More Daniel Fun

So... Danny isn't as good when I try to lunge him in the pasture without a round pen. :) But he tried. We did some trotting again and he even walked over some poles. Although at one point he did turn and kick out at me. NAUGHTY boy!! He got backed halfway across the pasture! But he was quite good otherwise.

Then today we went for a trail ride. It was cold and windy and gross and nasty! But Dan didn't mind...He's a Virginia baby! He was bouncy the whole way but was pretty well behaved with the micklem on. :) I may have to buy one after all. It was a good outing.

Super Smartie pants

So.... that boy is way too smart!!! His third time lunging and he's doing it better than Fleck ;) He went both directions and was good both ways. He has pretty much figured out "walk on", "And trot", "And walk" and when I square my shoulders at him, he stops and faces me. :) :) :) He's also getting the hang of staying out a bit farther on the circle. Sweet!!!! So I did just a few minutes of trotting, mostly working on the transitions and then quit. He was so good I decided to try a bit of long lining. I really have no idea what I'm doing, but... I put the lunge line through his halter so I had a line on each side and I stood behind him. He was good and just stood still. Then I said "walk on" and tapped him with the end of the lunge line. No kicking at me :) Bonus!!! And he took a few steps. Then turned and looked at me like "Um....????". Lots of praise and we did it two more times. Only a step or two each time, but... progress :)
Whoo hooo!!!

He's such a good little boy! I'm so excited about riding him!!!!

Good thing he's sooooo smart!!!

So... I ran out of time yesterday to do any lunge/long line work. Bad Mommy... Today I fed and finished unloading the hay and apparently... I left the barn door open or almost open when I left. And I went to Aiken (I had to deliver Midget and her pal to their new homes.. so no Fleck or Dan with me). So.. it was about 7 hours before I got home... at least... When I got home I saw Fleck and Roany, but no Dan. Oh well... I had to change and then I was heading out to play. Well.. when I got out, they were all in the front field. BUT... the tack room door was open... Oh man..... This is what greeted me. MANNNNNN.......  He pooped about 5 times, flung my supplements everywhere, tipped over 3 bales of hay, ate some hay, ate the hay cubes, ate some beet pulp, ate some grain, ate some chicken food... ARGH..... Luckily the soaked hay cubes filled him up because there wasn't much grain missing. At this point I'm assuming it was Dan. Who was out front grazing happily with the other two.

So... I went and grabbed him and we headed to the barn. He came along quite happily.. not caring that the other two were still in the front field. Good pony!!! I groomed him quickly and then we went to work. He was SOOOOOO good!!! He seriously did awesome! We started with desensitizing to the lunge line. He didn't care. Then we did yielding to pressure. He was great. Then we did walking and we even got a big circle. And we even did awesome going to the right!! He was so good. Then we added in "and trot!" and he did... and he even started getting the hang of "Annnnnnndd walk..". :) What a smartie pants!!! So he got lots of cookies and then went back out to play while I rode Fleck. Once I turned him loose, he went galloping off to the front field and did a few laps. Hee hee.

He only got half his dinner but ate great, drank, and all three of them were happily munching hay an hour later, so... fingers crossed there is no side effects from his adventure.

Wheee... I'm in for a wild ride!

So... Daniel went to school today.... He's soooo funny. He's such a good kid, but such a little "dennis the menace" too!. ;) You can just see him thinking.... "hmmm, what if I do this.....???"... "Muhauhuahua!!!". hee hee.. But he really is smart too!

Beth and I started to teach him about lunging so we can go to long lining. We put the micklem bridle on him. He fits perfectly in the horse size!!! He didn't care about the lunge line flapping all around him, tangling up in his feet, or flipping over his back. Go me! Then we introduced lunging. It was a little tricky without a round pen, but he was getting the hang of it. Only... he's already so one sided!!! I ma going to make a big effort to get on his right side more often! I can't believe how one sided he is.. and I feel like I haven't done much! But it's all good... I'm going to fix it. So yep.. he was pretty darn good. Beth started out saying that he was naughty and needed a "come to jesus" meeting. But by the end she was saying that he's going to be a GREAT eventer and had great gaits.. BUT..... she foresaw a good bit of ..... disagreements... in our future. Hee hee.. Yep, I have a feeling it's going to be a wild ride, but totally worth it! :)

Oh.... but you know... I really don't think he's going to be that bad. He hauled with Fleck to Ashland. Sat in the trailer while Fleck and I rode and didn't fuss. (Granted, he had Sunny in his trailer parked next to him, but still) and then walked away from Fleck (who was definitely fussing!) to the upper ring and stayed mostly focused on the job. Yep... I got myself a good one!


Oh my... he's getting so grown up!!! I'm so proud of my little boy!

Oh.... I can't believe I almost forgot!!! He really is a GOOD kid!! After "school" I unloaded them at home and he was standing right there next to the trailer..... conveniently lined up with it. So I climbed up on the wheel well and stood up there next to him. And lightly tossed a leg over him, while still standing on the wheel well with the other and hanging onto the trailer. He didn't react, so I casually eased my butt down on him but not putting full weight on him. No reaction..... :) So I ever so softly put all of my weight on him. He turned to look at me and I told him what a GREAT PONY he was... and got off! I did it twice! He didn't seem to mind, although I didn't give him much of a chance to do anything as I was quick. BUT... he also was completely free... no halter even! So... definitely a good boy!!! I cannot wait until I get to get on him for real!!