Perfect Sundays Lead To Good Mondays

The Two Loves of My Life

Pilgrim's true personality!

With the beautiful weather yesterday Chuck and I couldn't resist spending it outside with the horses. How did I get such a great guy who will hang around the farm all day with me? After checking on all the horses we started to saddle up! Chuck rode M.C., short for Mint Chocolate, our Walking Horse Pony around the farm.

Chuck on M.C.

Two Handsome Boys!

I of course rode my boy. Even though I lunged before I got on I guess the warm weather made him feel good or the music I was playing but...oh my, I had A LOT of horse underneath me. On the bright side, he was super responsive! He did really great and is starting to be able to hold his frame for much longer periods of time. We got in more canter work and while he still is unable to sustain it for really long periods, it's much more balanced. His halt to trot transition is really good. We still have to work on down shifting gears as he tends to dive down, but we are working it out.

I enjoyed my weekend spending so much time with my hubby and definitely was having myself a case of the Mondays this morning. Chuck and I stayed up late talking about when we first met and how much different our lives are now that we have each other and how we almost didn't meet....you know, mushy love stuff. So anyways, I was tired this morning and had to drag my butt out of bed. At least I knew I had another day of pretty weather ahead of me!

I rode Pilgrim again this morning. His ride was even better today. I did not lunge him prior to getting on and he was fine. After warming up we worked on canter circles, leg yields while keeping good forward impulsion instead of sucking back, turns on the haunches and forehand, and his halts. Today was another good day for him and I'm hoping it keeps up. We need to ride outside of the arena and out in the fields. One, to help build up muscle tone and endurance, and also so he gets used to changing his riding environment. River Glen has Schooling Shows scheduled for the end of March and I'm crossing my fingers that we will be ready to at least attempt a training level test. It's going to be a bit before we can get to first level...still a lot to work out. Guess I can put that freestyle on the back burner! =) May and June start rated shows, but I definitely would like to get to schooling show first so we don't completely embarrass ourselves!

We also worked with MayMay today. This is her last week in training and then she goes home this weekend. We will definitely miss this character, but we will see her weekly at her home and we have three more horses already on the farm ready to start over the next few weeks. Tomorrow we are going to get out two of them and evaluate what all they are going to need, Lulu and Peanut. One is a smaller, sweet mare, the other a 16.2 black walking horse ex-stallion. He should be fun.

I had lessons this afternoon and Faith rode as well. She has now worked her way up to coursing 6 jumps at one time! The pony was having a really good day and they did well. He did give her a few bigger jumps than he needed to, but she rode through them fine and he wasn't rushing the jumps so I can't complain. Afterwards we rushed home so Faith could finish her Helen Keller project for school and Dwight and Chuck could play catch outside while we still had some daylight. Dwight wants to start practicing since Little League sign ups are this weekend. He wants to move up to coach pitch.

Just a girl and her pony

Faith's Helen Keller Project

Yes, I really do have a son and I promise I will get some more pics of him up soon!