Ladd Returns

This spring Ladd's owner broke her wrist and after having surgery to place a metal plate in her arm the doctors told her she can't ride for several months.  To keep Ladd in shape and get him some more jumping training she sent him back to Bit of Honey for the summer. 

I went to Castlerock at the beginning of the month with a friend and her husband to pick up a new-to-them horse trailer they had purchased.  On the way home we swung by Carol's place and picked up Ladd as well.  Unfortunately we also had a tire blow out on the freeway after we had gotten Ladd, but it wasn't too big a deal to pull off into a hotel parking lot and switch it out for the spare once Owen had brought us the trailer jack. 

Ladd was none the worse for wear and has been enjoying his time back at Bit of Honey.  I've been working with him on his canter under saddle, especially the right lead, as well as his jumping both in the arena and in the cross country field. 

Yesterday we went to the back forty for a conditioning gallop and he had a great time.  I didn't braid his mane for that ride, and in my two point position I was getting whipped in the face by his long hair!  We enjoyed the run, and I even hopped him over some of the smaller logs.  He didn't have to look at them too hard before he was happily popping over anything at which I pointed him! 

Ladd's jumping in the arena is coming along well, too.  This week Carol finally got the all clear to be able to drive, so she came and watched his training session this morning.  She took some video, and this was Ladd's best round through the grid:
https://youtu.be/bBtsIG-v8X8

He's such a cute little guy, and he likes having a job that makes him think.  The more footwork that's involved, the better he goes.  He's very thoughtful and careful through the gridwork, and is even starting to get his flying lead changes over fences.   I can't wait to see what he's doing by the time I send him home in August!