Points for Pictures!

AhD and I finally had a volunteer to take some RAC challenge pictures for us (thank you, Ian!), and here they are...

Opening and shutting a gate from horseback (headless, even - ha ha!). I thought this one was going to be hard and would require lots of time and effort, but it was easy as pie. What's up with that? WOW, AhD was AWESOME at this! I usually just go around this gate on the trail (it is actually in the middle of the woods) by squeeeezing through two trees. We have about an inch to spare on each of my knees, IF AhD twists to the left exactly when I cue him, and I don't think I have ever hit my knees there. Listen to me brag up my pony!! :) Anyway, back to the gate, we just walked up to it, I grabbed it and swung it open as he walked, and then he stopped and turned as cued to shut it. Perfect. You could have knocked me over with a feather.

Picking all four feet from one side. It isn't too obvious from the photo, but both of his cute white socks are on the same side, and here I am picking the black forefoot from the opposite side. The first time I tried this, AhD thought I had gone off my rocker, and he was very confused and a little upset. The second time I did it, he acted like he had been doing it his whole life. I thought he was going to yawn he was so bored with it.

Bridling from my knees. Yes, I am stretching to get it over the first ear, but he is getting the idea of what I am looking for. I am very pleased with this! He lowered his head more for the second ear, and he does better with the halter for some reason and drops his head right down for me.

.Walking through a puddle. This used to be a big giant deal, but it was so long ago that I don't remember when. However...yesterday when we were crossing this very same puddle, I was paying no attention to AhD and was actually checking my phone for the time, and he took me around it at quite a fast pace and almost took off my knee on that tree with the yellow arrow! I said to my naughty pony, "HEY! What the heck!!" and made him cross it several times. Of course he made no move to avoid it then.

We have also met some other challenges, such as transitioning from a walk directly to a canter without a problem, jumping a log on a trail (fun!!!), and backing up (but not fluidly). I don't have access to an arena, but I am going to try for the "trot five minutes straight bareback" on the trail. I'll let you know how THAT goes! Hopefully we don't scare up any deer for that five minutes. We scared up a beauty today, and she was beautiful bounding away into the woods. OH, we also stream walked, which was a blast because we found a deep spot that both horses enjoyed. ( I was thinking of Betsy) Last but not least, today we saw fresh moose tracks. Tried for a picture of one of them right next to AhD's hoof, but alas, it didn't come out. Another time, maybe. Happy trails and challenges, everyone!