Time Change Hangover

I really need to be better about posting updates on my day's off work. However, time on my laptop when the weather is so nice is limited so yay for lengthy Tuesday updates. Also I feel like I got zero weekend time and time change has thrown me completely off. At least I come bearing pictures and/or video. Videos are from Instagram so I apologize for the not so great computer quality.

Saturday the arena was busy so MareFace just got to go walk and trot around a little on her lunge line. She was not pleased, but she lived. Here are a few compiled clips of her from her first days of arena freedom. 

My unstressed mare. Thanks to someone at the barn for sending this to me Saturday.

Sunday Echo got freedom in the arena again where she just decided to run. A lot. She needed a good cooling out so we set out to walk the 'track' outside. I need to measure it but I've been told one lap is about 3/8 of a mile. We walked it twice so about 3/4 of a mile. She loved it, definitely in our new hand walking routes. 

Monday I met my farrier super early in afternoon (not the plan) and he threw a shoe back on Dakota. Dakota already inside and 65 degree weather? I knew I'd kick myself if I didn't ride. The round pen was dry except for a small area at one side. I put ground poles up against the wall to attempt to block it off and put Echo outside. I didn't want to witness her buck show and probable attempt to play in the mud so I went back inside to get Dakota ready to ride. Apparently she put on quite a show for bystanders... 

Anyways, I decided to attempt riding Dakota, and not just sit there and wander around. Holy... note to self, be sure to stretch again before riding, and probably after. Heels down? Pfft. Shoulders back? Pfft. I mostly worked on staying in a steady walk rhythm, something we always struggle with. Then the dreaded trot battle. We did a solid 10-12 walk / trot transitions where the trot was his 'I want to be a gaited pony' trot. Miserable. FINALLY got him to move forward and not up and down like a gaited gait. Called it a day. By that time we were both sweating. However I hadn't had enough apparently because somewhere in my mind I thought it'd was a good time to attempt a solo outside ride. Luckily we both survived and he only had one moment where I felt him contemplating his options of how fast he could take off, but we managed to stay at a walk! Overall I was very happy with him ending on a good note, an achievement for us in a ride. 

Love any view that's between those ears. 

After riding I cleaned stalls and reeled in Echo from the round pen. It was warm enough for a bath finally and she was in dire need. I left for a bit to go visit a friends new mare but came back to the barn for the evening to finish up. Took Echo out for a walk and some hand grazing time. 

Hopefully tonight we'll have another hand walk outside before the weather gets crappy and cold again tomorrow.