Matters of some significance

Two of them happened today. In fact, two of them happened after work.

First, I cut off my hair. Well, I did not, Liza did. I have been thinking that it is way past time for a girl to have an actual style, instead of going around looking like bozo. The problem is that we all know by now that I am not about to put any work into my hair. It looks better without me interfering with it--just wash it and go. I don't even comb it when I get out, and it looks best then.

So I had to have something easy, and with a different shape than its natural state of long wild spiral curls that look like corkscrews scared half to death.

This was very exciting for Liza who immediately lopped off four inches off the length in the back and at least twice that in front-- I have freaking bangs now. BANGS. But I like them. She made very cute hair, and now there is so little hair there that I might be able to make it look right. I might could even use a round brush, which is all she used on it--I have never been able to do that before because it always got stuck and had to be cut out. It will also be fine if I do nothing to it, I think. We shall see.


Cutting off my hair is a big deal. My hair has its own fan club--made up of people who do not have to live with it, of course, but it gets lots of compliments. It was time for a change though, and it grows so fast that it will be back soon enough if I hate this. Still, it is a big deal.


I had already sweated it up by the time this pic was taken, so it had rebelled against the work Liza did on it, but you can at least see that I am missing well over a pound or two of hair.

The other thing took almost as much nerve. I had made up my mind that this was the day I was riding Hammer. I have not had a chance to get on him since he got home. He has been running wild since his return. I had mentioned it to Madison last nite, so when I pulled up with my new do, she was leading him in. We fly-sprayed him, and he was far more bothered by that then he had been only two weeks ago. This concerned me a little, but I was not having it.

We took him to the big trailer where most of the tack is and even the saddle pad freaked him out. He simmered though, and we went through the same thing with the saddle. Very strange I thought. We went for a little lunging, some banging of and hopping in the stirrups, etc, and kept getting overreactions to the first try at everything. I found it very odd and frustrating. We kept sacking him out until there was no more flinching. The only thing I can figure is that he is a little beat up from his return home--many nicks, bite marks, etc, that might be a little ouchy--but I am making excuses. He just went backwards without daily work.

I KNOW how quiet he is once you are on him though--watching his trainer ride him convinced me that perhaps Hammer has us snowed. I was not about to let him revert to his old ways with me, I was going to man up and do this.

Eventually, I got my mounting block. Yeah, I am a pansy, but it was a good idea since that barrel saddle we used does not snug up great on him. Madison and I both fiddled with him from there for a while, then sucked it up and got on. The first mount he was a little wonky, a little tense. As she rode--with me leading just in case--you could see Hammer deflate. He was FINE. He visibly relaxed once someone was in the saddle.

Then it was my turn. I cannot tell you how anxious I was. I have no idea why, other than I have known this child since the minute he was born, and he has always been reactionary. Seeing him not act like that in training was incredible, and I had to keep reminding myself of that to psyche myself up for it.

By God, I did it though. And Madison took pics to prove it to Barry.

There was no reactionary behavior at all once I was on him--despite two little kittens stalking us through the whole process, which tensed me up. He is quite nice. All I did was walk tonight, but we will be at this again right away, so I can try out that trot that Bobby bragged on. I was a little anxious with the peanut gallery watching us over the fence line--there were probably 20 horses watching us and he wanted to see them. Before we called it a nite, I mounted and dismounted a bunch of times, and he stood stock still--I guess he just had to be reminded that he knows all this stuff after all, and so do we.

I was so proud of us. We did it, just the two of us, and did a good job. It was fun, and I feel quite content with him. I could not have done it without Madison there to help me and give me the nerve to suck it up and get through it--and before I knew it, we were all having fun. I am lucky to have that kid around here.

All in all, a big day--but a good one.

For a similar story, you can follow the progress of Hammer's older brother, Mojo, who now lives in Pennsylvania. He has had his first two rides this week and they are being detailed at www.themares.blogspot.com His progress is even more noteworthy than Hammer's as he had further to go, and he is being started by non-professionals. It is the ideal situation for him. Go check him out and cheer them on