dancinghorse | Doomed, I Tell You. Doomed.

First of all I want to thank all those who respond to posts (especially neepage) with little "I like this" comments. They mean a lot to me. If I miss a question, please do ask it again. I seem to get more crazed rather than less as time goes on, and Things Get Lost In Space.

Right now, crazeage is severe. Breeding season has just kicked into high gear. Yesterday we took Carrma and S's Ayrab mare Gold to the spa (aka Reata Equine Veterinary Services) for pre-breeding exams. Gold is just coming out of heat and has a shot of lutelyse for S to give her on Tuesday, which will induce a new estrus cycle so she can be bred to Pooka about five days thereafter. Carrma cycles like clockwork and we simply pulled her last file and determined that she will not achieve full estrus for another three weeks. She's to be delivered to the spa--beautiful facility among the mesquites near the McCartney ranch--on the 28th.

The staff were thrilled to see her. Much running and calling out: "It's Carrma! Carrma's back! Come see Carrma!" The Empress had Arrived. The vet was last to pull in; she heard his truck and her head snapped around. She started pawing imperiously. She knows what spa + vet + ultrasound machine mean. Another BAY-beee!

There were babies in residence: adorable little ranch QH (mom had a handsome and ornate brand) a few days old, and newborn Ayrab born less than 12 hours before. We enjoyed our baby fix.

Thanks to the upshot on Gold, plans got made very fast and she is now here--several weeks before I had expected it. Last night was Adventurous, what with keed the monstrously territorial, all the freaking out at the departure and then return of horses, and Gold deciding Pook is the love of this stage in her life. (Ayrab mares are Very Good Breeders. Makes them quite easy to deal with, though they can be a bit singleminded in season.)

So there are now nine horses in residence. The fine art of horse arranging has been practiced. Gold will stay until both she and Carrma confirm in foal--probably the end of May.

Pook is going to be very busy over the next few weeks. Today the vet's office e-mailed to say Twix's godmom had arranged shipment in early May, so could we please bring him in to be checked out beforehand. We'll take him on the 28th when we take Carrma, and he can have an assignation with Dolly the Inflatable Date. Meanwhile Curt the Wonder Shoer and I found a nice ditch to put Pandora in next week. Curt is going to help with that. S can help with Gold, she's Pooka's size and Very experienced.

He's with the program, for sure. Today when I put him in a stall with His Mares all around him, he started singing his stallion song, a bit like sirens and trumpets, with neck arched and mane streaming--being very biblical about it all.

Pandora has been establishing certain parameters. She is not an omega--she defers to Carrma but that's a choice. I turned Capria out with them, thinking they'd get along, and then Capria said bad words to Pooka. I found her at the far side of the arena, missing a shoe and borderline dehydrated. Pandora had chased the living hell out of her. Capria has never been cowed by anybody, even Marita. So back in with the kids she went. We'll figure something else out once Carrma goes to her new home.

Pandora has made it clear. She owns Pooka and she owns me. Otherwise, the universe is hers to rule. She's a very quiet alpha so can be deceptive--but so's Ephiny. Duh. And she has serious size. Joni measured her today--16.1 hands. She knows it and she uses it.

Lessons were today. Keed was a wet rag from charging the fence nonstop in attempts to terrorize a completely unimpressed Gold. Joni got his attention quite quickly, then he took Carrma out for a lesson on the trail with S. Meanwhile Camilla was not in the mood for any work, but I saddled her anyway and sat on her until her back softened, which was good progress considering how many disruptions we've had in the past two days. With her, progress is by tiny increments and is far more psychological than physical at this point.

Then, since Capria had had a work-free week thanks to the Pandora incident, plus it was very warm and she does not handle heat well, I gave way to the inevitable and brought Pandora out for saddling. Dressage saddle fits her at Camilla's setting with gel pad--very nice. Girth is laughably short--she needs Behemoth size. She needs a different bit but we used the 6-incher S had for her, and the very expensive, very fancy bridle I bought years ago, which was always too big for my other horses, fits beautifully. It's Very flashy--huge brass buckles and double brass keepers. Looks just right on that big baroque head; it's a reproduction of a baroque original in the first place. Bridles like that, which look garish on TB and even WB heads, belong on large white honkers.

So, all togged up and ready for the wars, we did some groundwork, established lines of communication, then Joni and I agreed that rather than mess with her further, I should just get up on the mounting block (I could probably do it from the ground but since the stirrup is roughly level with my chin, well, er...) and see what she said. She got a little anxious--afraid S would try to ride her after all--then realized that I really did mean to be her rider. She relaxed then, I got on--holy mackerel. Spectators laughed--I was oh so fashionable, tiny rider on huge horse. My leg came about two-thirds of the way down her side. She is wiiiiiiiiiiiide but not uncomfortable--her barrel is pear-shaped and doesn't get hugely wide until it gets below my knee. I've ridden large Warmbloods and she's definitely the widest thing I've ever sat on, except casacorona 's beloved Nada who was a solid four feet through the barrel (when she lay flat, we called her Moby Nada). Pandora is a hand taller than Nada and bigger all over, however since she's not as massive in the barrel for her size, it averages out and she's about the same width.

Them as knows kladruber1 's Alex know exactly what she's built like--only being a mare, she's got more midsection. I think she's more massive, a bit, too.

And yet, she rides just as light as Pooka, with the same intense responsiveness and exquisite sensitivity to the aids. Her early training was beautifully correct, and after a couple of minutes while she worked on remembering, she settled in, relaxed, gave me her back, stretched into the bit, and said, "Let me show you my trot." Joni was impressed. We just did a little jog, she's at least eight years out of practice and seriously out of shape, but the potential was as big as she is. And it was her idea--she offered it.

Oh dear. Oh dear dear dear. I do not need another riding horse. Really I don't. And this one is as pure a joy to ride as Pooka. She's just as hardwired, has a basis of training he's still acquiring, and is significantly calmer and less reactive. Joni said with a little time and miles, she'll be an amazing schoolmaster--she has the foundations. Not to mention, she has the size and presence to seriously whup ass in Warmblood territory.

Watch the rationalization machinery grind into gear. It will be a long time before Camilla is ready for more than she's doing now--a few minutes of me sitting on her and her thinking about it while Joni works another horse. Keed is Joni's dressage partner. That leaves Pook and Capria--so there's room for a third. Right? Right.

And yes, she can be ridden while she's in foal--until the last trimester. When Camilla should be ready to rumble at last. A couple more rides and she should be OK for solo work and, I think, rides Out with company. We just need to be sure of one another's reactions, and she needs a refresher in steering and brakes. Today was a test of whether she would want a rider at all, and if so, what she would do about it. She passed it with flying colors. I can work with her while lessons are going on, as I do with Camilla, and go solo fairly soon, I think. Just play with her and see how we get on--as I do with my younguns.

Alas and alack, this is a seriously good match for me, and at 18 (albeit in mint condition with very low mileage) she wants to seize the day and seize it now. I've wanted to ride her since she got off the van (and I'm jaded enough with multiple ridin' hosses that I very seldom care to ride anything I don't already own), and no wonder. This, like Pook, is another Just For Me model.

Though unlike Pook but like Capria, I think she'll be amenable to letting others ride her once we're past the reinstallation of software stage. It would be really nice to have another lesson horse available--especially one big enough to carry larger riders. Capria is built like a truck but she is only 14.3, and some heavier riders do tax her resources. Pandora can carry them and not even notice. Not to mention that, with her barrel, she can take up a Lot of leg.

We'll see. She is a literal godsend, I knew already--this is a lovely bonus. Her time with me won't be that long, compared to my kids, but we'll make every moment count.

Serendipity in the purest sense. We are happy.

And life otherwise does go on, with writing and all--e-mail is a bit behind because of all the breeding-season adventures. Must catch up this weekend.