Really cool paper!

Shetland pony as the origination of the speed gene in thoroughbreds?  Read this and I'm off to go look up the original paper.  I'll post it in the Mendeley journal club on the sidebar when I find it.

Err....right after I study for and take the test on Monday.  And did you know that I have my final exams not this Friday but NEXT Friday.

I'm officially freaking out.

But obviously this paper is top priority.  :)

Edit update: Oops - forgot to mention I actually tried to ride today.  Stupid thin-skinned arab.  Apparently the hot ride last weekend combined with a seriously shedding horse + synthetic girth made her go all "girthy" on me and she was way sensitive today.  Or maybe it was her shedding and sweating over the week without me there to pull the chunks of hair out of her elbows.  Whatever it was, there was no way she was even tolerating the mohair girth and I was in a quandry.  I ask enough of my horse that on days she says she's uncomfortable or in discomfort, she wins.  I probably *could* have slapped a girth on and made her deal with it, but that's not fair to her.  Even if I looked forward to this ride ALL FREAKIN' WEEK.  I hopped on bareback but she was all wonky and stupid.  I realized she hasn't had turn out in a while so I hopped off and let her loose.  She then proceeded to run around, squirting and neighing - and low and behold we had our finest example of "I'm in season and will determinedly ignore you and be all reactive and sh*t".

It was at that point that I decided that we would do some ground work.  In the 95 degree heat.  The first hot day of the season.

You see, before I had the kind of relationship with Farley that comes with spending 5-6 days in the saddle.   We didn't have to have discussions of who was in charge, Farley trusted me on the trail, I trusted her and we had a great working relationship. 

Apparently that erodes when you only see your horse 1-2x a week. 

Someone suggested last time we were out on the trail that some of Farley's new spooking and hotness on the trail since putting her back to work was a sign that she wasn't quite sure I was the leader anymore and didn't necessarily trust me to make good decisions and keep her safe.

I conceded she was probably right.

A definite attitude check was needed and I put her on the lunge. 

Holy smoke and popping jalopenos!  I'm not sure you are suppose to see the entire back of the horse as you lunge them.  If they are leaning THAT far in, I'm not sure they are particularly balanced........Took about 15 minutes to get her walk/trot/cantering nicely on the lunge.  Definitely noticed a different "aura" about her once we were done - she seemed more satisfied and content - like this was the discussion she wanted to have with me and she was glad it was out of the way.

She is DEFINITELY more out of shape now than we have ever been going into the hot season.  ZERO little veins that speak of an efficient heat dissapation....just sweat sweat and more sweat.  It took her FOREVER to cool down and her pulse stayed a bit high.  I know from experience it wont' take long for both of us to get into shape for the hot weather, but 90 degrees after 2 weeks of rain and cold temps sure didn't ease us into it......

So I didn't ride, and yeah I'm still disappointed.  BUT, I think I set my next ride up to be a damn good one.  

Don't worry if the next week or so is quiet.  I'm approaching the end of another block and I have a lot of information to absorb in the next 10 days....