Mason update

Had a nice ride on him Saturday with L and Lady.   Sunday I thought the owners would come out and play with him.  I had been leaving FB messages and they must be having internet issues or taking a FB break.  I figured they would still plan on coming out even w/o calling me and then I let it get kind of late to call Sat evening and didn't call them before I was holding horses for my farrier Sunday morning so it was noon Sunday before I called,  left a message.  Get a call back and they were off volunteering on flood work.    They will try to come out one morning this week now. 

I'm trying not to be annoyed since I had not spelled out specific expectations but since I told them last week in a FB post and did get a like (which means they read it) that I had been confused about hunting season dates so it was for sure going to only be 2 weeks that I would keep him not 3 and the plan all along had been that R would ride him at my place to start the new "this human is also your boss that won't take any guff" relationship I had strongly expected they would make the effort to come out.   

Anyway,  I needed some ayrab saddle time Sunday so I rode Sadie (ah that was fun)  and since I had said and thought I would long line Mason a bit I did that late afternoon on Sunday.  Pout, the days are not lasting long enough anymore.     This morning I rode Mason again.   He did a little protest crowhop/squeal/attempt to duck for home.   He got to do about 4 tight circles with me flicking the crop fairly firmly on his flank because I was annoyed rather than the least bit worried that he was going to get me off.    I have not gotten brave and tried to jump because I'm worried I would over exaggerate my forward and up to get out of his way and put myself in a position to get popped off or at best he'd probably think jumping means the rider is bumping with seat and or bit and no fun to do.

After that he gave me a very nice ride but he seemed to be getting winded easily.  Maybe I'm just listening more closely.  He should not be losing fitness even though he doesn't have the big hills to climb up and down since I'm riding daily.  I don't know that we are getting much if any weight off him but I certainly don't think we are feeding him so much he is gaining.    Then I gave him a quick bath  --- I like my ayrabs that don't get that hot and don't care for water.  I sponge Sadie off if its warm because of her allergies and getting her used to water if we ever do some endurance at speeds to generate more body heat. 

 Then I cleaned some on Mason's pen.   Didn't get it completely picked up, I hadn't done it since Thursday had figured owners could do it  on the weekend.   Silly me, they are as out of sight out of mind as I was with Lady this summer but my belief on that was that they were enjoying having her to ride.   They know I'm only riding Mason because I felt it was not good for R to start back from the collarbone lay-off with a horse that had developed some bad attitude.