NICE day

Got up to Zoilo's just after 8:30 this morning and it was not just a gorgeous morning, but also relatively cool!  When I walked out to get Arthur he stood perfectly still and actually looked happy to see me instead of racing away.  Hooray!!!

It's been only a month since he would turn around and race away kicking and jumping around every time he saw me coming!

Look at this picture I took this morning.  
Isn't Arthur just the cutest little guy in the world?!!

Look how calm and happy he looks, knowing he's about to be ridden.  SUCH a joy.

I sent my mounting block home with Zoilo Friday but he forgot about it and it was still in his car today, so we got it out and used it for the first time today.  Arthur was perfectly fine with it.  He walked up and stood perfectly still next to it while I got on and didn't move until he was told to walk off.  Excellent!  Sure was a vast improvement over that first ride I took before I bought him.  In that case, they brought one of those little step ladders out there for me to use to get on.  He  took one look at it and jumped back and tried to run off.  The woman I bought him from was holding his lead rope, and he knocked her over and dragged her a ways before stopping.  (She was used to the idea that she shouldn't let go no matter what so a horse couldn't run loose at a show or somewhere so she hung on when I would have just let him run myself!)  Either way -- NOT good.  So I was really really pleased to see him behave himself at the sight of a new thing today.  The boy gets better and better all the time.  Thanks, Zoilo!

This week, Zoilo is going to let one of his older kids ride his Peruvian mare while he rides Arthur to see how Arthur is likely to behave on a trail ride with other horses. 

Zoilo's Peruvian mare

I want to be sure Arthur knows to listen to his rider and NOT imitate the other horses. I don't want him to run just because another horse is running. And I want to be sure the other riders on a trail ride can do whatever they want to do. They need to be able to canter if they want to without having to worry about me.

 

Below is a quarter horse Zoilo has had since he was 6 months old.  He's two now and he's about to begin training him to race.

Zoilo's 2 year old Quarter Horse stallion (with his goose friends)



Anyway - today while I was riding, one of Zoilo's neighbors rode out into their pasture next door and when Arthur saw them he started braying as loud as he could -- something I'd never heard him do before!  I think he REALLY wanted to go join them.  One more reason to see what he will be like if he actually DOES get to ride with someone else one day!