Saturday, April 2, 2011

The Problem with Cantering

Everything was going pretty smooth. Smokey and I have had increasing success turning at the canter. Then I saw it.

A dry spot. Walk around to the other side. Oh goodie. A matching one.

My little colt is growing up. And all this crazy cantering is bulking up those shoulders, apparently.



Here's the horse I bought.



Here's the horse I have now.
Not only did he change colors, he's shaped different!

Thanks A LOT, Trail Rider. I *had* a perfectly standard QH bar sized horse. But no, you had to get me cantering and NOW look at him. Lord only knows what kind of tree he needs now. (I swear, if he needs a gaited tree I'm going to kick myself. Hard)


Speaking of which, Smokey turns six this month. I decided to give him a nice bath and shampoo him up, inspired by the rather intense day over at Brown Eyed Cowgirl (between her and Mickey, I'm worn out just reading). Look at him. Isn't he shiny?




Isn't the hay in the mane thing adorable?



But honestly. I don't know why I even bother.






Smokey: You know, I think I'm still clean on the right side...



Me: Oh geez. I can't look. I knew I should have tied him up.


Lily: I told you he's impossible.

18 comments:

Allenspark Lodge said...

Wow, he has gone from that gangly too tall in the rear to one solid fella!

Bill

Shirley said...

Yup- happens every time! You spend an hour grooming and pampering and they take a dirt bath the minute the halter is off! Smokey is looking pretty good though!

Mikey said...

Smokey looks good all bathed up, and I had to laugh at the rolling pictures. I hate it when that happens, but at the same time I know they feel so good doing it... and it's just surface dirt, right? just another round of brushing...lol

Fantastyk Voyager said...

He's looking really good.
Yeah, they sure do love to roll when they're all cleaned up.

Leah Fry said...

He is stunning. And you already know when you're putting all that work into cleaning them up that they can't wait to undo it.

Judith said...

What does it mean and what is the concern about a dry spot?

Achieve1dream said...

LOL! That's why I take them to the yard to graze (grass greener on the other side) until they dry hehe. :) He's cute and done a lot of growing.

Wolfie said...

He's a good looking guy, clean or dirty! :-)

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

Hahahaha-I really wished it would get warm enough to give a full bath. We were almost there, but back down to more 'normal' spring temps.

Smokey has really filled out and looks balanced now. Our foundation-bred QH's don't really quite growing/changing until they are 6-8 year olds. I think a lot of horses are like that though. The TB I had grew another 3 inches between his 4 and 6 y/o year.

Rising Rainbow said...

He's looking good all muscled up. Way to go.

I'm jealous. It's warm enough for you to bathe horses. How I wish it was here. At least he stayed clean long enough for pictures. You have proof he was once shiny gorgeous.

BTW that post of BECG's made me want to take a nap and sleep for a week. Way too much work in one day for this old broad. LOL

Once Upon an Equine said...

He sure has buffed up. He's a very handsome boy.

John and Regina Zdravich said...

Honestly, I started laughing out loud when I saw the pictures of him rolling....My Divna ALWAYS does that!! You work like crazy to get them cleaned up, then they roll!! Honestly, what are you supposed to do??!!!

Paint Girl said...

He looks great!! Love it when they muscle up!
He is such a pretty boy! I love his color.

lytha said...

you keep it real. i cannot bring myself to take photos of all my efforts in bathing, and then the end result of rolling. i just cannot!

he looks beautiful.

Jan said...

Breathe, Great pictures! Maybe we should think of washing our horses as a prelude to what they love - the rolling! Washing them makes the rolling feel better! Oh, well. He looks great!

Grey Horse Matters said...

Smokey is looking gorgeous all filled out. And the shine coming off him could knock your eye out until he rolled. I hate when they do that!

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Such a handsome boy. He sure has filled out...and all that cantering is good for him, and you, too :)

~Lisa

aurora said...

What a handsome guy! I think he looks great muscled up.