Note and I walked around with baby Casper so he could learn where the fence line is in the bigger pasture in preparation for turnout.
After we had taken Casper on his tour of the pasture I took Note to the arena to work on the lunge line. Here are some of the athletic shots captured with the camera.
Note continues to be difficult to settle and quiet down for actual riding work. He wants to run, and if he isn't allowed to do so he explodes bucking. I console myself with the anecdote, "If he can buck like that, he can JUMP!" I also have faith that once he figures out his new job he will be as devoted to it as he has been to racing. This horse has athleticism for days and I'm enjoying the challenge he presents.
I've continued his ground driving and added on some very minor riding at just the walk where we quit before he gets excited. I expect that he is going to need some intense trail riding. It will help him to figure out that he better save some of his energy because the workouts are going to get LONG. My husband (an avid runner and cyclist) and I are conspiring to get Note out on some 15-20 miles rides to help him realize he needs to be quieter in order to conserve energy to complete the ride. Arena work is simply insufficient to use up his energy reserves as a hot-blooded Thoroughbred can go FOREVER on adrenaline. Fortunately we live very close to Soapstone Prairie Open Space, with hundreds of miles of trails and good footing to school. This horse is in for some long days when Soapstone opens up again for the season. If a single day of 20 miles is insufficient to tire him out enough to get his brain in gear, we can always go back on a second and third day in a row. Oh, Note, you have only just begun to tap my creative training juices. I may yet get to put my endurance riding experience into effect!
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