Things are moving along really well with Tater. And this past week I started getting on Cecil, too!
While we didn’t get to the Line of Logs – yet – We’ve done more flatwork and we had a fantastic hack out with Allie on Phinny . We found a great pond in the woods. A lovely setting – with perfect footing for walking the ponies around in the shallow water!
Or so we thought…
I rode Tater to the edge of the water and let him have a look at it, sniff at it, watch the dogs go in. When he decided it was OK for him to walk in, he just plunked around thinking that it was very weird indeed! We walked around for a while, with lots of “good boyyeeees!” of course. Then we walked over into an area in the pond where even the dogs didn’t swim. Well, there was a reason. And like most things I found out the hard way. As we walked, the footing under the water seemed to give way and suddenly we were literally sinking. I mean we were still upright but were goin down! As I sat stock still with (according to allie, this: 8-0 look on my face!) But Tater slowly turned himself around, as the water moved up to above my ankles, ( ok my knees..) Tater got himself facing the edge of the pond and climbed right out! What a good pony! What a stupid human! 😉
Then Tater proved some more of what he’s made of. After we stopped laughing, I asked him to walk back into the pond (where we know the footing is perfect, and he went right in, and trotted out. Then trotted in and cantered out! He LOVED it! Yay! He doesn’t hold a grudge, nope, not this pony! This proved two things: One, that Tater is a really brave and genuine little dude. And Two, we really have to take some horses to the beach soon! OK so I lied, and Three, the only reason to own Dubarry’s is to check out the footing before you take your horse into a pond! Tater has just had his teeth done and is packing on pounds, he loves to eat but hasn’t recognized carrots or apples as food yet. He’s looking really great despite (my horse) Tip’s teeth marks all over him. 😦
Cecil has been a lot of fun, though a challenge at the same time. After years of having someone water-skiing on his mouth, I finally got him to yield to the bit! This took several days, mind you. Once he is in the stage where he’ll be very soft in the bridle he feels almost “unable” to go forward. He’s more comfortable on a pretty loopy rein still so that’s what he’ll get so he can relax and stretch out a bit. It gets a little better each day but I really don’t want to push it. He tries so hard!
Maybe he just doesn’t think he can move forward without his nose pointing out. Maybe he knows that with your head down you can’t win by a nose, right?! No one’s ever asked him to stretch out before. So, basically we’re in the process of UN-doing 9 years of not loosening up. If that makes any sense! Its worth mentioning that Cecil is pleasantly plump!
We have videos of Tater in the pond – Stay tuned!
CANTER in the Carolinas 