Lex Learns About Mud

Forgive the lack of photos on this one. I was too busy cracking up and trying not to fall in the mud to haul out the ol' iPhone.

Lex is settling in very very well. This morning, I made her day by turning her out in a paddock. It is MUDDY. Mud mud mud. Unbelievable mud. We do not get mud like this in Florida. This will suck your boots off, and if your horse isn't as careful as mine, they could get hurt.

I stuck Lex in her mud-paddock (this isn't the barn owner's fault - you've heard the stories about all the snow, and now that snow has melted, and it's continued to rain. So.) and she was like, "whaaaaaaat." She took a few steps away from me and then stopped and stood in one place for a very long time. She'd occasionally kind of shift, but she was pretty sure she couldn't go anywhere, so she just stood still. Eventually I picked my way out there and kind of walked her to the round bale, which was higher and less muddy. But she wound up spending more than an hour standing by the fence, staring at horses in another paddock, so I brought her some hay to keep her from eating the mulch. Goofball.

Late morning, I brought her in and lunged her in the indoor. She was fantastic, I was so pleased. She really didn't seem at all worried about anything, though I did let her stop and smell a couple of things. I only lunged her lightly, because she's probably still recovering from the trailer ride, but it went very well. Then I stuck her back out to enjoy the very pretty afternoon weather. I thought about getting on her today, but there was no one around and even though she was being good, it WAS her first time in an indoor (well, except last night when I turned her out in the indoor for a moment. She walked calmly around and sniffed everything and licked some things and then came back to tell me that there were no monsters at all. Adorable). I generally think it's good practice to ride when there's someone around, but I don't always adhere to that. Today seemed like a good day to stick to the rule, so hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to ride her.

I was pleased that she didn't try to run real hard in the mud. If she trotted, I missed it. I went back out to bring her in and she was like, "Oh hey dude." She seems very happy here. YAY.