Zephyr Hearts Puddles

We have been getting a disgusting amount of rain here in Florida. I have a whole bunch of greenies to ride. This combination isn't always great. Yesterday, Riley wouldn't go in the ring because it was too muddy - it took Kris and I awhile to get her in there, and then she spooked at every damn thing she could think of. Shadows, footing, lawn mowers, horses kicking walls in the barn. I love her, but jeez.

By contrast, today I was hand-grazing Lex and a huge branch fell out of a tree. I was standing right where she could jump on me if she'd wanted to. She just watched the branch fall, hit the ground, and was like, "Huh." Back to grazing. You can't put a price on a brain like that.

Yesterday's ride on Zephyr was also interesting - someone keeps taking the stirrup leathers off the dressage saddle I'm using on him. I was in a huge hurry, I grabbed the leathers I thought were mine, and... they weren't. They were children's leathers, and even on the longest hole, they were like jockey-length. Sooooo I made the questionable decision of taking them off the saddle and riding the enormous green six-year-old with the 17-foot canter stride without stirrups. My legs hurt real bad, but he was actually really good. I got back on him today and the ring was a swamp, but he had a LOT of fun splashing in the puddles. I didn't make him work long, it didn't seem fair. But I was very encouraged by his bravery with the water - maybe we'll make a cross-country horse out of him yet.

Lex is getting so close to the end of her stall rest! Today when I said goodnight to her after finishing the evening feeding (which takes over three hours, it's insane), she was all sweaty, poor thing. It's insanely hot. The vet also recommended I keep a fly mask on her to keep all the dust flying around in the air from getting in her eyes, but I think it makes her hotter. She's got a fan and three water buckets. I'm not sure what else I can do for her. I'd love to not worry constantly about that horse!