Hair Envy and Road Shots

I've spent the last 5 days helping Trainer in the mornings. I usually work about 3-4 hours. I am the lunging queen (minus the fact that I can't handle a lunge line to save my life - free lunging is where it's at, man). I've also washed tails, and saddled and unsaddled horses. Pretty standard groom stuff. I am sunburnt as all get out, and am all "coon-eyed" where I'm burned around my sunglasses, and white where the sunglasses cover. Yeah, it's pretty hot, not gonna lie. 

Lustrous locks!

One of my favorite horses to work with is a giant, affectionately called Kermit. Kermit apparently competed in the high levels of the Appaloosa world, and was a top contender in "Appaloosa Saddleseat." Prior to meeting Kermit, I had no idea the Appy world had such a thing - but apparently they do. I watched a YouTube video of a class. To me, it was a snoozefest, kind of like watching Western Pleasure or HUS. But to each his own. 

Kermit is huge, pretty much the biggest Appy I've ever met. When I first met him, I actually thought he was a warmblood- he's that big- and he's got massive bone, and he's super handsome. In short, he's kind of my equine crush (even though he stepped on me [and likely broke my toe] while I was attempting to bridle him). I spent an inordinate amount of time the other day washing and brushing and braiding his tail. It's long and thick and full, and it gives me hair envy. Curse the gingers for having the best hair! 

But on to stuff about Rain.

My last entry earned me a scathing, early-morning text message from Trainer (who apparently was somewhat disgusted when she read said entry), the jist of which was that my horse is easy in terms of green horses, and I need to put my big-girl panties on and get over it. She had developed an extensive plan for my horse, that basically starts with lots of round pen work on the ground. So I've been round-penning for the last few days, and side reins are apparently going to factor hugely into the plan. Her text message told me to stick with the plan, and everything would work out. I told her the other day I needed a pep talk, not an tush-reaming text. She was a little indignant. "That was a pep talk!" 

"Dude, no, that was not a pep talk. That was you ripping my ass and telling me to stop being a pussy."

"Well, OK, so it was a little of both."

Agree to disagree on that. 

I think she enjoyed being out.

But today, I did have a nice ride. Started off with about 10 minutes of free lunging, then I saddled her. In a move that was either kind of brave or kind of stupid or some combination thereof, I rode Rain off the property, by myself. It wasn't a long ride, but it was pretty calm. No outbursts, no death and dismemberment. She was look-y, but not bad. And we both came back in one piece. I managed to take one picture, just to prove we were out there and I was still mounted.