Mustang Saga

I rode Scout tonight and boy was I proud of him.  He was a little spooky at first but settled in and was listening well, if a little distracted.  I tried to keep him busy and not let him stare off at every little thing and eventually he was less like a looky-loo colt and more steady.  Then someone started firing a gun somewhere over the hill.  I tensed, remembering how Scout is now afraid of guns, and then immediately relaxed, thinking he didn't need me telling him that this was actually a scary thing.  He relaxed too!  Mostly.  I gave him a few more things to think about but didn't rush into frantic maneuvers or anything, and soon he had forgotten all about that annoying noise in the distance.  Then the guy started firing fast - it must have been an automatic weapon.  That rattled Scout a little bit but again, he got back to work.  So I was super proud of him, and of me, for keeping it from being scary.  THEN some dingbat in the other direction started revving an engine obnoxiously loudly.  I don't know if I've ever heard one that loud.  Not sure what it was, but it sounded like a motorcycle.  Scout didn't like that either, and was very keen on watching it, but again, we got over it.  Overall a very good ride.  He's a good boy.  Oh, and he's a BIG boy too.  He has officially outgrown Tonka.  I measured him at 15.3 hands tonight.  He still looks like a baby to me though - it's all in the expression.

Yesterday I decided Bella needs a consistent routine, every day at the same time, but I also decided not to start that now.  She's more hormonal today, I could tell from how she's acting in the pasture, so I didn't want to set us up for frustration or failure.  I'll wait until this first spring fever has passed.

Tonka had a couple days off his supplements that keep him working right, so he's had several days off.  He also seemed sore in the loin after our camping trip, so why not give him a break.  But the day before I decided that, he loped for me!  It was an accident, but it felt good.  We were ponying Bella and trotting up the hill and he was feeling competitive.  He wasn't staying at a consistent speed and I was having trouble staying with his movement so I leaned forward and grabbed his mane and squeezed, meaning to ask for a faster trot, and there he went, into a nice lope.  That's a big deal for us.  I can't wait to try it again.  I think that day he was ready.  I don't know how he'll be after time off but soon, very soon...

Anyone want to come ride some horses for me?  I just don't know how I'm going to ride all 3 of them consistently.  And soon I'll be working so I'll have to either find more energy or something...