Mustang Saga

 Today I took Joseph on a six mile hike in the mountains.  He was so AWESOME!  

This grange building is next to where we park to ride these trails.  Makes for a neat old-timey photo.

We encountered some wildlife, but not much.  A startled grouse and a startled (startling) deer.  Joseph didn't spook at either of them.  What a guy!

 He loved the puddles, especially drinking out of them.

This picture didn't transfer right, but I had to share it anyway - doesn't he just look so content?

Here he's having a nice snack with his new friend Moose:

Standing at a nice viewpoint (although my phone camera doesn't pick up the view):

Cutie pie:

Moose or Mustang? Moosetang?

And another fun old-timey photo.  :)

He trailered really well both ways, loading and unloading nicely.  I've just been hauling him loose.  He likes to stand backward.  We did a little training on the trail to perfect walking next to each other (he prefers to be just a bit behind) and that's about all the schooling we did, other than me insisting he couldn't just grab grass whenever he wanted.

Yesterday I saddled him up and introduced him to the lariat.  The coils kind of pop against each other when you bump them around, but he really didn't seem to mind.  I put it through the stirrup and then over the horn so I could flap the stirrups from a distance as he circled around me.  That was a little scarier but no big deal.  What was a big deal was when I decided to pick out his feet afterward.  He just didn't want to give me those hind feet.  He still doesn't really trust me that much.  But I insisted he let me, by pivoting him on is forequarters when he jerked his foot away, and it kind of wasn't much fun for either of us.  I did get it done, but then when I went to get him today he wasn't sure he wanted to be caught.  It didn't take long though before we were on our way.

I also put him out in the pasture with the other horses for the first time yesterday.  That was interesting to watch.  There was no fighting, just a little initial squealing and posturing to let Scout and Bella know to leave him alone and stay out of his way, and they were peaceful after that.  Same thing today when I put him out.  He struts right between Scout and the fence, which is a squashed situation most horses don't like, but Scout darn well stays out of the way and lets him pass.  (If you knew this pushy colt you'd be amazed.)  They also give up their hay piles to him when he tells them to, but he will share some.  Usually he is the one to walk away, when he decides he is done with their nosiness and staring (they're really interested in him even while they're eating). 

Pretty cool guy, all around.  I am just tickled with him.  I feel pretty lucky.  :)