Mustang Saga

It's been a great week. Lots of mustang fun. I wrote about our ride on Wednesday already. Thursday (yesterday) we went back to the arena, worked some more on softness, walk trot transitions, and both improved greatly. We tried loping some more, but it wasn't as successful. According to my sister he was "crossfiring" which apparently means he's on a different lead in the front legs than he is in the hind legs. And unfortunately it was the wrong lead up front too... Goofball. He kept knuckling over on the hind legs, all clumsy like the big puppy he is. I got worn out, but we did get a couple good ones before we quit. When I walked him out of the arena he went from sleepy tired boy to alive and alert and interested, and I thought I'd better get him out on a more interesting, less technical ride tomorrow.

So I did! Today I changed the flat on my trailer (was a blast with my new homemade jack - http://www.cowboyshowcase.com/tires.htm - such a sense of girlie accomplishment!). Then I loaded up Tonka, waited for the school bus with horse in tow, and headed over to my sister's for a nice ride down the road. Her friend with the gorgeous red dun paint came along, it was a blast. All the horses were really well behaved. My sister was on her 2 year old, I was on my 3 year old, and the other horse is older but hadn't been ridden in a while and thought my sister's horse was "his." So we could have had a terrible ride, but it wasn't! Tonka spooked twice. Once at a pile of boulders. Goofy boy. Once he smelled them he dismissed them as if they'd never worried him, after falling apart about it. Jeez. Later the dog came galloping by us and he wasn't expecting it I guess. His spook spooked my sister's horse, but they both kept themselves together and went right back to normal. Tonka was so happy to be out, so interested and engaged. They kept making comments about how cute he was. He really is like a puppy dog. He can sure walk out too. We spend a lot of time riding alone up ahead. I'm okay with that. I hope they don't think I'm rude, but I don't want to have to keep nagging him by working circles or asking him to slow down, etc. I did stop and wait when I felt like we were too far ahead. Doesn't make for great chatting... Which is okay because I'm not too good at chatting.

When we got home I thought about letting Bella out with him. But it turned out not to be a good day for it. She was hard to halter, got scared and ran off, then was all worked up, so it took a while to catch her. Once I had her haltered I took her out into the pasture and it turned out we were going to have a little battle of wills... I guess she needed a leading refresher. :) She learned to move forward, give me her head, back up, etc, all over again. Silly girl. Then I put her back, put a halter on and off repeatedly, and brushed her and let her be. I've been neglecting her, and it shows. I need to spend more time with her. But it'll probably always be this way, one horse will get more attention than the other at times.

Good times though, very good times!