Catching up to do!

I had high hopes in the Spring about this riding blog, but once the weather got better I chose to spend my time riding instead of blogging about riding.  So, time to dust off the blog because Rocco and I have had some great adventures and we have some catching up to do!  Over the next couple weeks I’ll try to recap some of our fun rides, but for now I’ll just give a summary.

Mileage

We are heading to Vermont in less than three weeks for 10 days of camping and riding.  This means we’ve had to up our mileage and hill work to prepare for the demands of the trip.  Luckily I have my Garmin GPS (primarily used for running and biking) so I’ve been able to track most of the rides.  Rocco is looking lean and mean, all muscled up and very shiny!  The organized rides on this trip are usually somewhere between 12-20 miles each day, which will be a challenge for us.  We will have to pick and choose our rides, and always have the option of cutting them short if we need to.

Gear

The tack is holding up well.  We’ve had good luck over the last year with our Ortho Flex Patriot saddle and Diamond Wool saddle pad.  We’re still sticking with the hackamore bit, and that’s about it!  He’s very low maintenance.

Product Review

Cashel Quiet Ride Mask: I’ve actually had this mask for a couple years now but I’ve only used this for turnout.  Last weekend we got absolutely bombarded by face flies on a ride in Upton, and I decided to try it on the trail.  I’ve avoided riding with a full face mask in the past because I was worried that it would hinder his vision, but the flies were brutal and I needed to try something.  We tried it last Sunday and he seemed fine.  We did plenty of gaiting/cantering with no apparent vision issues, and it was a huge relief not having flies all over his face.  We’ve used it for every ride since.  Great product!

Do not adjust your monitor. This is not Rocco! This is a trained professional mask model.

Farnam Supermask II Fly Mask: This is a heavier duty fly mask designed for turnout.  Since the Quiet Ride is now being used on the trail, I needed something else for turnout.  I’m not convinced I like it yet, but maybe it will grow on me.  It’s very short and only goes to his cheekbone, so it doesn’t provide a lot of face coverage.

Deo-lotion fly spray: This was an exciting purchase!  I have used Deo-lotion cream on the horses’ sensitive areas, raw spots, and fly bites.  I loved this product in its cream version, and when I found out it came in a liquid concentrate as a fly repellent, I just had to try it.  At $36 for a liter it was no bargain but I’ve had such good luck with this brand in the past, I was willing to risk it.  And survey says…so far so good!  Smells just as good as the cream, it’s all natural with lots of oils, and leaves the horses’ coats smooth but not oily.  I don’t think anything is 100% effective against the most persistent deerflies but so far this has done a really good job.  For a little added protection I’ve been using a roll-on repellent across the top of Rocco’s neck, and that seems to do the trick.  And the final line of defense is the horsehair fly whisk that’s a permanent extension of my arm from April (gnats) to October (bees).

Shoes

Dennis, our farrier, is coming next Tuesday to put new shoes on in preparation for Vermont.  I can’t wait for the new shoes, because Rocco’s shoes are pretty worn down and the toes are about as thin as razor blades.  We are having pads put on the front hooves to give a little added protection in Vermont.

Diet

Rocco had a little hay belly this Spring but he’s looking lean now with the extra workouts.  I’m lucky that he’s such an easy keeper.  He only gets a cup of Poulin MVP twice a day, and he has a SmartPak supplement of Farrier’s Formula, SmartCalm, and Flex-N-Action, a joint supplement.  We’ll start introducing an electrolyte just before Vermont as well.

Kangaroo Chronicles

And finally… a section devoted to the quirky, oddball, and strangely endearing traits of my half horse/half kangaroo. 

Cutest things ever:

Rocco has been so itchy lately that when I go into his stall he stops what he’s doing and snuggles up to me to get scratched.  Adorable.

Rocco used to hate getting fly-sprayed, so I started giving him a cookie every time I sprayed him.  Now when he hears me shaking the spray bottle, he comes charging towards me.

Airborne Division:

Rocco has an issue with bikes, especially when they are moving.  Sometimes he can tolerate them, other times he explodes.  Yesterday was an explosion when a biker refused to slow down and Rocco sprouted wings and launched into the air like a circus animal.  Very dramatic.