Originally this was supposed to be part of the blog hop, but then I waited too long to get it posted.  Oops.  The thought was there!

My clips have gotten progressively bigger and more aggressive over the past few years.  One year I did just half her neck and her chest.  Last year I did all of her neck, chest, and her shoulder.  This year I also clipped some at her belly.

Hindsight says: I should have taken off more.  I probably won’t – odds are we won’t be doing long enough rides in the evening to need it – but I hope this reminds me to do so next year!

My clip lines are questionably straight, I definitely missed a few patches here or there, and I’m still using clippers better designed for small areas and not full-body clipping.  But.. for once a year.. and for the amount of mane she has to hide all my errors.. it works well enough.  My balancing act here is that I rarely-if-ever blanket.  Clipping too much leads to others at the barn giving looks of shame in our general direction; heaven forbid my fluffy winter-coated pony be cold!  It occasionally drops below freezing overnight.  I do not think she will be cold.

Tuesday after Quicksilver 50, Confetti looked stiff and uneven.  Her energy level was still fairly low.
Thursday, she was turned out with her sister just before the major rainstorm came through.  I left word that she could run as much as she wanted, just let me know if she looked sound.  Word came back that she looked good and was chasing her sister all over the arena.  Good pony!  That’s what I like to hear.Saturday she enthusiastically trotted circles for me and looked acceptable.  At least 95% recovered, if not 100%, and feeling good.

Normally that would be the point where I hop on and we go for a brisk trail ride.  The weather did not cooperate, and the rain and mud are not what I want to do my first post-50 ride in.  I know I’ll be flying a super-powerful kite.  Better not to do it while sliding down muddy hills!  If all goes well, first ride back is this Thursday.

I have not given up on LDs or even 50s with ‘Fetti, fear not!  I have concerns about her lungs that need resolved before we go back into conditioning.  Game plan to be figured out after discussion with one or two vets.  I’m worried about her hocks, too, but at least there I’m pretty clear on what my options are and how I want to assess how she’s doing.

Getting both those issues resolved and conditioning her for a mid-summer ride next year may be overly ambitious.  Not out of the question, though!  We’ll see where things shake out this winter.