It goes on...

 

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on.  -Robert Frost

Indeed. Life goes on.

But, that doesn't ease the struggle.

 

I had a rough day yesterday, and today I'm still struggling with the news.

It's not even my news.  Not really.

 

I don't have difinitive word yet, so I'm not at liberty to share the full details, but I need an outlet.

I'm sure there will be an in-depth post in the future detailing a progression of events colored by hind-sight.

 

In other news:

 

Fancy Pony is fine.  The worst thing she is struggling with is the results of her re-introduction to the crupper.  I wish I had gotten video.  Man, that girl can BUCK!

Seriously.

Head in the dirt.

Hand stands.

Vertical orientation, with her hind legs straight up in the air!

 

You see, there is a real reason why they say to lunge your horse in the crupper before you ride them.

We will continue the crupper desensitization.  If she doesn't get over it, she will get incredibly fit!!

 

It started in the walk.  Once she stopped bucking in the walk, we trotted.

And the process began anew.

Finally, she accepted that, but she really struggled with the canter.

 

You see, when she tucks her pelvis to step under herself, the crupper slides up a little more and she clamps her tail down...

That is when the real rodeo begins!

 

We finally got to a point where she could take 5 or 6 cater strides without bucking.  Both directions.  At that point, I took the crupper off and rode a little.

 

Oh, man!  The sit I had in the trot!!  Her shoulders were up! Her haunches were down!  It was like sitting in the from of a motor boat! 

 

She was obviously not up for a real work out under saddle.  We didn't even canter.

She got a thorough liniment treatment and lots of massage.

 

It turns out that there are dramatic repurcussions to clamping your tail over the crupper while broncing around...

 

before softening the crust...

 

 I used just a little bit of M-T-G to soften the scabs.  Amazingly enough, as soon as I applied it, she actually draped her tail over my hands.  She didn't try to move away.  She just settled into my "treatment".  As the thin crusts softened, they sort of fell or peeled off.  So I softenend them a little more and removed them all. 

 

She was much happier after that!!

 

after crust removal

 I wonder if a sheepskin sleeve on the crupper would help protect her sensetive, red-head skin?