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 :)