He was better today!

Daniel was SO MUCH better today! Leeandra and Joe said that he's probably afraid he won't go back out with his buddies after he gets brought in. I'm hoping that bringing him in yesterday, then putting him back out with his boys after grooming him, made him a little more confident that he'll be out with the boys! Amy was getting Lyric out of the field, so Daniel was a little more willing to go (that, and Robin helping us!) than yesterday. I even remembered his "dress up" halter with his name in bling :-)

Amy suggested doing our lessons together, and maybe we'd ride around the property. Neither her horse, Lyric, nor Daniel, had been in the fields other than the one they're turned out in. Amy was a few steps ahead of me in grooming and tacking up Lyric, so they headed out to the indoor. I finished picking his hooves and grooming him, then I tacked him up (even remembered the bit warmer!) and walked him to the indoor.

I still need the 4-step mounting block to get on him. I told Leeandra that I'm hoping to be able to do it from a 3 step this spring/summer.... yeah, I'd like to fit into an 18" saddle wearing size freaking 12 jeans, too!

Anyway, Leeandra had Daniel and me play "Follow the Leader" with Amy and Lyric... first at a walk, then trotting. It was tough work, especially since my right knee is still swollen and bruised from a fall I had, but it was fun! Since Lyric is a lot younger and faster than Daniel, I had to work to keep him from falling too far behind!

After the follow the leader game we took them out to the 2nd outdoor arena. We just went around it at a walk... Daniel and I had to trot a little to catch up to Lyr here and there, but we mostly walked. We also went to a big field at the back of the property. This field sloped d-o-w-n, which neither Lyric nor Daniel were too thrilled with! Amy amazed me - Lyric slipped a few times, and she neither freaked out nor fell off! I probably would have done both!!

We went back to the barn and Daniel did work up a sweat, so I tossed his cooler on him for a while, then swapped it for his regular turn-out sheet, and put him back out with his boys.... I loved the last pic of them walking up and over the hill in their field. :-)