In which Hana leaves for Fat Camp (but we tell her it's a spa resort)

Hana is fat, fuzzy, and out-of-shape. 

de-yakkifying

We need to fix that.  Duana and Jim want to ride a sleek, fit pony this summer, not a fluffy yak with cardiac issues!

Hana: sleeker, but still pudgy (note heaps of orange hair on the ground!)

Madeline started the "fitting up" process yesterday.  We rode out with the Usual Suspects.  The plan was to do 18 steady miles, but events conspired against us, and we ran short on time.

schooling

One of the "conspiring events" was Hana herself, who was determined to hollow her back and jig down hills. Mads doesn't like riding a hollow jiggy horse, so she insisted that Hana carry herself correctly downhill...which meant going slowly and enforcing the rules.

We told her that she'll be attending classes at an exclusive spa resort.

Hana did not appreciate the lesson in manners, but it was good for her! 

She's a drama queen. It gets old.

It really gets old in ridecamp, when Hana is safely penned in her corral, twirling and screaming and generally being obnoxious, and upsetting Fiddle, who is supposed to be showing everyone how nicely she can behave in a vetcheck. 

It's time to fix that too.

This morning, I loaded up both horses and headed for Fish Creek Farm, where Dory teaches our lessons.

Not too skinny, not too fat.  Nice, fit endurance horse!

 Our friend Michelle took a lesson on Hana.  She had fun!  Hana knows a LOT; she was very well-trained years ago, and we rarely touch the depth of her dressage training. 

It's a luxury for Michelle to be able to work on her own form,
instead of teaching a green-ish horse.  Good practice for everyone!

Hana likes dressage, which is convenient. One of her tasks for the next few months is to take lots of lessons with Duana and Jim and a few other riders.  Her other task is to lose weight.

This is the pasture for plump ponies at Fish Creek/Fat Camp

When I put her out in the new pasture, Hana called a few times for Fiddle, (who by all accounts did not call back to her).  She quickly made the acquaintance of some of the other fatties ponies.

"Who's the prettiest of them all?"

 And then (no surprise),

salad bar

it was time for lunch.


Meanwhile, back at Haiku Farm

"Didn't I used to have a pesty little sister here someplace?"

 Fiddle called a few times, just to see if Hana were hiding in the trees or something...

"Nope.  Guess not."

...and then got on to the more important items on her agenda.