The Boys Are Back In Town

I took this evening and made an adult decision to shirk all responsibility (ride my horse, do laundry) and drink in bed with my dog and blog.

That should be someone's blog name, by the way.

Pushing aside extreme guilt, I am happy it gives me time to read, COMMENT and blog, whereas I usually wouldn't (its gross and cold and raining anyways- though it doesn't matter because INDOOR ARENA :D) and I MISS you guys! Don't think I'm not stalking from afar. I am. I just can't comment at work, its a blocked function. But I have been lurking and still love you all.

As previously mentioned many times before, I love this barn, this arena and my BO. I just love it. And I love what its doing for us. When everything else seems pretty shitty, for ONCE, I am happy and positive about my horse.

He's been progressing in leaps and bounds. Quite literally.

Overcoming that hoof injury was scary. I really thought he would be out for months. Its still an open wound, for the record, but slowly (EVER so slowly) closing up. It doesn't seem to bother him too much, I can just feel the stiffness in warm-up at first. So not quite out of the woods yet, but almost.

While dealing with that, we've been coming back together, from injury and way too much time off.

In my last post I talked about us connecting. Its not stopped and only gotten better!

This week, I lunged a little before I rode each time because its been extra chilly (yay fall) and we are both creaky, and honestly I've been REALLY tired this week and wanted to be my best for the ride and not get beat by the warm-up.

I was expecting shenanigans and upside down moose-ness and was happily surprised with some of the best lunge work ever to come out of him.

And before I show the pics and people have a snit fit (there are some out there that will) about sidereins and reins and lunge line...chill.

Anyways, here's some lovely evidence of a very responsive, relaxed, and forward thinking horsebeast.

Serious swoon. I've discovered since re learning to relax myself, Bacardi truly enjoys the stretch work and willingly will trot around for 10 min on the lunge or under saddle with his nose on the floor.

Its really hard to video, and lunge and be sneaky about it (remember what I said about him being honest f you're not paying attention/being lazy?) but I did a few grainy indoor pics & it made me happy.

After letting him trot nicely around both ways all long and stretchy, I asked for more collection and energy. He responded and I almost cried with happiness.

SWOON OMG SWOON

I just...I just love this

And this

And this

Even his canter work on the lunge was wonderful. No insane, weird bending going on and very calm transitions. Literal tears.

Each ride we just worked on staying calm through transitions and maintaining proper contact. It was lovely. I was tired and beat from long days (I ride in PM's after gym and work) but they were productive rides- short and sweet.  All very good.

Which brings me to my next and first horse, Yankee Pants.

There have been a few things going on in his life that I can't fully disclose yet, but I can say that Jackie has been riding him lately.

If you all remember Jackie, she owned Wondermare and is my beautiful best friend, and shes a saint and an angel and wonderful and perfect.

This is us.

Anyways, she has been riding Yanks about 3 days a week and its going.

Again, I can't update fully, but I can show you pics of The Pants and he is still beautiful!

Still enthusiastic about everrything

Still as darling as always

Still perfect

Still beautiful

I do miss my guy, but I'm still grateful he' doing so well in my absence! More on that later, when I can.

HOPEFULLY I can get pics tomorrow outside, but its supposed to rain all day and I still dont have friends so probably not.

TTFN