It's the little things

Take me with you!

Like when you go to get your horse and he hears you coming and hurries over to the gate, ready to play.


Like when the barn manager entirely re-levels and replaces footing in your horse's pen

When you carry a crop for the first time on the young horse and find out how quickly he learns to respect your leg

When you manage, for just a moment, to get your upper body exactly where it needs to be and feel everything coming together.

Trotting in and cantering down the line quietly, not perfectly straight, but right on the money with rhythm.

Walking bravely to the field even over (gasp) multiple different dirt colors with only the barest hesitation

When you don't curry his face enough and he backs up in the cross-ties and shoves his poll against the brush, making sure you get the message

Having him walk politely all the way from his run to the barn without trying to drag you to the grass.  This still only happens rarely, but it does happen now!

Hand walking a friend's hurt horse and watching him roll.  And roll.  And roll.  Then consider just staying in the sand and not getting back up because it is nice and warm.

All in all, everything is going pretty well in horse world.  Odin is learning at his unhurried pace.  Our lesson Saturday morning was basic but was one of those shining rides where several different things you are working seem to come together at the same time.  He was able to carry his own head around, hold his leads, move off the leg, etc.  I still need (forever and always) to work on outside aids at the canter.  More weight in outside stirrup, more control of the outside shoulder.

I watched his training ride Sunday and she makes it look so easy but turning at the canter is still hard for the youngling and you need to really be there for him or he bulges and/or lead swaps.  She worked more on his lead changes and while he experimented briefly in hind-only tempis he quickly settled down.  He squeals pretty loudly when he gets a clean change that he considers hard work, which cracks us all up.  Another reason he might be a jumper I suppose.

Vicious Maya snapping at flies

Dogs are doing well right now.  Maya is acting totally fine but needs to go in for follow up blood work.  Jasper went to the ophthalmologist and got the best news we could hope for!  I mean, it isn't great - he has a chronic autoimmune eye disorder - but it isn't pannus and most likely isn't degenerative.  He can hike and be in the sun like normal.  There is no treatment, but as it hasn't been hurting him, it will mostly likely continue to be a little ugly but not painful.


A few too many "most likely"'s in there, but it really was the best case scenario. So at least we can play outside again.

Happy goober dog