> BK>Well I'll soon go back to sticking my head under the hose again.. I'm
>>riding/working anywhere up to 5 horses right now.
 
> Tonight we went riding and it was so humid and hot that my glasses kept
> fogging up.  The lens cleaner with the anti-fogging stuff is in the
> Plymouth and it went back to the mechanic.  I sure needed that stuff
> tonight.
 
On a bad day it's not usual for me to go through three t-shirts.. 
 
Today was not the worst.. but it was so humid and I was running late that 
everyone got a light ride except CJ who is lame again.. think possibly a nail 
is causing problems.. 
 
> BK>I've also noticed she's just turned a tad more independent...  I tend
> to thi
>>her baby days are about over.. ;)
 
> It sounds like it.  We've owned 2 mares and we can tell when they are
> heat by the way they act but neither of them have turned into witches
> but there is another mare in the barn that really gets evil when she is
> in heat.  Is this training, or the lack of it, or are some mares just
> this way and there is nothing you can do about it?
 
Training.. CJ knows to restrain herself if she's being worked or shown while 
in heat..  Just treat them firmly but gently and they'll get conditioned to 
work through it..
 
However if we're not working or showing.. I do cut her some slack on a bad 
day..  
  
 
 
> BK>Today I got there late.. but spent as much time as I could doing
> everything
>>could  with her short of saddling up (back acting up)...
 
> Do you wear a back brace when riding?
 
I used to wear one of those Sports medicine thingies until one night where a 
gal was lunging her horse and lost control and let go.. the horse came 
galloping at CJ and I couldn't move fast enough with it on.. and we had a 
wreak.. I refuse to wear one anymore.. if my back is bad.. I take it real 
easy and sometimes just don't ride.    
 
 
> I think I'm going to leave Smokey at his present weight.  He's had more
> energy than ever before.  Tonight we started working on a slow Western
> jog.  Its funny because he can't believe thats what I really want.  I've
> spent ages working on getting him to go forward and that what he keeps
> giving me at a working trot speed.  Now I want forward at a Western jog
> speed.  I, also, want canter with him bending through the curves instead
> of dropping his shoulder and sticking his nose to the outside.  I use to
> get it before I hurt my wrist but I haven't really worked on it since.
> Well I'm going to have fun during the next couple of weeks if the
> weather doesn't get to hot again.
 
Yep.. I switch CJ back and forth.. I find she stays looser and fit with a lot 
of extended trotting where she didn't before..  and typically with CJ.. you 
start the first ten minutes at a walk with your legs well away from her sides 
to let her settle in.. then you let her trot out for awhile to let off some 
steam.. you do NOT ever put her into a lope right off unless you like corw 
hopping.. ;)
 
You eventually put her into a slow trot.. ;)
 
                                      BK 
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