Catching Up

Sorry, but I don't have any new pictures to accompany this post.

To summarize, June was a bit of a bust.  It rained a lot , work was icky, Dazzby was (and is) still NQR, personal stuff came up that had me in a bit of a funk.  I was not sad to see June off this year.

Now, July is looking somewhat better. 

Cartman is home.  I picked him up the weekend that I missed the Renegade Rendezvous.  So far, I LOVE HIM!!!!!!  He is just a fun little guy, for the most part really calm about stuff but also very forward.

In the last couple of weeks we started out just going down to the park and riding the jogging trails (complete with lots of scarey benches and stand up fire pits, cars, dogs, fishermen, other horses, etc.)

Last Friday we moved up to a small three horse group ride up at Lewis and Clark State Park in Toledo, Wa.
I admit to beig a bit tentative when we first arrived.  He took one look at Michelle's horses that he didn't know and got very animated.  We walked thru the parking lot and he had his tail flagged straight up over his back (not very Thoroughbred like behavior- I think the Arab was coming out!  Its only been about three hundred years back, but its still in there).

Anyway, I tried to lunge him for a minute to take the edge off, he just doesn't really lunge well. He knows how to do it and will do turns, and back up, etc.  But I don't think he's going to be a horse that needs to run in circles before each ride, hallelujah!

Cartman had never been on single track, wooded trails before but he was a rock star!  I was so proud of him.  I did have a little trouble with the speed of his walk.  He has a BIG walk and I'd have to keep checking, checking him back to keep from running up on Michelle's colts rump.  I made myself do it for quite and while then we decided to see how he'd do in front.  He is pretty bold really, just walked out there and other than one pretty good little sideways snort at a fallen log that had an end cut and was up in the air next to the trail he did great.

So, I'm getting more confident in him and how he is going to react to things.  He's given me no reason for concern about naughtiness so far.  I am beyond thrilled.  The thought of riding a greenie that would just as soon dump me as not has been a big concern for me.  I really really want to be able to enjoy my time in the saddle.

Tonite we explored some more rugged, less groomed trails about a half hour away.  It was pretty hot here at the house, but was nice and cool in the woods.  Cartman made his way over logs and thru trees, mud-holes, and hills and did great.  I had to laugh at him, whenever he would see the footing change- for example there were a few muddy patches and some spots with round river rocks in the trail.   He would drop his head and look at the footing, as if evaluating it for safety!  He didn't balk or slow down at all, just gave the spot a good examination.

OK, enough of the gushing over my own horse!  Sorry, but I'm just so excited and pleased with him, after five years of raising him its so fun to finally see how he is undersaddle.  :)

Dazzby is getting a lameness exam from a new vet on Saturday.  I haven't used him before as he is new to the area, but has worked back east at some race tracks in NY and I spoke with him on the phone for a bit last nite and decided to have him take a look at her.  I have ridden her several times since my last post but not very hard rides and mostly walking.  I still feel something is off when I go from one diagonal to the other at the trot.  And I noticed her trying to go a little sideways at times, something I have previously attributed to me not riding her properly or perhaps leaning with out realizing it.  Now I am very conscious of it and I don't think I'm causing it.  Perhaps she is trying to get off that left hind leg a little more.  I'm pretty sure she has some arthritis in her hocks and I just want to know how much, or how bad it is.  I don't want her hurting.

Well, hope everyone is enjoying their summer, it has at last reached Washington!