Nicole and her Magellanic tendencies have struck gold again. Or, rather red, yes red, yes so very red, as in strawberries. As we were walking yesterday, the dear decided staying with me wasn't enough adventure for her, so she struck out on her own (read: grabbed the reins and bolted), and landed in a previously unknown wild strawberry patch on the farm property. They were not quite the gargantuan-big-as-your-fist type of strawberries you get at Whole Foods, but they were Nic's very own discovery.
Perhaps we can get a children's book out of this? Move over, Dora the Explorer, you're through. Nic is the new hot ticket, and she is infinitely better looking.
Now we can add "Expert Strawberry Finder" to Nicole's ever-growing list of 2nd careers, along with "Expert Canadian Goose Harasser," and of course "Broodmare" in the event that her dressage career takes a nose dive.
The mare has been a little sore, muscle-wise, the past couple days, so we have been taking it easy. We have a schooling show next weekend, in which we are trying Training Level, Test 4 and First Level, Test 1. After that, we have a recognized show, so her health is paramount at this point. She's been getting lots of massages to work out whatever issues she's having in her muscles.
On top of this, she has little abrasions from sweat on her lips(where her noseband and bit go). So, I went on my own Magellanic excursion to find a product to put on those areas that would provide some...ahem...lubrication and barrier from sweat. Being the logical creature I am, I, of course, must include all potential products in my search. Which led me to the "personal lubricant" aisle in Giant.
Amongst this feast of personal lubricants, mine eyes rested upon a gargantuan bottle of Astroglide. Perhaps this was Nicole's chafing savior? Only horsepeople can unabashedly peruse the labeling on a large bottle of Astroglide and find myriad uses for the product other than its original objective: Lubricating bits, cleaning udders, facial protection, you name it. Alas, nay, Astroglide wasn't the ticket - its water solubility would not provide adequate protection against sun and saliva. And so the search continues...
She has been picking up her canter transitions much better this past week (despite the absence of Astroglide). I just have to switch my hips now; she picks it up from much more subtle signals than she had previously. She is beginning to hold herself in the transition and she picks up the transition immediately, rather than diving onto her forehand, as she did previously.
Aside from the opportunity to expose the world to my special brand of wit, I've found a new use for this blog - keeping track of when Nic had her last heat cycle. She is due again, and if God has any love for me, Nic will come into heat this week, as we have a show June 16.
