When Pmare isn't busy being fully encrusted in mud....
.... she is busy trying to sort out her raging pregnancy hormones. We're getting ready to make an appointment for her 30 day preg check, but she is definitely *acting* pregnant. As of this week, this is manifesting in some very studdish behavior.
Poor O is the recipient of these random, uh.... bouts of affection. She's not coordinated or hormonal enough to do anything crazy like try to mount her or anything like that, but every time they greet each other, P arches her neck, huffs and nickers at her, then licks and nibbles at her shoulder or under her flank like a courting stallion would. O doesn't seem to be bothered by this one bit, but it cracks me up (and makes me feel better about the idea of her still having the pregnancy. This isn't uncommon in pregnant mares at all!). I've been trying to catch a video of it... hopefully I will before her hormones level out and she stops!
June 8th will be her 30 days for her... I can't believe it had already been a month. Only 10 more to go!
As for the red beast, she had a day off on Sunday, a lunge yesterday, and a great dressage school today. Her lunge yesterday was quite productive - the stronger she gets in the canter, the more willing she is to reach out and have some jump to the canter without actually running away.
Today's ride was really, really good. I had to lay down some law once or twice (AKA "no, really, we're really not doing any of this running out of control things anymore"), but once I had, she was more than willing to listen. We rode in a flat area instead of on the hill, which always helps, and once I had her listening I was able to allow her to go a little more forward and push into her contact. She was able to take a bigger trot step without getting hollow or rushing, which was GREAT. She also finished up with a really, REALLY good canter to the left (the right was good too, but the left was wa better), in which she was able to take a contact and roll along, and all I had to do was sit quietly. I think that is the quietest I've ever been able to sit her canter.... I literally just sat there neutrally and let the contact be alive. Good mare!!
Another flatwork ride tomorrow!! I'm really starting to enjoy these with her!!
Pangea's pregnancy is just so exciting!
ReplyDeleteGood luck for the scan, I'm sure all is well :)
O is looking really good, I'm so inspired to replace my broken Pessoa lunging system after seeing how great she goes in hers!
Just delighted at the last line of your post. So glad to "hear" the hope and excitement you have right now - with O and P-Mare! Can't wait for baby P - lord have mercy it will be a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e!
ReplyDeleteI am SO happy for you and this breakthrough with O :) Wishing you many more happy rides.
ReplyDeleteAnd excited about P's pregnancy!
Hooray for a booting solution. Those sensitive red princesses can be almost impossible. :-)
ReplyDeleteI don't know if it particularly "studly" or just amourous "I feel sexy and think you're cute" behavior. Our Belgian mare was absolutely IN LOVE with our Percheron gelding when we had him. She would make the most adorable squeaky nickering noises at him, nuzzle his flank and groin area, and generally be all doe-eyed and lovestruck.
ReplyDeleteShe will make the same noises at our Perch mare until she realizes it is another mare (I guess she likes big black boys).
There is so much awesome in this post I don't know where to start lol. I really hope you manage to catch P on video. That cracked me up just reading about it. I can't wait to hear about her scan.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new gloves! So awesome. And the productive work. I'm glad you've found a way to counter her bluff finally. :D