A good day with both Belle and Okie (pics!)

Yesterday's session was pretty good. I started off playing with Okie, mostly to see if he was still limping, which if he was, it was slight. I did a lot of sideways, and worked on some downward transitions in circling, because he's definitely good at upward trans! Also did some figure 8 pattern and that was getting better, it helps him to think and not just get impulsive and GO. I hopped on him and just rode around for a little bit, he had some energy which came out in the form of some crow hops when asking him to canter, LOL, it just made me laugh. Part of it is I've gotten him to where I can gather him up and do a halt-canter transition, with maybe 1 step of walk, so he's expecting that collection, and when he's feeling good it comes out the other end..silly old man.

Then I got out ms. belle. First I took her for a run through the hay field, basically traveling circles because I was looking for Okie's lost fly mask, and I found it (it was in the blackberries), she was pretty good during this and only a couple times did she put her ears back at me when I asked for faster or a change of direction. After that I went and saddled her up, she was being rather impatient tied at the trailer, pawing and stuff (she has her days...), then I went and played with her in the arena. She was a little looky/spooky because we put up a new fence the other day and she hadn't seen it yet. The riding went better than the other night. She was going forward more, though, as the session went on she kept getting stuck more often, I had to have gma come un-stick us, lol. When I was trying to get her to go she kept turning her head and trying to chew on my saddle, just curiously, not aggressively.

Today gma is going to saddle up Rhythm and have Belle follow him when I'm on her, so maybe she can understand the whole "go" thing.

Pics:

Belle tied to the trailer looking adorable..yes my saddle pad is insanely crooked.. oh well... (the string is a "best friend" thing given to me at fair by a 10 year old girl, lol..used to have a bell, but it came off during gaming day)

Just got on, going forward pretty good. (neon green shirt is REALLY un flattering-its my mentor shirt from last year) My stirrups almost look too short when i'm on her, but they look perfect when i'm on a bigger horse, lol.

Then I got the cs to assist me in the go department.

Then gma had to help us get unstuck, and here she was running so that belle would trot with her.

Belle and Abby are having a moment. Abby has this funny thing with the horses, she goes over to them, sits down, and follows their nose while looking into their eyes, and she gets super still when they come to investigate her, and even if they bit her, she does really move, she'll even lay down, and when they take their nose away she wags her tail and searches for their nose again... its so interesting to watch.