My Birthday Ride

With mid to upper 40 and 50 degree weather all last week and this week, our 8 inches of snow and most of the ice and mud is finally gone today. I have been itching go for a ride for over a month but, with the footing so slick, I held off. So, today things dried out some and I took a nice bareback ride on my mare Zoie. We didn't go far but, it was enough to satisfy my horse hunger. We walked in a nice plowed field next to the house for a good exercise.

I also worked with my gelding Tucker that I am restarting this year. He had 30 days training several years ago. Worked on the ground refreshing our previous groundwork from this fall, put a bareback pad on him for the second time. He took it all in stride as usual so, I thought, "What the hay, why not hop on?" Jumped up and down a few times on each side (on a bucket, he is tall), then jumped half way on hanging over and petting his neck and side on both sides a few times. Jumped on a final time petting him and swung on. Flexed his head to both sides. He wanted to back up a few steps when flexing to the left. After three or four times he understood though. Then asked for a few steps forward. Took a few steps and then we stopped. We did this four or fives times. Then at the end I flexed his head one direction and swung off. Once, I became unstable and he stopped dead in his tracks. I was so amazed, he just waited for me to straighten out and for me to ask him to move forward again. He got lots of hugs and cookies for being such a good boy ;)

(This was taken in Dec.)

Kim in WA