New Pictures!

Friday Alex and I were back at work after two days off.  I decided to lunge him, since the temperatures had dipped and I hadn't worked him in two days.  He was very good on the lunge line, so much so that I probably could have just gotten on and ridden, but better safe than sorry.  We had interesting things going on around us, we had lost power in part of the farm, so there were trucks and workers climbing poles checking everything out.  Alex was really good, he was so calm, yet forward and light... it was wonderful.  Then I got really brave and decided to venture outside the arena.  He very quietly let me push the gate open and walked out into the grass around the arena.  I think Alex was a little confused.  He tried to stop a few times when I asked him to move forward, I thought he might be contemplating a buck, so I booted him forward into a trot to show him I meant business.  Finally he got over himself and walked calmly back to the barn.

Spring Sunset at the Farm

Saturday was a beautiful sunny windy day.  Alex started out working really well, then he saw some people walking down by the lake and just absolutely could NOT stop looking at them!  After several minutes I finally got his attention back and we managed some really nice flat-work, even our first
leg-yield at the trot!   Afterward we ventured out around the arena again and this time he was a little more brave :-)

The most exciting outcome of Saturday is that I finally have new PICTURES!  Huge thanks to my friend S, who graciously came out to watch me ride and snap some new shots for us.  They are all (sorry I'm excited so there are lots) posted below.



 

 

 

Staring at the "people of the lake"

 

 

 

Love him!

Good Boy!

 

 

Sunday I finally put the cross-rail exercise up in the outdoor for the first time.  Alex had another really stellar flat session and he followed it up by jumping really well.  He didn't even think about the jump, just went about his business.  I was feeling so confident, I decided we'd venture out a little further from the arena on our "mini hack".  He was cautious, but mostly curious ( other than this weekend, we've done NO hacking, walking around the farm at all since he arrived), walked where I asked and back to the barn with no fuss.  It was a really stellar three days of riding if I do say so myself!

 

Tonight Alex had a well-deserved day of rest, plus it's my birthday, so I elected to go out for a celebratory dinner :-)

 

 

Happy Tax Day!  Hope everyone gets a nice return with which to do some horse related shopping.