Ground Driving - finally!

Yes, me again! Sorry but I am playing catch up. My previous post was meant to go on here yesterday but I was too tired last night to do it so I did earlier...now I'm writing about what we did today!

I started with what seems to be a new routine for us and put Linus out for a run in the small pasture while I do the rest of the chores and feed the cows. I took a picture but must have deleted it of Linus waiting for me at the gate ready to go. He has his run and his feed and then stands there staring up at the barn, ears perked, waiting for me to come and get him so that we can get on with whatever I have planned for us that day. It's really cute.

Somebody decided today he wasn't sure he wanted to have his hooves cleaned out...ha ha ha nice try buddy...I can be a softy but I'm no pushover! Normally, telling him in a firm voice to whoa and stand up gets the job done but he wasn't having it today. So, we tried a different approach. I got his attention and then picked up a hoof. Once he let me clean it I rubbed his belly with the hoof pick...he LOVES this. Another good hoof, another belly rub. Then he decided to take his hoof back and didn't get a belly rub...well when I bent over to grab the hoof again, it was cocked and ready for me to pick up!!! I was laughing at this out there all by myself. He catches on so quick!

I then harnessed Linus and am ashamed to say for the first time since before Christmas!! But at least its done now! He was such a child while I was harnessing him too...everything had to be inspected and licked or attempted to chew on. Eventually I got it all on him and we headed out. We didn't get very far before he discovered a futon mattress I had been given for the dogs. Dad doesn't really have a place for it so we are waiting for a friend to come and get it for his farm dog. Linus was pretty intrigued by it so I dragged it out for him to get a closer look. Then, having been reminded of some mini-challenge things from last year I thought I would see if he would walk on it. All I did was grab a rein and cluck to him and up he got!! I couldn't get a good picture of all 4's on there but he did stand completely on it. I was pretty proud of him because its a pretty thick mattress and not like anything he has ever stood on. I did expect some misbehaving while out today since its the first time we have been out under harness on the road in quite some time. I was right - Linus proved to me today the importance of regular work! I wasn't too firm with him until it got to the point that he really should have settled in. We had a pretty sharp reminder and then he sighed, settled and dropped his head and was as good as gold for the rest of the trip; even at his usual "I'm gonna test you" spots. Oh and I almost forgot today was also his very first outing with bells on the harness! He was trying to figure out why the jingling was following him so I took the bells off and showed them to him and shook them around. Once he tried to eat them I hooked them back on and all was well for Linus. Overall - we had an great day together. I just love all the personality out of this guy!!

My bells...actually belonged to my son Owen - I hope he doesn't miss them

Sniffing the mattress

Stepping up onto it

All the way!!

heading up the road - shows how little snow we have here :(

I included these two pictures (in reverse order of course!) to show how much the star on Linus' head has changed. It has dramatically changed shape not only from his baby picture but even just from last summer. Starting to look like a "G"...wonder what that stands for..."gift horse" (Lynn once told me Native Americans believed the "ben d'or" spot on his rump meant gift horse) could be G for Garry (my Dad) or most likely "GORGEOUS"