Summer seems to be finally here in earnest. I got out to the barn multiple times during the week (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.) Which was good because it means Aiden didn’t get the whole week off. No, of course I am not looking at my phone while sitting on a horse I’ve owned less than… Read more »
figure-eights
Letting Go
Since we went to our first Buck clinic, I’ve been working hard to change the way I ride in any number of ways. The biggest is to do with my legs. Before Buck, I thought I used my legs, but really, I didn’t. I hadn’t been that great at using my legs before Steen, but… Read more »
A Young Whippersnapper. Also, Trees
The outdoor arena at our barn is kind of a joke. It’s not really an area at all, just a fenced off area that doubles as an isolation pen for sick/injured/special-needs horses. It’s rarely available. Today it was empty, and while the footing on one half is jagged dried mud too rough to ride on,… Read more »
The Comfort Zone Wars
We rode on the strip today. My plan was to continue to work on Steen’s dislike of being out of his strip comfort zone bubble. My plan for the day was to do all of our easy work and all of our resting down the strip well past where he prefers to be, and all… Read more »
All Grown Up (Kind Of)
Laredo has been feeling a lot more mature lately. With his 4th birthday just around the corner, we’ve now owned him almost a quarter of his life. It’s evident in all the little things. He is quiet now, familiar with our routine around the barn. Today, for the first time, I took my leather halter… Read more »
Obstacles
The sun was out today, and we waited for things to really warm up before heading out to the barn. Our plan was to do a double ride, starting with me on Laredo and Brian on Steen, then switching to me riding Steen and Brian riding Bear. We planned to do the first ride on… Read more »
Needles and Flags
Last night we got an email saying the vet would be at our barn in the morning for anyone who needed vaccinations and teeth. Our guys had their teeth done in the fall, but we needed shots. We had to cram the barn in between two other things, but it was good to get out… Read more »
A Tiny Outing
Today the sun was out, and although it was not exactly warm it felt like spring. Steen is shedding in earnest now. He was warm under his blanket. Hopefully he can go naked before much longer. We were indoors for most of the ride. I started out working on figure eights with no hands. It… Read more »
Things to Remember
We rode in the indoor arena again today. Steen wasn’t quite as energetic as he was last ride, and he was thinking a little more than I would have liked about going to the middle of the arena and standing still. This is habit that surfaces now when we ride indoors. Basically what it amounts… Read more »
Busy Weekend
We had a lot to get done this weekend, largely of the “preparing for the holidays” variety. Saturday was dreary and rainy. It was pretty much wet all day, and instead of going to the barn we got copious amounts of very “responsible adult” types things done, like cleaning the house, and finishing our Christmas… Read more »