I'm welcoming it, since the arena could use some moisture and a good harrowing!
Yesterday I had a good ride on Cody, who had a few very engaged strides of trot in each direction by the end of the ride, and lots of stretching work at the walk. We were joined by Rafer Johnson and Redford, who meandered around the arena and watched, tore apart a few old fire ant mounds up against the rail, rolled a few of my dressage markers into new spots, and played "push the pole."
They love being part of the ride, and at the end, they came to the gate with Cody and me, as if to say "Okay! All done! Time for a few minutes at the round bale!"
The pony had a lovely bareback ride with my daughter. It was delightful to come in and get food cooking while watching them out the kitchen window. The painted pony and his girl.
It's nice to get this rainy quiet day mid-week. A break from business as usual. A good day to work on the book!
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
4 comments:
I can see my young friends are anxious to help with the training of Cody. We donkeys are quite enamoured with any training devices and like to rearrange them as the mood takes us. I myself have uncoiled numerous lunge lines and frequently move cones into more pleasing patterns. Tell the boys the best place from which to watch a riding lesson is in a prone position on the track. It tends to make the humans very animated, which is good for them.
They are very serious about their training efforts, Sheaffer. I know they could basically run the farm if necessary. (there might be many more feeding times, but otherwise, I suspect they would do a fine job.
This morning Rafer Johnson was morose and grumbly due to the rainy day, but Redford announced that he, being a flying donkey and adventurer, was going out anyway, and he marched into the barnyard.
Salina and Rafer gazed at him from the barn door, and after a little bit, decided that they, too, might brave the rain (which had nearly stopped by this point) in order to nibble at the spring green coming in.
Redford clearly embraces the adage "carpe diem" in his daily life.
Redford clearly 'seizes the day' and any opportunity for fun. He does sound like he is an integral part of training there, rearranging jumps and such. What a cutie. Hope you did some work on the book, it's always nice to take a rain rest.
Isn't it great to be able to see your daughter riding and having fun from your kitchen window too.She's such a lucky girl.
Rafer takes things very seriously, but with great responsibility comes great reward - he has given himself an "all-access pass" to November Hill, and goes wherever he wants to inside the perimeter fencing by finding the places that aren't "hot" and busting right on through.
Redford, much more the free spirit, oddly respects the interior fencing, and has never offered to go through, even when he sees Rafer do it, and could easily slip through behind him.
It's interesting how different they are.
I do love seeing the girl with her pony, and with Cody. I rarely stop to think about how competent she is to be able to do what she does with the horses.
Post a Comment