SUPER Star!!!!

This morning I decided that I would take Dan to Ashland for some long lining. I've been wanting to for a bit but just hadn't gotten to it. So today, I woke up early and we did it. And he was WONDERFUL!!!

Hetook a few tries to load up. He walked right on but didn't get up enough to do the butt bar and then backed off. But on the third time he stayed put politely and I closed him in. We got to Ashland and I groomed him. Dang is that boy dirty!! That white butt is hard to keep clean. Then we put the long lines on and off we went. He was happy to stride out and we headed to the path towards the grey barn. It's between two lakes... and once Dan saw the lakes through the trees, he hesitated. I walked to his head and led him through. He was a little snorty but happy to go with me at his head. Then he walked off again. Until he saw a fallen tree. I had to lead him at his head again. But then.. he was great. He walked off very well and bravely and even crossed the bridges without hesitating. We walked around to the lake through the woods and even did a little trotting. He wanted to trot! But he kept it nice and polite. Then at the lake I undid his surcingle with the thoughts of letting him have a little swim. He went in and splashed a bit but didn't go for a swim. 

So then we "tacked" back up and went off again. He did great... strode right off with a nice big forward stride. We crossed a few more bridges and then hit the creek. He stopped at the creek. It's noise and pretty swift. So I led him through again and then we turned around. He cracks me up... He was like "Oh...what's this?? I don't know about this"... and then once I showed him and turned him around.. he was all cocky and spunky and just barged right on back through like "I got this..I was just kidding before!". Hee hee. Such a little twit. So then we went up the hill and he was trying to canter. At this point, I was getting tired so I wouldn't let him trot as much and he was trying so hard to trot.. he was trotting at my walk speed.. Then he'd put his head down and hunch his back up and try to canter and buck a bit. Goofy! hee hee... But he was really good! So then we ended up in the big XC field and something on the edge caught his eye so I led him again just a bit. Then I drove him through the water complex and back to the barn. He had worked up a sweat so he got a rinse off and he loaded up pretty quickly and home we went.

SUPER STAR!!!!! Man... I love this kid. I was just walking behind him laughing at his little booty jaunt and thinking.. "I cannot wait to get on him"!!