Great trail ride

I have until Thursday off, yay, mainly because I had a wee breakdown at work last week. I asked if I could have some days off for a bit of a mental health vacation, and it was approved by my awesome manager. I didn't take the whole week off because I have a pre-existing appointment with my manager on Thursday to work on my resume.

I have tomorrow off not because it's President's Day and a bank holiday (I don't get holidays off :rolleyes:), but because I worked yesterday to manage the Saturday shift.

Anywho.

Wormed the boys with PP and gave Gene his Adequan shot today. Then the three of us headed to the ring. I have some homework to do before my next lesson, and I wanted to start on it. I started with serpentines at the walk to warm up, and Anne and Rick followed. Anne was riding Cheyenne.

I wanted to move from walk serpentines to gait serpentines, but I didn't want to chew up the arena with Anne there since she wasn't willing to take Cheyenne over a walk yet, and Peanut still hates that horse with a passion. I ended up hogging the far end and did a little gaiting, and a little cantering. He very quickly wore out at the canter, showing what a marshmallow he is, and my calf started seizing up, showing what a marshmallow I am. We ended with some half canter-half gait circles, then walked it out. We tried some leg yielding with him facing the fence and going down it at 45 degrees, with some success. My legs, especially hip joints, started killing me and so we stopped while I stretched out my legs without dismounting.

Despite a rough mounting, where Cheyenne spooked a bit, Anne was ready for a bit of a ride so we rode around the pastures of the farm. Since Chey was doing so well, we went into the park to take our usual quick loop. The quick loop involves woods, fields, and two stream crossings.

I led, Gene acted like a buffer, and Chey trailed. Peanut did great, even though he was pokey as usual. I don't know if it was because we had already ridden for a while or because I was thinking about how Cheyenne was doing, but Peanut was solid. This was probably the first time that I really just pointed him down the trail, left him alone, and really enjoyed myself. Since the trail is still a little mucky, I let him pick his own path, and without my constant meddling he actually stayed in the middle of the trail more than when I actively try to make him. Very interesting. He was also more sure footed than normal, and so relaxed. I should really just keep out of his business.

I was impressed with him, Anne was impressed with Chey who was a great ride, and Rick was impressed with the fact that Gene only tripped once. Without his boots - which he wasn't wearing today - Gene tripped quite a bit. I don't know if it's due to the recent changes in his feet, but he did beautifully today.

I do need to start carrying a dressage whip in the ring. Sigh. I won't even need to tap him with it, he'll be different just knowing it's there. I also need to ride alone so that we can use the entire ring without worrying about Peanut taking a shot at another horse while I'm concentrating on something else.

Tomorrow Joan and John are going to buy hay at the New Holland auction, and I have the chance to go with them. I don't think I can face it since it's our area's low-end horse auction where the kill buyers come out. Instead, I'll drop off my Bug for service and go hang with the horses with Anne (who does get holidays off).