You've Gotta Be Proud

I had an absoloutly wonderful ride yesterday. We went to the barn after the appraisal, which went well. We'll get the info back tomorrow or the next day! By the time we were there, J was already getting the horses to the barn. It's pretty easy to do in the evening, sometimes they'll come with a whistle, but typically you have to go out and get one about halfway to the barn, then they all come galloping towards the food! Yesterday, Red and Spirit decided to be slowpokes but Spirit ended up walking to us while Red thought the water in the 4-acres was much more interesting, so we went ahead and got him. He would've come down but we were on a limited time, as always. (can't wait to get them home, LOL) He was super willing and awesome, though. Had to take a few spins because he wanted in the barn but I wanted to tack him up outside. He was pretty clean so grooming wasn't hard at all.

Pretty boy.

We decided to ride in our trails today, so we went towards the 4 acres, mounted and went down the bigger hill. For such a long time off of our much harder to ride trails, they did amazing and remembered where every hole and ditch was. Red tried to turn once we got down but with the help of my spurs (YAY leg pressure!!) I barely had to use my reins and he turned right back and then mom dropped her crop so had to dismount and mount again. Oh well, just tests for the ponies.

Facing the barn to tempt him, did awesome.

Once we got to the back pasture, Red did a little loping up the hill but I ended up slowing him down before I normally would because he's so used to running there and he was very....um, upbeat and sour. We did a lot of circles around a huge burn pile. He wanted to run, so we loped around it, trotted around it and then when he decided he didn't want to run, I let him walk and we went back to our trails after about 30 minutes up there. He never goes fast or is barn sour on the trails though, I think he knows he has to be extra careful.

He really thinks he's an Arabian, I swear.

Red was having a really great hair day.

After that, we rode around in the 4 acres and just played around. A and her husband ended up joining us, her on Patches and him on Dusty, but we all pretty much rode to ourselves.

I did a lot of posting work and geeze, my knees hurt. But I think his trot is starting to smooth out, he's rough until I start asking for smoother movement and he slows down and seems to reach more, so yay! His lope is still terrible but I'm used to it so I guess it doesn't really matter.

Once we were done up there, I was walking Red through the round pen to the barn while mom talked to J with Spirit, and I had a spur of the moment decision. I've been wanting to start working on bridleless and we had enough time, so I tightened my saddle back up (we dismounted and loosened the cinch before the barn) and managed to get back on without a bridle to tell Red to stand with, haha. When I mounted, I accidentally nudged him with the spurs (Not hard, just rolled them on his stomach but that's his cue for a trot, lol) and he trotted around the round pen. He slowed down once I sat back but I honestly think he just needed to get energy out, lol. After that, it was smooth sailing. He changed directions with leg pressure and touches on his neck, spinned really well once and did a little back, which is amazing because he never backs.

Good horse is good!

I'm always amazed at how wonderful he always does tackless and bridleless, no matter if he has a saddle on or not, he's just a star. To my knowledge, I'm the first that's tried this with him, and he is just taking it like a champ and doing awesome. In the future, I'd love to be able to do this in the pasture and I think we'll get there.

He's gaining his muscle back!!

We worked a ton on his Western Pleasure stuff and getting the headset back, I love a low headset on a Quarter Horse like him and he's doing good with it as he always did. This is his kind of thing, going slow and just enjoying the ride without the stress. He loves to chase some goats and cows but I just think that he's happier in this kind of scene.

At one point I threw my reins around his neck to get him to practice spins, but 99% of the time, it just laid there, haha.

He's just the sweetest horse ever, I swear.

I told mom "WOAH look at that headset!" Lol!

Once I dismounted, I walked to the other side of the round pen and he literally followed me everywhere. I ran, he ran, I circled, he circled. It sounds so corny but stuff like that means the world to me. If he wanted to, he could've easily just said, "Nope! No more work!" and walked away. But he followed me everywhere, slipped his head right back into the bridle so I could walk him back easier and was just a total dream.

He followed me right out, to the barn and he definitely got some treats. Haha!!

Red definitely has his moments and his barn sour thing is driving me insane, but when it matters, he's there and being perfect. Just remembering where he was when I got him when it came to getting him to come to people makes me so happy. He'd run away. And now, he's to the point that he seems like he actually wants to be around me, and he doesn't just do this with everyone at the barn, unless they have a treat, haha!! We had gotten to a point that riding was stressful and we've completely fixed that now and I'm happy that I don't have to dread riding because of the barn sour stuff.

And with that, videos!

I've come to the conclusion that unless you are proud and happy with what you do, you won't get very far. Never leave the horse on a bad note, make sure you leave knowing that you did at least one thing, accomplished something, that you can be proud of. Red had his moments yesterday and before, I probably would've dismounted when he acted up and just walked home with him, but if I had of done that, I would've missed out on one of the most awesome moment that I've had since I got this horse. Don't let yourself get burnt out and lazy with what you love.

On another note, we told J, A and R about the property...it's becoming real now. I can't wait to have it and be able to see my horse every day.. Woohoo!