OTTB - The Winter Freeze

The outdoor ring was still frozen solid, so I couldn't ride. But Bouffe really seemed to appreciate his new heavyweight blanket I put on him this morning. His old blanket was a hand-me-down from my previous horse and it has seen better days. Bouffe stood completely still in his stall while I adjusted all the straps and was so content when I was finished. There is just that sense of communication that is not spoken that Bouffe and I have and I have such a sense of peace when I am with him. I forget about my MS and any other problems I  may be having.

OTTB - Very Disappointing Day

When I went to the farm this morning all the horses were turned out, I think still from last night. I couldn't get to Bouffe, because there were other horses turned out with him and my balance isn't good enough to lead Bouffe and keep the others from getting out of the gate. Also, Bouffe didn't have his turnout blanket on and I am paying a blanketing fee. I was not happy.

Leslie was not there and I couldn't wait around for someone to tell me what was going on; so, I left. This experience just added to the questions I had about Bouffe's care after seeing on Wednesday that someone else had ridden him and didn't even bother to bathe him or at least rub out the sweat marks from the English saddle and girth. I agreed to have Monica lunge and ride him a little, but to have gotten him as hot, as the dried sweat on his body showed, who ever was on him road him hard . 

I am leaving for New York for a few days and this was an important training day that went up on smoke.

OTTB - And The Rains Came

I missed riding Bouffe on Wednesday because I took my wife, Barbara, to an eye doctor's appointment and was looking forward to riding today. But then the rains came and came and came. It has been raining now for over twenty four hours, with no predicted end until tomorrow.

Regardless of the rain I went to the farm this morning to at least drop off Bouffe blanket and I was glad I did. When I finally got there, after negotiating wash outs on several of the roads, it was cold. Bouffe was in his stall, but not very happy. He is a creature of habit and doesn't like any kind of change.  Having a stall is a change he still hasn't gotten used to. This morning the horse in the stall next to him was out and Bouffe was racing around his stall in panic mode because he had been left. I guess being in a stall is something he will have to get accustomed to again and the horses and the field he is turned out in keep changing - he gets frantic every time but calms down once he is turned out with horses or a fields he is accustomed to.

Well I didn't get anything done this morning besides fitting Bouffe blanket on him. He was just too excited to stand still long enough for me to even feed him his carrots  much less groom him. So, once the blanket was on it was back in the field he went.