Yet again, my pictures are in reverse order....maybe I should write my blog backwards and it will all come together....lol. I had a lot of trouble with pictures tonight. They are here, they are staying! The smaller ones were taking with my cell phone and the larger ones with my digital camera.
So, we had a great day off for Canada Day yesterday. The weather was the nicest we've had for about a month!! Grooming Linus turned into a family affair as you will see below. That was great! It's so nice to see my husband displaying so much more confidence around horses than he ever has. It also helps that he is not ferociously allergic to Linus!! Stu was rubbing his neck and hugging him. It was really nice to see. It's helping his horse confidence so much to be able to have one from a young age. Purchasing Linus is proving to be a smarter and smarter move all of the time!
I don't think I have yet posted that Linus has recently had a bit in his mouth as well. The tack shop owner helped me pick a very gentle pinchless driving snaffle. He took it in stride like he does everything else. I bitted him a few times and just let him play with it in his mouth while I worked around him. Then I attached the reins and showed him the basics. Next step was to harness him and then attach the driving lines. I walked him from his head first to let him get used to everything. I have to use the riding bridle for now as his driving bridle is a bit too big. That's ok. He'll grow into it. For now, it all works! I was driving him actually and thinking of the progress we are making. Going from a doubled up lunge line and a rope halter to a full set of harness!! I am definitely not knocking how I started him, I am glad for every little thing we have done together.
Anyway, once I was confident Linus was accustomed to everything we left his paddock and walked around the farm a bit then up and down the road by the farm. I rotated between walking him and driving him just to make sure I didn't overdo. It was so empowering that I could have driven him all day!! It was so much fun the thought entered my head that I wouldn't care if I ever did ride him....but of course I will. They are trying really hard in Eastern Ontario to bring back pleasure driving and the numbers are slowly rising..I can see why but I am surprised they are not rising faster...its so enjoyable...and I haven't even hitched him to a cart yet!!
Speaking of riding...Owen sat on Linus for a few minutes. He absolutely loved it and you can see below how much it bothered Linus. He is becoming so used to tack and being handled that he hardly even noticed Owen there. He walked a few steps (I was constantly holding Owen and Stu was at Linus' head) and Owen just beamed like nothing else. He loved it. He even picked up the reins. He also helped brush Linus. He has to get out every brush and try it for a few seconds and then move to the next.
Because of yesterday's big day for Linus I just did his feet and brushed off some mud and we went for a short walk. He was a bit wound up and pretending to get excited about things that he normally doesn't even look at. So I stopped him, rubbed his neck where he likes and we continued on without a hitch. If he started to get ahead of me I made him stop. He's a very fast learner.
I walked his fenceline after I put him back and he raced me around it and put on quite a performance. That's how I got some of the smaller pictures below. He sure is flashy. I had to cut it down to the amount that I do have in here!! I told my husband our child and our horse are way too photogenic!!
Here's hoping you all have a great long weekend!
Simply gorgeous
No comments:
Post a Comment