Wonderful Weekend

Okay, I told you about the great, if tough ride with Comrade. The rest of Saturday was devoted to putting away the heated buckets and putting up the cabinets in the feed room. With all the activity in the barn the horses stayed outside and ate alfresco. I went out to free their tails from the tail bags and Winston decided that he wanted to play "Catch Me." He ran into our runway area with DaVinci. In the past we have used this area to free lunge. So I walked up to him and he moved away. Mom stood at one side to "block" him (she would not have stood a chance if he really wanted to leave). I then proceeded to work him in the area doing transitions. After working both ways I had him halt and took his tail bag off. The whole time DaVinci stayed around watching. He knew my attention was on Winston. He was smart enough to claim some carrots that came later.
Sunday was a bit of a roller coaster. A high was that Comrade gave me some neck stretches at the walk. It was the first time he has offered to reach down. Maybe we will actually get a free walk.
Then at my barn I was greeted by a sweaty, sticky Rosemary who was on my ride list. So I set to work chipping her out of her sweat matted fur. A pile of fur later, she was tacked and ready to go. Oh wait, now Dottie starts protesting me taking away her girlfriend. For minute I wondered if I would even be able to get on Rosemary as she was dancing around, but she listened when I told her to stand. And off we went.
I put three trot poles out so that we could work on her not pacing. I probably looked crazy, riding and looking at our shadows to see how she was moving. At trot I believe we were doing OK, but at walk she seemed to still be pacing. On a positive we got both canter leads and she was able to complete the short side of the dressage ring at canter. I was strongly reminded that she IS only a 5 year old and still is very green. I really could have used eyes on the ground with her. Overall we still had a great ride. She did have to have a cold shower after. Even before her stall guard was up, she was down rolling in the sawdust.
Here are some pictures of the ponies, naked with no tail bags enjoying the spring grass.

I love this picture



DaVinci still a polar bear



I had to get a picture of his tail before he steps on it. It is on the ground by 4inches.



9 Month old Roscoe



"Can you open the gate for us?"



Rough Rosemary and Cute Dottie



Hello