Indocrination

 Dan Craig came out to trim feet today. (Thank you, thank you, thank you, Saiph for finding him and recommending him to me. Best Farrier Ever.) 

 Ashke has developed some concavity in his front hooves (which I called cupping, but Dan corrected and called concavity) which is new this year. Dan said that what we are doing with his hooves is working and he obviously likes what we are doing as far as the trims go. He said I had made his day.

 He is more and more sure footed, even on the gravel in front of the barn on the way to the outdoor arena. We haven't had a bout of tenderness since the spring of 2013. I am hoping to spend time on trail without boots this winter, especially in the snow.

Dan asked what we were doing and I told him we were working toward our first Endurance race, doing a lot of trail riding and also doing Working Equitation. I told him there was a possibility of a demo at the Expo this year. He asked me if a particular woman was involved in the decision at the expo, and I said she was one of the key driving forces in WE in our region. He trims her horses and will ask her about WE next time he sees her. He has two Polish Arabs and his eyes absolutely lit up when I told him it was a thinking horses game.

After the trim, I took Ashke in and saddled him up, then headed for the round pen.

 My BFF and her daughter came out to visit from Oregon. This is my Goddaughter and the child I purchased the ride on pony from National Western for her first birthday. She is finally big enough to ride him and has named him Aengus (from Brave). She was very excited to sit on a real horse.

Ashke. . . .not so much.

 This little girl will tell you her color is pink. 

She has pink boots, a pink cowboy hat and pink shirt with darker pink ponies on it.

 

Ashke was a good boy, although he was not very pleased about being a pony ride. He nipped at me several times (which he only does when he has made his displeasure known and I have ignored him) and I finally told him that even a Prince of the Desert has to give young girls pony rides. 

He was better after that.

This is the face of a girl who is going to want her own pony some day.

 We just walked in circles in both directions.

 Jay walked next to her daughter and kept ahold. Ashke was very careful.

 He did it only because I asked.

 We went in both directions just to give her a little variety.

 Baby Girl say the song from Rapunzel (because she rides a white horse) while we were walking.

 Best day of her vacation, according to her.

This is indoctrination at it's best.

Do you remember this moment? I do. I was three. I have never forgotten.

 Ashke was much happier to have me ride.

 He was somewhat sideways, but still willing.

 I have no idea if this is a canter depart or a whoa.

Or the ending of a capriole.

 We had some nice canter. He is really good at the smaller circles or a canter on the trail, but kind of all over the place still on the long sides of the outdoor. We are working on it, though.

 We worked on picking up the correct lead on the straight away. 

 We are still a work in progress, although I already see so much development in his stride and my riding ability.

 We are still working out our communication. 

 It was a good ride.

 I love how muscled his butt looks. Although, that crease is somewhat strange.

 Ashke enjoyed the ride.

I love how he looks in this picture.

Pole work

Picking up the right lead

Right lead canter in a smaller circle