Where I continue my riding(and do a lot of "thinking")

BHow sad is it that I am excited (and quite sore, truth be told) that I have ridden now 2 days in a row??? A total of 5 (count 'em) rides. Maybe 6 if I can move my ass from this chair. Not quite possible this moment.

So, today was the "Need to work Tahoe" day to ensure that we are on the right track recovering from his strange colic yesterday. So, out we came and work we did. I was not going to ride, but it was about 60 out, sunny, beautiful and so, well, seemed like a walk down the driveway was a good idea. Got to the end and seemed like a walk around the property was a good idea. Finished that and it seemed like a walk into the jump field was a good idea. Got in there and it seemed like trying to get him to walk over this log.was a good idea. (seeing the trend here?)

when you get closer, it appears a bit "stranger..."

but really, it's pretty small. But strange looking. Oh, and no natural or unnatural wings of any sort. That  admittedly might pose a problem.. and  I admit, it kind of did.

So, since my efforts on his back were a solid failure, I thought I'd lead him over. Another "OMG! These STUPID humans! But she has peppermints...better go, huh?" moment to be had by Tahoe.  So, he did. A few times. Even jumped the  bigger part, (kinda). So, I got on...outside, from the log (Big deal, you know- getting on an OTTB out in the open...Taco trained me well on this one- we never really did this safely.)  Tahoe was good and stood while I clamored on.  I headed towards the log again. He went once and then decided that he'd had enough of the human & pony show and decided that he might like to do something else instead. Pretty much anything else. Like pout. So, off I got again, and over we went again with me jumping with a great deal of excitement.  I got back on (still good about that, thankfully) and went thru our dance routine (again.)

 Then-his brain got clicking and he decided that perhaps jumping this damn log, where I wanted him to jump it, was a good idea.  Much better then just standing there with me clucking and telling him that it is a good idea to go over the damn thing. And that was that. Simple, huh?

Despite the fact that there was some weak discussion about this (no spurs nor crop made it kind of difficult to discuss. We needed to reason...) I am really proud of him. He DID it- was brave, and pretty honest. I mean, that is a big field, and he is not straight, and I am not solid. Could have (and should have) made for a disaster. But, this did not happen. He was good! So, back to the barn, rinsed off, and given an extra bit 'o' grain (which thankfully he ate right on up...wheew.)

So, onto Reason. Out we went to lunge. Yesterday he was very good. Well... good enough for me at least. I had already decided that I was going to walk him over the log when we  were done lunging. No dummy am I! I will show him early what XC might look like at the minnow level. So, today, well, the gas musta had a bit of water in it, as we were sputtering on the lunge. I was much more out of breath then Reason was (no dummy is HE!) at the end. He just did not have much of a game face. So I was not going to get on him and just walk him to the above log. But then,  I reasoned, I had better at least sit on him so he got the clue that this is what a big horse does. So I did. TOday we found 1st gear. Kind of like 1st base for a teenager- not what it will be, but the act is the same. We went forward. Not very fast, nor with any semblance of straightness, but we did go from point A to B- just not as the crow flies. A drunk crow, maybe. 

So, we got to the door. And .... I was going to get off, but it seemed like a good idea to see if he might walk up the hill. My reasoning was this: it was heading towards the barn. But, boy oh boy, it seemed very very far away.

We were brave and up the hill we walked. And yes, I was scared. Because all I had was a halter and a lead rope. Some times I wonder about my sanity.

So we got up to the barn and I lept off and handed Reason tons of peppermints and a big hug. He like both of those.  We headed down to the jump field, and he followed me over those willingly enough. I then decided (I did a lot of that today, didn't I?) that perhaps I should see if he thought going up and down the stone wall was a good idea. 

If you count

five stones over, that is where I aim for. Sweet  Reason jumped right up that wall...and right on down!

What a good boy!

He took it all as I would expect from Reason- in stride, without fuss. Nice boy! Goooodddddd Boy!

We then went inside, when I remembered that Reason did not exactly like baths so, I thought it would be a good idea to bathe him.  From this picture, I don't think he agrees!

All in all, another great horse day. The kind of day where you get to remember why you do all that you can do to keep them- and keep them happy, safe and sound. The kind of day where you sleep soundly at night, as both the mind and body are tired.