Bestest Bravest Baby Horse EVER!

Danny was SOOOOOOO good today!!! Amazingly good. I'm so proud of the little squirt! And a little proud of myself too, for doing such a good job bringing him up. :) 

Today was day 3 of back in work. (well, day four, but the third ride). I really wanted to trail ride him so I asked Missy to babysit us. She said she would! However, it did create a slight issue. Missy was at Halfshire and I wasn't sure I wanted to haul Danny there since he's been used to long lining and even being ridden at Ashland from the parking lot. So instead of potentially freaking him out by bringing him to a new place, I decided to freak him out by having to meet Missy and Zhar on the XC field. :) Which meant Danny had to go out alone at first.

But never fear. He did great! I was actually a little surprised at how well him and Fleck did when we pulled out of the farm. Dan loaded right up and Fleck was right at the gate with Roany. No one really cared. I left and Dan was fine, Fleck was fine, and Roany was fine. Well okay then! We got to Ashland and he tacked up great. I started to lunge him just as Frodo and the Arabian were coming out of the woods from the stadium ring. Dan was distracted so I let him see who it was. Then I lunged him about two circles and decided to just get on. He wasn't excited or wild. So I did... and off we went! We trekked off towards the XC field, leaving Frodo and the other horse at the trailer behind. He was great. He didn't stall at all or try to turn around. We got to the XC field and he kept on going. He was perfect!!! 

Then we headed into the woods and he just kept on going. He barely glanced at the bridge as he went over it and then he wanted to trot even. So we did. Just a little. :) Then we caught up to Missy and he and Zhar said hi. He was a bit over eager to meet Zhar but was fine. Just wanted to be right up near him. So we headed up the hill and through the woods and into the open field. We then walked over a log twice. Hee hee. No excitement, no jumping. Just walked over it. 

Then we went back to the wooded trails. I let Zhar go first and Danny was NOT happy about it. He wasn't horrible... just up Zhar's butt and fussy in his head. He even tossed in a teensy little rear. Goober. I made him stay back there for a bit and as soon as he settled, I got back in front. He was definitely happier in front. He trekked on out! We had a nice little graze in the field behind Halfshire in the sun while we walked and talked.

Then it was time for Missy to leave. I asked Dan to head on out to the people lake trail and he did. He left Zhar and was fine going out on his own. Once we got a little ways down, he realized it. He stopped a few times and neighed a few times but really was quite good considering. We even did more trotting!!! Yay!!! We crossed the bridge again without a second thought and headed home.

SUCCESS!!! I'm so proud of him. He accomplished so much today. And his brain is WONDERFUL. Oh, and he spooked twice at legitimate things and he spooks just like Fleck!! He kind of flinches and jumps in place and then carries on. AWWWWWW... LOVE HIM!!!!


Videos here....
My first trail ride! 
Trail riding Fun
Danny wants to be in the lead 
Our first "jump" on the trail. :) 
More trails 
Trotting and heading home by ourselves!