Forward

So yesterday I had to go out to the farm to ride Pretty Bay Mare for some potential buyers. So I get there, and we finish tacking her up, take her out to the round-pen to warm up, and she was pretty good.

From there I started riding out to the riding ring, which involved riding through the big turnout field where the herd was. The big, pushy gelding (BPG) (palomino on left) started doing what he does best, which is getting right into your space. Just as I thought I was out of the way of him, he comes up behind PBM and tries to bite her on the butt! So long story short, PBM flips out, does a shoulder drop and turn to get away from him, (which I probably would have sat in a Western saddle, but alas, was riding English, which I don't do anymore), and I come off! Tried to hold onto the reins from my seat on the ground, but she pulls and pulls because BPG is still in our space, and I end up with rein burn on my left hand (and today I have a bruise up my right forearm, which I have to assume is from the fall). However, I am not in pain, which is good, as last few falls have not been pretty.

After that, PBM was a good girl, and even jumped a few little X-rails over painted poles that she has never seen before. She has some pretty good rider trust and is willing, just a little unsure. The prospective buyer (PB) got on her and was cantering her both ways over the cross-rail, and only got one run-out, which is pretty good, considering PBM is not trained to jump!

Until Obnoxious Buckskin Colt (OBC) came along that is... (pics to come)

OBC decided that he would whinny for PBM even though they are not friends. Thus PBM decided to go herd bound and started talking back to him, and overall started to act up. However, she still worked through it fairly well for the PB.

Definitely a Thoroughbred (or TB cross, though I would go with purebred), NOT the QH-cross that she was sold to us as! Will post some before and after pics. Pics shown in this post are of PBM in July 2009. We bought her from someone that rescued her from the stockyards, then stuck her out with a bunch of weanlings. When we got her she was at least 200 lbs underweight, all tucked up and full of lice. Joy! Anywhoo, she looks much better now, and is starting to get some muscle from running around the field with the herd.

Then PB went to say goodbye to farm owner who owns PBM, and thank her, and what did Shadow do? That's right, she jumped in their car. So I have to pull her out of the car, because of course she doesn't want to get out, and then I make her go inside to see her puppy! To the left are the lead mare and gelding (Lovely Chestnut Gelding (LCG) and Appy Boss Mare (ABM)). Maybe BPG did his dumb thing because these two were in the barn? Or maybe it wouldn't have made a difference.

Then...I got to go out for dinner. Sure was a crazy 2 hours or so at the barn!