Besides being totally consumed by Tirzah's cute baby puppies I am consumed by my next endurance prospect. It'd be Aura. I hope. Ali'i's on a month long rest after riding Tevis but I am not. I really want ride and the weather has been beautiful. Perfect combination.
I haven't ridden Summer but maybe once since her Gold Country 50 in July. I'm not happy with her ability to keep weight on and the fact that I'm not even riding her and she still is too thin concerns me for her career as an endurance horse. She's had her teeth floated, blood work, fecals, treated for ulcers and she still eats like a bird. Everyone else on my property just looks at food and are fat cows. I can't imagine how high maintenance she'd be if I was really riding her. So, I don't and I am sad, but I also am not going to cry over split milk and if she doesn't work out, that's just the way it is. The mare has got to stay in condition and also love her job and I'm thinking she doesn't. She acts like she doesn't feel good. So, right now she's a pasture pet.
Aura's been getting worked in the round pen for several weeks and is doing very nicely. She's a bit of a bull dog and it's something we've worked on since I had her, but now I'm serious and she's really come around. She's quiet, respectful and also learning to be nice around the trailer, at home and out at a trailhead. I'm liking her a lot. She also feels different than Ali'i. He's a flingy little thing and she feels more grounded, if that makes sense.
Today I rode the hill 1x, walked all the way down then got on her and 3/4 of the way back up, Tony was coming down the trail. Aura just looked at him. She seems to be very cautious and not particularly spooky....I hope! Cautious is ok. Spinning around and running in the opposite direction is not. Horses can spook at the strangest things. After riding a horse like Tahoe who's snorting at everything and ready to bolt, it's nice to ride a horse who's not so terrified.
Anyway, I handed T my cell phone so he took these photos. What a good girl!
