New Friends and Field Trips

Aside from trail riding I've got a few other current projects happening at the barn.

For one, I've taken on trailer lessons. Trailer lessons are both for myself and for JJ: I'm learning to hook up and drive the trailer, and JJ is learning to deal with it :) This week we took JJ for a field trip over to the Pipestave grounds - his first real field trip! He loaded very easily on the property, pawed the entire way to Pipestave, pawed while we made him stand on the trailer for a few minutes, and then unloaded very nicely. After a quick look around he went straight for the grass. He munched happily. Five horses (and as many dogs) came galloping towards us, and he munched happily. Those horses and dogs ran away, and he munched happily. Walkers came by with their dogs, and he munched happily. And so, after about 20 minutes of this, we attempted the reload. JJ very calmly walked halfway on the trailer several times before committing to loading. Even when he was all the way on the trailer I allowed him to back out a few times before lifting the ramp and locking him in. Then came the pawing, all the way home.

JJ's been making new friends at the barn too. The video here shows a friend... Maybe I'll say the friend he is most "fascinated" by... Anyway you'll have to watch the video to see what the means :)

We also recently began turning JJ out in the big paddock with four other (older) geldings. He started by travelling all around the paddock and checking everything out, then decided to meet his soon-to-be friends (or so he thought). He literally tried to play with EVERY SINGLE horse. I'm really kicking myself for not getting a video of this, because it is probably one of the funniest things I've ever seen in my life. He approached one horse at a time and followed the same pattern each time. First he would get close to the horse's hindquarters, then he would start licking the horse. Yep, licking. If that didn't get a rise, he would nip the horse. Still no reaction? Another nip. He did this until the horse chased him away, at which point he would attempt with all his heart to play, but the other horse would just walk away. This happened with every single horse, until three of them threatened to kick. He gave up on those three and attached himself to the fourth, most passive horse, Gunner. I'm pretty sure Gunner despises JJ's existence, but he tolerates his antics and the two of them are always together in the paddock.

More updates to come soon!

Enjoying Life, Trail Style!

Since our show debacle (debacle, by the way, is defined as "a sudden and ignominious failure", which I find to be a completely perfect description of the event), JJ and I have been taking it easy and enjoying the fall weather, sunshine, orange leaves, and all the miles of trails West Newbury has to offer.

Along the Merrimack in Hunter Orange

We've run down old dirt roads, walked around a reservoir, hacked along the Merrimack, waded in Mill pond, walked over a wooden bridge (JJ demanded to be led over this), and played on some of the cross country jumps at Pipestave. As JJ's introduction to cross country we did a small rail on the course. He was happy enough to hop over that. A few days later I pointed JJ at a small trakehner style fence (suspended log with a wider base). He actually collected himself for this fence and gave an awesome, powerful jump, complete with a couple celebratory bucks! Then a small log, another small trakehner, and a tiny bank uphill. We saved the ditch for a future date :)

And in the midst of all of this JJ has taken to bout of immense stubbornness. He'll choose something along the trail, say a muddy creak bed or some such "obstacle", and decide that if he goes near it, it will eat him alive. Swallow him whole. No mercy. And therefor, he cannot possibly go near it. So he'll just stop. I'll ask him to go forward and he'll back up. I'll ask him with more fervor and he'll threaten with mini-rears. He'll try to turn and I'll keep him facing the obstacle. He'll strike the ground and I'll push him forward, and so begins the cycle again. BUT, if a horse goes in front of him and leads him through/across/around whatever it is, he has no problem. AND, if we are headed towards home as opposed to away from home, he'll go through/across/around anything, no problem. Stubborn little butt head.

Alas, I know what I have to work on :)