Mr. Peanut: The Ultimate DQ?
Ah Mr. Peanut, how you do rock the DQ ensemble. Note the white gloves, the magician-esque quality about them...the old chap even has the requisite upper-crust pinkie going on. Mr. Peanut, if only we mere dressage riders could look as good as you...you are the Queen of the Cult of Beauty, the veritable soul of the Dressage Queen. Unfortunately, Wikipedia doesn't have a definition of "Dressage Queen," but if it did, you'd find Mr. Peanut's photo right there.
Ah Mr. Peanut, how you do rock the DQ ensemble. Note the white gloves, the magician-esque quality about them...the old chap even has the requisite upper-crust pinkie going on. Mr. Peanut, if only we mere dressage riders could look as good as you...you are the Queen of the Cult of Beauty, the veritable soul of the Dressage Queen. Unfortunately, Wikipedia doesn't have a definition of "Dressage Queen," but if it did, you'd find Mr. Peanut's photo right there.
In the hideously small photo to the left, you can see an actual DQ sporting a similar look as Mr. Peanut. Little did Planters know, when creating Mr. Peanut, that they were, in fact, stealing the look DQ's have worn since the inception of Dressage. Or did they?!In an act of rebellion against the Cult of Beauty (sorry, Mr. Peanut), I bought tie-dye and pink leopard print polo wraps. Both sets are equally obnoxious. In shows, I'm willing to put on the Mr. Peanut get-up, but bucking the trend is my normal MO. Hmmm...maybe the horse and I are more alike than I thought.
Just as I bucked the DQ trend this week, Nic spent much of this week bucking the "nice canter transition" trend. Nic got a training ride on Tuesday, and from what I recall, that went fairly well. Wednesday, however, she bucked through her transitions. I don't really know what the deal is with these bucking transitions, except that there's a remote possibility that I have a tense horse. The bucking generally is a result of her not stretching her back. This back stretching issue is a real hurdle. I think once it's overcome, the rest will come much easier. It's so frustrating. After 8 months, the horse understands the concepts of lateral work; she can do shoulder-in, half pass. She just can't do canter transitions calmly and stretch over her topline.
There is a boarder at the farm that is into the ganja, and has meditation sessions with my horse. She tells me what Nic is trying to say to me, but that I'm just not "attuned enough" to hear. Maybe she and Nic should get together and "feel alright." Maybe that would help my tense mare mellow out a little. Perhaps this is the way to crack La Resistance...mon.
Nic received a vaccination on Tuesday. I wasn't aware she was getting one until BM told me that afternoon that the vet was out to see her. Naturally, I placed a call to the vet, and was told that Nic got the same vaccine I gave her a week or so ago. Hmmm....that wasn't what we discussed; she was due for Potomac Horse Fever and West Nile vaccines. That explains why she didn't want to move her neck on Tuesday, and why she was making that same strange face she made the day that I thought she was pissed at me. They really shouldn't have given her anything without notifying me first, but mistakes happen.
Yesterday, whoo boy howdy, as the cowboys say. Woe betides the rider who gets in the way of a mare in heat. I didn't actually get on her, because Trainer said she was so stiff, it was pointless. She is in heat, and she gets very achy when that happens. It's useless to attempt to make her do anything.
Today, she did much better. These training rides are doing their job very well but she is still a tough ride even after Trainer gets on her. She isn't a robot that he programs - I still have to support her every inch of the way. I think we are slowly cracking La Resistance. Only my scores at the next show will tell.
Yesterday, whoo boy howdy, as the cowboys say. Woe betides the rider who gets in the way of a mare in heat. I didn't actually get on her, because Trainer said she was so stiff, it was pointless. She is in heat, and she gets very achy when that happens. It's useless to attempt to make her do anything.
Today, she did much better. These training rides are doing their job very well but she is still a tough ride even after Trainer gets on her. She isn't a robot that he programs - I still have to support her every inch of the way. I think we are slowly cracking La Resistance. Only my scores at the next show will tell.
I just realized I don't have a horse, I have a moose. A big, pushy Bullwinkle. La Resistance is just a fancy name for it. Be with us next time for "Half a Trainer Is Better Than None" or "Where Is My Stock Tie?"
