grain of salt

Twelve minutes, twelve minutes...why do I need twelve minutes of inaccurate data to tell me what I already know? Maybe it's seeing the information in a visual graphic, or the competitive side of me wanting to do better now that information is in my face, or just because. 

Earlier this week I tried running the Equitrack app more diligently, twice. Once with my ride on Koda, where I carefully paused and restarted, whenever we paused and restarted, and once with my ride on Nemo, where I decided pausing was a hassle. Running the app the entire time during Nemo's ride would be a good comparison anyways. I got the same inaccurate results using the app both ways. Below is the hybrid map of Nemo's ride. It didn't record any part of our indoor ride. I'm not going to bother sharing the inaccurate tracking graphics, and Koda's ride map looks similar:

It's really not the app's fault, it's the lack of cell reception. I started both boys in the outdoor arena, which is still too wet for faster gaits, and then moved indoors to finish our rides. I spent more time indoors then out. Imagine my disappointment when I checked the app out of curiosity to see where we were with ride time, and noticed it had not changed since I last checked it outside. Clearly the app does not record data without GPS. Time to - step away from the app - and take all the inaccurate data with a grain of salt. 

I had both arena's all to myself this day, and spent the morning riding alone. Well, I was with the horses of course. I rode Koda first, he moved out better then our previous ride. Nemo was good too, except for his lope. I loped him enough to know to stop. I do think we could have put it together better had I kept going, but Nemo's lope has a very different feel then what I am used to. It's kinda like a rocking horse, but this time it felt like it was on the rockers ends, with not enough forward movement. Waaay forward, then waaay back. It didn't help he was preoccupied with looking at the light peeking under the service door. I decided to leave loping alone for now, until I get to know him better under saddle. Nemo has a fantastic jog, so we just enjoyed more of that!

After I got done riding both horses, I turned the wild child Cierra out to burn off some stalled energy. She had been calling us off/on through the morning. The girl had many bucks, crow hops, rears and squeals to get out of her system. As usual she ran faster then the wind! I watched her stunning beauty from afar. Koda & Nemo didn't flinch the entire time. One would think they are a couple of old men, but they are only seven. What a difference three years makes, that and daily turn out to just be a horse...wish I had gotten my camera earlier.

Nemo & Koda enjoying a buffet,
while Cierra goes cray-cray

Before I headed home I had to visit the resident baby horse Cash, who is growing fast. Such a sweet guy! I would take him in a heartbeat, if he was for sale and we had our own place. He is in a bit of a fugly stage, but still so darn cute. I'll share some updated pics of him soon. 

Hope you all take time to get outside and enjoy horse-time this weekend, before the snow flies!