Electric fences = interesting rides

We have been able to enjoy super nice temperatures this summer. Our average is staying around 80 degrees which is almost perfect. I can't stand hot weather so this summer has been nice compared to last year. The nice temps mean lots of horse time for me :)

Last week Jess got shoes with pads put back on to help with his soft soles. As much as I would love to keep him barefoot it just isn't possible with him, not if I want him to be pain free. His shoes have helped him 100% and we are riding and getting him out now. Which is good since he is getting a bit chubby. We are going to try a different kind of shoe this next time though. The Epona shoes are a plastic more flexible shoe and they say they are a good in between for barefoot and metal shoes. My trainer loves them and our farrier says they would work for Jess. He will stay in his metal shoes for 6 weeks and then we will switch him over. I am also going to try them on Pixie's front feet. I want to try and get her one frog in her club foot more developed. She doesn't have a true club foot, but it does sit higher and has a contracted heel so I hope to widen it. Pixie has been barefoot since I have had her and she is sound for the most part over any surface, but always battles thrush in her one front foot because the frog isn't functioning properly.  We will see, but I figure it is worth a shot with the shoes.

On to explain my title for the post. Yesterday we enjoyed a mid morning ride. My partner took Willow and I decided to ride Jess. He needs the exercise more than Pixie.  So we meandered around the barn and back behind the pastures where the fence line is. Well on our way out of the trail behind the pasture Jess was excited, but then something kinda spooked him. I say kind of because Jess really doesn't spook just looks and might jump a bit sideways. Well I think we would have recovered from that just fine had the bugs not bothered him at the same time so there was a head shake and tail swish to get rid of the bugs, but then he swished his tail into the electric fence behind us. Not sure if it actually shocked him or if just got stuck in the fence for a second, but I saw his head go down and knew what was next. At that moment my partner yelled "hold on" and yep sure enough he started to buck. They were little and it was over fast enough. I quickly took him out of the trees to the clearing and we just stood for a second to calm down. Then we quietly finished our ride. All in all it was a good ride. However I am pretty sure two times is more than Pixie has bucked with me, lol. I am not sure how Jess and I get into these messes, but at least it always ends well :)