It looks like spring...

....but it does not feel like it yet! Its still cool and rainy but everything is blooming! After a good 15 mins of brisk currying and hair removal (he's shedding in a major way!), I took Flash for a walk in the woods. I was in search of some blooming shrubs to get some fun spring pictures...

Flash is still not completely keen on leaving the herd, especially when he has extra energy to spend when he has been cooped up in the barn all day. He throws a mini temper tantrum consisting of a head toss, foot stomp and a prance sideways. All I have to do is growl at him to knock it off and ask him to back a few steps and he snaps out out of it. I may have to repeat the process again in a few minutes, but he always responds in a positive manner. As long as I stay consistent, he'll learn how to behave.

When we got out to the field, I had enough space to let him burn off some steam, which always helps get him settled. I sent him around on the lunge line a few times at a walk and trot and a few canter strides. He always tries to run off on the first few steps of trot, but promptly yields to pressure when he gets to the end of his lead rope and he feels that I am not going to let go. Silly baby.

So with the edge taken off, and all the sillies out of his system (there was one giant leap and kick out with the hind legs at one point) we headed off to the back field, still on our quest for flowering shrubs for a spring photo shoot.

Well, I did find the blooming shrubs (though the pictures did not really work out as I imagined) and we had some lessons in standing still. (lots of backing up and waiting then making a step forward and then backing up again.) He's a good lad, he just wants to know what he is supposed to do.

Cold, rainy evening spent indoors

It's only Wednesday and it has been a long week at work already. Its so nice to go straight from work to the barn where you can shrug off the stress of the day to the steady hay munching of cows and horses. The afternoon was cold and rainy but at least the days are getting longer and with the time change, the afternoons are lighter now. However, I really did not have it in me to take a walk out in the fields today. It was just too wet and cold, even if it was lighter that it has been. So I spent some good quality time grooming the little man and picking out his feet and addressing every itchy spot I could find.

He likes his forehead scratched so much he drops his head down at chest level and stands very quietly with his eyes closed making it very easy for the one scratching to continue as long as she can. He leans into his scratches behind his ears and if you put your arm of his back and scratch the opposite shoulder blade he puts his nose up in the air and wiggles his lips to say "ooooo that feels good!!!"

With all the scratching, it became evident that he is really starting to pour on the shedding process now. That's good; he has lots of fuzzy thick coat to get rid of by this summer. But there will be lots of grey brown hair on everything the next few months.

After all the scratching, I put on the saddle and the bridle (both things he is quite accustomed to at this point and then worked on all the familiar exercises of giving left, giving right and backing. He still braces against the pressure of both reins for a few seconds before taking a step back but the giving to the bit left and right are very willing and immediate response. He is bright and very willing, training has been quite easy and fun for both of us thus far.