We might have done Level 4 stuff today. What we did do is have fun. Fun in the round pen. On the ground, we are trying to get me to change directions, run fast and have Cisco run to catch up with me. We are working on it. He stays locked with me going the same direction at all speeds. It is certainly good exercise for me. We rest with me sitting on a barrel pretending that this is part of the training time instead of letting me breathe again and be alive.
I love riding in the round pen. I get my confidence all boosted up. We did back up and transition into a canter today. Get that weight shifted back on his hind quarters and yowie!
We went out the gate via my right hand. You know he isn’t a left handed gate opening horse. But, I’ll get on that next. I have the visiting City Dog who follows me everywhere. So, today I decided to play the cow game with Cisco. We herded City Dog back to the barn. Everytime we left City Dog in the barn, he came right back to where we were playing point to point with two nice distanced manure piles! So, we got to herd City Dog quite a few times back to the barn. City Dog is perfect for this. He doesn’t run away fast. That was fun.
Lucky Star was laying down in his favorite stall recuperating from being turned loose in the entire pasture with all the horses. We went to his stall several times and I yelled at him with absolutely no response. snorezzzzzz
We cantered from point to point for a while. (Manure pile to Manure pile) It is certainly not up to any audition stage, yet. But we are out in the world!
Next I decided to tour the forest side of the pasture. We have a nice sloping hill path that is not forested which goes down to the fence. We walked around the pond to where that hill starts and cantered up the hill to the barn. Oh Glory Be! It was so much fun we did it several more times. I do remember asking for a lead and getting it. But mostly cantering outside in the beautiful fall colors and perfect weather was just extremely exciting wonderful nice,
I spend 100% of my time riding in an arena. To be riding outside with a horse that is calm about wind, trees and other things is wondrous. We took a last slow walk tour of the forest paths and quit. I took Cisco out to the yard, turned him loose, took off his saddle and put it away. I decided he needed to be rinsed off, so I put on his halter and washed the sweaty salt away..
Oh, I accidentally sprayed Lucky too and he got up. Lucky Star is recovering from a bad bad cut on one of his back legs. I was just slightly worried that he was going to lay there for too long. He sprang right up when the water hit him and limped to a water bucket. Whew. He drank water and started eating hay.
Life is good. Retirement is riding a horse, having coffee shop latte and now to go shopping for opera mother clothing. yee haw!