WANT to take off!  Don't know if you can tell from the pictures, but when you see him tightening the reins, it's to keep her from running off.  So apparently she feels perfectly healthy again.  Great!  

Buddy had ridden Duke for a while first, then he turned him over to Lisa who rode him the whole rest of the time.  Obviously it WAS his tooth problems that made him so schizy that last time because he behaved just fine this time.  He was his normal self.  THAT's a relief.

Of course, when everyone was done riding, both horses immediately reverted to their personal selves:  

The very first thing Duke wanted to do -- of course -- was EAT!  He loves that clover out there in the front yard.

And of course Lisa let him do whatever he wanted to do.  (She doesn't spoil him or anything.  Oh, no.)

As for Lizzie?  Well - she was a lot less concerned with eating  than she was with messing herself up again.  EVERY time she's given a bath or a good grooming, she cannot WAIT to get away and roll in the dirt!  It never fails!

Oh well.  I kind of identify with her.  It's sort of like me coming home from work and wanting to change into sloppy old clothes immediately.  We don't care how we look - we just want to be "comfy."  Right, Lizzie?