Sunshine

Sunshine and I started our ride yesterday with Juniper and Pansy playing. Pansy thought Juniper was a great friend and got the zoomies trying to get Juniper to join in.
They really do make great riding companions. After this Sunshine should be used to almost anything. Right? Juniper trotted about, started learning to come when called from horseback. We’ve been working at it from the ground.
That had its drawbacks. After feeding her one cookie she became glued to us and was a real nuisance.
We made laps around all of the stacks of hay in our ‘arena’. Round one way then another and out through the parked equipment. This is my confined riding area. This is why starting horses takes me awhile. Well, one of many reasons 😉
An arena or round pen would have some benefits, but what fun would that be.
All week Sunshine has been sluggish. That has had its benefits too. I think, hope, it’s the hot weather. They’re getting their winter coats and it’s been nearly ninety every day this week. I’ve been working in the morning while it’s still cool of course. Ninety degrees is too hot for me too. But the heat is icky.
There have been no airs above the ground. Not even any nice turns on the hind quarters. He lays on the forehand and plods around. So going out and plodding around the stack yard seems like a good project.
I did force him into a few nicer moves when we got back. Some decent steering should be added as we start to wander further afield. Juniper was once again a huge help as we did that, following, bothering, generally getting in the way.
All in all Sunshine is doing wonderfully. I’m hoping to head out into the hay fields today. We’ll see how that goes. It’s my last day this week. Tomorrow everyone will be home from work and school. Weekends are impossible to work horses. Then next week we’re looking at highs in the forties. Might be good riding weather might not. Need to make the best of this while it’s still decent out.

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