a spring saturday

Hmm, good things this weekend. I was at the barn for seven hours today (a record?).

First Pepsi got his feet trimmed, then I helped with maneuvering the baby (Lucky Charm) and his parents for their trimmings. Then I rode for an hour while the next four horses were trimmed. Tommy and I got Fancy into the washrack and trimmed her front feet, and then I had a short lesson with Jan and Donna. Then we went on a trail ride, along with Jay and Andi's lesson person (Brianna). That was crazy and fun -- Andi and I rode double on Pepsi for the hills and stream crossings.

Riding double is a personal favorite of mine. You actually need to be a pretty good rider to stay on in the back, because the rocking motion is so much stronger on the haunches. But the front rider needs to do all the normal control things (legs on, hands guiding on the reins) and tell the horse not to worry about the extra weight. I was surprised that Pepsi took it so well, when I gave Andi a leg up and she hopped right across the width of his back, and also when she slid off his haunches later.

I'm glad he can handle that, though. It's silly and warm and comfortable and I love it.

After that, I bought my first piece of tack -- a bridle (with reins and bit). It's beautiful double-stitched dark leather, with a padded noseband and light wrappings on the reins. It's not the fanciest thing, but it's the best piece of tack in the whole world to me.