The Adventures Continue....

We have had some seriously wacky weather here this week, and its not about to get better. We might even get snow tomorrow. Linus is in the barn right now actually, we just keep getting one storm after the other and it has been that way since Thursday when we had hail about 4 times!! Which is the reason why I haven't posted. My internet at home is down. Thank goodness it is working here at the farm or you wouldn't be reading this! I have been following all of your posts though. I can read them on my cell phone. I should probably look into just blogging from it since the internet on there is more reliable than the computer!!
My RAC shirt must have brought me some luck yesterday. I had some errands to run and decided to wear it. A friend who knew I have been keeping my eyes open for a good deal on a buggy called and told me where one was. Only about 2 minutes from my house and 5 from the farm. I stopped on my way home. There were 2 sitting outside. A light training cart and a really nice buggy. I got a great deal to take them both so I did!! So look out Betsy and Nimue; here come Donna and Linus!!!!!! Ha Ha Ha, yeah right!! If in a few years we can accomplish half of what they can, I will be thrilled!!
I put the training cart in his pasture for him to nose around and ivestigate. That he did very thoroughly!! I pulled the cart around and he followed along and was so curious!! So, then I lead Linus with one hand and pulled the cart with the other. He wasn't so full of himself with it behind him but he did let me lead him around and pull the cart with the other hand....I believe this is worth some points too!! But I'm not going to check it off just yet. I want him to be more comfortable with it and I want pictures too!! (gotta get them points!!!)
The accomplishment this week that I am most proud of (other than my buggy purchase!) was the amount of water I was able to get Linus to walk through. More so, how little effort it took to get him to go through the water too. We went through puddles and a small ditch. I had pictures but I think I lost them in the transfer process. With using my phone for the pictures I have to email them to my computer then move them to a folder and then upload them to blogger. For that reason and combined with our current lousy internet connection, this post holds no pictures. But I do promise very soon to post some.
I picked up Linus' front feet from one side but haven't yet attempted the hind yet. I was so pleased with doing the front I was happy to stop at that and not push him. I was very surprisingly impressed last night. I had to get Owen's tractor unstuck from the wet grass for him and when I left Linus to do this he started running around a bit. This was fine, he had on his bitless bridle and surcingle, nothing to get tangled in. He was running toward us so I said "Whoa" in a commanding but not overly loud (me trying to be loud sounds so awful, I just can't do it!) voice and he actually stopped beside us (there was still a fence between us) and waited for what I wanted him to do. It was great!!
We practised backing up yesterday for a bit too. We need to work on that. Actually, to jump back a bit and talk again about the training cart. It really struck me how important the squeeze game challenge is if you intend to drive your horse!! After leading Linus and pulling the cart with the other hand I was able to back him between the shafts a few times. It really shows you how much your horse has to get accustomed to feeling things on his sides and his legs. It will be such a great thing to do over and over. I have a couple of suggestions from Lynn and Karalee for getting Linus more used to this. And the best thing about their suggestions is I can combine them into one AND get points for implementing it!!
I also was able to get Linus to go around a few cones on the end of a line. I will have to do some searching for a barrel. Wait til I can upload the pictures and you will be able to have a good laugh!! I put the cones out (soccer training cones were all I could find so they are pretty small) and had to put them all back out about 3 times because Linus kept picking them up and tossing them. Goofy boy!!
I left my list at home so I am not too sure if I have covered all that I intended to. I started a list of what I wanted to tell you all about once my internet went down. In true Donna fashion, the list is not where I need it to be!!!
I'm going to keep on keeping on with the challenges, my goal with them is to not only do them but to accomplish them with Linus being obviously comfortable with it all.
Hooray so far, its been great reading all the new posts!!! Keeps me entertained in my not often busy job at the Post Office!!