Where to start - I have not been a very frequent blogger this summer. But, here I am! Dad and I finally got to go for a ride off-property again today. It has been a month since we have and it was well worth it. Allie hadn't been ridden for a month but I have been spending a small amount of time a couple times a week on Linus with the bareback pad working on sharpening up our cues - Linus can get pretty lazy! Since I haven't been in the saddle it was kind of weird today. It was nice but my butt bones really felt it! : ) The barepack pad really gives you a different feel for contact.
Linus enjoying the front lawn this afternoon.
Nothing like a cold beer after a good ride....Linus should get it in that case since Stu didn't ride!
Last week....I guess he was getting bored of waiting for me to get some tack out.
shadow picture from today
Beautiful boy watching Owen play
nephew Griffin. This was his first time riding truly bareback. He giggled at the feeling of it but he really enjoyed it. Linus is obviously very bothered by it. We practiced helping him up because Griffin had a small ride earlier when the saddle was on and nearly forgot to throw his leg over! So, we did a few practice tries and he got it down pretty good. I'm going to have to watch it. Griffin is getting pretty attached to Linus!! It's really the best thing for him though.
I have a friend in the city and her little boy is what the Doctor's have called borderline autistic. She really wants to bring him out and see how he gets along with Linus. It's well-known that autistic children really connect with horses and she wants to see if he does. So we are going to arrange for a Sunday visit in the near future. I think Linus has the perfect personality for it.
We're loving the fall weather coming in. I know for a lot of people that means their horsey season is winding down but it seems to be that's when Linus and I really get going because we both love the cooler weather and we had so much fun last winter.
I had all kinds of things I wanted to write about but now that I am here I have forgotten almost all of them...hopefully it isn't too long again before I can be back!
Donna & Linus
Lunenburg, ON Canada
Hello Donna,
ReplyDeleteI wish Linus and the little autistic boy all the very best. I do want to mention one thing to be careful of. (I know this because when I was younger, I trained therapy horses at the James S. Brady Therapeutic Riding Center, attached to the VA Hospital in San Francisco.) Often times an autistic child will pick at the horse's hair. By this I mean they will sort of pinch the horse's hair and then sort of pick at the hair that they have pinched. All horses find this annoying. So be on the look out for this action. The child means NO harm. He is just trying to explore his world. But it can ruin a ride for the child. What we did at the Center was to give either give the child something to hold so that they were distracted from the pinching and picking. Or, if the child was able to control his emotions, simply ask him to stop and explain why.
Thank you for reading this.
Sincerely,
Penny Johnson
Bonners Ferry, Idaho
I know I have said this before, but what a handsome guy Linus has grown into. I bet he will do fine with the autistic boy because he is so curious and friendly.
ReplyDeleteWow Donna I can hardly believe these pictures, Linus looks so great and grown up! He really shines and looks fabulous and is also so gentle!
ReplyDelete