Monday, December 5, 2011

Goodbye, gallop.

Normally by this time of year the galloping track and any of the fields around here would be pretty hard at the surface. So far this year, the track sand has only been frozen once. Still, I think my weekly gallops are at an end until spring. We've had a fair bit of rain, so the track is sloppy. When it does get colder again the sand will be moist and will no doubt harden up nicely.

We had a good run though, no pun intended. I was intimidated to really gallop the first few times. I did develop more comfort but I still usually worry about Will...and what would happen to me if he tripped. But you have to just push that aside. Our vet told me to gallop twice a week. Although I've taken all his advice seriously, I could usually only manage a good, true gallop once a week.

One incredible day I was galloping with three other riders. The horses didn't get crazy and it was wonderful and fun. Willy learned to be a bit competitive that day and I'll never forget the feeling of him leveling out as I sent him after another horse.

I will miss our runs and the feeling of the horse getting to be a horse and stretch out and run. I hope I got enough in to help his fitness before these months of indoor riding.

I did get one video. My friend has an OTTB so they make us look like we are loafing along. It honestly feels like we're moving fast!

Something dug a partial hole in the track so we were waiting to turn up the speed until we passed it. By the time we got going, Willy was distracted by the person taking the video and the turn. I was actively encouraging him to run faster and that's what I got :-) I guess that's the warmblood in him. Still a bunch of fun!

OTTB vs TB/DWB


6 comments:

Golden the Pony Girl said...

That looks like so much fun! What a god boy to stay so composed as well! We have a track but I pretty much missed the window of galloping weather. Out of curiosity what did your vet recommend galloping twice a week for?

Laura said...

That looks like so much fun! Having that track is pretty handy. I have never galloped it, but cantered Rusty a few times. Maybe next summer I'll manage to try again!

Love the pic of you and I think I watched the video 10x (not in a creepy stalker way, lol).

Your new banner looks good too!

RuckusButt said...

I've been impressed that he stays pretty sane at the gallop. He sometimes likes to dolphin buck as he gallops but that's about it.

Willy has locking stifles and has been on an intense conditioning program since I started working with him at the end of July. The vet The vet advised galloping as part of the conditioning program. You can read more here and here here.

Lol Laura, for a stalker you're really not creepy at all ;-) I had hoped to get another video so Will could redeem himself but it wasn't meant to be.

Thanks for the banner tips. Once I knew the dimensions everything else is easy. I obviously didn't put much effort into this one but it's a start and better than nothing!

Golden the Pony Girl said...

oh ok very cool. Those are some pretty fun Drs orders! :)

Melissa-ParadigmFarms said...

The video looked like so much fun, made me wish I had a track to go gallop a horse on!

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

You guys were going so fast, but the other horse was going so much faster that they made you guys look like you were for a Sunday lope. lol!

Looks like fun, though. I've yet to ride a galloping horse and I'm not sure that my little mare could or would want to get into on and could sustain it for long. Her canters are very nice, though...just like a rocking chair :)

Thanks for sharing your fun video.

~Lisa