Making progress

Ok so a few things happened over the weekend. First I hope everyone had a nice Easter. We did, the girls had fun and life is good.

I acquired a couple of new tops and a coat for my turnout.  Awesome deals on each one.  When I can get pictures of it all, I will post them and ask for feedback. I want to look the part, stand out just enough, but not overdo it.  There will be three outfits, one brown with either yellow or gold, green with black and navy blue with light blue.  I am in the process of finding material to do the aprons for each one as well.

Last weekend I trimmed the little man. I admit, I got him a tad short on the right front and he has been a little gimpy and tender footed.  So I turned him and a few others out all week. If there are horses out in our work space- driving is not gonna happen. Yes I wanted to drive him, but he needed a little break. Yesterday I had to run to the feed store and as I was getting everything in the truck I seen him and Mondo playing. Not a limp or a gimp or a touch of soreness so last night I had the itch to hook him again and drive.



I put the saddle, britchen, breast collar and traces on him, fastened everything up, lunged him a little and he kept eyeballing a feed sack that had blown into the pasture. It was up against the fence and going to get him for sure... So when we were done lunging, I walked him over and grabbed the sack. Of course I shook it so it made noise, then let him sniff it once, told him his food came in those sacks and rubbed his neck, shoulder, the side of his head with it and he just stood there looking at me as if rolling his eyes and thinking "Oh brother! She really is nuts."  Just the reaction I expected and wanted from him.

Put the bridle on him, the reins, hubby and I put him to the cart and to be sure he was ready for this again, I walked along behind the cart as we went about half way around. He was quiet on the side of lazy, so I stopped him and climbed in.  We went around a few times to the left, a few to the right, circles, stops and let him stand.  Then we pushed the envelope.  It was time to ask for a little more.

This time as we walked off, I was to cluck a little more, ask for a more forward walk and get him to start stepping out. Which he did. Then increase the excitement and try for a few strides of trotting.  Which he finally did.  Only let him go a few strides, stopped him, praised him, then walk on and see about a few more strides.  He was working really well and by the end of our session he seemed to understand "Trot on" meant pick up the pace. Which he did. 

He moved off and was working really well. Yep! I am a proud pony momma!  I also have to note that we will, at some point, bring other horses in to either work or stand around so he realizes, just because they are there, it is not the time to be socializing. This will work in two ways, since the other horses will need to be familiar with a pony and cart moving around.  Solis must have known and since she was in the adjoining pasture came ambling up to the fence to see what was going on. As we approached, he started to get a little excited. Spring is in the air...  He raised his head, looked her direction and started to nicker at her.  That low, stallionly nicker. I pushed him on, tugged the inside rein and that was the end of it.   Can't ask for much more than that.